Getting back to their hotel, they met back in the lounge to go through what they already had and looked on a local map for places of interest where the murder could have taken place. Looking at the terrain rather than a flat map, Rose zoomed in on the cliffs a little further up from the beach the body of the boy had been found. She called James to take a look.
"Look at this James, there's a hut up here and there seems to be a path leading down to the beach."
James took a closer look, leaning over her shoulder and smelling her perfume, wondering why she wore it during the day. "Look there Rose, they look like boats down there."
Rose move the cursor and zoomed in. There seemed to be a row of boats all lined up.
James smiled. "Well look at that Rose. What if the boy was killed here, taken down to a boat and it sailed the mile or so down the coast and the killer took the boy out and laid him on the beach?"
"I'd say that's a fair assumption James. It's a bit late now but we could take a ride up to the hut in the morning and if we get stopped, we know that's the crime scene for real, not just the secondary one."
"But Rose, we're supposed to be off tomorrow aren't we?"
"Well yeah but wouldn't you rather find out? If the Police are there, we can walk down onto the beach and see if there are any boats missing, they're not likely to put it back where evidence might have been left are they?"
"Good point. Ok, we'll take a drive up there then we have the rest of the day off."
"Fine, that's settled then. If no Police are up there, we'll have a look around. Then I might just go down and catch some sun. I know, if the Police are there, we'll pretend we're just going swimming, bring your things with you."
"Great! You bring the sunscreen."
"Bring your own, you get paid more than I do."
He didn't know if she was joking or not. Rose glanced up and saw Hardy trying to sneak past. She had to just let him go, they were sort of working but saw he had stopped in the doorway, he had doubled back. James look up and shuddered. It was like staring at his reflection that had suddenly grown a beard.
"So you must be the famous Alec Hardy then?" James muttered, getting up and not realising he'd been leaning on Rose's shoulder. "I'm James Noble from The Herald, Rose's boss, well sort of boss."
"Huh, just what I need, another reporter. Don't you trust Tyler to be on her own?"
James looked at him "Well yeah, of course I do but the editor had other ideas. Personally, I don't mind spending a week by the sea at the newspaper's expense. I never realised we look so similar. I've only seen you in newspapers and we all know they don't show your best side. Not that I've ever been in the papers recently that is."
Hardy just looked at Rose, she just rolled her eyes.
"So Tyler, you colluding to print a load of shall we say half truths about the press conference this morning?"
Rose closed the laptop lid as Hardy came in the room and walked towards her.
"Hang on detective, Rose doesn't write lies, what's the point in that?"
"It's ok James, I can speak for myself. The detective is just annoyed I asked him an awkward question. Really detective, you were lucky I didn't bring up your last case but I was saving that for a rainy day."
"There was really no need to bring my last case, it has no bearing on this one whatsoever."
"Really detective? Both involving children, it's hardly a coincidence?"
"I don't know what you're reading into this Tyler but you're way out of line and you know it," Hardy snapped. Then he turned to James. "See what I have to put up with you? Do you agree with her?"
James didn't know. He decided to stay mutual. He was just getting somewhere with Rose. "Don't ask me, it was her story, not mine. You two clearly have some issues so keep me out of it."
Rose was about to thank him for the moral support but Hardy had already turned around and stormed out.
"Why do I let her get to me, every time?" he muttered to himself on the way out. She always got to him, even when he thought she was out of his life for good, something had to go bring her back, it was like there was an invisible force bringing them together and they were bound to keep on meeting. He knew now why he had never taken her to bed, they would do nothing but fight and he'd had enough of that with Tess. Maybe if he got through this, he might just do something about her finally.
James looked sheepishly at Rose. "Sorry Rose, I didn't want to get caught up in it. You two are deadly when you get together, it's like a war zone. Why do you let him get to you?"
"Good question James. I'm going to call this quits and go get changed for dinner and chill out for a while. See you in the dining room."
Rose picked up her laptop and James watched her walk from the room. There was just something about her but after seeing her with Hardy, he knew he stood no chance whatsoever and knew why she had kept ignoring him – she was in love with the detective. He made his mind up to call Donna on Monday morning and say he was coming back. He wasn't going to mope around after Rose Tyler any more, she wouldn't look at him while the detective was around and now he knew why. Despite looking like him, he didn't fight with her, wasn't mean to her and didn't offer a challenge, in fact, he was dead opposite. He had tried in vain to get her to notice him but by the look of it, she already had a thing for Hardy, probably since Sandbrook.
Rose was just going into her room when Hardy came out of his, he had just gone back for his pills, taken two and was going back to the station. Work took his mind off of his impending doom despite Miller driving him insane and Tyler driving him to distraction. He was already thinking the two of them were colluding to bring him down, that Tyler had got to his DS and between them drive him to an early grave. Funny though, he thought, he had done more thinking about his current state of health since his arrival here than he had in the last few months. It must be Tyler's doing, he blamed her for everything.
He was walking past her as she opened her door. "Detective," Rose called out.
Hardy turned. "What? Going to do some more gloating are you?"
"No. I was actually going to say you were right."
"What about? The great Rose Tyler, apologising, to me?" He laughed at the thought.
"Well maybe not apologise as such but I was wrong, I was a bit low with that last remark."
Hardy walked back to her. "Well, well, from you that's something. Never thought I'd live to see the day Rose Tyler takes something back. Going soft are you?"
"No, what makes you think that? It doesn't mean I'm going to start being easy on you. I just reconsidered what I said."
"Ok, I'll buy it but I'm not going to give you an easy time either, I still hate you."
"Good, then I'm doing my job. Are you going back to work?"
"No, I'm going roller skating, where do you think I'm going? Unlike some people, I didn't come here to spend a week by the sea harassing Police detectives."
"Ouch! Talk about being low."
"You deserved it. Now excuse me, some of us have work to do."
"You know what they say about all work and no play, detective?"
"I'm already dull Tyler and I don't intend changing that."
"Well, we already know that. Don't you ever relax?"
Was she kidding? He didn't even sleep properly, let alone relax. He woke in panic most nights, seeing the water and feeling he was drowning again. If someone hadn't pulled him out, well he wouldn't be here bantering with this woman who got to him.
Hardy laughed. "Is that an offer Tyler? You're slipping up, asking me that. Thought you had your friend downstairs? He is my double after all."
Rose was about to say it wasn't the same but decided against showing any emotion.
"I'm not with him, I was sent with him, against my wishes. Don't let me keep you from doing your job, detective, you must have loads to do, working Saturdays."
Hardy huffed and turned away.
"You could buy me a drink later."
Hardy walked off with a smirk on his face. He wasn't going to grace her with a reply.
Needless to say, Rose had dinner with James then she bought him a drink.
"I wanted to I'm sorry James, for dragging you into it earlier, I don't know why I argue with him."
"Yes you do Rose, face it. You know full well why you do it. You don't like him getting the better of you and neither does he. I'm telling you, you two are dangerous together and something is going to give. Maybe not now but it will do. I'm going back to London on Monday Rose, you don't need me here."
"What? You can't do that, Donna will go crazy."
"You forget who she is Rose and you forget who I am. I only agreed to come for one reason, well two. One was to stop you and Hardy from murdering each other and the other, well I'd rather not go into that but I think you know why. Don't you?"
Rose felt flustered. Yes, she knew the main reason. Donna trying to push the two of them together, mainly so she would forget about Hardy and release all her pent up feelings for him and settle with James. Well, she didn't think that was ever going to happen and James was right, one of them was going to crack sooner or later.
"I'm sorry James, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings but it's nothing to do with you, it's nothing you've said or done. Don't leave because of me."
"I have to Rose, I can't stay here and play piggy in the middle to you and Hardy. That's not fair, to either of us. I'll go with you tomorrow, up to the hut and see what's going on and we can walk on the beach if you want but that's all. We can be friends, if you want?"
"Yeah, I want to be friends. I'll just hire a car for a few days, at my own expense to get around and I'll get the train back next Saturday but will you do me a favour?"
"What's that?"
"Pick me up at the station, it will cost me a fortune in taxi fares and I'd have to take the tube and a bus."
"Yeah, ok. So we're still friends then?"
Rose linked his arm and nudged him. "Yeah spaceman, we're still friends. It's your round and I'm going to get totalled tonight, never mind DI grumpy arse."
Three white wine and lemonades later, James was trying to get her up the stairs, supporting her as she giggled.
"Aw, you're not so bad James Noble, I mean, you're quite good looking and you'll find someone."
James had been nursing a grudge most of the evening, that he was not Alec Hardy. "I already did Rose but I let her get away."
Rose put her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. "No you didn't, some things you just have no control over and don't give up. Night James, see you at breakfast?"
"Yeah, goodnight Rose and thanks, for dumping me before I made a complete idiot of myself."
Rose giggled. "You're not an idiot James and I really am sorry, for getting your hopes up but you never know, do you? You have to keep on hoping. I should go and sleep this off or I'll have a rotten headache in the morning and I might say something I might regret later. I've not been fair on you James, I know that. You tried to make me see you cared about me and I threw it back at you and for that, I deserve you to be angry with me."
"I'm not angry with you Rose, I'm angry at myself, for thinking I stood a chance. Plus some of it is Donna's fault, her and her ideas."
Rose kissed his cheek again and went inside, throwing her shoes off and went into the bathroom. She saw tears on her cheeks but tried to ignore them. She didn't know who they were for, Hardy or James. Life was so unfair, two men who were identical yet so different. Why was she in love with the one who wanted to make her life a misery and not the one who was actually interested in her? No, James deserved better than her, she wasn't worth it.
The following morning, Rose set off with James down a narrow road that led to the cliff top hut and knew immediately they saw the Police tape that something was going on. They could just get in the car park and pretended to get their beach bags out and set off for the path to the beach, Rose pretending to take photos of the area and carefully getting in the hut. She wasn't going to publish anything just yet, see if she could get more information.
Once down on the beach, they looked at the row of wooden boats all chained up and James noticed a gap and the chain looked like it had been cut.
"Look at this Rose, we were right. Someone cut the chain and used the boat. It must have had the motor already in it, they wouldn't have had time to install it."
"Yeah, now all we need to do is find out who's missing a boat and where it is now. Still, that's down to the Police but no harm in doing a little nosing around of our own, is there?"
James managed a smile. They made a good team and if Rose wanted to be his friend, that was something he supposed. If she got tired of chasing Hardy to every town he went to, he may be waiting for her.
"It doesn't look like the Police have been here Rose, no tape sealing it off and no-one watching it. Hardy might be interested in this."
"Yeah? We helping him now James? What would he make of it? The press actually helping him. I might pass it on to him or see if he's as clever as he likes to think he is."
James laughed. No matter what, she was not going to let on she was attracted to the bloke. Well not outwardly anyway.
They walked up the beach and then turned back towards the car, James helping her up the steep path and back to the car. They drove back up the narrow lane, having to stop a few times as there was no room for two cars and James wondered how anyone would want to go live there. After some lunch, Rose said she was going to go for a dip in the sea and sunbathe for a while on a sandy bit of beach she managed to find as most of it was pebbles and she walked down the path at the side of the hotel after leaving her valuables in her room except for her phone in her jeans pocket.
She laid her towel out and took off her jeans and t-shirt. There were a few people around but they were taking no notice of her as she put some sunscreen on and laid on her towel. She wished she had invited James to come with her and felt guilty. James had said he was going to call Donna and tell her he was going back tomorrow.
Rose had her thoughts interrupted by someone blocking the sun. She looked over the top of her sunglasses to see a tall figure, dressed in a suit standing over her. She never attempted to cover herself up.
"You're in the way detective, thanks a lot."
"Don't mention it. You keep bugging me, thought I would return the favour."
"Haven't you got a suspect to harass or something detective?"
"Why, when I'm having more fun bothering you."
"That could be seen as misinterpretation detective. Anyone would think you actually liked me if they didn't know you any better."
Hardy crouched down in front of her, making Rose squint with the sun now back in her eyes.
"So, when are you leaving then?"
"Tired of my company already?"
"Yes and no. You keep me on my toes, remind me of what I'm focusing on – getting justice for a boy's family. That's all it was ever about Tyler, justice and you didn't help last time."
Rose sat up and pulled the towel around her but it was already too late as Hardy got a rather good view of her. Rose never even flinched.
"What exactly didn't I help with the last time Hardy? I told you it was someone the girls knew, someone close to home and I was right, I wasn't the one that let him go, I tried to get justice for the families, that was what I was about and I'm going to see they get it this time. Why was the other case never re-opened?"
"What? Why are you dragging that up now Tyler?"
"Because it was never over. You just walked away – left it and left those poor girls' mothers' to grieve and no answers – no justice. You just walked away, got a pat on the back and given another job."
"Well I'd say that gives me the upper hand here Tyler, I've learned from my mistakes."
Rose laughed. "Really detective? I'd say you've already missed something vital."
Hardy shifted, his legs were aching so taking his jacket off after standing up, he placed it on the sand and sat in front of her. Rose just wished he'd sat at the side of her and knew he was doing it on purpose, hoping she would let go of her towel. She ought to slap his face for being a perve.
"Ok Miss smarty knickers, what have I missed?"
"The obvious. I know the boy wasn't killed where you found him, I went up to the cliff top hut this morning, it was swarming with CSIs"
Hardy laughed. "You've been watching too much TV Tyler, it's forensics."
"Same difference. So if the boy was killed at the hut shall we say hypothetically, the killer needed to get him down there and I've been on that road, hair-raising enough during the day but at night, you wouldn't go back up there unless you had to, especially with a dead child in the back."
"Ok, tell me more, hypothetically of course."
"The killer took the boy down the path."
"Then what?"
"You mean you've not been down there?"
"Not personally but officers have been down there, there's a row of boats. So what?"
"There's one missing."
"What! How do you know that?"
Rose had got him. "What's it worth detective?"
"How about I don't arrest you and lock you up for withholding information and or indecent expose because that bikini you're wearing should be illegal."
"You shouldn't have been looking, detective and I've covered myself up in your presence."
"Not until after I got rather a good look and you made sure I had seen Tyler."
"Huh! You shouldn't sneak along the beach looking for women who are sunbathing, creep."
Hardy laughed. "Can we get back to the matter of the boat Tyler?"
"Why don't you use my first name?"
"Never. Now get on with it or I might still arrest you."
"Now what for?"
Hardy rolled his eyes.
"James and I looked earlier, one of the chains has been cut."
"Really? I hope neither of you touched it."
"Don't be stupid, like we'd do that."
Hardy got his phone out and squinted at the screen. Rose knew he wore glasses, rather sexily but he was very self-conscious of them. He spoke to someone at the station, Rose only heard his side of the conversation, telling them to get someone down to the beach below the hut and examine the chain, see if whoever took it had left any clues.
He got up and retrieved his jacket and dusted the sand off it.
"You're welcome detective, you at least owe me a drink."
"That could be seen as bribery Tyler. We wouldn't want people to think we were actually associating with each other out of office hours, would we?"
"Oh so Sundays on a beach and me in my bikini are office hours then?"
"I've wasted enough time with you already, it may be too late for that."
Hardy walked off and Rose went back to sunbathing. "Jerk," she muttered to herself.
Hardy was grinning to himself. He had seen a bit to much of Rose Tyler and she wasn't even that bothered about it. Things were looking up. Now he just had to get rid of her partner, who had seemed a bit possessive of her. He walked back to the station. Tyler was right, why was he working on Sunday? He could have stayed on the beach enjoying the view he'd had before she had covered herself up. He shook the thought out of his mind, he shouldn't even be thinking like that, she was the enemy.
Rose didn't get her drink from Hardy later on, he had actually got back in time for his evening meal but had gone to his room. Something was troubling him and he wanted time to think. Plus, drinking was not a good idea, especially with Rose Tyler, he had a reputation to think about.