Chapter Three – Shady Business

Mike looked up from the folder he was studying as Phil sourly came back from the holding cell area. "From the look on your face I take it he has a way with people," he offered.

Phil snorted. "He has issues with the force," he replied in annoyance. "The last thing he said was that we would hear from his solicitor and then we would be sued for loss of income and a lot of other things."

Mike shook his head.

"So, how did it go with our dear Mr. Greengrass?" Phil asked.

"Well, he appeared very innocent," Mike began.

"Ha,"Ventress huffed, "That must be the first time."

"He said something was going on at some farm…" Mike paused, trying in his head to visualize where it lay and remember the correct name. "…Hillsdale Farm?" he concluded.

"Hillsdale Farm?" Alf asked curiously as he leaned forward in his chair. "That place has been abandoned for years and I don't expect the owner to come back anytime soon."

Mike leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. "And why is that?"

"Because he died two years ago, quite tragically I might add," Alf explained. "He died in a house fire. The only thing that remained intact was the old barn and the garage."

"Yeah," Phil filled in. "And if I remember correctly his old sister couldn't afford to restore the house. Something about insurance and she didn't have the heart to sell it."

"Maybe she's there now," Mike suggested. "Claude said he saw an old red car up there, said it looked like sarge's car," he added.

"She won't be," Alf countered. "Last I heard she was taken into care back at the old folk's home down in Strensford."

"If it helps any I can tell you that my MG-TA was safely in the garage," Nick spoke up from the kitchenette.

Phil smiled and reached over to pat Mike on the shoulder. "Back to square one," he said.

Nick appeared on the threshold between the kitchenette and the duty room with a slightly amused look on his face. "Looks like you've got something to look into, Bradley," he said.

Mike sighed unluckily.

"Cheer up mate," Phil reasoned. "You'll see a lot of the countryside up here. Many hours alone, freezing, no tea around the corner, no people to get annoyed at, no traffic," he teased.

Mike turned to glare at him. "I get it," he said tersely.

"Well, I'm sure Phil will help out," Nick said softly, trying not to show his amusement too much at the look he was given by his old colleague.

Phil glanced after him in astonishment as he turned to walk back toward his office. "This sergeant thing has gone to his head," he muttered as Mike jovially rose from his chair and patted Phil on his shoulder as he went past him.

"Come on, mate, let's see what we can find out," the fairly new London copper suggested.

OOOOOO

Jo Rowan looked up from the newspaper she was reading, seated in the sofa next to the fire, as she heard the door open and close. A minute later, Nick appeared in the doorway.

"Hello there, my missing husband," she said softly as he closed the distance between them and sat down next to her.

She chuckled as he leaned in to give her a quick kiss before heading out in the office again to get out of his thick wool coat.

"I'm sorry, I had to finish up some things back at the station before I headed home," he explained.

Jo let out a sigh. "Alice Darlington, you know the snobby woman in the committee, she came up to me earlier today when Katie and I was over in Ashfordly to do some shopping," she said with a hint of annoyance in her voice.

Nick frowned as he placed his cap on the hook, began to unbuckle his uniform belt and then switched off the light in the office as he headed toward his wife.

"She asked if the police were going to do something about these horrible thefts going on in the area," Jo said, impersonating the older upper-class woman.

Nick let out an exasperated sigh.

"And then I had the unfortunate pleasure of running into some midwife that used to work with Kate. She told her friend that I was the new Mrs. Rowan and that I at least should have had the decency of waiting to marry you until Kate had been dead for at least a couple of years," she said, unable to keep the hurt out of her voice.

"Well," Nick began softly as he sat down next to her. "Sounds you've had a great day," he offered.

Jo let her head come to rest on Nick's shoulder and lay a hand on his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath her fingers. "It gets better and better," she admitted with a smile and tilted her head to look up at him.

"I can make it even better," he suggested and planted a soft kiss on her lips.

"What about your day?" she asked as their lips parted. "You didn't look very cheerful when you came home either."

"Every time I manage to actually clear my desk there's a hundred new things to take care of and this mess with the antiques gang doesn't exactly lighten the load of work," Nick let on wearily.

Jo looked at him waiting for him to continue.

He reached up to rub his temples. "I've been on the phone with CID several times and I've been delegating things to Mike and Phil. I have had the lordship's keeper at the station to express his concern about the unique garden decorations at the hall. Can't have them stolen so close to the upcoming fox hunt," he said sarcastically. "Then Blaketon strolled in like he was still in charge and demanded to know what I'm doing about the situation," he added.

Jo couldn't help but smile at his slightly pouting look. "And what are you going to do about the situation?" she asked.

"I sent Mike out on a little nightly trip to Hillsdale Farm and stationed Phil at the Ashfordly Estate," he let on with a smirk. "And Alf is standing by at the station."

"I take it you're popular at the moment?" she asked teasingly.

"Mmm, actually I'm heading back in a couple of hours," he replied. "Has Katie gone to bed?" he asked.

"Yes," Jo returned, unable to keep all of the disappointment out of her voice, as she let him up from the sofa. "Here I thought we were going to have a nice and quiet dinner just the two of us."

"Sorry, love, another time," he apologized.

OOOOOO

Dr. Neil Bolton felt quite nervous as he walked through the door to the village pub. It wasn't like he was expecting trouble, well no more than usual, but still, he couldn't put a finger on it.

The pub in question, the Aidensfield Arms, was lively and full of people at the early evening hour and he had to mumble a few excuses and pardons to people he bumped into on the way to the counter.

Gina Ward quirked her lips slightly upward as she saw him coming and nodded to him. The action made the beautiful woman, who sat next to the barmaid with her back turned toward him, stiffen and then hesitantly turn around.

"Hello, Maggie," Neil said softly.

"Hello, Neil," she replied politely.

He blinked and let out a small sigh, disappointed. He knew that hesitant smile. She wore it just to be civil as she said she would be. Even though several years had passed since they had last seen each other he knew her fairly well. And just seeing her again made him feel better somehow.

No matter what he did he seemed to do it wrong. He had just appeared on her doorstep and he had taken a job at Ashfordly General Hospital without telling her. He had tried to talk things through about their baby that died a short period after Maggie had given birth but even though she answered some of his questions she was still guarded about it and he could still see the pain in her eyes as she talked about it. However, at least now she did talk about it some.

Then he had neglected to gossip about the police sergeant, Blaketon, telling her it was a confidentiality thing, a doctor and patient confidentiality. More arguments followed during the police officers recovery. After that he had tried to talk to her about his suspicions about the death in custody at the Ashfordly Police Station a month later. That didn't go too well either as he told her he thought that the fairly young sergeant ran a sloppy operation. Unfortunately Nick Rowan appeared to be a topic that stood Maggie close and at some point he had started to wonder just how close they stood. Then again he had met Jo Rowan and knew that the sergeant was happily married so he needn't feel jealous about it. He chuckled inwardly. It was ironic in a way because when he had first arrived he had hoped to see Maggie and talk to her but nothing more. Then as time passed he felt the feelings he once held for her come back.

He collected his thoughts and turned to Gina. "I'll have a pint please Gina and…" he trailed off and waited for Maggie to tell him what to order for her.

"An orange juice for me, Gina," she said softly with a friendly smile, looking directly at the barmaid.

"One orange juice and a pint coming up," Gina replied and reached for two glasses. "Go into the snug, it'll be more private and you'll be able to talk to each other without being forced to shout over the noise," she added.

"It's a good idea, thank you," Neil said, grateful for the suggestion.

A moment later the doctor and nurse sat down opposite each other at a quiet table.

"I'm sorry I was a bit short before," Maggie began. "I'd just lost a little boy over at the maternity ward. I wasn't prepared for the conversation you wanted to pick up," she added.

"I believe it's me who owes you an apology," Neil returned sheepishly. "I didn't know."

"How could you?" Maggie said, her voice not gentle nor accusing, only brittle.

Neil looked down at the table as if stealing himself for what he was going to say and then refocused on his beautiful wife. "When I first came back here I didn't know whether you would still be here or not. I didn't have any plans to revive our relationship but now, the more I see you…" he trailed off and looked at her, locking eyes with her. "I want to see you Maggie but only if you would see me," he said hopefully.

"I need a bit of time Neil," she reasoned in a subdued voice. "When you walked out on me all those years ago I thought it would be the last time I ever saw you. I lost the baby and I lost my husband. I had nothing left Neil," she said sadly and the raw emotion in her voice, reflected in her eyes, cut through his soul, leaving him regretful.

"I can't just turn on my feelings for you again. It doesn't work like that," she explained.

Neil nodded and unconsciously bit his lower lip. "I understand," he said, fighting to keep the disappointment out of his voice.

OOOOOO

To be continued

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