Chapter Four Hundred and Seventy Three
Detective Robert Robertson stepped out of his car and looked out to sea, squinting in the sun. His suit jacked flapped a little in the light breeze. He hadn't expected to return to Summer Bay but when his station had received an urgent call from Sergeant Charlie Buckton, it seemed like a good reason to come back to the Bay and shake things up a little. And perhaps see if a certain Leah Patterson-Baker was still around.
His colleague, young Detective Graves climbed out of the car.
"What are we doing, Robertson?" she asked.
"Just soaking in the atmosphere," he replied.
Sid had been thinking a lot about honesty. He was worried for Indi, whose relationship with Romeo was up in the air and his daughter seemed so unhappy. She kept trying to fix things with Romeo but the young couple didn't seem able to communicate with each other. And yet they seemed to love each other so much. The whole thing seemed so sad. He wanted to knock their heads together, if he was honest.
It made him thing about himself and Marilyn. He felt guilty over the truth he was concealing about Mitzy's last words and beliefs. But he didn't want to bring it all up again and upset her. He didn't want to lie but he didn't want to hurt her more, unnecessarily. It didn't seem fair when she had made her peace about things at last.
Will and Shandi arrived back in Summer Bay about an hour after the two new Detectives arrived. They'd needed a break and it had done them some good to get away. Will felt guilty about leaving Lily with Irene but he'd just needed to not be responsible for a few days. He didn't think he was going to win Dad of the Year anytime soon.
It was like a whirlwind had taken over Yabbie Creek Police Station and Charlie was furious. She regretted calling in for reinforcements, especially so early. She should have ignored protocol and just let herself and her team get on with things themselves. They were perfectly capable. Robertson and this other Detective were going to be an absolutely nightmare. She knew it.
"Right," Robertson said. "We'll head over to the crime scene now."
"We've already done a sweep of the crime scene," Charlie said. "Yesterday."
"And now we'll catch anything you've missed," Robertson replied.
Charlie seethed.
"We haven't missed anything," she insisted, jogging to catch up with him. "My team are very thorough."
"And Graves and I are more so," Robertson said.
"Is this how it's going to be, Robertson?" she demanded.
He turned around to face her, that familiar, irritating smile on his face.
"What do you mean?"
"Working against us instead of with us?"
"I'm happy to work with you," he said, still smiling. "But you need to remember to do things my way. Because I'm the senior here now."
He marched off, casually inviting her to join them at the scene if she wished. Irritated, she followed them out to the car.
Alf was quiet as he worked behind the bar or the restaurant. Distracted was the word really and Joey was worried.
"Do you want to just go home?" she asked gently.
"What?" he asked, startled by the question.
"Would you like some time off?" Joey asked. "I know things are tough right now."
"No," he said. "Thank you but no. I need to keep busy. My mind… it's just…"
He shook his head. Joey put her hand on his back.
"Everything will be okay," she said.
"I appreciate it, Joey, but you don't know that," he said. "Penn Graham is probably dead and there is no way that I am not the prime suspect."
"But there is no way you did anything to him," Joey said certainly. "Charlie wouldn't let an innocent person get into trouble for something they didn't do."
"I know," Alf said. "But this could easily go beyond Charlie."
Joey opted not to mention the imminent arrival of Robert Robertson. It wouldn't help.
"She'll still always do her absolute best for you," Joey said. "You know that."
Alf nodded but sighed heavily.
"She loves you," Joey said. "Just as much as I do."
Charlie was stood in the doorway to Penn's hotel room, irritated as Robertson and Graves searched where her team had already spent the day looking around. She was annoyed that they were undermining the work that they had already done.
"Found something," Grave said triumphantly.
Charlie bristled.
"Knew you would," Robertson said equally as triumphantly.
He turned to Charlie.
"Eyes like a hawk."
Charlie approached them both. In a gloved hand, Graved held a tiny sequin.
"Was our man particularly into sequins?" Robertson asked.
"Not that I'm aware," Charlie replied.
"Then he most definitely had company at some point," he told her. "And she might have been a bit of a party girl."
Ruby was struggling to concentrate. Which was quite a big deal considering she was in a driving lesson. She thought it should be illegal to make driving instructors as good looking as the guy sat beside her in the passenger seat of the car. How was she supposed to focus on the road ahead of her and the things he was telling her when he was so gorgeous? His name was Alex, he was about five years older than she was and he was one of the most beautiful men she had ever met in her life. He was funny and charming and he had immediately put her at ease behind the wheel. She liked him a lot.
"So, um, how is Leah doing?" Robertson asked, trying to sound as casual as possible, just as Charlie was about to head out to lunch. "Are you still good friends?"
Charlie suppressed as smile.
"Yes, still the best of friends," she said. "She's actually in Africa right now."
He looked surprised.
"Africa?"
"Yes," she said. "With her boyfriend."
He looked utterly crestfallen. For a moment, she felt sorry for him. But only for a moment.
"Well, don't be long at lunch," he said. "We've got a lot to cover this afternoon and your team haven't exactly been up to scratch so far."
Any residual sympathy vanished.
Ruby's lesson finished and she was pleased with Alex's complimentary assessment of her driving skills.
"So um… I don't suppose you have time for a coffee?" she asked nervously.
She figured if she didn't ask then she would never know if he liked her.
"I'd love to," he said. "But I have another lesson right after you."
Her heart sank as she tried to work out whether it was true or he was just trying to let her down gently.
"Maybe another time," he suggested.
She tried not to hope too hard.
"See you next week, Ruby," he said.
"Sure," she replied, letting herself out of the car.
She watched him switch to the driver's seat and drive away. Immediately she called Claire to tell her everything.
Charlie was glad to meet up with Joey at lunch time. Robertson was grating on her every nerve and she knew she was stuck with him for what could be weeks. Months even, depending on how the case went.
"Alf is on edge," Joey said, once they were sat at a table in the corner. "He's scared that he's going to get into trouble for something he didn't do."
"As long as he didn't do anything, he'll be fine," Charlie said.
"Of course he didn't do anything," Joey said quickly, somewhat defensive.
"I didn't mean it like that," Charlie assured her, touching her hand across the table.
Joey apologised.
"Anyway, I don't want to talk about work," Charlie said. "I have to do enough of that at work. How are you?"
Over at the Diner, Dex couldn't help but stare at the dark haired, suited young woman sipping coffee at a table on her own. Fearing it was a mistake from the outset, he approached her.
"Hi," he said. "I'm Dex."
"Detective Graves," she said easily.
He looked startled.
"You seem a little young to be a Detective."
"I was fast tracked."
"Wow," he said. "You uh… you must be something pretty special."
A smile played on her lips.
"Do you mind if I uh… if I sit?"
She shrugged.
"Sure."
"Are you… are you here for the murder investigation?" he asked.
"It's a missing persons," she corrected.
He nodded.
"That's what you're here for though?"
"Yes."
"Nobody liked him," Dex told her.
"So everyone must be a suspect."
He looked alarmed. She grinned and he realised she was teasing. He laughed nervously.
Claire and Ruby met at the restaurant, going into a different corner than Ruby's parents. Claire tried not to let her heart sink as Ruby told her all about the amazing, gorgeous, wonderful Alex.
Next time… Romeo and Indi make amends, Charlie is under pressure and anxious people get their stories straight…
