This story has been planned from start to finish, I know where I want to go and how I will get there, but before writing this chapter I did have a slight crisis of confidence and almost go in a totally new direction. But it didn't last long and I'm back to the original plotline.
Loved this weeks episodes, Harry and Nikki are the cutest and my DVD's of seasons 9-12 arrived from amazon - yippee!
4. "I feel just like I'm sinking and I claw for solid ground."
Looking at the mass of notes and crime scene photos that sat on the layout table before him Harry yawned, he and Nikki had been going through the evidence from both the scenes for close to 6 hours now.
Entering the room Detective Adams added another file to the pile. "The couple from yesterday was Amanda and Steve Chapman, they were new to the area, which is probably why no one noticed anything sinister had happened."
"Because no one knew them enough to care," Nikki surmised, her voice hoarse and thick with emotion.
Harry rubbed his eyes, desperately trying to fight off the immense fatigue that was threatening to overwhelm him. "How new is new?"
"Less than 6 weeks," Rhys answered, sitting down at the table and helping himself to a pastry from the box before leaning back in the chair.
"And Baby Faith?" Nikki questioned, needing to know who the young girl was.
Finishing his mouthful Rhys sat forward in the chair before opening the file and taking out a large A4 sized portrait picture. "Her name is Sophia Jane Chapman, she was born on the 12th August to Amanda and Steve Chapman, up until 6 weeks ago they lived in West Sussex. We've requested her medical records and those of the family but from our brief conversation with her old nursery and GP she was a happy, well loved, well cared for child."
"So what changed?" Nikki asked, voicing the question on everyone's mind.
Harry picked up a small picture, this one of the whole family sat on a picnic rug, smiling at the camera. "Whatever the story … there certainly was no happy ending."
"What do we know about the deaths of the parents?" Rhys questioned, turning his attention to Harry.
Ripping the last croissant in half Harry handed a piece to Nikki before taking a bite from the other half. "Time of death is the earlier hours of the 11th, anytime between 2am and 7am."
"The call came into 999 about Baby Faith at 23.15 on the 10th of January," Rhys remembered out loud.
"Which would put their time of death at anywhere between 3 and 8 hours after that," Nikki figured out, taking a mouthful of coffee to try and help wash the croissant past her burning throat.
Walking over to the whiteboard Harry started to draw a timeline. "And when did you conclude Baby Faith … Sophia's injuries occurred?"
"No more than 48 hours before she died," Nikki breathed.
"So 24 hours before she was found," Harry said, adding the new information to the timeline.
Nikki was about to say something when she cut short by a loud hacking cough that seemed to send her whole body into spasms, with a shaky hand she picked up the glass of water and swallowed a series of mouthfuls, desperate for some relief to the burning in her lungs. "Sorry," she apologised, her eyes watering as she concentrated on levelling out her breathing.
As he listened to her struggle for air Harry was on his feet and by her side in seconds, his earlier concern doubling with each laboured breath she took.
"That doesn't sound good," Rhys frowned. "You sound like my Uncle Matt and he's a 50-a-day smoke.
Harry glared at the detective. "If you could try and keep your useless comments to yourself it would be greatly appreciated."
"I'm fine," Nikki insisted, as she sat up straight. "And he's right," she added, desperate to keep things civil between the 2 men, with her and Harry already on shaky ground the last thing she needed was a face-off between the pathologist and detective. "Bloody cough does make me sound like a 50-a-day smoker."
Almost instinctively Harry reached out and rested his hand on her shaking shoulders. "Perhaps you should go home, Rhys and I can review the evidence."
"I'm fine," Nikki insisted, although it was obvious to everyone that she was far from fine.
"Fine?" Harry questioned incredulously. "That cough sounds far from fine."
Shaking off his concern Nikki turned her attention to Rhys. "Have we managed to trace any relatives?"
"Amanda has a sister and some of our officers have gone to speak to Steve's parents, they all live in West Sussex," Rhys explained.
"Do we know why they moved?" Nikki asked.
Helping himself to a coffee Rhys stirred in some milk before answering. "Steve was in the RAF, the house they were living in was RAF accommodation, 12 weeks ago he received a dishonourable discharged and Amanda was offered a job in the city so-"
"They left everything they knew behind," Nikki finished for him.
"That must have put a lot of strain on the family," Harry sighed, unable to tear his gaze away from Nikki who seemed to look even paler than she had this morning, something that he hadn't thought possible until now.
Leaning back in her chair Nikki ran her hand tiredly through her hair, alarmed to feel the fever that radiated off of her once again. "Do we know why he was discharged?"
"No, but I have a meeting with his squadron leader tomorrow morning," Rhys replied, unable to miss the obvious tension that existed between the 2 pathologists.
"Do you mind if I tag along?" Nikki asked, desperate to be involved in every part of the investigation.
Rhys nodded. "Sure. I'll be leaving at about 7am to get to the base."
"Pick me up at mine?" Nikki questioned with a smile.
Licking his lips Harry smiled to himself as he saw the way that Nikki was working the detective without him even realising it.
"I'll see you then," Rhys replied, returning the smile as he headed for the door, leaving Nikki and Harry alone once again.
An uncomfortable silence settled over the room, as neither of them seemed willing to break until within a second of each other Harry's phone started ringing and Nikki was overtaken by a series of coughs, each one weaker than the next due to the lack of oxygen.
Looking down at his screen Harry saw Emma's name flash up, switching the ring off at the side of the phone he threw it down on the table before turning his attention to Nikki. "You should take the rest of the day off."
"I'm-"
"Fine, so you keep saying but you sound far from fine to me," Harry retorted. "In fact you sound like you have a chest infection," he pointed out as he took in the glazed look in her eyes, a look that he was certain was caused by a fever.
Forcing out an amused laugh Nikki shook her head. "Don't be so dramatic, it's just a virus."
"Why do you have to be so stubborn all the time?" Harry asked, his tone full of exasperation.
"Me stubborn?" Nikki countered. "You're the one who is willing to risk our friendship over a silly little misunderstanding."
Harry turned in his chair so he was facing her. "A misunderstanding? Is that what you call it when you accuse my girlfriend of being a Bunny Boiler?"
"I didn't say that," Nikki wheezed, feeling the last bit of strength drain from her.
"Not in so many words. No, but the implication was there," Harry insisted.
Looking down at her hands Nikki took a series of deep breaths to try and regain some strength. "Are we really going to do this again?"
"No," Harry stated, standing up and pushing the chair back. "In fact I think we're done here," he concluded as he pulled on his jacket.
"But we've still got all of this evidence to review," Nikki called after him.
Turning to face her Harry shrugged his shoulders. "You don't need me … you made that perfectly clear."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Nikki asked, but it was too late as Harry was already 3 steps out of the door.
As Harry waited for the lift he felt a twinge of guilt start deep in his stomach, he knew he was being unreasonable but every time he got close to patching things up with Nikki his stubborn pride reared it's head and anger took control. Stepping into the lift he could hear a series of harsh coughs echoing around the lab, leaving him feeling even guiltier as the doors closed behind him.
S - I - L - E - N - T - W - I - T - N - E - S - S
Rolling over in her bed Nikki felt an unsettling sense of déjà vu as she woke up shivering, her chest burning and sweat dripping down her face. Sitting up she ran her hand over her face to wipe the sweat from her fevered brow.
Standing up she felt oddly light-headed as she stumbled, sitting back down on the edge of her bed, blinking, she felt her breath catch in her throat as she caught sight of the bright red blotches that littered her pillow and t-shirt, only then did she taste the metallic iron in her mouth.
Forcing herself to her feet she took a series of unsteady steps until she was leaning heavily against the sink, looking up into the mirror she immediately concluded that the blood was from a nose bleed.
"It's nothing," she muttered under her breath, trying to reassure herself more than anything else.
Washing her face she opened the cabinet and swallowed 2 paracetemol, pleased that at least she hadn't woken up with a pounding headache, like the one that had been a stable presence in recent mornings.
Taking her bedding off she loaded it into the washing machine, putting on some coffee to brew she headed for the shower, spending a brief 5 minutes under the jets she was careful to avoid getting her hair wet. Noticing the time, she was dressed and had her coffee in a travel mug in under 10 minutes.
She was just about to grab a banana when the buzzer for the front door rang. "Hello," she croaked into the phone.
"It's Rhys," the familiar voice announced.
"I'll be down in a minute," Nikki told him as she grabbed her bag, making sure she had her keys, phone and a top up of paracetemol and ibuprofen.
As Rhys watched Nikki climb into the car he handed her a Starbucks bag with a freshly baked muffin in it. "I saw you eat one yesterday," he shrugged.
"Thank you," Nikki smiled.
"I bet everyone wishes they looked as good as you in the morning," Rhys smiled as he turned the car onto the road.
Blushing beneath the flush of fever Nikki bit her bottom lip. "I don't know about that," she admitted, not exactly feeling her best at the moment.
Deciding that if he didn't ask then he would never know, Rhys decided to bite the bullet and ask about something that had been bothering him since yesterday. "Is there something going on between you and Doctor Cunningham."
"He has a girlfriend," Nikki answered, cradling her coffee in her hands before taking a sip.
"Oh right, it's just …"
Nikki turned to face him. "Just what?"
"Yesterday I could have cut the tension between the two of you with a knife," Rhys explained as he stopped the car at the traffic lights.
Looking out of the side window Nikki watched as the familiar scenery passed her by, trying to keep the tears from falling as she thought of just how painful and complicated things had become between her and Harry.
Closing her eyes she welcomes the momentary quiet before finally opening her mouth to speak. "I … it's complicated … we … I … we used to friends," she whispered, her voice full of pain and longing for the bond they once shared, especially when she desperately craved the comfort his presence usually brought her.
"I'm sorry to hear that," Rhys told her, his voice low and genuine.
Nikki nodded. "It happens."
"If you ever need to talk, or just someone to let your hair down with," Rhys offered as they finally left the familiar streets of Kensington.
Nikki leaned her forehead against the window, welcoming the relief it brought to her burning skin. "That's very sweet of you."
The rest of the journey passed in relative silence as Nikki dozed on and off for most of the way, her body obviously needing the rest. It wasn't until they pulled up outside a small cottage nestled right in the heart of the South Downs that Rhys finally woke her.
"Where are we?" Nikki asked.
"This is where George and Louise Chapman live," Rhys explained.
Nikki nodded. "Steve's parents? I thought your officers already told them."
"Nobody was home," Rhys explained.
Looking over at the house Nikki could see the silhouette of a woman in the downstairs kitchen. "There's somebody home now."
"Are you ready for this?" Rhys asked. "I mean you don't have to come in … it's perfectly understandable if your want to stay in the car."
"No I'll come," Nikki insisted as she followed him up the flower-lined path. "But I'll never be ready … How could you ever be ready? After all we're just about to destroy their lives. They are about to find out that not only have they out lived their child but their grandchild as well."
Rhys cautiously took her hand in his. "It's moments like this that keep me going through the darkest hours, because I know that I need to, that they need me to and that Sophia … she deserves justice, that's why we do this."
"Do you ever think about giving in?" Nikki asked.
"All the time," Rhys admitted.
Nikki turned to face him, her eyes bright and sincere. "Then why don't you."
"Because it's who I am, I don't know anything else," Rhys explained. "What about you? What propels you to come into work everyday, week after week, year after year?"
Looking down at the floor Nikki heard the shuffling of feet. "Because it's all I have, this job is everything I have," she breathed, her voice barely audible as the door swung open and she stepped inside, knowing that in a few moments she was going to change someone's life forever.