Fairy Tale Of Fenchurch Chapter 5

The lady in Gene's arms crashed to the floor and Gene rushed to check on her. Ray and Chris had looks of pure disbelief on their faces, whereas Shaz didn't have clue what was happening, or who this woman was. Alex, wobbling slightly in her heels, joined Gene and propped the dark haired lady up and ensure she was stable. The woman had a soft, kind face, which looked as if it had been through a recent loss. Her eyes were a soft blue and avoiding the gazes of the boys, but she seemed comfortable looking at Alex. She supported her slim frame by using her elbows and as Alex studied her more, her mind flicked back to the pictures. The picture of Sam and his girlfriend standing together, smiling and laughing. This girl is Annie. She had disappeared after the 'death' of Sam, or so everyone said. Things were getting weirder and weirder the more Alex looked into this. Her eyes shot up to Gene, who's emotions were a mixture of anger and surprise. He clearly thought that Annie was dead. Annie opened her mouth and for the first time she spoke.

'I don't know where to begin, Guv.'

Alex shot Gene a look, she could tell he was going to let rip, but Alex interrupted.

'Annie, You don't know me. I'm DI Alex Drake, I knew Sa…'

'I know you.' Annie cut in. She continued on the looks of confusion on Alex's otherwise understanding face. 'Sam. He was told about you before the crash.'

'How? I wasn't even here in 1980!' Alex exclaimed. Gene cut over her.

'Annie, Tell us what happened to Sam.'

She took a deep breath, clearly holding back tears.

'Guv. He's…He's dead.'

Gene turned his back to them all, hiding his feelings. Pretending Sam to be dead was different. There was always that little hope that you would see him again, or that he would leave a message. Now any chance of that happening had been diminished. He had been ripped from his grasps 3 years ago, but, as much as they clashed, they had been good friends and he hoped he would one day get to hear from him again. It seemed laughable looking back. Someone behind him cleared their voice, and Gene turned to face them. Chris and Ray were both examining Annie like something they had never seen before, both with their arms folded and lips pressed tightly closed. Shaz looked like a bystander to an event she did not fully understand. Alex was…scared. The other couldn't see it but Gene could. She was petrified. Alex thought the truth would bring her comfort and peace of mind. Perhaps even a way home, but instead Alex feared for everyone's lives. Annie looked uncomfortable sitting on the chair in the corner, her arms wrapped around her pale arms and her gaze limited to the floor. Gene turned to Ray.

'Get in the car, and drive back the house we stayed in last night. Take Shaz and Chris with you.'

Ray nodded, took the keys to the unmarked police car, and followed the others out of the room, leaving the stars of the show in the musky room.

Gene sat the other side of the table Annie was at and called Alex over, encouraging her to follow suit. Alex complied, sliding into the next seat. The arrangements unnerved Alex, it was as if they were in the interview room, interrogating Annie. She didn't say anything however, she just left it as it was. Gene clasped his hands together and leaned forward onto the desk.

'Annie. When did you last see Sam?'

She swallowed loudly, and her voice, at first, was crackly and unsure.

'About 4 months ago. He would be gone for months and then come back for a few days and take off. I was in a safe house in Hyde.'

Alex leaned forward and tilted her head in sympathy.

'How do you know he is dead, Annie?'

'He… When he last came back, he told me that he was dying. That his mind couldn't take it anymore and that Jim had taken him. Then I found his body. It was here, in the pub. I took it to the empty grave we 'buried' him in after the crash, and put him there. It was hard.' She burst into tears, falling from her eyes steadily and she put her head in her hands. As she did so Alex mouthed to Gene, 'Jim?'. Gene touched Annie softly on the arm and she lifted her head, the tears slowing. She looked him in the eyes and whispered, 'Sorry.'

'It's okay, I would have done the same. Annie, this is important. Who's Jim?'

'Just before the crash, Sam started to receive letters from someone signing himself off as Jim. They claimed that he knew where Sam was really from and that his time here was up. Whatever that means. It was then he went to you, he needed to get this guy off his back. But it didn't work. Within a week he got another one, this time telling him to meet him at a place. Sam didn't return back home for 5 months. It was agony for me, but then out of the blue he returned. But he wasn't the same, this continued, and each time he came back he was a little less like the Sam we all know.'

Alex was getting worried now. She prodded a little deeper.

'Did Sam ever tell you anything else? Like what happened when he left, or what Jim's last name was?'

'No, no' Annie insisted. 'But Sam did let it slip once that his last name was Keys, or Kets?'

'Keats?' Alex and Gene said at the same time, looking at each other. Gene stood up and Alex followed suit.

'I know where he will be'

Gene turned, 'Where?'

Alex produced a picture, and on the back was the address, written in her scruffy handwriting. Gene took it and stuffed it in his pocket of his dark, long overcoat. Nodding his head at Annie to follow them he returned to the bar of the pub and exited out of the front door. Alex turned to Annie and asked her the question she was dying to know the answer of.

'Annie, How do you know my name?'

'It was in one of the letters. About how after Sam it was his friend Alex Drake. He looked you up and found out you were the Guv's DI. He attempted to go and find you, but he passed away before he could get to London.'

'Oh, Annie.' Alex felt a strong connection between them and although she hardly knew her she wrapped her arms around the girl, and hoped that it comforted her a little. She had been dragged into this when she shouldn't have been and Sam had tried to protect her, but instead she was picking up the pieces. She released herself from the hug and remained her eyes on Annie.

'One last question, I promise.' Annie smiled knowingly.

'I never saw Jim, but I have heard him speaking. I could probably identify his voice.'

'Thank you Annie. It must have been tough. I'm going to ask you to come with us as we meet the guy we believe took Sam from you. We only want you to identify him.'

Annie nodded her head and, with her heart heavy, she followed Gene Hunt out the door.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Gene was already in the Quattro when Alex and Annie arrived. His eyes had lost its usual sparkle but he had such a determined face on Alex was certain he would do anything to catch the bastard who killed his DI. The silence only confirmed this observation, the dense atmosphere was unnerving but Gene and Alex both knew that they needed to do this. As much as Alex wanted to run away, she would do anything for Gene and the memory of Sam, a guy she hardly knew but had been bonded with only by the worlds they had both occupied and the people they had grew to love. It was these things that had drawn Jim to them, to try and destroy them. And it was these things that would ensure that they wouldn't let him get to Gene. And it was these things that united them. They would revenge Sam's death and the pain that Keats had caused. And Alex would make sure it was Gene who did so.