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January 2018
A few days has passed, Smithy had been an absolute rock, the support he has offered was second to none. She sat in the tiny waiting room at Barton Street waiting for a DI Watson to join them. Smithy held her hand and smiled at her gently, his face was enough to put her at ease. The knock on the open door alerted her to the ladies presence, she had thick rimmed glasses which she was wearing far too far down her nose, dark black hair, laced with grey specks pulled into a tight bun. She had a stern looking face but a soothing smile. Stevie felt at ease but not comfortable. "DS Moss?" she spoke
"Yes and this is my friend Inspector Smith"
"Okay, I'm Sandra, and I am not going to patronise you, you obviously know how this all works, we will take it at your pace and if you need to stop we can and I am happy to answer any questions you have"
"Okay"
"Would you like to ask anything before we start?" Stevie shook her head "Okay, if you can come with me we have a video room set up for your interview"
"Stevie" Smithy stood with her and placed a gentle kiss to her cheek "I'm proud of you, I'll be here when you are finished". She knew she should tell him to go and get on with his day but she needed him.
She followed the woman down a few corridors and into a room very similar to Sunhill soft interview room, Sandra pointed to a chair opposite a camera and Stevie sat down. "Would you like to just talk or would you prefer me to ask questions?" she asked as she fiddled with the camera before moving and sitting opposite her. Stevie wasn't entirely sure she was ready for this but she at the very least needed to try.
"I don't know" she whispered "I'm not even sure I can or want to do this"
"Okay, we can take it at your pace Stevie, there is absolutely no pressure".
Stevie had been sat on her bed for a majority of the day, just cuddled up with Houdini, not sure what her next move should be, she had made a partial statement, although it was enough to make an arrest, she would need to finish it. She was worried now, as soon as the arrest was made, Dec would know she had stood up against him, the thought alone made her feel sick to the stomach. The knock on the open door startled her and she glanced up. "You fancy some chips?" he asked. "I can walk to the chippy quick"
"I'm not really hungry"
"You should eat something Stevie"
"Have you heard from Neil?" she asked, changing the subject
"Yeah, he suspended Dec this morning for an internal investigation and DI Watson has arrested him, he is being questioned" he moved over and sat on the bed "Chances are, he will get bail, if not tonight then tomorrow morning"
"I know, does everyone know?"
"Jo said there has been speculation in CID, they have Max as acting DI"
"They will all hate me, no one gets on with Max"
"No they won't, it's only temporary, they have an acting DI coming in next week to cover Dec's absence"
"People are going to talk Smithy"
"Yeah, they are sweetheart but you need to remember this is on him, this is his fault, not yours. I'll go and grab us them chips".
Stevie had picked at the chips, Smithy had eaten his like they were going out of fashion but thinking back, it had been a long few days and she wasn't entirely sure the last time she had seen him eat a proper meal. The doorbell ringing frightened her and clearly Smithy noticed, "It's okay, I'll get rid of whoever it is"
"What if its Declan?"
"Just stay here, don't worry, I'll deal with it". The door bell rang again and Smithy left the room. She moved to the table and grabbed the phone Smithy had got for her, opening the front door camera app, she caught a glimpse of her dear friend. She headed out into the hall. The app had sound but it sounded muffled, "It's just not a good time mate" Smithy spoke as she edged closer.
"I just want to see she is okay" she watched him on the screen as she heard his all too familiar voice, her surrogate big brother, the man she had once been so close too but now, she couldn't remember the last time she had even spoken to him.
"She is okay Mickey, I'll get her to ring you in a couple of days"
"Smithy" she spoke, he faced her and she nodded gently
"Sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure". The two men had followed her into the living room, she sat on the sofa along from Mickey. Smithy rested against the table in the corner of the room. "It's good to see you" she eventually spoke
"Well if it weren't for Jo telling me where you were, you wouldn't be seeing me at all"
"Well she shouldn't of done that" Smithy sounded stressed, angry even.
"You don't think people have a right to know that Stevie is shacked up with you"
"No I don't"
"I'm sorry" Stevie whispered "I'm sorry I cut you out Mickey"
"Yeah well, what's done is done. Are the rumours true?"
"What rumours?" Smithy asked
"That Stevie had DI Flynn nicked because he dumped her and now he could lose his job"
"No, that's not true" Stevie protested, Smithy rested on the arm of the sofa and she instinctively moved towards him. "Smithy" she looked up at him, her eyes betraying her "Is that what everyone will think?"
"No Stevie and anyone that thinks that is true doesn't really know you"
"Well, what are people meant to think?" Mickey interrupted "I don't know who you are any more Stevie, no one does"
"I need some water" she whispered before leaving the room. Once in the kitchen, she opened the bottle of whiskey Smithy kept in his cupboard and gulped back a huge mouthful, coughing as she pulled the bottle away and it burnt her throat.
"Necking my whiskey ain't going to help Stevie"
"No? Because I feel like it will Smithy"
"What is going on?" Mickey asked as he appeared behind Smithy
"Tell him Stevie, tell him the truth"
"What if he doesn't believe me?" she asked and she noticed Mickey looking confused, an expression he often featured during a difficult case
"Then he doesn't deserve you in his life Stevie"
"Okay, I did have Dec arrested Mickey, for domestic abuse and rape"
"What?" Mickey looked sheepish "Why didn't you say anything?"
"I was frightened, I couldn't tell anyone"
"You told him" Mickey pointed at Smithy "You could of trusted me"
"It wasn't about trust Mickey, I was petrified, I still am, I didn't tell Smithy he guessed and if he hadn't, I don't know what would be happening to me right now"
"I'm so sorry Stevie" Mickey moved towards her and pulled her into a hug. Stevie let out a cry as Mickey held her close.
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