He saw an excuse for being late but knew he'd regret it if he let Olly stop him as he was followed across the road, seeing as Olly seemed to have changed his mind and gone back inside but he'd only gone to tell Maggie he was going after the detective.
"I'm warning you Olly, if you keep getting in his way, he'll string you up from the tallest tree."
"I just want to ask him if he's seeing Rose Tyler, that's all," Olly told her.
"Like he'd tell you that," Maggie huffed as he walked out, wondering where he'd got the idea from.
He'd got it from a certain Karen White, whom he'd been keeping a close eye on and she'd just happened to let him buy her a drink last night, after he'd seen Hardy go out and since she was staying there, he'd thought even though Maggie wouldn't let her have a desk, they could join forces, so to speak. They'd done a bit more than that when they'd ended up snogging in the hotel lounge after closing time and she'd dragged him up to her room.
He'd only just got in the newspaper office before Maggie had done, then he'd had to pretend his slightly creased shirt had been missed out of the ironing pile though he could use the excuse his mother had not paid the electricity bill again he supposed.
"DI Hardy, have you got a minute?" Olly yelled after Alec as he'd dodged a car and a bus to cross the road.
"What do you want Stevens? Been talking to your friend Karen?" Alec asked, approaching the side door so Becca wouldn't ask stupid questions again.
"I may have been, if she saw you with Rose Tyler yesterday lunchtime," Olly dared reply.
Alec stopped, the key in his hand, hoping it was the hotel key and not the one Rose had just given him.
"What has she got to do with anything?" Alec replied, knowing he was certainly going to be late now and so at least Stevens would confirm they'd been talking, if Miller were to ask her nephew.
"So you don't deny it?" Olly grinned, though he'd fancied Rose since she'd got here but she didn't seem to like him, unlike Karen White. "So, had you been having lunch together? Karen saw the two of you talking."
"She had been giving a formal statement about finding Danny Latimer on the beach, we just happened to both go across the road, we did invite your aunt but she declined," Alec replied without thinking.
Sheesh, what had he just told Rose, that he would only deny it to Miller but she and the reporter were related so he convinced himself he was shielding Rose, for now.
"That's it?" Olly asked, looking disappointed. "What about outside the harbour newsagents the other day then? Nige was down there, he said the two of you looked intense," Olly grinned, looking pleased with himself.
"I was finding out what they were doing there, that's all. You are making me late for work," Alec told him, hoping now he'd complain to Miller that he was getting the blame.
"Sure you're not hiding something?" Olly dared to ask.
"What would I have to hide, Stevens?" Alec asked him, the door now open and him wishing he'd gone the other way where the steps weren't quite as steep.
No wonder he'd had an attack the night before last, the wine, the missing tablets and the stairs had all conspired against him. Then he had an idea and thought he would go through into the hotel and see if there was any mail for him to give him a good enough excuse.
Olly called after him as Alec avoided the steep steps and went around the side of them.
"It's a small town, if you are seeing her," he reminded Alec.
That was what Alec was afraid of. Despite him telling Rose he wouldn't let on to his DS about them, other people she knew would see them together. There was only one thing for it and Rose wouldn't be pleased about it. They either carried on arguing in public and him set himself up for another attack or they called the whole thing off until after the investigation was over. He himself didn't like either of them but it was the only way to stop Joe Miller finding out he and Rose were now involved and Joe Miller going after her to find out if she had seen him that time in the supermarket car park and how much she had said about it.
Either way, he couldn't let anything happen to her, she meant too much to him now, he was tired of fighting her, the one person in the town he now trusted with his life and if he lost her, what did he have to gain by going ahead with his surgery? No, if he lost her now, he'd just leave it until the day he was due to go in and cross his fingers he wouldn't be attending her funeral before his time was up.
He now knew Joe Miller had a temper and Rose was very convincing that the man was responsible for Danny's death so not liking the other two alternatives, maybe he could convince his chief Rose was right and get her some protection because if he hauled in DS Miller's husband, Joe wouldn't be the only one after Rose, half the town would be.
He made sure Stevens had gone, took the other staircase up to his room and sent a message to Ellie that her annoying nephew had held him up and to have a car outside the hotel in fifteen minutes. He just hoped she herself wouldn't be the one waiting for him.
Ellie huffed when she got the message and called her nephew.
"Olly, if you've been holding Hardy up, he'll just make your life worse," she warned him.
"I had a good reason to stop and talk to him Auntie Ellie," Olly started to explain.
"This had better be good Olly," she replied.
"Well he was getting out of a taxi opposite the hotel, so where had he been so early?" Olly asked her.
"How would I know? Oh, he just sent me a message he was running late, no explanation though," she admitted.
"Funny he was coming down towards the harbour, not away from it," Olly continued.
"Well he wants a car sending, I might just go get him myself," she mused. "Well, did you ask him where he'd been?"
"I'm not that daft. No, I asked him if it was true he was having lunch with Rose, the paramedic yesterday lunchtime? He said she'd been giving a statement."
"She was but when I got downstairs at the agreed time, she was already there and Hardy was looking smug about something. How do you know anyway?" she asked him.
"Well I saw them both talking the other day outside the newsagents," he admitted.
Ellie couldn't remember if he'd already told her or not, she'd been so busy she'd hardly seen her two boys, which was why she skipped lunch with Rose yesterday, not that she'd wanted Hardy's company. Maybe she should have just gone to rescue Rose? Still, Rose could look after herself, she'd managed quite well so far.
"Were you spying on them yesterday Olly?" she asked him.
"No, not me. Another journalist saw them," he replied.
"Hold on a second," she told him. "Frank, get a car up to Hardy's hotel, now," she shouted across her desk.
She thought it was a shame she wouldn't be able to pick him up, she could have asked him herself. By the time he got here, he would have thought of several excuses. She could ask Rose, maybe she'd be attending the reconstruction that night, either on duty or not. She had wondered though why Hardy had been in a slightly better mood when he'd come back yesterday afternoon. Surely Rose hadn't been responsible for that?
He'd been annoyed with her last Friday morning, on the beach so perhaps not? Why had Rose arrived early though and no-one had told her and Hardy being all secretive? She knew she'd thought of asking Rose for dinner at the same time as her annoying boss but on reflection, maybe it had been for the best? She still had to ask Rose what happened the night before, when Hardy had hit his head on something, Rose was bound by duty to tell her what had happened to him, if she was asked.
If Hardy though suspected she'd asked Rose what happened to him, he get even more annoyed.
"Aunt Ellie, are you still there?" Olly was asking her.
"Stay away from him and Rose, Olly, I'm warning you. They may have had lunch together but it doesn't mean anything," she told him.
"But Aunt Ellie, there could be a story here, to take everyone's minds off what happened to Danny," Olly insisted.
"Olly, did you not see there's a reconstruction tonight?" she asked him. "That s the whole point of it, we don't want people to forget, we want them to come forward if they saw anything. If you print anything, Hardy will go crazy with you."
"Thanks for the warning but I'm still going to watch the two of them," he replied.
Ellie hung up, shaking her head. She missed picking her boss up because Olly thought it was big news Rose was seen having lunch with the grumpy new detective. Still, if they were seen together, others would jump to the same conclusion as Olly had. She just hoped the two of them knew what they were doing.
Little did she know the reason they were trying to keep it quiet was herself, if she got to know what Rose had told her boss. Rose had watched Alec being driven away, hoping Lucas wouldn't ask him any awkward questions. She thought she had best call Steven.
"Hello Rose, you don't normally call before we start work," he greeted her.
"Yeah, I know but have you heard about the reconstruction of Danny's last movements tonight?" she asked him.
"It's all over the place Rose, I could hardly miss it. So what about it?" he asked.
"I thought it would be nice if we volunteered to stay on duty and follow the procession, with it being us that found him," she replied.
"That's very commendable Rose. You want me to volunteer us to the supervisor?" he wanted to know. "Did Hardy put you up to it?"
"What?" Rose asked.
"Well you had your interview before I did, he could have mentioned it to you? I'm all for it if someone else hasn't been asked, we come off duty around that time."
"Yeah, thanks Steven. I did talk to DI Hardy, about Joe," she admitted.
"I hope you know what you've started Rose? Be careful, if he mentions it to your friend."
"I don't think he will, they don't really get on. Anyway, he said he couldn't do anything about it unless I know who the other driver was."
"Can't he put an appeal out then?" Steven wanted to know.
"Well he can't, it would get back to Ellie. Steven, I've got enough dealing with finding Danny, it's bothering me that Joe had a temper and he knew Danny. How am I supposed to just leave it?" she asked him.
"I know Rose, sorry. I'll call the supervisor and tell him I heard about it, if you insist on doing it?"
"It's the least we can do Steven. I have something else to tell ya but it a wait."
"Then I can't wait, although I bet it's about you and Hardy," he laughed.
"Stop it Steven," Rose told him.
"Come on Rose, how long do you think you'll be able to keep that quiet?" he asked her. "I think it's sweet, you two meeting at a traffic accident, it's almost too perfect and the fact you couldn't stand each other. Still, I bet something gave when you had to keep him alive so we could get him to the hospital?" he asked.
Rose knew she was going to regret this. If Alec had been serious about hiring a car and he came to pick her up, everyone would notice. She just hoped no-one who still knew Joe would tell him but the chances of that were pretty slim. Joe had not left on very good terms, so she'd heard though he'd not said anything to her at the time but the rumours had been that he had told the shift supervisor to go to hell with his stupid shift patterns and the person who had come up with them wanted shooting.
Most everyone felt the same way but had never voiced their opinions but now, the subject seemed to be re-surfacing. If she was insisting on Alec staying with her, she might have something to say about it herself. She dreaded to think of Alec coming out at midnight to pick her up and keeping a car at the ambulance station was a bit of a waste but she had to get herself there at all sorts of times.
She went to get ready for work after sorting her laundry, smiling to herself that Alec would have to get used to seeing her underwear drying in the bathroom but since he'd been married, he was probably used to it. He probably wouldn't be used to seeing the kind she wore though. She could just picture him handling them when she left them drying.
She got to the ambulance station, grateful that Lucas must have been off duty and went to her locker to put her uniform on.
"Rose," the shift supervisor called through the office door. "A word please."
Rose looked around, the others watching.
"What?" she asked them as they pretended to be doing something else. "Think I got called to the principle's office?"
"No-one said anything Rose," Paul, one of the others who was going off-duty told her as she zipped her jacket up. "It's probably about tonight, the police requested an ambulance be on standby for the walk retracing where Danny went last Thursday night."
Rose knew it could only be that but didn't want anyone to know she had volunteered herself and Steven to be the crew.
"You're coming off at that time," he reminded her. "It makes sense since you had to attend. Rose, we're all sorry it had to be you who got the call, with knowing him."
She saw the others nod in agreement.
"Sorry I snapped, it's just gettin' to me, ya know," she replied.
"We know, which is why the others have been turning it down, we felt it should be you. You should go see the counsellor."
"I thought about it but I might go see the vicar instead, I'd feel more comfortable. Best go then," she tried to smile as she saw the supervisor looking at her through the office window.
Rose went off and was asked since no-one else had agreed if she and Steven would do it.
"Did he call ya?" Rose asked.
"Ah, yes actually. Did you already know he'd volunteered you both?" the supervisor asked her.
"I had a police interview yesterday, the detective in charge mentioned it," she told him.
"Yes, I wasn't here but I've been told DI Hardy thought it would be a good idea to have an ambulance present, I wonder how your partner got to know?"
"He had an interview as well, he must have been asked," she replied, not wanting to give anything away.
"Right, that's you two doing it then, on your own time. Just call in at eight and tell whoever answers that you are attending a police event, I'll leave word," he told her.
She left the office and went to join Steven, who was checking the equipment and the supplies.
"Well, you got what you wanted, okay?" he asked her.
"Yeah, thanks. I just feel I want to be part of it, not just walking with everyone else, ya know? It could get a bit awkward with Beth though, she'll have all kinds of questions for us, like how we found him. I'm dreading it."
"Then tell her the police have asked you not to reveal anything," Steven suggested. "Get your boyfriend to back you up," he grinned.
"Stop it, he's not my boyfriend," she replied.
"You're only fooling yourself Rose, I know you are. Stop denying it, I won't tell anyone. I never said about us finding him the other night or the fact you two are all gooey-eyed at each other when you meet up," he teased her. "So, are you seeing each other?" he asked as he closed the doors.
"I invited him over for dinner last night. I went to the police station early to tell him about Joe. He says he can't do anything, he has to be careful Ellie doesn't find out and tell Joe. Steven, he thinks Joe knows I saw him and I'm scared of what he's capable of," she admitted.
"Geez Rose, that's serious," Steven replied as he ticked things off on a chart as he sat in the driver's seat. "Is he going to do anything about it?"
"Yeah, he told me to stay away from Joe. He might be able to get someone else to look into the incident without Ellie finding out but everyone's busy with Danny's death."
"He sounds worried about you," Steven replied. "Well, let's see what today brings eh?" he asked as he picked up the radio to say they were ready to go.
There was nothing for them so Steven suggested they made their way to the harbour.
"Were you asked about us seeing to Danny's foot?" Rose asked him.
"Yeah, I wonder what that was about?" Steven replied. "So, when are you and the cute detective seeing each other again?"
"At the reconstruction tonight," she grinned.
"Very funny Rose, you know what I mean. I'll find out you know?"
"I'm worried about him, no-one might find him next time Steven."
"So what are you doing about it?" he wanted to know.
Rose was rescued by a call coming through but after they'd got the details, she avoided the question.
Alec was in his office, going over some files when Ellie invited herself in.
"Are we going out this morning?" she asked him as he looked over the edge of his glasses.
"Do we need to?" he replied.
"So did you arrange for an ambulance crew to attend tonight?" she continued when he went back to what he was doing.
"I already arranged it Miller, I thought I had told you?"
"Well you've had me doing that much, how am I supposed to remember? I wonder if it'll be Rose?" she grinned. "Why did she arrive early yesterday? I asked Bob but he said he couldn't say. What's so secretive?"
Alec looked up. "If you must know, she came to clear the air, after Monday when we had words outside the newsagents. Satisfied?"
"If you say so? So it wasn't over what happened the other night, when you fell then? I told Joe he has to stop refilling people's glasses when they come over. I told him you'd had a little accident because of it and he said sorry."
Alec would have rather it had come from him.
"Enough said Miller. If there are any callouts, take what's his name, Frank with you."
"Are you trying to avoid going out with me?" she asked him.
"Nothing of the sort Miller but half of the callouts do not require a DI. There is still paperwork to go over."
He didn't want to say he'd promised Rose that was all he would try to do today but that wasn't to be. He went across the road to get some lunch, wishing Rose could have joined him but got Olly instead. Olly had gone back to the office to find Maggie all excited about something her friend had heard in the hospital.
"Olly, come here petal," she called him as he went to his desk. "You'll never guess what I just heard, from Yvonne?"
"No but I expect you'll tell me," he replied, still fuming about Hardy from earlier.
"Sometimes I hate the young," she muttered to herself. "Anyway, Yvonne was doing her meet and greet thing when she heard the staff talking about how not last night but the night before that Rose Tyler and her partner had taken someone into emergency who had fallen and hit their head but they saw her and went quiet."
"So, is that news Maggie?" Olly asked her.
"Maybe, when that someone was DI Hardy?" she grinned. "Why would they go all quiet when they saw her?"
"Maybe because they know she's friends with you?" Olly suggested.
"Don't be cheeky Olly. Well don't just stand there, go and find him and ask what happened. He's in charge of a murder investigation, people need to know if it was related to the case. They also need to know if he'd more than just fallen. Then tomorrow, find Rose when she's out and ask her, if he won't tell you."
"Rose hates me, she wouldn't even go out with me when my aunt Ellie tried to fix us up together. She won't tell me."
"Well put on the charm and offer to buy her dinner Olly," Maggie told him. "Start by smartening yourself up, look at your shirt."
"Ah, mum had a bit of a mix up with the electric bill again," he tried to make up an excuse.
"More like you met a woman and went back to her place," Maggie told him. "You've not been seeing that Karen White have you?"
"No. What makes you think that?" he asked.
"Maybe because I refused to give her a desk and you disappeared five minutes later?" she laughed. "Well go find Hardy then and don't leave it until tonight. I want a full report of the reconstruction Olly."
So Olly had wandered down to the harbour, seen an ambulance pass him and thought Rose was in it but he imagined she was in every one of them then he walked around towards the police station, hoping to catch either Hardy or his aunt going in or out. Then in the distance he saw who he thought was Alec crossing the road so he speeded up and half ran the rest of the way and around the corner, to see Alec waiting for some food.
"You had better not be following me again Stevens," Alec warned him.
"I wanted to ask you, about the other night," Olly replied. "You were seen at the hospital, care to give a statement?" he asked hopefully.
Alec's order was called so Olly waited.
"Go away," Alec warned him. "This is the second time you've bothered me when I told you to stay out of my way. Did your editor send you?"
"No," Olly lied. "So come on then, what happened? I could go ask Rose, you know her, don't you? You were seen having lunch yesterday, did she take you to the hospital?" he persisted.
"Did you ever think of joining the police, with all the questions you ask?" Alec asked him as he was about to cross the road.
"Why would I want to do that?" Olly asked. "So I'll go ask her then?"
Alec stopped and turned around.
"You leave her alone Stevens, understand? I told you, she had been to give a statement, we happened to go have some lunch, end of story," Alec insisted.
"Did she take you to the hospital then?"
"Look Stevens, she was just in the ambulance taking me there, I had a fall, nothing more so just leave it, do I make myself clear? If I hear you have been annoying her, I will be having words with your editor. Now go find someone else to annoy and not her."
Olly watched him cross the road and go up the steps. He knew the detective was hiding something. Maybe he'd have better luck asking at the hospital, to see why they really had stopped talking in front of Maggie's friend. Rose must have something to tell, maybe he could catch her later if she was going to the reconstruction? Then he thought maybe the reason the staff went quiet was because there was something else wrong with Hardy and he didn't want anyone to know about it but what if Rose had stayed to make sure he was okay?
He was still jealous of any man who got close to her, despite spending the night with his idol from a top London newspaper.
