"I did, DI Hardy intervened so I left it at that."
"Yes then you interrogated the recruit concerned, in a class not intended to demonstrate how to interrogate a suspect, it was meant to be booking procedures."
"I was about to book him, believe me. I don't take threats so lightly, he got what he deserved, humiliated in front of the other recruits, everyone knows now he goes around sexually harassing female recruits and that's far more effective than breaking his arm, an arm heals, his ego will take a lot longer."
The superintendent knew Rose had a point but couldn't afford to be seen agreeing with her.
"Well I'll let the matter settle for now, DI Hardy is leaving anyway, his last class is this afternoon, you'll find it more difficult to disrupt the other tutors Miss Tyler, they've had far more experience than he's had."
"I hope he's not leaving because of me, he's a good tutor, at least he has a hands-on approach to tutoring."
"So do the others if you give them a chance, make sure there are no more disruptions, understood?"
"Loud and clear and no disrespect ma'am but you really should look my records up, I don't like going around bragging who I am, I prefer to blend in."
Rose walked out of the superintendent's office and since there were still ten minutes before Alec would be free walked around the corner to the ladies room but the recruit and two of those that were with him the other day saw her and followed her and as she walked in, the main one nodded to his cronies and followed her through the door, silently telling the other two to stop anyone going in by saying a female friend was in there throwing up.
Rose heard the door squeak open after her and as she approached a cubicle door, caught a glimpse of a man in the mirror.
"Hey mate, you're in the wrong place, oh sorry, it's you, maybe you are in the right place, the little girl's room."
"Very funny Tyler, you should have taken notice of my request to join us for a drink the other day."
"Why? You're not even old enough to drink and I wasn't going to break the law by encouraging you and your little friends."
The young man moved towards her and Rose was almost by the back wall, going in a cubicle her only means of escape. Rose knew full well why the little creep had followed her and probably had his mates outside watching out and Alec didn't know where she was. She felt in her pocket for her phone, knowing if she lit up the screen she would have to take the lock off and try pressing the shortcut for Alec's number but she had to at least try and do it or seriously have to consider injuring her would-be attacker.
"I don't know what you're little game is Brennan, half the female recruits will be heading this way in five minutes so you're wasting your time."
"I've got look-outs that will tell them someone's in here throwing up, they'll go to the other block so Tyler, don't bother trying to scream for help, it won't work."
"Creep, get out of here while you still can or I may have to get rough with you."
"Really Tyler, is that the best you can do?" Brennan scoffed, getting closer.
He got nearer to her and Rose knew she didn't have the time to get in the cubicle and lock the door and it was a shame the doors didn't open outwards or she could have slammed the door in his face and made a run for it but Alec would be coming out of the lecture room in less than a minute and would be looking in the canteen for her and hopefully see two male recruits acting suspiciously outside the ladies rest room.
"You've nowhere to go Tyler, just give in to the inevitable," Brennan said, putting his hand on her shoulder and leaning towards her ear then whispering, "I'm gonna take my time over you."
"I don't think so you creep now back off before I have to hurt you, didn't you get humiliated enough the other morning?"
"Think you're clever then do you? You won't be so clever when I've done with you, you bitch, throwing yourself at that loser of a tutor, he's old enough to be your father."
"What would you know, you're barely out of diapers, you think you're man enough to take me forcibly? Go on then, let's have a laugh and see what you've got."
He pushed her up against the wall, the final cubicle had a larger door that was halfway opened and Rose edged her foot to catch the bottom of it and got her shoe under it, waiting for the right moment to make it move and hopefully hit Brennan's arm. Meanwhile, the bell had gone and several female students were heading for the ladies room to see two men outside.
"My girlfriend's in there throwing up, you might want to use the other lot, it won't be pretty in there," one of them offered with a grin, wondering how his mate was faring with the Tyler woman and hoping he could go next since his girlfriend wouldn't let him get past a bit of touching below the waistline and he was the only one out of the three of them who still hadn't scored in that department and he felt left out.
The girls went off past Alec's open door and complaining whoever was throwing up in the ladies rest room should get to clean it up. Alec came out and saw two of the recruits whom he'd noticed had skipped class and decided to find out why they were standing outside the women's rest room.
"You lot, what are you doing there, why were you not in class?"
"Sorry Sir, my girlfriend wasn't feeling well, she's been in there twenty minutes already."
"So it takes two of you and you've not checked on her? Where's your friend, the one who was harassing Miss Tyler?"
"Don't know Sir."
Inside, Rose was balancing the bottom of the door with her foot as he reached for the top button on Rose's white blouse, she could feel his breath on her neck as he looked down, his other hand trying to pin her arms to the wall but she got one free and grabbed his wrist.
"Hands off, that's reserved for my boyfriend and believe me, you wouldn't want to tangle with him."
"Shut up Tyler, you're hardly in a position to argue with me, I'm stronger than you."
"Yeah, wanna bet on that?"
She twisted his wrist until he called out and at the same time, Rose brought her foot back and let go, the door catching his leg making him move it. Outside, Alec was beginning to suspect that these two were lying since he'd caught them with the other one and Rose was missing when he'd glanced into the canteen and she would have been sitting where he could see her.
"Out of my way or you'll know about it."
He stared at them and they decided it wasn't worth crossing Hardy since he might have them expelled or fail them both in his classes. Alec pushed the first door open then the second and saw Rose pinned against the wall then let the door slam into whom he assumed was the same cadet from the other morning, the name having escaped him for the moment.
"What's going on here? Tyler, I might have known it was you and you, what's your name, what are you doing in here?"
Brennan had let go and was rubbing his leg. "Office, now, both of you. Miss Tyler, was he trying to get you to submit to him?"
"Yeah, thanks for the rescue but I was doing quite well on my own."
"Yes Tyler, I could see that now out, both of you and Brennan, the next time you get someone to keep watch for you, pick someone who's believable."
Rose fastened her blouse button and Brennan limped towards the door. The superintendent had seen the two recruits back away and Hardy go through the door and was waiting outside.
"So what do we have here then? Brennan, did you not learn your lesson the other day? What were you doing in there?"
Rose spoke up. "Trying to attack me, what do you think he was doing in the ladies room?"
"I'm asking Brennan Miss Tyler. Well explain yourself."
"His two friends were keeping guard and preventing the female cadets from entering, I went over and moved them out of the way then saw Miss Tyler was pinned up against the wall and her blouse buttons undone, it was obvious what he was trying to do in there."
"Thank you DI Hardy, since Brennan here seems to have lost his voice."
"Well he had plenty to say in there," Rose interrupted.
"All of you, my office - now."
Once inside, Rose noticed Alec didn't look too good but she was certain he'd taken his pills before they had set off.
"Brennan, I'm surprised at you, we don't tolerate this sort of behaviour towards female students, I heard what happened the other day and Miss Tyler questioning you in front of the other cadets, I thought you would have learned your lesson. Well, what have you got to say for yourself? You must have skipped class to be in there."
"I had a free lesson."
"Yeah and you used it to wait for me you moron, I told you I've got a boyfriend, can't you get it into your thick head?" Rose wanted to know.
"Then why were you flirting with DI Hardy?"
"He's got nothing to do with this and who I flirt with is none of your business."
"Miss Tyler, let me conduct this interview if you will? Brennan, you are suspended for two weeks for sexual harassment of a female cadet, effective immediately. Now get out of here."
Alec got up, still not looking too good for Rose's liking. "Not so fast Brennan, apologise to Miss Tyler first."
"Why, she was asking for it, she's not even wearing a proper uniform, what does she expect?"
Alec crossed over and grabbed Brennan by his collar, Rose getting worried he would bring on another attack and he'd had no further ones since Saturday night thankfully.
"You apologise now or don't bother coming back here, I'll make your life a misery."
"DI Hardy, let him go."
"Not until he apologises to her." Alec had to let go, he was feeling that tight knotting in his chest and he knew he'd set himself up for another attack, Rose was looking at him. He staggered back towards the chair, clutching his chest with one hand and making a fist with the other. Rose dived into his pocket and brought out his pills.
"Quick, someone get him some water. Alec, look at me, here, take these."
Surprisingly, it was Brennan who dashed out of the office to the water cooler and was back a few seconds later, handing the plastic cup to Rose, who held it to Alec's lips as he swallowed one pill then the other.
"Sorry," Brennan offered weakly.
Rose turned on him. "You almost killed him and you're sorry? Well it doesn't cut it, get out of here or I'll do more than break your stupid arm you moron. Alec, come on, are you ok?"
Alec had relaxed his arms, just still making a fist with his left hand, the other coming away from his chest. He was fortunate the pills were fast reacting, he'd considered getting some injections for faster reaction but it was a case of carrying them around in his pocket and being questioned about them. Maybe he would have, had he not been going for his surgery in a few hours.
The superintendent was observing Rose looking after Alec and she noticed. "Ok, guess the game's up then? So throw me out, if you can though the chief constable will having something to say about it."
"Well since DI Hardy is already leaving, I won't take any further action. Are you feeling better now?" the superintendent asked Alec, who was holding Rose's hand as she crouched beside him.
"Yes, I'll be fine, thanks to Rose."
"Come on Alec we're out of here, forget your afternoon class, I'm taking you to the hospital early, we can wait there, they can admit you early since I'm paying for it and you Brennan, you're not off the hook when I tell my stepfather what you tried to do in the ladies room, he's a good friend of the chief constable's so your two week suspension may be permanent."
"Leave it Rose, no matter, let me get a drink then you can take me to the hospital, I can't eat anything anyway."
"Fine but he's not getting away with it, I'm still telling Pete and if my mother gets to know, well we won't even go there. I've got a phone call to make. Ma'am, I won't be attending my afternoon classes as you've probably already guessed."
"So I gathered. There's no need to call the chief, I'm suspending Brennan for the rest of the term, he'll have to re-apply to get back in, is that satisfactory?"
"It'll have to do I suppose, I'd still rather break his arm."
Brennan was itching to get out, who was she?
"Don't recognise me do you Brennan?" an amused Rose asked him, getting up and putting her arm around Alec to help him up. "Tyler, as in Vitex Tyler?"
Brennan wished the ground would swallow him and made a fast retreat. Holding on to Alec, they said their farewells and they crossed over to the canteen, Rose sitting him down and went to get a tray to get drinks and a sandwich for herself, Alec had been told not to have anything at least an hour before he was due in but Rose was taking him straight there now after what had just happened.
"Feeling better Alec?"
He managed a weak smile, some colour coming back into his cheeks already. Rose thought he was going to argue he could still take his class but he'd thought better of it when he looked at her, knowing he would never win that argument with her. Rose looked across at him and smiled.
"I'm just gonna call Pete, see if he's arranged a surgeon for you."
"Are you going to tell him what just happened?"
"About that moron or you having another attack?"
Alec smiled back and leaned forward, taking her hand. "Both sweetheart. Are you ok?"
"Me? Just fine, he wouldn't have got any further, I'd just slammed his leg with the cubicle door, you spoilt the rest of my fun, I was going to knee him where it would hurt."
"Sorry I spoiled it for you then, I should have known you could take care of yourself."
Rose got through to Pete and asked about the surgery.
"Don't worry Rose, Alec will have the best of care, I already told you that. Their top surgeon is already on standby for Alec's arrival at four."
"Yeah, well he had another episode so I'm taking him there early, we'll wait if we have to, I'm not risking it. There was a bit of trouble in the college and he lost his temper."
"Why, what happened, is he ok?"
"Yeah, we're in the college canteen, one of the recruits was trying his luck with me and Alec caught him."
"I hope you sorted whoever it was out? Did it get reported?"
"Yeah, the idiot's been suspended. Did you ask about Alec's reinstatement in Broadchurch?"
"Just tell him to go back Rose, his job will be waiting for him, he's back on full pay from Monday but try to get him to take some time off, there's no rush is there? Take him off for a few days before you let him go back eh? When are you bringing him to meet your mother? She's looking forward to slapping his face if he doesn't treat you right."
"Very funny Dad, tell her I'll call her when Alec gets out of the hospital later on hopefully, I don't fancy their chances of keeping him in. I'm gonna check into the nearest hotel if he does have to stay in or if he's not recommended to travel."
"Well he has all weekend to recover, try and get away, I'll make sure they keep your place if you stay away from the college any longer."
"Yeah, about that, do I really have to finish there? I was hoping you could set me up with an office in Broadchurch?"
"We'll talk about this later shall we, get him through this first eh? Don't worry about the expenses Rose, it's already been taken care of."
"Thanks Pete, we'll see you all soon."
They drove off to the hospital, it seemed Pete had contacted them already and Alec was shown to a private room and told to get changed. A nurse came in to check on him and take his vitals and said the surgeon would be in shortly to speak to him. Rose sat on the side of Alec's bed, leaning into him.
"Promise you'll be here when I wake up Rose."
"You know I will Alec. Tess and Daisy will be here soon, I've left word at the desk to send Daisy in here, I take it you don't want your ex to be here?"
"Not really though I should say goodbye to her, if I don't come back."
"Quit that now Alec, you are coming back. I don't care what that first consultant told you, you got brainwashed all this time into thinking you weren't gonna survive and now you've been told you've got every chance. I'm gonna have Pete investigate that other consultant, putting those ideas into your head that you delayed it until it's almost too late to do anything."
"Leave it Rose, promise me?"
"No Alec, I can't let it go, you could have had your surgery a long time ago but you put it off, for nothing. You could have been healthy again all this time and you waited instead."
"Yes Rose but had I not, I would not have gone to Broadchurch and found out who killed Danny Latimer and I would never have been assigned to the college so I would never have met you. Rose, you are the one good thing that has come out of all this. I love you."
"I love you too Alec but if you don't make it, I'll make sure that consultant never puts anyone else off like that, making them believe they won't make it and leaving it too late. Give me a name Alec."
The surgeon came in, just two hours before they were taking Alec down to the operating room. Alec filled in all the necessary forms citing Rose as his next of kin and they were left on their own. Tess had sent a text to say she and Daisy would be there at three thirty and Rose asked him if he wanted anyone else to be informed of the outcome besides the CS in Broadchurch.
"There's just Miller, the DS I worked with. Pass my phone, I should send her a text."
Rose was appalled with him and told him so. "Alec, you can't send her a message, call her and tell her. You worked with her for two months, you have to let her know."
"Really Rose, we were not that close, I put her husband away."
"Alec, if you hadn't been in charge, she would have put her own husband away. Call her or I will."
Alec knew she would as well so he retrieved Ellie Miller's number and hoped she wasn't in the middle of a high-speed traffic incident.
"Hardy, what do you want?" was all Ellie asked as she answered during taking a break.
She had been hassled all morning and her young son had been throwing a tantrum with his new child-minder.
"Nice to hear from you too Miller. I'm over in Exeter, just so you know, I'm at the hospital."
"Are you visiting someone? What do you expect me to do about it? Wait, don't tell me you're in again? What did you do to yourself this time Hardy?"
"I get my pacemaker fitted in less than two hours, I was advised to let you know in case I don't make it."
"What? How long have you been planning that for you idiot?"
"It was rushed through, I got priority for coming forward and giving them the go-ahead."
"Well where are you? In the cardiology unit or something?"
"Or something, don't bother Miller, my daughter and my ex are coming and I'm with someone."
"Someone? As in a girlfriend someone? Oh that I've just got to see, who'd put up with you? Did you take up with Becca Fisher after all?"
"No, I took up with Rose Tyler."
"Stop messing about Hardy, as if I'd believe that one, so who is she?"
"Not you as well? I had enough of that with my ex wife, until the two of them met. Hold on, you can talk to her."
"Very funny I'm sure Hardy. Well I'm coming over now if you like it or not, even if it's only to prove you are a complete ass. If the surgery doesn't kill you, I'll bring seeded grapes this time to finish the job."
"I'm not staying in once it's over so don't gloat, stay away Miller, I don't want you here."
"Well tough, I'm coming even if it's to prove you're a liar."
"If you must but get ready to eat your words Miller."
"You get ready to admit you're such a liar Hardy."
"We'll see Miller, won't we, when you get here, I'll be sure to send you an invite to the wedding."
Rose stared at him, was he being serious or just winding up his old DS? If he survived the surgery, she was going to have to find out but she didn't have to wait that long as he put his phone down and pulled her closer.