** For authors notes, disclaimer etc. see chapter 1

Cruise Control 3/?

"Emily can't you take another route, we're going to be cutting it really fine if we're stuck in this traffic for much longer." Gerry grumbled looking out the window at what appeared to be a never ending line of traffic. They could see the harbour lights in Southampton but he knew they were still far enough away that if they didn't get moving they would be late for check in at the terminal and if that happened there was always a chance that they wouldn't get on the ship and that opened up too many terrible possibilities.

"There is no other way Dad in case you've forgotten Sandra and I just spent twenty minutes checking the satnav for alternative routes." Emily snapped sitting up a little in the seat to see if she could see over the line of traffic in front of her to establish what the hold up as. "Why don't you ring the terminal I'm sure we're not the only people stuck in this on their way maybe they know about it and if they do maybe they've made arrangements to delay the ship."

"Ports have time slots just like airports. It's a busy shipping lane do you know how many ships pass up and down there on an average day?" Brian said firmly seemingly unaware of the tension his comments were causing. "About 200 and not just cruise ships obviously but cargo ships, passenger ferries even large private…."

"Brian shut the hell up would you! We don't need a blow by blow account of shipping traffic we need a way to get through the bloody traffic!" Jack shouted as his friend looked around the minibus at the others and Esther shook her head sadly.

"Brian for god sake put your earphones in and listen to your Spanish language thing or something you're not helping." She said crossly looking at Sandra in the hope she could bring some order to proceedings.

"Right Jack you ring the terminal and see if they know what's going on with the traffic and if they're aware of it, Gerry you calm down or you're going to have had a heart attack before we even get there. Esther you have my permission to strangle his nibs if he opens his mouth again we'll all back you up that it was done under extreme provocation, Emily concentrate on watching he road I'll ring the local guys and see if there's any way to find out what's going on and if they have an eta on getting the road open and traffic moving again!" Sandra shouted determined to get the insanity that seemed to have overtaken the minibus under control. This was not the relaxing beginning to their trip she was hoping for and even though he hadn't exactly put it forward in a pleasant way Gerry was right they were close but just not close enough and if they ended up missing the ship it would me frantically trying to book flights to pick it up at the next port and losing the first couple of days of their holiday.

"We're moving!" Emily said excitedly as the cars in front of them started to flow more freely and both Sandra and Jack abandoned the phone calls they were starting to make.

"Oh man look at that!" Gerry gasped as they pass the cause of the hold up and two mangled cars sat by the side of the road with a police cordon still around them.

"Someone isn't getting where they were headed I hope everyone got out of it ok." Sandra replied sighing at they passed the accident and she tried to focus on the positive. Years in uniform had told her that just because the road was cleared and the cars pulled to the side didn't mean the accident was minor and there was just as much chance that someone hadn't made it out of the cars as there was that they had. Staring out the window at the terminal as they finally reached their destination she couldn't help but think again about how lucky they were to be heading off for a fortnight in the sun.

"Sandra I'll go get a couple of trolleys for your luggage you can wrangle the pensions." Emily smiled as she jumped out of the minibus and winked playfully at Sandra.

"Be careful with my golf clubs Gerry they're worth more than that heap of a car you drive!" Jacks was the first irate voice to break through the calm of the car park.

"Bollocks that car is a classic and you're not exactly Rory McElroy beside tell Brain he's the one getting his hands all over everything trying to get to his box of bloody maps!" Gerry jibed back nudging Brian as he stumbled and three of the cases that had been perched right at the door of the minibus landed noisily on the ground.

"Gerry watch what you're doing are you trying to kill me?" Brian shouted causing a couple of people from cars surrounding them to stop and stare as Sandra and Esther exchanged weary glances.

"Do you want to yell or will I?" Sandra asked smiling as the other woman shook her head.

"I'll take this one you dealt with them on the bus I swear it's worse than travelling with three kids!" She sighed stomping toward the men as she spoke. "Right! Brian pick those cases up and you better pray that you haven't damaged any of Sandra's clothes or you might be getting thrown overboard and…"

"But I didn't make them fall he did it's not my fault that they…"

"I don't care who's fault it is or who started it just do what you're told! Gerry go take the extra trolley off Emily and get the cases on, Jack if you're that worried about your golf clubs get them out of the way then help or I swear Sandra and I are going on this cruise on our won and Emily can drive you three back home!"

"Sorry." The guys chorused as they started to do what Esther had said and Emily gave them three trolley with which to do it before joining her and Sandra at the front of the bus.

"Are you two sure you're going to be ok with those three for a whole fortnight I'd hate to get a call from some Spanish prison asking me to come bail you both out because you killed them." She asked as the boys finally finished loading the trolleys, Jack with his stuff, Brian with his and Esther's and Gerry with his and Sandra's then joined them ready to go in and get checked in.

"I can't guarantee that we'll bring them all home with us." Sandra smiled once everyone had said good bye and she was the only one left by the minibus with Catlin. "But I can say that you won't be bailing me out, I've worked enough murder cases to know how to get away with it."