Charlie was at her desk, impatiently waiting to hear from Robertson once he and Graves had spoken to Bianca. While she wasn't allowed to be directly involved with the investigation herself, it didn't mean she couldn't sit on the sidelines and make a few suggestions, so she had had Hogan check with the hospital and local doctors to see if a woman had been brought in with a head wound since the accident, but so far, he'd turned up nothing. They knew that a woman had been hurt and most likely left dazed, so what had happened to her? And was the woman Bianca? Once, she'd cared about Bianca and though it had ended badly between them, she didn't wish any harm to come to her.

Charlie sighed heavily at the direction things were going. The more she thought about things, the more she started to find it increasingly likely that both Bianca and Angelo were most definitely involved, which made it even more important that she was not officially linked to the investigation, especially when she factored in all her connections to the case; her cousin, her having Angelo's job and wife and Angelo seeing her ex girlfriend. "Talk about a mess," she muttered and as Robertson had pointed out, she was the most likely target for Angelo's lawyers to come after. She could just picture how Angelo's lawyers would paint her out to the jury; a career grabbing wife-stealing bitch who had undermined Angelo at every step of the way just to get what she wanted and was now influencing the investigating officer so as to get their poor client out of his wife's life completely by sending him to jail so she could have Joey all to herself.

"Well, at least my promotion has already been approved," Charlie muttered, knowing that a smear campaign like that would most likely have had some members on the promotions board having big doubts about promoting her, whether they believed the defence allegations or not, because a Sergeant with all that dirty laundry being aired on top of Angelo's recent behaviour and suspension is most definitely not the type of publicity the Force would want.

She jumped when her phone started blaring before snatching it up. "Yes?" she demanded.

"Bad moment?" Joey asked.

"God I'm sorry for barking like that Joey, my mind was just on other things and I was expecting Robertson to call," Charlie replied in a more friendly tone. "Where are you calling from because I don't recognise the number and I can hear something going on around you?"

"I'm on a pay phone at the hospital and there's a guy fixing the vending machine and being quite noisy about it," Joey said. "Is everything ok with you?"

Charlie rubbed her brow. She couldn't keep this from Joey for much longer as it was bound to get out soon and she'd prefer for her to hear it from her. "There have been a few developments," she said. "Nothing concrete just yet, but if things pan out the way we think they might, then there's likely to be some difficulties heading our way," she explained. "I'll tell you all about it when we're home."

"Ok."

"Hang on, why are you at the hospital and not at work?" asked Charlie when she suddenly realised what Joey had said earlier. "You're not sick or anything are you?" she added worriedly.

"I'm fine Charlie," Joey assured her girlfriend. "Things were quiet at work and Romeo said he could handle things for an hour or two, so I took a break and came to see Aden."

"How's he doing?" She knew Joey had been worried about his mood lately.

"I came straight out and asked him what was wrong," Joey said. "He tried to say it was his injuries but I'm pretty sure now that it's Belle."

"How so?"

"She's been MIA and now Aden's thinking she was just using him to get info for her story."

"No way would Belle do that," Charlie said adamantly. "I'm sure there is a good explanation, because Belle is just not that sort of person."

"I hope not, because I fear my best friend has fallen quite heavily, though he won't admit it in so many words."

Charlie winced. She knew what it was like to want someone who didn't want you back, but at least in her case, it turned out to be not so cut and dried and she did eventually end up with the girl. "I have to say that this is kind of bad timing, as Georgie needs her family by her side and she doesn't need her sister's love life making problems."

"I know Aden wouldn't want that either, I'm just worried about him. I've never seen him like this Charlie," Joey told her. "And when he's released in a couple of days, he's going to be all alone."

"He can stay with us," Charlie offered without hesitation.

"Aden's already told me not to even think of asking him to stay with us," Joey said. "I did get him to at least agree to me helping him out when I can."

"Well unless he changes his mind, then that's all you can do for him."

"Yeah, I know," she murmured. "Just my luck that by bestie is a stubborn so and so."

"Gee, pot calling kettle black," Charlie said with a light chuckle.

"I'm not stubborn," Joey fired back, "And you know exactly how easy I can be," she said in such a way that Charlie felt a rush of heat between her legs. Guessing by the quiet moan she heard over the phone to the effect she'd just had on her girlfriend, Joey grinned. "My money is about to run out in the phone, so I'll see you at home later," Joey said before lowering her voice. "Where I'll remind you just how easy I am. Bye."

"Bye," Charlie croaked out. Setting her phone down, she hoped her face didn't show how flushed she felt right then. Shaking her head with a wry smile, she had to marvel at how easy it was for her girlfriend to make her feel better. "Oh god, I shouldn't have thought easy," she murmured, her mind now picturing what Joey may have in store for her later.

Still grinning broadly, Joey turned away from the phone, just as a figure was leaving Martha's room. Narrowing her eyes, she set off in pursuit.

"Her sister April was around there looking for her as well when we arrived," Robertson informed Charlie over the phone. "Apparently, Bianca was meant to meet her for breakfast yet never turned up."

"It wouldn't be the first time that Bianca's missed an appointment," Charlie noted, trying to allay her growing fears.

"What about not answering her phone?" he asked. "Because April said she'd tried calling numerous times but she wasn't picking up."

Charlie thought back to when they were dating and all the times she'd struggled to get a hold of Bianca, then finding out later it was because she was too busy screwing someone else. "When Bianca is otherwise occupied, she doesn't always answer her phone."

Even though he couldn't see her, Robertson still picked up on something from Charlie over the phone. "But?"

"Well, considering she may have been involved in the accident and blood was found at the scene that indicates a woman sustained a head wound, then I have to admit to being worried that she not only missed breakfast with April, but also isn't answering her calls," Charlie said.

"That's what worries me as well, which is why Graves and I are about to pay a visit to Angelo," Robertson said. "And we'll be sure to ask him when he last saw her while we talk to him about his car."

"Do you have enough to interview Angelo?"

"Not for a formal interview, but as his name appeared on a list of potential cars involved, that gives us a legitimate reason to go to talk to him, if for no other reason than to discount his car," answered Robertson. "And believe me, we'll be taking a very close look at his car before we consider crossing him off the list."

"If it was Angelo's car, then he may not have it there, especially if it was damaged and he couldn't get it fixed in time."

"True, but if that is the case, then the way he answers me when I ask him where his car is may reveal a lot," he said. "Charlie, can you get a couple of your guys to make a start on places around here that fix cars?" Robertson asked. "Have them check to see if anyone has ordered headlights or a new paint job and some body work."

"I'll get Avery and Stevenson right on to it," Charlie said, wishing she'd thought to do that earlier. "You know, if that blood does belong to Bianca, then we could get a DNA comparison with April to make sure," Charlie suggested.

"It may come to that but until we know for sure that she is missing, then we shouldn't upset her sister unnecessarily by asking her for DNA."

"Bianca is all April has, so wherever she is, I hope she's ok," Charlie said.