The cursor flickered on the screen in front of Aaron’s face. Why was the simple task of writing an email always such a hardship? It wasn’t that it was particularly difficult, it was more that he disliked conducting business in this manner.
The phone on the table beside him shrilled, filled the airy office with its determined ring. Aaron watched the light flicker for a moment before it became steady and the ringing ceased. Kirsty was at least getting faster at answering the phone, he thought wryly before returning his attention to the job at hand.
His concentration was once more interrupted as the phone buzzed and Kirsty’s voice crackled out.
“Mr Ashcroft, it’s the police on line one, they want to speak to you.”
Kirsty’s voice was filled with nervous anticipation. She was probably hoping to listen in and then spread the gossip throughout the typing pool downstairs.
“Thanks, Kirsty, you can take lunch now.”
“That’s alright, Mr Ashcroft, I have a lot of filing to catch up on, I’ll go later.”
Her voice bubbled back to him and Aaron smothered a frustrated groan. Why did everyone have to make life so difficult?
“That wasn’t a suggestion, Kirsty.”
He let his slight irritation creep into his voice. If the police were calling him then the matter had to be serious. A sudden thought hit him. What if it was about Heather? What if something had happened to her and the baby.
Without waiting for an answer from Kirsty, Aaron snatched up the receiver and placed it against his ear.
“Mr Ashcroft speaking.”
He tried to keep the panic welling in his chest, out of his voice but he wasn’t altogether certain that he was succeeding.
“Hello, Mr Ashcroft, I’m detective Graham Martin, I’m sorry to be calling you at your place of work but we rang your residence and were told neither you nor Mrs Ashcroft was at home.”
Aaron felt his heart slow considerably in his chest. The phone call couldn’t possibly be connected to Heather, not if they had asked for her at the house. Although if she wasn’t at home then where the hell was she?
Aaron’s attention momentarily drifted away from the words Graham Martin was speaking into his ear. His mind focused completely on Heather. It wasn’t until the name Jude sank in that his attention snapped back into the present.
“Can you repeat that?”
“We felt it was important to tell you that we’ve been informed by the hospital caring for Mr Fossen that there has been a change in his condition.”
“What sort of a change?”
Aaron’s voice was strained even to his own ears.
“We’d prefer if you would come down to the station, you and Mrs Ashcroft.”
“Mrs Ashcroft will not be going down to the station.”
“Sir, I’d prefer if you would both attend, there are some things we need to go over with you both. Aspects of the case that might become important particularly if the situation changes.”
Aaron shook his head before realising that the officer couldn’t see him.
“She’s pregnant, doctor’s orders are that she stay away from all forms of stress.”
There was silence on the other end of the line as though the officer was honestly thinking of something he could say that might change Aaron’s mind. But of course there was nothing. Aaron was adamant.
“Congratulations to you and your lovely wife.”
“Thanks.”
Aaron could tell from the officer’s voice that he was merely being polite. The fact that Heather would not be going down to the station was obviously an inconvienience.
“If she can’t attend that can I request that you come down to the station as soon as possible?”
“I can come now if that’s any good to you?”
“I look forward to speaking with you in person.”
Graham answered and the line went dead, leaving Aaron to set the receiver back down on the phone cradle.
He stood and stretched. This wasn’t something he wanted to do. Why hadn’t Jude simply died in the accident? Life would have been much easier that way and everyone would have been happier. But fate had other plans for them all it seemed. The only problem was, that Aaron rarely enjoyed fate’s plans. He had his own and they revolved around keeping Heather and the baby safe.
The buzzer crackled to life once more.
“Sir, I’ve ordered a car be brought around for you.”
Kirsty’s voice filled the room and Aaron let out a sigh. She was a good receptionist, or at least she had the potential to be a good secretary but she had the terrible tendency to ignore what the boss said.
“I thought I told you to go for lunch.”
Aaron sighed into the machine before scrubbing his hands across his eyes.
The machine went dead and there was a small almost soundless knock on the door.
“Come in.”
Kirsty popped her head around the door, a sheepish smile on her lips. Her blonde curly hair was piled up on her head and her baby blue eyes were filled with nervous energy.
Aaron didn’t say anything to her as she cast several furtive glances around the office before finally moving into the centre of the room.
“I know you said to go on lunch but I was worried.”
“Worried?”
Aaron did his best to hide a smile, he was after all supposed to be firm and strict and she had disobeyed his command.
“The moment I heard it was the police I was worried, in case it had something to do with Heather, I mean, Mrs Ashcroft.”
“And why would it have had something to do with Mrs Ashcroft?”
Aaron kept his voice blank and devoid of all emotion.
Kirsty hopped from one foot to the other and twisted her hands in front of her. Aaron watched as she dropped her gaze to the floor, suddenly fascinated in the pattern across the carpet.
“Kirsty?”
“She rang this morning and asked me to transfer your calls to her cell phone if you rang… She didn’t want you to know that she was going out… She said you’d worry too much.”
Aaron let out a frustrated groan and ran his hand back through his hair. He let his eyes drift shut for a moment before once more pinning Kirsty in place with his gaze.
“And you thought maybe the police call had something to do with her call?”
Kirsty nodded and Aaron watched in horror as her bottom lip began to wobble.
“I really like Heather, I mean Mrs Ashcroft. She gave me a beautiful silk scarf at Christmas and during the office party she kept me company when the other women refused to speak to me… I don’t want anything to happen to her.”
Aaron stood and reached across the table, a box of tissues in his hand. Kirsty grabbed a handful of them and rammed them to her face, smudging her mascara beneath her eyes as she struggled to fight her tears.
“Kirsty, don’t cry, really, there’s no need for that.”
“But I know you’re angry at me and I try so hard to do a good job here but I keep messing up and…”
Aaron waved his hand as though by doing so he could wave her tears away. It was useless and Kirsty continued to sob into her now soggy mess of tissues.
“Kirsty, perhaps you should take the rest of the evening off. I have to go out and you’ve already called the car for me so there’s really nothing else I need you to do here today.”
She nodded and lifted her large watery blue eyes up to stare at him.
“You won’t fire me will you?”
Aaron smiled and shook his head. No he wouldn’t fire her, after all it wasn’t Kirsty’s fault. But as soon as he was at home he would be sure to wring Heather’s neck.
It was far too easy for something to happen. An empty feeling opened up in the pit of his stomach as he remembered the day before their wedding, when she had been so certain that someone had broken into her warehouse. Aaron had spent many a sleepless night, the image of Heather throwing herself into his arms a look of terror in her eyes before she blacked out.
He had been so certain that he had lost her that day. It had certainly felt like he had lost her. It didn’t seem to matter how often the doctor reassured him that she was fine, he couldn’t shake the terror that he would miss something and she would end up hurt or worse…
“No, Kirsty, you go home I won’t fire you.”
Aaron led her from the room and left her standing behind her own desk as he headed for the bank of elevators.
“Sir, before you go, a man named Hank Erickson left you a message. He said he would drop by tomorrow to discuss something you owe him.”
Aaron felt his stomach drop. Although Hank was a friend he was also a very dangerous man to have around. The last thing Aaron wanted right now was to have someone like him hanging around, not when Heather was so near her date.
“Thank you, Kirsty, now you go home.”
She nodded and Aaron pressed the button and waited for the elevator to arrive.
The ride over to the police station was uneventful. Aaron stared down at his cell phone, he had already called Heather twice only to receive no answer. Wherever she was, she didn’t seem to be in the mood for answering the phone.
The car pulled up in front of the station and Aaron stepped out, his hand automatically reaching for his tie to straighten it. He moved up the steps and into the station, his nose wrinkling at the smell of disinfectant and vomit.
He stood at the counter and waited for one of the officers to reappear. It wasn’t until a scuffle broke out between two women in the waiting area that two police officers finally poked their heads out from the back room.
“Break it up, if we have to come out there, you’ll both finds yourselves in the cells.”
The older of the two uniformed officers barked at the women involved. He had an air of authority about him and the moment he spoke the women dropped back into their seats as though his words alone had a physical effect on them.
“What do you want?”
He turned his attention on Aaron, his eyes narrowing as he took in Aaron’s impeccable suit and appearance.
“I’m here to see Detective Graham Martin.”
“And you are?”
The officer barked. He was obviously used to people finding him intimidating but while Aaron found it easy to respect him, he wasn’t intimidated by him.
“Aaron Ashcroft.”
The officer eyed him up and down before he jerked his arm out towards the seats at the other end of the waiting area.
“Have a seat while I see if he’s expecting you.”
Aaron didn’t answer him, choosing instead to simply move over to where he had been directed. He took a seat and from beneath half lowered lids he watched the room carefully.
There were two men sitting in one corner, both covered in tattoos and other signs that singled them out as gang members. They sat with their arms folded across their chests and watched Aaron as though he was prey.
Aaron observed them quietly, careful to ensure that they had no idea he was actually watching them. One of them stood and stretched nonchalantly before he strolled towards Aaron and took a seat beside him in one of the empty seats.
Within moments the other man had joined him and Aaron found himself hemmed in on both sides. He felt a prickling of energy along the back of his neck but still he didn’t move and he didn’t open his eyes.
He didn’t want to start an argument but Aaron was in absolutely no doubt as to who would lose if there was a fight. Of course the last place he wanted to find himself beating up two thugs twice his size was in a police station.
“You smell of money.”
The first man that had approached Aaron leaned in and attempted to press his nose in against Aaron’s ear. He didn’t make it that far.
Without warning, Aaron’s arm jerked upwards, his elbow driving itself up into the man’s face. There was a satisfying crunch and Aaron stood before the man had a chance to bleed down on top of him.
His friend growled in anger and attempted to follow Aaron but it was that moment that Detective Graham decided to make an appearance. He caught sight of the other man as he attempted to tackle Aaron to the floor.
There was no time to react. Aaron was only vaguely aware of a shout going up but it was too late for the tattooed thug.
He dropped to the floor, clutching his stomach as he moaned. Aaron stepped out of reach and moved over towards Graham.
The detective watched Aaron with interest as several uniformed officers poured out of the back room and picked up the two sobbing men. Aaron did his best to conceal a smile as he watched them get dragged from the room.
“You’re quite handy it seems.”
Graham said, leaning in towards Aaron as he directed him through to the back area.
“I can hold my own.”
Aaron answered. He didn’t want to give too much away. The less people knew about him the better. Or at least that had always been his motto. If people didn’t know what you were truly capable of then they couldn’t use it against you, it was one of the first things he had learned during his training.
“I think you can do more than hold your own. Military training I take it?”
“Something like that.”
Aaron shrugged in an attempt to give the detective the most non-commital answer he could. The other man shot him a thin lipped smile as they took a seat at a small desk piled high with papers and folders.
“Thank you for coming down.”
Graham Martin said as he scooped a file off the top of his stack of papers.
“Well the moment you mentioned Fossen, I knew it was something I couldn’t let lie. What’s happened.”
Graham nodded as he let his eyes scan down over the file in front of him.
“You didn’t know Fossen prior to the incident with him and your wife?”
Graham asked. Aaron could tell he was fishing for information, no doubt hoping that Aaron would say something he hadn’t mentioned in his statement.
“I knew him from around the clubs and things we frequent but if you’re asking if we were friends then the answer is a resounding no. I don’t believe Jude had friends, not real ones anyway.”
“And why is that?”
Aaron laughed, the sound surprising the detective.
“What’s so funny?”
The detective visibly bristled and Aaron did his best to stifle down his laughter.
“You can’t really be serious. Asking me questions like the ones you are. You’ve read the file, you’re familiar with the case. If you’ve called me down here for a fishing expedition then I’m sorry to disappoint you. What you’ve read in my statement is all you’re going to get out of me.”
Graham Martin watched Aaron closely, his expression as completely unreadable. It wasn’t until he nodded and smiled broadly that Aaron felt himself relax back against the wooden chair he was sitting in.
“Fine. I can respect that. As it stands I do have new information for you. The doctors believe he is in the verge of waking up. And if he does well we want to prosecute.”
“So why do you need Heather down here? Did you really want to tell her something like that?”
Aaron couldn’t believe what he was hearing. How could a monster like Jude be getting a second chance? If Aaron had his time back he would have ensured that Jude never woke up. He would have killed him with his bare hands if he had, had to.
“Well yes. As much as you might not want it to be true, Mr Ashcroft, your wife is very much involved in this whole investigation. If Mr Fossen wakes up I need to know that Heather will be willing to press charges. That she will testify against him.”
Aaron shook his head and dropped his head into his hands. Deep down he had always known there was a possibility that this day would come. He could hope and pray that it wouldn’t but it wouldn’t change the truth, the possibility that it could. And of course now that the possibility was starting to become a reality Aaron could feel himself growing helpless.
He wanted so desperately to protect her from Jude, to keep her safe. She was strong, she had more than proven that. Aaron had known people to crumble under less than what Jude had put her through. But Heather had wanted to survive, at all costs she had wanted to survive.
He was so unbelievably proud of her but he was also scared for her. The stability and peace they had found together seemed so fragile. If Jude woke up would Heather be able to cope with it?
“I can’t speak for my wife but knowing her she will want to do everything she can to ensure he goes down for his crimes. She hates him and everything he did.”
Graham nodded.
“I read her statement, it was pretty harrowing.”
Aaron shook his head and closed his eyes.
“The things in that statement are nothing in comparison to really living it. She survived Jude, but it was just barely. I dread to think what might have happened if she hadn’t been pregnant… That crash was bad enough to put Fossen in a coma… Part of me believes that Heather survived because she knew she was pregnant, she had to survive for the baby.”
Aaron cut himself off and stared off into the distance. He had said far more than he had intended. He swallowed back the other words that sat on the tip of tongue desperate to pour themselves out. These were Heather’s secrets, her thoughts to share, not his.
“If there is anything else she wants or needs to add to her statements… Anything that might have come to her in the time she has had to recover?”
Aaron shook his head and shot Graham a thin lipped smile.
“I’m afraid that is her choice. I will ask that you not tell her what you’ve told me. I’ll inform Heather when I think the time is right. The last thing I want is her getting upset and going into labour early or some sort of complications with the baby.”
Graham nodded.
“I can’t promise anything but I will take your concerns on board and I’ll do my best to sit on this for as long as I can. But I advise you tell her sooner rather than later.”
“What do you mean sit on it?”
“There are those in Mr Fossen’s inner circle that want his miraculous recovery spread to the media.”
“But he’s not awake yet?”
Aaron felt confusion wash over him. What were they playing at? Did they not care about all the innocent women Jude was guilty of murdering? All the lives he had destroyed?
“They don’t seem to think that matters. They want to share their good news with the media, they believe that there are others out there who support him and they want to give them the chance to share in their happiness.”
“I don’t understand how can they be allowed to do this?”
Graham shrugged.
“Technically they can tell the media anything they want. Of course the second they do the hospital will be crawling with press. From a security stand point the last thing we want is for this to get out.”
“Are you concerned that they are trying to arrange some sort of jailbreak?”
Aaron couldn’t honestly believe that he was saying it. It sounded utterly ridiculous and he had the sudden urge to start laughing. But nothing about Jude was a laughing matter.
“No, I don’t believe it will come to that but I don’t want anything to go wrong. So as I said, the sooner you tell her the sooner there can’t be any surprises.”
Aaron stood, the chair scraping against the linolium. He had a sudden urge to go to Heather, to wrap her in his arms and kiss her. He needed to feel that she was real, that she was safe.
Why was it that the moment life seemed to be falling into place it started to fall apart?
Graham stood and held his hand out towards Aaron.
“It was a pleasure talking to you, Mr Ashcroft. Please give my regards to Mrs Ashcroft and I hope I won’t be seeing you any time soon.”
Aaron did laugh then and Graham tilted his head to one side. He watched Aaron laugh with a bemused expression on his face before finally asking.
“What have I said now that’s is so funny?”
Aaron wiped the tears away from his eyes before he answered.
“It’s just the ridiculousness of the situation and the fact that you have to hope not to see me any time soon.”
“If I don’t see you it means Jude is exactly where he should be.”
Aaron nodded, his expression turning thoughtful.
“Not really where he should be.”
“Well I’d prefer him properly behind bars too.”
Aaron shook his head, his voice dropping so only Graham could hear him.
“I don’t want him in prison, I want him dead.”
Graham didn’t answer but Aaron could see the look of wariness fill his eyes. Aaron knew from the expression he wore that he was obviously filing away everything Aaron was saying. If something unfortunate were to happen to Jude, Aaron knew without a shadow of a doubt that Graham would be looking for him. And of course if something did happen to Aaron, Graham would be right to be looking for him.
Aaron shot the other man a winning smile and shook his hand enthusiastically.
“Don’t worry, Detective, I’m quite happy with my life as it is, I have no intention on doing something stupid and putting myself behind bars.
Graham nodded and returned the smile, but the look in his eyes was still wary as he walked Aaron back to the main doors.
“I’m glad to hear it, Mr Ashcroft, I don’t think your wife would appreciate the night feeds on her own.”
Aaron grinned, a look of genuine happiness crossing his face.
“And I have no intention of letting her do them on her own. I relish the thought of getting up in the middle of the night.”
Graham laughed as he pushed the door open.
“Tell me that when you’re sleep deprived and you don’t know which way is up anymore.”
“You have children?”
Graham nodded and lifted two of his fingers.
“Two girls, luckily they’re both past the night feed stage.”
Aaron smiled, he could see the love reflected in Graham’s eyes and it was clear how he felt about his children.
“Nice to meet you Detective.”
Aaron shook his hand before turning and disappearing out through the door. He smiled to himself as he imagined holding the baby in his arms. He had meant it when he had said he relished the thought of the night feeds. Everything had been so difficult and now that things were finally beginning to fall into place he was nervous. But hidden beneath it was a feeling of excitement, one that was threatening to well up and overwhelm every other emotion he had.
