Chapter One Hundred and Sixty Eight
Martha sat anxiously in the reception of the police station. Charlie and Angelo were interviewing Hugo and she had no idea why. As each second passed, the more fretful she became.
"Can I get you a cup of tea?" Watson offered, feeling sorry for her.
Martha smiled gratefully and Watson hurried away to fetch her drink.
Inside the interview room, Angelo was becoming increasingly frustrated but refused to let Charlie take the lead with the questioning.
"Look, how many times have I got to tell you?" Hugo said in exasperation. "I don't know what you're talking about!"
"The sunken boat's log book was in your boatshed," Angelo repeated. "What was it doing there?"
"I don't know!"
"How can you not know what's in your own shed, Hugo?" Angelo asked.
"You found it after that guy attacked us," Hugo pointed out. "Maybe he put it there."
"Why would he do that?"
"How the hell would I know?" Hugo asked. "I'm as in the dark as you are, if not more so."
He turned to Charlie, offering his most helpless expression and hoping that she would take pity on him. Suddenly he regretted the time he'd hit on her even more than before. Perhaps if he hadn't tried to take advantage of her then she might help him out a little bit.
"What about Best Fruit Imports?" Angelo asked.
"Best what?" Hugo replied, feigning innocence.
Joey and Aden sat in Aden's living room in front of a DVD, although they weren't paying as much attention to it as they meant to. They were too busy putting the world to rights instead.
"I wonder how Romeo's feeling," Aden said.
"He seemed okay on the boat today," Joey replied. "Perkier."
"Do you think he'll confront that shitbag?" Aden asked.
Joey laughed, wondering if Aden would ever forgive Liam for the mistakes he'd made.
"I hope so," she said. "He was so frightened by last night. I hope he takes John's job back though."
Aden nodded and then sighed.
"How long do you think we've got left on the trawler?" he asked.
"I don't know," Joey admitted. "And I don't think it would have mattered how we'd voted personally. John's clearly got it in for us. I think our days are most definitely numbered."
"You don't know how Bambang is, do you?" Martha asked when Watson returned with her tea.
The Senior Constable came and sat beside her.
"We were going to call you, actually," she said.
Martha looked immediately alarmed. Watson awkwardly explained that things weren't working out so well with Bambang's new foster family and Social Services had called them to ask if Martha would be interested in taking him on again.
"I'd love to," Martha said. "But Hugo..."
She trailed off and studied the interview room door, angry with Hugo for how he had behaved recently and for not supporting her over something she clearly cared about. And now he was obviously mixed up in something. She didn't trust Angelo as far as she could throw him but she knew Charlie wouldn't drag Hugo in for questioning unless it was necessary.
"I'd love to," she decided firmly.
Hugo was irritated and starting to feel a little nervous.
"Look," he said. "I don't know what you think I've done..."
"We're not accusing you of anything," Charlie told him. "We just need to find out how those people died."
"I just found them," Hugo said. "I didn't kill anyone."
"We're not saying you did," Charlie assured him. "This isn't what this is about."
"What is this about then?" Hugo asked, sounding genuinely lost.
"We just need to know how the log book came to be in your possession," Charlie explained. "If you think that guy put it there, can you at least shed any light as to who he is?"
"I've never seen him before," Hugo lied.
"And you've never heard of this company? Best Fruit Imports?"
Hugo shook his head. Charlie glanced at Angelo who was clearly distrustful and unhappy.
"Can I go?" Hugo requested.
With Charlie, Joey and Leah all out, Ruby had invited Geoff round. She'd even cleared it with Charlie out of respect after their argument.
"How's your blood sugar?" Geoff asked as they made dinner.
"It's fine," Ruby told him.
"Are you sure? I haven't seen you..."
Ruby glared at him sternly enough that he fell silent. Feeling a little guilty, Ruby moved closer to hug him.
"Thank you for caring," she whispered, offering him a kiss.
Angelo hung back as Charlie showed Hugo and Martha back out of the station. The couple were arguing about Bambang and Charlie was grateful to leave them to it. When they were gone, Angelo approached her.
"What was that about Bambang?" he asked.
"Martha wasn't to foster him again," Charlie explained.
"Yes!" Angelo replied, jubilant.
Watson regarded him with curiosity and then got on with her work. Charlie headed into her office and Angelo followed, immediately asking if she was up for working late again tonight.
"For what purpose?" Charlie asked.
She looked at her watch. Joey had texted to say that she'd be leaving Aden's at ten and wondered if Charlie would be there. It was now nine forty five and Charlie was hoping to pick her up and bring her home.
"I think the time's come to start watching Hugo properly," Angelo said. "I think we should follow him back to the house."
"Again, I say, for what purpose?" Charlie asked, beginning to pack up her desk.
"You could see how on edge he was," Angelo said proudly. "We've rattled him. He's going to be doing everything he can to cover his tracks now. And we need to catch him in the act."
"I agree," Charlie said. "But I think the most he's going to do tonight is try and make things right with Martha. She was clearly pissed off by the whole thing and he's got a lot of questions to answer."
"His work is more important than her," Angelo said.
"I don't think so," Charlie replied.
She stood up to leave. Angelo followed, begging her to hang around.
"I'll see you in the morning," Charlie said firmly, heading out of the station and calling Joey to arrange to pick her up.
Frustrated, Angelo headed back inside.
Next time... Suzy tells Martha who she is and Angelo begins to follow Hugo...
