This is the last update until Monday so I hope you enjoy it. Love, IJKS xxx
Chapter Four Hundred and Seventeen
Things were still awkward at home the next morning and it wasn't a situation that Charlie, Joey or Ruby were used to. Last night had been one of the first and only times that the couple had gone to bed unhappy with each other and the atmosphere was deeply uncomfortable now.
"So what's going to happen to him now?" Joey asked.
"I've scheduled another interview this morning," Charlie told her. "Hopefully he'll start co-operating and then we can get to the bottom of what actually happened."
"Nothing happened, Charlie," Joey insisted. "That's so obvious. Of course Alf didn't beat Penn up."
"But we can't prove that yet," Charlie said as diplomatically as possible. "All I've got to work with is a man in hospital and another man with scuffed hands who won't talk to me."
"But one man is Penn Graham, a man you wanted to arrest yesterday for what he did to Nicole, and the other man is Alf Stewart," Joey argued. "He's Alf, Charlie. How could you even think…?"
"Joey…" Charlie tried, touching her hand.
Joey snatched her hand away. Charlie was deeply wounded.
"This isn't about friendship," the police officer said. "It's not about love and loyalty. It's about the law. When I put on my uniform, I'm a cop. I'm not Charlie, I'm Sergeant Buckton. I will do everything I can to get to the truth and I genuinely agree with you that Alf couldn't do anything like put a man in hospital, even a man like Penn, but he's not giving me anything, Jo. He's making himself look guilty. I have nothing to work with. But it doesn't mean I'm going to stop trying. I swear."
Joey just frowned. Charlie had never felt not good enough in her girlfriend's eyes before. She was heartbroken. So was Ruby.
Glad of a Sunday, Ruby met up with Dex on the beach. Breakfast had been more than stressful and she was desperate to get out of the flat and into the fresh air.
"So, things are pretty tense at home?" Dex asked.
"You know that phrase, 'cut the atmosphere with a knife'?" Ruby said. "Well, I didn't actually know what it meant until now. And I don't really understand where it's come from. Joey is literally the most understanding, compassionate person in the world and she loves Charlie more than anything but she's treating her like the enemy, like it's her fault that Alf's in trouble."
Dex sighed.
"That must be pretty rough," he empathised.
"I just hope Charlie makes some headway with the case today," Ruby said. "And I hope she and Joey sort things out quickly. It's like the whole balance of the planet is out of whack when those two aren't getting along. I really felt sorry for Charlie this morning. She just couldn't make Joey understand the position she's in."
"So Alf could really be in the shit for what's happened to Penn?" Dex asked.
"If Charlie can't prove that he isn't responsible for what happened to him, yes," Ruby confirmed.
"You know this woman I like?" Dex ventured.
"Mmm…?"
"She's pretty close to him," Dex admitted. "Maybe I should go and check she's okay."
"Dex, I'm not sure that's such a good idea," Ruby objected. "I thought you were cutting all ties?"
"I was but…"
"Dex…"
"No," the teenager decided, getting to his feet. "I just need to make sure she's alright. I'll catch you later."
Ruby sank back on the sand, running through Alf's attached friends and trying to work out who Dex was crushing on.
Joey was subdued at work. She wasn't actually scheduled to be on shift but she'd had nothing better to do so she figured she may as well go in. Otherwise, she'd just be slumped at home, feeling sorry for herself.
"Are you okay, Joey?" Angelo asked, as they set up for the day.
"Just worried about Alf," Joey replied glumly.
"I'm sure it'll be okay," Angelo replied. "I mean, obviously he didn't do it. Charlie will prove that."
Joey merely shrugged. Angelo immediately noticed that perhaps all wasn't well in the land of love.
"Joey?" he nudged.
She turned to him, obviously upset.
"I just don't understand how she could arrest him like that," she admitted. "I know it's her job but he's Alf and…"
She surprised and annoyed herself by bursting into tears. Angelo immediately reached out to hold her. She let him.
Marilyn was sat on the sofa when Dex arrived at the house. Ruby's warning was ringing in his ears but he continued to ignore it, still desperate to be close to her.
"Marilyn?" he said, hovering in the doorway.
The blonde looked up, dabbing her eyes with a tissue.
"Dex, this really isn't a good time."
He had never seen her look so stressed before.
"Ruby told me about Alf," he said awkwardly. "I was just checking if you were okay. Is there anything I can do?"
She looked genuinely touched.
"I'm just so worried about him," she confessed.
Dex came to sit beside her on the sofa.
Joey withdrew from Angelo's hug, rubbed her eyes and took a deep breath.
"Sorry," she apologised. "I'm not usually one for crying in public."
"Well, it's not like we're open yet," Angelo replied. "It's only me."
He grinned. She managed a smile back.
"Thank you for being there," she said. "I mean, you probably think I'm being totally unreasonable, having been a cop and everything."
She sighed heavily and sank into a chair. He came to sit beside her, wanting to stay close. His heart was still racing at having had the chance to hold her. That was a moment that would stay in his head for a long, long time.
"No, I don't," he told her. "I think it's great that you care so much, Joey."
"But…?"
"No buts," he said. "I just think you're great. And I'm sure Alf will be let off. There won't be any evidence that he attacked Penn because he didn't do it."
Joey sighed again.
"I really hope you're right," she said.
Nicole found Ruby still on the beach. She too had needed to get out and clear her head, which was full of conflict over recent events.
"Have you heard anything about Penn's condition?" Ruby asked when her friend sat down beside her.
"No," Nicole said. "I picked up the phone a couple of times to call and ask but I never did it in the end. I don't know whether I should. I… It's a weird position to be in."
Ruby nodded and patted her friend gently on the shoulder.
"Mostly I want to know how Alf is," Nicole admitted. "Any ideas?"
"No," Ruby sighed. "All I know is that Joey seems to be holding poor Charlie personally responsible. The whole situation is just horrible."
She frowned and leant against Nicole, who hugged her.
"I need you to be honest with me," Marilyn decided.
Dex had been great. He had been kind and supportive and for once had said all the right things. But even with everything going on with Alf, the letter he'd given her the previous day was playing on her mind.
"What do you mean?" the teenager said anxiously.
"You have a crush on me, don't you, Dex?" Marilyn asked.
"No," Dex lied. "I thought we cleared all of this up yesterday…"
"Dex…"
Panicked, he fled the house.
Charlie and Watson were both unhappy as they formally charged Alf with assault. But even with a night to sleep on it, their friend had refused to speak to them. He had neither confirmed his guilt nor protested his innocence, leaving them with no choice. They'd even taken a swab of his knuckles but he'd cleaned the wound, leaving no trace either way.
"But we don't see any need for you to stay in custody," Charlie continued, sitting opposite the man who represented Summer Bay itself to her. "On the proviso that you stay away from Penn Graham, of course, until the case goes to court."
Alf merely nodded. His eyes were blank.
"So, you're free to go home," she told him.
He nodded again.
"Is there anyone you'd like us to call for you?" she asked.
He shook his head and stood to leave. Charlie hurriedly followed him out.
Dex found Ruby in the Surf Club, full of regret over going to see Marilyn.
"Let me guess," Ruby said, handing over a pool cue and inviting him to join the game she had been playing by herself since Nicole had opted to go back home. "It didn't go well with your mystery woman?"
She still couldn't work out who it was. The only woman who fitted Dex's description was Marilyn Chambers and that was just ludicrous – she was dating Dex's Dad!
"You're a fabulous guesser," he confirmed, taking the cue. "I don't think I can ever speak to her again."
"Alf, I am begging you to talk to me," Charlie said, catching up with Alf outside the police station.
He ignored her and continued to walk down the street.
"Alf, please!" Charlie begged, jogging to keep up with him. "I'm not asking as a cop; I'm asking as a friend."
She stood in front of him, removing both her hat and her badge.
"This is just Charlie speaking, not a Sergeant," she said. "Please let me help you."
"I have nothing to say, Charlie," he replied gruffly.
She sighed in frustration.
"Well, at least let me give you a lift home," she requested. "You can't walk all that way."
He looked at her and then down at the ground. Sighing, he relented. He was exhausted and dishevelled and just wanted to go home.
"Fine," he said. "But I still have nothing to say."
Dex arrived home and flopped onto the sofa. He pulled at face at Indi, wrapped up in Romeo at the other end of it.
"Is that all you do on a weekend?" he mocked. "Him?"
"Better than spending all my time on a computer," his sister barked back.
"I've been out all day, actually," Dex informed her.
"Still doing something geeky, no doubt," Indi replied certainly.
"I've been hanging out with Ruby for most of the day, actually," Dex said.
Indi pulled a face. Romeo looked uncomfortable. Dex took the plunge.
"I really wish you'd put that whole alcohol incident aside, Indi," he ventured.
"You mean the incident where I lost my job and any hope of any other bar work in the future and got fined, all for the sake of trying to help a friend out because I actually trusted and cared about her?" she remarked sourly.
"She was in a bad place then," Dex said. "But she's really trying now. And if she just had some friends then things would be a lot easier for her."
"Then she'd better find some," Indi replied. "Because she doesn't have us."
She looked at Romeo, who looked even more awkward.
"Don't tell me you're on her side," she demanded bitterly.
"I'm on your side," he assured her. "I'm always on your side. But I do feel a bit sorry for her. She's so alone."
"Exactly," Dex said triumphantly. "She's completely alone. She needs people to support her."
"Then like I said, she'd better find people," Indi insisted. "Other people. Not us."
Alf thanked Charlie for the lift and walked through his front door. He was surprised to find Miles, Marilyn and Nicole all waiting for him. They all immediately pledged their support. He just hoped that somehow he could prove that he was not responsible for Penn being in hospital.
Charlie was anxious as she arrived at her own home. All throughout the day, she hadn't been able to stop thinking about Joey. Her whole world was askew at being at odds with Joey. Nothing felt good or right when her girlfriend was upset with her.
She'd stopped off on the way to buy Joey some roses in a bid to try and make amends and she hoped that they would be a step in the right direction to healing their rift. She supposed there was always going to come a day when police life and civilian life would come into conflict and indeed, it had happened before, but not quite like this. It had never divided them until now.
"Hey," she greeted anxiously, stepping through the front door.
"Hi," Joey replied.
She was slumped on the sofa with a glass of wine, watching some sort of reality TV show.
"I got you these," Charlie ventured, waving the flowers.
Joey managed a smile and nodded to the table, where an identical bouquet of roses sat. Charlie smiled, as her girlfriend got up and hugged her.
"I'm really sort that that I wasn't more understanding of the situation you're in," Joey said. "I know you'll always try your best for anyone and that you'll always do your job right. I should have trusted you and not judged you. And I should have supported you and not made your situation harder. I'm sorry."
In charge of the restaurant for the evening, Angelo was in a good mood for a change. With Alf under suspicion of assault, although he hoped nothing would come of it, the chances were, he might be up for a promotion in his place. And he couldn't help but enjoy that Charlie and Joey's relationship was in some sort of trouble. He couldn't help but replay that hug over and over again in his head.
Charlie put her flowers down next to the ones that Joey had bought and gathered her into her arms, kissing her tenderly.
"I'm so glad we made up," she breathed. "This has been one of the worst days of my life!"
They kissed again, their passion growing.
"Mine too," Joey admitted. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have acted the way I did. I should have been more thoughtful and caring. I was just so worried about Alf and I wasn't good enough to you and…"
Charlie interrupted her with another kiss.
"I'm just glad that everything's okay now," she said. "And you know the best thing about an argument…"
She raised her eyebrows suggestively.
"The making up…" Joey grinned.
They made their way to the bedroom.
Monday morning was a lot more pleasant than Sunday morning had been.
"I don't think I've ever been so happy to see a trail of clothes leading to your bedroom before," Ruby remarked over breakfast.
Charlie blushed. Joey giggled.
"Seriously though," Ruby said. "I'm so happy you've made up."
"Me too," Charlie and Joey said in unison.
Kerri dropped Danny at school and stopped for a coffee at the Diner before she started work, where she had just gone part time to full time at the local library.
"We really have to stop meeting like this," said a familiar voice.
She turned to see Brax standing behind her, offering his most charming smile.
"Then you really have to stop stalking me," she replied.
He grinned.
"I can't help myself," he said. "So, when can I take you for that surfing lesson?"
She toyed with the prospect.
"How about this afternoon?" she finally decided.
Danny was over at VJ's for dinner. Watson wasn't interested. She figured she may as well.
Charlie and Watson headed straight to the hospital at the beginning of their shift to check on Penn and see if he was awake and ready to make a statement.
"No way," Charlie muttered when she spotted Alf along the corridor.
Watson frowned, also seeing him.
"What the hell is he doing here?" she wondered.
"Maybe you went to get a coffee and didn't see him?" Charlie suggested.
"I am suddenly very thirsty," Watson agreed.
She disappeared round the corner. Charlie hurried over to Alf.
"Alf!" she hissed. "What the hell are you playing at?"
"I came to sort this mess out," Mr Stewart barked.
"This is not the way," Charlie insisted. "You need to leave. Right now. Don't make this worse for yourself."
He suddenly looked tired and resigned. Nodding, he left.
"Charlie?"
The police officer turned around and found Sid calling her.
"Penn's awake and you'll be pretty interested in what he's got to say," the Doctor said.
Charlie walked back along the corridor and waved at Watson to join her. They entered the patient's room, neither of them very happy with the man who had caused so much trouble since his arrival in Summer Bay.
"How are you feeling?" Charlie asked stiffly.
"Not great," Penn admitted. "But I remember what happened now and I got it wrong."
"Wrong?" Charlie asked. "What do you mean, wrong?"
"Alf didn't attack me," Penn said. "I was hitchhiking out of town because everyone seems to hate me here. I got beaten up. I don't know why I said what I said. I'm sorry if I got him into trouble."
Charlie and Watson exchanged glances. They had never heard someone sound so insincere before but it was hard to read where the insincerity was coming from.
"So Alf Stewart isn't responsible for your injuries?" Charlie asked. "Is that what you're saying?"
"I don't think I even saw him yesterday," Penn confirmed.
"Well, we'll come back when you're stronger," Charlie said. "You can make a formal statement about who really did attack you. Right now, we can drop the charges against Mr Stewart."
Next time… Alf turns to Joey for support, Dex persists with Project Ruby and Angelo's brother glides into town…
