Chapter Fourteen – Of Fakes and Frauds

"Katie, love," Jo said softly and sighed with relief as she walked over to where her husband's little daughter sat on the floor, next to the sofa, in the living room. "Katie, I thought you'd still be asleep. You had me worried not finding you at first."

The young child looked up at her with large sad eyes, her doll sitting on her lap. "I couldn't sleep. I miss daddy," she said and the sincerity in her voice left Jo heartbroken as she sat down next to her.

"Honey," Jo whispered, her voice cracking. "I miss him too."

"Why is he asleep for so long?" she asked and, to Jo, it sounded almost as an accusation.

"I don't know, Katie. He's really tired. It might…"she trailed off hitching on a breath, "…take some time."

Jo's hand trembled slightly as she straightened and gave Katie's shoulder a gentle squeeze. She jumped as there was a soft knock on the door and gave the young child a reassuring smile before slowly getting up to answer.

"Gina," Jo said surprised but genuinely happy as she found the barmaid standing outside. "Couldn't sleep?" she teased as she cast a glance at the watch.

Gina tried to look offended but couldn't really hold back her smile. "I don't always sleep to twelve o'clock you know. The guests wants their breakfast served on time," she said.

"I thought Mrs. Hendry helped you out?" Jo asked curiously.

"I thought so too," Gina let on gloomily. "Actually, she left for Leeds yesterday, said she was going to attend a funeral. Who was I to stop her?"

Jo nodded. "You need to find someone more permanently now that George has left," she said kindly.

The barmaid smirked. "Enough about me now, how are you holding up?" she asked as she took a step inside and hung up her cap and purse on the hook just inside the entrance door. "Can I get you anything?"

"I'm fine," Jo reassured her wearily, a ghost of a smile on her lips.

"Doesn't look like it. You could do with some cheering up," Gina returned as she headed over to the stove to put the kettle on.

"Gina, thanks for bringing Katie home last night. I really appreciate it, I know you had a lot on your plate," Jo said.

Gina shrugged lightly. "Don't mention it. What are friends for, hey?"

The young teacher nodded absentmindedly as she sat down next to the kitchen table and sighed. She placed her elbows on the table and let her head come to rest in her hands for a while before rubbing her forehead. "I woke up around midnight and turned around in bed, expecting to find him next to me, thinking this was all a horrible dream," she admitted, her voice no more than a whisper.

Gina moved over to the refrigerator and rummaged through it before giving her friend a sympathetic look. "Have you had anything to eat?" she asked kindly.

"I'm not hungry, Gina," Jo replied in a subdued voice.

"Maybe Katie wants something?" Gina suggested cheerfully as she closed the door and walked out in the living room to ask.

Jo closed her eyes briefly and smiled faintly as she heard her stepdaughter say she wanted a sandwich.

"So, what did they say?" Gina asked seriously as she walked back into the kitchen.

Jo swallowed and then hesitated, not sure she trusted herself to speak. As if she repeated the words of Dr. Bolton they would appear much more realistic.

"He looked me in the eye and said that…Doctor Bolton said, that Nick might never wake up again," she forced the last words out and looked at Gina.

The barmaid quickly closed the distance between them and sat down next to her. Seeing a tear trickling down Jo's cheek she embraced her in a comforting hug. "I'm sure it won't come to that," Gina said softly. "Nick is strong, if anyone can pull through he can."

"Why? First my mother was taken from me and now this," Jo whispered into Gina's shoulder.

"Hey," the barmaid hushed. "Cheer up now, they said he might not wake up again right? Why wouldn't he?" she reasoned. "He has a wonderful family, a good job and a lot of friends around here. Besides, the Nick Rowan I know is not a quitter."

"Thanks, Gina," Jo snivelled as she straightened in the chair.

"Like I said, what are friends for? Let's give Katie her sandwich and take a walk," she said.

OOOOOO

Alf looked up from his newspaper as Mike came walking down the corridor to the sergeant's office with a sullen look on his face.

"I take it he didn't share your thoughts?" the old copper asked.

Mike took a deep breath and then shook his head. "Something like that," he let on.

"Look, I'll have a talk with Oscar and see what we can find out," Alf volunteered. "Local knowledge might add something useful to the investigation CID is running."

"Thanks Alf, I would appreciate it," Mike said, brightening.

"I better pop over to the post office straight away," Alf let on with a smirk as he slowly got out of his chair.

OOOOOO

Claude Greengrass had the look of a child in a candy store who'd just been told he could chose whatever he wanted for free as he wiggled over the courtyard with a large package in his arms.

David Stockwell rushed out of the barn with a frown and almost stumbled over his untied shoelace as he moved to keep even steps with his mate. "Mr. Greengrass, you forgot to pack one," he said dumbfounded, the expression of a fool on his face as he held a rather large goat cheese in his hand.

"I saved it for us, David," Claude responded in annoyance. "Now, help me with the packages, I need to deliver them so I can cash in," he added with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Are you going to the grocery shop back in Aidensfield?" David asked.

"With one of them, then I'm to meet with the old chap back at Winston's place. I've managed to persuade him to squeeze in some packages in his delivery truck to Whitby later in the afternoon," Claude explained with a triumphant smile as he snatched the cheese from David's hand, securing the last of the load on the truck and jumped in. "I've finally made it, David," he said happily.

OOOOOO

"So, Mike thinks something is going on up there?" Oscar asked curiously.

"He's not the only one," Alf let on. "The fact that he saw the crates stacked in the henhouse back there the night before our raid of the factory garage convinced me."

The former police sergeant raised a questionable eyebrow. "Hillsdale Farm?" he said cunningly. "The old fox who ran the place died in a house fire. His sister didn't get a penny out of insurance because evidence showed it wasn't an accident but a deliberate act to get money."

"I don't believe that," Alf replied in disagreement. "No man set the house on fire and then walks in and go to sleep."

"I'm not saying he did it," Blaketon countered. "No one was ever brought to justice for the act."

"If I recall correctly evidence pointed in the direction of his sister," Alf mused. "Lived quite a life down in Leeds with almost no money left."

"Unfortunately she had an alibi and by the way, wouldn't she have sold the place by now if she wanted to get something out of it?" Oscar wondered aloud. "Where is she now anyway?"

"At the old folks home in Strensford," Alf said. "Rumor has it that she was admitted last month. Apparently she's turning senile."

"A senile woman don't go there by herself," Oscar pointed out.

"No, she was brought in by a young woman with a striking resemblance," the old copper filled in. "A grandchild perhaps?"

"Intriguing, I wonder how everything is connected." Oscar mused. "Looks like we have a mystery on our hands, Sherlock."

OOOOOO

He felt a chilly hand on his forehead and stirred slightly, looking into the eyes of his wife.

Kate smiled softly at him from where she sat on his bedside. He noted that she was fully dressed and appeared to be heading off somewhere. He saw the sun climbing outside the window behind her and reached for the watch on the nightstand.

"I got up early," she explained, the smile still creasing her lips. "You feel a bit hot, are you all right, love?"

He nodded faintly and licked his dry lips. "I'm just a bit tired that's all," he admitted.

"You seemed fine yesterday evening when I'd finally managed the baby clinic," Kate said mischievously. "Maybe you should stay in bed today, take it easy," she suggested. "After all, you've been quite sick."

"It's just some flu," Nick reasoned, mildly annoyed at not having gotten rid of it.

Kate leaned in to give him a kiss on the cheek and then reached out yet again to touch his forehead, her eyes displaying concern. "I won't be long," she assured him as she turned to go downstairs.

Nick followed her with his eyes until she disappeared out of sight. He let out a groan and cleared his throat. He felt drained as he slowly got up into a sitting position and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. His head was hurting in a way that he couldn't remember as he placed his elbows on his knees and let his head come to rest in his hands. 'Wasn't it bad enough that Blaketon was breathing down his neck due to Kate's temporary practice in the police house', he thought glumly.

With some effort he finally got out of bed and walked over to the drawer and put on some plain civilian clothes. He began walking down the stair to get some breakfast while Kate was away on her house calls. Rumors had it an Inspector from Whitby was on his way to Ashfordly next week and he couldn't help but to wonder what that was all about. Blaketon appeared to be more tense than usual.

OOOOOO

Jo sat vigil next to her husband's hospital bed. The only thing that had changed was the daylight outside the window. She'd left his side a few times to get some sleep, some food and at one occasion, to get some information. Maggie had been to check on her several times, they'd cried together, laughed together but in the end Jo was alone. She stared at her husband's pale face, the unnatural stillness. She suddenly missed Kate's aunt, Eileen terribly; her warm persona and her invaluable help with Katie.

OOOOOO

Nick walked through the door of the police house with a mildly annoyed look on his face. Kate looked up from where she was standing next to the counter, finishing up some home cooked meal. She frowned at him as he hung his helmet on the hook with a deep sigh and shrugged out of his coat.

He cast a glance at her. "I'm telling you Kate, that Inspector Crossley is trouble," Nick said unhappily.

Kate couldn't help but smile at his mildly put out look and walked up to him, to sneak her arms around his middle, as he began to unstrap the buckle of his uniform jacket. "He was such a charming man when he came here yesterday," she let on mischievously.

Nick made a face. "Of course he was, you blonde, good looking woman with a medical degree," he replied with a smirk and put his arms around her middle.

"If you're trying to charm me, it's working", Kate spoke up softly, returning the smirk. "Feel free to add something more."

"You have to find another place for your practice," he said.

She sighed as she looked up at him. "It's not that easy Nick. I mean it's not like I haven't been trying," Kate protested.

"I know, love, we'll have to think of something," he replied and broke eye contact to look out through the window behind his wife. "What about that small, old veterinarian place near the bus stop and post?" he suggested.

Kate let go of him and turned to get back to the counter and fetch the tea. "Like you said; it's small," she said.

"Too small?" Nick asked innocently. "Why don't we have a look?" he suggested.

"Sounds to me like you've planned something behind my back," Kate returned, narrowing her eyes to study him suspiciously.

OOOOOO

There was knock on the doorframe and Jo looked up to see as Maggie quietly walked through. The nurse put on a bright smile, obviously fighting to be strong for both of them.

"Jo," Maggie said softly as she walked over to stand behind her, putting her hands on her shoulders. "Come on now, you need to go home and get some rest."

"Why?" she whispered, her eyes staring intently at Nick but her words were directed at Maggie. "Why hasn't he awakened?"

Maggie squeezed her shoulders gently but said nothing. There was nothing she could possibly say to that, she had no answers, it was entirely up to Nick.

"Let's go, Jo," she said sadly. "I'll take you back home."

"The last thing I said to him was; You could at least spend as much time at home with me as you do back at your office," she began and turned to look at Maggie. "Now I wish he was behind his desk, at least then I would know he was all right."

Maggie gently pushed her forward and she slowly rose from the visiting chair, letting go of Nick's hand. "Maggie, I didn't tell him I love him. I never got the chance to…" she trailed off and reached up with her hand to wipe away a tear from her cheek.

"He knows," Maggie said soothingly. The nurse looked at the police officer for a moment and swallowed, feeling the tears stinging in her eyes too. "He knows, Jo. I'm certain he does. Come on now let's get you home. Then you'll be rested tomorrow, besides Katie is no doubt wondering where you got too," she reasoned.

"Katie," Jo mumbled. "She's already lost her mother."

"You better stop that negative train of thought, Jo," Maggie cautioned. "She needs you, maybe more than she needs anyone else at the moment. You're her rock when Nick is…away."

OOOOOO

To be continued

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