Chapter Three Hundred and Fifty Eight
Joey still felt very sad the next morning, worried about Marilyn's health.
"It's stupid really," she said. "I mean, I barely know the woman but…"
She sighed. Charlie stood up from the bed, where she had been putting her shoes on, and approached her girlfriend. She wrapped her arms around her and kissed her on the cheek.
"It's not stupid," she said earnestly. "People can come to mean a lot to others in a very short space of time. Marilyn is a good and lovely woman. She's always got a smile on her face, despite the circumstances we now know she's in and she did give us her spa trip."
Joey nodded mutely.
"So it's perfectly understandable to be upset," Charlie continued. "I am too."
Joey managed a sad smile and hugged her. She always struggled to think about death, even in abstract terms. It made her think of her parents and how she'd run out of time with them. And it scared her into having to face the fact that one day, she might have to live without Charlie. And she knew they would be impossible.
"I love you," she said, kissing her tenderly.
"I love you too," Charlie replied.
No longer allowed to wear his uniform, Angelo was back at the police station at nine o'clock the next morning, ready to face Constable Wilson. He had been up all night, fretting about the situation and had now come to what he hoped was the right decision.
"You're not supposed to be on the premises," Wilson remarked when he spotted him.
"I've come to tell you exactly what happened that night," Angelo replied.
Charlie stopped off at the Diner to grab some takeaway coffees for herself and Watson. They would need it to face another day of criticism and interrogations from Wilson and his team.
"You look chipper," Charlie commented.
"Lijuan and Song have gone," Leah explained a little guiltily.
"I thought you were mad about that?" Charlie replied.
"Oh, they've just gone for a few days," Leah told her. "They're on holiday and all is well and peaceful in the world."
Charlie smiled.
"I really wish your good mood would descend on my police station!" she remarked. "It is hell over there right now!"
"I need your word that when I tell you the story, you'll drop the investigation into the station," Angelo said, eager to lay out his terms. "Nobody at this station is corrupt, least of all Charlie."
Wilson raised an eyebrow, amused at the man's obvious devotion to a woman that didn't even want him.
"That really depends on what you're about to say," he replied.
"I did let Hugo and Martha go," Angelo admitted. "But I acted alone. Nobody else even knows about it."
Alf had come down to the bait shop in order to check out how Joey was doing on the boat. He would certainly miss her skills when she left his employment and set up on her own. And he had told her as much.
"Well, you know I'll always help out if I can," Joey promised.
"I think you'll be too busy," Alf said. "But that won't stop me asking!"
Joey grinned. She liked the way he always made her feel valued.
"Alf!" Tony called, appearing as if from nowhere.
They both turned to see him approach.
"I was hoping to rent the farm shed from you," he explained. "For the boxing classes. Would you mind?"
Charlie and Watson were among the gathered police officers as Angelo exited the interview room and left the building completely.
"What's going on?" Charlie asked.
Wilson turned to address the whole station.
"The investigation into corruption at this station has been called off," he explained. "Senior Constable Rosetta has confessed to allowing the fugitive, Hugo Austen and his girlfriend, Martha Holden escape justice. He has informed us that nobody else was involved or even knew of the situation. And he has resigned, taking full legal responsibility in a bid to let the rest of you continue your jobs without issue."
Charlie and Watson glanced at each other anxiously. Both of them felt sorry for him and grateful that he had sacrificed himself for the sake of his colleagues. But both also believed that if he was responsible, then it was only right that he take the consequences.
"You really don't have to give it to me for free," Tony said. "I wasn't trying to cut corners or anything."
"I know," Alf assured her. "But you're family and it's not like I'm using the place for anything else."
The two men shook hands.
"Joey, are you still up for coming?" Tony asked.
"Yep," Joey said. "Count Charlie and I both in."
He looked thrilled.
"Now I just need to convince Rach that there's nothing wrong with it and I'm good to go," he said.
"Rachel doesn't like the idea?" Alf asked.
"Nope," Tony replied glumly. "She was great when she thought it was just a fitness thing but hates the idea of girls sparring. I'm trying to convince her that it's about sport and not violence but she won't listen."
"I can't believe that he just fell on his own sword like that," Watson admitted.
With Wilson and his team having cleared out of the station for good.
"I mean, I know he should have taken responsibility for what happened," she continued. "But really, when was the last time Angelo Rosetta did anything he was supposed to?"
Charlie sighed and nodded. She couldn't help feeling bad for him, and grateful that he had saved them all from attack.
"Maybe he's turning over a new leaf or something," she suggested.
Alf was in a bad mood as he served customers at the Surf Club. Tony had assured him that Hugo would be looking after Martha, which had been a nice thing to say. But it had made him rather emotional. He had already missed out on so much with his granddaughter that to think he might never see her again, broke his heart.
Then he had had a run in with Colleen about Marilyn's business venture. She was full of criticisms and seemed intent of ruining things for her. Burdened with the knowledge that his friend was dying, Alf was desperate to protect her and keep her safe for as long as he could.
Angelo was surprised when Charlie had called and asked him out for a drink with herself, Joey, Watson and Monica. He wasn't that thrilled to be surrounded by happy couples, even if they were hot lesbians, but he couldn't turn down the offer of friendship. He was at his second lowest ebb, better only than when he had been jailed for Jack's death the previous year. He had no idea where he would be able to turn from here.
That evening, Charlie and Joey arrived home in a good mood.
"There's something weird going on," Charlie decided, flopping onto the sofa and kicking off her shoes.
"There is?" Joey asked, wasting no time in lying on top of her.
"You and Angelo got on like a house on fire," Charlie said. "I nearly went into shock."
"To be honest, I feel sorry for him more than anything else," Joey admitted. "He's pretty much got nothing in his life right now and it's pretty much all his own fault. I can't be angry with someone that pathetic. I guess… I don't see him as a threat anymore."
Charlie smiled.
"I'm glad to hear it," she said, pulling her in for a kiss. "And for the record, certainly as far as I'm concerned, he was never a threat."
Joey grinned and ran her hands through Charlie's hair.
"Do you have any idea how happy you make me?" she wondered.
Next time… Marilyn reads Joey's fortune, Angelo spends a night in a cell and Charlie and Joey experiment in the bedroom…
