Sorry for disappearing on you for the past couple of days. Things didn't quite go to plan in my world! I hope you enjoy the chapter and I should be back to normal posting for a little while at least. Love, IJKS xxx
Chapter Two Hundred and Fifty Six
Charlie dropped Ruby at school, making sure she watched her walk the whole way in. Having discovered that she and Xavier had bunked off the previous day, Charlie was in authoritarian mode, which had prompted a bit of a row between mother and daughter but nothing too awful. Sighing, and with a long day ahead of her, Charlie pulled out into the road again and drove towards the police station. She had a big investigation into Justin's accident ahead of her. And with Watson now on leave to go on her first romantic break with Monica, Charlie would be working rather intensely with Angelo, which she was not particularly looking forward to. They had made peace with their dinner the other night but she still felt a little uncomfortable.
Joey finished serving a large number of customers at the bait shop and smiled when she spotted Aden walking towards her, although he didn't look all that happy.
"Hey," she greeted warmly. "How's Justin?"
"He's okay," Aden said, walking into the shop and hopping up on the counter. "I mean, apart from the head injury, he's actually fine. Rachel's puzzling over all the blood they found on him though. If it didn't come from him then there could be someone else hurt that Marilyn didn't spot."
Joey nodded worriedly.
"And how are you?" she asked.
Aden sighed heavily and closed his eyes.
"Honestly," he said. "I have no earthly idea."
"Okay, so we might be looking for another injured party?" Charlie asked.
"Or a body," Angelo replied gravely, sitting across the desk from her in her office.
Rachel had phoned early that morning with her theory.
"Okay, we should send out a search party to scan the area," the Sergeant decided. "If he spilled that much blood, he can't have got very far, can he?"
Angelo nodded.
"Do we go with the search party or speak to Justin again?" he asked.
"Both," Charlie said, getting to her feet. "We'll start the search party and see if anything or anyone turns up and then we'll head over to the hospital. It'll be good to get a written statement from Rachel too if she's working."
Obediently, Angelo followed Charlie out of her office.
"We didn't exactly part on good terms," Aden admitted. "I mean, he just left me. He left me with my Dad and my grandfather. He went off to join the army and... he let me down."
Joey nodded beside him, holding his hand gently.
"He's my big brother, you know? I should have been able to rely on him."
"I guess if he didn't realise what was happening to you..." Joey ventured.
Aden nodded.
"I know," he said. "I mean, it's not like it was with my Dad. He knew the whole time what was going on, or at least he knew what my grandfather was capable of and he left me vulnerable. At least Justin was oblivious. But then, I think, why was he oblivious? I couldn't have hidden everything that well, could I? I mean, when you got... hurt... you tried to hide it but I knew something was going on because you seemed so broken. And Charlie noticed too. I was just as broken so why didn't someone care? Why didn't someone tried to help me?"
He looked earnestly into his best friend's eyes.
"I don't know," Joey admitted. "But maybe Justin was on his way here in order to make things right with you? Maybe he wants a second chance."
"Maybe," Aden said, although he didn't sound any happier.
"And I know you wish it had been different," Joey said. "That you could have had the kind of support and care that you deserved. But maybe try to think about it this way – you went through hell and you didn't have support and yet you still survived. You got through it and you made something of your life, despite everything your grandfather did and the hell your Dad put you through with his addiction. You coped so well, Aden. You were so strong and so brave. If nothing else, you should take the opportunity to show your brother the wonderful man you've become. It's something to be proud of."
Aden looked suddenly shy.
"Do you really believe that?" he asked.
"I absolutely do," Joey replied.
"Well, coming from you that's a pretty big compliment."
"This is so frustrating!" Charlie complained.
Having joined the search party, interviewed Rachel, interviewed Justin and then joined the search party again, the Sergeant was at a loss over where to go next with her investigation.
"We could interview Marilyn again," Angelo suggested, although he was just as frustrated.
"Yeah," Charlie sighed. "Alf said she was staying at the caravan park so we can head on over there. I mean, a whole car and a passenger can't just disappear! That's ridiculous!"
"We'll figure it out," Angelo assured her, following her back out of her office. "I mean, if you're leading the investigation..."
Charlie looked a little sceptical.
"What do you want?" she asked curiously.
"What do you mean?"
"You're buttering me up..."
"I was just paying you a compliment!" Angelo protested with a nervous laugh.
They headed out towards the car park together.
"Yeah, why?" Charlie asked.
"Charlie, you made Sergeant for a reason," Angelo said seriously. "I was chasing my tail over the whole human trafficking case for months before you started helping me and we started getting somewhere. As much as it pains me to say it, you were more successful on that than I was. And if you can bring a gang like that down, then you can find a missing person."
"Thanks," Charlie said sincerely, hopping into the driver's seat of the patrol car. "That means a lot."
The evening couldn't come quickly enough as far as Charlie was concerned. Finishing her shift after what felt like a rather unsuccessful day, she drove over to the bait shop in order to pick her girlfriend up and bring her home.
"Hey, beautiful," Joey chirped, climbing into the passenger seat and leaning over for a kiss.
"Hey," Charlie said, wondering how just seeing her girlfriend again could right all the wrongs in her life.
She stole another kiss.
"Any progress on Justin's accident?" Joey asked, putting her seatbelt on as Charlie pulled away from the curb.
"Nothing really," Charlie sighed. "He had a car and a passenger, neither of which we can find and neither of which he can remember. It's a tricky one to say the least."
"You'll figure it out," Joey assured her. "And hopefully when it's all done, Justin can stay in the Bay. I think it'll be good for Aden."
"Really?" Charlie asked. "He didn't look all that happy to see him."
"He's not," Joey admitted. "But I think it'll do him good to show him how much he's achieved since they last saw each other, if nothing else. And speaking as someone who has just got her own brother back, I can firmly state how much to means to reconnect with where and who you came from."
Charlie nodded. She reached over and squeezed Joey's hand.
"Speaking of," she said. "We should arrange to do something with them again soon. It's been a little while."
"Maybe we could go for drinks next week or something?" Joey suggested. "And we need to nag the estate agents again too. This whole moving in thing is taking far too long!"
Charlie giggled at Joey's adorable pout.
"For someone who wasn't in a hurry..." she remarked.
"That was for Leah's sake," Joey reminded her. "For my sake, I'm absolutely desperate for you, me and Ruby to set up home together as a proper family."
Charlie grinned.
"Me too," she said. "You call Brett when we get home, I'll call the estate agent and then we can figure out how to entertain ourselves for the evening."
Joey smirked.
"I have one or two suggestions," she said.
Next time... Xavier falls out with Gina while Alf holds a welcome home party for Marilyn...
