Disclaimer: Sam and Smithy are not mine.
Chapter 29:
"Miss Nixon, could you tell me, in your own words, what happened earlier today during the time you discovered Dc Jo Masters' location, assaulting another colleague in the process of finding her."
"I went round to Stuart's house to apologise to him. I'd recently accused him of abducting DC Masters and was led to believe it was not him when someone else was charged. After arriving at his house, he seemed, preoccupied. He was reluctant to let me in the house, only slightly opening the front door. After sensing something was wrong, he told me he felt ill, but I discovered this to be a lie just a couple of minutes later when I heard a scream from in his house. I asked him who it was, and he denied there being a scream and denied anyone else being in the house. I called out 'hello'; not convinced I had imagined the scream. After a couple of seconds I heard someone shout back 'Sam'. After registering the voice as DC Masters' I called out 'Jo, is that you?' I then turned to Stuart and said something along the lines of 'you've got her? You bastard.' I then punched him, as he fell his head hit the wall. I stepped over him and went to find Jo. I should have checked to see if he was alright, but I was concerned about DC Masters' safety, knowing the fact he was unconscious would buy me a bit of time to get Jo out of the house. In hindsight, I should have checked to see if he was all right, but at the time I was more concerned about reaching Jo. I honestly didn't realise how serious the head wound was, at the time I entered the house I didn't see any blood, I probably would have stopped if I had seen blood, but I didn't. The moment I had got Jo out of the house and seen he was still unconscious and surrounded by blood I called an ambulance. I would have called one earlier if I'd had known."
"Okay. So you are saying that after hitting his head on a brick wall, you didn't see any reason for him to require medical attention?"
"No, not at the time, I didn't. I thought only of DC Masters' safety. I was not overly concerned of the welfare of her attacker and abductor."
"Attacker?"
It occurred to Sam that she should not have said that. Trust the DPS to pick up on the word. Sam attempted covered her slip of the tongue. "Well, she was hit over the head, before being dragged out of the house, bundled into a car, taken to, and locked in, a storage unit, held in there for five days, before spending the next two tied to a chair in his house. If you don't think of that as being attacked than I am very concerned about the nature of justice this country is facing."
"And there is nothing more you mean with that comment?"
"Why would there be?"
"DI Nixon, was DC Masters sexually assaulted during the time she was held?"
"I think that's something you should be asking DC Masters, not myself."
"Is that a yes then?"
"You have no reason for asking me that. It has nothing to do with the reason I'm here. If you choose to continue with this line of questioning then I will be forced to ask that the interview be stopped and another officer brought in, do I make myself clear?" Sam exerted her authority over the interviewing officer, sensing he was slightly nervous about interviewing a DI.
"Perfectly. I see no reason to carry on the interview at present. Interview suspended at 11:59" The man spoke into the tape.
"Will I be bailed?"
"I will speak to the custody Sergeant about bail in a few moments."
"Well in the mean time I would like to speak with DC Masters."
"Is there any particular reason for that?"
"Yes. She is still very shook up about the attack. I feel I should be there to support her."
"DI Nixon, is there anything more to your relationship with DC Masters you feel we should know about?"
"I presumed you knew about my relationship with her."
"Only that you are colleagues."
"DC Masters is my partner. We are engaged to be married. I presumed you knew, it's common knowledge in the station."
"No, we were not aware of that. I'm sure you know that you should have informed us of something like that at the beginning of the interview."
"I'm sorry, I thought you knew. I didn't withhold the information knowingly. I thought you would be aware of our relationship."
"No, I can't say we were. Although you have been co-operative in telling us about it now, so I see no reason to believe you were withholding it."
"Good. Now, please, can I see her?"
"I'll see what I can do."
"Thanks."
Sam found herself led out of the interview and into one of the custody cells. The door was shut and she found there was nothing to do other than sit on the bed provided. After a couple of minutes she was beginning to think the DPS officer had- not kept his promise about bringing Jo to her. She was soon relieved though, when the door was opened and told she could see Jo in an interview room. She allowed herself to be led back out of the cell and into an interview she had used many times before to interview suspects in. Now feeling a significant change in status after being interviewed in there herself, and now allowed to see Jo in there only under supervision by Smithy.
"Sorry Sam, I hate to have to do this. I'll wait outside if you like." Smithy offered, feeling uncomfortable having to supervise a senior officer he respected.
"Thanks Smithy. That's good of you."
"Yeah well, anything you need, just ask yeah?"
"Yeah. Thanks Smithy."