"Then tell me Rose," he urged her. "What is it eh? If you have come all this way, arriving early then it must be urgent. Have I rushed you in any way? Were you not ready to come down and stay with me?" he needed to know.
"What? No Alec, it's nothing you've said and I decided to come down early," Rose sounded surprised.
"Then why have Jake wait for you, if you intended just coming to see me to tell me something?" Alec wanted to know, trying to move around. "Just tell me."
"Okay," Rose agreed, leaning back. "Can ya tell Jake to go get some food? I couldn't eat on the way down," she smiled.
Alec had noticed she'd left her food where they had met but got up and went over to Jake, who was trying to sing to something Rose liked on the radio and tapping his fingers on the steering wheel.
"Something wrong?" Jake asked him as Alec approached.
"Rose ask if you could get her something to eat. Bring it in when you return, she may be ready to leave anyway," Alec replied.
Jake turned the radio off. Had Rose backed off? He hoped not.
"Yeah, we passed some food stalls on the way in. I'll take my time shall I?" Jake grinned as he started the car. "I know what ya thinking Alec but trust me, she wouldn't have come all this way for nothing."
With that, Jake set off up the roadway, wondering why Alec looked puzzled. What had made the detective think Rose wasn't staying? If he knew Rose though, she would be stalling. Alec got back inside, finding Rose making tea, the kettle switched on.
"Leave that eh?" Alec suggested. "Don't put off what you have to say, please Rose. I have been wondering all morning if you were going to get here or turn around and go back home," he smiled nervously.
"Yeah, sorry. I really am nervous Alec, there's no easy way for me to tell ya. I did sign the divorce papers by the way."
"I never said otherwise Rose," Alec reminded her. "So why are you so nervous?"
"When ya came to see me, when I asked ya to help me find Jamie, why did ya agree?" Rose wanted to know.
"Need you ask?" Alec questioned her. "You must know I care about you Rose?"
They went to sit down again, Alec hoping Jake really would take his time.
"I know Alec and I care about you," Rose replied, taking his hand. "I know something gave that night Alec, I told ya I'd been tryin' to get Jamie to change his mind about startin' a family."
Alec knew what she'd told him meant and Jamie would have been trapped.
"You are trying to tell me he never would have changed his mind?" Alec asked, not remembering if he'd asked her before.
"I don't think he would've," Rose admitted. "Anyway, I'd stopped taking precautions, just in case and then he'd have no excuses but I know now that, well, something had been stopping him."
"He could not get over his jealousy, of me?" Alec concluded. "I think we both knew that Rose. So, you were not taking anything the night we were together?"
"No. Are ya mad at me Alec, for not saying?" Rose dared ask him.
Alec got up suddenly and paced the caravan, Rose thinking the worse. Then he suddenly held his hand out to her, a smile on his face.
"Mad at you?" he asked, as Rose got up. "Rose, did you think I had not known you were not taking anything? Of course I knew but I did not know at the time that Jamie held back on purpose. I thought it was due to him not wanting a family but there was another reason. Am I right?"
"What do ya mean Alec?" Rose asked him. "Ya think he always backed off because he thought I wanted to be with you instead of him?"
"Well partly," Alec replied, brushing her hair from her face. "There could have been another reason."
"Like he was happy enough with having Tony around?" Rose wondered.
"Well maybe but that was not it Rose. Did you ever consider that he could not have any of his own?"
Rose stumbled back, Alec catching her and sitting her down.
"I am sorry Rose but did you never consider that?" Alec was concerned at her reaction.
"I didn't want to Alec," Rose admitted. "So when he saw ya at the wedding and how much ya looked like him, he thought I'd run off with ya?"
"Well something like that," Alec replied. "He maybe thought he could hold off for a while and you would not notice and made excuses every time you brought up the subject."
"Well, I'll never know, will I? I mean I could have Jake find out for me, if anything came up on his Torchwood medical records, they didn't have to tell me if he'd told them not to. Alec, I might never have found out if he hadn't got jealous over you."
"You said he got jealous with other men," he reminded her, watching for Jake returning.
"Yeah but it suddenly stopped, I think dad must've warned him," Rose replied. "Why didn't he talk to me about it, he could have got some help. I don't know Alec, maybe we're wrong?"
Alec could see she didn't want to face the facts.
"So, what do you have to tell me Rose? Did something happen that night? I would have come up to see you, you know?" he smiled, forgetting about going back to work.
He knew he'd gone over his usual lunch break and Miller would be calling him soon. He'd have to think of some excuse or she would get suspicious and think she'd been right about him having his girlfriend coming to see him. That would please Miller no end, that she was right all along but what he was about to discover, that she wouldn't want to know about.
What had happened during Tom's interview was not adding up, the way the boy kept looking at his father. Ellie had taken the chance to join her family in the café just outside the police station.
"What?" Ellie was asking her husband and looking at Tom. "You threatened the vicar?"
"I've already asked him that," Joe told her. "What was Hardy implying?"
"He was in too much of a hurry to tell me," Ellie admitted. "I think his girlfriend's come to join him."
"I thought you said he was divorced?" Joe replied. "You should have insisted he came to dinner that time."
"We're not talking about that," Ellie reminded him, seeing Tom wriggling in his seat. "Why were you smashing up your laptop Tom? Do you know how much those things cost? Well do you? Where is it now?"
"Ask your boss," Joe replied for the boy. "You wasted your time looking for it, Hardy has it. He said Paul gave it to him. Why did you threaten him Tom?"
"I didn't want you to find out," Tom admitted.
"Well, what was on it then?" Ellie wanted to know as she took Fred out of his stroller. "Oh look, there's Hardy," she then grinned as Rose, Alec and Jake were emerging from the catering area. "I knew she'd be blonde."
Joe shook his head. If she was more interested in her boss's love life than her own son smashing his laptop up, she maybe wouldn't start asking himself any awkward questions. Had Hardy been trying to get to him through Tom?
Now, Ellie was back in the office, wondering where her boss was. He was taking liberties extending his lunch hour but what could she say? Of course he was going to take his time.
Jake had got back, knocking on the caravan door before entering. Rose had just told Alec why she was there early.
"Rose, why did you not think I would be pleased?" Alec asked her after he'd hugged her carefully and they had kissed.
"You are then?" Rose wanted to make sure. "I've been so nervous about springing it on ya," she admitted. "It's such a relief. I mean, I never expected anything to happen. So, what now?"
"Stay with me Rose? I will have this case over with very soon and I could do with your help. Only if you want?"
"Yeah, anything Alec," Rose agreed as they heard a tap on the door.
"Are ya gonna eat this now?" Jake grinned as he entered with a chicken salad sandwich in a carton. "Everything okay?"
"Yes Jake, everything is fine now," Alec smiled at Rose as he got up. "Stay a while, I should get back to work before my DS starts calling me."
Jake agreed and picked up Rose's cases after asking where she wanted them. He tried to ignore the two of them as Rose stood up and kissed Alec goodbye.
"Don't be late back, will ya?" Rose smiled at him, going to straighten his tie.
"No love, I promise I will not work late. DS Miller will be pleased to get home early but I expect something to develop in the case very shortly."
"Can ya talk about it?" Rose wanted to know. "I mean if ya want my help?"
"I will tell you when I get back but an interview I did this morning has significantly increased my sense of who was responsible for that boy's death."
"I hope ya right Alec," Rose told him.
Ellie was sat in front of her computer, her head in her hands as Alec walked into the office.
"Sir, I need to talk to you," she spoke up as he passed her.
She followed him and sat herself down.
"Is my Tom a suspect? I mean do you think he had anything to do with Danny's death?"
Alec closed the door then sat behind the desk.
"He knows more than he is saying Miller," Alec replied. "Your husband stopped the interview, said he wanted to get a solicitor."
"He never said that to me," Ellie told him. "Why would he say that?"
Alec thought if she didn't know the reason, his suspicions were confirmed. Joe Miller knew how to dispose of things, he was married to a detective. If he was right, he would need Rose's help very soon. Rose was a trained Torchwood agent and even if she hadn't suddenly become his girlfriend, he would have needed her help.
"You tell me Miller," Alec replied. "Tom is hiding something, do you want to see the contents of his laptop?"
Ellie shook her head.
"Tom wouldn't do anything to hurt Danny," Ellie refused to believe what had been suggested.
Alec raised his eyebrows. Now was the time to admit who his girlfriend was. He knew his DS would be in denial at who he thought was responsible. It wasn't Tom but the way Joe had reacted? He had to be right.
"Miller, have you heard of Torchwood?"
"Of course I have, they've supposed to have become better under the new regime, no-one would ever have forgiven the old one after they unleashed those menaces," Ellie replied. "What have they got to do with anything? You're not thinking of calling them in? Are you serious – Sir?"
"You know I was at Rose Tyler's wedding, with my daughter?"
"I remember you saying. She's gone quiet again, thank goodness. All that fuss picking bridesmaids, couldn't she have just got relatives?" Ellie wanted to know.
"My daughter was the head bridesmaid, we got to stay the weekend and she made friends with Rose Tyler. What I have to say does not leave this office, understand?"
Ellie nodded her agreement.
"Well? You mean to say she's your new girlfriend?" Ellie laughed. "You are joking? She's married. Seriously? There's been no gossip in the papers."
He knew she'd never have believed him.
"Keep this to yourself Miller, you cannot even tell your husband. It is being kept quiet to protect her from all the gossip. Her husband left her, the reason is not up for discussion but I went to see her the other weekend," Alec admitted.
Ellie remembered him sneaking off for the weekend, she should have known he'd been up to no good.
"So because you were at her wedding, she called you and you went?" Ellie asked him.
"Her husband did not just leave her Miller, she called me the other day, he left her for good and she received divorce papers. That is why it is being kept quiet. She wanted me to help her find him. We had talked at her wedding and I think her husband had got jealous because we look alike," Alec admitted.
"Joe said something about that but laughed it off," Ellie told him. "Why would her husband leave just like that?"
"Think about it Miller. It was shortly after Danny was found on the beach and I was back in the news again," Alec reminded her.
"Oh gosh, yes!" Ellie exclaimed, then covered her mouth. "Sorry Sir but that brought it all back up again?"
"Yes Miller, it did. He was missing, no trace of him then out of the blue, the divorce papers arrived. Rose took her stepfather's advice and signed them and he promised it would all be hushed up."
"Well, being head of a top organisation has its advantages," Ellie grinned. "That explains a few things then? So when you went to see her?"
"What do you think Miller?" Alec raised his eyebrows.
Ellie shifted in her seat, not believing what she thought he was trying to say.
"You didn't?" she then grinned even wider. "Who would have thought it? So that's why she's here? Her divorce is going through then?"
"She would not be here otherwise Miller," Alec replied, getting tired of all her questions. "Tell no-one she's in town, especially your nephew. If it's leaked, I know where to look."
He hoped his DS would heed his warning. Someone would be bound to spot Rose when she was out and about but if she kept low-key, she might get away with it and blend in with the few tourists who were still around despite the beach only just reopening.
Alec thought it was time to change the subject.
"Get anyone back in who does not have an alibi for that night, in particularly Susan Wright and Nigel Carter. I don't think either of them are telling the entire truth, they are both hiding something."
Ellie went off to arrange for the two of them to come in the following day, then called her husband to say she'd be home early that night, since Hardy seemed in a good mood.
"That'll make a change then," Joe told her. "Does that mean an early night?"
"If you're lucky," Ellie laughed.
At Alec's caravan, Jake was getting ready to leave.
"You'll be okay without the car?" Jake was making sure.
"I'll be fine Jake, honestly," Rose insisted. "Thanks for bringing me."
"I was making sure ya got here," Jake laughed. "Not that I don't trust ya."
They hugged goodbye and Rose went to unpack, hoping she'd not brought too much with her, they could always go back the weekend after this. She had to tell Alec that Tony was asking for him to visit. Alec told Ellie to go home just after five and put his jacket on to leave himself. Ellie was waiting for him outside.
"You don't really think Tom had anything to do with Danny's death, do you?"
"He knows something Miller, I'm sure of it. Talk to him when you get home," Alec replied. pressing the lift button.
Ellie got home and after tea, she knocked on Tom's bedroom door.
"Have you got more to tell me Tom?" he was asked.
"Dad said not to say anything else," Tom replied.
"This me Tom," Ellie reminded him. "Why can't you talk to me?"
"Dad said you'll tell DI Hardy," Tom replied reluctantly. "My laptop had messages on it from Danny, I didn't want to you worry about it."
Ellie told him not to worry about it and went to find her husband. What had Joe been thinking of, she wondered. As she got downstairs, Joe was putting his jacket on.
"Where are you going?" Ellie wanted to know.
"Nigel called, asked if I wanted to go for a drink with him," Joe laughed, holding his phone out. "I've not been out for ages Ell, you know that. Not with your boss keeping you working all hours anyway."
"Well what do you expect when we're in the middle of a murder investigation?" Ellie replied.
"Well you're not the only one on the case," Joe complained. "See you later?"
Ellie let him go, wondering what all that was about. She thought nothing more of it as she put the TV on but just after nine, her phone rang and it was the station.
"DS Miller, we've just had a call to say someone's seen a light on at the hut on the cliff top. You wanted to know if anything went on up there," the desk sergeant told her.
"Well I can't go, have you called Hardy?" Ellie wanted to know.
"Not yet Ma'am," the sergeant admitted. "Shall I send uniformed officers up there?"
"Yes but tell them no sirens and turn the car headlights off as well," Ellie replied. "I'll call Hardy myself and I'll have to call my nephew to come and babysit."
She called Olly first, who said he'd be right over, then she called Alec.
"What?" Alec answered her call, making Rose smile.
He glanced at her with her feet up on the coffee table and holding a cushion to her stomach. He'd had his hand under the cushion, trying to make out any signs the baby was moving, Rose's hand over his.
"You're gonna do this every night now, aren't ya?" Rose had laughed a while earlier.
"You can bet on that love," Alec had smiled at the thought. "I wish you had told me when you first found out."
"So do I now, I'm sorry Alec but I had so much to think about," Rose had admitted.
"Never mind love, you are here now and I promise I will take good care of you and don't even think about going to any appointments without me."
He had leaned over, being careful and kissed her. Rose had regretted not telling him earlier but what if Jamie had come back instead of sending divorce papers? Jamie would have known the baby wasn't his and would have known it was Alec's, that she had either been to see him or Alec had been to see her and there would have been a terrible argument.
She now knew the baby could never have been Jamie's, Alec had convinced her of that. They could have talked about it, there were medical answers to their problem but Jamie's problem was more deeply rooted than that. Why had he wanted to get married then, she had wondered. Now she was listening to Alec.
"Miller, there had better be a good reason why you are calling."
Ellie quickly explained what she'd been told.
"I'm just waiting for Olly to come and babysit Sir," Ellie told him. "Are you going up there yourself Sir?"
Alec looked at Rose, who was smiling at him.
"Alec, if ya have to go, then go," she told him.
"I am on my way and have officers waiting at the bottom of the cliff, I don't want whoever is in the hut getting away, understand?" he ordered her. "Tell the officers if they catch whoever it is, keep them there until I arrive."
"You go Alec, I'll be fine," Rose assured him.
Ellie was on her way as soon as Olly arrived. It never occurred to her that Joe being out and someone up at the hut were connected. Joe had got into the family car and driven up to the hut after he'd panicked and made an excuse up to go out. He could always get Nigel to say they were together at the pub.
When he got there, he went over the whole place again to make sure he hadn't missed anything, Hardy was surely already onto him after asking Tom all those questions earlier. He was about to leave via the back door when he heard cars approaching and ducked down, then made his way to the front. He had left the car further up the narrow lane, just in case and he wished it was in the car park now.
Was Ellie with them, he wondered as he dared to peek out of the window from behind the curtains. She would have called Olly if she'd been told someone was in the hut but he hoped she'd never put two and two together.