Sorry this is a bit of a late update. I had a Doctor's appointment, a blood test and an interfaith service to go to this morning and I ended up having to sleep all afternoon! But I hope you enjoy the lead up to the climax of the Hugo saga. I would have done it all a bit quicker and made the police a bit less incompetent but I wanted to stick to the story in the show as much as possible. Love, IJKS xxx
Chapter Three Hundred and Forty Three
Charlie hung up in a state of frustration. Angelo still hadn't seen fit to answer his phone and the chances were that he would be bringing Detective Eaves to the farm any minute now.
"Martha, you really need to hand Hugo over," she said, pausing in dialling the police station phone number.
"He's not here," Martha told her.
Angrily, Charlie flung her phone onto the couch and looked her friend directly in the eye.
"Martha!" she snapped. "Do you really think that now is the time to be fucking around with me?"
Martha looked startled.
"I…"
"I know Hugo is here somewhere," Charlie said. "And right now, we're all in potential danger because of him. Stop holding onto this 'you and him against the world' shit and co-operate with me!"
She offered her a look of disgust when Martha still didn't respond. Snatching her phone up again, she tried Angelo one more time before resuming her call to the police station.
Xavier was quiet as he had dinner at home with his mother, Tony and Rachel. Harry was making a mess in his high chair and everyone was focussing on him to distract themselves from their own pain. They were all worried about Hugo and what would happen next and now Xavier was nursing a broken heart. I hope Liam and Ruby are match made in hell, he thought bitterly.
"He's gone out," Watson explained.
"He's gone out?" Charlie shrieked on the other end of the line. "What do you mean he's gone out?"
"He said he needed air and coffee and he left me in charge of Eaves," Watson said worriedly.
Charlie sighed, wondering what she was supposed to do next. She couldn't charge in like the cavalry. All they had on Eaves was the word of the invisible man that Martha was continuing to hide. They had to play this carefully and safely but Charlie had no idea where to start.
"Just don't let Eaves go anywhere," she finally said. "And get Angelo to call me immediately."
"Charlie, what's wrong?" Watson asked.
"Are you alone?"
"No," Watson replied.
"Then just be on your guard and keep close to Eaves," Charlie said. "He's a dirty cop."
"What?" Watson squeaked.
"Watson!" Charlie complained. "I need you to be subtle here!"
"Sorry," her colleague mumbled.
"Look, do whatever research on Eaves that you can," Charlie said. "And whatever you do, make Angelo stall long enough that he doesn't come to the farm."
"Okay," Watson said.
On her end of the line, Charlie glared at Martha.
"I've got a mission impossible here," she complained.
Joey and Ruby settled in at the Diner where they both ordered main meals off the menu.
"You both look happy," Leah remarked sarcastically.
"Xavier and I broke up," Ruby explained.
"I'm absorbing her pain," Joey added.
"Plus she's been away from Charlie all day and she's getting withdrawal," Ruby smirked.
Joey began to protest but knew it was fruitless. She did miss Charlie. She couldn't help it.
"We have to get out of here!" Charlie insisted. "Eaves could be on his way any minute and we're sitting ducks. Don't you realise that there's something more important than protecting your fugitive fucking boyfriend?"
Martha was about to argue when a man's voice interrupted her. Both women turned to see Hugo in the hallway.
"I'm here," he said. "I'm here."
"All I'm saying is that he's being selfish by staying in the Bay," Rachel said boldly. "He's putting everyone in danger. He should hand himself into the police and then we can put this whole sorry mess behind us."
"And he gets locked up in prison for a million years?" Xavier challenged.
"Yes, Xavier," Rachel said tiredly. "He committed a crime and he should pay for it. That's the way the world works."
The youngest Austin sighed heavily and poked some of the food on his plate. Suddenly, he didn't have the strength to argue. He didn't know how.
"Angelo!" Watson said as soon as her colleague wandered back into the police station. "Where the hell have you been?"
"I told you I needed some fresh air," Angelo replied as if it didn't matter.
"Why didn't you take your phone with you?" Watson demanded.
He felt around in his pockets and frowned when he realised he didn't have his mobile. Watson thrust it into his hand.
"Eaves is a dirty cop," she said abruptly. "Charlie's trapped at the farm and panicking and he's in there with the psychologist."
Angelo just looked confused.
"How do you…?"
"Hugo told Martha who told Charlie," Watson said. "And now she's trapped up there, trying to convince them to leave the farm and you're running out of time to stop Eaves from confronting them."
"You piece of shit," Charlie said darkly.
Her eyes blazed as she confronted the man from her nightmares.
"Charlie, I'm sorry for…"
"I don't care what you're sorry for," she interrupted. "I don't care about you. What I do care about is that you stop being a coward and face up to everything."
"I…"
"You're both coming to the station with me," Charlie said. "Right now."
She jumped when her phone rang.
"Angelo!" she yelled by way of greeting. "About time!"
"I didn't get time to make dessert, I'm afraid," Gina said. "But I wondered if we all wanted to go down to the Diner or something?"
"Sounds good to me," Tony readily agreed. "I've got just enough room for one of Leah's crumbles."
"I'll give it a miss," Xavier said blandly. "I think I'll just hang out here."
"Xavier, I know you're hurting over Ruby but moping isn't going to help," Gina said gently. "It'll do you some good to get out."
Xavier sighed and agreed, not wanting to disappoint his mother.
"Charlie, you don't have to do this," Martha protested as the police officer pressed Hugo against the wall and handcuffed him, ready to take him into custody once and for all.
"This is exactly what I have to do," Charlie said sternly. "I'm a cop and he's a criminal. The rest is obvious."
"Martha, it's too late," Hugo said. "Stop fighting."
"No!" Martha protested.
She made a grab for Charlie in a bid to push her away and free Hugo.
"Do you want me to arrest you too?" Charlie demanded. "Because I have every right to."
"I thought we were friends," Martha protested.
"So did I," Charlie replied.
"Ready to go?" Detective Eaves asked, appearing in Angelo's office.
The Senior Constable looked up, rather startled.
"Sorry?"
"The psychologist cleared me," Eaves explained, thrusting a piece of paper into Angelo's hand. "We can go to the farm."
"Uh…" Angelo faltered.
He'd only just hung up from Charlie to say that he could keep him at the police station.
"Do we have to go immediately?" he asked.
"You do want to catch this guy, don't you?" Eaves queried.
"Of course," Angelo said quickly.
"Then let's go," the Detective replied.
With no other option, Angelo stood and left his office. His heart sank when he didn't see Watson out in the reception area. In fact, it was empty.
"Let me just leave a note for…" he began.
"We don't have time," Eaves insisted, almost dragging him from the building.
Please be gone by the time we get there, Angelo said to himself.
"Martha, we don't have another choice," Hugo interrupted.
His girlfriend and the woman he had once tried to hit on had been arguing for a good few minutes.
"She could just let us go," Martha insisted.
"Why on earth would I do that?"
"Because we're friends and you're supposed to want the best for me."
"I do," Charlie said. "And the best for you is not going on the run with a dangerous criminal."
"I would never hurt Martha," Hugo interjected.
Charlie glared at him.
"Just me then," she snapped. "And the countless people you killed and maimed for the sake of making illegal cash."
"I've changed, Charlie," Hugo said.
"Prove it," the Sergeant replied. "Grow up and take some responsibility for your actions and convince your utterly ridiculous, not to mention pathetic girlfriend to stop hassling me and start co-operating."
"I'm not pathetic!" Martha argued. "You of all people should know what you'd do for someone you love."
"I do," Charlie agreed. "And this isn't it."
Watson reappeared in the empty police station, having had to dash to the toilet. She'd been hanging on for a while, not wanting to miss Detective Eaves finishing his interview with the psychologist. She was just about to check on both the interview room and the office she shared with Angelo when the phone rang. She hurried behind the reception desk and answered it, immediately caught up in a robbery that needed attending to across town.
"I know you're onto me," Eaves said, as Angelo drove towards the farm.
Angelo glanced at him.
"I don't know what you mean," he lied.
"Yes, you do," Eaves said. "And for someone who tells so many of them, you're a terrible liar."
Angelo swallowed.
"Pull over," Eaves said.
Angelo obeyed.
"Now, hand over your gun and your phone and start driving again."
Angelo considered jumping out of the car and going to the farm on foot. But he knew it would be too late. Either that or Charlie, Hugo and Martha would all be gone and he would be trapped with Eaves himself.
"You don't have to do this," he tried.
"Weapon and phone now," Eaves demanded. "And don't try to play the hero."
Next time… Joey learns of the showdown taking place at the farm…
