"You may as well tell me," Alec insisted.
"His dad hit him, he came to see Tom but he wasn't in so we talked," Joe admitted.
Joe tried to explain, Alec shaking his head.
"So the night you returned from holiday, you arranged to meet Danny at the hut? You left your wife and two sons, your wife was asleep," Alec asked him.
"She takes pills for jet-lag. I'd not seen him since before we went away."
"He was more important than your family?" Alec wanted to know, trying to understand.
"I told you that you wouldn't understand. Danny was going to spoil it, I couldn't let him."
"Then tell me what happened Joe. Did you lose your temper with him?"
Alec finally got up after Daniels called for an officer to take Joe away.
"I can't understand his reasoning," Alec told his DC.
"I know Sir, neither can I but we have him. Now his wife will have to believe it," Daniels replied.
"Will she? Take his statement and make sure everything's ready to hand over on Monday. Arrange for him to be taken into custody over in the remand centre. Make certain he has no visitors and that includes his wife."
"Yes Sir but she may try, since she knows everyone here," Daniels tried to tell him.
Alec thought she was bound to try. He still couldn't get his head round the fact Joe thought a young boy was more important than his own two sons.
"Sir, do you think he abused Danny?" Daniels asked as they were leaving.
"He says not but it may have got that far. We have to ask Tom if his dad worried him that way."
"DS Miller will like that even less," Daniels tried to joke.
"Yes, she may but it has to be done. Give her a call and get her to bring him in."
After some persuasion, Ellie agreed to bring Tom in. While she was waiting for Alec, Tom asked her what was going on.
"It's Hardy again, as if arresting your father wasn't enough," Ellie told him, after leaving Fred with her sister.
"We're not staying in that hotel room are we Mum?"
"No, we'll go down the coast to the caravan park, they have some vacancies. Tom, your dad didn't do anything, I know he didn t."
"Danny went to talk to him when he called for me," Tom admitted.
"So? Did you go talk to Danny's dad while you were at their house?" Ellie wanted to know.
Tom nodded. "Well yeah. Does DI Hardy think dad killed Danny?"
Ellie had tried to explain it to him last night but everyone had been upset and Fred had given his cousin and his aunt a hard time while Ellie had been out.
"Did you see Mrs Latimer last night Mum?"
"Yeah, I tried to talk to her but Hardy had her convinced it was your dad. Don't worry, we'll get him a better solicitor, we'll try and get him released until the hearing. Tom, did you see or hear him going out that night?"
"No Mum, I was tired as well. He put Fred down in his cot, then he popped his head round my door and asked if I was okay."
Ellie was satisfied her husband hadn't gone out so why was Hardy so keen to prove otherwise? Alec entered the informal interview room and switched the camera on.
"You know why you are here Tom?" Alec asked him.
"Is this really necessary?" Ellie asked.
"We have to establish some facts. Your husband has confessed what happened that night."
"What? You mean you forced him to," Ellie replied angrily.
"Like it or not, we have his full statement from that night. Tom, you have to answer some questions and you may not like them. Did your dad ever do anything that made you feel uncomfortable?"
"That's it, we're out of here and I'm getting Tom some legal help. Why the hell are you asking these things?" Ellie shouted. "Come on Tom, we're leaving right now."
"Fine, get some legal advice but I still have to ask the same question. DS Miller, you have been suspended from duty, we can't prove you knew anything your husband was doing so you are on full pay until such times this is all cleared up. If you want to give a voluntary statement, you can call in any time," Alec told her.
"A voluntary statement? About what?" Ellie asked, trying to remain calm.
"Think about it Miller, his temper for one, how could you not have seen it? Then there was him getting Rose to cover for him losing it in the car park that night. She's lived with that for two years, she'd seen what he was capable of. He knew it and it ensured her silence."
"She never said anything to me, why wait all this time, just when she's getting cosy with you?" Ellie wanted to know.
"That has nothing to do with what happened, she was worried and she had been all that time. If you saw someone act like that, you would have been worried too."
"Well I've never seen him like that and I think I know him better than Rose," Ellie replied.
"Really? When you never even knew he was meeting Danny? That night wasn't the first time Miller, he admitted it."
"Only because you made him. When can I see him?"
"When he's sent on remand and not before. He confessed, I doubt there will be a trial."
After Ellie left, Daniels turned to Alec.
"Sir, don't you think if she gets to see him, she might make him change his mind?"
"Yes, I'm aware of that Daniels. He can protest all he wants, we have his confession but it will mean a trial and it will all rest on Rose giving her testimony. I never wanted that."
"I know you didn't Sir but she will testify, she's been holding his secret all this time to save her friend finding out. Not many people could do that."
"Yes, she is something else Daniels. Now I have to tell her she will more than likely have to become the prosecution's main witness. She will do it but it won't make her feel any better. I had better warn her. I'll go see the chief, if she's still here then I will go pick Rose up and break the news to her. I just hope DS Miller doesn't try to contact her again, she turned up at our apartment last night."
"Really?" Daniels asked. "I would have thought she would have wanted to stay away? It must be hard for her to accept though?"
"Rose thought Miller would be mad at her husband, not us," Alec admitted. "I told her to stay away from the Latimers as well, I hope she didn't go see them last night."
Daniels's phone rang and he acknowledged the caller by saying they would be right there.
"Seems we spoke too soon. Mrs Latimer is in reception."
Alec thought that was all he needed.
"Why was Ellie Miller round last night claiming her husband's innocent?" Beth wanted to know.
"Beth, calm down," Alec tried to tell her.
"She had better not try and talk him into retracting his confession," Beth told him.
"She can't do that, we have his signed statement. We also have too much evidence against him and several witnesses as to his temper. Go home Beth, there's no need for you to be worried," Alec told her.
"Then I hope you're right inspector, he can't get away with it."
"I know, he won't," Alec tried to assure her.
"Your last case got away from you. I met with Cate Gillespie, she warned me about you."
"Beth, she's angry but Sandbrook was different. The case is still open on that, it's not like Danny's case. Go be with your family, did you get Danny released?"
"Yeah, we were contacted earlier. Sorry, I'm just worried Joe will get away with it."
"We understand that Beth but he won't. I can't tell you any more, sorry. Just go ahead and arrange his funeral."
"Will you and Rose attend?" Beth asked him.
"Yes, Rose was very upset at being the one to be called to the scene that morning. She thought it best to keep her distance while the investigation was ongoing but I'm sure she will want to see you now."
"Yeah, tell her she's welcome any time and I'm sorry it had to be her. I wasn't taking much notice at the time," Beth admitted.
"We understand Beth. Has DS Miller been bothering you?"
"Not since last night. How could she not see what was happening?" Beth wanted to know.
"He covered it well. Rose saw it, she came to me about it just after it happened, she made me think about it. Beth, she had lived with the knowledge for quite a while, you should be thanking her for bringing it to my attention."
"Is that how you two got together?" Beth tried to smile.
"You could say that but we kept on meeting at incidents. She learned how Danny had died and made the connection with Danny's death but it took some proof and fortunately, another incident of his temper was witnessed by someone else. There is no doubt about it, we have the right person."
Beth seemed satisfied and went off. Alec went back to his office to wind things up and go meet Rose from work. Little did he know that while he'd been talking to Beth, Ellie had tried her luck at seeing her husband when the custody sergeant took pity on her.
"You can have five minutes Ellie," she was told, being led to the cells.
"Can't you let me in there?" Ellie asked.
"Sorry, you can only talk to him through the hatch. If Hardy catches me, I'll lose my job."
"Thanks Sam, I appreciate this," Ellie told him. "Tom, not a word about this."
The hatch was let down and she peered through, Joe getting up.
"Ellie, what are you doing here?" he asked her.
"Tell me it's not true Joe."
"I gave my statement Ellie, I've nothing more to say."
"You denied what Rose accused you of," Ellie reminded him.
"What could I have said?" Joe asked her.
"So you did lose your temper that day?"
"It wasn't like that Ellie, Rose told Hardy, she didn't see it all."
"But you argued?" Ellie wanted to know.
"Why are you really here Ellie? Is Tom with you?"
Ellie pulled Tom towards the door.
"Why are you here Dad?" Tom asked him.
"Take him home Ellie. Whatever you hear, I gave my statement."
Ellie wondered what he meant by that.
"Well, did you kill Danny?" Ellie asked him, hearing the other door opening and hoping Hardy hadn't found out.
"Just leave it Ellie, Hardy thinks I did."
"Well that's not good enough Joe, what about your solicitor?"
"I'll talk to him once they move me, see if I can get out on police bail, with you being a DS."
"I've been suspended Joe, Hardy saw to that. That's so I can't question him."
"Then go see the chief," Joe suggested.
"What for? She'll only take his side, he thinks he has Danny's killer, she won't let anyone prove otherwise, she was going over-budget."
"Sorry Ellie, you'll have to leave now," the custody sergeant told her.
"I'll still get you out," Ellie promised him, Tom trying to lead her away.
"Did you mean that Mum?" Tom asked her on the way out, hoping she didn't bump into her ex boss.
"Whatever happened that night Tom, if you know something, you have to say, if it gets your dad released."
Ellie hadn't got around to lending her sister the money she wanted last night, well not in front of Olly, he'd wonder what was going on but when she got back to pick up Fred, Lucy was on her own. Ellie took her into the kitchen.
"Wow, I thought you weren't going to help me out," Lucy told her, trying to hug her and Ellie trying to get free.
"Just tell me Lucy. Joe's locked up, I want to prove he's innocent."
"Well that night, I was just pulling my bedroom curtains over, it was after two, I'd been doing something online," Lucy began to tell her.
"Don't bother telling me what Lucy, I already know. Did you see something?"
"A man, opposite, he was dressed in black and he was putting something in a bin, it looked like some clothing."
"Why didn't you tell the police?" Ellie wanted to know.
"You think they would have done anything?" Lucy asked her.
Ellie thought probably not.
"I need to know if you saw the person Lucy."
While Alec had been dealing with Ellie and getting the rest of Joe Miller's confession, Rose had been very quiet and Steven had left her, until they took a break.
"So, they got the killer then?" Steven mused. "No need to ask who it is?"
"You know I can't say," Rose reminded him.
"Come on Rose, it has to be. Who am I going to tell? Were you there? I mean after what happened yesterday morning."
"Yeah and Ellie had the nerve to confront us at home. What is it with her she doesn't think he's capable? It was bad enough when she didn't believe what happened in the car park but she more or less accused us of framing him."
"Never?" Steven asked, looking surprised.
"I bet she's had another go at Alec this morning as well. We just hope she won't talk Joe into withdrawing his confession."
"Can he do that?" Steven wondered.
"Better hope not. Alec can't tell me any more anyway. Word will soon get round, he told Mark and Beth who it was, Olly will get to know, it being his uncle."
Before Alec left to pick Rose up, he called the newspaper editor.
"Is that reporter of yours around?" he asked Maggie when he got put through.
"He disappeared when his mother came in last night, before your announcement though. Why do you want to talk to him?"
He wondered what Miller had said to her sister, while she was waiting for her son to be collected. Did Miller expect her husband to be arrested?
"I don't expect to see any speculation in your paper about who has been arrested," he told Maggie.
"I already told you that the paper works with the police, detective inspector. If Olly prints anything, he'll be doing it on his own, I can't control what he puts on social media if it's not through the paper's account but if he uses that, I'll delete it. That's all I can do."
"Well keep an eye on it then, the town is going to be ripped apart if it gets out. We'll be giving a full statement shortly, we have just finished with the suspect."
"Care to give us an exclusive?" Maggie dared ask.
"As long as you don't send Stevens. Be outside the station at two, someone will be giving a statement, there will be a few reporters still in town I expect but if you come inside, I will give you more information but I can't stay long, I have to be somewhere."
"I heard you got engaged recently, to Rose. Congratulations, care to give us an interview?"
"Not yet, I don't want to spotlight taking off what happened to Danny, understand?"
Maggie appeared to be thinking about it.
"Very well, I'll give it a few weeks then if you happen to call in the office to announce it officially, maybe we can have a photo or two and the story of how you met."
"We'll think about it."
Alec wondered what Rose would make of it though, being in the paper. He went back to his statement, more detailed than the hurried one yesterday and hoped he was doing the right thing.
After the statement was read out, the chief making an appearance and Alec saying they were not looking for anyone else, he allowed Maggie inside and gave her a few details of how he'd been put onto the suspect, keeping Rose's name out of it.
"So, someone came to you when they were worried someone they knew had a temper?" Maggie asked him.
"Yes, the person cannot be named for legal reasons but they will play a big part when the case goes to court," he admitted.
"So this person will be the prosecution's main witness? You have a confession though?" Maggie wondered.
"Yes, we have a confession and the person who came forward is not the only one. I don't want it mentioned the suspect was caught because their temper gave them away though."
"I'll leave that out for now but it makes an interesting story," Maggie smiled.
"I have no doubt it does," Alec had to admit. "Maybe when the initial shock has died down?"
"I'll keep that in mind. Anything else you care to add? What about this witness, is it someone local?"
"That is irrelevant, the person came forward and I had to consider what I was told. This person had been living with the knowledge a long time though, now they have to face the person they were worried about in court."
"Are you afraid this person will back down?" Maggie wanted to know.
Alec thought about it. Would Rose back out when she confronted Joe after all this time and after what happened? He really hoped not but if she wouldn't stand up in the witness box and say it was him she saw that day and he finally threatened her, what else had they to go on, besides his confession?
Then if Ellie Miller talked him out of it and he persuaded his defence lawyer he made the statement under duress, would the case fall flat? No, he didn't think that would happen but should he be worried he was involved with Rose? He went to see the chief and then made his way to pick up Rose, who had stayed in the building until she saw Alec get out of his car.
"Rose, he's locked up love," Alec reminded her as she came out.
"Yeah, I know but after yesterday?"
"Let's go home, pack a bag and go up the coast? We'll find somewhere to stay wherever we end up."
"Yeah, sounds good. So did ya give another statement?"
"Yes and one to the local paper but there was no sign of Stevens, thankfully."
"Ellie's probably got him on her side anyway, he won't be able to think straight," Rose replied as she got in Alec's car.
"I expect not but something the paper's editor said bothers me. She said he disappeared before I gave the statement last night, which means your friend gave her sister information Joe had already been arrested."
"She's not my friend any more, is she? I expect she'll turn everyone against me now."
"She will do that with me but she won't persuade the Latimers. Forget it love, it does not matter. She can't do that unless she admits her husband has been arrested and she won't want to do that, even if she thinks he's been wrongly accused."
"Alec, that's just it, don't ya see? She'll want everyone to think he's been wrongly arrested, won't she?"
Alec didn't want to admit she may be right.
"You really think that?" he asked as he parked in his usual spot outside the apartments.
"She won't give up easily but once his name gets out, it could go either way. Either people will believe her or not but she won't give up easily. Can she make an appeal against him being arrested? I mean can he get bail?"
"It will take some doing, with his written confession but if he does, it will be with conditions. I'm not saying he will but we have to consider it. Sorry love, I know you thought it was over."
"Yeah, I was hoping so after all this time. Have you any idea what it was like Alec? Thinking that Joe knew I saw him that night and maybe he was daring me to say something? He must have suspected I would tell someone one day."
"Then I'm glad it was me," Alec smiled, pressing the lift button.
"Now, I'm gonna have Ellie to contend with."
"I've told her to stay away from you but if she doesn't, you may have to take action against her and get a restraining order."
"Geez Alec, it's almost as bad as expecting Joe to come after me. I'm still not free, am I?"
She leaned on him as he put his arm around her, getting out of the lift.
"Try not to worry too much love. She will be too busy trying to clear his name to go after you. What is she going to do?" he asked as he opened the door.
"Wait for me coming home?" Rose tried to joke. "Seriously though, does she think she's gonna make me retract my statement?"
"I don't know love but don't let her. Besides, we have your other statements and they were all made before we got involved. Daniels was there all the time, that's why I made sure he was. She can try love but she won't get anywhere."
"Well I hope you're right. So, are we packing a few things?"
"Yes love, then we'll just drive up the coast and find a small seaside town and try and forget the last few days eh?"
"Sounds good to me. So are we gonna announce our engagement?"
"Not yet love, let this die down first or Ellie Miller will have something to use against us, that I put you up to giving a statement or some other lie."
"You think she would?" Rose wondered as she went to find a holdall.
"You know her better than I do love," he replied as he went to put his arms around her from behind, kissing her neck.
"I thought I did, now it seems not. Alec, what if the prosecution won't accept my statement, with us being involved?"
"Don't think that love, it makes no difference. Wait and see what happens before we worry about that, eh?"
Rose thought that was easy for him to say as he turned her around to kiss her. He may be right though, she thought as she melted into him. All she had to think about was he would be there and if Ellie came after her, she'd end up in trouble herself but how many people would she get on her side, Olly could make things very difficult for both her and Alec.
