Rose was wondering what those two were talking about in Claire's kitchen, they were probably having an argument over something since she'd heard her friend say she'd forgotten she'd invited him. She was still getting over the shock he looked like James, let alone the Doctor she used to know, it still hadn't registered that he was gone and although she'd stayed with him the last time, she felt she was no longer wanted and he'd moved on, like he'd thought she and his twin had.

Was she right though? Had James sneakily followed her here and established himself as Claire's friend, Alec Hardy? If he had, he was doing a good job of ignoring her and she'd have to check her device when she got home and see if there had been any activity. She'd not even looked at the thing since she'd got there, she'd had no need, she had chosen this life and if things got really bad, she would just leave, no-one would be any wiser.

She heard the front door opening and caught a glimpse of him leaving.

"Right, I'm off, I'll try and call next weekend if I can but with this murder investigation, well I won't be able to keep answering the phone every time you call, got it?"

"Yeah Alec, I get it. Trust you to walk into another murder."

"Well it's not like I planned it Claire. My taxi is coming down the lane. I'd best not be rude and say goodbye to your friend," he gestured and nodded towards Rose, who was now in the doorway.

"Nice to have met you Alec," Rose ventured, holding out her hand.

He took it and kissed the back of it. "You too, Rose was it?"

"Yeah, I work with Claire, remember?"

"Yes, I remember. My taxi is here, I may see you around?"

Before she had chance to answer, he was gone. Claire was looking at her.

"What?" Rose asked.

"Don't get the wrong idea, he's just a friend."

"It's nothing to do with me. Was he your boyfriend?"

"Hell no, no way!" Claire laughed. "Me and Alec? I tried, trust me, even when his wife left him but he wasn't interested in me, not in that way."

Claire was still jealous though, he may not be interested in her but she'd make sure no-one else got to him and that now included Rose.

Rose decided to forget about him, he wasn't James and it was impossible he was the Doctor, not now. She decided she would have to remember to check her device because if it was James, well she was going to corner him. Didn't he trust her? She had said she had no idea if she was going back or not and she still hadn't so she would need to make sure the device was fully charged.

"So, are we still going out then?" Claire asked, reaching for her jacket.

"Yeah, ok but I'm not in the mood to pick a bloke up."

"What's got into you then?" Claire asked her. "You're not thinking of making a play for Alec are you?"

"No, why should I?"

"Trust me, he's not your type, he's not anyone's type really. He's divorced with a teenage daughter."

"So how do you know him then?"

"He knew my husband."

"So where's your husband?"

"He left me."

"Oh, sorry. I left my boyfriend as well, the one after my ex who got married, there's no point in talking about it."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. Come on then, it's your round."

After Alec got in the taxi, he could have sworn Rose had given him a funny look, like she knew him from somewhere but Claire had said they worked together and she would have mentioned her before she moved down here. He tried to forget about her but he was formulating a plan, maybe he could get Rose to spy on Claire and see if she would tell the truth about what happened the night Pippa died. He'd been trying, she'd spun him one tale then another and he'd no way of knowing if that had been true or not.

Still, what would Claire's friend be wanting with him? He decided though he was going to get a car even though he wasn't supposed to drive, he'd had no attacks recently so if he kept taking his medication, he'd survive a bit longer. He'd go requisition a car from the garage in the morning, someone would have to use their own and that would make him even more popular than he was with Miller.

Monday morning was chaos in the station, with extra officers all cramming into the squad room and Alec making Miller address them, which put her in a good mood. He also found out Mark Latimer had managed to get himself an alibi for the night his son died, in the form of the local hotel owner. The rest of the week was to consist of routine enquiries for him and for Rose and Claire, a lack of customers since no-one was visiting the town on holiday, which resulted in the owner, Maureen, asking for volunteers to cut their hours. Rose took the opportunity to ask to be the one, since none of the others looked like they would.

So Rose cut down by one day, now having Wednesday and Thursday off, Claire had Tuesday, which suited Rose so she'd have some time to herself. Claire was getting a bit clingy though she could understand, since her husband had left her and she hardly knew anyone. Friday, Claire had said she'd somewhere to go and Rose wondered what she was up to or if she was meeting with Alec Hardy but she bumped into him when she wandered down to the harbour to get some lunch.

"Hello Rose, remember me?" he asked as she sat down opposite the police station at one of the catering stalls.

"Yeah, of course I do. Were you looking for Claire?"

"No, I work opposite, I saw you. I wanted to apologise for seeming rude the other day."

"Oh. I didn't think you were being rude, you were there to see Claire."

"Well, even so. May I join you?" he asked, sitting opposite her. "Did you know Claire before coming here?"

"No, we started on the same day, she told me she knew no-one. Were you supposed to be a secret then?"

Alec smiled, the first time since he'd been here.

"I don't think so, it's complicated. She had some trouble and she came to me for help – end of story."

"Ok, I believe you then. So what are you doing ending up in Broadchurch?"

"I could ask you the same," he replied as his food arrived.

He wondered if he should let her in on the reason why he and Claire were in the town but as she smiled at him, he decided he didn't want her to get involved just yet.

"To get over someone, we had a massive row over something and I left him."

"You don't have to explain anything to me, my wife left me for another DS and she took our teenage daughter with her."

"That must have upset you. Do you get to see her?"

"Not so much and now I'm in the middle of another murder investigation."

"Another?"

"Well yes, did you not read about those two missing cousins in Sandbrook?"

"No, I've been out of it, I was travelling." It was half true she supposed.

"Well it was all over the news, the main suspect got let off due to lack of evidence."

He didn't see any reason in telling this young, very pretty woman that Claire was involved, he didn't want her getting caught up in it, well not yet anyway.

"Was Claire involved somehow?"

"What makes you think that?"

"Just a guess, the way you two stared at each other and the raised voices in her kitchen."

"You are too clever for your own good. Just be careful with her, she's not who you think she is."

"Is that a warning?"

"Take it how you want." He went in his pocket and pulled out a card and handed it to her. "If she gives you any trouble, call me."

"So you expect some then?"

"Oh yes, I do but don't let that put you off, she came down here to start afresh, you should give her a chance I suppose."

Rose was always willing to give people another chance but if Claire was indeed involved in one of his cases, she would have to be careful. She took the card and smiled at him.

"So, you came to work down here to keep an eye on her? You trust her that much?"

"What makes you think I can't trust her then?"

"Oh, I don't know? You could have found her somewhere and left her?"

"Look, don't get involved Rose. I have to get back to work now but call me, for anything. Actually, did you know Danny Latimer? Did he deliver a newspaper to you?"

"No, sorry, I never met him. I hope you catch whoever did that to him."

Alec got up but stopped for a moment. Should he ask her out? Maybe in the middle of a case wasn't such a good idea, he should leave it until he'd caught Danny's killer, if he was still around. His GP had passed his details onto the hospital down in Dorchester, which he was annoyed at and he'd already been put on their waiting list to see a specialist. Not that he intended going, well not until this case was solved and even then, his chances would not have improved and maybe they would lessen since he wasn't exactly stress free.

"It was nice to see you again and remember, call me if Claire worries you."

"Why should she worry me?"

"She can have a bit of a temper when she doesn't get her own way so don't provoke her."

"I'll try and remember that, Alec. I normally go to lunch with her but she was being secretive today for some reason."

"That sounds about right. I hate to think what she's doing."

When Rose got back to work, Claire was in the staff room finishing a sandwich and looked at her.

"Miss me?" Claire asked, glaring at Rose.

"I managed. Are you coming to my place on Sunday? I need to go shopping tonight if you are. Why don't you stay over tomorrow night instead of going all the way back home and waiting around for buses? You can stay Sunday night as well, save getting a taxi."

"Yeah, thanks, I'll bring some stuff with me then, we can go out on Saturday night. What's the night-life like around here?"

"It seems a bit quiet, which suits me fine."

"I've got a better idea, why don't we go down to Weymouth on Saturday night? Bring a change of clothes with you tomorrow and we'll get the bus down after work."

"Ok then, we'll do that but Sunday afternoon, we'll get the bus back and I'll make lunch."

"If I've not got a hangover then," Claire grinned.

Rose went back to work, wondering why Alec would be warning her about Claire, they'd become good friends but sometimes, Claire would look at her in a funny way, especially after the visit from Alec last Sunday, which seemed to have thrown her friend off somewhat but was she involved with this case he'd been talking about?

Alec had gone back to work annoyed with himself that he'd not at least asked her out for a drink but maybe it would complicate things even more with Claire if he were to ask her friend out. He was about to leave when he got a message from Claire, who was on her way out.

It read 'Did you see Rose this lunchtime?'

Alec replied with 'Why do you ask that?'

'I passed the police station, I saw Rose and someone sat with her.'

'Why ask then' he replied, sarcastically.

'She's my friend, keep your hands off her Alec and don't corrupt her like you did me.'

'I did not corrupt you Claire, you needed no help there.'

'Just stay away from her, she's not your type Alec.'

'Keep out of it Claire, you don't own me.'

'No but if Tess finds out, she'll stop you seeing your daughter.'

'That's none of your business Claire and don't try anything with Rose.'

'You do care then? I'll tell her Alec, about me and you.'

"There is no me and you, it's all in your head Claire.'

Claire huffed at his reply, there was no way she was going to let him anywhere her new friend, she'd had no-one since Lisa although she'd pretended to be friends with Cate but Lee was probably having an affair with her long before he had Lisa that night and Ricky had smashed her head on the wooden floor, she'd got the truth out of her husband eventually which was when she had gone to tell Alec she'd give him the proof he needed to charge Lee with Pippa's death but why should she tell on Ricky? Lee should have left the man's niece alone and she'd had half a mind to have told Alec he killed Lisa as well.

Alec put his phone away and put his overcoat on, why he wore it everywhere he didn't know, it was just a habit. He saw Miller looking at something on the screen. It was CCTV footage of a boy skateboarding down the middle of the High Street late at night.

"We should have a reconstruction, next week. Your boy, what's his name, Tom, he should lead it, jog people's memories."

"Excuse me Sir, that's not a good idea, he's been through enough already."

"Oh, so your loyalty stops where your family are concerned? He's the best one, he's more or less the same age. Ask him."

"I'm his mum and I say no."

"Do you want to catch Danny's killer or not? Get the town involved in some way, let them think they're doing something."

"Fine then but I want it known I protested."

"Yes Miller, duly noted."

"Why do you have to be such a pain?" Ellie muttered under her breath, not really caring if he heard her or not.

He had but let it go.

"You're invited for dinner, next week so pick a night."

"What? Why would I do that?"

"It's what people do, they invite their bosses for dinner, why are you making this so difficult? Ok then, Tuesday, I hope you like chicken, my husband will be cooking."

"Right then, fine. Can I bring someone with me?"

"What?"

"Yes Miller, I do have female friends, well one's sort of a friend of a friend."

"You're wanting her to be more?" Ellie grinned, mostly at the thought of the resident grouch having a female friend when he was so off with her.

"Well I've not asked her as yet, I've only met her twice and if I invite her along, it won't seem like I'm asking her out on an actual date, will it?"

"Oh, that's very sneaky – Sir. Fine then, bring her along. What's her name then?"

"Her name is Rose."

"That's a nice name. Does she know?"

"About what? I told you, I've not asked her yet."

"No you plum, does she know you fancy her?"

"Not exactly but I had lunch with her today across the road."

"Oh, I thought I saw you sitting with someone but I couldn't see who it was."

Alec thought everyone was out to spy on him today, that made two of them. How was he going to ask Rose between now and Tuesday night though? He couldn't just come out and ask Claire for her number, not after the messages he'd just sent and received. He couldn't even go into the hair salon, though it was unisex but Claire would be there unless he went on Tuesday morning on some pretence, looking for Claire and get Rose on one side and ask her if she'd go with him. He could use the excuse he didn't want to go on his own and he'd feel outnumbered, that was a perfectly good reason to ask someone to go with you somewhere he told himself.

He'd given her his card in the hope she might see Claire in a different light, Rose would make a very good spy and Claire would never suspect anything and as for Rose, well he'd just say Claire was unstable, which she was and ask her to keep an eye on his friend for him while she was at work. Yes, Rose might just fall for that one with a little bit of luck.

Little did he know though he wouldn't have to wait that long. He'd successfully got the use of a car, he claimed so it wouldn't waste resources having someone drive him around but like he'd predicted, it didn't win him the detective of the month award.

Saturday morning, Rose had taken a dress and a comfy pair of shoes to work with her to save walking back down the slope to go get changed and Claire had done the same and they reckoned they would be in Weymouth in time to go to a few bars and this time, Claire was determined she was going to pick a bloke up and she was getting one for Rose though she was already protesting as the bus reached the bus station behind the main shopping area.

They made their way to the seafront bars and after coming out of a few of them, found somewhere that did food and settled down for the night, saying they would share the taxi money back to Claire's cottage and she would lend Rose a pair of PJ's as she'd thrown some undies into her shoulder bag. Just before ten, Claire was well gone, having more drinks than Rose, who was pacing herself but as Claire came back from the ladies room, she tapped Rose on the shoulder, giggling.

"Two blokes behind us, they've been watching us," Claire informed her.

Rose spun around on her barstool but Claire stopped her. "Shush, don't look," she giggled as the two men, both with beards got up.

Rose thought it was a bit ironic Claire should choose two blokes with beards when Alec Hardy had one but neither of the prospective candidates were a patch on him Rose thought.

Claire was all over one of them already, the other was trying to put one hand on Rose's knee and the other up her dress so she slapped both of them away, telling him to get lost. Claire noticed and sidled up next to her.

"Come on Rose, don't be a spoilsport, this is what we came for," she told her as the two men went to get more drinks, though Rose thought Claire had drunk too many already and she herself had a full one in front of her she'd not even touched.

"Yeah, well I'm not going off with an octopus thanks very much. I know how to fend off men you know."

"Why did we bother then? We could have stayed in Broadchurch. If you don't want yours, mine will go as well and I won't forgive you if they do, so come on, grin and bear it, I've not had sex in ages, not since…" She stopped.

Claire was about to say since the last time she saw her husband when she'd given in to him just before she got scared and had gone to Alec for help getting away. She'd told him Lee had gone away but he'd gone back a few times, roughed her up and forced her to have sex with him then left but she couldn't tell Alec the truth. Maybe she could put Rose off by saying it was with Alec but at this point, she didn't care to elaborate, let Rose think what she wanted.

"You're not the only one Claire, I've had no-one since I split with James but I'm not that desperate."

"Fine but if I go off with him, you'll have to find your own way back to Broadchurch."

Rose thought about it. Money wasn't exactly an object but since she'd not that much cash on her after buying drinks and no cash machine around, she could hardly go roaming the streets looking for one and she just had enough to go halves with Claire to get to her place. The two men came back and Rose was about to slap 'hers' in the face if he didn't stop trying to snog her, Claire was taking no notice as she snogged the one who had taken a fancy to her.

The obnoxious bloke was asking her name so she lied and said it was Jackie. She went in her purse and found Alec's number and contemplated calling him but would he travel all that way because Claire was getting over-friendly with a bloke she picked up? Maybe not but she was worried about what her friend was about to do, leave her here while she went off and she wouldn't be taking the other one with her.

"Get off me," Rose complained as the bloke's hand was on her thigh again. "Claire, come to the ladies with me?"

"Oh, ok then. Be back in a tick, don't you go anywhere will you?" she said to the other one.

Once in the ladies though, Claire turned on her. "What are you playing at Rose? I thought you were my friend?"

"We are friends Claire but that doesn't give you the right to expect me to be palmed off with some bloke I don't like."

"Tell the truth Rose, you fancy Alec, don't you?"

"I hardly know him Claire, he's your friend."

"Yes, he is so back off, I saw you having lunch with him yesterday."

"So what? He works across the street, big deal. He has to eat you know?"

"Well you didn't have to talk to him."

"Was I suppose to ignore him then? I'm not arguing with you Claire."

"Good and you can make your own way back, I'm taking mine back to the cottage."

With that, Claire stormed out. Rose picked up her phone and Alec's card, hoping he wouldn't get mad with her for ringing him after ten in the evening.

Alec had been dozing on the couch, thinking he must get to bed but every time he did, he felt himself drowning all over again. He got up, being careful not to make himself dizzy in the process and going to the kitchen area, got a glass of water and took his pills. He was about to make sure he'd locked the door when his phone rang. An unknown number came up as he squinted to see the screen then he remembered he'd given Rose his card.

"Rose, is that you?" he answered.

"Yeah, hi, how did you guess?"

"Well I don't know that many people who would be calling me at this hour and since all the accident claims and PPI pests have gone to bed, it was a reasonable assumption. Is Claire causing some bother?"

"Yeah, sorry, I shouldn't be bothering you at this time, sorry."

"Where are you, it sounds noisy."

"In a bar down in Weymouth and I think Claire's about to leave me here. She picked up a bloke and because I wouldn't go with his mate, she's about to storm out with him. I'm scared Alec, I think the other bloke's waiting for me."

"What bar are you in?" he asked, forgetting the time and he was still a bit tired but here was his chance to prove he wanted to be her friend and ultimately, ask her out although it was only to Miller's house.

"Ok, I'll be right there, stay inside until I get there and don't leave with Claire or that other bloke," he told her, after she said they were in The Blue Parrot bar on the seafront, close to where there was a funfair.

He hung up and picked up his car key and his jacket, glad now he'd taken his pills but had some in his pocket, just in case. He knew the route to Weymouth was a reasonable easy one and he'd just have to use his police sign to go look inside for her, she would be safe enough in there. He connected his phone to the built-in hands-free kit and set off and was just at the turn-off when his phone rang again, the same number.

Rose had gone back out and Claire was still snogging the bloke she was with and the other one wasn't around but he'd seen Rose and followed her, grabbing her from behind that she called out. Claire got up, pulling the other one with her.

"Come on then, we'll all get a taxi to my place, you two can pay. Come on Rose, show a bit of enthusiasm."

"I haven't got any, either he stays here or I do, your choice Claire."