A/N: Hi guys thank you so much for all your support, sorry I've been quiet on the updates I have been so busy with Christmas, hopefully I will be a little more regular now. Once again your reviews are so so appreciated! I hope you had a great Christmas and a wonderful new year
L xx
"Lia are you ready yet?" Carla asked walking into her bedroom.
"Can't I just stay off today," Lia moaned walking out of her bedroom, "My head hurts."
"Nice try, you can stay off when you're ill not hungover, there's a difference," Carla sang as she grabbed her jacket from her bedroom door.
"Bet you never went to school when you were hungover," Lia grumbled popping her toast out of the toaster.
"I was never hungover at your age," Carla defended looking through her bag.
"Liar," Lia retorted as Carla pulled a mock offended face.
"Here," Carla said throwing a packet of paracetamol at her daughter, "Have two of them, a bottle of water and you'll be fine."
"How kind," Lia rolled her eyes.
"I'm being very kind," Carla defended grinning slightly sarcastic, "Come on get in the car, I'll even take you to school."
"Awe my saviour," Lia smirked as Carla rolled her eyes and slammed the door behind them.
"Right," Carla started pulling the car to a holt at the side of the road near the school, "Ground rules. No smoking, drinking, fighting, arguing-"
"So common sense," Lia interrupted rolling her eyes.
"Well let's not go there sweetie cause it wasn't much common sense yesterday was it?" Carla retorted as Lia rolled her eyes again and got out the car to meet her friend who had just stopped outside the car.
"Bye," Lia said as she slammed the car door, Carla sharply wound the window down and leaned out of the passenger window.
"So Maisie, were you not up for a midday drinking session with my daughter," Carla joked as Maisie smirked and turned to her friend.
"Yeah you could have invited me," Maisie nudged Lia's arm, "I was worried about you."
"Oh don't talk too loud, Maisie, her heads a bit delicate this morning isn't it Lia," Carla smirked as Maisie joined in.
"I thought you weren't gonna go on about it," Lia sighed rolling her eyes.
"I'm kidding, chill," Carla shook her head smirking, "Right have a good day you two."
"Bye," Lia smiled turning to her friend as Carla pulled off and started driving away.
Carla pulled up her car in front of the factory and slammed the door shut, she glanced over the cobbles for a moment to see Peter hugging Tracy and Ken and then waving bye and getting into the back of a taxi. She squinted her eyes slightly as the sun shone through the houses, the taxi speeding past her. Both of them locked eyes for a split second before the taxi disappeared into the distance. Carla took a large intake of breath before spinning on her heel, her hand slightly resting on her bump as the baby started to kick again. She pushed the door open, put on her best fake smile and strutted into the factory to the beating sounds of sewing machine echoing throughout.
"Oh look at you lot, working away to the bone," Carla smiled, "What would I do without you all!"
"I say that all the time you know," Beth mused.
"Oh I thought you might," Carla nodded, "Right I'm in the office ringing up new clients so don't bother me unless there's a fire."
"Would you like a coffee Ms Connor," Sally smiled sweetly.
"Erm yeah go on then, thanks Sal," Carla smiled back shortly before shutting her office door.
"Oh Ms Connor," Beth teased as Sean joined in.
"Ms Connor I'll make you a coffee," Sean mimicked as Sally tutted and rushed off to the kitchen.
A few hours past before any movement in the office was made, Carla was glued to her chair only moving to reach her phone until Beth knocked on the door dragging her attention away from the screen.
"Ms Connor," Beth began, "The police are here."
Carla stopped what she was doing and took a deep breathe, she closed her eyes for a moment before turning her head to face them, "Come in take a seat, thanks Beth."
Beth nodded holding the door open for the detectives before shutting the door and walking away.
"Can I help?" Carla sighed, "Again."
"We just wanted to double check a few things with you if you don't mind," The detective introduced.
"As long as your quick, fire away," Carla nodded.
"So after the last time you went and seen Tina Mcintyre you claim you left the building and went home, in which you didn't see anyone on this journey," The detective asked.
"No I did, when I came out the flat I saw Tracy," Carla corrected.
"Oh right okay-"
"I did say that the first time I talked to you," Carla interrupted.
"Okay just wanted to check again," The detective nodded, "And just to double check, again, how do you know it was Tracy?"
"What do you mean how do I know, we made eye contact I see everyday on the street I think I'd recognise her," Carla sniped.
"Even in the dark?" The detective enquired.
"Sorry why are you asking this?" Carla questioned pausing a second before continuing, "Has she said something?!"
"Hiya," Michelle sang as she pushed the door open immediately coming to a holt at the sight of the officers, "Sorry am I interrupting something."
"No its fine, we're just going, thanks for your time Mrs Barlow," The detective shot a quick smile.
"Has she said something?" Carla called after them as they ignored her and walked out of the door.
"What's going on?" Michelle asked as Carla walked past her and picked up her phone.
"Are you never at work?" Carla muttered as she dialled a number on her phone.
"Erm yeah I am but we've not opened yet," Michelle replied raising her eyebrows, "Carla what's going on?"
"That cow of a sister in law that's what," Carla huffed slamming her phone down with no response received.
"Why? What she said?" Michelle questioned but was left with no response by the time she finished her sentence as Carla had stormed out of the factory.
"Carla!" Michelle shouted following her friend down the street, "What's happened?"
Still getting no response Michelle huffed before following her friend down the street as Carla shoved the door open to Rob and Tracy's shop.
"Where is she?" Carla demanded.
"What's happened?" Rob asked, "Who are you on about."
"Your bitch of a fiancé," Carla insulted as Michelle closed the door.
"Hey," Rob warned before turning his attention to Michelle, "Chelle?"
"Don't ask me she won't tell me," Michelle sighed putting her hands on her hips.
"Carla-"
"What's going on out here," Tracy asked walking out with two mugs in her hand.
"What did you tell the police?" Carla demanded.
"Sorry," Tracy asked raising her eyebrows.
"I said what did you tell them," Carla repeated.
"Yeah your gonna have to be a little bit more specific babe," Tracy commented.
"Don't babe me," Carla scoffed, "Did you tell the police you didn't see me the night Tina was attacked?"
"So what if I did?" Tracy questioned.
"Tracy I saw you that night, we made eye contact," Carla insisted.
"Well I don't remember," Tracy sighed smirking, "Whoops, did I make a mistake."
"Yes, you did. You need to go back and tell them you made a mistake," Carla explained rubbing her forehead.
"Sorry no can do, I didn't see you," Tracy shrugged
"You cow," Carla insulted.
"Hey!" Rob interrupted, "Car if she says she didn't see you then she mustn't of, maybe it was someone else you saw."
"Rob!" Carla exclaimed dropping her hands to her side, "She is lying look at her face, stood behind you smirking like a Cheshire cat!"
"I don't know what your on about," Tracy continued to smirk discretely.
"So let me get this right, you will liar for him," Carla exclaimed pointing to her brother, "But you can't even bring yourself to tell the truth for me."
"Well it makes no difference really cause you say you didn't do it so why would my word make that any different?" Tracy shrugged.
"You must be kidding," Carla shook her head as she attempted to walk out.
"Car where are you going!" Michelle asked.
"Chelle she was my only saving grace, and now I have nothing," Carla said her voice breaking, "So I am going to get my daughter before I loose her."
"You don't know that Carla," Rob explained.
"Oh no I do, your fiancé has just well and truly but the final nail in the coffin," Carla nodded her head firmly before wiping a tear from her eye and pulling the door open.
"See what you've done now!" Michelle huffed as her voice was drowned out in the distance as Carla stamped back up the road, her breathing shaking.