This is my last offering before I go on my holiday so I hope you enjoy it. I will be back next Sunday (evening) with Beyond Reason. But I can receive email while I'm away so if any of you lovely people would like to read and review while I'm gone, I won't object! Thank you for all the reviews I've got in the last few hours. They were wonderful to wake up to! And thank you to those who enjoyed the recent one-shot 'Regret' and for so willingly taking the new fic 'Standing in the Way of Control' on. I really hope you enjoy that one. It's been quite hard to write. So, with no further ado, I bid you adieu and hope you enjoy the chapter! Love, IJKS xxx
Chapter One Hundred and Twenty One
Charlie and Joey woke reluctantly from their slumber in the morning. Their bodies were intimately entangled in each other and Charlie appreciated Joey's comfort and warmth. She was painfully aware that she didn't have to go into work today and why. She was suspended. And she and Joey were both being faced with the prospect of being sent to jail for a murder that neither of them committed. It made her feel sick, more for Joey than for herself. Right now, she hardly cared what happened to her so long as her beautiful, perfect Joey was safe. But she wasn't. She was in just as much trouble. And Charlie felt like it was all her fault.
"Don't look so sad so early," Joey whispered.
Charlie looked down and lost herself in Joey's soulful eyes. She smiled sadly. Joey leaned up and kissed the tip of her nose. They held each other close and rested in comfortable but mournful silence.
Robertson breezed into the Diner, hopeful that Leah would be working. She was but his confidence struggled slightly when he realised that she didn't look very happy with him. Swallowing and keeping a smile on his face, the Detective approached her.
"And how are you on this fine morning?" he asked.
"I'm cancelling our date," Leah said firmly, her eyes betraying anger.
He frowned.
"Well, I can't say I'm not disappointed to hear that," he said. "Can I ask why?"
"Because you just suspended my friend and housemate from duty and you're accusing her and my other good friend of murder," Leah told him.
Robertson sighed.
"It's my job," he said reasonably.
"To accuse innocent people of murder?"
"To accuse suspects of murder," Robertson said, unfazed. "And while I'm sure we all wish that Charlie and Joey weren't responsible for Grant Bledcoe's death, the facts are pointing to that being the case."
Leah looked unimpressed.
"I'm very sorry that it's hindering our relationship," Robertson said. "But I do understand."
They looked at each other for several long moments.
"Could I have my usual cappuccino please?" the cop asked. "Extra chocolate sprinkles to cheer me up?"
Morag and Aden sat down to breakfast together. She wasn't sure that the young man she found herself living with was looking after himself properly. There was more beer and chocolate in the fridge than fruit or vegetables.
"What does your day look like today?" the matriarch asked.
Aden swallowed a bite of toast and sipped his coffee.
"Just working," he said. "Do you know if Joey will show?"
"I don't know," Morag said. "Things are pretty stressful for her at the moment."
Aden nodded and sighed.
"Is there anything I can do to help?"
"Just be supportive."
Ruby dragged herself to school when Xavier knocked for her. All she wanted to do was run away, or go back in time so that Grant never appeared in their lives. If only she had handled the news of her conception better, they might not all be in this mess now. If she'd have trusted that Charlie loved her and wanted to do the best for her, then she never would have gone looking for him. Then he wouldn't have been able to mess with her mind. And perhaps then he wouldn't be dead. She wasn't grieving for him. She wasn't upset that he'd been murdered. But she did care about Charlie and Joey. And she felt terrible that they were now in the frame for a murder they didn't commit. It made her feel sick and it made her feel guilty.
Angelo was already stuck into work when Robertson arrived. He was busy writing up reports for his night time activities of spying on people and desperately trying to get to the bottom of his mission. He watched the Detective stride across the station.
"What's with the bear?" Angelo asked.
Yesterday, Robertson had put a teddy bear in reception for no apparent reason other than he was very strange.
"Everyone should have home comforts," Robertson replied. "Do you have one?"
Angelo shook his head.
"Other than Charlie, of course."
"What is this obsession you have with me and Charlie?" Angelo asked, his eyes blazing.
"My obsession is with your obsession," Robertson replied simply.
"I'm not obsessed," Angelo said a little too defensively.
Robertson folded his arms across his chest, looking down on Angelo and regarding him with interest.
"Something just doesn't add up about you," he said.
"What do you mean?" Angelo asked cautiously, putting his pen down and sitting up straighter.
"Well, I skimmed your file and there are massive holes in it," Robertson said. "I mean, you should be in jail. You certainly shouldn't be on the police force still. I know you're here because you cut some kind of deal. And I know you killed a man. You'd better hope and pray that I don't decide you killed another one."
Angelo swallowed uncertainly, trying to look stern and make out that Robertson didn't bother him.
"And as for Charlie," Robertson said. "You are obsessed. I've only known you for a day and even I've figured that one out."
"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" Joey asked, as she put her keys and phone into her pocket, ready to head out to work.
Charlie was still in her pyjamas and looked more than a little sorry for herself. Still, she plastered a smile on her face and kissed her girlfriend goodbye.
"I'll be fine," Charlie promised. "See you when you get home."
Joey kissed her again.
"Call me if you need me okay," she made her promise as she sailed out of the door.
Charlie watched her go and then grinned when she popped back for one more kiss.
"So, what happened with Tall Dark and Handsome?" Irene wondered.
Leah sighed and continued to chop vegetables.
"He's the cop investigating Grant's murder," she explained unhappily. "As in the guy who just suspended Charlie and accused her and Joey of murder."
"Oh dear," Irene commented, patting her friend's back.
"So, this one's dead in the water before it's even started," Leah concluded.
Charlie was showered and dressed and just about to start drying her hair when her phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Good morning," Robertson said cheerfully. "How's my number one suspect today?"
"Innocent," Charlie replied without missing a beat.
Robertson chuckled. Charlie hated him.
"I'm doing a little field trip to the city to have a chat with your father today if you wanted to come along," the Detective said.
Charlie was immediately even more irritated.
"What the hell do you need to talk to my Dad for?" she demanded.
"I have to talk to everyone who may or may not be involved in this case," Robertson told her.
"Dad has nothing to do with anything," Charlie snapped. "He's got Alzheimer's and he's living in a care home!"
"I know," Robertson said. "I'm leaving in about an hour. Are you game? You can bring your lawyer too if you want."
With that, he hung up. Charlie stared at the phone, sighed heavily and resumed getting ready.
Joey concentrated on working and breathing in the fresh sea air. Geoff had asked a lot of questions, largely about Ruby and Aden had offered his support as best he could. He assured her that if there was anything she needed, he'd try and do it.
"It'll be okay, Jo," Aden said softly, stepping up beside her as she gazed out to sea.
"Will it?" she replied. "Neither Charlie nor I have an alibi. Nothing will change that. We could have killed Grant just as easily as the next person."
She glanced at him anxiously.
"We didn't though," she added.
He put his arm around her.
"I know," he said. "And the truth will out. You and Charlie are going to be fine. I swear."
Ross, Morag, Charlie and Robertson all sat together in the sunshine on Ross's little balcony. Charlie gripped the edge of her chair as Robertson questioned her father.
"So, let's cut to the chase," Robertson said. "Did you murder Grant Bledcoe?"
Charlie leapt to her feet, having finally had enough.
"Look at him!" she yelled. "Of course he didn't! He couldn't kill anyone!"
Robertson merely observed her with raised eyebrows. Morag silently willed her step-daughter to sit down and shut up. Instead, Charlie flounced off in a temper, tears threatening to spill over.
"She's an emotional type, hey?" Robertson said casually.
"She's under a lot of stress," Morag said through gritted teeth.
"It's hard trying to cover up a murder, isn't it?"
"Charlie didn't kill anyone," Ross said immediately.
Robertson nodded.
"What about Joey?" he asked. "Do you know much about her?"
"Joey's a lovely girl," Ross said. "She's made my daughter very happy. She's not capable of murder either."
Morag excused herself and went to find Charlie, hoping that Ross would be okay with Robertson.
"Where were you that night, Detective Buckton?" Robertson asked evenly.
"I was here," Ross said.
Morag caught the words and paused momentarily. Then she hurried on out to find Charlie.
Xavier tried not to feel too disappointed when Ruby said she wanted to head straight home and not hang out with him at the Surf Club. She apologised and he insisted that he understood, although it was at least partly a lie. He wanted to be there for her. He wanted to take care of her and make her happy. But it was hard when she didn't seem to want to let him.
Charlie sat in the corridor with Charlie and put her arms around her. It was strange to be tactile with her step-daughter. They had never exactly been close. But now it was necessary and Morag was determined to do whatever it took to get Charlie through the mess she had found herself in. Her heart broke for her and all that she had been through. She felt an overwhelming need to take care of her.
"How could he even suspect Dad?" Charlie sobbed.
"He doesn't," Morag said evenly.
Charlie looked up sharply, confused.
"What do you mean?"
"Robertson's suspects are you and Joey. Right now, he's scoping you out, testing your reactions, figuring out who you are," Morag said. "You have to stop playing into his hands like you did just then."
Joey arrived home a few minutes after Ruby did.
"Hey," the teenager said, pouring herself a glass of juice. "How are you doing?"
Joey shrugged. She felt flat. But she wanted to be positive for Charlie's sake.
"You?" she asked.
"Same," Ruby said. "I hope this Detective guy finds the person who did it quickly. Then maybe we can put this whole sorry mess behind us."
Joey nodded and sank into a chair. Ruby headed up to her bedroom. Burying her head in her hands, Joey thought it would take a hell of a lot more than justice to get them all past this particular hurdle.
Robertson and Charlie drove back to Summer Bay in separate cars. To get to the city, Robertson had offered Charlie and Morag a lift but Charlie had vehemently declined. And Morag had been pondering staying over with her husband so all three had arrived separately. Charlie started the engine and rummaged through her CD collection in order to find the one that Joey had made for her. Smiling as the first track began to play, she headed on home.
Back in the care home, Morag approached her husband. Her mouth formed a thin line and she looked distinctly unimpressed. Ross blanched, knowing what was coming.
"Now it's time for me to ask the questions," the judge said with her hands on her hips. "Where were you that night and what exactly did you get up to?"
