Fine fine fine! You don't like teasers lol, so here's the steak and chips as filibuster calls it lol. Be patient not everything can happen at once. Questions will be answered in due course as the story unfolds, where would be the fun in answering them now;) Thanks for the amazing support with the first chapter please continue. =]=]=]
Enjoy xxx
As Charlie drove into the city the next afternoon she was feeling quite nervous about this new job offer. It really was an opportunity that would give her a lot of experience as a police officer and definitely put her on the ladder for promotion; presuming she was able to handle the case and did what was asked of her. Slowing her car into first gear, Charlie pulled into the car park at Sydney's Crime and Justice Headquarters. She left the car, and locked it and made for the main building. Unsure of where to go Charlie walked up to the main desk and enquired with the receptionist. After receiving the directions she walked down the long brightly lit corridor to the Detective of Undercover Operation's office. Her stomach fluttered with nerves. Inhaling deeply; Charlie knocked on the office door.
Charlie took a small step back hearing the sound of heavy boots on the other side of the door. A dark haired burly man opened the door.
"Detective Peters," he introduced himself "please, come in." He stepped aside giving Charlie room to enter the spacious office; much different to the ones she was used to in small town stations.
He extended his hand "You must be Charlotte Buckton?"
"Yes, I am, nice to meet you." Charlie accepted his hand and returned the firm handshake she was at the receiving end of.
"Please take a seat," he gestured to the chair opposite his desk, and sat down in his own.
She wiped her damp hands on her black pants.
"I apologise for being so brief with you last night, but it wasn't exactly the most appropriate discussion to have over the phone. You must be curious?"
Charlie was put at ease by his kind manor "Yes but I understood completely that we needed to consider this face to face."
He smiled tightly acknowledging what she has just said. "Ok well I'll cut to the chase. For some time now we've had our on a particular drug gang. Their based in a small costal town, somewhere to keep a low profile I guess. Every time it seems like we might have the case in the bag, we seem to be missing that something small. We are led to believe they are smuggling thousands of dollars worth of drugs into Australia and we've finally got the go ahead and financial support to send in under cover officers- this is where your part comes in to play."
Charlie listened intently, taking in every little detail he said.
"Right so will I be in the offices processing the paper work?"
"Quite the opposite Charlotte, you're the one."
"For?" Charlie was lost.
"The one that's going to be doing the undercover work, you're the main man, or should I say woman in this case." He grinned at her. She was shocked.
"Me? Detective, I don't have much experience in this area…"
"But Charlotte you have excelled- and more in your duties as Senior Constable. You're talent is wasted on small town duties. I believe you're more than capable for this position. It's yours if you want it."
Charlie was both stunned and flattered at the same time, she couldn't comprehend this; it was beyond her wildest ambitions.
"I don't know what to say. It'd be an honour, if you're sure…"
"We've had our eye on you for a while Charlotte, and I deem this is right up your alley."
"So what is it exactly you want me to do, I've had no training for this line of work?" Charlie enquired the reality of it all setting in.
"Now why don't I get us a cup of coffee first and then we can get into the finer details."
***
Later that evening they had all finished their dinner and retired to the living room for the evening. Using the excuse of needing to use the bathroom, Charlie followed her father out to the kitchen seizing the opportunity to fill him in on her day's events.
"How did things go today Charlie?" He was anxious to hear how things went in Sydney, and they hadn't found that chance to catch up until now.
"Really well Dad, it went better than I could ever have hoped for. I've been offered to take the job of an undercover agent!" Charlie yelped unable to contain her excitement any longer.
"Oh Charlotte!" Ross was just as pleased as his daughter, and immensely proud.
He hugged her so tight she found it difficult to breathe.
"Dad." She gasped.
He loosened his grip and set her free.
"Sorry, I just… Charlie this is above anything I expected."
"You and me both Dad." Charlie couldn't restrain the grin that was spreading across her face.
"Where will you be moving to?"
"Summer Bay, it's pretty far away."
"How far is far?"
"About seven hundred miles." Charlie sounded deflated, knowing her sister would miss her terribly.
"Well that's only something minor, and I think a job offer like this highly outnumbers any cons." Ross was determined to stay positive; it was the opportunity of a life time for his eldest daughter.
"Yeah exactly, I'll be leaving this weekend if I decided to take the job. I have to let them know in the morning to confirm everything, but I've made my decision." She smiled even broader; if at all possible, showing Ross just how certain she was.
"Well why don't we tell Morag and Ruby, they'll be delighted for you?" Ross knew Morag would be, but Ruby was a different kettle of fish.
Charlie's smiled vanished. "Dad you know Ruby will be far from pleased."
"It'll take a while for her to get used to it no doubt but. She'll have to accept it."
"I can't help but feel a bit guilty, we've gotten along really well since I've moved back in."
"Well that might have something to do with the fact she wasn't very keen on Max." Ross tried to lighten the conversation; he didn't want anything to spoil his daughter's special moment.
"Maybe…"
"Come on, lets go tell them." Ross wrapped his arm around her and led her into the living room.
Charlie sat next to Ruby on the large sofa, and Ross sat on the corner of the small sofa next to Morag.
"Charlie has some wonderful news." Ross grinned, glancing from person to person as he spoke.
"I'm ah… After getting a new job offer, and I've decided to accept it."
"Charlie that's great news congratulations." Morag was the first to congratulate her, and did so genuinely.
"Charlie you're Senior Constable here, how can you go higher in the little station that you're in?"
"Its not here Ruby, I'll be moving away." Charlie spoke in a low tone thinking it would somehow lessen the blow to her sister.
Ross and Morag remained quiet.
"How far Charlie?" Ruby wrapped her arms around her knees hugging them close to her, and scrutinised her sister
"Far… About seven or eight hundred miles."
"What?!" Ruby cried as she leapt up off the sofa, now staring down at her sister.
"Ruby it's an amazing offer, I can't believe I was even considered for it."
"So you're just going to leave me?" Ruby wasn't showing any signs of calming down, if anything her rage seemed to be only accelerating.
"Ruby I'm not leaving you, I just have to go away for a while for work." It crushed Charlie to see her in such despair.
"Well that's heaps fucking better isn't it Charlie?" Ruby exclaimed as she stormed out of the room almost tearing the door off its hinges when she banged it shut.
Charlie sat there for a few seconds, her happiness gone.
"I'll go." Ross started to get up.
"No don't, I will." Charlie stated firmly, already leaving the room.
"Ruby?" Charlie called gently, knocking on the door.
"Fuck off Charlie. Isn't that what you intend on doing anyway?" Ruby sounded bitter, and Charlie could hear the pain in her voice.
Charlie walked in anyway despite Ruby's protests.
"Ruby you need to understand I have to do this. It's my job, and you know I'll be back."
"Charlie I hate it enough with you here, not to mind living alone with Dad and Morag, I love that you're back living here."
Charlie knew Ruby didn't mean to hurt her; it was just her way of expressing her gloom.
"I know and I like being here with you too Rubes. But I'm almost thirty and living at home with my Dad isn't exactly where I want my life to be you know?"
Ruby sighed. "I know. I'll miss you."
"I'll miss you too," Charlie crawled up the bed and sat beside her "It's not like I can take you with me, and it wont be forever."
Ruby turned her head slowly and smiled sneakily up at Charlie.
"Why can't you take me?" Ruby sounded a little more optimistic this latest idea cheering her up.
"You know why, there's school and Dad will, hardly let you up and leave. But there are school holidays and I'd love you to come and visit then."
Charlie snuggled closer to Ruby, resting her chin on Ruby's head.
"Saying Dad did leave me, would you allow me to come with you?"
"Ruby you know I would but it's not an option."
"How do you know?"
"How I do know what?" Charlie was puzzled.
"That Dad wouldn't let me go with you." Ruby was starting to get a little excited.
"Ruby, this is Dad we're talking about. He still thinks I'm a kid, and as for you? You're a baby in his eyes."
"But you're almost thirty Charlie; you're old enough to be my mother."
"I know, but I'm not."
"You'd really allow me to come with you?" Ruby moved slightly out of Charlie's embrace and looked her straight in the eye.
"Without a doubt." Charlie said certainly.
Ruby untangled herself from Charlie and hopped off the bed. She sprinted out of the bedroom and down the stairs.
Ross and Morag turned around surprised hearing the clatter of noise nearing the living room. Then Ruby bounced in.
Charlie followed Ruby down the stairs quickly, but not quite as fast.
"Dad, if Charlie said I could go with her would you let me? You know she'd care for me and you also know I don't like living here and I'll hate it even more without Charlie." Ruby said all in one breath.
"Ruby you know Charlie wouldn't let you, it's not an option."
"But Dad she said she would if you agreed." Ruby wasn't willing to quit just yet.
Charlie came into the room just then.
"She did?" Ross was slightly surprised, he knew there was no question about Charlie's love for Ruby but he didn't think she'd go so far as to happily take Ruby with her.
He turned to look at Charlie.
"I did, I'd love to have Ruby live with me."
"Come on Dad please." Ruby begged hoping she wasn't out of the race just yet.
"I… I don't know." He turned to Morag for support.
"I don't really see what the problem is, of course you'd have to go to school and behave as you would do if you were living here."
"I will I will, I swear!"
Morag grabbed his hand. She knew he was protective over his daughters.
"Charlie's an adult, and Ruby isn't a child. It's been obvious for a while now Ruby isn't happy here."
"I wish I could come up with a reason to keep you here." Ross looked up from Morag, to Charlie.
"But you can't?" Ruby asked, unable to believe this was happening.
"I cant." Ross sighed.
"So is that a yes?" Ruby's voice was almost a squeal.
Ross paused for a moment, and Morag squeezed his hand "There's a lot more to discuss but… It's a yes."
"AHHHHHHHH!!" Ruby screeched excitedly and ran over to smother her father in kisses before settling her attention on Charlie. She ran towards her and jumped up knotting her arms around her neck causing Charlie to almost topple over. "I love you I love you I love you!"
"And you try and tell me she's not a child." Ross smiled half-heartedly at Morag, she simply rubbed his cheek in return.