This is for jsco81 and AuthorW. I indulged in looking through some old reviews and I realised that you have reviewed nearly every single chapter of everything I have ever written. So, thank you very much! And thank you to everyone who reads and reviews my stories and sorry if I have never named you or dedicated a chapter to you. It doesn't make you less special, I promise! But everyone's support means so much to me and I hope you are continuing to enjoy the stories. And unless someone vile wins Ultimate Big Brother on Friday, you will get a bonus update! Lots of love, IJKS xxx
Chapter One Hundred and Twenty
"Ready?" Xavier asked.
Ruby took a deep breath and nodded before pushing open the door of the police station. She stopped so suddenly that Xavier bumped into her. Looking up, he saw Charlie handing her badge and gun over to Watson who took it away.
"Thank you for going quietly," Robertson said pleasantly.
Morag looked furious and Joey looked tearful as Charlie reached out and clutched her girlfriend's hand. Ruby hurried forward. Xavier kept close behind her.
"What's going on?" Ruby demanded.
Robertson smiled at her.
"Ah, the littlest Buckton," he said. "Would you come this way for a chat, please?"
Ruby stared at him and then at Charlie whose expression was unreadable.
"No," she said. "Not until I know what's happening. Charlie?"
Ruby searched her mother's eyes but it was like she wasn't even there.
"Charlie's been suspended," Morag said finally, filling the silence.
"What? Why?" Ruby asked.
"Because it looks like she and her girlfriend murdered your father," Robertson explained, unfazed.
"He's not my father!" Ruby snapped.
Robertson folded his arms and looked thoughtful.
"It's interesting that the first thing you snapped at me was that Grant Bledcoe isn't your Dad and not that Charlie and Joey wouldn't kill anyone," he said.
"I..." Ruby faltered.
"It's okay, Rubes," Charlie said gently. "Go and talk to him. We'll wait for you."
She moved silently across the room and sank into a chair. Joey stayed close to her and Morag sat on the other side. Ruby watched them and reluctantly followed Robertson into the interview room. Watson moved back around the counter. She could barely look at Charlie. The Senior Constable had always been a woman she'd looked up to and admired. She was someone she liked and respected. It was awful to see her as a suspect in a murder. She was certain that she wasn't guilty. Attempting to get on with her work until Charlie and Joey were ready for her to escort them back home, Watson glanced at Angelo. He was unashamedly watching his ex-girlfriend, studying her and quite obviously wishing that he was the one holding her hand instead of Joey.
At the Diner, Irene observed Leah with curiosity. She seemed happier than usual, which for a generally cheerful person, was quite a feat. Waiting until Colleen was busy with a table, Irene approached the Greek restaurant owner.
"What has got you smiling so much, girlie?" she asked.
Leah blushed and continued to clean the coffee machine.
"Nothing," she lied.
"Is it the tall, dark, handsome stranger that came in today?" Irene wondered.
Leah blushed even more.
"He was pretty handsome, wasn't he?" she admitted.
Irene laughed and nodded.
"So..." she urged.
"He was very... flirtatious," Leah said. "I don't know. I'm probably reading too much into it and I don't even know him but... well, I haven't really been attracted to anyone since... well, since Roman. And look how that turned out!"
Irene put an arm around her.
"If you like him," she said, "then quite frankly, I'd just go for it."
Charlie and Joey stood up when Ruby exited the interview room. The teenager looked bemused to say the least and eagerly ran into Charlie's waiting arms. Xavier tried not to feel jealous that she had run right past him and tried to be happy that she was finally seeking some kind of closeness with her mother.
"What happened?" Charlie asked. "Are you okay?"
"He made me clap my hands like a seal," Ruby said.
Charlie looked as confused as her daughter did and glanced at Robertson.
"Can we go?" Joey asked the Detective impatiently.
"Absolutely," he said as if they were guests in his home instead of being accused of being murderers. "Except you. It's Xavier, isn't it?"
The blonde boy nodded anxiously.
"I just need you to confirm an alibi for me."
Morag offered to wait with him and phone Hugo while Watson led Charlie, Joey and Ruby out of the station. Angelo watched until they were well out of sight.
Leah packed up for the night, leaving Irene and Colleen to close up for the night. Stepping out into the fresh air, she headed for her car. VJ was at a sleepover and Leah wanted to cook something nice for Charlie, Joey and Ruby if they were up for it. These were difficult days to say the least and she wanted to make things easier rather than harder.
"Leah!"
She turned and smiled uncontrollably when she saw Robert Robertson standing before her.
"I was just coming in to get some dinner before I go to my hotel," he said. "It's a shame to have missed you."
"Well, maybe tomorrow," Leah suggested.
He nodded and smiled.
"I'm sure I'll be back in the morning for one of those delicious coffees," he said.
She smiled back, studying his face and admiring him.
"Or perhaps I could take you out somewhere sometime?" he suggested, suddenly a little shy but trying not to show it.
"Um..." she managed, surprised but happy. "Um... sure. I'd love to."
"How about tomorrow night? Seven o'clock?"
"That sounds good," Leah said.
"Where shall I pick you up from?"
"Um..."
She dug around in her handbag, found a pen and a scrap of paper and scribbled her address down. He thanked her, told her he was looking forward to tomorrow and then headed on into the Diner to get his food.
"I am so sorry about all of this," Watson said awkwardly on the doorstep.
She had Charlie and Joey's passports in her bag but felt guilty for being part of the team who was accusing them of murder.
"It's not your fault," Charlie said, forcing a smile.
Watson sighed and put her hands in her pockets. Morag had dropped Xavier home and was now making coffee. Ruby had hurried up to her room in order to sort herself out and be useful to Charlie and Joey instead of behaving like a mess.
"For the record," Watson said, "I know neither of you are guilty and I'll do everything I can to prove it."
"Thanks, Watson," Charlie said, smiling genuinely.
Watson nodded and then headed off back to the station. It had certainly been a long day.
Geoff left Annie to her homework and headed into his room. He paced the floor for several minutes. As usual he was unable to get Ruby out of his head. Was she okay? How were things at home with Charlie? How was she feeling about Grant's death? He missed her. While he was glad things seemed to be healing between her and her mother, he wished she was still around and living under Irene's roof. He felt jealous of Xavier getting to be close to her, to support her, hold her, kiss her, even make love to her. He knew they'd slept together once but he wondered if they were still doing it. Sighing, Geoff dropped to the floor and did some push ups in a desperate bid to distract himself and work out his frustration as he wondered what he ought to do with his surprising feelings for his friend.
Leah arrived home and found the atmosphere very subdued. She was also surprised to find Morag there.
"Don't worry," the older woman said. "I'm going to stay at Aden's. I'm just here to get things straight with Charlie and Joey."
Sighing loudly, Charlie slumped into a kitchen chair and buried her head in her hands. Joey put her arms around her and kissed the top of her head.
"I thought I'd make us all some dinner," Leah said. "But... I take it things haven't gone well today."
"Charlie and I have been named number one suspects in Grant's murder case," Joey explained.
She sat in the chair beside her girlfriend and held her hand.
"Shit, really?" Leah said.
Charlie nodded and clung to Joey.
"I've been suspended," she said.
Joey cuddled her as Morag filled her in on the details. Ruby arrived back downstairs, having showered and refreshed herself a little.
"That Detective is a jerk," she announced.
"Tell me about it," Joey complained.
Leah busied herself with cooking something quick but tasty for all of them.
"And what kind of dumb name is Robert Robertson anyway?" Charlie wondered.
Leah dropped a knife, suddenly connecting the dots. She'd known her date was investigating the murder case but she hadn't clicked until now that he was the person responsible for her friends' misery. Everyone looked up as it clattered to the floor.
"Did you say Robert Robertson?" she asked.
All four women nodded.
"He just asked me out on a date," Leah admitted.
Later that evening, Aden opened the door to Morag. She'd mention staying with him for a few nights when he'd seen her at the police station. He didn't mind. He was actually quite pleased to have the company. A big part of him felt like he was starting to move on now, although with that sense of healing came guilt, as if he were forgetting Belle. He loved her as much as he ever had and he missed her with all his heart. But he was starting to enjoy working on the trawler, getting to know Geoff and continuing to bond with Joey. Things were feeling better, although evenings in were still lonely. Having Morag around would fill his time with more companionship and for that he was grateful.
Alf remained in the lounge long after Miles, Kirsty, Ollie, Jai, Nicole and the newest addition to their household, Romeo, had gone to bed. He had seen and done a great many things during his time on earth, even in the sleepy little town of Summer Bay. But finding the dead body on the beach had blown his mind. Every time he closed his eyes, he could see him, bloody and lifeless on the sand. As far as Alf was concerned, a man capable of raping anyone, let alone an innocent teenager, was evil. But still, to die sad and alone, murdered and broken, that was a hard thing to remove from his mind.
Angelo's shift had long since been over but he was clocking overtime in a bid to try and reach the bottom of his mission. He felt like it was all taking too long and he was now afraid of getting embroiled in this murder case. That was the last thing he needed. He was relieved that Joey was in the frame but he hoped that Charlie would quickly be cleared. He could hardly bear the situation she was in and he wished so much that he could help her. But what could he do? Remaining by the docks, he stared out into the night and sipped his coffee. Sighing heavily, he knew he was wasting his time coming out here night after night. He had to change something. He had to work harder. He had to make a break in this case. Perhaps then he might either be able to move on or even win Charlie back.
Charlie and Joey closed their bedroom door behind them, exhausted from the day. Leah had apologised profusely for agreeing to go on a date with Robertson but they had pointed out that it wasn't her fault. How was she to have known who he was? She'd decided to cancel the date although they'd told her she didn't need to. Joey sank onto the bed and pulled her t-shirt off. She reached to undo her laces and watched Charlie begin to undress as well. The suspended police officer reached underneath her pillow for her pyjamas but stopped when she felt Joey snake her arms around her. She kissed her bare shoulder and rested against her.
"We'll get through this," she whispered. "No matter what. Me and you... we're in this together, okay?"
Charlie nodded, feeling comforted. She turned around in Joey's embrace and kissed her, melting their bodies together, whispering that she loved her. Still kissing, they fell back onto the bed in each other's arms.
Leah lay alone in bed, annoyed with herself for being taken in by the man who was accusing two of her best friends with murder. For all his charm, she definitely didn't like him anymore and was determined to tell him so in the morning. She felt more likely to throw his breakfast at him than handing it over politely. Rolling over, Leah groaned, wondering when she might manage to have a successful relationship.
In his bedroom, Xavier rested against the pillows and looked longingly at the photo of himself and Ruby that he always kept by his bed. He loved her so much he thought his heart might break. And while he felt like they had made progress today, right at the last minute, he felt let down. They'd parted company without even really saying goodbye. And he wanted to understand. He wanted to be the perfect boyfriend. But he worried that he would never been good enough for her.
Having hung up the phone to her husband, who seemed to be having fewer moments of clarity these days, Morag began to get ready for bed. She'd played things down with Ross, not wanting to worry him too much. He knew that Charlie had been suspended but hadn't mentioned that she and Joey might well be charged with murder. They would cross that bridge when they came to it.
"You're late."
Watson apologised to her mother and thanked her for keeping her dinner for her.
"Was it a hectic shift?" Mrs Watson asked.
Her daughter nodded, sat in a chair and tucked into the leftovers.
"You could say that," she said. "It was one crazy night. I just wish it was over."
Robertson felt more than a little pleased with himself as he flicked through channels on the television in his hotel room. On the walls, he had posted copies of photos as he tried to puzzle through everything he had uncovered so far in the investigation. Truth be told, he didn't think either Charlie or Joey had committed the murder. But he did believe that the perpetrator had been someone close to them. His hope was that if he put the pressure on, someone might confess. His suspicion had landed at least loosely on Angelo. He had killed before. He loved Charlie and he hated Joey. Making a mental note to look into his file in the morning, he wondered what he might find. He was still at a loss as to why Constable Rosetta was even working for the police. He must have struck some kind of illicit deal in order to escape jail and get back on the force. There was definitely something untoward going on there.
Ruby couldn't sleep. She considered calling Geoff. Even if he wasn't awake, she knew he would talk to her. Reaching for her phone, she knocked over a photo of her and Xavier. It clattered to the floor. Peering over the side of the bed, she saw a crack in the glass. Sighing, she rested back against the pillows and closed her eyes. She'd fix it in the morning.
Charlie closed her eyes as Joey gently thrust inside her, using her thumb to tease her mercilessly. Joey smiled and buried her lips against Charlie's neck as they tightened around each other's fingers. They kissed hard as they both reached climax. Tears leaked from Charlie's eyes as she wondered how the world could be so terrible and yet Joey could still always take her breath away and make her feel like everything would be alright in the end.
In the city, Amy Bledcoe lay in bed with both her kids. The children were missing their daddy and she was trying to figure out how she felt about losing her husband. Once upon a time, Amy had believed that Grant was the perfect man but now her life had been shaken to its foundations. And she couldn't even be angry with Grant anymore. He was dead. He'd been murdered on a beach, far away from the family that he loved. Nobody's life would ever be the same again.
