Life?
Gene had come to the conclusion that as much as he thought the medics were amazing, he hated hospitals. He had felt his gut twist as he had found Alex laying on the floor. He had seen plenty of dead bodies in his time in the force but he had never imagined one of them could be the woman he loved. He slumped down in the plastic hospital chair as he waited for news. He knew it was only by luck that the Paramedics had allowed him to travel in the ambulance with him.
"Drink this." He heard Sam as he felt rather than saw a plastic coffee cup pushed towards him.
"Our Molly says these things are ruining the planet. Global warming." He took the cup.
"Just this once, don't tell her." Sam watched as Gene's eyebrow shot up.
"She's too like er mam. No way of hiding anything in my house."
Sam smiled, he knew the fifteen year old girl was more than able to handle her parents. She had been through so much at such a young age referring to the girl as a child seemed disingenuous. "She's a good kid."
"Aye." Gene nodded, wincing as the scalding liquid hit his throat. "What do I tell er, Sam? Her and the little uns. Max is too young but Ruby? She knows Mam is missing and she knows things aint right."
"The truth."
"Which is?"
"We found Alex and she is in hospital. Until we know more that is the truth." Sam set his own drink on the floor. "That's all you can tell anyone. Annie has gone to collect her and Ruby from school. Max is with Phyllis and our Danny."
Gene sighed. "She looked dead."
"But she isn't."
"Wasn't when we got ere. No bugger telling me anything though." Gene grumbled. Sam shrugged. He knew how frustrating waiting could be.
"It means they are still trying to help her. If there was something to tell the doctor would be here. You know that."
Gene nodded once. He knew the image of Alex on the stone floor would haunt his nightmares for years to come.
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Ray glared at the man opposite him. He knew Arthur Layton was dead. He had been the cause of so much misery in CID that Ray didn't even like to think of him. Now Lewis Layton was in front of him. It seemed surreal. Years earlier he, along with Sam had been the ones to arrest Layton for shooting Alex now he had arrested the younger brother for almost killing her, among other things.
"Benefit of the tape." Shaz stated as the tape and video recorder began to work. "DS Ray Carling and DC Sharon Skelton present. The interviewee is Lewis Layton who has so far declined legal representation." She sat next to Ray as the man sat opposite folded his arms and remained impassive.
"So," Ray began. "Shall we start at the beginning? What were you doing abducting anyone, let alone a serving police officer."
"No comment."
"That's original." Shaz yawned.
"Ok," Ray nodded. "How about, why her? What did you think you would achieve?"
"No comment."
"You, are starting to get right on me wick, you are." Ray snapped as Shaz glared at the other man.
"You're Arthur Layton's kid brother. I can guess why you targeted her. Finishing what he started. Only you couldn't do it. Could you? You couldn't finish what your brother started." Shaz leant forward. "We know you were the one responsible for all this. We know you believe DCI Hunt and DI Hunt are responsible for your brother going to prison and subsequently dying. But they're not. E did that. Not them." Lewis looked at the formica table top. "But you knew that. You just wanted to have someone suffer. To take the blame."
"So you kidnap, torture and half kill a woman. Yeah, big man you are." Ray snapped. "If I were you I'd consider having a lawyer. There's no way you are walking out of this police station today - apart from in a van to the cells."
"No. Comment."
"Waste of time." Shaz narrowed her eyes. "She's alive. You know that? You didn't win." She pushed her chair back from the desk as Ray concluded the interview. Glancing at his friend he hoped she was right. After everything that had happened over the previous weeks he knew there was no way his friend would cope if Alex had died. In that moment he prayed she was ok, knowing the effect that it would have on his oldest friend if she wasn't.
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A/N if you are reading, please review