Sam was brought back to her current surroundings by a soft knock on her office door. With the blinds drawn she couldn't see who was standing on the other side. "Come in," she invited, her voice husky through her fears for what Jo might be struggling to get through.
"Hi Sam, is this a bad time? I can come back later to go through the Braxton case if now's not a good time?" The object of Sam's concern edged back towards the door she had just entered through, a dagger piercing her as she took in her drawn, solemn expression fearing that Lucy had gone against her wishes after all.
"No Jo, come in and take a seat. I think now is the perfect time to discuss the case." Jo offered Sam a quizzical look, silently asking for an explanation to that statement. "Can I get you a coffee before we start? It might take a while to thrash out the details and I want us to be absolutely clear on everything before the CPS arrive." Now Jo was even more confused.
"But why are the CPS going to arrive? What's going on Sam?" The brunette knew she wasn't at her sharpest but felt increasingly as though she had drifted out of sync with her colleague.
"I had a phone call from Inspector Gold a few moments ago. A colleague of hers from a station in Leeds phoned to let her know Susanne Lord was found hanged by her mother this morning. She'd gone up there to try and avoid the press, was staying with her family and as far as we knew planning to return Wednesday morning in time for the trial." Sam explained, perching on the front of her desk close to her friend, shocked by just how pale and tired she looked at close quarters.
"How did he get to her? He must have done right? So the CPS are coming over to bust our balls about finding out how he managed to intimidate her this time? Let's do some digging then, I'll call the prison see who he's phoned in the last few days." Jo went to stand but was ushered back into her seat by the petite blonde, who did not fail to notice the wince her friend could not disguise as the contact was made.
"It's worse than losing our key witness, Jo. Susanne left a note, blaming this department for pressurising her into testifying against Andrew Braxton. She's retracted her complaint of abuse against him which means unless we can clear our own names and prove that he got to her within the next twenty four hours, he will walk away and we won't be able to touch him." Sam clarified, knowing she would have to inform Jo that it was her name mentioned specifically in the apparent suicide note. Doubtless the vultures would be swarming, looking for a scapegoat to pin it on if the case was thrown out of court. Sam was determined that it would not be Jo's head on the block.
"Sam, he beat that woman senseless for three years. There's a record that could wallpaper this entire station of how many domestic incidents uniform have been called to attend at their address. Everyone has their breaking point and when she saw him turn that belt on his own daughter, Susanne could not tell us fast enough what he had done to her. She was adamant in her wishes to see him behind bars. Terry and I took her statement, it's all on tape, we never needed to push her." Jo stood and prowled to the window, wondering if her day could get any worse.
"Inspector Gold is getting them to fax a copy of the note across, we should get it in the next ten minutes or so hopefully. Jo, you need to be prepared for what it might say. All I know at this point is that you are mentioned in it by name." Jo spun around to face Sam who was careful to keep her face impassive. Apparently her day could get worse, much worse.
"So now I'm going to be under investigation? I'm going to have some snot-nosed little prick prying into my conduct on every case I've worked looking for any abuse of my position?" Jo fumed, stalking back towards the desk and leaning on the back of the chair she had been sat in.
"We both know they won't find any, don't we Jo? But we need concrete evidence that you did not coerce Susanne into making that complaint and that somehow Braxton sent a real enough threat that she felt she was better off dead." Sam implored Jo to see that she had her full backing, not just as a friend but as her senior officer who knew that whilst the brunette may stretch the boundaries occasionally, she would never jeopardise the conviction of anyone in such a manner.
"That coffee sounds like a good idea. Any chance of you slipping something stronger into it?" Jo's attempt at a smile failed to reach her eyes which flickered to Sam's for the first time since entering the room. Sam sucked in a breath at what she saw in her close friend's ordinarily expressive eyes. Jo had the gaze of a traumatised victim, a look which spoke of suffering and resignation.
"We will get through this with your job and your reputation intact." Sam reached out and squeezed her friend's arm lightly.
"That's a tall order, Sam. Don't make promises you can't keep, we both know that mud sticks and the majority of people still reckon there's no smoke without fire." Jo returned to the chair, running a hand through her auburn locks as she sat down, her mind racing in fresh turmoil. As Sam left the room to fetch the hot drinks, the brunette detective offered up a silent plea to any higher power who might be listening to cut her a break, wondering what she did and to whom to deserve everything that was suddenly being thrown at her.
Gina entered CID, her face grim. She spied her friend and colleague by the coffee pot, fortuitously alone.
"The fax arrived. If it weren't so damning it would be laughable." Gina barked quietly having strode over to where Sam stood. The tiny blonde jumped, having been lost in her own thoughts and not heard the Inspector's approach. The older woman made no comment if she noticed the nervy reaction.
"What's the damage?" Sam asked holding a hand out for the manila folder her colleague was brandishing.
"Paints DC Masters as a bit of a harlot really, claims she seduced the complainant in order to persuade her to testify against her boyfriend. Spouts some rubbish about promising them a future together only for Jo to dump her once she got her agreement and her statement to put Mr Braxton behind bars. Says she went to Leeds to escape Jo and not the Press, that Jo has been relentlessly stalking her and badgering her not to back out of testifying. Ms Lord suggests that she felt her 'relationship' with Jo was even more abusive than Braxton had ever been, that the psychological torment she suffered at DC Masters' hands drove her to end her life, that it was the 'only option left open to her to end the bullying'." Gina recounted the contents of the note left by the hanged victim unsurprised when Sam swore softly under her breath. "Where is DC Masters?"
"In my office already. I was just getting coffee to fortify us both before we tackle her version of events. His defence are going to have a field day with this aren't they?" Sam's shoulder's slumped at the thought of another violent waste of DNA being released without paying for his crimes.
"From what I hear, they are already drawing up the papers to have the case thrown out." Gina knew to tread lightly, knowing Sam and Jo were close, but feeling the need to express her concerns all the same. "Make sure you know for certain which side you should be on before they turn up to grill DC Masters." Sam levelled a cool glare at her fellow officer.
"We both know that Jo is a damn good officer who would never think of abusing her trust or power that way."
"Knowing and proving are two different things. As a police officer you should know that Sam. Can you account for Jo's whereabouts at all times? Can you prove she had no contact with the victim she is alleged to have stalked and psychologically abused? Concentrate on getting these details ironed out with Jo, I'll get some of my officers to do some discrete digging into Mr Braxton's recent activities." Gina rejoined turning on her heel and walking from the office.
"I was beginning to think you'd gone grinding the coffee beans yourself." Jo joked as Sam returned to the office, a steaming mug in each hand and a folder tucked under her left arm.
"Inspector Gold brought me the faxed suicide note." Sam's heart was pounding, hating that she had to ask Jo the questions she would have to in order to satisfy her obligations as the younger woman's superior officer. "I need you to be honest with me about your relationship with Susanne Lord. Did you at any time have anything more than a professional relationship with her?"
"In what way? I mean, I was friendly to her, offered her my support and told her she could call me anytime she needed to talk. I gave her my work's mobile number since I always have that on." Jo answered a little cagily. "Is this because I'm a lesbian?" she asked, eyes narrowing in suspicion.
"Her note suggests that you were… interested in getting to know her on a more personal level. That you may have used your sexuality to convince her to testify against Braxton." Sam answered, watching Jo for her reaction as much as listening to her answers.
"So what? I'm supposed to be some sort of rapist now? I prey on victims and make them sleep with me in return for putting away their bastard boyfriends?" The brunette fired back angrily, feeling tears of hurt and frustration spring unbidden to her eyes. "I thought we were friends Sam. Do you really think I'm capable of something like that?" Jo held up a hand, forestalling any answer the other woman would try to give. "Don't answer that, I don't think I want to hear it." Jo stormed out of the office heading straight out of CID and finding the nearest available bathroom. She had just managed to lock herself into a cubicle and kneel before losing the meagre contents of her stomach.
The door opened quietly, the soft sucking of the frame and door parting company sounding loud in the silent bathroom. She had no idea how long she had been sitting on the floor, a numbness having settled over her as she battled to cope with all the blows raining down on her.
"Jo?" Sam's voice was hushed, her concern evident. "Please Jo, we need to finish this discussion. You know I have to do this as your superior. It has nothing to do with my own personal feelings about you." The DI was cautious not to say too much in case she was mistaken and it wasn't Jo in the locked cubicle.
Grudgingly the brunette reached up and slid the bolt back from it's nesting place in the catch, letting the door swing inwards as was its want when not fastened in place. Sam crouched beside her, worried that it was too much that, if Jo was seriously ill as she feared she might be, this would be one battle too many for the ordinarily vibrant young woman.
"Tell me honestly Sam, do you think that's what I did? As DI, do you think a member of your team could stoop to those kinds of levels?" Jo refused to look at Sam, feeling exposed and vulnerable, knowing that the flimsy walls she had erected would come tumbling down if she allowed her friend to see into her eyes.
"Not for a minute. But as I've just had pointed out to me, knowing and proving are two very different things." Sam offered Jo her hand to help her up off the floor, slightly hurt when Jo refused to take it, preferring to lever herself up alone.
"So what now?" Jo steadied herself against a wave of dizziness and nausea, reminding her that she had not eaten despite taking strong painkillers.
"Are you sure you're well enough to be here? If you're still not over that flu-bug, you can take some more time off. Heaven knows you're owed enough time for the extra hours you put in last month." Sam prepared herself to catch Jo, who looked for all the world as though she were heading straight back to the floor.
"I'm fine. Besides, that would just look like I was trying to stay out of the way, make me look guilty and make you look like you were giving me preferential treatment cos of our friendship. We both promised when we became friends that there'd be no expectation or offer of that. As far as I'm concerned, that still stands." Jo managed to remain on her feet, her stomach lurching again but the contents, or at least the tiny amount still remaining, stayed put.
Sam gave Jo a look which told her she did not believe she was fine but she had to concede Jo had a point about how it would look. "Come on then, back to my office and we'll get you a glass of water. You look as though you could use one. I think your coffee will be beyond redemption by now I'm afraid."
"Jo, when you were off, where did you go? Were you really in bed with the flu? Only Lucy didn't seem to know where you were either and yet you told me that she had been with you, playing nursemaid." Sam had to give voice to the question which had been nagging her since she had read the note left by Susanne Lord. "If you tell me you were nowhere near Susanne, I'll believe you, but I need you to be honest with me."
"I can honestly, 100 percent truthfully say that I was nowhere near Susanne Lord whilst I was off work." Jo answered, failing to elaborate on just where it was she had been, fearing that it would become harder to keep the truth from Sam as the investigation drew on. Sam considered Jo for a few moments, weighing up the statement she had made before deciding not to push any further.
"That's good enough for me. Go through your paperwork on the case just to be on the safe side. Make sure all the i's are dotted and the t's crossed. You'll get all the backing I can give you on this Jo, both as your friend and as your senior officer." Jo made to leave the DI's office, hand on the door handle before pausing.
"I need a couple of hours off on Thursday morning if possible."
"It's a bit short notice, what's it for?" Sam asked wondering if Jo was finally going to talk to her about whatever had been eating away at her since her arrival.
"I've got a hospital appointment, nothing serious, just routine checks." Jo told her, unable once again to meet the intuitive blonde's eyes.
"What sort of checks? Jo, are you sure everything's ok?" Sam gave her a cast iron opening to talk to her.
"I don't see that that's any of your business DI Nixon. Now can I have the time off or do I need to phone the hospital and cancel?" Jo bristled, not liking the feeling of being backed into a corner, having dreaded asking for that very reason.
"As your DI, yes you can have the time off. But I wasn't asking as DI Nixon, I was asking as your friend. Jo I'm worried about you. You look tired and pale and something is obviously on your mind. And then you tell me you have to go to the hospital for 'routine checks'. Well I'm sorry for caring but you're the only person I know who has to go for any such checks. Talk to me Jo, please?" Sam rounded the desk, imploring Jo to meet her gaze. She reached out a hand only for Jo to pull away sharply.
"The appointment's at half nine, I'll be in as soon as I can after that." With that, Jo left the office and a stung Sam in her wake.