Alec was glad to get back to his hotel after the arrest and charging of Danny's killer. He had been right – Miller had broken down and lost her temper and he hoped it wouldn't go against them once the case went to trial. It would just be his luck to get a defence team who would pick up on his error in judgement, everything had told him not to let her see her husband but how was he to know she would go all bloody Bruce Lee?

No, if the man got off because of that, then the whole justice system was a complete waste of time – what angry wife wouldn't go crazy? He watched the events on the late news, recalling how he'd broken the news to the family, the daughter having just got home by the looks of her. At least she was making an effort at getting back to some sort of normality and if the coffee shop owner was indeed from out of town, the teenager wouldn't be judged.

He'd seen the name above the door – 'Rose's Coffee Shop' and wondered if that was the owner's actual name or not. He made his mind up that since from him clearing his desk earlier after giving another statement to the press he was now on medical leave, he may as well give it a try. He was determined though he wasn't going to give up altogether and he had seen on the notice he'd been given that he was eligible for sick pay with or without taking up a less strenuous post.

He supposed he could always go give the recruits over in Exeter the benefit of his experience, if he didn't bore them to death or maybe he could soften Jenkinson into letting him sit at his desk for an hour or so a day. Little did he know he was going to regret that thought.

Rose had been quite pleased that they'd had a steady flow of customers from ten until four and after helping clear up, she'd paid Chloe out of the takings and still made a bit of a profit. Jake had fitted a safe in the small storeroom, which had a coded lock on it so having lowered the grill, she'd made herself a well deserved latte and sat at one of the tables.

She'd half expected people to bypass the shop, since the last proprietor had met his demise but curiosity must have taken over, she'd heard people talking about someone called 'Jack' and surmised that had been the newsagent. She'd not taken much notice of his death, she had been busy taking her anger of the project closing down out on poor Mickey, who unlike herself and Jake, had agreed with Pete it needed to be closed.

She hadn't made her mind up yet if she'd forgiven him for it. She was surprised though that she'd been in the town over a week and apart from seeing Alec Hardy on the balcony of the police station, had not seen him since but when she got home and switched on the TV, there he was saying a local man had been arrested in connection with Danny's death and he believed they had the right person.

Her first thought was to ring Chloe and tell her not to worry about calling in after school on Monday to help with the cleaning, she'd offered it to her since no-one else had applied. Rose had not yet decided the opening hours, debating whether or not to close on Monday but maybe not next week, since she'd just opened, she might have Wednesday off instead.

She stayed in on Sunday, except to go for a walk on the beach and to the harbour stores, the owner asking how she had done on her first day. Alec was in his room, he'd been visited by Ellie Miller late the night before, wanting to make some sort of sense of the whole thing but he'd had no answers for her. When she'd finally left, after being in his room for some considerable time drinking half a bottle of wine he'd had left over, he hoped she wouldn't be caught on the CCTV on her way out.

He made his mind up he was going to stay until the boy's funeral, he owed them that much then if Jenkinson wouldn't let him back, he'd try the training academy and get himself a place to stay over in Exeter, at least until the trial. He tried calling his daughter, who for a change answered him. She had loads of questions for him, like if he was going back to visit her.

"I can't yet Daisy, I have things to sort out but maybe soon. Did you get my messages?"

"Yeah, all 500 of then Dad."

"Don't exaggerate."

"Ok then but I got the one about a video call. Do you actually know how to make one?"

"No but I can learn. Give me a few days, I have something to do tomorrow."

"I thought you'd finished there?"

"Not quite, I have a few loose ends to tie up, then the funeral to attend. Anyway, I have something to tell you and your mother, before you find out in the papers. I've been put on medical leave."

"What? What for?"

"Put your mum on eh?"

After he broke the news, he walked down the path onto the Esplanade and sat on the sea wall, where he'd been sitting a week ago. He thought it a pity the coffee shop was closed but only the catering stalls opened on Sunday and the harbour café, so he'd been told. He looked across again and saw the blonde coming out of the store next door, making her way across and disappearing around the corner of the apartments, a row of cottages tucked behind them. So that was where she lived?

He thought back to the previous Sunday, the blonde man driving away. Was he her brother, boyfriend or just someone helping her move? He shook his head – what did it have to do with him? He didn't know who she was, she'd never even met him and if she did, she'd be well advised to steer clear of him, well until he got up the courage to face his fate on the operating table, if he kept the appointment that would come very soon, since he'd discharged himself the other morning.

The next morning, Rose opened the shop and began preparing everything, then took the time to call Chloe.

"Oh, it's ok Rose, I'd like to come in even though I'm not going into school today. Shall I come in at four?"

Rose thought she had taken it fairly well but it must be a relief to the whole family. She opened the shop and a woman came in, dressed in a sort of business suit and ordered a double expresso. Rose had learned fairly quickly how to use the coffee machine she had on the back counter, all she had to do was press a button basically and remember to keep the thing filled up correctly. Tea was easier though and she had quite a variety of different ones.

"How are you settling in?" the woman asked as Rose took her money while she waited.

"Great, to say it's only my second day. I can't decide what day I'm going to close but I can't work six days."

The woman laughed. "I'm Maggie, I own the town's newspaper. Maybe I can interest you in taking out an ad?" she smiled as Rose turned to bring the cup over and put it on the counter.

Rose smiled back. "Maybe and maybe I can interest you in a blueberry muffin or some shortbread, they're made locally."

"Ah, a real businesswoman. Maybe another time, you caught me out."

Rose laughed. "I might take that ad out though, it won't do any harm to spread the word I suppose? Have you got a number I can call?"

Maggie took a card out of her pocket and putting it on the counter, picked up the cup and saucer and crossed to a table as a man and a woman came in and made their way to the counter.

Alec was waiting to see Elaine Jenkinson after he got a mysterious phone call from her just after nine that morning. He'd been up and was about to make his way there anyway, to plead his case for being allowed to be of some use and to say he wasn't ready to be put out for good. He'd answered the phone but got nothing out of her except she wanted to see him in her office at ten.

He half thought he was going to get a lecture about fooling his superiors for the last few years and she wanted to find out how he'd done it and who had covered for him. If that was the case, he was saying nothing and would take his punishment by being bored out of his mind and hope she or some other unsuspecting chief would take him back, should he be fortunate enough to survive.

So as Rose was serving Maggie Radcliffe, Alec was sat in Elaine's office, complaining at what she was asking him.

"You want me to do what?"

"Come on Alec, it's a simple thing to ask of you. Just call in the new coffee shop every morning, whatever time you want and make sure things are running smoothly."

"Anyone could do that, why don't you get Miller, when she comes back?"

"I don't know if she is, once she's been cleared to return when the IA have interviewed her but she may not want to come back here anyway."

"She can't let the town turn against her."

"That's up to her. So, what about it, for now?"

"What brought it all on?"

"The coffee shop is offering free internet access, the only place down by the harbour and the chief planning officer at the town hall thinks it might attract troublemakers or have people hanging around."

"Is that all? Surely that does not involve us?"

"I'm afraid it does, he gave the woman permission to open on condition we kept an eye on things. I'll make a deal with you. You call in there and spend half an hour or so every day until all the fuss dies down and we see what sort of people are going in there and I'll let you come in and sit in your office for an hour. Also, I'm afraid you'll have to move from that hotel by the weekend, it's proving too expensive, Ms Fisher called this morning, the reporters have all but left so she's had to put the rate up."

Alec couldn't help but think it was a pity she'd not taken him up on his offer, she might have let him stay for free.

"I'd best find a rental agency then, see if I can get something sorted out. I was considering something anyway, that hotel is a pain to get back to without transport."

"For you maybe. How did you think you'd get away with it?"

"I did, no-one was taking that much notice, were they?"

"Well since your illness came to light, the chief constable will bring in new rules that all officers will undergo a medical before any transfers are completed. It seems since you slipped under the CMO's radar, he's not too happy about it. I'll let you get something sorted then, we'll still make a contribution to your housing costs since you're only on sick pay and if you decide to come back full time, we'll have to put you on permanent staff."

"Right, I will see what they have then, after I pay a visit to the coffee shop, I would not like you to think I was not going to keep my end of the bargain."

Elaine laughed. "Good luck with that then, there's always the caravan park for the time being."

He left the chief's office and made his way around the harbour, passing over the river and noting again a blue chalet that was just on the water's edge. It looked empty so he thought while he was sampling the tea and the new coffee shop, he'd look it up, it shouldn't be that difficult to find if he put in 'blue chalet in Broadchurch' into a search, should it?

Rose had been kept busy, Maggie had just left, saying she would now be a regular as they were considering moving down to the harbour area in the next few months anyway and was pleased Rose said she'd be calling about an ad. Rose had taken delivery of some takeaway cartons she had ordered specially and had finally got around to unpacking the board that had arrived on Saturday.

There were a few people sat at the table attached to the wall, playing with their phones and tablets so she took the board and was considering where to place it. Since the shop front had been altered and what used to be the entrance was now glass fronted, she'd lost where the newsagent used to have newspapers and postcards and she was leaning the board just at the side of the entrance until she found a better place.

Having just picked it up to place it on the edge of what passed for a pavement, Alec was crossing the road. Maybe he would have to tell her about the sign after all as she put it down just as people were crossing the spare ground from the harbour car park.

"Excuse me Miss, do you have permission to put that board there?" he asked as she stepped away.

"Sorry? Oh, it's you," Rose told him, the Scottish accent giving him away, not that the grey coat shouldn't have done.

"You know who I am then?"

Rose grinned at him. "Who doesn't? The title of the worst cop in Britain doesn't go away that easily."

"You agree with the statement then?" he asked, thinking now he would tell Elaine to stuff the job if the new shop owner was going to insult him, despite being young, blonde and very attractive.

"I was hoping no-one would recognise me. Well, have you got permission from the council, since you know who I am and I will have to enforce the law."

He thought he'd give it a try, no-one yet knew he was on medical leave and as tomorrow, he was on restricted duties anyway, he could always come back then and debate the finer points of obstruction with her. It would be a novel way of getting to know her if nothing else.

"Seriously? You'd book me over a sign?" Rose laughed, picking it up and putting it where she had first placed it.

"Is that going to be safe there?" Alec asked as she propped it up.

"What da ya expect me to do, chain it up?"

Alec just gave a 'hmm' and shook his head. "I suggest you call the planning department and see if they allow it."

Rose thought she'd had quite enough of the planning department and had been surprised no uniformed officers had yet paid her a visit. Then it dawned on her, Alec Hardy had made it is personal mission to do the job himself – just her luck.

"So, they sent you did they?"

"Excuse me?"

"To check my coffee shop wasn't attracting teens emailing their friends?"

He knew he'd been caught out but wasn't going to admit it. "What makes you think that?"

"Just I was told that was one of the conditions they let me open but that was before you caught the killer of that boy. I expect it doesn't apply now?"

Alec thought if it didn't, no-one had told Elaine Jenkinson and he was not going to be the one, it had got him a foot back in the door and would stop him going crazy having nothing to do, despite already getting off to a rocky start with the shop owner.

"So are ya gonna buy anything or stand here debating where I can put my sign?" Rose asked, opening the door and seeing someone get up to ask her where the restroom was.

She had made it a rule no-one was going to use it unless they bought something, having already seen three public ones around the harbour and just behind, in the car park and it was locked anyway, she was taking no chances. She went to get the key, it being on a large keyring that no-one could 'accidentally' put in their pocket and walk off with. Jake had laughed and suggested she put a code on the door but Rose liked the challenge if she saw it dangling out of someone's pocket.

She turned back, Alec having followed her in and was now standing at the counter that had two enclosed glass shelves, one at each side, filled with 'goodies' such as muffins, shortbread and wrapped flapjacks in various varieties.

"Can I get you something?" she asked him, pleased he wasn't just trying to trip her up over local regulations. Had he nothing better to do? Obviously not.

He squinted at the menu on the wall next to the counter, Rose turning to take the key from the lady and put it back where she'd taken it from. She wondered if he was going to take all day about it, since all the drinks she had to offer were quite extensive, well the tea was, the coffee machine was somewhat limited but she wasn't running a branch of a more famous coffee house.

"I'll have a pot of the local tea, whatever that is."

She was dying to turn him down if he dared ask for a discount. He didn't as she took his money and told him she'd bring it across to him, Alec indicating he was going to sit by the window since someone had just vacated the table and Rose rushed over to clear it.

"Seems you need some help?" Alec remarked as she put things on the empty tray.

Rose looked around. "Nah, I'll manage. I'll be back in a tick."

Alec got his phone out while he was waiting and picking up 'rosecoffee' on the selection of networks, waited for it to connect, noting a sign on the wall said connections were not secure and the owner accepted no responsibility. He thought at least the woman was sensible in that respect, he wouldn't be investigating any complaints people had their bank accounts hacked whilst drinking her over-priced coffee.