Disclaimer: I had a disclaimer prepared, really, I did… okay fine, I didn't. F… yes, I understand why…

A/N: I'm so angry at myself for how long this took to update. I fell into another ridiculously long writer's block, came back through a different genre, and have finally worked my way back to this. Of course now that The Bill is dead, who knows who's still reading this? Review if you are and feel free to abuse my long hiatus. I deserve it. *hangs head in shame*

Chapter Thirteen;
Wilkins

"Why not just turn him in?"

Hayleigh rolled her eyes. "No!" she muttered facetiously, "that never occurred to me!" She sipped her coffee slowly. "He has connections, crooked connections, but connections nonetheless." She frowned at a memory she seemed determined not to share. "People a little higher up the ladder than anyone involved with the investigation into Craig and Natovnia. People who didn't need to know everything we did to get him."

Max stopped walking. "So what you're really saying is, not everything about your investigation back at Manchester, your time undercover, was all by the book?"

Hayleigh nodded slowly, putting her up down and pulling her mahogany-red hair into a ponytail, her injured wrist making it difficult. "My DI, Wilkins was his name, was determined to get a result. It started off normally, everything was fine, and then Natovnia came into the scene full time." She sat down slowly but Max didn't follow, simply crossing his arms and watching her. Around them the busy main street continued as if the two figures weren't even there. "He'd been there on the fringes for a while, started this undercover business actually, when he and Craig were first spotted together. But Craig was our target from the start. He was Manchester's menace, or so the local papers liked to call him, and everyone wanted him out." She shrugged. "I guess Wilkins was just determined to be the one who did it."

"What'd you do that DS Faison could use? I mean, getting Bolt off minor charges, that's nothing."

"Assault charge. There was this girl who worked for him and she hated me. I thought she knew who I really was for a while there, we almost pulled the plug on it, but we pushed our luck. Anyway, came back one day to find her fighting with Craig, he was defending my honour I guess. I let it go. He'd never been very violent with the girls before, just a few pushes, a shove or two but the next day she 'fell' down the stairs." She took a mouthful of coffee. "She survived but claimed Craig had pushed her. I made it disappear."

"How?"

"Witness Protection. I told Craig I'd 'got rid of her' and we moved on, but she's still in Witness Protection, she could still talk." She shrugged. "Faison always thought I went too far under, that I got sucked in, and in hindsight maybe he had a point, maybe I did, but he let his jealousy get too far. He threatened to bring me down and he had the chances until I left Manchester. After that I was on my own. The Manchester arm stayed up and running, for all intents and purposes, but Faison couldn't keep an eye on me anymore. I could just do my job without having to watch my back all the time."

Max frowned. "You said he had crooked connections?" Hayleigh nodded. "What type?"

"Not THAT type." Hayleigh warned, seemingly knowing where he was going with the line of questioning. "He used to be with the line-walkers, used to make his own rules, but then his job was put in jeopardy after a previous Inspector went down for corruption. Since then he's been determined to prove to anyone and everyone that he's not crooked."

"By proving everyone else is?"

Hayleigh tapped the side of her nose with a smile as she finished her coffee. She stood and tossed the empty container into a nearby bin. "Don't ask me why he's after me so bad but I guess everyone has their guilty little obsession." She shrugged. "Whatever the reason, the DI wants him back down here, so now…" Another shrug. "It's back on."

"Where's DS Turner?" Neil passed Millie as she walked back into the office.

"He had me drop him off on Bordlan guv." Millie sat down at Banksy's desk and rifled through some files Hayleigh had left there.

"Okay," the DI put something down on in front of her. "You can take this then. DC Spark is hesitant to fill our Manchester connection in, a bad history I think, so if you could take it you'd make my day PC Brown."

"Happy to help guv." She opened the file and picked up the phone, pressing it between her ear and shoulder, dialling quickly. A gruff male voice answered. "Hi, DS Faison, I'm PC Brown. You were expecting an update on the Bolt case?"

"If you're expecting a cup of tea and a heart-to-heart you can dream on." They'd walked until they found themselves outside the police accommodation, a small white hotel-like building not far from the nick, owned and run by the Met on behalf of their members. It wasn't the best place to live, the rooms small and untidy, but it was cheaper than a hotel or renting.

"Oh, you show a little chivalry and this is what you get?" Max raised an eyebrow and Hayleigh smiled. "No, now I can tell the guv you're safe, maybe I can go back to my real job."

"Of doing what? Emotionally abusing Millie Brown?" Max acted like he hadn't heard her, looking up at the building quietly. "Fine, fine, I'm staying out of it." Hayleigh withdrew keys from her pocket and opened up the front door of the boarding house. "See you in the morning DS Ca…"

She didn't get to finish her sentence as an older man, about 50, stepped out through the open door. "DC Spark?" Hayleigh and Max both look up at him. "I was about to call you. Come." He started upstairs and Hayleigh followed, Max tagging along, unsure why. They followed the man to the third floor before they saw the open door at the end. Hayleigh's shoulders slumped. "I checked the CCTV Constable. It was the man you warned me to look out for. He had a key!"

Hayleigh patted the old man on the arm. "It's okay Robert, there's nothing you could have done, go back downstairs." As Robert passed Max gave him a wry smile then followed Hayleigh to the door. Her room had been trashed and written in what seemed to be red lipstick, on her ensuite mirror were the words 'miss me darling?'. "Craig's always been just this classy." Hayleigh muttered, picking up a broken hairdryer. "How'd he get a key though?"

Max leant on the doorway. "It's not safe for you to stay here anymore." Hayleigh shrugged. "He's threatened you enough times and the DI wants you safe so, pack up some stuff, alternative accommodation time." Max pulled out as phone and Hayleigh grabbed some things. "Guv? Problem at DC Spark's place. I'll fill you in when I get back."