"What?" the teenager asked him. "I was joking about who was staying with you, I never actually thought you were living with someone, with a baby?"
"Shush Daisy, the whole town will hear."
Daisy sat down again, her food going cold. She picked at the remaining chips, having lost her appetite and tried to come to terms with it.
"So who is she then?"
"I told you, her name is Rose and she knows I'm bringing you back with me. I met her last week when her car had broken down up on the main road. I offered her a place to stay while it got repaired and it just happened. She's a lot younger than me."
"Well she would be, if she has a baby. I hope she's not my age?"
"No, of course not. She's almost twenty seven, next month and yes, it is a big gap but we don't look at it like that. Her baby's father is about my age and you may as well know, I look a bit like him, apparently. The baby seems to think so, he always comes to me. Here, I'll show you a photo of him that Rose took earlier."
He got his phone out and pushed the button on the back, since when he tapped the screen, it didn't always come on. The lock screen showed the photo of Jack, trying to bite the duck he'd bought for him.
"Aw, he's cute but dad, you only met them a few days ago. Mum knew Dave for years and yes, I know all about it and why you left. I don't blame you now, mum was to blame for everything but she turned me against you."
He put the phone away and took her hand.
"It's ok, it happened and the most important thing is, I got myself fixed and we can start seeing each other again, if you want?"
"Yeah, I'll meet her then. We might as well go, I hate cold burgers."
"Rose will fix something later. Now, about you getting back tonight? Did you get a return coach ticket?"
The teenager looked guilty.
"Never mind, I will take you up to the bus station tomorrow and get you one, it's a long way to drive there and back tonight, you can stay in Jack's room, the bed is still up. I will call your mum, she will have to make up an excuse why you are not in school."
"She can ask for a study day, I take my exams soon."
"You thought about it before coming here?" he smiled as she got up to bin the rest of her food and he finished his tea.
"I doubted you'd actually take me back tonight but I thought I'd chance it. So where do you live then?"
He led the way across the river, turning at the wall by the side of it and down the street to the row of cottages. Rose had tidied up and had put Jack in the rocking baby seat and he was babbling away to her as she held the duck and waved it at him.
"You've got a new daddy now baby, what do ya think about that then?" she asked him as he let out a laugh when she bumped his nose gently with the soft toy.
"You still have to see your real one though, you're such a lucky little boy, your grandad would have just loved you but you'll never know him so instead, you deserve to have two dads. You're gonna meet someone else now, she might be your big sister some day, maybe, if things go well."
She heard the key in the door and Jack looked up from his toy and started kicking his legs and holding onto his duck.
"Rose, meet Daisy," Alec called from the doorway, letting Daisy in first.
Rose got Jack from the chair and held him in her arm, Jack hearing Alec's voice and dying to get to him.
"Hi Daisy, nice to meet you. This is Jack."
"Hi. Hello Jack, nice to meet you. Dad says you live here?"
"Now Daisy, one thing at a time eh?"
Jack was reaching out for Alec to take him, which he did, kissing the boy's forehead.
"Now then Jack, meet Daisy, say hello. Do you want to hold him?"
"Will he come to me?"
"Sure, won't you Jack?"
He held the boy out to her, Jack looking at him as she held out her arms to take him, Rose indicating for her to sit on the sofa.
"Can I get you something Daisy?" Rose asked her as she tickled Jack, making him laugh.
He seemed quite happy with her so Alec sat beside her then Jack decided he wanted to go to him.
"Don't worry Daisy, he does that all the time even when he's with me. It's only 'cos he's missed him while he's been at work."
"Aye, you do, don't you eh Jack? Just like your mum misses me."
"Dad, don't be so soppy," Daisy told him, as Jack went to Alec.
"You'll have to get used to us Daisy, how much did he tell you?" Rose asked, sitting in the chair.
"Just your car broke down and he let you stay but you're his girlfriend, aren't you?"
"Yeah, we're not hiding it. Jack's dad is out of the picture, he sees Jack once a month and that's it and the only reason I keep to that is because I never knew my dad, he died when I was six months old, the same age as Jack."
Alec looked at her as Jack put his tiny fingers on his beard.
"You never told me love, why not?"
"There are lots of things we've not told each other, I would have done. I didn't want the same to happen to him that's all."
"That's very commendable of you but it upsets you."
"Yeah, a bit but it's not about me, is it? Sorry Daisy, I know you and your dad haven't been seeing each other."
"Yeah but he's still here, just. It's not the same is it? He was still around, my mum told lies and kept me away from him. I suppose she was trying to protect me but I'm old enough to know the truth now. I wanted us to make up."
"We will love, Rose and Jack won't make any difference to that. You will always be welcome here, won't she Rose?"
"That goes without saying Alec, of course you're welcome Daisy. Are you staying tonight?"
"Dad, am I staying? If I am you can call mum."
"Right. Come on Jack, go back to your chair eh or are you going to your mum?"
Jack went for his nose as Alec went to tickle him, making the boy laugh.
"He seems very happy," Daisy observed.
"Aye, he is, aren't you Jack?"
He put the boy in the chair and reached for his phone, Daisy picking up the toy duck.
"Did you get him this Dad?"
"Yeah, it's his favourite toy now," Rose told her. "He won't let it out of his sight. Did you see the photo I sent your dad?"
"Yeah, it's on his lock screen. I taught him how to change photos, didn't I Dad?"
"Aye, you did," he replied, putting on his glasses to get Tess's number, since now he had no need to vain in front of anyone.
"Tess," he said as she answered.
"Alec, I hope Daisy is with you?"
"Aye, she's here but a warning would have been nice, you could have called."
"You mean you're not glad to see her? Interrupting something was she?"
"Stop it Tess. It's a long drive up there and back, she's staying overnight, I'll get her to the coach tomorrow. Did you know she never got a return ticket?"
"She's your daughter Alec, what do you expect? So what do I tell her school?"
"That she's taking a study day?"
"I suppose they might believe it, she's allowed a few. So how have you been then? Let me talk to her."
Alec was passing the phone, hoping Jack wouldn't start making a noise but as he handed it to Daisy, Jack decided he'd try something else new.
"Is that a baby I hear? Alec?"
"Yes, it's a baby. I have someone staying with me."
"Really Alec, what's wrong with you? First you hide Claire Ripley, then you get accused of that affair and now you have someone with a baby staying with you. Another witness?"
"No, her car broke down."
Tess laughed. "That's the oldest excuse in the book Alec, can't you do better than that?"
"I can give you the name of the garage, you can ask them what the delay has been."
Rose was wondering why he just didn't admit she was staying but supposed he'd want to tell her gradually. Daisy had arrived unexpectedly so it had been unavoidable but his ex wife was a different matter.
"Yes, very amusing Alec. Just make sure Daisy gets back tomorrow, preferably before her friends get out of school, I'm not going to explain her absence to them when they call for her. Shame you never spent time with your own daughter."
Alec wasn't even going to answer that, it would erupt into another massive argument which he wasn't inclined to start in front of Rose and the baby and he'd just established some sort of relationship with Daisy again. Jack was kicking his legs as Daisy held the duck in front of him.
"Does he play with anything else?" she asked, looking at the playpen full of toys yet he seemed attached to the soft toy.
"It's the first thing your dad got for him, don't ask me how he knows, maybe it's because they were out together and he handed it to him, right Alec?"
"Aye, I was thinking the same thing," he admitted, at a loss of how this was going to work, Daisy staying overnight with them and the routine they were establishing of him going to check on Jack but since she would be in his room, she would have to accept responsibility for the night and call if he woke up.
"Well I'll go tidy his bedroom, good thing we haven't taken the bed down yet, we were looking for a changing unit. I found a few, I can call about some, yeah?"
"Yes, do that love but maybe we can replace the bed with a folding one, then Daisy can stay whenever she wants?"
"I hate those folding beds Dad, my friend has one when I sleep over. Can't you get a sofa bed?"
"Yeah, that's a good idea Alec then when Jack wakes up, we can sit in there with him, it will save disturbing each other."
"Rose, I told you, I don't mind being disturbed and I go most of the time anyway, it will be a case of me not disturbing you."
"Wow, you two are really into this," Daisy observed.
"We are just at the beginnings of establishing a routine for Jack, I think that's important while he is still young, don't you Rose?"
"Yeah, we didn't really have one before, it was difficult at my mum's and I was all over the place before that."
"So who's his dad then?" Daisy asked, getting a frown from Alec.
"Daisy, don't ask personal questions," he chastised her.
"It's ok Alec, she'd old enough to know. I had a relationship with a history professor when we travelled together, I was his assistant and before we got home, well let's just say nature took over but it didn't work out. I left him when Jack was three months old and went back to my mum's. What a mistake that was. So I packed up and was on my way to Exeter to make a fresh start but your dad rescued me when my car broke down. He wasn't just saying that for your mum's benefit."
"Yeah, he's like that, putting other people first," Daisy replied, sadly.
"That's not fair Daisy, I'm sure things were just as difficult for him as they were for you, he must have hated having to spend time on that case and not be with you. Alec?"
"Don't go into it Rose, please. I regret everything Daisy, had I known how it was going to turn out, I would have made more of an effort but you have to understand, it was never a choice between you and finding those girls' killers. Cases like that consume you without you realising and when you do, then it is too late to do anything about it."
Daisy took his hand. "Sorry Dad, I need to be grown-up about it. I think Jack is falling asleep."
"Yeah, he gets excited when your dad gets home then wears himself out bouncing up and down. You can feed him when he wakes up in a couple of hours, if you want?" Rose asked.
"Yeah, I'd like that. What does he eat?"
"Baby food and some milk, I'll show you what to do. Why don't you two go for a walk, you must want to talk? Jack will be asleep for a while yet and I have to go check the laundry. Can you call at the store and get a few things Alec?"
"Sure love, give me a list, I know you're fussy," he smiled, looking at the now sleeping baby clutching his toy.
He had a feeling the boy would now never let it go, even if he bought him other toys, it would remain his favourite.
"So, what do you call my dad in front of Jack? Is it 'Uncle Alec'?" Daisy smiled.
"Well that's up for debate, we were discussing it. He's already known to his DS's boys as that but, well you tell her Alec."
"I don't know how you will take this Daisy but well, Rose and I were discussing her referring to me as his dad, for now. We don't know how his real one will react so it will just be at home. To everyone else, we will just say we don't mention it."
"Oh," the teenager managed, a bit surprised they'd got to that stage after only a few days. "Well I won't be around that much but when I'm here and he gets a bit older, it will seem odd to him if I call you dad and he calls you uncle but what about when he sees his real one?"
"We don't know yet, like I said to Rose, we have to establish some things but we think he can already tell the difference, he keeps going for my beard, his real dad didn't have one so he is trying to tell us something."
"To get a shave?" Daisy laughed.
Rose smiled. "She's got a point, maybe he is trying to tell you his dad didn't have a beard but he never reacted with James the way he does to you. He seems to listen to you and he never wanted to go to James as soon as he walked through the door. It's only been since we've been seeing him once a month that Jack has actually gone to him without a fuss."
"Didn't he go to his dad much, when you were together?" Daisy asked.
Rose shook her head. "James admitted he was a bit lost with it all, that's why I left. It was no good for Jack, growing up like that. I never had that, when I was growing up, it would have got to the hate stage if I'd stayed, now we're at least friends again."
Alec got up, seeing it was upsetting her to talk about it.
"Come on Daisy, get your jacket and we'll go for a walk and get the things Rose wants from the store, write that list Rose."
Rose got up and went to the kitchen drawer for the notepad Alec kept there. While Daisy excused herself to the bathroom, Alec put his arms around Rose, her head on his shoulder.
"Sorry about this, I had no idea she would just turn up today. I can take her home if you want?"
"No, it's fine, we knew she'd come and visit at some point, best to get it over with. She seems ok with us but won't she tell her mum when she gets home?"
"I'll talk to her but teenagers are no good at secrets. I'll call Tess before Daisy leaves and I will take the morning off, then we will go to the bus station up in the town with her and get her a ticket. Tess will have to meet her when she gets off the coach. Don't worry love, what can Tess do about it eh?"
"Tell Daisy to stay away?"
"She will be sixteen soon, old enough to make her own mind up, eh Daisy?" he asked as she came down the stairs, seeing the two of them.
Rose made the list, it was after five so Alec said on the way back, he would call at the takeaway and get them all fish and chips to save Rose from having to cook. Alec led his daughter across the road onto the east pier, which for some reasons had little flags hung across and they could see his old blue chalet by the edge of the river.
"Mum told me she took you back there after your surgery," Daisy smiled as they sat on a bench.
"Aye, I spent a few months in there. Good thing it was not available when I came back, Rose would never have agreed to stay there, with it being too near the water. She's very nervous with Jack, she can't walk downstairs with him."
"Really? Why's that?"
"She says she lived in two apartments, she never had to really but she's unsure about a lot of things and I think I can help her get over them, she had a tough time."
"I didn't, when you left?"
"Daisy, you had your mother, Rose had no-one. Her mother didn't have time for the baby, she ran a hairdressing business from home, Rose had to stay in one room out of the way."
Daisy realised how lucky she'd been then. They talked some more, then walked across to the mini-market opposite the takeaway, Alec getting Rose a box of chocolates to say 'sorry' for Daisy just turning up but as they came out of the takeaway, Alec trying to balance three boxes of food while Daisy took the bag of shopping, Olly had been out and about and saw them walking across the road bridge and wondered who was with the detective now, when he'd just admitted he was living with the blonde and the baby.
Olly had finished his story, his editor had approved it and he'd inserted the photo Alec had sent him and it had all been sent to print – with the headline 'Has Alec Hardy finally settled here?'.
Rose had been feeding Jack, since he'd woken up and she thought he'd make a fuss because he liked Alec to feed him in the evenings but he took it non the less but as Alec and Daisy came back, he decided to stop and wait for Alec to give him his milk, not delaying Alec from eating though, making Daisy laugh as he and Rose sat on the sofa, Alec holding the bottle while eating, since Jack wanted out of the chair.
"You make that look easy Dad," Daisy told him. "When are you going to start feeding him chips?"
Rose had tidied Jack's room for Daisy so while Alec was keeping the boy amused, Rose led her upstairs.
"It's not much and if Jack wakes up, knock on our door, we won't put the baby monitor on. You won't mind if we put is light-up mobile on, will you? Your dad found him awake last night, just watching it."
"No, it's fine. Rose, I'm sorry I just turned up like that, I had no idea my dad had got a girlfriend, I mean I knew it might happen some day but it was a bit of a shock."
"I bet it was. When I set off for Exeter, I had no idea where I was going to end up but I like it here, I can take Jack to the beach and walks around the harbour, it will be great during the summer and yesterday morning we took him down to the next beach and into the sea, he loved it."
Daisy smiled, remembering their outings when she was small.
"I wish we'd been nearer the coast, Jack's very lucky."
"I was lucky it was your dad that stopped to help. Loads of cars passed me but no-one stopped, I expect it's because they thought I'd call the police if they did. I got a bit of shock when I saw him walk to my car, he pulled up behind me. Mind you, I was lucky to get to that lay-by before the steam started coming out of the radiator."
"So did he offer to just bring you into the town?"
"No, Jack was getting a bit upset, he wanted feeding properly so he brought us straight here and told me we could stay the night but things soon changed, don't ask me how."
"Sounds like my dad."
"Well I was in no hurry to leave, he persuaded me that I'd be better off here than Exeter and at first he said I could stay as long as I wanted and that in return, I just looked after the cottage for him. I thought it was fair enough but we got talking after I settled Jack for the night, I won't go into details. Are you ok with this?"
"I can live with it. My mum said he got accused of having an affair with his DS, it reminded me of when mum left him for that loser Dave. I know it was all her now and she made me blame him."
"Maybe you'd better tell him that?"
"I will. Are you staying?"
"Yeah, I think I am, we're gonna make a go of it, Jack's father didn't want the job."