"The assault charges against Angelo were downgraded and since it was then deemed a suspension was no longer warranted, it was overturned," Joyce told her in answer to her question.

"He assaulted a fellow officer," Charlie said furiously. It felt like all the good feelings she had felt since that morning's fun times with Joey were evaporating as she struggled to deal with this piece of news.

"For which he'll receive a reprimand," he replied. "Really, it's not that much of a surprise that his assault on Aden has gone down like this. A misunderstanding and punch up between colleagues isn't a new thing and while the Force would prefer it not to happen, we both know that it does and it often ends up exactly like this, with only a reprimand to the officer at fault." Joyce looked at Charlie. "You can lodge a formal complaint, but then your own actions in this may undergo further scrutiny."

"If you're talking about Joey and me," she said. "We're living together and I'm not ashamed or the least bit regretful of how that happened."

"But think of how it looks to someone on the outside," Joyce explained. "A man rightly suspects his wife is having an affair with a colleague, confronts him and ends up hitting him, only it turns out he attacked the wrong colleague and it was actually a female colleague who was having the affair with his wife."

"It sounds so sordid when you say it like that," muttered Charlie.

"I have no doubt you have a very loving relationship with Miss Collins, but in the eyes of others, Angelo's reaction was very understandable, even if he did hit the wrong person," he said. "But as you point out, this whole thing does have sordid undertones that the Force would rather not have too much attention being paid to it."

"Has Aden been told?"

"He'll be informed shortly."

"What about the rest?" she said. "Angelo is still facing charges for fleeing the scene of a hit-and-run accident and covering up evidence, then there's the fact he's still under investigation for causing the accident," she blurted out in a rush. "And those photos showing him taking drugs? Is that all just going to be forgotten as well?"

"He's never tested positive to drugs, but those photos were damning, so part of his reinstatement was an agreement by Angelo to be subjected to random drug tests and one failure will result in him resigning from the Force."

Charlie just shook her head in both disbelief and frustration.

"As for the charges Angelo is still currently facing, his cooperation has been taken as good faith of his remorse over his failure to do the right thing at the scene of the accident and for his attempt to cover up the damage to his car and so the DPP is willing to do a deal that will see Angelo fined and hit with a suspended sentence."

"He only cooperated so he could put all the blame on Bianca," retorted Charlie. "Angelo was the one driving that car, not Bianca Scott, and he also lied about dropping her off at that clinic."

"I've spoken with Det. Robertson about the case and while he concurs with you, no charges have yet been laid against Angelo for being the driver," he told her. "However, the moment Robertson has the evidence to charge him or Bianca Scott turns up to refute his version of events, then we would be able to at least suspend Angelo pending the outcome of the charges, but until then, Angelo is free to return to work."

"Bianca is most likely dead," muttered Charlie. "And for all we know, Angelo could be responsible for that as well."

"Without proof, it's only unfounded allegations."

Charlie's seething was palpable to Joyce even from across the desk.

"I understand your anger Charlie, I feel it too."

"He shouldn't be here, not at this station, especially under the current circumstances."

"And I did argue against his reappointment here, but to no avail."

Charlie rubbed her eyes, a weariness overcoming her.

"Angelo's rep countered all arguments against him remaining at this Station, by arguing that Angelo was trying to repair his marriage and he couldn't do that if he was transferred elsewhere and unfortunately, someone higher up than me agreed."

"There is no marriage to repair," Charlie argued. "Joey has moved on and wants a divorce."

"They're still legally married and so for the moment, he gets his chance to try," Joyce said.

"His father is behind this, isn't he?"

"I'm almost certain that his father called in some favours, but Angelo already had some influential backers and his failings have reflected badly on them."

"So if there is any way those failings can be made to disappear, then they will," concluded Charlie.

"It's politics Charlie," he simply stated. "A lot of people who had invested in the future of Angelo and had promoted him as the face of the Force, have been embarrassed by all of this and they're now looking to limit the damage to themselves, as much as to the Force, hence the downgrading of charges and deals made."

"So Angelo just gets away with it," said Charlie. "Must be nice to have protection like that."

"If Robertson can prove Angelo was the one driving, then no amount of influence from anyone, will protect him, especially if it can also be proven he had something to do with Miss Scott's disappearance."

"But if Robertson can't get that evidence, then you're saying we're stuck with Angelo and he's free and clear to carrying on as if he's done nothing wrong?"

"If the evidence is there, Robertson will find it, but until then, you're just going to have to find a way to deal with Angelo's presence here."

Charlie just shook her head. "They really do want this to just go away, don't they," she muttered.

"I'm sorry Charlie, politics is an unfortunate part of the Force and as a Sergeant, you may find yourself required to play a more active part in it."

"Dad always hated the politics and always warned me to be prepared to deal with it," Charlie said. "It would just be so much easier if it wasn't Angelo who was involved in this."

"I do wish things were different," he said. "But at least Angelo is no longer in charge here, that is one thing I wouldn't budge on and even Angelo's backers agreed that the idea of him retaining his former rank and privileges was out of the question, so he will be demoted back down to Snr Constable with no chance of ever commanding his own station again."

"Only until enough time has passed for this all to be forgotten," murmured Charlie.

"You may be right in that sometime in the future, there will be some willing to overlook this period of his career and promote him, but this is your station Charlie and will remain so, whatever happens with Angelo in the future."

"I would say let him keep his rank and privileges if it meant he would then be assigned to another Station to be in charge of," Charlie said. "But Angelo doesn't even deserve the uniform, let alone that and I wouldn't wish him on anyone." She sighed heavily. "Everyone here believes Angelo is guilty, so how are my officers supposed to work with him, especially Georgie?" she enquired. "She's also back on duty today and after spending all that time stressing over Martha's condition, she's now expected to work alongside a man who himself has admitted to at least being in the car that put her girlfriend in hospital and could have seriously injured her son."

"I know the situation isn't ideal and I will continue to look for ways to move him on to another Station, but for the time being, you're all going to have to find a way to work with him." He shrugged. "Assign him to a desk in a dark corner or even some tiny room away from everyone if that's what you want to do and I'll back you in that, but you're going to need to keep a tight rein on your cousin and on Angelo's behaviour until I can sort this mess out."

"Why not just ask for the impossible," she muttered unhappily. "And what if he tries to interfere in the investigation?" Charlie said. "Having him in the same Station where the investigation is taking place, gives him access to sensitive information."

"If he's caught having anything to do with the investigation, he will be out the door," he assured her. "He's been warned."

"Angelo does what he wants."

"In the past, but there are strict guidelines he's going to have to adhere to as part of the agreement to him remaining here." Joyce got to his feet. "I'm sorry Charlie, I really do wish things had turned out differently, but they haven't and so you're all just going to have to deal with it the best you can. Good luck Charlie."

"I'm going to need it," she murmured to his back. The moment he closed the door behind him, Charlie reached for her phone.

"Ready to place another order, are we?"quipped Joey in greeting.

"I wish," replied Charlie, already smiling at just the sound of her girlfriend's voice. "There's been a new development."

"Fuck," Joey muttered once Charlie had finished filling her in. "I can't believe the nerve of Angelo," she said. "He must know that no one wants him around."

"I think it's safe to say that Angelo is rather delusional in how he views things to the way others do."

"He's never going to give up Charlie."

"He can keep on trying all he likes, but he will fail," Charlie told her. "I'm not going to let anyone stand in the way of our happiness Joey."

"I won't put up with anyone standing in our way either, but I also don't want him causing trouble for you at work."

"I can handle myself and once the divorce is finalised, then any reason he has to be here will be gone," Charlie said. "And hopefully that means he'll be transferred." Unless Joyce found some other way to get rid of Angelo a lot earlier or Robertson charged him, then the year it might take for Joey's divorce to come through could be the longest year of her life, but she'd be sharing it with the woman she loved and if anything could get her through tough times, it was Joey being by her side. "In the meantime though, it's Georgie I'm most worried about. She's volatile at the best of times and she and Angelo was pretty much a hate-hate relationship from the start, but now with the accident and the hell that put Georgie and her family through, I'm just not looking forward to her reaction and to then keeping both of them in check somehow."

"I certainly don't envy you your job just now."

"It comes with the promotion," Charlie replied. "And I'm sure it will end up being just the first of many tests I'll have to face over the years."

"And you'll be great at it all."

"I hope so," she said softly. "I should be getting back to work."

"Same here."

"Oh, before I go, how did Ruby's driving lesson go?"

"Pretty good actually."

"That must be a relief."

"You have no idea."

Charlie chuckled at Joey's tone.

"I honestly don't know why anyone would choose to take a job that required teaching teenagers to drive and then sitting in the same car as them, day after day," Joey said.

"Someone has to do it and better a paid instructor taking most of the lessons than doing it all ourselves."

"Good point. Well, I'd better let you go. I love you."

"I love you to."

"And I hope your day doesn't go too badly. Bye."

"Bye." Charlie set her phone aside. Unfortunately, she wasn't as hopeful as Joey was about her day.

Charlie looked up from her desk when there was a knock on her office door.

"Hey Charlie," her cousin greeted her.

There wasn't much enthusiasm in her greeting, Charlie thought and she looked distracted, which might not bode well for what she had to tell her.

Watson stood in front of her cousin's desk when she really wished she was still by Martha's side, with her comforting arms around her. She hadn't been able to get her mind off their earlier talk, because she knew Martha was absolutely right. Her past really was weighing her down, but with so much baggage and resentment on her part, she honestly had no idea if she could ever move past it and that just made her feel even worse, because despite what Martha said, she felt like she was letting her down by not being able to deal with this.

"Welcome back, Georgie," Charlie said and it looked like an effort for her cousin to move her attention back to her. "Is everything ok? There's been no setback with Martha has there?"

"Martha's fine, me on the other hand," she shrugged. "I'm not so sure of."

"If you need more time off, I'm sure we can arrange something."

"This isn't something that time off will help with."

"Are you up to doing the job?" Charlie asked with all seriousness. As much as she cared for her cousin, she couldn't have an officer on duty who might prove to be a liability, because their mind wasn't on the job.

"A strong coffee and I'll be right to go." She smiled reassuringly at Charlie. "Really Charlie, it's just been a heavy start to the morning, but I'll be fine once I get back into the swing of things."

Charlie nodded. She chose to trust her cousin's judgement, but it wouldn't hurt to keep a close eye on her, especially with what she had to tell her.

"How is the investigation going?"

This wasn't quite the way Charlie wanted to get into this, but she answered, "Its progressing Georgie, that's all I can say on it."

"I just wish it was over, then Martha and I could concentrate solely on her recovery instead of worrying that Poster Boy was going to get away with this."

"Speaking of Angelo, there's something I need to talk to you about," Charlie started to say but their attention was drawn to the loud mutterings coming from outside her office. She had informed those officers already at work that Angelo was returning to work and she had the unpleasant feeling that he'd just turned up before she'd even had a chance to fill her cousin in. "Georgie," she said but her cousin had already drifted out the door to see what was going on. "Fuck," she muttered and rushed after her.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Watson demanded.

"I'm here to do my job," Angelo said, looking rather smug in his neatly pressed uniform.

"Like fuck you are." She advanced on him.