More from the episode 'Domestic' in this chapter which I do not own.
"Police! We have a warrant to search these premises! Please stay where you are and do not move!" Christina surveyed the scene around her, aware that it was being repeated in a number of other buildings around the area as the fraud enquiry reached its peak. Most of the people staring back at her, wide-eyed and confused, were completely ignorant of what was going on, entirely innocent of any wrongdoing and yet were about to have one of the worst days of their lives. Moving between the desks, she opened the glass door of an office at the far end, the man behind the desk looking at her in surprise. "Dennis Fraser?"
"What is all this?"
"Are you Dennis Fraser?"
"Yes, but…"
"I'm arresting you on suspicion of obtaining services by deception. You do not have to say anything unless you wish to do so, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence. Do you understand?"
"You can't just…"
"Do you understand?"
"Yes…"
"Right, cuff him." She turned to one of the officers from the Fraud Squad who were assisting with the arrests and then stepped back out into the main office. "We need everything marked. Computers, disks, paperwork, everything. Nothing gets touched until the forensic accountant has been here." Around her, the officers worked and after Fraser was loaded into the back of a car, she joined him for the journey back to Sun Hill.
"What is this about?" he asked repeatedly.
"Let's save it for interview, shall we?" she replied each time, pleased to see upon her arrival back at the station, that Jim had also returned with Malcolm Peters, the other main figure in the operation. "How did it go?" she asked him, getting out of the car.
"Sweet as a nut," he replied. "It beats arresting armed blaggers who want to kick your head in anyway."
"I thought you were desperate to get back to the armed blaggers."
"I am but making it though a shift without being injured is always a bonus," he smiled, holding the door open for her.
"Right then…" Bob said as they approached the custody desk. "How many are we looking at?"
"Should be five in total once the rest of the teams get here," she replied. "We need them all kept separately before interview."
"Well, we're pretty crowded but I'll see what I can do. Right, who's first?"
As Fraser stepped forward to the desk to give his details, Kim appeared from around the corner and came over to her. "I take it that it all went smoothly?"
"Yes Ma'am, no problems. At least not so far."
"Good. A job well done then."
"Thank you, Ma'am."
"You'll be starting the interviews right away?"
"As soon as we know if any of them want solicitors then, yes."
"Ideal. Can you and Jim come up and see me when you're finished? I've got to go out, but I should be back later on."
"Yes Ma'am, of course." She watched as Kim walked away, considering it was perhaps the warmest conversation they had had in weeks.
"Congratulations all round then?" Jim asked.
"I hope so. She wants to see us when we're done."
"Oh Lord, as long as she's not about to co-opt us onto another fraud enquiry. I know I said it was a win not to get injured, but part of me does so long for a whack in the face."
She smiled, "Go upstairs and insult the DI. I'm sure he'd be happy to oblige."
"Nah, keeping his nose clean at the moment, isn't he? Trying to keep the DCI happy."
"Really? Can't say as I'd noticed."
"Yeah, she gave him a bit of a bollocking after the Patterson arrest," Jim said. "Don't ask me what for, it all seemed to go fine as far as I was concerned, even if he did get bail."
"Don't remind me," she replied, thinking back on how annoyed she had been to see Patterson walk out of court, a smug smile on his face as though he had beaten the system. She could only hope that, come the eventual trial, he wouldn't look quite so pleased with himself.
"Anyway, shall we grab a coffee before getting started with this lot?" Jim asked, breaking into her thoughts again. "I feel I need something strong to fortify myself for the task ahead."
"Yeah," she nodded, "why not?"
XXXX
"Right, this is your lad. Prentice, George. Yeah, he's been cautioned once, drunk and disorderly and we brought him in for a mugging. Nasty business, but we couldn't make it stick." Ron handed the collator's card to Frank.
"That's what I wanted to hear," Frank replied with a smile, pleased that everything seemed to be falling into place. The loading bay manager at Hammersmiths, given some gentle persuading, had named someone who had previously worked there and who appeared to fit the description of the attacker. The whole thing could be wrapped up by teatime and then he could deal with any fallout that might come from his set-to with the manager. "We'll give him a call."
"Do you think it's him, Guv?" Viv asked, glancing over his shoulder.
"I don't know, but he'll do." The side door opened, and Kim suddenly appeared, her expression grim. "Ma'am, has the Super been to see us yet for his inspection?"
"Superintendent Meadows? Yes, he left about half an hour ago. Frank…I've got a call. It looks like it could be murder. I want you to come with me."
His pleasure at being close to solving the assault case paled into insignificance at her words. There was nothing like a good murder investigation, just the thing to jolt him out of his depression over Lorraine. "Where are we going?"
"Wellbeck Mansions, Lorraine James."
His stomach dropped to the floor, disbelief flooding through him. "Lorraine…"
"You know her?"
"Yeah," he said, once he had recovered himself. "I know her."
Kim's expression changed. "That rape case you were handling, that was Lorraine James."
"She was raped by her boyfriend, Kenny Burke."
"He's the one?"
"He beat her up to make her withdraw the charge. He's the one." He suddenly felt sick and tossed the collator's card back on the table, before turning to Viv. "We'll pick this up later." Without waiting for her, or anyone else, to comment, he pushed open the door and strode out into the corridor, aware of her following him as he made his way to the yard. It couldn't be happening. It couldn't have come to this.
"You thought this would happen, didn't you Guv?" Viv said as they made their way down the ramp to his car and he found he couldn't respond, couldn't think of one thing to say. Yes, it had been in his mind that Burke would do something, but to go as far as murder…
As he drove, all he could think about was Lorraine, about the look on her face when she had pretended she had lied about the rape, all the time knowing that he knew she was lying. The fear she must have felt, the anxiety, the fact that he hadn't done more…
"Slow down Guv," Viv said quietly, and he suddenly realised that he was far exceeding the speed limit as he made the turn into the estate that led to Burke's home. This time, he was going to have the satisfaction of nicking him. This time, he wasn't going to be kept out in the cold. Stewart Church's face flashed through his mind, the memory of seeing him sitting in the front office, about to confess to what he had done to Christina, and being able to do nothing about it. This time, he wasn't going to be so impotent even if he was, in effect, too late.
"I don't think there's anyone in, Guv," Viv said, as he rattled on the front door.
"Oh yes there is," he replied, catching sight of a figure through the frosted glass. "Mrs Burke? Mrs Burke, I can see you. Would you please open this door?" After a few moments, Kenny's mother opened the door, her expression drawn, her eyes cast downwards. "Mrs Burke, I'm DI Burnside from Sun Hill CID," he said, showing her his warrant card. "We want to see Kenny. I think you know what this is about. Where is he?"
"In the garden."
He and Viv made their way around the side of the house to the garden and to an open shed where the man in question was sitting, contemplating the blade of a knife. He felt a knot of anxiety form in his stomach, well aware that it could go one of two ways and that, despite how he was feeling, he needed to play it straight. "Kenny, put that knife down please." Kenny didn't move. "Put the knife down, Kenny."
"Mr Burnside…" Kenny replied calmly, setting the knife on the side.
"I want you to listen to me, Kenny," he said, stepping forwards. "You listen, right?"
"What is it?"
"I'm arresting you on suspicion of murdering Lorraine James. You don't have to say anything unless you wish to do so, but anything you do say may be used in evidence. Do you understand what I've said?"
"I understand," Kenny replied, getting to his feet. "But she fitted me up! I had to teach her a lesson!"
Anger flared inside him, but he fought hard against what he really wanted to do to the little scroat. "I've told you, you don't have to say anything, Kenny, in fact I'd advise you not to."
"I never raped her! It was lies!"
"Yeah, well you save that for the station." He gestured to Viv. "Cuff him."
"I'm not a rapist!"
"She withdrew the charge! You told her to."
"It's the shame of it! I'm not a rapist! I thought she wanted it like that, the bitch!"
"Shut up!" Once more, Lorraine's face swarmed into his mind, and he grabbed Kenny's arm and started pulling him across the grass.
"I suppose…I suppose she's told you more lies."
He stopped and turned to face him, almost unable to believe that the other man couldn't grasp the seriousness of what was happening. "She hasn't told us anything, Kenny. She's dead! Remember? You killed her. You murdered her. You beat her to death!"
"Stupid slag, wasn't she?"
"No! No, she wasn't Kenny."
The young man's protestations continued all the way to the station, no number of warnings able to keep him quiet. He rambled on and on about how much of a liar Lorraine had been, how being branded a rapist was possibly the worst thing in the world. It was almost as if he had no comprehension of what he had done, or the trouble he was now in. As soon as they arrived, he waived his right to a solicitor and, a mere hour later, he confessed.
"I couldn't believe she said that about me," Kenny said, his voice low, his gaze fixed on the table in front of him. "I would never have raped her, never. I couldn't let her go about spreading those lies. Even if she did withdraw the charge, the damage was done, wasn't it? Everyone's going to think I was a rapist and I'm not. I had to let her know she couldn't say anything about me. I had to hit her. I had to make her see sense."
Frank found that he didn't really know what to say, other than to re-arrest him for the murder charge and hope to God that his confession would spare Lorraine's family the indignity of a trial, something he was beginning to think that he and Christina were not going to be afforded. "You can do the paperwork," he said to Viv, leaving her in custody and climbing the stairs back to the CID office, empty, save for Christina. He found he couldn't even look at her and instead went straight into his desk drawer for a bottle, pouring himself a large measure and downing it in one.
"You all right?"
Looking up, he saw her standing in the doorway and found himself musing on her attendance. She always seemed to be around at times of personal crisis, almost as if she knew that some part of him needed her. "Why are you always here?"
"What do you mean?"
"When everyone else is out, how come you're always here?"
"Sorry, I can leave you alone if you'd prefer it."
"No," he replied quickly. "I didn't mean it like that." He gestured to the bottle. "You want one?" She shook her head. "She's dead."
"Who?"
"Lorraine James." He nodded as her eyebrows shot up. "Kenny Burke killed her. Beat her to death."
"Oh my God…when?"
"Earlier this afternoon. He'd made her withdraw the rape allegation and he knew that it wasn't going to go any further and yet he still…" he broke off and poured more liquid into the glass. "She didn't deserve that. She should have left him a long time ago."
"Maybe she didn't think she could."
"They weren't married, he had no legal hold on her, didn't even live together."
"Sometimes that doesn't matter. Sometimes the psychological hold can be just as strong." She paused. "You nicked him I take it." He nodded. "Did he cough?"
"Had no choice really. Bastard. She had everything to live for and he snuffed it out just like that. She should have let me nick him for assaulting her when he forced her to drop the charges. If I'd done that, he wouldn't have been able to get near her. If he'd been in custody…"
"You can't blame yourself, Frank. You did everything you could."
"Did I? Sometimes I wonder." He met her gaze and found himself giving voice to the thoughts that had been plaguing him all afternoon since the moment Kim had told him that Lorraine was dead. "That could have been you."
She paused. "But it wasn't."
"But it could have been. If I hadn't gone round your house that afternoon, you'd have died. He left you there, Chris, just like Kenny left Lorraine, like a bit of rubbish, something he'd found on the sole of his shoe, something he cared nothing for." She looked away. "I'd be the one looking at doing life for murder if that had happened."
"Well, I'm very glad you came round when you did." She met his gaze, and he felt the same pull inside, the same feelings that made him want to step forwards and take her in his arms, the same feelings he was trying so hard to suppress every day because he knew it was the right thing to do.
"I don't understand some men. I don't understand what they get out of hurting someone they love."
"Maybe…they don't love them."
He looked at her again, "I thought you were of the opinion that Stewart always loved you, even at the height of his drinking?"
She smiled ruefully, "Maybe I just tell myself that because I don't want to believe it could be any other way. If I allow myself to think that he didn't love me, then I just start thinking about whether or not all those years I spent with him were just a waste of time and then that sends me down a rabbit hole I'd rather avoid."
"All those times you tried to convince me that he loved you…" he drained the glass.
"I suppose, mostly, I was just trying to convince myself."
"I could never lay a hand on you. Not like that."
Her gaze locked with his. "I know."
For a moment, there was an elongated silence. "I haven't asked you recently how the counselling's been going."
"Fine. Good. She gives me a lot to think about and, for what it's worth, I think it helps."
"Oh yeah?" he screwed the top back on the bottle and slid it back into his desk, curiosity getting the better of him. "Do you talk about me?"
"It's meant to be confidential."
"Sorry."
"But yes…I do talk about you. Most of the time, in fact." He met her gaze again. "Frank…" Fortunately, her words were cut off by the ringing of the phone on her desk and she turned to reach over and lift it. "CID, WDC Lewis speaking." He watched as her expression changed, as the blood drained from her face, and she leant heavily against the side of the desk. "You're sure. You're sure he definitely said that? All right, when? Ok…ok, thanks for letting me know." Slowly, she replaced the receiver and then looked up at him again, her eyes wide.
"What is it?" he asked, "what's happened?"
"That was the CPS lawyer," she replied shakily. "Stewart's going to plead guilty after all. They've set the court date for the end of the month."
"Well, that's…that's good, isn't it?" he said, stepping forwards. "You won't have to give evidence. Neither of us will."
"No…I mean, yes it's good. I just…I mean, I've been expecting to hear something at some point but…" she trailed off. "I suppose, not hearing anything, just made it seem less real and now…" her eyes cast wildly around the room, as though she was looking for some anchor point to hold her steady.
"Chris, look at me," he said, drawing her back to him. "You always knew this was going to come, one way or the other. At least this way, he takes it on the chin, he gets sentenced and then you can move on. We both can." He paused, desperate to say more and yet fearful to, given her reaction to the news.
"I know," she said, after a long moment. "I know, you're right. I just…" she shook her head. "He's going to go to jail, Frank."
"He's already in jail."
"It's not what I wanted."
"I know." He moved towards her and put his hands lightly on her shoulders. "But at least you'll get some closure."
She looked up at him. "Will I?"
"Yes, you will." He hesitated, discomfited by how near she was to him, by how desperate he was to hold her and kiss her…but the moment was quickly broken by her moving away.
"I have to go and see the DCI; tell her about our fraud interviews. I suppose…I suppose I need to tell her about this too."
"Yeah, I reckon you should," he agreed, recovering himself. "She needs to know."
Nodding, she started to move towards the door, before turning back. "I'm really sorry about Lorraine."
"Yeah, well…" he watched as she left the room and then slowly made his way back to his desk, sitting down heavily behind it. Stewart was going to plead guilty. Neither of them had to give evidence. No-one need know the intimate details of their affair. Despite the blackness of what had happened to Lorraine, it had to be a positive that there was light at the end of the tunnel that, in a few weeks' time, they might be in a position to move forwards, even if he wasn't sure what that could, or should, look like.
He'd never thought he'd thank Stewart Church for anything, but he was thanking him now.
XXXX
"Ah, Christina, thanks for popping up," Kim greeted her when she entered the office. "I ran into Jim downstairs earlier, but he said that he was still interviewing."
"Yes Ma'am," she replied, trying to bring herself back into focus and concentrate on what was important. "One of the directors refused to come out of his cell for interview, but now that his lawyer's here, he appears to have changed his mind."
"And they say that's only a woman's prerogative. I wanted to congratulate you on how you've handled this operation. I said at the beginning that I was impressed, and I remain so. You've shown real dedication over the last few weeks and I'm confident that we'll get a good result here. The DAC will be pleased."
"Ma'am."
"I know we've had our differences recently, but that doesn't mean that I can't reward success." Kim peered at her. "You don't seem all that happy."
"No, I am," she said hurriedly. "I'm glad the operation went as it did and I too believe that we'll get a good result. It's just…"
"It's just what?"
"I had a call from CPS a few moments ago and, well, they told me that Stewart's going to be pleading guilty. They've set a court date for the end of the month."
Kim blinked. "Well, that's positive news, isn't it? It means you don't have to go through a trial. I'm assuming he's pleading to the attempted murder charge, nothing less?"
"Yes Ma'am."
"He can expect to get a good few years then and it'll hopefully bring closure for you."
"That's what Frank said," she replied without thinking.
Kim's eyebrows rose slightly. "Is it? Well, for once I agree with him and perhaps the more…intimate…details of what took place between you can avoid being aired." She paused. "Is there something worrying you about it?"
"No, it's just…well…it's not what I wanted." She felt a heavy weight of misery settling over her. Although he had been in jail since it had happened, a part of her had almost viewed it as temporary, as though there might be some sort of exceptional circumstance that might allow him his liberty even if he was convicted. "I suppose I hoped…"
"That he could be punished without being incarcerated?" Kim read her mind. "I doubt that's an uncommon reaction in your situation. But you must know that for a charge as serious as attempted murder, there can be no other option. You could have died, Christina. If DI Burnside hadn't found you…"
"I know."
"You'll receive all the support you need when the time comes."
"Thank you, Ma'am."
"In the meantime, tell me about what was said at interview."
She recounted the interviews she had conducted mechanically, making sure to include all the salient details, and yet she found that her mind was very definitely elsewhere. By the time she left Kim's office, she felt as though the whole world was shifting beneath her feet, to the point where she suddenly felt a desperate need to vomit and found herself on her knees in the toilets, expelling the contents of her stomach. Once cleansed, she stood in front of the mirror, dabbing cold water on her face and rinsing out her mouth, telling herself to stay calm, that there was nothing she could do, that the wheels of justice were in motion, and it was now up to the courts to decide Stewart's fate.
"You all right?" Viv asked as she came back into the office. "You're as white as a sheet."
"CPS called to say that Stewart's going to plead guilty."
"Well, that's great! You won't have to give evidence."
"No." Another person who could only see the positive side. Why couldn't she?
Viv glanced towards Frank's office. "Have you told the DI?" She nodded. "What did he say?"
"Much the same as you." She sat down at her desk. "I know I should be relieved, but I just feel…"
"I'll come to court with you," Viv said. "When is it?"
"End of the month, the 31st."
"Right."
"You don't have to."
"I want to. You'll need some support that day, Chris."
"I'm not sure I want anyone there."
"Oh, come on. You can't sit there and watch him get sentenced on your own, especially if his family turn up. What if they give you grief?"
It was something she hadn't even considered. Of course Stewart's family would be there and they would have questions for her, questions that she didn't really want to answer, especially depending on what might be said by Stewart's lawyer.
"It's not as if I don't know what's been going on," Viv said. "So, I'm hardly likely to be shocked by anything, am I?"
"No, I suppose not." She took a deep breath and tried to think about something other than her own situation. "I heard about Lorraine James."
Viv shook her head. "You should have seen the DI's face when he heard, and when we nicked Burke. I'm impressed he managed to restrain himself from not landing one on him, the bastard…are you sure you're all right?"
She looked up again and met her friend's gaze, suddenly aware that her body was shaking. "I'm…"
"You don't look well. I reckon you should go home. Guv…" Viv got to her feet and made her way towards Frank's office.
"Viv no, I'm fine…"
"I don't think Chris looks well," she heard the other woman say. "I reckon she should go home, especially in light of the news she's had today."
Frank appeared in his office doorway, his gaze raking across her face, and she tried to still her body. It refused to listen, however, and her limbs continued to judder. "She's right," he said. "You don't look well."
"I'm fine, really," she protested, embarrassment flooding through her. "I don't need to go home."
"It's been a long day," he said, "and a difficult one. Go home and get your head down. I'll square it with the DCI. Go on," he said on her hesitation. "Not every day you get a free sick pass."
Aware of them both watching her, she slowly got to her feet and lifted her bag, hoping that her legs would be able to carry her at least until she got to her car. "Ok, thanks. I'll be in tomorrow, first thing. Let Jim know where I've gone, will you? In case there's anything else needing done on the fraud case."
"Don't worry about Jim, he can cope," Frank said. "And don't come in tomorrow unless you feel better."
"Right Guv, thanks." She made her way towards the door and stepped out into the corridor, only for the lightheaded feeling to swiftly return, causing her to sag against the wall.
Instantly, she felt him take hold of her, bear her weight and keep her upright, his body pressed against her own, warm and welcomed. "Right, I'm taking you to hospital."
"I don't need to go to hospital," she protested. "I'm fine, just feeling a little faint, that's all."
"Chris…"
"Really, I'm fine." She met his concerned gaze and smiled. "Like you said, it's been a long and difficult day, for both of us."
"Well, at least let me take you home. You're in no fit state to drive."
"But…"
"If you pass out at the wheel, we'll all be in the shit, and I could do without any more black marks against my name." He paused, his breath dancing across her face. "Please."
His concern for her touched her and there was nothing she wanted more in that moment to feel looked after, protected, comforted and, most importantly, not on her own. But there were so many complications and so many dangerous paths that could be trod in moments of weakness and vulnerability. If she let him do this, she knew that they would both have to keep their feelings in check. "Ok," she said finally. "I'd be grateful if you drove me home."
"Right. Viv, if the DCI asks where I am, tell her I'm out on important business," he tossed over his shoulder.
"Right Guv."
"Now then," he turned back to her, his arm still around her waist. "I'm all yours."
