Ellie went back to the hotel, Tom still asking what she was going to do to get his dad out.

"I'm going to leave you with Olly, okay? Then I'll go see Beth again and tell her he didn't do it. Someone else must have been there and seen them."

She was already formulating a plan to get her husband off the hook. Plenty of men fitted the description Lucy had given her, including Nigel and Mark.

"What about Rose? Why did she tell DI Hardy about my dad?" Tom wanted to know as they waited for Olly to arrive.

"I don't know why she would do that, we all trusted her, she was a good friend. Well I thought she was. I'm just so annoyed with her, she told Hardy your dad got into an argument with another man over a traffic incident. Honestly, why tell Hardy after all that time?"

"Mum, is that why DI Hardy went after my dad?" Tom wanted to know.

Ellie thought about it. "I think so Tom. If you see her, don't talk to her, she's not our friend any more. I'll talk to Olly, he won't believe it all, I'm sure he won't."

Once Olly arrived, Ellie borrowed his car again and knocked on Beth's door.

"Ellie, you can't be here," Mark told her.

"I need to talk to you and Beth. Joe didn't kill your Danny, he wouldn't."

"We have to go by what the police say Ellie, you should know that," Mark replied.

"Well I'm telling you now, I'm getting him a good solicitor, if you don't believe me, there's nothing I can do about it. You know who put Hardy onto him?"

"Yes, we have a good idea," Mark told her.

"You agree she's a reliable witness, when she's involved with him?"

"Ellie, we don't know that's the reason she told him, she could have told him before they got involved, they're not likely to tell us, are they? Have you just been told?"

"Why would he tell me before? He's been sneaking around for weeks now, getting Rose in for interviews without me knowing. The first time, before they got involved, he tried to fob me off with a feeble excuse why she was there early before we were both due to interview her about when Danny was found on the beach. I should have known."

"It's best you go Ellie, I'll tell Beth you called, she's having a lie down on the sofa, it hit her pretty hard. I can't say she'll want to still see you though, it wouldn't look good if we still associate with you when Joe's locked up."

"You don't believe me, do you?" Ellie asked.

"Ellie, what do you want me to say?" Mark asked her.

"Fine but when he's proved to be innocent, don't expect me to talk to you again."

Mark went back inside to explain to Beth.

"She's got a nerve. Who do we believe Mark?" Beth asked him. "Ellie, whose husband's been locked up or Rose, who's engaged to the lead detective on the case? Some choice."

"We'll have to wait and see Beth. Olly will probably take her side, best not believe everything in the paper."

Olly had already talked to Maggie on the phone before he'd gone to meet his aunt.

"I had a call about you, from Hardy," Maggie warned him. "Don't you dare use the newspaper for anything about the case, or the social media account or you're on suspension, understand?" Maggie asked him.

"Yes, I get it Maggie but you can't stop me on my own account. My uncle wouldn't do anything like that."

"You want to believe that Olly, I know that but you have to put your personal feelings aside for now or your uncle won't get a fair hearing."

"My aunt Ellie will expect me to do something," Olly told her as he got ready to leave.

"Just be careful Olly, this is your only warning," Maggie reminded him.

A few weeks went by, everyone was trying to get back to some sort of normality. Rose persuaded Alec to go face the newspaper and announce their engagement after they found out Olly had distanced himself from The Echo and he was doing some freelancing for another paper while he supported his aunt and his cousin.

Rose got home one evening and Alec had some news for her.

"You'll be glad to know that Ellie Miller has moved away, across to Exeter."

"Well that's a relief I suppose? Did she get another job?"

"The chief cleared her for duty, at a reduced rank, she didn't go into details. Maybe we'll stay away from the place for now eh?"

"Yeah, good idea. When there's a hearing, will it be locally?"

"I doubt it, they will pick somewhere neutral but it could be a while. Rose, Joe Miller's on remand over there, she'll be given visiting rights and on remand, it's more than normal. Sorry love but she may get him to change his confession."

"Can he do that?"

"It depends but don't think about it until he does, he may wait for the hearing. Rose, it's time we set a date you know?" he reminded her, putting his arms around her.

"Won't we be best waiting until after the hearing? It's gonna be bad enough us being engaged, let alone being married," Rose reminded him.

"I know love but we could be waiting a good while. See if you can get a few days off and we'll go somewhere, what do you say?"

"Alec, can't we get married and keep it a secret until after the hearing?"

"Rose, I would like nothing better love but if your mother finds out we didn't tell her? Are you going to be able to handle her? If we invite her, she may tell someone."

"Yeah, she wouldn't be able to keep it quiet, trust me. Guess that idea's out?"

"Sorry love, we'd best just wait but we'll take that holiday. Where do you want to go?"

Three months later, Rose was considering her options. They had come back from a week in a Spanish resort hotel and after missing her monthly, discovered she was five weeks pregnant. Alec had been over the moon and they'd been out to celebrate but now, she had a meeting with her supervisor to see how long she could continue working and either cut her hours and work with someone else or carry on and Steven bring her back to change over.

Alec was wishing her good luck as he dropped her off.

"Don't worry about it love, we can manage if you have to give up or reduce your hours. I have my meeting with personnel later to get my housing allowance on the flat, then wherever we move to. I've not been claiming it all this time, I should have no problem."

"Yeah, I know that but what will I do all day?" Rose wondered. "No-one will want me as their partner if I can't do my job properly. Steven's been really good but I can't ask him to reduce his hours so if the supervisor won't go for me working regular hours and Steven calling in to swap partners, then I guess I'm done?"

"I know how you feel love, I wish I could help you decide but it's up to you. I just don't want you working late. Maybe they'll put you and Steven on a regular shift so you can do four hours a day and someone can take over for the other four hours?"

"Yeah, there are plenty on stand-by for holidays and anyone off sick and the holiday weekends, maybe someone will be glad of the extra hours? I'll have to give up in another few months anyway, maybe it's not worth the trouble? I'll get some maternity benefits and since we're looking to move, I suppose that'll keep me busy?"

"Yes love, it will. Once we find a place, we have a nursery to plan don't forget."

"Yeah, ya know I can't wait to do that, before I get too big. I don't wanna miss out too much ya know?"

"I already know that. Be careful today and let Steven do all the heavy work, okay?"

"Yeah, I know. See ya later."

She met Steven and they went into the office, since it involved both of them.

"So, if I put you both on a regular run, Rose, you can work four hours, morning or afternoons and I'll get someone to agree the other four, for now. What do you think Steven?"

Rose was relieved he agreed until she had to leave. They set off and Rose wondered if he was annoyed over it. They were about to set off back for Rose to finish early, since she'd been told she could start on her reduced hours when they got a call to go to Beth Latimer.

"What's wrong Beth?" Rose asked as they were admitted.

"She's been getting pains, she may need to go to hospital," Mark told them.

"Mark, I'm not going to hospital, I'm having an home birth, get that in that thick head of yours," Beth yelled at him.

Rose could see all was not right between the two of them, Alec was never like that.

"Well, we're not the experts on that Beth," Steven tried to tell her. "You'd best call your own GP, we can only do so much. I can check the baby's heartbeat and other things but that's all. Are you due for a scan?"

"I told you to call the surgery Mark," Beth reminded him as Steven crouched down to try to examine her.

"You're just at the stage you might get a few twinges," Rose tried to tell her, having paid attention to that part at the classes she and Alec were attending.

"You put on weight?" Beth tried to joke as she felt another pain. "I've a few months to go, I can't have this baby yet."

"You won't have it yet Beth, try to relax," Steven tried to tell her. "You've just been overdoing it a bit I expect?"

"Too right she has," Mark agreed.

"Oh well, if you men think that, of course that's what's wrong with me," Beth replied, seeing Rose was dying to laugh. "Hang on Rose, are you pregnant?"

They had told no-one, well except Steven, her supervisor and her mother, there was no-one else who needed to know but when the what was looking like a trial came around, if Alec was right, she'd be noticed then and was about six months and they had to wait.

"I didn't think it was obvious, I've not told anyone," Rose had to admit.

"Rose, you are going to be able to testify if there's a trial?" Beth wanted to know, trying to get up.

"Calm down Beth, Rose won't let us down, will you?" Mark asked her.

"As long as I can stand then no, it depends when it is. Alec's not heard anything yet and it'll get delayed over the holidays."

"Won't his defence pick up on the fact you're pregnant and the lead witness? Geez Rose, you're engaged to the lead detective, what do you think they'll make of that as well?" Beth asked her.

"Beth, we came to attend you, not question Rose being a witness," Steven had to remind her. "Just try to rest for a while and if you get any worse, call the hospital for advice. You may have to give in and go Beth."

"Not if I can help it," Beth hissed under her breath. "I'll call the midwife then. Mark, I don't know why you called for the paramedics anyway."

Mark saw them out.

"Sorry about that," he apologised. "Beth may be right though Rose, it's not going to look good if there's a trial."

"Personally Mark, it's got nothing to do with the court or the defence if Rose is pregnant," Steven replied for her. "Rose knows what she saw. How far on she is will prove she didn't get pregnant until after she'd given her statement to the police."

"Well I hope you're right then," Mark told him. "Thanks for coming anyway, I'll try to calm her down, sorry Rose."

She got home and thought she should mention it to Alec.

"What? What was she trying to imply?" Alec wanted to know.

"I don't know, maybe that my testimony won't hold? Anyway, we may be worrying about nothing if he maintains his guilt."

"Rose, his wife will have been visiting him, he may make an appeal at any time but he won't be released until it's all looked into and we've heard nothing yet. We should get a date soon love."

"I hope so. Well, I got my reduced hours ten until two though some of the others may not be too happy. It won't be for long anyway. How did you get on with your housing request?"

"Fine love, now you can cancel the rent payment, they will contact the agency. We should really be looking at houses now."

"Maybe we can wait a while longer? Unless we find something soon, we should wait until after the holidays anyway, it's only two weeks until Christmas and my mum's looking forward to coming down."

Alec just wished they were spending their first Christmas together alone.

"Ah, about that. Is there any way you can put her off love? I mean until the new year? Rose, this will be the only time we'll have the chance to be on our own, we'll have a baby next year, your mother can come down then. See what she says eh?"

"Well I'll try, unless you want to ask her?" she teased him.

"You know I'm not that brave love," he replied, putting his arms around her again.

To their surprise, her mother actually agreed to come down for the new year instead.

"Honesty Rose, I didn't expect to come down for Christmas. You two need some time on ya own."

"Yeah, so Alec pointed out," Rose grinned at him on the Sunday morning. "Come down early though, it'll be chaos on the 30th."

"Yeah, okay then. Found a new place yet?" Jackie wanted to know.

"Nah, we'll have to start being serious though or I won't be able to do anything. He keeps telling me not to worry though but he knows I still worry about him doing too much."

"Rose, I'm fine now and Daisy will come and help when we find somewhere," he reminded her.

"Isn't Daisy seeing you for the holidays?" her mother wanted to know.

"We were going up there the day after Boxing Day," Rose admitted.

"I'm gonna have to meet her, we're going to be related when you two get married."

"We know Mum, we'll arrange something when we get moved."

The holidays went well, Rose hadn't seen much of Daisy but they seemed to get on well when they met up and she agreed to spend some time with them when they found somewhere else to live. Ellie had been allowed to take her two sons to see their father and she reminded him she hadn't given up. The only problem was his legal aid. Since she was having to manage on her own, the court had appointed someone from London, who didn't pay Joe that many visits.

"They should have given you a local one," Ellie was insisting in the children's visiting room.

"I can't pick and choose Ellie," Joe reminded her, holding onto Fred.

"Dad, you're coming home soon aren't you?" Tom asked him.

"Yeah, don't worry about it eh? How's your new school?"

The day the letters from the court arrived, one for Rose to be summoned as the witness for the prosecution and Alec as the arresting officer if Joe didn't enter a plea of guilty, Rose was already nervous as they had known it was going to happen sooner or later.

"Rose, it's going to be fine," Alec tried to assure her.

"Well I'm glad they got our new address right, I was worried it would go to our old one."

"Who could forget a street name with a wildflower in it?" he grinned as he put her breakfast in front of her. "At least it doesn't conflict with your next scan love."

"We are gonna find out this time, yeah?" Rose asked him as he leaned to kiss her cheek.

"Yes love, we should avoid buying all the wrong things and while neutral colours are fine, we want some in the right one. Let's hope that he pleads guilty and get it out of the way."

"I hope so, I don't fancy standing there for a long time. Do ya think they ll let me and Beth sit down, since she's further on than I am?"

"We'll ask when we get there love. Are you going to be okay, facing who were your friends?"

"I don't know. Ellie may have turned a lot of people against us that we don't even know about, I mean besides her sister and her nephew."

"Well, I've heard nothing so far so try to relax love."

Rose thought that was easier said than done. If there was going to be a trial, it would all be down to her if Joe pleaded not guilty. She had given up her job and had agreed to go back part-time after a reasonable time of maternity leave and Alec had reluctantly agreed to let her. They had decided to put the wedding back until after the hearing in order not to complicate things even more.

A few days later, Rose was being shown into a room to have her scan, Alec with a big grin on his face at the prospect of seeing their baby on screen again and seeing it growing. The attending nurse guessed he was looking forward to seeing it.

"So, we've booked you a date in the delivery suite Miss Tyler," the nurse was telling Rose as she was prepared. "Who's looking forward to this the most?"

"I think he is," Rose smiled as she felt the gel on her stomach was cold.

"Is that cold enough?" Alec teased her.

"It has to be kept cold I suppose?" Rose wondered as she felt the probe on her and sounds were coming from the machine.

All Alec could manage was a 'Wow' and went quiet again, Rose supposed because he didn't want to miss a single sound.

"So, you're five months, almost six?" Rose was asked.

"Yeah, I have another appointment next week," Rose replied, hoping she wouldn't have to cancel it. "How easy is it to change it?"

"Just call the appointments number, cancellations are high if someone is feeling sick or something, you shouldn't have too wait long for another one. Want to know what you're having?"

Once Rose was cleaned up and sitting on a chair, they were handed the photo.

"Congratulations, you're having a girl."

"Wow, another girl Alec," Rose grinned, nudging him. "We'll have to try for a boy next time."

The nurse looked at them in amusement.

"So it's not your first time?" the nurse asked.

"What? Oh, no, it's just he has an older daughter," Rose laughed.

"Are you implying I can only produce girls?" Alec wondered.

"Don't be daft Alec, who knows?" Rose teased him.

Once outside, Rose let him help her into the car.

"So did you mean what you said?" he asked her as he got in.

"About not just having a girl?" Rose smiled.

"Well yes, if you want but maybe we should have this one first eh?"

Rose just laughed. "Well maybe we'll wait a year or so then, after I've had this one? A year or so between them would be just right, don't ya think?"

They had just got home and Alec was about to go back to work when his mobile rang.

"What?" he asked, finding Paul Coates was calling him. "What do you mean?"

"Alec, what's going on?" Rose wanted to know.

"Yes, I'll be right there, whoever is in charge, tell them not to do anything until I get there." Then he turned to Rose. "I have to go love, there's a court order to dig up Danny's grave, from the defence team. What the hell do they hope to gain after all this time?"

"Do ya want me to come with ya?" Rose asked him, holding her hand out to be helped up.

"No love, you stay here, there's nothing you can do and besides, Ellie Miller has probably put them up to it and if Beth's there, well I don't need to paint a picture."

Rose knew what it meant.

"Maybe I'd best go then, to keep the peace? Beth might go into labour at this rate. What the hell are they playing at? Come on, I'm going with ya."

Alec knew when she was determined, nothing would stop her. They arrived outside the churchyard, a few police cars and Bob and the vicar waiting for him as a black coroner's van had the back doors open along with the forensics team. Brian came forward and Rose knew those two hated each other.

"Sir, we have no choice," Brian nodded towards two women.

"Give that here," Alec ordered as poor Paul was holding the piece of paper. "Who are those two?"

"The defence team. The younger one was assigned as Joe Miller's solicitor, the other one is her boss, a barrister. I expect Ellie will be here any minute, I think that's who they're waiting for. Didn't she move to Exeter to be nearer to him?" Paul asked him, seeing Rose behind Alec. "Rose, what are you going here?"

"To support Beth, what do ya think? She doesn't need this Paul, this could send her into labour. Go on then, is Ellie's name on the court order?"

Alec knew he shouldn't discuss these things with her but everyone else would get to know. He got his specs out and skimmed through the details.

"It's all in order," the barrister called over to him, looking pleased with herself.

"It may well be but this is not right. You come here and upset the family," Alec replied as Beth, Mark and Chloe all made their way over the churchyard to where a tent had been erected over the grave and they were followed by Nigel Carter, who had been to warn them.

"So, where is she then?" Beth shouted as Alec and Rose made their way over, handing the court order to Bob.

The forensics team were waiting for the grave diggers to finish their work but the diggers were taking their time.

"Beth, the court order is from the defence team," Alec tried to tell her.

"Yeah? Well Ellie put them up to it, I know she did," Beth replied, Mark trying to hold onto her. "What right have they got to dig my Danny up?"

"I know you're upset Beth," Rose tried to tell her. "Try to keep calm or you'll go into early labour."

"You're not a paramedic any more Rose," Alec reminded her.

"Well I might not be but Beth getting upset isn't a good thing, trust me. Why are we all waiting anyway?"

"The court order is for re-examining Danny to make sure nothing was missed and it's a complete waste of time. Who put you up to it eh?" Alec asked the barrister. "While we're on the subject, just why are you here? Isn't just a solicitor good enough for your client?"

"You shouldn't be speaking to me like that," the barrister reminded him.

"We're not in court yet, your status is not recognised, well not by anyone here," Alec replied, making Rose smile. "Answer the question."

Rose knew he meant business even though not long ago, he was marvelling at his unborn daughter on the monitor. She wished she'd got her phone out and taken a photo of the look on his face.

"I'm Sharon Bishop, QC, this is my assistant. You must be DI Hardy then? We want to make sure there were no mistakes made, my client will reveal his plea once in court. It seems to me you all have your minds made up already that he's guilty."

Alec just hoped Rose wouldn't blurt out the fact she was going to be the star witness but judging by the look on Rose's face, this wasn't going to put her off.

"Do ya realise the boy's mother is about to give birth any time? Don't ya know what she must be going through right now? You just don't care, do ya?" Rose asked the woman.

"I have no feelings one way or another. My client has been locked away for months, now he has a say in court. I'm just covering everything. Who are you anyway?"

"Leave it," Alec warned Rose, trying to get in front of her. "She's a friend of the Latimer family."

Rose thought a fat lot of good that would do when they arrived at the court together and were questioned. She knew she had two lots of questioning to look forward to, as the attending paramedic and the prosecution's star character witness. She'd read the letter she'd received and that was what the court had told her and it was a summons on that part, it wasn't voluntary.

She wondered why the prosecution hadn't asked to speak to her yet but little did she know she was going to get her wish shortly, as was Alec.

"I knew it," Beth called out as another car pulled into the already crowded car park. "How has she even got the nerve?"

Rose and Alec turned around to see Paul going up to Ellie.

"Ellie, you really shouldn't be here," he reminded her, trying to keep her back.

"Get off me Paul, I have every right to be here. If anything is found in a second autopsy, it could prove Joe's innocence."

"What?" Beth asked, trying to get away from Mark. "Get out of here Ellie, this is all your fault. How could you?"

Rose moved away from Alec and went over to Beth.

"You should let Mark take you home Beth, you should be resting," Rose reminded her.

"I'm fine, don't fuss Rose," Beth insisted. "As long as she's here, so am I, I can't let her get away with it."

"I know Beth but they won't find anything, will they?" she was about to ask Alec but maybe not in front of Joe Miller's defence team.

"No, they won't," Alec agreed, glad Rose wasn't holding his hand but the barrister had seen them get out of the same car, the damage may already have been done.

The grave diggers having finished and pulled the small coffin out, they laid it in an area they had prepared, ready for the coroner to take away.

"Why are forensics here?" Rose wondered.

"To make sure nothing is tampered with," Alec replied, hoping the defence were too busy to notice.

Beth was already crying into Mark's shoulder and Chloe was on the other side. Rose wanted to go to her.

"Leave her be Rose, unless you want to be the one to deliver her baby?" Alec tried to lighten the mood.

"Well I hope she doesn't have it in court, if she has to give evidence," Rose replied. "All that standing won't do her any good. I've just realised something. Shouldn't there be a hearing first, to determine if there's going to be a trial? I mean we all got a summons to appear."

"That's a good point but sometimes, on rare occasions, it just goes to trial, if the evidence is overwhelming that the accused is guilty. He'll be asked at the beginning of the trial, the first day is just formalities and a jury will be appointed if need be. It looks like we already know how he's going to plead then?"

He looked across at Ellie Miller, who was looking stern and had her arms crossed. Rose thought it reminded her of her own mother. Maybe she should ask her to come down during the trial to give some moral support?

"She looks like my mother, standing like that," Rose whispered to Alec.

She looked across as the coroner's assistants took the coffin away.

"That's my boy in there," Mark said quietly. "Can't you do anything DI Hardy?"

"I'm sorry Mark, I can't go against a court order but I'll make sure he's returned and the grave properly attended to. Young, I'm holding you responsible for overseeing that, understood?" Alec called to the forensics officer.

Rose could tell there was no love lost between the two of them. The Latimers began walking back the way they had come after talking to Paul for a few minutes and Ellie was about to go back to her car when Beth shrugged Mark off and turned around.

"I won't forget this Ellie, if you ask me, you're just as guilty as your husband was. How could you not see what was going on under your bloody nose?"

Rose was also wondering the same thing. Ellie hadn't been able to accept her husband's guilt despite the evidence to the contrary but Ellie wasn't about to give in as she turned back.

"Just because you think you have concrete evidence of Joe's guilt," Ellie shouted angrily. "Did you know it all rests on her?" she asked, pointing at Rose, making the defence look around.

"She's the prosecution witness?" Sharon Bishop asked, Alec glad he'd not put his arm around Rose's shoulder. "What were you two doing in the same car?" she asked Alec.

"She needed a ride, in case you've not noticed, she too is pregnant," he pointed out, Rose wishing he hadn't.

"So her being the star witness gets her special treatment?" Ms Bishop wondered.

"It does if she's his girlfriend," Ellie told her. "I tried to tell you."

"Yes but until now, I didn't know who that was, did I?"

"Blimey, you're a bit slow," Rose had to laugh, Alec scowling at her.

"That's not going to help Rose," he told her off.

"Well, it seems like this hasn't been a complete waste of time then, doesn't it?" Ms Bishop almost laughed.

Alec knew now there was going to be trouble and Rose would be in deeper than she was comfortable with.