Disclaimer: Sam, Jack, Lewis, Phil and Stuart aren't mine.

Chapter 22:

"Sorry Guv, can I have a word?"

"Yes." Jack got up from his seat and went to the tape machine, "DCI Meadows is leaving the room, interview suspended at 15:36."

He walked calmly out of the room and led Sam into the sound booth, trying not to attract any attention, "Sam, I told you not to be seen."

"Guv, I think I've got something."

"Really? What is it?"

"Stuart, he just said that I asked Jo to move in the day after we got together. I haven't told him that."

"What about Jo, could she have said that to him."

"I very much doubt it Guv, Jo doesn't like Stuart, they don't get on, I don't see why she would have any reason to tell him that."

"So how do you propose he knows?"

"Look, I know it's unlikely, but what if Stuart has got her? He might have asked her questions and it came out in one of the answers. What if it was him Guv?"

"Look, Sam, I can see what you're saying, but it's very unlikely. It's probably that she was trying to make him jealous. You took a long time to agree to Stuart moving in, if what you're saying is true, they don't get on, then she was most likely taunting him with the fact that you asked her to move in after just one day."

"But Guv, Jo doesn't know it took me a long time to agree to Stuart moving in. I know it's a long shot, but there are holes in your theory. I know there are holes in mine too, but I want to make sure it's not him, please, let's search his house, and if we don't find anything, then we leave it. But I want no stone unturned, and that means as long as he is a suspect, we thoroughly search his house."

"Okay, we'll go with it, for now."

"Can I come Guv?"

"Sam, how many more times are you gonna ask me to break the rules for you?"

"Please Guv, I'm more likely than anyone to recognise something of Jo's."

"Alright, but this is the last thing Sam, I can't keep bending the rules for you."

"Yes Guv."

"Guv?"

Yes Sam."

"Look at this."

"What?"

"This, it's locked."

"So he guy has a locked draw, that doesn't mean he took Jo."

"What's in it though? Over here." She beckoned PC Hardy over to the draw, "Can you unlock this for me?" once Honey had broken the lock, Sam instantly shooed her out of the way so she could get a better look. The blonde DI fished her way through irrelevant bills and paperwork, almost giving up hope when two things caught her eye. On was a key. She produced her own house key, matching them up to see a perfect fit. "Guv, here, I've found the key to my house. Why is it in a locked draw if he's not hiding something eh? And he said he doesn't know where it is, he must see it every time he puts a new bill in this draw."

"Okay, bag it, you know procedure."

Sam did as instructed; frustrated that he didn't seem to take it as serious evidence. She returned to the other object that took her eye. A small box, Sam instantly recognised it as the box that Jo had given her, previously containing her engagement ring.

"Guv. I've found the box my engagement ring was in."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I remember it."

"Okay, bag it up and we'll check for prints."

Sam bagged it up as evidence; irritated that Jack still didn't seem to be taking her finds seriously.

Sam continued searching the house, finding nothing more, much to her frustration. She felt as if she wasn't doing all she could to get Jo back, and that thought broke her heart, that she could be doing more and wasn't.

She returned home that evening to find a message on her answer machine. It was from Phil, she must have just missed him. After the polite, "How are you feeling? How's Abi? How's Jack?" Phil finally reached the reason for his calling, "Sam, Stuart's been released. Be careful. I don't trust him. Look after yourself."

Sam felt her heart tighten, he's been released? She was insulted that Jack didn't have the balls to tell her himself, and instead left it to Phil.

Sam seemed to not be in control any longer, grabbing her coat she got in her car and drove in the direction of Stuart's house. When she got there she virtually banged the door down before him coming to answer it. The blonde invited herself in calling out Jo's name as she went. When she heard no reply she flopped onto his sofa, feeling defeated.

"Sam, I didn't do it. Do you seriously think I did it?"

"I dunno, I've got no one else to blame have I?" Sam sighed, "You're the closest thing we had to a suspect, now what have I got to cling to?"

"Hey, it's all right, come here." He sat next to her on the sofa holding his arms out as an invitation for her to hug him. She gave in, folding up into his arms, tears beginning to flood from her eyes.

Pulling back from the embrace, he stared into her vulnerable eyes before leaning in to kiss her.

Sam instantly came to her senses and pulled away from the male. She found herself pulled back towards him, unable to fight against the man. After a few seconds an image of Jo came into her head. She ripped herself away from Stuart, punching him square in the jaw. "That's for Jo. I know you've got her Stuart. I'm gonna find her, I promise you I'll send you down for this."

"What? Sam, no. No I haven't taken Jo, I swear to you, I wouldn't do that."

The blonde stormed out of his house, ran to her car and got in, locking the doors before breaking down into tears. Pulling herself together, the blonde pulled out her car keys and started the engine, driving back home.