"Having trouble detective?"
Hardy swore under his breath and handed the offending object to her. "You leave that on next time and I'll throw it out of the window Tyler."
"Grumpy arse, you only have to press the big red 'stop' button. Why don't you leave your glasses by the bed then you'll be able to put them on and see how to turn the alarm off. Isn't a red button obvious that it means stop?"
Hardy flopped back down on the pillow.
"Morning detective, sleep well?"
He wasn't going to admit to her it was the best night's sleep he'd had since he had been ill. He'd not woken up once.
"Huh, I did until your stupid alarm woke me up. Why did we need two?"
"Oh, so you can turn yours off without looking can you?"
"Yes. So don't leave it on again, got it?"
"So there's going to be a next time then? I'm surprised. You must be in a good mood."
"Who says I'm in a good mood? Get over here and you'll find out."
Rose moved closer and he pushed her onto her back, hovering over her then leaned down to kiss her neck. Rose seized the opportunity to pull him into a long deep kiss.
"So are you going to hassle me all day Tyler? Or are you going to find someone else to bother and don't make it the Latimers, they have enough to worry about."
"I'm going to make a few more enquiries today, might have another go at the newsagent and find out a few things. I'm going to call my editor first and tell her it's worth staying down here a bit longer. Don't worry, I won't tell her I tamed the great Alec Hardy last night or anything."
"Mind you don't or you'll have to do more than tame me. I have to go now, as much as I enjoy your company." He reached over and kissed her again.
"Your room tonight then detective?"
"We'll see Tyler, I might find something better to do than watch you enjoy yourself."
"Such as?" She ran her fingers down his chest and down to his bellybutton.
He caught her hand and linked his fingers with hers. "I won't know until I find it, will I?"
He reached down and kissed the back of her hand, then dived down to lift her vest top and kissed her exposed skin. "Maybe you can return the favour tonight Tyler."
"Are you sure you're up to it detective?"
He let her go and started getting out of bed. "Well if you're turning down the offer of a lifetime, then it's your loss Tyler."
Rose smiled. "I never said I was turning you down, I was just pointing out that you seemed to be enjoying it as much as I was. Look, let's just do more of what we did last night, ok?"
"Well maybe a bit more, you could lose your underwear, it's not like anything's likely to happen in my condition."
He got dressed, Rose watching him from her vantage point sat up against the pillows.
"Ok. I challenge you to get them off me, do you accept?"
He grinned. She had no idea.
Hardy went back to his room, Rose was disappointed there was no connecting door and once down at breakfast, he stopped by her table.
"Are you going to stand there all morning?" Rose asked.
He sat down. "I'm not making a habit of this, for the record. No point in taking up another table just for the sake of it I suppose."
"No, I suppose not. You got anything important going on today?"
"As if I'd even tell you Tyler."
"Well I can try. You free for lunch?"
"I might wander over to the outdoor caterers across from the station around one this afternoon, not that I'll talk to you."
"Thought not. I suppose I'll be hungry again by that time. Just out of interest, will your DS be with you?"
"She meets up with her family, well she did yesterday. I suppose I'll have to find something to do other than sit in my office waiting for her to come back."
"You might as well. Might see you at one then?"
Hardy got up. "If I'm extremely unlucky."
Hardy went back to get his jacket and went off to the station. Rose went to call Donna.
"Rose! How are you coping with that pain of a detective? You got him into bed yet?"
"Donna, I'm surprised at you. How was James when he got back?"
"Don't know, I've not seen him yet. He came in and shut himself in his office. Apparently he doesn't have you to stare after all day. What did you do to him Rose?"
"Nothing, I think I spared him from any further embarrassment. I'm sorry Donna, I didn't mean to hurt him. He thought it was best to leave and I don't blame him so don't be too hard on him."
"He offered to pay for your car hire since he left you to fend for yourself. Put in the train fare as well, I won't take it out of his pay."
"Thanks Donna. I have something to ask you though."
"Go on. You want to stay there don't you? Give me one good reason."
"I can get you the story of Alec Hardy and Sandbrook, what really happened."
"Blimey, you have slept with him."
"No, well not exactly got the story, he backed out but I can wear him down. I just need some time. Tell you what Donna, you agree to still pay me for being here, I'll send you the latest news and I'll pay for my own accommodation after Saturday. I promise I'll get you a really good story out of it."
"Well against my better judgement, I'll agree. It will give James a chance to recover I suppose. Poor bloke will be moping after you if you come back anyway."
Meanwhile, Hardy was in his office going through the pile of personal mail that he'd had forwarded, noting there were two letters marked as 'Urgent' from the health service. He opened the one that was postmarked from last Thursday telling him to contact the appointments office urgently. He did. He was asked if he was still at his current address so he gave them the name of the hotel and told them he was in the middle of moving.
They told him there was an appointment for him next Monday morning at 9am at Exeter hospital and to bring an overnight bag with him but he may have to stay in up to five days. He agreed to take the appointment but he wished them luck keeping him in five days. He was going to have to make an excuse to sneak off on Monday as it was let alone five days during a murder investigation.
Now he was stuck with Tyler, his self-appointed guardian and now it seemed, his new girlfriend. Could he cope with her? He needed her to keep his secret for a few days until he was back on his feet again. Why had he put the operation off for so long? It could have something to do with he might not come round from it and he had things to do. For one, wait for the Sandbrook killer to slip up and the case was re-opened then take it over again somehow but life was conspiring against him to have the misfortune to meet Tyler again.
He had to admit he had secretly been in love with her since their first meeting when she had asked the ultimate question what was he doing about the missing girls? Every night for all this time, he saw the youngest girl's body in the rampant river and saw himself picking her up and going under more than once in the struggle to get her to the riverbank and he vaguely remembered hands reaching out and taking the girl and pulling him out. They should have left him, he was finished the moment he found her.
Now though, he was contemplating surgery at last because Tyler had worn him down and got him into her bed and he couldn't do a damn thing about it. Well she asked for it but once he solved the case, she would more than likely go crawl back under the rock she had come from and he wouldn't see her again until he had another big case. Unless he made such an impression on her she would keep coming back for more and stay. Did he want her to stay? He hadn't told her the bad news yet that he may not even have to worry about it.
He had always thought that he would be gone before he solved the Sandbrook case and never expected to come face to face with another too similar murder. Tyler had been right, it was following him and he shouldn't have lost his temper with her. He also hadn't admitted to her that last night, sleeping in her arms had been his best night since he got that phonecall saying two cousins had gone missing.
ooooooooo{silversurfer60}ooooooooo
Rose had been back to the harbour and had stopped outside the newsagents as she had seen the local journalist go in from across the car park. She was spending more money in car parking and was going to have to find one either free or where she could park all day but she didn't plan on staying in one place though. She had compiled a list of places she wanted to go and was going to ask around about the boy.
She was looking in the window of the shop next to the newsagents when she saw the local reporter come out in a hurry, pursued by the newsagent himself.
"Get out of here you little weasel, what have I ever done to you?"
"I was only giving you a chance to give your side of the story Jack, if you don't want to talk, I'm still going ahead with it."
"You do that Stevens, if you dare, see what happens. Now go crawl back under your rock."
The newsagent shoved the reporter and carried on calling him names. A small crowd nearby had stopped to look, including the local trainee plumber sat in a blue marked van eating his lunch. He had been watching Rose, pretending to be looking in the other shop window and thought she was a bit of alright, maybe out of his league but possibly approachable if he met her in a bar.
Rose saw her chance. She had been researching some of the locals while having coffee in the harbour caf across the car park.
"Mr Marshall, are you ok?"
"What's it to you? You're one of them aren't you? I saw you talking to Hardy the other day, I'm not talking to you. Go join your little friend over there."
He pointed to the other reporter who was making his way across the road.
"He's not my friend, he's a creep. He tried to chat me up the other day at the press conference even when I told him I was with someone. What was he getting you so upset over?"
"Non of your business whatever your name is."
"It's Rose and I'm really not like him at all. Can I leave you my number? If you want to talk."
"I won't. Now, I have a shop to run."
A handful of people were just wandering inside and he disappeared after them. Rose thought that was interesting, the local reporter must have found something out but she didn't think it had anything to do with the boy's death. She would leave it to him to write whatever he wanted, she wasn't interested in local disputes. Donna had taught her not to get caught up in local squabbles, the rest of the nation weren't interested unless it was in their own town or something that affected them in general. The death of a small boy or even two girls was of interest as any parent would sympathise with the loss to a family.
It was almost one and Hardy had been out with Miller, Hardy learning that the boy's father had been released after an alibi had been offered for his unaccounted for absence from the family home on the night his son was killed. He would never look at a certain hotel owner in the same light again.
"Sir, I'm off to lunch, can I bring you anything back or are you going to starve yourself?"
"What? No, I'll go get something. I'm quite capable of walking down a few steps and crossing a road. Go, don't wait for me. Oh by the way, I've been eliminating footprints from the hut, has your boy Tom ever been up there?"
"Not that I know of, why?"
"Just making sure they were Danny's. What about your husband, he been up there?"
"I don't know what he does during the day, he could have taken my youngest for a walk up there."
"Ok, go get your lunch. Oh and Miller, advance warning, I have to go somewhere next Monday so don't try calling me."
"You can't just go off in the middle of an investigation, Sir."
"It's to do with the investigation Miller, I don't have to explain myself to you."
Well it was sort of to do with the investigation, he wouldn't get through it if he didn't have the surgery. Now that was covered, all he had to do was tell Tyler and get her to take him there. Whether he liked it or not, she had appointed herself to make sure he got there so she could drive him.
Rose was walking across the harbour, leaving her car and taking advantage of getting value out of the car parking fee. As she crossed the river, she saw a row of chalets to her right, a brightly coloured blue one standing out from the rest. It looked nice and she wondered how much it cost to rent. If she was going to stay and look after Hardy, it might be worth renting the place, they would get more privacy than a hotel and for two people, it probably would work out cheaper than two rooms or even one, if she were to move in with him.
Hardy was already sitting at a table as she arrived, a pot of tea in front of him with two cups. She sat opposite him.
"Go order some food Tyler I'm not eating on my own."
He gestured toward the catering stall behind him as all the tables were marked with the various stalls names. Just as she got back up, his food arrived, a jacket potato with tuna and salad and Rose thought she may as well have the same. She ordered and sat back down as he was eating.
"So, how did you get on then? Did you make that call we talked about?"
"Yes and I suppose you want to know when it is. Monday morning at nine in Exeter. Satisfied now? You can drive me there."
"Blimey, that's early. How long's it take to drive there?"
"Don't fuss, it's only about forty miles or so, it won't take an hour."
"In morning traffic detective? More like two hours at that time, you don't want to be late."
"I don't want to go at all. It was your idea."
"Yeah, just like last night was yours and look where that got us. We'd have to leave around seven or go on Sunday and stay in a hotel overnight."
"Alright, we'll leave at seven, no point in paying for another hotel. You said you were going back to London on Saturday, are you driving there?"
"No, I'm only renting a car, I came down with James. I'll get the train back, pick up my car and some more stuff and drive back down on Sunday."
"So are you keeping your hotel room?"
"Well I had to tell my editor I would pay for my own accommodation if I stayed so I'll have to find somewhere cheaper. Have you seen those holiday chalets down by the river? I was going to find out how you rented one, it would be cheaper."
"Good, I don't want the hotel owner thinking you're going to share my room. What about those chalets?"
"Well if we shared, it would work out cheaper plus it would be nearer for you, I could park there and you'd have more privacy."
"What makes you think I want to share with you, by the river of all places. You know I hate water."
"Well I'm not asking you to go in it, am I? Fine, I'll look for somewhere else where you won't be disturbed."
"Well you find out about it and I'll think it over."
Rose's food had arrived and she realised how hungry she was. Hardy was keen to get back to work so he said if he was unlucky he would see her at dinner. Rose smiled. She now wondered just how long they were going to keep this up pretending to be annoyed with each other and if it was for the public's benefit only. She didn't mind, it was quite amusing if that's how he wanted to play this but after last night she knew he was close to melting. She got her tablet out and looked up holiday lets in Broadchurch, typing in blue chalet and was surprised how easily it came up. It was also reasonably priced and when she typed in the dates, it was vacant. She supposed the murder in the town had not had a host of people applying to rent it. She found the number of the letting agent and gave them a call.
She ended up agreeing to take it for the next six weeks on a weekly basis after she said she was booking it for the new town's detective inspector and gave his name and said he would pay the first weeks rental when he collected the keys and was told it would be ready from noon on Saturday. Good, she thought, he can sort that out while she went home and he could move his things in. She thought she may as well leave most of her stuff rather than take it home and he could move it with his.
Rose broke the news to him over dinner.
"You gave my name? What the hell for Tyler?"
"Because you'll have to collect the keys and it saved having to explain anything. Just go pick the keys up and pay the first week, I'll pay the second and we can take it in turns."
"Hold on Tyler, you were only looking after me while I went in hospital, I go on Monday in case you forgot. How long to you think it's going to take me to recover?"
"Well there's two bedrooms, you have one, I'll have the other. There's nothing wrong with sharing. I can cook you a meal every night as compensation."
"Some compensation that is, having to put up with you for six weeks. Throw in breakfast as well and I might consider it."
"You drive a hard bargain detective. You just got a house-mate."
"Huh, you can do the laundry too if there's a washing machine."
"There is, I'll teach you how to use it and how to iron your shirts."
"If I'm letting to share, you can see to the domestics. You do all that and I might let you stay rent free. The police are still paying for the hotel, it will be cheaper for them."
Rose laughed. "So you're not paying for it either, you cheat."
"Well they'll start making me pay soon anyway, I was only supposed to be here a short time, I never arranged any alternate accommodation. They would expect me to move out and once I move out of the hotel, they'll probably stop paying then."
"Well I'll leave my case and my laptop bag in your room on Saturday morning and you can take them down to the chalet for me when you get a taxi down there. I'll go back home and get another load of clothes and whatever else I need."
"The chalet doesn't look that big, do you expect it to be bigger on the inside or something? Don't bring too much with you."
"Well it doesn't look like you have a lot with you I should have plenty of room."
"I just choose to wear the same things. I have lots of white shirts, they've gone to the laundry."
Rose giggled. "Of course they have detective, we'll see just how many you have, you'd better get everything back by Saturday. Now if you buy me a drink I'll tell you about what I saw outside the harbour newsagents earlier."
Sitting her down with a drink, Hardy asked what was so interesting about what she had seen. She had just told him of the scuffle between the newsagent and the local reporter when Nigel Carter walked in and joined another man at the bar, sitting on a stool. Nigel looked around and spotted Rose sitting with Hardy. He thought his luck had changed until he saw the two of them, Hardy with his hand on her arm as he moved to sit next to her.
Feeling put out, he was now going to tell his boss that the detective was getting friendly with a blonde in the bar of The Traders. He didn't know who she was but Mark might do or Beth would. She was probably a reporter since he didn't think she looked like she was on holiday and loads of reporters were in town. She was getting very friendly with the town's new DI.
Rose though was taking no notice of who else was in the bar as Hardy moved over and sat next to her, first putting his hand on her arm then moving down to put it on her leg. She had opted to wear a short black skirt with black tights and a white sleeveless top that he could just about see down when he moved.
After two more drinks, Hardy sticking to non-alcoholic, he whispered to her. "I'll go to my room, you come up in ten minutes."
"I'll have to go to my room first and get a few things."
"Fine but if you set your alarm for morning, your phone will go out of the window and you'll get thrown out of the door, dressed or not. Get that?"
Rose smiled. "Touchy, just because you can't see a big red button marked 'Stop'. That's hardly my fault."
"Yes well, I don't need two alarms going off thanks."
He got up after finishing his drink, Becca looked at him. He hardly saw her, he had learned she had provided the dead boy's father with an alibi and he wasn't pleased. She had tried to chat him up when he had just arrived but he had turned her down. Maybe if he'd said yes, he could have added Mark Latimer to his growing list of suspects. Now Tyler had given him two more. Why had Miller's nephew and the newsagent been fighting?
He went up to his room, having tonight brought some bottled water back with him and already taken his pills. He had checked to see how many he had left and would just have enough or he would have had to get an emergency appointment with a local GP and he wanted no-one in the town to know what was wrong with him. He took his jacket off then his shirt, putting a grey t-shirt on and waited for his new girlfriend, well not that he was ever going to admit to her or anyone else she was.
Rose called in her room and got clean underwear, some wipes and turned the alarm on her phone off, not that she thought Hardy would follow through with his threat, well maybe not throw her out, the phone she wasn't sure about. She gathered a few more things and put them in her shoulder bag and picked up her keys. She went to knock on Hardy's door.