Rose had got home and gone for a shower, thinking she'd put something quick in the microwave when she finished. Putting her pyjamas and her dressing gown on, she was about to choose something to eat when the doorbell from downstairs rang.

"Hello, who is it? If you're selling something I'm not interested," she told whoever it was through the intercom.

"Then can I interest you in some food?" came a familiar Scottish voice.

"Alec? What are you doing here?"

"I already said, I have brought food."

"Well ok, come up then."

Hoping he wouldn't get reported for parking in the 'Visitors' space, he heard the buzzer and pushed the door and went to the first floor where Rose had taken him last night. Rose ran into her bedroom and quickly got dressed while she kept him waiting.

"Sorry," she told him as he waited at the door after ringing the other doorbell. "I'd just been in the shower."

Letting him in, he surprised her by heading for the kitchen and putting the cartons on the counter, found some plates.

"Taking over my kitchen again?" Rose smiled as he went to the drawer for the forks.

"You could make a drink?"

"So, where was she going in such a hurry?" Rose asked as she filled the kettle with water and switched it on, noticing he'd changed into more casual clothing and he'd already taken his brown tweed jacket off.

"Taking clothes to Daisy. Did you think she had packed my things?" he asked, trying not to make a mess.

"Did you?" Rose asked as she put two teabags into the mugs.

"She said she was going to spend time with her, to explain she had to stay at her grandmother's while this investigation was going on."

"Do you believe her?" Rose asked as she sat at the table.

"Honestly? I do not know. Rose, if you know anything about this officer you say is targeting married female officers, you have to tell me."

"I can't Alec, if it gets back then we will all be in trouble if we're wrong. Why are you asking me? Do you think he's after your wife?"

"I really do not know, maybe it's things being the way they are."

"With the investigation or at home?"

"Both. I did not mean to drag you into this."

"Too late, I already am but forget about it. The way Tess goes on, it's not her, I think that's pretty safe to assume."

"At this present moment, I don't know if I actually care. I am moving into the spare room when I get back."

"I don't need to know that. This food is good, where did you go?"

"Beijing Express, near where I live, well if I am there much longer."

"Well I'd better not get used to it, had I? I'm sorry she picked on me but you said it would have happened anyway?"

"Leave it Rose, maybe it is for the best, while Daisy is not there but if I don't go see her, she will take her mother's side."

"Then tomorrow I'll drop you off there and you can go explain things to her, before it's too late. Now, eat, no more talking, right?"

They finished their meals and Alec helped her clear up then they went back in the living room.

"So, about you having to leave? Are you still looking for someone to share?"

"I've not found anyone since last night," she smiled. "I'll have to go around the local shops on Saturday and put some notices up, there may be some students with transport, I'll have to reduce the price and try and manage or charge full and include the utility bills. I'll manage somehow."

"Rose, if you need help, just ask, I can have a word with personnel and see if you have any allowances you are not claiming."

"Thanks, I will. So are we both gonna be a couple of miseries all night? Tell me about where you come from or is that getting too personal?"

"No but you start, my story is probably more boring and longer."

Rose told him how her mother had raised her on her own and her two failed relationships, one short lived and violent which had inspired her to join the police when she was old enough.

"The thing is though, when I got to the station in north London, I wasn't satisfied with making the tea. I wanted more so I got a sponsor, this much older DI who took pity on me. That's why I liked DS Moore, he reminded me of him."

"So it was nothing personal when you got stuck with me?"

"Well at least he didn't have a wife who made it plain she was jealous. Sorry, I shouldn't be going on about it."

"No, she did it with everyone and I owe them all an apology for her behaviour but I just wanted a quiet life. You just brought everything to a head and I am going to be making a lot of changes."

"Such as the beard?" Rose smiled.

"You noticed?" he smiled, rubbing his fingers over his chin then through his thick brown hair that didn't look now like it had been plastered with hair cream.

"Don't tell me, your wife didn't want all the female officers fancying you so you acted accordingly?"

"Don't Rose, don't go there, I am done with it."

"I noticed but she's got everyone scared of her, I think you're pretty safe, for now. Just don't tell everyone you are making a few changes."

"You are very observant."

"I have to work with you. I think the beard suits you, it makes you look different."

"Good different or bad different?" he asked, not realising where this was going.

"Mmm, just different, younger maybe? Scruffy beards are 'in' these days and maybe you could loosen your tie a bit, don't look so stuffy."

"Rose, I dress for work, not…" He stopped. "Not to attract the opposite sex."

Rose giggled, Alec realising he'd walked straight into that.

"Stop it Rose, I know what you are doing, you are setting me up for Tess making a big scene."

"Maybe you need to?"

"We have a murder and a disappearance to solve, this is not the time."

"Yeah, this is exactly the time Alec, while she's otherwise occupied."

"She is already mad I chose to put her in charge of finding Lisa and if she finds out I withheld information from her, well I won't go into that."

"So you didn't tell her why Lisa changed her name and her father may be the prime suspect in her disappearance, if they had an argument and poor Pippa got in the way."

"What?"

"Oh, you didn't think of that? It could have happened."

"Yes, it could have happened. Tomorrow, we should look for Lisa's father, get your friends onto it and follow up on the Ashworth's car, if anyone has come across it, if it is not there when we go visit in the morning."

"Don't you ever stop? You could tell me that tomorrow you know?"

"It was just while I was thinking about it. I should go now."

"Back to the spare room?"

"Tess will be back by now, I should tell her about Lisa's father, she can follow it up."

"You can tell her tomorrow, you're welcome to stay a bit longer, if you want?"

"No, I do not want to overstay my welcome."

"Well next time, maybe give me some warning?"

Alec got up and went to get his jacket, Rose following him to the door.

"Thanks for the food Alec."

"My pleasure, I did not want to eat on my own."

He put his hand on the door handle but stopped and turned to her.

"Goodnight Rose and thank you, for being so understanding."

He went to kiss her cheek but she mistook it for him trying to kiss her and pulled away.

"It's fine."

"Rose, I was not trying to kiss you, well that was not my intention but we have been spending some time together."

"Alec, sorry, I jumped to the wrong conclusion."

"Maybe not?" he asked, going to try again but this time for her lips but she still stopped him.

"Sorry, Alec, I can't."

"No, of course, I apologise, forget it, I will go. It was my mistake. Friends?"

"Yeah, friends, of course. Alec, I'm not saying I can't, you know, for ever, it's just, you know, things are bad enough right now."

"Yes, I will go, back home to the spare room. I told Tess before she went off, supposedly to see our daughter."

"You still don't believe her?"

"Not entirely, now you have mentioned it. Tell me who it is Rose."

"All you need to know is it's not you. If I tell you and I'm wrong, it will get back to him."

"Maybe it should? So, we are good then?"

"Yeah, we're good and I meant it Alec, I didn't mean never, things are just difficult."

"Then what do you want me to say? I am moving into the spare room and she is not persuading me otherwise. We will talk about this tomorrow then? You could invite me over and cook something, for me bringing you food tonight?"

"That's not a good idea, how will you explain your absence again?"

"Then you drop me where my daughter is staying and I will go back and get my car or get a cab. You complain I am taking over your kitchen."

Rose smiled. "Well, just a meal then?"

"Promise. Goodnight."

Alec got downstairs and sat in his car before driving off. How had it come to this? He was making a move on his DC on a whim that Tess was seeing whoever the rumours were about but it hadn't started out as such, Rose had thought it first, hadn't she or had he started it by barging in with food and making himself at home in her kitchen, like he'd already done at breakfast. He'd not intended to kiss her though but if the opportunity arose again, well maybe it would just happen, it was clear Tess, despite her jealousy just wanted to keep other women away and not actually wanted him herself.

Maybe he was right to suspect something, what better way to cover it up than accuse someone he worked with of doing the same? While Alec was sat in his car, Rose was taking stock of what had just happened. He was only going to kiss her cheek, she had taken it the wrong way and he'd been ok with it, when she'd said she was not saying never but maybe she had been jumping to the wrong conclusion? He had tried again though, hadn't he or had she forced him into it?

Either way, it couldn't happen while he was still under the same roof as his wife, Tess already had it in for her and if Tess found out, she may lose her job over it or at the very least get transferred. Maybe if things went wrong and she couldn't face him, that might be for the best though. Tess had dropped Daisy's things off and told her she was best staying there and that things weren't well at home and the girl had thought it was her fault.

"No Daisy, it's not your fault, it's your father's, he's getting too involved in the case and working overtime."

Well he was getting too involved in working with Tyler anyway and better the girl think it was work. When she got home, Alec was out and Tess guessed he'd just gone out for the sake of it to get back at her so she got changed and went off to meet Dave. Alec got back, Tess was still out, probably telling her mother and their daughter lies about him but he would get his side of the story in tomorrow.

Dave had been waiting for her with a drink on the table as she'd walked in.

"Thought you'd changed your mind Tess?"

"No, I went to see Daisy and went home to change, Alec was out." She had been having second thoughts but going home and Alec being out made her mind up.

"He doesn't care about you Tess, you know that?"

"I'm beginning to see that Dave. It's him, isn't it, the one the rumours are about and Tyler is his latest victim, though from what I was able to gather earlier, he's been after the married ones. I never saw it."

"You wouldn't, he's been very clever and he's changed his preference. Why are you not surprised, have you noticed he's changed his appearance the last few days, to get at you and make himself more attractive to her."

"To Tyler? Huh, it wouldn't make any difference to her, she was after him when she first arrived. You think he's changing for her?"

"Think about it Tess? See how he reacts around her then decide."

"I told her not to pick him up in the morning and, they were only just getting back as I was leaving to see Daisy, they'd left the station the same time as I did so where did they get to? I bet she still calls for him despite me telling her not to, he'll have told her he wants her to drive him to work, not me."

Dave moved closer and put his arm around her. "I completely understand Tess."

The next morning, Rose set off to pick Alec up, waiting by his house for him and seeing him coming out, behind his wife, whom he'd just argued with and he was trying not to let it spill over.

"I told Tyler not to bother picking you up this morning," Tess had told him, seeing her waiting for him.

"I tell her whether she calls for me or not, keep out of it Tess."

"And what was all that last night, your things were gone from the bedroom, I thought you were just making a point by sleeping in the spare room last night."

"I told you I was moving in there," he told her, locking the door as Tess remote unlocked her car and threw her shoulder bag in the passenger seat.

"Where were you last night, I came back from seeing Daisy and you were out so I went back."

Well she couldn't tell him she went to meet Dave though she had a good idea where he had been.

"I'm not doing this here Tess, oh and you may be interested, Tyler has something to tell you, about Lisa Newberry, we have somewhere to go first."

He got into Rose's borrowed car and said good morning to her.

"Miss me making breakfast for you?" he asked. "It was not so pleasant as yesterday morning. So, we are good then?"

"Yeah, I said we were. I've already called for a unit to meet us at the Ashworth house."

"Good, let us get them when they least expect it."

The visit didn't go well. Claire was screaming at them they had no right to go knocking on their door at eight thirty in the morning, asking for permission to search the house but Rose had been to deal with Ricky Gillespie when he came out to go to work, demanding to know what they were doing there. She had already sent another unit to get a search warrant, just in case, she was taking no chances, to which Alec had said she was very efficient while they were waiting for the warrant.

"Sir, I didn't think it was wise, to get the Gillespie's permission after all."

"Good choice, best be on the safe side, in case we do find something or they may claim the search was illegally conducted," Alec told her while they waited, seeing Claire looking out of the upstairs window.

"Well at least they can't get rid of anything, while we're parked out here," Rose told him, tempted to slap his hand while he played with the car radio, Alec just turning it off. "Finished?" she asked as he folded his arms, not answering her.

Once they were inside, she got the Ashworth's to wait outside in the garden, Lee glaring at her.

"Think you're going to find something, DC Tyler was it?"

"We wouldn't be here if we didn't think you had more to do with the two girls than you claim you did. You both lied to us."

Claire sat in the garden chair, which had dried out from the rain of the last few days.

"You won't find anything because there's nothing to find, the girls never came in here," Claire insisted.

"So all those photos with you in them were taken next door then?" Rose asked. "Where's the pendant Claire?"

"What pendant?" Claire asked, Rose seeing she was nervous.

"The one in the photos, the one both of you were wearing on different occasions."

Claire didn't answer her but Alec came out to join them.

"Do you have a car?" he asked Lee.

"I did but I sold it."

"I want the details then, tell me who you sold it to."

"No, why should I?"

"Then, Lee Ashworth, I am arresting you on suspicion of the murder of Pippa Gillespie and the disappearance of Lisa Newberry. DC Tyler, advise Mr Ashworth of his rights."

Rose did so and two uniformed officer came from behind Alec and took him away.

"You can't just arrest him like that," Claire yelled at Alec.

"Yes I can, forensics are on their way and if we find one single trace of either of the girls, you will join him."

"It's nothing to do with me, it was all him," Claire claimed, Rose seeing the woman was panicking. "He made me say I was with him all that night but I wasn't, I stayed with a friend, he was on his own."

"Will you give a statement to that fact, to DC Tyler here?" Alec asked as an officer came to tell him the forensics team had just arrived. "Tell them to start upstairs," he turned to tell the officer.

An hour later, Rose and Alec were sat facing Lee Ashworth, who was looking like he wasn't going to tell them anything until his solicitor arrived. When the woman solicitor did arrive, she advised him not to say anything anyway until the search was concluded. He was taken to a cell to await the results of the search and for forensics to analyse that hairs found on a pillow hidden in the wardrobe were Pippa's.

While they waited, Alec asked Rose to tell Tess her theory but Tess just laughed it off.

"So what if she has changed her name? What proof do you have her father had anything to do with her disappearance? You and my husband are just throwing this to me now when you've made an arrest?"

"There was no sign Lisa had been in their house, only Pippa. Don't you want to find her? Excuse me, I have reports to make."

As the day went on and certain facts were established, along with the results that they had indeed found the DNA of Pippa on the pillow and on a cushion in the bedroom, Lee Ashworth was charged with Pippa's murder but he still refused to give details of the sale of his car until Rose got a phone call just before five. It had been a long day, following procedure and writing reports, mainly by Rose, who when she got the call from a dealer who had just realised the car he'd bought late yesterday and was now in the back of his car lot had a police alert out on it, she rushed into Alec's office to tell him of the conversation she'd just had.

"Don't let anyone else touch it," she'd told the car lot owner. "I'll have officers there shortly to eliminate the prints of your employee who moved the car Mr Logan. Can I ask when you bought the car? An alert went out for it yesterday."

"Like I told your desk sergeant, I bought it late, got Steve to move it out of the way this morning to prepare for it to be checked over and I've only just seen the alert, I've been busy. No-one else has been near it all day, I was about to advertise it and was checking it wasn't written-off or wanted."

"Well thanks for alerting us. Has anyone been inside the car other than to move it?"

"No, we had other cars to check first, I run a very busy car lot."

Alec was already getting his jacket and his spare black raincoat, though now, he preferred this one since Tess hadn't chosen it for him, or the light grey suit he now wore, it was time for change and not before time either.