Disclaimer I do not own New Tricks. This is probably the penultimate chapter. Hope you enjoy it.
Time will Tell.
Sandra tugged her coat closer to her as she made her way out of the hospital. It seemed that she had spent too much time there in recent days. The only good news she had was Paula waking up and Jack seemingly recovering well from his heart attack. Now all she needed was to catch the man that had killed Debbie Lloyd so many years earlier and probably tried to kill Paula.
"Sir?" She raised an eyebrow as she realised Robert Strickland was stood in the entrance to Accident and Emergency.
"Hello Sandra." He smiled shyly as she approached him.
"What are you doing here? Has something happened?"
"Have you spoken to Brian or Steve?"He watched as she shook her head.
"No, why?"
"It seems they have further information regarding the murder of Debbie Lloyd."
"That's good news." Sandra stepped closer to him. "But what has that got to do with you coming to the hospital? Either Steve or Brian could have called me at any time."
"Yes."
"So?" Sandra prompted him as a drunken teenager covered in blood pushed past them with another lad hanging off his shoulder. Strickland resisted the urge to shout at the young men and ushered Sandra into the children's waiting area instead.
"So." He took a deep breath. "It would seem that the killer, or alledged killer at this stage is still in the hospital."
"What?" Sandra looked around. "Sir, you aren't making any sense."
"Charlie worked in forensics on the original case. Steve showed her some of the crime scene photos from Paula's home."
"He did what?" Sandra could already feel her temper beginning to get the better of her. Steve was a bit of a maverick but now he was beginning to make Gerry look like the model copper.
"I know, I know but she recognised an important similarity that your team may have missed."
"Such as?" Sandra folded her arms defensively. Strickland sighed heavily. He knew Sandra was fiercely protective of her team. It didn't do him any favours to have her think he was criticising her or UCOS.
"Look, we better take this back to the station. Can you find Gerry? I know Jack is in no fit state."
"With all respect, Sir. Gerry's daughter has just come out of her coma. He is no fit state to be leaving her. Come on." She walked out of the hospital towards her car. "I'll follow back to the station." Strickland shook his head, knowing that Sandra was going to be like a dog with a bone until she got the answers she needed.
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"Dad." Paula closed her eyes for a moment. "I honestly only remember bits and pieces."
"Ok." He nodded as he squeezed her hand. "Tell me the bits and pieces."
"Dad."
"Paula, someone did this to you."
"I know."
"Then don't let him get away with it." Gerry had never understood how people could protect those that had hurt them. He watched his daughter's bruised and battered face as her eyes opened.
"I remember making myself a cup of coffee when the doorbell rang."
"Ok." Gerry watched as she frowned slightly. "And?"
"And I am trying." She snapped.
"Ok, so you went to the door."
"No." She shook her head. "I don't think I did. I think I looked first and thought it was you and Sandra. Well, the pair of you are joined at the hip these days."
"We are not." Gerry huffed as Paula smiled slightly.
"You are, Dad. I don't mind. She's good for you. Better than Mum and the others were."
"Yeah, well she's a mate."
"If you say so." Paula teased.
"Paula Elizabeth Standing."
"I think it was someone I work with, but I don't know if it is my mind playing tricks." She yawned as her eyes fluttered closed.
"Ok luv." He kissed her forehead. "You have a kip, I'll let you rest." He walked out of the room wondering what he was going to tell little Gerry and the others. Shaking his head he smiled. If his own daughter thought they were a couple the rest of the world had to believe it. He had no idea what Paula had seen that he hadn't. Sighign heavily he turned his attention to his grandson, knowing Esther would be waiting with him for news.
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"Ok what is it?" Sandra shrugged her red coat off as the men and the young redhead staried at them. "Well, out with it?"
"I was working in forensics then too. Only much more junior than I am now." Charlie looked at Steve as the scotsman smiled slightly.
"I know."
"My team worked on the Debbie Lloyd murder. At the time it was a big deal. Nurses were considerd one of the most respected professions there is and someone had murdered a nurse."
"It still is." Brian huffed. Sandra smiled slightly. "I mean look what that place has done for Jack and Paula. Look at what Paula does on a daily basis in that hospis of hers. You can see why they call them angels."
"I couldn't do it." Strickland agreed. "Not keen on blood."
"Can we?" Sandra raised her hands hoping that they would let Charlie get to her point.
"There were fingerprints at the scene that were never identified." Charlie watched s the others nodded. They all knew about the missing fingerprints. "I called a friend of mine working on the evidence from Paula's case. There are fingerprints that match."
"So the same person commited both crimes?" Sandra nodded.
"Yes." Charlie ran a hand through her red hair.
"Do we know who these prints belong to?" Sandra looked around as Brian and Steve looked at the floor. "Well?"
"Not yet but there was one person who never came forward for DNA testing when Debbie was killed. Apparently the medical student was away and didn't feel he was obliged to remove himself from suspicion."
"Medical student." Sandra tugged on her coat. "Medical student in those days would be a doctor now. Get me the name. Brian. Get hold of Gerry and Jack. I'm going back to the hospital."
"Guv?" Steve stepped forward.
"Get me the information."
"You are not going back there on your own." Steve walked out of the office with her knowing Gerry would never forgive him if he let her leave alone.
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A/N please review x
