Chapter Two Hundred and Ninety Four

"Are you sure you don't mind?" Charlie asked. "You took the day off work to revise. You're not going to be able to do that while you're babysitting my Dad."

Standing in the bedroom, half dressed, Charlie put her hands on her hips and frowned.

Joey stepped up, gazing a little lustfully at her girlfriend as she stood in underwear and an open work shirt. She slipped her arms around Charlie's narrow waist and kissed her.

"It's perfectly fine," she assured her. "Ross is great company. And I'm going to be practicing some dishes so what better way to do it than have someone on taste test duty?"

Charlie managed a smile and accepted Joey's kiss.

"You're amazing, you know that?" she said.

"I know," Joey smirked.

Charlie chuckled and kissed her more passionately. Shifting forward, she allowed herself and Joey to tumble onto the bed. Giggling, Joey pulled her closer and ran her hands through Charlie's messy hair.

"Aren't you meant to be getting ready for work?" she mused.

"Are you complaining?" Charlie replied.


Spotting Angelo on the beach, Alf approached him.

"You look troubled," he remarked. "Tired of lying to everyone in your life?"

Angelo turned and glared at him.

"I don't know," he said. "Are you?"

"Exhausted," Alf said honestly. "And feeling increasingly resentful that the man who convinced me that lying to my own granddaughter was for her own good, is such a crook."

Angelo was about to reply when they heard a weak voice behind them.

"What are you lying to me about?" Martha asked when both men turned around.


With Charlie at work and Ruby at school, Joey was enjoying a leisurely morning chatting to and feeding Ross. He continually struggled with his memory but she genuinely appreciated his company. She liked it when he told her stories from his past that he could remember, especially the exciting ones about his time on the police force. She also appreciated that he was so complimentary about her cooking. With her final coursework and exams due very, very shortly, it gave her confidence that she might actually pass. Of course, then, she had to figure out what to do with her qualifications. Charlie and Ruby were both set on the idea of her starting her own restaurant but a big part of her just wasn't sure that their belief in her was all that well founded.


"Well?" Martha demanded.

Angelo and Alf exchanged anxious glances. The single worst person who could have found out the truth had apparently caught them out.

"Martha, the thing is..." Alf began.

"It's about money," Angelo said quickly.

Alf and Martha both looked startled. Alf also looked fairly annoyed.

"We lied about the investigation into the human trafficking being over," Angelo said. "We're currently hunting for some cash we think Hugo might have left behind."

It was sort of true. Hugo's bank accounts had all been cleared before his 'death' and they genuinely were trying to find out where the cash had gone.

"That doesn't make sense," Martha said. "It doesn't match up to what you said."

"Yes, it does," Angelo insisted.

He couldn't believe he was this close to having all his secrets unearthed.

"Alf was just feeling bad about keeping it from you," Angelo said. "And he's angry with me anyway because of... well, you know."

Martha coloured, looking embarrassed. She had hardly been able to look anyone in the eye since her misjudged night with the man who had killed her husband. Eyeing them both with continued suspicion, she nodded and turned away.


Charlie had shut herself into her office to trawl through the pile of paperwork she had acquired. Most of it was to do with Aden and Justin. Going through every piece of evidence, bit by bit, she longed for something that would vindicate them of any wrongdoing. She had become particularly fond of Aden over the last year. He was a good friend to Joey and meant the world to her. He had been instrumental in Joey beginning to heal from what Robbo had put her through. It just didn't seem right that a boy with such a good heart and such good intentions should be at risk of being put behind bars.


After a particularly dire rehearsal, Ruby abducted Annie and took her off for a packed lunch on school grounds.

"What is going on?" she demanded rather bluntly.

"What do you mean?" Annie asked, feigning innocence.

"You and Romeo were all over the place," Ruby said. "What's the problem?"

"We've just got the whole Japan thing hanging over us," Annie said.

"Have you made a decision?"

"I'm going back after the play's finished."

"Oh."

Ruby looked and felt utterly disappointed.

"And Romeo's taken it badly?"

"He hasn't asked."

"What?" Ruby squeaked.

"We've avoided talking about it," Annie explained. "But it's like the giant elephant in the room. We can't talk about it but we can't ignore it either."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Ruby said gently.

Annie plastered a smile on her face.

"How are things going with you anyway?" she asked.

Ruby grinned.

"I am having the best time rehearsing this song with Liam," she enthused. "He's so sweet and encouraging. He really knows how to give you confidence and everything."

"How about Xavier?" Annie asked.

"He's still strung out about his Mum and John," Ruby said. "And he's not thrilled about being the nurse in the play but otherwise I think he's okay."


It was late afternoon when Joey took Ross to the Diner in order to spend a little time with Ruby before he and Morag headed back to the city. Charlie was due to finish her shift in half an hour so they were going to hang around until they had seen her.

"Thanks for such a lovely day," Ross enthused as they walked along the seafront together.

"I had fun," Joey said. "Thanks for letting me practice my cooking on you!"

"You can practice cooking on me any time you like," Ross assured her.


"Look, I don't know what to say," Angelo said into the phone.

He looked, felt and sounded frustrated.

"You'd better fix this," came his boss's reply.

"How can I fix it?" Angelo demanded. "Hugo's missing and I have no idea where to start looking for him."

"Excuse me?"

Angelo spun round to find Charlie in the doorway. He blanched as she eyed him with a large degree of horror.

"I have to go," Angelo said, hanging up.

"You weren't talking about Hugo Austin, were you?" Charlie asked, feeling a little unwell.

Angelo swallowed. He considered lying but Charlie wasn't stupid.

"Yes," he admitted.

"Hugo Austin?" Charlie repeated. "Hugo Austin, the man who got shot right outside this police station?"

Angelo sighed heavily.

"I think you'd better sit down," he said.


Next time... Charlie's nightmares return, prompting her to confide in Joey about Hugo...