"There you are! Are you okay?" Rose was asked as Jo sat next to her.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Did ya wonder where I'd got to?" Rose laughed, pushing her plate back.
She hadn't realised how hungry she was, not having much breakfast with being nervous.
"Of course we did," Kate told her. "What's going on Rose? We heard rumours going around."
"Let's get some lunch first," Trish suggested.
They all went off just as Tess wandered in, looking around for Dave but he wasn't there.
"Typical," Tess thought, seeing Rose on her own. "Just when I needed to talk to him as well."
Her other ally, the traffic sergeant had been arrested so where was she going to get the low-down of what Alec and Tyler were getting up to on their own in the garage now? What had the stupid idiot done to get himself locked up, she had wondered when she'd found out from one of her friends.
Alec had been vague to say the least, though he'd had plenty to say the night before, blaming her for everything but she had thought the chief would have freed the sergeant pending an enquiry. The man was still in custody though so she had to be careful she didn't get implicated any further.
Alec followed Tess, seeing her wave to her circle of friends then join the queue at the counter then he saw Rose and went over to her, grabbing a chair since her friends were still getting served.
"How did it go?" he asked as Rose finished the rest of her meal, which was going cold.
"I can't talk about it," Rose replied, trying not to smile.
"I know, you don't have to tell me everything," he joked.
"Okay I suppose? How come your interview's this afternoon?" Rose wondered.
"The chief will want to read your statement first," Alec explained. "Tess was looking concerned to say the least when I saw her coming here."
"She should be," Rose did smile this time. "I hope she does get pulled into it. Sorry."
"Don't be sorry, she knew what she was doing," Alec replied seeing one of her friends looking over. "I will see you later, your friends are heading this way."
He got up as Jo approached the table, getting out of the way.
"So, come on Rose," Jo nudged her as she put her tray down.
"I can't, not until later," Rose tried to tell her friend. "Something happened last night, down in the garage."
"We heard some rumours Rose," Kate admitted. "You mean after I left you waiting for Hardy?"
Rose nodded. "Ya could say that," she admitted.
"Geez Rose, I wish I'd waited with you now," Kate covered her mouth. "Seriously?"
The other two were looking at them.
"Why were you waiting for him on your own Rose?" Trish wanted to know, Jo nudging her.
"It's okay," Rose told them. "Tess went into his office as I was leaving so I left them to it."
What else could she say? She didn't want to make it all complicated and have to explain to her boss she was covering up the real reason why she had gone without him.
"Well, she would," Jo then laughed. "Doesn't she see enough of him at home?"
"I feel sorry for him, having to put up with her at home and at work," Kate agreed.
"Yeah, poor bloke," Trish joined in. "Does he complain to you about her when you pick him up or take him home Rose?"
Rose just smiled, if only they knew, she thought.
"Worse than that," Rose grinned. "She glares at me when he's getting in the car every morning."
The others laughed, just as Tess was sitting down at the table her friends were at.
"See, they're laughing about me again," she insisted.
"Oh come on Tess," one of them told her. "Maybe you're just imagining it?"
"Don't believe me then," Tess huffed. "Tyler and Alec have been missing all morning, as if you didn't know."
"We heard something was going on," another told her. "The traffic sergeant was missing this morning, someone else was on duty. What does that have to do with your husband?"
"Keep up," a third woman told her. "That sergeant's been locked up since last night, all due to Tess's husband."
It was only a matter of time before her friends found out what had happened Tess supposed.
"What exactly have you heard?" Tess then wanted to know, seeing Dave wander in and was looking for her.
He'd just have to wait, Tess thought, office gossip was much more important and she was getting tired of Dave rushing her to get 'It' over with in the corner of the garage. She felt a lump in her throat as she suddenly had a horrible feeling that the sergeant may use seeing her and Dave in exchange for getting away with going after Tyler.
"What's wrong Tess?" one of them asked her. "Do you know something we don't?"
"What?" Tess replied, hoping her mouth hadn't been open as she came back down to earth.
Alec had got a sandwich and a coffee and was making his way back to his office when Dave Harris got out of the lift.
"Alec," Dave nodded to him. "How's things? Heard about your DC last night, she's okay?"
"She's fine," Alec replied as he got in the lift, holding the door button.
"Good, heard that Peters got locked up, so he should," Dave told him.
Alec pushed the button for his floor before he got asked anything else. Harris was not the kind of person you had a casual conversation with, well unless you were called Tess.
As Rose's friends were about to leave, Jo suggested she went with them.
"No thanks," Rose laughed waving her hand like she was clearing cigarette smoke away. "I'll just pop up to the office until I get called again, the chief'll wanna interview me."
She went off in the opposite direction, her friends watching her.
"Thought Rose would have more to say," Trish told them. "Didn't you see anything last night Kate?"
"I already told you, there was nothing," Kate insisted. "No point in telling Rose we already know most of it."
"She'll fill the gaps in," Jo replied as they went outside. "Won't be outside long today since it's bloomin' raining as Rose would say," she laughed, the other two joining in.
Tess had waited as she saw Dave go off to another table where his mates were. She didn't fancy hearing what they would be talking about, it would no doubt be about what had happened last night. Why did everyone have to go making something out of it, she thought to herself.
Rose got back to the office, seeing Alec sat at his desk. He waved her over so she went to join him.
"Am I allowed?" Rose smiled as she sat down.
"I am in the same position as you," he replied. "At least you have got most of it over with. Don't worry, the chief is on your side, there was no excuse for what Peters did."
"So did Tess deny she had something to do with it?" Rose asked him.
"Yes, what else?" Alec told her. "She was blaming everyone but herself."
"Well, that's it now I suppose?" Rose complained. "I might as well give up and go back home with my mum."
She slumped forward on Alec's desk, her head on her folded arms.
"No, you stay and fight this Rose," Alec insisted. "Don't let Tess get the better of you."
"She always will though," Rose replied, looking up at him.
"Rose, you will soon be ready to take the sergeant's exam, trust me," he reminded her. "Then she can no longer tell you what to do."
"That's not the problem," Rose looked up at him again. "Whether I pass the exam or not, she'll still be the same."
"Come on Rose, don't give up so easily eh?" he encouraged her.
He would have got up and patted her shoulder but if Tess walked in, since he'd just seen Harris, Tess would be more careful after last night and he would just make things worse.
"Well okay, I suppose?" Rose told him.
"Good, I expect you to pass as well," he replied with satisfaction.
He did expect her to pass first time but would Tess try and spoil her chances? His phone rang and as expected, he was being summoned to be interviewed. Thankfully when he arrived, it wasn't Harris.
"You are still holding Peters?" Alec wanted to know as he sat at the table.
"It's a sorry state of affairs," the other DI replied. "One of our own turning on a young female officer. Whatever happened to make someone like him do a thing like that?"
Alec wanted to say the answer was Tess but didn't think it was wise to mention she may have encouraged the sergeant in question.
"That is what I intend to find out," Alec replied.
"Not until after you give your account of what happened and we've taken the sergeant's statement," Alec was told.
"No doubt the man will try and put the blame onto DC Tyler," Alec replied. "I was delayed after she went off to the garage, although she was with a friend but then she was left alone while she waited for me."
"I see then?" the other DI looked up from the file on the table. "DC Tyler has had a problem with the sergeant before?"
"When she first arrived," Alec recalled. "I had to give him a warning but it was not just her, he had warnings to leave other female officers alone as well."
"Sir, it has been confirmed that some of the female officers are cautious of the sergeant," Fiona Lewis told him. "I did some checking."
"Good, then Peters didn't just single out DC Tyler then?" the DI told her.
"Are you implying that DC Tyler encouraged the sergeant?" Alec wanted to know, leaning forward and putting his hands on the table.
"He never tried anything with the other female officers so why did he chose to with her?" Alec was asked.
"Look Greenwood," Alec sat back again. "There was no need for him to get so aggressive with her. She had told him to go away and she had called me and warned him I was on my way down. He forced the car window down to try and get to her and when I arrived, he was holding onto her."
"I did interview DC Tyler," Greenwood reminded him. "Tell me what was said between you and Peters."
Alec didn't know exactly what Rose had missed out concerning Tess so he would have to be careful.
"I had to be careful not to provoke him even more," Alec replied, folding his arms.
He knew Rose always grinned at him when he did that, she seemed to find it amusing.
"Did he take any notice?" Greenwood wanted to know.
"Not at first. I warned him that officers would be coming back in but it did not seem to get through to him," Alec admitted. "DC Tyler did nothing to provoke him, she remained as calm as she could under the circumstances."
"You mean after you went to her rescue?" the other DI replied smugly.
"She managed to call me before he tried getting in the car," Alec reminded him. "The chief has already been briefed about what happened."
Alec saw the disappointed look on his counterpart's face.
"Why didn't you let him go?" Greenwood then asked Alec.
"Are you serious man?" Alec replied, leaning forward again. "And let him intimidate DC Tyler when she came to work this morning? Anything could have happened, he could have delayed her by pretending to apologise and maybe even warned her to stay quiet."
"Come on Hardy, seriously?" Greenwood replied.
"DI Hardy's right Sir," Fiona spoke up. "He could have made up an excuse for her to stay behind."
"Thank you for that Lewis," Greenwood told her with a hint of sarcasm.
Fiona wished he wouldn't do that. She had considered asking to be put with another DI but only Alec had been without a partner since Tess had been banned but Tess had put everyone off, not just female officers.
"Is that all?" Alec then wanted to know after he recalled his part in the event, minus a few things like Peters insinuating he was keeping Rose all to himself.
He signed his statement and once out of the interview room, sent Rose a message.
Rose's phone buzzed and she glanced at the message from her boss that just read 'Meet me in the staff canteen'.
She supposed he didn't want Tess barging into his office the moment he got back and she couldn't really blame him.
"Where are you going?" Tess asked her as Rose put her work bag on her shoulder.
"Why?" Rose replied. "No-one ever says they're going to the ladies room do they?"
"Watch yourself, DC Tyler," Tess warned her as everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at her.
In the eyes of everyone in the office, Rose was the rebellious one. They thought she didn't care and that working with Alec excused her from answering to Tess.
"I just got a text from DI Hardy," Rose admitted. "We probably have to go out."
Hoping that satisfied Tess for the time being, Rose glanced at her friends, Trish waving to her.
"Wonder where Rose is really going?" Jo whispered to Kate. "Geez, I wish I had her nerve to talk back to Tess."
"We should all maybe try it?" Kate replied. "She can't get all of us fired. Besides, we might hear about a promotion, then Tess will have to find someone else to pick on."
"Yeah, pity anyone who takes our places," Trish agreed.
As Rose entered the canteen, Alec waved her over having already got them both some coffee.
"Was it that bad?" Rose smiled as she sat down. "I take it ya didn't want Tess asking ya a million questions then?"
"How did you guess?" Alec pulled a face at the thought of an angry Tess waiting for him going back. "Still she will only get me at home I expect?"
"Poor you," Rose grinned as she drank the coffee he'd got for her.
How had he remembered how she took it, she thought to herself.
"Just waiting for Peters to be interviewed, then the chief will want to see both of us," Alec told her. "Let us see what the man has to say but don't let him intimidate you."
"Too right I won't, not after last night," Rose agreed.
"Good and if he does not get at least suspended, I will not be happy," Alec replied. "Has Tess said anything to you?"
"Not really but she asked me where I was going when you'd sent me that text," Rose admitted. "I told her we probably had to go out."
"If you continually lie to her, she will get even more suspicious," Alec warned her, trying to sound serious.
Rose saw the look on his face and started laughing.
"Yeah, sure she will and ask me if I'm bothered," she replied.
"Seriously Rose, don't provoke her," Alec advised her.
"Sorry but ya see what I'm up against," Rose told him. "Are we gonna wait here for the chief to call us?"
"You would rather wait in my office and have Tess staring at us?" Alec raised his eyebrows at her.
"Good point," Rose admitted, leaning back on the chair. "Can I ask ya something?"
"Sure, just change the subject eh?" Alec replied.
"Do ya think I really have a good chance of putting in for the sergeant's exam?"
"I would not suggest you did otherwise," Alec told her. "I meant what I said Rose, you are keen to learn."
"Thanks, that means a lot," Rose admitted. "My mum can't decide if she wants to stay or not but she might do, if I get a promotion."
Alec was about to reply when he got a call on his mobile.
"We will be right there," Alec told the caller, beckoning Rose to get up as he did.
"The chief wants us now?" Rose asked as she grabbed her things. "Geez, it's like being called to the principle's office."
Alec let it slide as they both hurried to the chief's office, wondering how things were going to go. Would the chief really believe Rose had done nothing to encourage the traffic sergeant or had Peters already put all the blame entirely on her?
Peters had been taken from the holding cells to the interview room, where the smug look on his face had dropped when he saw who was going to interview him.
"Sit down Peters," DI Greenwood had told him.
"Why was I held all last night and this morning?" Peters had asked.
"You know why," Greenwood told him, looking at Rose's and Alec's statements. "What the hell were you thinking, going after Hardy's DC?"
"Why should she be any different from the rest of them?" Peters replied, eyeing Fiona, who was trying to ignore him.
"You should have heeded what Hardy told you and backed off," Greenwood told him. "Did you seriously think Hardy would go off and leave her with you, when you had her pinned down in the car? You deserve everything thrown at you."
"What happened to hearing my side of the story?" Peters had wanted to know.
"Really?" Greenwood laughed at the sergeant. "Tyler wasn't the first one you went after, was she? All the female officers go to great lengths to avoid you, what made you try with her?"
Peters had laughed at the remark.
"Why should I have let Hardy keep her to himself?" he told Greenwood. "Am I the only one thinks that's exactly what he's doing?"
"Come on Peters, that's a fairly big accusation," Greenwood replied. "You'd have to be a fool believing that."
"Am I? Just ask his wife, she thinks that's exactly what he's doing," Peters replied defiantly.
"You had better have some proof of that, before you drag Hardy's wife into it," Greenwood warned him. "That was no excuse for holding DC Tyler against her will, which is why Hardy had you locked up," he reminded the sergeant.
"What about the fact he was the one who came to rescue her? She was calling him when I stood at the side of the car," Peters replied.
"Anyone would call their boss if they thought they were being threatened," Fiona told him, making Peters' face drop.
Greenwood let it go as he looked at Rose's statement.
"She has a point," Greenwood agreed, making Fiona look at him in disbelief.
"Well she's not the one carrying on with Hardy behind his wife's back," Peters replied as he nodded towards Fiona and trying to put the blame entirely on Rose to get out of it.
"You have proof?" Greenwood wanted to know.
Peters now thought he had a pretty good chance of getting out of this.
"I'll tell that to the chief," Peters replied smugly, looking at Fiona again.
Greenwood got up and gathered the folders on the table.
"Write it all down," he told the sergeant. "You'll be taken back to the cells while the chief decides what to do."
"He'll take what I've just told you into consideration?" Peters asked him.
Greenwood didn't reply, thinking the sergeant had little or no chance of the chief believing the man over Alec Hardy but it would be interesting to know exactly what the sergeant knew about the other DI and DC Tyler.