Joe Miller was not happy when Daniels knocked on his door, not long after he'd got back from giving Rose a warning about not telling her boyfriend about him and his temper. Fred was still in the car seat he'd taken out when he'd got back.
"What do you want now?" Joe asked Daniels. "My youngest is asleep, don't wake him up."
"Does he always sleep in the car seat Mr Miller?" Daniels asked him, seeing the boy in the hallway.
"I had to go out," Joe tried to bluff. "My wife won't be happy you keep harassing me, you and Hardy. So why are you here?"
"I have to ask you to come and answer a few questions at the station, do you want to call someone to watch your son for you?" Daniels wanted to know, thinking Joe's wife would ask all sorts of questions herself, like why her husband was being interviewed again.
"If you want to interview me, you'll have to wait until I call my solicitor, I've answered all Hardy's questions before, what can he possibly bring up about an old incident now?"
"This is nothing to do with the car incident, it's to do with your old colleague Rose Tyler. You were threatening her a while ago, DI Hardy wants to know why. Do I have to get a warrant for your arrest – Sir?"
"What are you talking about?" Joe asked him. "Get a warrant then but until you do, I'm getting some legal advice," Joe replied defiantly.
"Fine, I'll be back with uniformed officers then? What have you got to hide that you can't answer his questions when you threatened Miss Tyler?"
"Who said I threatened her? She called him, didn't she and made it up?"
"Her supervisor called DI Hardy, she was upset after you stopped her going to work. There's no point in denying it, we know you were outside her place of work, I'm sure the taxi driver who dropped her off will identify your car was there?"
"Are you going to leave?" Joe asked him as Fred was waking up.
"Fine, I'll be back then?" Daniels conceded, knowing his boss wouldn't be happy but why would Rose make something like that up?
He went off thinking Hardy was right, the man did have a lot to answer for and he was behaving very oddly. It seemed Joe Miller didn't want his wife to know he'd been warning his old work partner off but what was Hardy trying to prove?
Rose had gone out finally and Alec had gone back to the station, getting a look from his DS. It wasn't long though before she got a call.
"What?" she asked, raising her voice slightly.
"Calm down Ellie, it's nothing, Hardy can't find anyone else to pick on," Joe tried to bluff. "The detective who called round said he'd get a warrant but I can't see Hardy going that far."
"What does he want this time?" Ellie wanted to know, trying to turn to Alec's office.
"Nothing, just like the last time," Joe replied. "Would he go that far?"
"It wouldn't surprise me. Come down and I'll get him to drop it but what's it about?" Ellie wanted to know.
"Your friend, who else since she took up with your boss?"
"Why, what happened?" Ellie asked him.
"Nothing Ell, just tell him I'll be down later, you'll have to take Fred again, your chief will be getting tired of it."
Alec had been furious when Daniels had called to say Joe refused to answer any more questions.
"So are you getting a warrant Sir?" Daniels asked him.
"Let's give him a couple of hours to come in first. Did he deny he was there?" Alec wanted to know.
"More or less Sir and his youngest was asleep in the car seat so he'd been out somewhere."
"So why was he so bothered?" Alec asked his DC. "Right, give him until this afternoon, if not, I'll see the chief because this is all related to the car park incident, him trying to get her to be quiet about it. The next time, he may lose his temper with her and I am not going to allow that to happen. If the chief won't got for it, I'll get Rose to press charges though she will not like to do so."
"Yes Sir, I'm sure she won't. Sir, can you tell me why this is related to the Latimer case?"
"When you get back Daniels and it goes no further, understand?"
Alec had just ended the call when Ellie knocked on the door.
"Sir, I just had my husband on the phone again. What do you need him for now?"
"Miller, you should talk to him about it," was all Alec would say.
"He said he doesn't know why you keep asking him to come down and I know you got him here and tried to stop me finding out. What was all that for?"
"Did he not tell you Miller? The driver he argued with in the car park that time came forward. Now I have to ask your husband to attend a line-up as it seems he started it and the other driver maintains he was in the right and Joe just blew up when he approached the other man in the car park."
"Well he would say that. You want him to pick Joe out as the one he argued with? How can you be so sure?"
"I have Rose's statement and if the other driver picks him out, I can put out an appeal for more witnesses," Alec replied. "He is already denying it but if it was not him, why was he trying to get Rose to say she made a mistake?"
"What?" Ellie asked him. "When was that?"
"Not long ago, that's where I went Miller, he was waiting for her at work."
"Joe wouldn't do that, he was looking after Fred," Ellie insisted.
"Don't cover for him Miller, Daniels called round, your youngest was in his car seat."
"Why would he take Fred to meet Rose? How did he even know what time she was starting work?"
"Maybe because you called me to meet you at the caravan site down the coast?" Alec suggested.
"What would he want to meet her for?"
"To warn her to back off Miller, Rose witnessed his argument in the car park. Sorry but I have to get him identified by someone else but even going on what Rose said, I have enough to question him."
"You're just taking your girlfriend's side – Sir. Joe told me it was nothing in the car park, she's making something out of nothing," Ellie insisted. "He may had talked to the man but lost his temper?"
"Miller, that's two people who witnessed something going on and the other driver said the lights were on green for turning right on his side. He may do it in the ambulance but not in his car, he was in violation."
"Come on, we've all done it the odd time or two," she insisted.
"Maybe so Miller but not everyone starts an argument over it. I am still bringing him in, I advise you to get him to make it voluntary."
"He's already said he'd come down but I want it known I protest. What does the chief have to say about it?"
"She knows about the car park incident, Rose gave a statement when she had some concerns over it."
"Why would she have any concerns?" Ellie wanted to know.
"I can't discuss it with you, it concerns your husband. If you want to help him Miller, get him to admit it."
"Admit what exactly?" Ellie asked him.
"That he started the argument and warned Rose."
"I can't see how he'd warn Rose," Ellie refused to believe.
"You're too close to it, that's why," Alec replied.
"You can talk – Sir," Ellie objected.
"Miller, there's a difference. Rose didn't start the argument and now, she's a victim," Alec told her. "Are you saying she was making it up, about Joe warning her off? If so, think again Miller. Ask her partner if you don't believe it."
Ellie got up to leave. "He'll be here shortly but neither of us are happy about it."
"Neither is Rose, being confronted outside her place of work," Alec reminded her. "This is getting us nowhere Miller. Yes, Rose had some concerns, she came to me about them. She never said but maybe she's relieved to finally tell what she saw, maybe it has been bothering her all this time?"
"She should have mentioned it to me," Ellie replied.
"That was one of her concerns Miller. She did not know how you would react to being told your husband lost his temper easily. By the way, did I mention afterwards when your husband told you he waited for Rose coming out of the supermarket?"
"You may have done but why did she agree with him?" Ellie wanted to know.
"Think about it Miller, Rose had to work with him at the time, she was trying to keep the peace. Find out if he's on his way, let's get this over with."
"There's something different about you and it's not just Rose," Ellie told him as she was about to move.
"Oh yes Miller, though Rose is partly responsible but now, no-one and I mean no-one is above suspicion. I will be going to see the chief shortly and if your husband does not show up, I'll get a warrant and have him brought here, he refused to come in when Daniels called for him. If he does not give me some satisfactory answers as to why he was bothering Rose, I will place him under arrest. So, I suggest you get him to co-operate and maybe have a solicitor ready."
"That's going a bit far – Sir," Ellie objected.
"Is it? There's even more to come Miller so you had better be prepared and I will have other officers' husbands and boyfriends in for questioning, since they have escaped so far. I want to eliminate them from our enquiries and if they have any sense, they won't disagree like your husband seems to be doing."
"That's not fair, why Joe?" Ellie wanted to know.
"He worked with Rose, she was scared to say anything at the time. Work it out Miller, she agreed to go along with what he said and she told me she did not want to upset you at the time, if I remember correctly, he had just told her you were expecting or she was about to find out, she never really said but she must have assumed that was the news he told her you wanted to tell her."
"Yes, it was, I'd just found out but after that, Rose stopped calling round as much until Fred was born. She's his god-mother but why wouldn't she tell me?"
"Were you aware your husband had a temper?" Alec reminded her, raising his eyebrows that he knew sent Rose mad.
"I refuse to answer that, what man doesn't have a temper?"
"Well I don't, not a violent one that I would seek revenge on another driver when the incident was just as much my fault," he replied.
They were interrupted by his desk phone ringing and Ellie's mobile buzzing.
"Seems your husband has arrived," Alec told her as he acknowledge the caller.
"I just got a message, I have to watch Fred. See, you don't need to arrest him to get him here," Ellie told him.
"He still has to answer my questions yet Miller. By the way, any news on the missing phone of Danny's?" he asked, wondering if Joe Miller was in possession of it. "If you find a phone in your house that cannot be accounted for, I expect it to be handed in."
"What? Are you going out of your way today – Sir?" Ellie questioned him.
"Nothing of the sort Miller. Your son or your husband could have found it and not known whose it was. I will be asking everyone whom we've interviewed so far and those who I will be sending for. Go see to your youngest."
Alec picked up his desk phone, even though Daniels was just across the office and told him to take Joe Miller to the interview room.
"Sir, what if he asks for a solicitor?"
"Then make sure he has one, I have plenty of questions for him, starting with why he threatened my girlfriend this morning. Are you sure the baby was sat in a car seat when you called at Mr Miller's house earlier?"
"Yes Sir, I'm sure and the baby was asleep. I doubt he would have been put in there for that purpose, they had to have been out somewhere. What if he denies he was outside the ambulance station?" Daniels asked, seeing Ellie leave.
"Then let him, call Budmouth Taxis and ask for someone called Lucas, Rose said he was the driver this morning and ask him if he noticed a car parked where he dropped Rose off. If the moron had taken her into the car park, she would not have been confronted."
"Maybe not then Sir but if Joe Miller had wanted to confront her, he would have still done so another time."
"I know that Daniels," Alec replied, getting up. "Before that happened though, I could have warned him to stay away from her."
Now he regretted talking to Joe Miller about Rose the last time he'd hauled the man in because if the man lost his temper with Rose, he'd lose his temper with Joe Miller and being in the police wouldn't have stopped him. Now though, he had to go face the man who had just threatened his fiancée so he'd best let Daniels ask the questions.
Ellie had taken Fred and was talking to her husband.
"What's all this about?" Ellie asked him. "Did you go see Rose at work?"
"Don't be daft Ellie, why would I do that? Yes, I took Fred out, he wouldn't settle when you left so we went for a drive. I may have stopped outside the ambulance station to see to him."
"Well what's Hardy going on about you confronting Rose then?" Ellie wanted to know. "Why would Rose say you did then?"
"Can't you see?" Joe asked her as Daniels stood opposite. "Hardy's trying to trick me, Rose is getting her revenge."
"Revenge for what? For covering for you about the night in the supermarket car park?" Ellie asked him.
"What? Look Ellie, I was waiting for her, I told you that and I might have had words with the driver who almost cut me off. I didn't want to bother you with it but the rest is nonsense, I didn't start any fights with him."
"That's not what I was just told," Ellie replied, looking at Daniels and knowing she shouldn't repeat what her boss had just told her. "I can't say what, you've not been interviewed yet. He did ask me though if I've seen any strange phones in the house."
"What would he do that for Ell?"
"Maybe Tom knew where Danny's phone was and he's hiding it? Did you know about Tom's laptop though?"
"Would I have searched under his bed if I had?" Joe replied.
Ellie thought about it, it was a reasonable assumption he didn't know.
"Then why was Tom hiding the fact? I think you'd better tell me everything about Tom's interview when I get home."
"What's this about Ellie? Don't you trust me to deal with it?" Joe wanted to know as Alec arrived.
"Daniels, escort Mr Miller to interview room one," Alec ordered the DC.
When they went off, Ellie was holding her youngest son.
"Go home Miller, this could take a while."
"What? No, I'm not going home, I'll take him across the road to get him a drink."
"Do that then but he may get restless. Take him home if you need to."
"I'd rather just call my sister to take him then."
Alec had to leave her to it, it also meant he may have to call for Rose to come down and get the other driver Joe had argued with back in today or tomorrow but that depended on Joe's co-operation. Since he'd been reluctant to come in, Alec doubted he'd get it.
Ellie watched her husband being led off and called her sister Lucy as Alec followed.
"What's Joe doing in the police station?" Lucy almost laughed. "Are you so desperate for suspects?"
"Stop it Lucy. Can you come and get Fred or not?"
"I still saw something that night Ellie, I'll tell you what it was if you lend me that grand."
"Stop it Lucy, fine, don't watch your nephew then and if you're in trouble, get your son to bail you out."
"Okay, give me ten minutes but you can pay the taxi fare. Have you got Fred's car seat?"
"Just fasten him with you for the time being, Joe or myself will come and pick him up. Look, if you saw something that night, you have a moral duty to report it. Think about it Lucy, it could have been Danny's killer. How would you feel if he gets away with it and you could have done something? Yes, Joe's being asked questions but not over Danny, well not yet but Hardy's getting all female officers' husbands and boyfriends in, Joe's just the first."
Well she hoped that was the case as she hung up and hoped Lucy would see sense but maybe lending her the money might make her tell what she saw that night sooner rather than later. She took Fred into the less formal interview room to await her sister's arrival and wondered what her boss could possibly be asking Joe.
Alec was not giving Joe Miller an easy time as he handed a folder to Daniels of what had happened earlier.
"So, are you in the habit of waiting for people and confronting them?" he asked Joe. "This is the second person that we know of."
"What are you even talking about?" Joe wanted to know. "I went out, so what?"
"To wait for Rose Tyler's arrival at work? Don't deny it Joe, we have a witness who saw your car parked outside the ambulance station."
"I already told my wife, I may have stopped there to see to Fred," was all Joe would admit.
Alec somehow didn't believe him, that was some coincidence he stopped at the same time he'd figured Rose could be starting work, how long had he been prepared to wait, with a young boy in the back? No, Joe Miller was guilty of threatening Rose, setting about the other driver that evening and now he had no doubt Joe had lost his temper with Danny over something. The man had a short fuse, no doubt about it.
"So, do you want a solicitor?" Daniels was asking Joe.
"Am I going to need one?" Joe grinned.
"This is serious Joe. I could charge you with several things at the moment, not including threatening your old work partner. Daniels, check on the cab driver I told you Miss Tyler said dropped her off this morning."
"Hold on," Joe interrupted. "Who said anything about you charging me? What for?"
"I could give you a list," Alec replied, seeing Daniels getting his phone out to check on the cab driver. "Just admit it, you were trying to get Rose to back down about what she saw that evening because you are afraid your wife will find out. What don't you want her to know? By the way, let me see your phone."
"What? Why do you need my phone?" Joe asked.
"I can get a warrant to let us examine it, if I need to," Alec replied.
Joe reluctantly got the phone out of his pocket, Alec putting his specs on to read the contacts list and seeing 'Danny'.
"Want to explain this?" he asked Joe, holding the phone screen towards Joe.
"He was my son's friend, of course I had his number in case Tom wanted to contact him," Joe replied.
"Your son has his own phone Joe," Alec reminded him, looking for Joe's own number. Then he noticed the call forwarding options. "Whose is this other number?"
Joe tried to get to his feet.
"Sit down Joe. Daniels, did you get the cab driver?"
"Yes Sir, he's coming down later to give a statement but a car was parked right where Miss Tyler was dropped off and he noticed a man and he was turning towards a baby seat."
"Why did you feel the need to get Rose to back off Joe?" Alec asked him.
