Proof that flattery will get you everywhere – this is for Movie249. Now, for the record, I am SERIOUSLY nervous about this chapter so please be nice! Love, IJKS xxx

Chapter One Hundred and Forty Seven

It was early morning and Ruby was just letting herself back into the house when bumped right into Charlie. The police officer was still in her pyjamas and holding two cups of coffee when she spotted her.

"Tell me you left early this morning and are not just getting home," Charlie warned.

Ruby looked immediately guilty.

"Um..."

Charlie put the mugs down.

"Where the hell have you been all night?" she snapped.

"With Geoff," Ruby admitted.

"With Geoff?" Charlie screeched.

Leah winced at the noise as she entered the kitchen, wondering what on earth was going on.

"Ruby saw fit to spend the night with Geoff last night," Charlie said unhappily.

She glared at her daughter who quickly insisted that it wasn't like that.

"I went for a walk last night," she explained.

"Which you shouldn't have," Charlie interjected.

"Which I needed to do," Ruby said. "You of all people know how horrific yesterday was, Charlie."

Her mother nodded, suddenly quiet. She swallowed uncertainly.

"Geoff found me on the beach," Ruby said. "He was being supportive. Then Xavier found us, laid into us both. I was upset and Geoff invited me back to his. And I just... fell asleep. That's all it was. Just sleep. You know Geoff isn't that kind of guy. And he'd never take advantage of me or anyone."

Charlie didn't argue, although she looked unhappy. Leah opted to stay out of it and began preparing breakfast for herself and VJ.

"Where does that leave you and Xavier?" Charlie asked.

"We're over," Ruby confirmed sadly.

"Are you okay?"

Ruby shrugged and said she'd get there. Then she hurried towards the bathroom for a shower. Charlie sighed heavily and glanced at Leah who asked how she was.

"I feel like my head's going to explode," she admitted.

Leah hugged her briefly to reassure her. Charlie thanked her, picked the mugs back up and headed back to her bedroom.


Watson had fallen asleep at her desk during the night. Arriving at work in the morning, Angelo gently approached and woke her. She looked startled, sleepy and utterly confused as to where she was and why Angelo of all people was waking her up.

"When was the last time you actually went home?" Angelo asked, handing over his coffee.

She began to drink it quickly, needing a shot of caffeine to wake herself up.

"About two days ago or something," she admitted, rubbing her eyes.

"I thought I was obsessed with my work," Angelo commented, sitting opposite her.

"I just needed to do everything I could for Charlie's case," Watson replied.

"Well, it's over now, isn't it?"

Watson froze. Memories of the night before hit her. She bolted up out of her seat and hurried over to Robertson who was sauntering through the door, impeccably dressed as usual.


Ross and Morag sat in Ross's room at the care home. It had been a long night. She had tried to get as many details from him about the murder, both as his wife and as his lawyer. But Ross had been unwilling to talk once they'd left the police station. He'd been monosyllabic ever since and it was extremely frustrating.


Charlie and Joey were still in bed. They were on their second coffees of the morning and were relieved to be allowed to have a relaxing day with each other. Charlie had updated Joey on the Ruby situation and Joey had advised that Charlie not be too hard on her daughter. Charlie had agreed, although she was worried about the fact that Ruby had been able to sneak out without either of them noticing.

"We were both pretty exhausted," Joey pointed out. "It's been a hellish few days."

Charlie nodded. She hugged Joey a little closer, still feeling terrible that her girlfriend had spent a night in jail for a murder that Charlie's father had committed.

"I think we can be forgiven," Joey said. "And let's face it, if Ruby's that determined to sneak out, she'll find a way. We can't keep her under twenty-four hour surveillance."

"I guess you're right," Charlie sighed.

Joey snuggled up close.

"Besides," she said. "If she's going to run off with boys then at least it's Geoff."


Xavier was watching mindless television in the lounge, still in his pyjama bottoms and generally making a nuisance of himself. Martha had been tirelessly practising her speech for her debate later in the day with John Palmer. She paced. Hugo followed, trying to reassure her that she was doing well and would wipe the floor with John. With his feet up on the table, Xavier blocked Hugo's path.

"Can you move?" the eldest Austin snapped.

Xavier ignored him and kept his feet where they were.

"Xavier, what the hell is your problem?" Hugo demanded.

"I don't know," Xavier said sarcastically. "Maybe, thanks to you, I've lost everything!"

"None of this is my fault!" Hugo argued.

Martha watched helplessly as the boys descended into a full scale argument.


Ruby was cleaning the kitchen when Charlie and Joey finally surfaced, washed and dressed and ready to face the day. They knew that Martha and John would be doing their council debate today and with Joey having been instrumental in encouraging Martha to go ahead in the first place, they wanted to go along and encourage her. They were keen to make the most of the freedom that had could have so easily been taken away from them.

"Can I get you guys some lunch?" Ruby offered.

"Sure," Charlie said. "That would be nice."

She smiled to let Ruby know that they were friends again. Her mobile phone rang just as she was sitting down. It was Robertson.


An hour and a half later, Charlie, Joey, Ruby, Ross and Morag were all seated together at the police station with Robertson and Watson. The rest of Charlie's colleagues, including Angelo had been extremely curious as to what had brought them all back again so soon but no information had been given to them.

"Look, why have you dragged us all here?" Charlie asked tiredly. "Don't you think we've all been through enough?"

"I'll get right to the point," Robertson said, sitting down in front of the family.

"Please do," Morag said coldly.

"Ross, you didn't kill anyone, did you?" Robertson proposed.

The retired Detective blanched and insisted that of course he had.

"Why would I have confessed otherwise?" he asked.

"To protect Charlie and Joey presumably," Robertson stated. "I mean, it's commendable and everything. But it's also wrong. You did not commit murder."

"I did!" Ross said. "I drove to Summer Bay and I stabbed Grant Bledcoe. I'm the one who did it and I'm the person who should be punished."

"Nobody killed him," Watson interjected.

She didn't like the way Robertson was playing with him and letting him get flustered. Ross was a sick man. He was also an innocent man and Watson wanted the whole matter cleared up immediately.

"What are you talking about?" Joey asked weakly.

"Grant killed himself," Watson explained, taking the lead without permission or objection from Robertson.

She offered up photos of the body.

"Do you see how the blade went in?" she asked, pointing.

Ruby turned a funny colour at the image but looked anyway.

"The way he was stabbed suggests that he was the one holding the knife," the Constable explained. "And there were no defensive wounds on his hands. I am so sorry that we missed such obvious signs. You find a man stabbed on the beach and you assume it's murder but Detective Robertson and I agree that there's a strong chance it wasn't."

The family's minds reeled at the news.

"It was suicide?" Charlie managed.

Watson nodded. Charlie laughed bitterly.

"Final act of malice," she muttered.

"I think so," Watson said. "You'd told him that night that you would be pressing charges against him and his wife had kicked him out. He was losing everything. I guess he decided enough was enough. But he wanted to bring you down in the process."

Charlie sighed heavily and rubbed her temples. Joey put her arm around her.

"Why did you confess to something you didn't do?" Morag asked.

Ross burst into tears. Charlie wasn't far behind him and nor was Ruby.

"I'm sorry," Ross said. "I was just trying to save you girls."

He wiped his eyes and took a deep breath.

"I didn't save you at the time," he said to Charlie. "That evil boy raped you and got you pregnant and what the hell did I do? I pretended it didn't happen and I let you walk away from your little girl."

Ruby swallowed uncertainly.

"You went through hell and I didn't do any of the things I should have. I mishandled the whole thing and I let you down so badly. And when he came back into our lives... I messed up again. I should have killed him! I should have protected all three of you girls when he was making your lives hell. Then when I realised you two were being charged with murder... confessing and taking the blame felt like the only thing to do. I just wanted it all to go away. I wanted to save you."

Charlie hugged her father tightly.

"You silly, wonderful man," she said tearfully. "You could have gone down for life if..."

She trailed off and hugged him tighter.

"I'm sorry for letting you down so many times," Ross said.

"You don't have to apologise for anything," Charlie said firmly.