In his office at Ashfordly later that day Oscar Blaketon put the phone down and took a deep breath. What he had been told came as no surprise to him - he had years of dealing with Lord Ashfordly and his ilk after all - but he knew it wasn't going to go down well with Nick Rowan - and definitely not with this Joanna Weston. And that made Blaketon think a bit as well. It seemed to him young Rowan had taken a bit of a shine to this Joanna. No bad thing, thought Blaketon, the lad had to start living a bit again. As long as he didn't let that cloud his judgement.
The Sergeant brought his attention back to the matter in hand and took a deep breath. May as well get it over with. He got up and went out to the duty room. It would seem to be a hive of industry at the moment but Blaketon thought as he often did that that was probably a bit of an illusion and it would be a different story when his back was turned.
He fixed his eye on Nick Rowan in the corner. "Rowan," he said.
Nick looked up. "Sarge?"
Alf and Phil sat back in their chairs to listen in.
"I've just been speaking to the Sergeant who covers the patch for Cotesmore. I rang him, he rang me back. No doubt after speaking to someone else."
Nick got a feeling of where this was going.
"The upshot is, that without some evidence Maxwell Cartwright is behind all this, there's no way they'll touch him. Not even on a where were you last night sir basis."
"So he just gets away with it?" Nick was incredulous.
"Now come on Rowan, you know how it works."
"I know if it were anyone else we were dealing with, we'd be round there now dealing with it Sarge! But because of who he is he's untouchable!"
"I never said that Rowan and neither did the Sergeant for the area!" Blaketon snapped. "As your hearing is obviously a problem at the moment, I'll repeat myself - we need evidence!" He sighed. "Look this might all be dealt with a bit unofficially anyway."
"Sarge?" asked Phil looking puzzled.
"Oh come on," Alf said lazily. "You know how it works. This'll be fed upwards to the local Chief Constable, who'll probably have a casual word with Lord whats-his-name over drinks, who'll then have a word with his son and heir and rein him in."
"Which is fine," Nick said, "if he's prepared to listen"
Blaketon looked at him consideringly. "You have of course taken into account the possibility that someone else might be responsible for this?" he asked Nick.
"Of course I have Sarge. But I saw how Cartwright behaved that day remember and he's a pretty nasty piece of work."
"There is one other possiblity of course," murmured Phil.
"Well don't hold back on us," Blaketon said scathingly.
Phil sighed knowing this was not going to go down well in some quarters. "Is it possible that Joanna Weston is making some of this up?" he said. "Even maybe going as far as vandalising her own car?"
"Wouldn't be the first time we've come across it," Alf observed. "You mean doing it for a bit of attention like?"
Phil nodded.
But Nick shook his head. "No, I don't believe that for a second," he said.
Alf, Blaketon and Phil glanced at each other.
"What!" Nick said indignantly.
"Come on Nick, its obvious you've took a bit of a shine to her!" Phil replied.
Blaketon looked closely at Nick. "Don't get too involved in this lad," he said. "In fact, I'm wondering if you should go on dealing with this investigation."
Nick said, "Have we even got an investigation Sarge? Given we're not even allowed to follow up any leads!"
"Now steady on!" Blaketon rebuked him. "All right stay on the bloody case then - but you need to find me some evidence Rowan. Find some evidence and believe me whoever's responsible they'll be dealt with. Just- well, keep an open mind lad. That's all I'm saying."
Nick muttered, "Sorry Sarge" He paused. "Do I tell Joanna - we're not touching Cartwright - not yet anyway."
"You tell her we need some hard evidence to put him at the scene. Without that -" Blaketon shrugged. "And I'll be watching you Rowan. If I've any doubts about how you're dealing with this or I think you're getting too involved you're off the case!"
Nick was in a pretty fed up state of mind when he set off home to Aidensfield later on that day. He hadn't got in touch with Jo yet. He had nothing to say to her really other than without something concrete to go on there was little they can do. She had after all worked that much out for herself. Nick felt he was letting her down somehow. Also he knew the other lads had worked out he felt somehow drawn to Jo and that was making Nick feel conflicted in himself too. He was reluctant to admit he did feel drawn to her but how could he ever think about anyone that way again? Not after Kate. After what had happened.
As he got back to the Police House he saw Maggie Bolton's Land Rover outside. Wondering what was up now Nick went into the house. Maggie and Eileen were sat in the living room with tea.
"Oh hallo Nick," Eileen said, "I told Maggie you were due in otherwise we were going to phone Ashfordly."
"What's up?" Nick asked Maggie sharply as he picked Katie up from the floor where she was playing and pulled her onto his knee. "Hallo you," he said to the toddler
"I'm worried about Jo, Nick," Maggie said bluntly. "She said she would stay with me whilst her phone line was mended, but she's insisted on going up to the cottage, now, to fetch some things she wanted. I was going to go with her but then, typically, I got a call out. Jo said not to worry, she'd be fine on her own. Anyway I went on the visit and came back by Jo's cottage. Her car was outside and I went to the door and knocked and knocked and there was no reply. The door was locked and the curtains pulled across downstairs." Maggie took a breath. "So I went home thinking Jo might be there, but no sign." She looked at Nick. "Maybe I'm over reacting but I don't think I am. I'm worried Nick."
"Right. So you saw her last at -"
"3pm, then I had this call out which took me to 5pm as I followed up on one or two other patients nearby, so it was about 5.20 when I got to the cottage. And then I came here - I've been here about ten minutes.
Eileen stepped forward and took Katie off Nick as he got up. "I'm sure everything will be fine Maggie," he said gently, "but I'll go up there myself and try and find out what's going on."
When Jo had gone up to Brock Cottage she had felt anxious about going up there alone. She wished she had waited for Maggie to go with her but Jo felt she needed to confront her fears and try and go on with her life as much as possible.
The cottage seemed quiet and she sighed as she stepped into the pretty living room. She and her parents had worked so hard to make a home here. And she had been so pleased and happy to move on and create a life for herself. Yet someone was desperate to try and destroy that for her.
She went upstairs and began to throw a few things she would want into a bag. She was actually upstairs a bit longer than she had intended to be. She came back downstairs and cried out in shock, dropping the bag she was carrying.
Sitting on the sofa was Maxwell. He had a shotgun between his knees.
"My God Maxwell, what the - how dare you just walk in here! Get the hell out!" Jo snapped, absolutely furious.
"Oh no, I'm going nowhere. You and me have things to sort out." He looked at her through narrowed eyes. "All the warnings you've had and you've taken no notice have you?"
"Warnings - so it was you - vandalising my car, chasing me out of my own home!"
"Well, your pa's house but no matter." Max shrugged. "And then I had the total indignity of my father lecturing me because his pal the local police bigwig has brought it to his attention someone has had the nerve to tell the local Constabulary I've not been behaving very well. You bitch!" He got up as he spoke and Jo shrank back from him as he loomed over her. "You've made a fool of me in front of everyone! You really think I was going to let you get away with that!"
Jo's eyes flitted past him to the open door (there was only one door in and out of the cottage). She saw one chance and tried to run past Maxwell but he grabbed her instantly and hit her, hard. She fell and landed half dazed on the floor. Breathing heavily Maxwell stepped over her and slammed and locked the door, all the while with his rifle in his hand. He pulled the curtains over the windows and did the same in the kitchen. When he came back Jo was making for the stairs. Maxwell brought the rifle up to his shoulder. "Carry on," he said, "and I'll shoot you. Might do that anyway."
Jo slid helplessly onto the floor huddling against the stairs. "Please," she began then stopped as they heard a vehicle outside. Of course this was Maggie Bolton.
"Quiet! One word from you and I'll shoot you both!"
Jo lay helplessly as Maggie tried the door, banged on it, shouted, to no avail. As Maggie drove away Jo began to weep silently convinced now there was no way Maxwell was going to let her leave the cottage alive. He had completely and utterly "lost it."