Charlie leant casually against the wall outside the station while she waited for Joey to pick her up. Robertson had sent off a request to have officers return to the pharmacy where the footage was taken of the woman posing as Bianca and from there, they would try to backtrack her movements and hopefully, find her. He'd also arranged for officers to follow up with the bank to gather any available footage and also the signature she signed on the withdrawal slip, before it was to all be sent off to be analysed by experts. She had little doubt though, that it would all prove what she already knew; that woman wasn't Bianca. She sighed, hating the direction things had taken since the accident. She had hardly been Bianca's biggest fan in recent times, but once, she had cared a great deal for her and she would never have wished any harm come to her, let alone what she feared had happened to her. If Bianca was dead, which was looking increasingly likely, then she wanted justice for her, as well as for Martha.
Charlie watched as Robertson and Graves drove past her. She hoped like hell that Robertson was right about the possibility of mistakes being made by those behind this travesty and if so, she had every confidence he would find it, because as irritating as he was, sometimes she thought he was deliberately so, it didn't alter the fact that he was extremely good at his job. "Please don't let my faith in him be misplaced," she muttered to herself just as Joey drove up.
"Hey baby," Joey greeted her as Charlie hopped into the car.
"It's so good to see you," Charlie murmured, leaning over to kiss her girlfriend.
"You look rung out."
"Long morning," replied Charlie. "I'll tell you about it on the way to lunch."
"Do you mind if we stop by the hospital afterward?" Joey said. "It's just that Alf asked me to drop a basket of goodies off to Martha."
"That's fine," Charlie said and stared out the window while she filled Joey in on the morning's developments.
Graves sipped on her coke and rolled her eyes at the scene before her. She knew Robertson liked to put up a front when he worked and he could be a man of many faces, but this was the first time she had ever seen him flirting and by the look on Leah's face, he wasn't doing such a bad job of it. She just wished he'd hurry up and bring their food over, because she was starving.
While she continued to wait for her lunch, she studied Leah more intently, wondering how such a woman could end up married to a thug like Darryl Braxton. "I suppose love could make people blind to what was right in front of them," she murmured to herself.
She felt movement to her side and turned, only to jump back when someone bumped into her arm and she found herself wearing the remnants of her very cold coke.
"Oh my god, I'm so sorry," the woman said as she patted futilely with a napkin at the spreading stain.
"It's ok, it was an accident." She was trying not to flush too much with the woman's hand still on her chest, but it was hard work, especially since the redhead the hand belonged to, was stunning.
"At least let me pay to have it dry cleaned."
"Forget it, it's fine."
"Then I insist on buying you another drink."
"No, it's fine really."
"You're sure?"
Graves nodded.
"Well, then the least I can do is introduce myself," the woman said. "I'm Shannon Reed."
"Graves."
"Graves?" Shannon replied with a frown. "No first name?"
"Yes, but it has to be earned," she replied, her voice low and husky. Graves took stock of the situation and she couldn't believe she was standing there, with cold coke soaking through her shirt, while she was flirting with a complete stranger.
Shannon chuckled. "I like that."
"Are you a local, because I haven't seen you around?" And she was sure she would have noticed the stunning redhead around town.
"Nah, I was just meant to be passing through on my journey around the country, but ran into a bit of car trouble, so now I'm stuck here until it's fixed," Shannon explained. "And on top of that, I'm running low on money, so I'm going to need to find some work around here just so I can pay for the damn repairs."
"Come along Doogie, quit wasting time," Robertson said as he strode right past them on his way out of the Diner.
"Your name really isn't Doogie, is it?" asked a sceptical Shannon.
"No it's not," she replied through clenched teeth, more than a little pissed off with her boss for his attitude and for calling her that. When she had first started working with him, every time he referred to her, it was as Doogie, but these days, he tended to use it sparingly and usually when he wanted to annoy or embarrass her, like now.
"Then who is that guy?"
"A lot of words come to mind about who he is, but I'd best mind my words and just say he's my boss."
"I'm so sorry for you," Shannon said with a completely straight face, though her eyes were twinkling. "I'd best let you go then." Graves nodded and started to walk away but was stopped by Shannon. "Perhaps we can meet up again while I'm still in town," she suggested with a hopeful smile. "I'd like a chance to earn the right to your first name."
Graves was going to say no, but then thought better of it; she'd done nothing but work since she'd come to town and a little fun wouldn't hurt. "Perhaps we can," she said. "I'll let you know when I'm free," she added, before following after Robertson.
"Oh my god, it's huge," Charlie said when she saw the bear propped up next to Martha on the bed. Joey and Ruby had said it was big, yet until now, she had thought they'd exaggerated somewhat.
"Yeah and she's so cute and cuddly, just like my Georgie," replied Martha and they all sniggered at the blush now covering Watson's face.
Charlie noticed that while her cousin still looked tired, she certainly appeared more rested than she had been since the accident had occurred.
"Thanks again for the gifts yesterday, Joey," Martha said.
"I bring more today, though this is from your grandfather."
Martha peered into the basket. "Oh thank god, real food."
"I take it the hospital food isn't to your liking?" said Charlie.
"It's not that bad, but it does all kind of taste the same."
"Martha while I'm here, I just wanted to say I'm sorry for what Angelo has done."
"Joey, you don't need to apologise for him." She had been shocked when her girlfriend had finally been allowed to fill her in on who was responsible for the accident.
"It's just that I was his wife and if I hadn't left him like I did, none of this would have happened."
"Nonsense, the guy is a complete fuck up," Watson said with her usual bluntness. "And I'm sure he'd have fucked up in some other way even if you were still there by his side to wipe his arse every step of the way."
Joey smiled at her. "I do like your way with words."
"Hey, I don't believe in sugar coating."
"Neither does your stepbrother Hugo," Joey said.
"Please don't call him that."
"But he is your stepbrother, Georgie," Martha pointed out.
"Says who?"
"Says the fact his mother is married to your father."
"He's not my father," she muttered.
"I know you don't like the fact John is your father, but you can't hide from it forever."
"Just watch me."
Martha shrugged, dropping the topic for the moment. Her girlfriend was incredibly stubborn at times, but not even she could avoid this forever, it's just that now wasn't the right time to deal with it. "What's been going on with the investigation?" Martha said to change the direction of the conversation.
"Yeah, what are the Dynamic Duo up to today?" added Watson.
"Following up on a few things," Charlie said without going into more details.
"I just hope they get the bastard," Watson said. "And soon."
"I'm sure they will." Charlie looked around the room and noticed the absence of their son. "Where's Jay?"
"Mum has taken him for the day so that Georgie and I can spend some time together." Martha was still marvelling at the thawing in the relationship between her mother and girlfriend and hoped it continued on.
"In that case, perhaps Joey and I should leave you two alone."
"You don't have to go just yet," Martha said. "In fact, why don't you help us get through this basket Granddad prepared, because there's plenty here."
"Joey and I have already had lunch, but that fruit salad does look rather tasty."
"As does that cake," Joey said.
"Then come and get some," Martha said.