Destiny - Chapter 4
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DISCLAIMER: I am not connected to Emmerdale and its characters, which belong to ITV
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"You've got to give this to the police!" Liv said as she studied the poison-pen letter.
"What good will that do?" asked Robert.
Aaron, still visibly shaken by the contents of the letter, looked at Robert, "Babe, they can test things like this, what do they call it...forensics?"
"Well, okay, if you think it will do any good. Let's take it to the police station in Hotten and see if they can help."
Robert and Aaron took Liv round to Vic and Adam's and then went to the police station with the letter. They did not want Liv kicking her heels at the station as they guessed it might take a while to be seen. The constable on the desk was very helpful and said that they would add the exhibit to their file on the case: they were already investigating Robert's abduction and were trying to discover the identity of the attackers and establish a motive.
As they were chatting to the constable, detective sergeant Jason Wise appeared from a back room and recognised them, "Hello Robert...Aaron...what brings you here?"
Robert explained about the letter.
"This is quite a coincidence, I was about to get in contact with you," Jason said.
"Oh?" Robert looked a little puzzled.
"Yes, you know David Metcalfe in Emmerdale?"
Robert and Aaron both nodded.
"Well, he had CCTV installed outside his shop a couple of months back. He'd been away on holiday, but, when he heard about the attack, he played back the footage from that night and he said it captured you being bundled into a car round the corner from his shop. He just phoned with the information a few minutes ago. It's lucky that one of his external cameras points that way."
"That's right," Robert thought about the evening that he was set upon, "those thugs grabbed me as I was walking past there. I know it was a black BMW as I said in my statement: so I guess you have their registration number on file now?"
"Not yet," Jason said, "I was just on the way round to David's shop with a memory stick so I can download the relevant footage from his system, I don't yet know what the camera has picked up."
"Can we come with you?" Aaron asked.
"Well," Jason replied, "it will depend on whether David will let you see the film that his camera picked up. Such things are confidential and you wouldn't be able to view it without his consent."
"I don't think he'd mind," Robert said, "we do know him very well."
"Okay, we'll see," Jason moved towards the front door, "I'll meet you there."
Shortly afterwards, they all turned up at David's shop and he was only too pleased to show Aaron and Robert the footage. The screen was divided into four images, one for each camera, but David expanded the relevant image to full screen while it was being transferred to Jason's memory stick.
"Why is it in black and white?" Aaron asked.
"It's because this happened after dusk," David replied, "the cameras go over to infra-red at night and the images are black and white, you only get colour pictures during the day."
"It's quite clear," Robert remarked, "a pity it doesn't show the reg plate very well though."
"We might be able to enhance it when I get the footage back to the lab," Jason said, trying to sound encouraging.
"Oh my God!" Aaron gasped as he watched the footage.
"What?" Jason asked.
"That guy struggling with Robert, the taller one of the two, that's Ricky McFarlane!"
"Are you sure?" Jason replied.
"Yeah, I'd recognise that scumbag anywhere! Him and his family once had me locked up in a house when I was a teenager. My family had to rescue me," Aaron looked at Robert, "Why would he attack you though?"
Robert looked as if he had seen a ghost, "I've no idea," he said.
Aaron thought that Robert looked pale because he had just seen a replay of his abduction, but Robert was starting to piece things together in his mind.
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The next day, Robert received a phone call from Jason, "Hi Robert, I just called to let you know that we've analysed the letter you brought in and the paper has a watermark running through it which showed up under lab conditions. It came from Home Farm Estates, so we're going to question the Whites about it. We're also going to pay the McFarlane's a visit as Aaron identified Ricky McFarlane on the CCTV. We've been waiting a long time to pin something on that family: they're usually too clever to get caught out for their misdemeanours."
"Thanks Jason, let me know how it goes."
"I will, never fear. 'Bye for now."
Robert relayed Jason's message to Aaron.
"I knew Chrissie had something to do with your assault! That wasn't very clever though, was it, using paper that could be traced back to Home Farm. I don't get the McFarlane's involvement in it though, unless the Whites paid them. I expect they work as hit-men for money, knowing them like I do."
"Having been part of the White family, I've never known them to be associated with the McFarlanes," Robert wore an expression that Aaron knew well. The couple were now so close that Aaron always knew when Robert was hiding something.
"C'mon Robert, spill!"
"What do you mean?"
"You've been on edge since I identified Ricky on the CCTV. You know something that you're not telling me."
Robert knew that he had to be honest with his boyfriend as Aaron could now see right through him. "I'm not sure, but I think the McFarlanes attacked me because of something that happened a few years ago, before I worked for Lawrence."
"I didn't think you even knew the McFarlanes."
"I didn't recognise Ricky or his accomplice, but I have had dealings with that family. They were rivals of mine in a big business deal and I did something underhand and scuppered their chances of winning a huge contract. I've always cheated and lied, but it looks like it has now come back to haunt me."
"Oh Robert!" Aaron was stunned, "The McFarlanes are the last people you want to mess with! You complete idiot!"
"I didn't know that back then," Robert explained, "To me, they were just business rivals like any others. I thought nothing of double-crossing people back then. But, I hope I've changed: I want to be a better person now, since I met you."
"You are a better person, although I don't know if I deserve any credit for it."
Robert took Aaron's hands in his own, "You're joking, aren't you? It's all because of you that I've tried to mend my ways. You have been a better influence on me than anyone I've ever met."
They kissed and then Aaron drew back to look into Robert's eyes, "Anyway, you need to tell Jason what you've just told me about your feud with the McFarlanes. Even if it was a long time ago: I know that lot can hold grudges till the end of time!"
Robert agreed with Aaron and rang Jason to tell him the full story. Jason said that they would be charging Ricky McFarlane with GBH and possibly attempted murder, but would still be questioning the Whites about the letter.
"I still don't get it," Aaron mused, "If your quarrel really was with the McFarlanes, then why did the Whites send that letter? It doesn't make any sense."
"That's what I don't understand," Robert replied, "I suppose we might find out if they question Chrissie and Lachlan. Chrissie will squirm her way out of anything but Lachlan's not so clever at hiding things!"
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Faith Dingle arrived as planned and Chas settled her mother into Aaron and Robert's old room at the Woolpack. Chas and Faith had a lot of ground to cover as there had never been much love lost between them, but Chas was willing to give her mother the benefit of the doubt.
Chas sat Faith down in the back room and they had a chat: catching up on their lives since they had been apart.
"You've done alright for yourself, Chas," Faith said, as she sipped her gin and tonic.
"Yeah," Chas replied, "although it's a headache, running a pub."
"How come?"
"Well, it's Charity. She's supposed to be my partner, but she's been locked up for stealing cars! I don't know why just being co-owner of this place wasn't enough for her. But, no, she had to revert to her old ways: silly cow! I reckon she must have developed a taste for prison food, she'd not long been released."
"What will you do now, then?"
"Well, I'm trying to find another buyer to go in with me, but it isn't easy. Aaron and Robert said they'd invest, but they've got their own businesses to run. I want someone who can help behind the bar, not that Charity was much use in that department."
"Robert as in Aaron's boyfriend you mean?"
"Yes, that's right."
Faith smiled, "I've missed a lot since I was last in the village. I must say that Aaron was the last person I'd suspect of being gay."
"It bother you?"
Faith chuckled, "No, why should it? As long as he's happy, that's the main thing."
Chas also smiled, "It's not been easy for him: losing his first boyfriend, Jackson, then taking up with Robert, who was married but cheating on his wife."
"He's not married now though, is he?"
"No!" Chas replied, "That's one thing I can commend him for. Once he realised that he loved my son, he came out and got divorced. I wouldn't mind him or Aaron being partners in the business, but they'll be no use to me running this place as they're never here when they're looking after their own businesses."
Faith rubbed her chin, she was deep in thought, "Well, there is another option," she looked at Chas steadily.
"What's that?"
"Well, you know I was going to buy Woodbine Cottage and pulled out because Aaron was buying it with his boyfriend?"
"Yeah."
"Why don't I invest? I am family too."
"Can you afford it?"
Faith laughed, "Chas, I could afford to buy this whole pub, several times over!"
"Won the lottery, have we?" Chas was sceptical.
"As good as," Faith replied, "You remember me telling you that I lived with a chap called Henry Grey?"
"Yes, the one that died a couple of months back?"
"That's right," Faith answered, "Well, what I didn't tell you is Henry was very rich. We never married, but I lived with him as his common-law wife. Anyway, he left everything to me in his will: so, I'm minted now."
"Wow!" Chas said.
"Anyway," Faith did not want to push Chas into anything, "I know I've just sprung this on you, so think about it before making any decisions. The offer's there if you want it."
Chas wasn't sure about it, given their fractured family history, but she did not reject her mother's offer out of hand.
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Later, after the Woolpack opened for business, DS Jason Wise happened to walk in and he walked up to the bar.
"Hello stranger," Chas smiled at him, "What can I get you?"
"Nothing for me thanks, Chas, I'm on duty: I was looking for Aaron and Robert."
"They live at Woodbine Cottage now."
"I know," Jason answered, "I knocked but there was no reply. I thought they might have come in for a drink."
"No," Chas replied, "I haven't seen them today. Can I give them a message?"
"I just wanted to let them know that Lachlan White admitted to sending that threatening letter to Robert."
"Surely he wasn't behind getting Robert beaten up?" Chas looked shocked.
"I don't think so, Chas. Lachlan's a mixed up kid but I don't think he's capable of that. He said he's never met the McFarlanes and he was just taking advantage of Robert's beating to try to frighten him."
"That boy's sick in the head if you ask me, scaring Robert like that," Chas could not believe that she was saying something in support of Robert, but even she could see how her son's boyfriend had changed.
"You won't get any argument from me Chas. Lachlan still blames Robert for cheating on his mother and messing up his family, but he's likely to go down for sending death threats, even if they were empty ones. I just hope they can rehabilitate him and sort his head out."
Chas looked at Jason fondly, "You're a nice man, Jason, I wish things had been different before."
Jason returned Chas' affectionate gaze, "They still could be. Come out for a meal with me tomorrow."
Chas smiled, "Okay, I'd love to."
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A couple of weeks later, Aaron and Robert were settling down for the night. Aaron hugged Robert to him: it gave him comfort to hold the love of his life in a naked embrace. They had always been very physical and the sex between them was always incendiary: but sometimes cuddles were all that was needed. They knew that they loved each other and, sometimes, that connection was enough.
"I saw Jason earlier," Robert said.
"Oh? When was that?" Aaron asked.
"After we came back from the restaurant, when you stayed here while I popped round to Vic's to drop off some more leaflets. I bumped into your mum and Jason, they were just coming back from a date. Jason said that Ricky Macfarlane and his accomplice both got fifteen years for GBH."
"Good riddance to bad rubbish!" Aaron scowled, "At least we know that Lachlan is banged up too: I shouldn't think he can send any more letters from inside."
"Your mum said she'll probably take up your gran's offer to buy into the pub."
"Yeah," Aaron said wistfully, "Her business is okay now and I think she's getting serious about Jason too, but its early days."
Robert rolled on top of Aaron. His boyfriend could feel his extreme arousal pressing into his leg, "Are you horny again?" Aaron said, in mock disgust.
"Can I help it if you turn me on?" Robert said, "Come on: you know you want to!"
"Why can I never say 'no' to you?" Aaron sighed as he wrapped his muscular arms around his hot boyfriend, but he was just as aroused and just as willing as Robert to consummate their love...all over again.