A/N please review

Lies?

Mared shrugged her coat off as she thought about the phone call the night before. Finding out that Sian had been subjected to a similar phone call had done nothing to reassure her. She couldn't help the anger that built up in the pit of her stomach. The man was evil. Purely evil. Once she had been able to convince herself that his behaviour had been due to circumstances, her fault even but now? No. She was a grown woman. She was a police officer and she knew whatever the circumstances were his behaviour was not her fault.

"Penny for them?"

She turned to see Tom walk back into the office. "Mared?"

"Sorry, I was miles away."

"Hope it was nice there."

"Not really." She sighed as he frowned slightly. "Did you and Lloyd talk to the Morgans family?"

"Yeah." Tom leant on his desk. "Lloyd has gone to the school- to talk to the boy's head of year. See if there was anything the parents didn't know about."

"Ok." Mared sighed.

"How's Elin?"

"Ok. Shocked, upset but ok. She went to school with Emma and Jo earlier. God it's awful." Tears filled her eyes as Tom crossed the room to her. He took her hand before tugging her towards him.

"Hey."

"Hormones." She whispered as he chuckled. She let him hold her for a moment before stepping back. "I should go. I only came to talk to Sian."

"Not to see me? Diolch yn fawr."

"He called her too. Prosser. Last night. He warned her."

Tom narrowed his eyes. The older man had once been his saviour- giving him a job when most thought he was too damaged to go on but now he thought the man was a sick, nasty pervert that should rot in prison.

"I see."

"He's in prison and he still gets to haunt us?"

"No. No he doesn't. Not anymore." Tom kissed her forehead, knowing how scared she was but also knowing that DI Mared Rhys wouldn't let anyone know.

Xxxxxx

The school seemed subdued as Elin stood in the playground. The Welsh weather matching her mood. A boy in her year had been found dead. The headteacher had been scant on details in morning assembly but she knew her stepfather was looking for a murderer. Sighing she put her headphones in and tried to concentrate on the music. Rag n Bone man blasted in her ears but the words seemed to resonate more than ever. "Human" she mumbled as she watched some year 9s sneak away for a cigarette and year 7 girls play football. She sighed. Year 12 was not what she expected but she couldn't give up on it. Not now. Shaking her head she returned to the building knowing that things had changed forever and there was nothing she could do about it.

Xxxxxxxx

Lloyd walked through the school remembering his own time there. He had hated every second of school; the teasing, the lack of female attention, the rowdiness of the other boys had all got under his skin. All he had ever wanted to do was read and be left in peace. Part of him wondered if the murder victim had felt the same.

"Lloyd Owen."

He paused as he heard a sharp female voice call his name. He turned

"Mrs Collins."

"I heard you've become a police officer."

"Correct." He straightened up to his full height as he answered her. The religious studies teacher no longer intimidated him. He held her gaze as she frowned.

"Why are you here?"

"I think it's best we talk in your office. The kids don't need to hear this."

He ushered the older woman away wondering how the old battleaxe had taken the news of Zachary Morgans murder. He had been terrified of her as a child but now he just pitied her .

"Was Zachary a good student?"

"He was." She paused as she sat at her desk. "A well liked young man. Never gave us any trouble. A ray of sunshine."

"With all due respect mrs Collins can you drop the media line and tell me know of the boy."

"Studying Welsh, German and history. Wanted to go to Cardiff university but academically not likely to get the grades. Self confidence higher than most boys his age. No real enemies- a teenager jack the lad."

"Any problems with bullies? Girls?"

"Girls I can't answer. Bullies! This school doesn't tolerate them." She spat. Lloyd took his glasses off.

"Not what I recall. And not what the kids are telling me now. This school has major issues and from what I've gathered the teaching staff turn a blind eye. Nothing has changed." Lloyd glared at her. She appeared flustered. "If he had no obvious concerns with being bullied was he the bully?"

"Excuse me! The boy is dead!"

"Yes. Yes he is and I'm trying to find out why." He put his glasses back on wondering how the woman could so blatantly lie to him. It was obvious she had something to hide. He had no idea what but something was eating away at her. She looked down her nose at him.

"Now, look here Owen."

"Detective Constable Owen." He corrected. "A boy is dead. Shot at point blank range and dumped like landfill. One of the kids that came here. His mother is suicidal with grief. His Dad is in shock and as for his little sister? I don't want to think what is going through a ten year olds head."

"I."

"My colleagues and I will be back." Lloyd got to his feet before leaving the office.

Xxxxxx