Chapter 26
I must have drifted off to sleep with Effy's ice pack on my jaw and a blanket thrown over me. The adrenaline comedown from the raid and shock of the outcome of it all I guess. I yawned and stretched, removing the now soggy and melted ice pack. I checked my mobile but didn't have any messages. Wishful thinking I guess. I checked the time and realised that three hours had passed since I was put on gardening leave. I prodded my jaw and realised the painkillers and ice pack provided by my best mate had started to work, thank god.
I got up and wandered into the kitchen, following the gorgeous smells to find Effy stirring some concoction or other dancing to the tune playing on the radio. I smiled at the image. She'd grown up from the wild child she'd been when we'd first met and I'd been a cocky brash copper. She turned around at the sound of my footsteps and smiled. Gesturing at my usual stool she grabbed a bowl and ladled what I realised was her patented "Always guaranteed to make you feel better" stew into it before putting the bowl in front of me.
My stomach growled and I realised I'd not eaten at all that day. I'd not eaten since my night with Emily. Shit, Emily. I hoped to god she'd listen to me. I looked up at where Effy sat.
"Tony rang about an hour ago. He said that she was holding up well and was being questioned by your boss. Hopefully she'll be released later. He reckons they'll de-arrest her, there's nothing there Naom's, she's innocent. That fucking twin of hers had gone back to pick up some stuff of hers and she went to back her up. She apparently said you knew as you were there when she was talking to her."
I stopped shovelling spoonfuls of the fragrant stew into my mouth for a moment, nodding remembering the phone call this morning. Huh. This morning, when my life was perfect, before it all went tits up.
"I need to talk to her Eff. I've got to apologise."
"I knew you'd say that, so did Tone." Effy sighed, "he's going to let us know when she's released so you can try and catch her or at least call her." I nodded; hopefully I'd get my chance to apologise and try to explain. Effy walked to the other counter in her kitchen and brought back some crusty bread to go with my stew. Plonking it down in front of me, she turned back and grabbed a bowl of stew for herself. "Be careful though Naom's. If you do talk to her and it's found out, you could lose your job."
I put my spoon down and picked at a piece of bread, thinking to myself. "Don't care Effy. I really don't. I've had it with this job. However short a time I've known her, she's worth more." I looked up at Effy. She looked, I dunno, not surprised, just ... all knowing I guess. She knew me too well. I sat and thought about it for a few seconds and had another one of those epiphany do-da things. "I love her. I'm going to fight for her. No idea how yet, but I'll have a go until she understands."
Effy just nodded and that was how we spent the next couple of hours. Sitting in silence. Well, I did anyway. Effy walked off to "make some calls" but that was it. I think I'd drifted off again when Effy's phone rang. Effy looked at the caller ID and handed it to me to answer. Tony's voice answered me.
"She'll be on her way home in 30 minutes or so Nai. I've managed to have a quick chat with her, but I dunno what she thinks. She extremely pissed at everything and everyone mate. Might be best if you leave her to calm down before trying to talk to her."
"I've thought about it Tone and I can't. If I leave it she'll think I don't give a shit and its all lies. I can't take that chance. I'd rather she throw things at me and screamed and shouted. At least she'll know I'm sorry."
I heard him chuckle quietly. "Nai, I'm gonna come out say it, she's a real firecracker. The swearing and mad language between her and her bitch of a sister was unreal when they kicked off. Freaked poor JJ out, he started stammering about twin speak or something. She's a fucking pissed off, ungrateful wretch that sister." I touched my jaw. Yeah, didn't I know it? "Take it easy mate. I'll be in touch tomorrow morning. The boss needs your statement sorting as soon as possible; the suits in the ivory towers are throwing hissy fits about this."
I put the phone down and hollered for Effy, telling her she needed to take me to Emily's so I could see her. Pulling my shoes on and grabbing my coat I reached the door to find Effy blocking my way.
"Just making sure you're definite about this Naoms." I just looked at her and waited. "Ok, fine, what sort of friend would I be if I didn't ask?" She shrugged and gave me a quick hug before pulling back and looking at my jaw. She made some sort of noise of disapproval about the size of the bruise and let me walk out to the car first.
In between directions and filling Effy in on what Tony had said it didn't take long for me to find myself in the car park for Emily's flat. I looked up at the window, but there was no light on. Hopefully, now I just sat and waited.
"Shit! What if Katie's with her?" I blurted it out. Effy just smiled, and not a nice one at that.
"Just leave her to me and apologise to your girl"
We'd sat in silence for another 30 minutes when a local taxi car pulled up. We both sat up and when the door opened I saw a flash of red exit the backseat. Just the one figure thank God, I wouldn't have to deal with the slugger just yet. I was out of Effy's car without thinking and moved quickly to cut Emily off before she could reach the security door. The taxi leaving covered my approach as I closed in on the woman I loved.
She turned as she saw me approach, "Em's..." I put my hands out, to show her I meant no harm I guess. "...I'm sorry. Are you ok?" And against my better judgement, "is Katie alright?" I kept slowly approaching her. Like a vet with an injured animal. No quick movements in case I startled her you know? She just kept staring at me with those big brown eyes as I inched towards her and managed to put my bigger frame between her and the door.
"I'm about as fine as I can get for someone whose life is shit right now Naomi. If that is even your real name." Ouch. She was pissed.
"Of course that's my name Em's." I sighed quietly. "There's only one thing I've had to keep from you. I didn't want too. I wanted to tell you so much".
She moved forward and suddenly stopped. I looked at her puzzled, not understanding why she'd stopped. Her eyes went soft for a moment and her right hand slowly rose to the left side of my jaw. Ah. That was why. My bruise. She'd almost touched the skin, leaning in close when she pulled away as if she'd been burned.
"Yeah, but you didn't, did you HUN?" The bitterness was evident in her voice with that last word. The term of endearment being used like a weapon. Those expressive brown eyes were firing daggers at me again. The walls back up and pretty much impregnable.
"Emily, please. I love you. This is just the world's biggest fuck up the way it's happened and I'm sorry. But I really do love you. Please." I was pleading with her. My eyes beseeching her to understand, at least listen to my pathetic excuse of having to lie.
She sighed and looked at the floor. "Does it hurt?" She looked at me again and pointed at my jaw. I run my hand over it and shrugged.
"Not much now, it just aches." I gave her a rueful smile. "I don't blame your sister for hitting me. I'll make sure she doesn't get done for it. She doesn't deserve it". I sighed. Since when did talking to each other become so difficult? She nodded and gave me a little smile. It was a snap decision of mine to say I wouldn't press charges, but to be fair I didn't think the girl deserved it. We had invaded her house in full on SWAT gear screaming and as it turned out, I was sleeping with her sister.
"I thought we were special Naomi". I was pulled from my thoughts by the quiet voice. She looked at me. Tears brimming around those beautiful eyes. I reached for her instinctively.
"DON'T". The voice was authoritive. Commanding and harsh. Not the gentle smiling voice from this morning. I froze where I was, arms outstretched, almost there, almost at my goal. But I couldn't disobey her, not now I'd basically torn her to pieces. "I'm glad you're not too badly injured Naomi, but I need some space. I don't know what to think after spending hours being questioned. It was awful." Tears leaked out of her eyes and I longed to brush them away and just hold her, but instead I was the fucking cause of them. I dropped my arms defeated, my shoulders slumped. I'd thought and hoped, stupidly after Tony's told me she'd been pulled away from me that this would be slightly easier. But, nope, it was going to be fucking torture to get her to let me in again.
"Did they hurt you? If they did..." my threat was silenced with a shake of her head.
"No. Quite the opposite. In fact you boss apparently interviewed me as a courtesy to you. He rather likes you I think." She looked at me and smiled sadly. "He turned the tape thing off and said off the record that you were all a bunch of twats and had to do a horrible job and not to judge you too harshly. I just don't know what to think. Did you get close to me to get close to my sister? Can you fake emotion like that? I just don't know Naomi, I don't know what to think."
"Emily, I'm sorry. I don't know what else I can say or do. I'll tell you everything if you give me the chance. Please. I didn't use you to get close to your sister. I love you." I could feel my chance slipping away. "I fucking love you Emily."
She shook her head no. "I have a lot to think about Naomi. I need to go in."
Shit, I was keeping her here getting even more black marks against my tarnished name. I nodded and moved aside. I'd lost this one I guess, but there was no way I'd let this go, I was going to keep trying. "Yeah, shit, I'm sorry Em's you must be exhausted."
She nodded and moved past me opening the door. "You didn't answer me." She turned around. "How's Katie? They keeping her in for further questioning? I'm a bit out of the loop."
"Keeping her in? No. She's on her way to my dad's. She was trying to fucking help you clueless bunch of idiots. I'd told her to report him and leave and she kept ringing that stupid confidential helpline about Cook, and you lot did nothing. Fuck all. I'll text you soon Naomi." And with that the door slammed shut and I was dismissed. I was pretty fucking shell shocked.
Katie? She was the Crimestopper girl? Rocky Fitch was the girl who'd rung them? Fucking hell. I didn't see that one coming.