Ooh, the website's gone all posh! Enjoy the chapter! Love, IJKS xxx

Chapter One Hundred and Ninety Five

Charlie and Angelo sat in an interview room with Irene and Donna, listening to them explain that Donn'a gardener, Orson has been in hiding. Before the gun that was meant to have killed Lou was found in the house, Orson disturbed an intruder. He was then paid to keep quiet about it and had been living in fear ever since.

"So, what are you thinking?" Angelo asked. "That someone planted the gun to make you look guilty?"

Donna nodded, clutching Irene's hand and looking extremely stressed out.

"Okay, we'll check it out," he promised.

"When?" Donna asked. "And what am I meant to do in the meantime? I don't feel safe in my own house anymore."

"Well, we can go to your property now and check that it's all safe if you like," Charlie offered, trying not to look at the clock on the wall behind them.

Really, all she wanted to do was go home. It was Christmas Eve and she was meant to be having fun by now.

"Would you?" Donna asked.

"Of course we would," Charlie said pleasantly. "Now?"

Donna nodded. The four of them got up and left the room.


"I'm gutted to lose you, you know," Alf admitted.

It was Joey's last shift and her boss had been puzzling over the last few days as to whether he could legally fire someone else and hire her instead. She definitely brought the place to life and it would be a shame to let her go.

"Well if anything comes up again then just let me know!" Joey said brightly.

She too had enjoyed her stint behind the bar and privately, it had helped her to lay a few demons to rest. She'd felt so guilty over walking out on the job the first time round but her fear of Robbo had beaten her professionalism.

"I definitely will," Alf assured her. "You've been a dream employee."


Charlie and Angelo sat in front of the CCTV videos at Donna's mansion. They and a couple of other members of their team had fully checked that the property was safe and secure.

"Hold on," Charlie said quickly.

They had both been turning away when she'd seen a hooded figure out of the corner of her eye. Leaping into action, both she and Angelo charged into the large, unkempt garden ready to catch the intruder.


"So, will I get to see you tomorrow?" Ruby asked.

With Irene out for the evening with Donna, Ruby and Geoff were making good use of their time by making out on the couch.

"I could pop in and see you if you liked," Geoff agreed, kissing her again.

Ruby smiled, returning his kiss.

"I'd like," she said.

They kissed again and again.

"Hey, um... when do you think Irene will be back?" Ruby wondered.

"I have no idea," Geoff admitted.

They both looked disappointed. Either they were going to waste and opportunity to take their relationship to the next level or they would be caught in the act. Neither option was attractive but they decided to go with the former. When they were finally together, both of them wanted it to be perfect.


Back at the station, Charlie and Angelo were holed up in Charlie's office. They hadn't managed to catch the intruder and still feeling scared, Donna had accepted Irene's invitation for her to come and stay with her.

"It had to be Hugo," Angelo decided.

"Why?" Charlie asked.

She perched on the edge of her desk, still eager to go home while her colleague paced the small office.

"Because..."

Charlie raised her eyebrows when he couldn't find an answer.

"He wasn't at home," Angelo pointed out.

They had already checked that out with the officers assigned to watch the farm this evening.

"He could have been anywhere!" Charlie remarked. "And short of following him around wherever he goes, which he'll suss pretty quickly, we can't be sure who was at Donna's tonight. I really think this vendetta you have against the guy is getting out of control."

"May I remind you that it was you who suggested Hugo was involved in Lou's death?" Angelo snapped.

"I posed it as a theory!" Charlie argued. "And I'm probably wrong. I probably got swept away by your crazy assertions."

"Why are you so sure that he's innocent?"

"Why are you so sure that he's guilty?"

"Because I have evidence," Angelo informed her. "And I'm starting to think you've got a thing for him or something."

Charlie looked appalled. She stood up and folded her arms, looking Angelo directly in the eye.

"I take offence to that," she said. "And I can't help wondering why everything in your head seems to revolve around who I may or may not be attracted to."

He fell silent and glared at her.

"Well, I was due off shift hours ago," Charlie said curtly. "I will see you in the New Year."

"You're walking out of a case just like that?" Angelo asked. "We could be onto something here."

"I'll be part of it if something else happens but I booked leave for a reason," Charlie said.

Gathering up her belongings, she left.


"Celebrating something?" Joey asked when John, Gina, Tony and Rachel ordered a bottle of champagne.

"We're going into business together," Tony said, not looking like he was really in the mood for cheer. "John's buying into the gym and I'll manage it for him."

"You look thrilled," Joey whispered, handing over four glasses.

He laughed and shook his head.

"Sometimes the right thing to do isn't always what you want to do," he admitted.

"Well, I'm not a John Palmer fan," Joey said honestly. "But I hope it all works out for you."

Tony thanked her and took the champagne and glasses back to his table. Joey beamed when she saw Charlie glide through the bar and approach her.

"I was expecting you ages ago!" she scolded playfully.

"Work crisis," Charlie complained.

Joey poured her a fruit juice and stole a quick kiss.

"Well, you get your week off now, right?" she asked.

Charlie nodded happily.

"Then leave your work crisis at the door and let us make the most of the holidays," Joey beamed.

"That definitely sounds like a good plan," Charlie confirmed.


Next time... Charlie and Joey and the rest of their clan spend their first Christmas together...