Chapter Three Hundred and Forty Seven
Charlie, Joey and Ruby ventured out early for a cooked breakfast at the Diner before they had to head out to work and school respectively. As they had expected and feared, rumours and gossip were charging their way around the Bay already. Even without formal confirmation, everyone knew that Hugo and Martha had illegally run away together.
"Maybe you can shed some light on what happened," Colleen said, approaching their table. "Martha is my niece, after all and I'm ever so worried about her."
"I'm not at liberty to comment," Charlie said politely, hoping she wouldn't persist.
"But you were there, weren't you?" Colleen asked. "Last night?"
"There was a situation at the farm last night," Charlie said. "That's all I'm allowed to confirm."
"Were you there when they escaped?" Colleen wanted to know.
"Colleen, stop hassling Charlie and take their order," Irene requested, appearing behind her.
"I was only asking…"
"Well, don't," Irene said. "If all the rumours are true then Charlie has enough on her plate without you banging on. Now please, take their order."
Colleen grumbled but obeyed. Charlie flashed Irene a grateful smile as she headed back into the kitchen.
Gina sat heavily down on the sofa. Xavier sat mutely beside her. They had been visited by Charlie and Angelo and informed that Hugo and Martha had escaped and skipped town. Neither could quite believe it. Xavier reached out to hold his mother's hand when he realised she was crying.
"What's going to happen to them now?" Gina wept.
"I don't know," Xavier sighed. "But at least they've got each other. They can be happy together now that they've got away from Hugo's colleagues and from the police."
Gina nodded but remained looking frightened for her son's future.
Elijah knocked on the door and called his fiancée's name.
"Hi!" Leah greeted eagerly, as he let himself and his parents into her kitchen.
Leah was a little stunned to come face to face with a little, Chinese woman with a big smile on the face.
"I'm so glad to meet you," Leah said earnestly, after Elijah made introductions.
"And you!" his mother, Lijuan said, pulling her into a hug, firmly welcoming her to the family.
"I hear your cop friends were a bit lax last night," said a male voice.
In the bait shop, Joey whirled around in fright, having not heard anyone come in. Her eyes narrowed when she came face to face with Brax.
"You know, for a River Boy, you spend a hell of a lot of time in the Bay," she remarked.
"What can I say?" Brax said. "I'm thinking of broadening my horizons."
"Can't you broaden them in the other direction?" Joey asked impatiently.
"There are hot lesbians living in this direction," he replied.
Joey pulled a face.
"What do you want anyway?" she asked. "Are you going fishing again?"
"Nah," Brax said. "I've left my surf board outside."
"Oh yeah," Joey grimaced. "That's your full time occupation, isn't it?"
"Amongst other things," Brax said easily. "Have you thought about that loan?"
"Like I said," Joey replied. "I'd rather die."
He leant forward, making her particularly uncomfortable as he studied her face.
"Do I know you from somewhere?" he asked curiously.
"No," Joey replied stiffly.
He continued to scrutinise her face.
"I recognise you," he said. "But I don't know where from."
"Maybe from last week?" Joey suggested sarcastically. "When you were hanging around here before?"
"No," he said, shaking his head. "That's not it. What school did you go to?"
"None of your business," Joey said curtly. "Now, if you're not buying anything, you can get out. Or I'll call the cops and accuse you of harassment."
"They'd just let me escape, wouldn't they?" he remarked as he left.
Alf sighed heavily as he sat on the sofa of Martha's vacant farm house. Well, he supposed that it was his now. She had signed it over to him before she'd skipped town. And she had skipped town without so much as saying goodbye. All alone, Alf wept.
Charlie, Angelo and Watson sat around a large table in the meeting room upstairs as they prepared to wrap up the human trafficking case once and for all. They had interviewed Eaves, who was now being held in custody while they attempted to bargain with him to roll over on the rest of the people involved. They had put out vague alerts to stop Hugo and Martha from leaving the country but all three of them knew they would probably have gone already. Charlie and Watson still had their suspicions over how they had escaped but so far, nobody had raised the issue. Mostly, they were just relieved to be able to close the file for good.
"Ruby, you know you're driving me crazy, right?" Nicole complained.
School had finished for the day and the girls were walking home together in the sunshine.
"Aren't I allowed to be excited over the song?" Ruby asked.
She had been rambling about her latest track with Liam for most of the day.
"Yeah but you're talking more about the singer than the music," Nicole told her.
Ruby blushed and apologised.
"I wish I could get over my feelings," she admitted. "I don't think he's actually interested in me."
Leah was a little flustered. Elijah's parents Lijuan and Song were lovely but very intense. Lijuan had already practically rearranged the house and every other thing that came out of her mouth seemed to be a criticism. Leah kept her brave face on. She was determined to make a good impression on her future in laws.
"Yes!" Joey said jubilantly, punching the air.
She had just had a phone call from the bank, inviting Charlie to an interview regarding the loan. They had agreed that Joey would be Charlie's junior partner, although that was only in the legal sense. But she was therefore entitled to join the interview and this time, she had genuine hope that they would get the starting block they needed for the restaurant.
"What's so exciting?" Ruby asked, appearing in the doorway to the bait shop.
Joey turned round and hugged both Ruby and Nicole.
"Charlie and I have a meeting with the bank to discuss getting the loan for the restaurant in her name," she grinned. "I'm so excited! I'm so happy!"
She jumped up and down with glee.
"We can tell!" Nicole giggled.
"Imagine what she's going to be like when she actually gets the money!" Ruby added.
"I am so over this!" Charlie declared, closing the case file once and for all.
She just hoped that this was the end of it now and they never had to return to this situation again.
"Me too," Watson said, leaning back in her chair and stretching.
Angelo nodded but remained quiet. He couldn't stop thinking about Hugo and Martha. He wondered where they were now and if they had got far enough away. He hoped they had, as much for himself as for them. The last thing he needed was his good deed to rebound on him. He couldn't bear to fall at the last hurdle.
"You need to go on a double date with two respectable but uncomplicated boys," Joey said.
Nicole and Ruby had spent the last fifteen minute complaining about their love lives. Ruby had broken up with Xavier and was now lusting after oblivious Liam. And Nicole was still hung up on Aden.
"Where on earth are we ever going to find two of them?" Ruby asked.
"There are no respectable boys in high school," Nicole agreed.
"There must be!"
"The most respectable boy there is Romeo and that is not happening!"
Joey chuckled.
"He is pretty hot," Ruby ventured. "But I prefer Liam."
"You are not dating Liam Murphy!" Joey said firmly.
"Why not?" Ruby asked. "I mean, if he did decide he liked me…"
"He's too old for you," Joey said. "He's also your teacher. And Charlie would hang, draw and quarter him if he ever went near you. Do you want that on any of our consciences?"
"No," Ruby grumbled, throwing in a pout for good measure.
Joey looked up and spotted Alf approaching the bait shop, not looking very well. When Ruby and Nicole both noticed how down he was, they escaped, giving him some time alone with Joey, who he had obviously come to visit.
"What's wrong?" Joey asked worriedly.
"Martha's really gone," he said unhappily.
Joey couldn't help but reach out and pull him into a hug. She didn't think she had ever seen him so upset, not even after the riots at the beginning of the year that had shaken his whole faith in Summer Bay.
That night, Gina and Xavier had dinner with Tony, Rachel and Harry again. Hugo and Martha had been everyone's topic of conversation all day and tonight, it was still all the family could talk about. They were sure everyone else in the community was still talking about it too.
"Did you challenge Angelo at all about what happened?" Joey asked.
Ruby had gone for a walk after dinner, leaving Charlie and Joey to do the dishes.
"No," Charlie said. "It just didn't feel right. But… I don't really know what to do. I mean, do I even want to know if he let them go? I mean, if I knew for sure, wouldn't I be obligated to report it? I really don't want to report it."
"Well, if you don't think there'll be any rebound, maybe you can let it go this time," Joey mused.
"I don't think there will be," Charlie said. "Unless someone else gets wind of what he did… or might have done."
"Maybe ignorance is bliss," Joey suggested. "I mean, I wanted Hugo to rot in jail as much as you did but Martha…"
"We parted on pretty bad terms," Charlie sighed. "And I feel so bad about it because once upon a time, she was my friend."
"You had to be honest, Charlie," Joey said, pausing with the dishes and catching hold of her girlfriend's hand.
"I just wish I'd had time to tell her that regardless of the shitty decisions she made, I still love her and I still value her."
"I'm sure she knew," Joey said gently.
She pulled her into a hug. Charlie closed her eyes and breathed in the scent of Joey's shampoo.
"I love you," she mumbled sadly.
Joey wrapped her arms completely around her, hold her tight.
"I love you too," she replied.
On the beach, Ruby felt like she was on cloud nine. She'd run into Liam who had agreed to go for a walk with her. In the moonlight, she thought he was the most handsome man she had ever seen. She loved everything about him and she never wanted this night to end.
Next time… Charlie and Joey get their bank loan, Leah frets about her and Elijah turning into his parents and Ruby confesses her love for Liam…
