Ok?
Kate glared at the Defence Council knowing that they would ask for bail. She had no idea whether Justice Lloyd would grant it but she knew that they had to oppose the request. The man had a long history of violence- he'd confessed to the murder of his own son and was now also charged with the murder of his girlfriend Alice a few years earlier. She turned to see Jake staring directly ahead. He was in total control; his focus solely on getting the job done. She smiled slightly, it was one of the things she loved about him. The ability to put his own concerns aside and focus on the job in hand. People thought him cold but she knew different.
"Your Honour." The Defending council commenced as the middle aged woman stared at her. "There is no reason to withhold bail. My client has nowhere else to run to and is not going to jump bail."
"The Crown objects." Jake stated firmly. "The Defendant has confessed to the murder of his own son. There is an outstanding murder charge and we know that he is a violent man."
The Judge nodded.
"I agree. Bail denied." The Judge looked over to where the tattooed, scrawny man in a suit that was clearly too large for him stood. "Take him down."
Kate let out a sigh of relief. The worst bit was over. Now they had to get justice for Alice and Liam. She was determined not to let them down.
Xxxxxx
Ronnie fed coins into the battered coffee machine outside the ward. He knew Natalie was in good hands and he knew they had made the right choice to keep the kids away until after the surgery. She hadn't wanted her boys or Ronnie's girls to see her scared. She had barely wanted him there. He pressed the button on the machine as he waited for the too hot liquid to hit the plastic cup. He could barely retrieve the cup when the machine bleeped, his hands shook so much.
"Ron."
He turned to see Matt watching him. Smiling slightly he had guessed if any of the family were going to ignore Natalie's ban on visitors then Matt Devlin would be the one to do it.
"Son."
"Kate called. Bail denied. Trial date to be set on Monday. Spencer's defence weren't happy."
"No? Shame." Ronnie ran a hand over his face. "You came down ere to tell me that? Ever 'eard of this little device? Called a mobile phone."
"Funny." Matt fell into step beside him. "I came to see if you're ok."
"Me?" Ronnie sighed. "It ain't me that's got cancer and it ain't me in surgery now."
"True." Matt stared him in the eye. A nurse passed them as Ronnie looked away. "But it's you that is blaming himself as usual and it's you that loves her. I just know what a mess I was when Alesha was hurt."
"Yeah." Ronnie sat down in a plastic chair near the end of the corridor. "I'm ok."
"You are a terrible liar." Matt smiled, sitting next to him. Ronnie shook his head.
"Then you'll know I am telling the truth. I am terrified. More than I ever av been. Remember when we were going after that nutter my Chloe was with? When Nat got stabbed?"
"Yeah." Matt remembered it well.
"I thought she was gonna die in me arms. Only I hadn't told er ad I? Ow I felt about her all those years. You weren't supposed to bloody ere it either."
"She's tough."
"Yeah then she goes missing. I av a bloody eart attack. We nearly lose you more than once, me girls mum gets killed and everything that append with Wes. It makes you think someone up there." He pointed at the ceiling. "Is trying to split us up."
"Ron. You're an atheist."
"Humanist." Ronnie corrected. "You've been to church; before you came ere."
"Yeah. Lit a candle." He shrugged. "Don't look like that. Once a Catholic."
"If it helps, son, you do it." Ronnie glared at the hospital coffee that tasted as bad as it looked.
"How long will the Guv be in theatre?" Matt asked as Ronnie looked up. The older man shrugged.
"About two or three hours, including time in Recovery. Off work for at least six weeks. Longer if me and the Docs get our way. Dunno if she needs chemo or radiotherapy until the scan after the op. We know it's spread to her womb, that's why she's having the whole op not just ovaries out but." He paused. "But if it's spread to her bones or her liver." His eyes clouded with tears as Matt rested a hand on his arm.
"Cmon. This is Natalie we are talking about. She'll do what has to be done, yeah? Now cmon. There has to be a hospital cafe or something around here. You need a decent drink if you're going to wait for her. And just to prove to you I'm not skiving I'll tell you all about court this morning and Angie finding the link between Alice's murder and Spencer." Matt stood up. Ronnie shook his head.
"When did you get to be the wise one?"
"Dunno." Matt smiled. "Must have been a couple of good influences around me." He ushered Ronnie in the direction of the canteen; knowing that whatever happened he'd keep his promise to look after Ronnie and the others.
Xxxx.