by S M Mala
‘No it’s not!’ said Theo looking around in astonishment. ‘How can that be check mate?’
‘Because you owe me a tenner, so write the cheque mate!’ laughed out Nana Gwen before ruffling the kid’s hair. ‘Only joking! I’m starving. What grub did you get?’
‘I’ll sort it,’ said Jacinta, jumping to her feet.
‘You’re supposed to be resting, not surrounded by noise,’ he smiled.
‘I want to talk to you when there are no prying ears,’ she said and sniffed his face. ‘Why didn’t you tell me your fortieth is on the 5th November?’
‘It’s not important. I don’t want a party, I just want you.’
‘Can the pair of you please stop?’ growled Nana Gwen. ‘I said I’d take Theo out for a spot of footie.’
‘Are you sure?’ the young boy said with a look of genuine concern for the old dear. ‘We can play in the garden. I have Nerf guns.’
‘Really?’ she said, getting to her feet. ‘I bet you a fiver I can shoot better than you.’
Jacinta walked towards them and sat on the sofa. The other two headed out into the autumn chill.
‘I’m scared to go,’ whispered Jacinta. ‘I don’t want to leave you.’
Scottie sat on the floor next to Ruby and smiled at her friend. He could see she was deadly worried.
‘Don’t fret,’ Ruby said tiredly. ‘I’m fine and I just need to rest. Thank you for taking Theo swimming. I’m a bit worried about him at the moment.’
‘He’s really worried, you know, really worried,’ replied Jacinta, gulping hard. ‘And so am I.’
Later on that afternoon after Jacinta kindly dropped off Nana Gwen, who refused point blank to go at one point until Scottie bribed her with a twenty pound note, they sat in the living room. Theo was in the study on the computer. The door was open as Ruby wanted to listen to what he was getting up to.
Scottie had her in his arms. All he could hear was her breathing.
‘Why didn’t you tell me how upset you were on Thursday?’ she asked gently. He immediately flinched, but didn’t want her to see. Ruby tilted her head back. ‘Gwen told me and Jean was worried.’
‘I just needed my mum,’ was all he could say, letting out a big sigh. ‘I wanted her to tell me everything was okay.’
‘Did you tell her about the baby?’
‘I didn’t want to say anything until we got the all clear,’ he said softly. ‘It’s just between me and you for the time being but you have to be careful.’
‘The scan’s on Monday.’
‘I know,’ he said, his heart beating faster. ‘I’m coming with you.’
‘Oh god Scottie, what’s going on?’
‘We’re going on. And talking about things going on, why didn’t you tell me about what you’d written on Thursday?’
‘Oh,’ she said, sitting back and looking straight at him. ‘I had to write something. That little Dawson fucker wound me up big time and I had to vent. Hugh was in the firing line too.’
‘Do you think someone else took it the wrong way and thought you were attacking them? I told you not to do anything silly,’ he replied, trying to hide his annoyance.
‘This isn’t silly. This is my right of free speech,’ she shrugged, letting out a massive sigh. ‘I need a drink.’
‘That’s out of the question,’ Scottie smiled and gently stroked her tummy. ‘And I saw Helen today. She wasn’t happy about me coming back home to see you.’
‘Don’t do anything rash.’
‘I don’t mind going back to being whatever, even working at a desk. That’s where I went wrong before and I’ve been given a second chance. I have to take it.’
‘Whatever happens on Monday, I want to tell Theo first. All your other children have their mother’s or girlfriends and he’s got me. He needs to know nothing will change.’ She stared deep into his eyes. ‘And you’re moving in. No arguing. Like Gwen said, my place is more of a family home and I doubt they’ve invented baby gates as wide as your staircase or doorway.’
Scottie grinned, knowing he didn’t want to be anywhere else.
One hundred and seven
Ruby was intent on wringing Hugh’s neck on Monday morning. She got wind he was going to print something but didn’t expect an expose about a senior police officer working on the case, who couldn’t be named, with a very chequered love life. He also said Scottie only got promoted because of his looks and his capabilities were in question.
‘Bloody Hugh,’ she mumbled, after Scottie returned from dropping off Theo at school. ‘Bastard!’
‘Are you reading about me?’ he asked, grinning, then walked to the kitchen and put on the kettle while she sat at the dining table, scowling. ‘How’s the morning sickness? Theo asked if you picked up a virus from the hospital. I told him you were still poorly and it might have it for a while, with the concussion.’
‘Something else is making me sick,’ she said and couldn’t fathom out why Scottie was smiling so brightly.
‘The appointment is at ten and you need to pee into the sample bottle before we go, which is in approximately fifteen minutes.’
‘You’re very organised.’
‘I’ve done it a few times,’ he replied and walked towards her. ‘And I know the drill. How are you feeling?’
‘I don’t know,’ she honestly replied. Scottie sat down beside her. ‘I’m worried.’
‘You know the reason Riley is so spoilt?’ Scottie said quietly, glancing at the kettle. ‘Lorraine miscarried twice before he was conceived so he was a special child. Missy and Trey were teenagers when we got together and their father is very much alive. It wasn’t the same as my relationship with Charlie. See here.’ He pulled up his t-shirt and she saw two pairs of small angel wings on the back of his shoulder. ‘That’s for the babies we lost.’
‘I don’t really know you at all, do I?’ she gulped, suddenly feeling emotional.
‘We have the rest of our lives to find out about each other.’
‘What if you don’t like me?’
‘I love you.’
It got all too much for Ruby as she burst into tears.
‘What if I lose the baby? I was drinking and I’ve had two accidents. What if there’s something wrong?’ she sobbed. ‘Like it’s congenitally ugly?’
‘It won’t be,’ he laughed out loudly and kissed her cheek.
‘And that’s such a beautiful thing to do, the angel wings. Oh Scottie, you’re so sweet and lovely and kind.’ Then suddenly she felt angry. ‘Why aren’t you mad with Hugh? How can you not be bothered he’s saying nasty things?’
‘Hormonal,’ he sighed. ‘And you’re covered in scabs and bruises. You’re simply perfect.’
‘Oh god, I can’t cope. I keep crying. It’s pathetic.’
‘It’s wonderful.’
‘Oh god!’ Ruby said, jumping up quickly. ‘I’m going to be sick!’
Trying her hardest not to heave for the umpteenth time as they waited for the scan at the hospital, she came to the conclusion she was very emotional and still in shock.
‘How large did you get with Theo?’ Scottie asked, stroking her arm and glancing at the various sized pregnant women. She desperately wanted to pee but was told to drink water for the scan. ‘Was it a tidy bump?’
‘Due to the throwing up, I lost weight but as soon as I stopped, I was eating for a team of rugby players. If it wasn’t for Hugh cheating on me, I’d be larger than Diane right now,’ she said, swallowing her nausea. ‘That feels like a lifetime ago.’
‘Forget about him.’
‘Scottie, you’re being very reasonable over what he wrote this morning. I, on the other hand, am not happy. He has a habit of forgetting it affects our son.’
‘I’m used to it. That’s what people think generally, so what can I do?’
‘Don’t accept it!’
‘I know I’m good so snipes like this don’t worry me. People thought I’d slept with the Commissioner to get my promotion.’
&
nbsp; ‘As long as you don’t sleep with her to keep your job, we’ll be fine,’ she mumbled, hearing him laugh as he put an arm around her shoulders.
Then her name was called and she looked at Scottie.
All previous traces of happiness wiped from his face as she stood up and walked to see what was happening with this new bundle of confusion.
It happened suddenly as she lay there, not wanting to look at the screen.
Then she saw it.
A baby.
When she looked at Scottie, he was crying.
She’d never witness his tears before and that started her off.
For the life of her, Ruby couldn’t believe what was happening.
Serial killers and Samaritans were a thing of the past.
One hundred and eight
‘Twenty third of May,’ he said, still trying to overcome the emotional shock of seeing his baby inside Ruby. ‘You’re ten weeks pregnant. That means you conceived the baby when you came back to me.’
‘Must have done.’
‘Just think, it could have been when ‘Is this love’ was playing and our baby was made.’
‘Well, that all depends on the speed of your swimmers and we haven’t been very careful this time round.’
‘And that’s a good thing.’
Breathing in deeply, he was holding back the massive sob coming to his throat. They sat in the car looking at the scan after parking outside her house
‘I think the baby looks like Gwen,’ she said, frowning. ‘What happens if they’re crazy like your grandmother?’
‘I love you,’ he said, smiling brightly then grabbed her face to kiss her passionately as she flinched. ‘Sorry.’
‘My head’s a little bit delicate outside as well as in,’ Ruby grinned and he thought she looked so radiant. ‘When we go to bed, we can celebrate.’
‘With Theo home?’
‘We’ll be very quiet.’
Then he noticed Commissioner Trott getting out a car that pulled up out of nowhere.
He double blinked and realised Ruby had seen her too.
‘Oh god,’ she quietly sighed then glanced over at him.
‘I’ll deal with this,’ he replied, kissing her forehead and seeing Helen Trott was frowning.
They got out the car and he walked ahead.
‘You weren’t answering your phone and I needed to speak to you urgently,’ Helen Trott said officiously. He noticed another officer standing close by. ‘So I thought I’d come and see you. How are you Ruby? I was very concerned when I heard about your attack.’
‘I bet you were,’ he heard her mumble as she walked to the front door.
Scottie could tell Helen Trott was instantly riled about her former step daughter’s reaction.
‘Where can we talk?’ asked Helen Trott. He watched Ruby walk into her home, leaving the door wide open. ‘Will she let us go inside?’
‘She’s very hospitable like that,’ he replied and slowly approached the corridor to find Ruby was nowhere to be seen.
Helen Trott followed him in and they stood in the living room while the other officer loitered by the doorway.
‘Would you like a cup of tea?’ he asked. She shook her head quickly from side to side. ‘How can I help?’
‘Are you coming into work tomorrow?’ she asked with a deep frown. ‘I do think we need to clear the air.’
‘I thought we had. I told you what comes first and that’s not changing. The job? Well, if you don’t think I’m good enough to do it, fine. It’s been just over six months and to be honest, I’m not sure if it’s the thing for me. As Commander I had more freedom but this isn’t what I expected.’
Helen Trott turned, nodded to the officer who opened the front door and left the house.
‘I think your head is all over the place with one thing or another. I know the questioning of your cousin was a little harsh and-.’
‘The article by Yates was worse,’ said Scottie sharply.
‘That’s got nothing to do with me regardless what others might say.’
‘Ruby doesn’t say much other than you owe her back rent and she wants you to vacate her property,’ he replied, wanting to wind his boss up. ‘And you slept with her ex.’
Helen Trott glanced around the house and momentarily looked upset.
‘I’m not the bad person in all this.’
‘God, why would you want to do that knowing it would hurt her?’ he asked very quietly, aware his lover was in the house either listening or fuming or both.
‘I’d rather not discuss it,’ she replied harshly. ‘Are you coming into work tomorrow?’
‘I’m going to the station to help on the investigation and I intend to do less hours over the next few weeks until Ruby is better,’ Scottie fired back. ‘I’m owed a lot of time including holiday and, as you know, work time regulations and everything, I need to recoup too.’
‘Don’t play silly buggers with me,’ she hissed and Scottie tried not to smile. ‘I know you want me to apologise and beg you to come back. If I get rid of you, it will look bad on us and I can’t do that. I’m not happy about your set up as it will all backfire. Tomorrow night there’s a dinner which I know you know about. You have to attend, even if to show face. With what’s being written in the papers about you, we need to demonstrate you’re more than a pretty face.’
‘I always thought I was,’ Scottie smiled, seeing her now look flummoxed by his reaction. ‘I’ll be there in my shiny uniform. Tomorrow I’ll come in for a few hours and see if there are any solid leads. Dave mentioned something about Ruby’s attacker? Do you know anything?’
‘I know he’s working on it and when you come in, you’ll be briefed,’ she said, glancing at the ceiling. ‘I’m genuinely concerned for her, you know. She might not believe it by I do care.’
‘I’ll tell her you send your regards. But I don’t think she’ll be convinced.’
Helen Trott nodded for a moment then turned and walked out of the house.
‘Ruby!’ he shouted out. ‘Where are you?’
‘Here,’ she said. Her voice was coming from the study down the corridor. ‘Come and see this.’
Scottie walked into the room and he stopped on his tracks.
She had loaded in the DVD footage of the baby and was watching it. When he glanced at her face, Ruby looked utterly delighted.
Scottie burst into tears.
One hundred and nine
‘I’m supposed to be the emotional hormonal one,’ she said, wrapping her arms around the man as he was braced against the door frame. ‘What’s wrong? She used to make me cry when I was younger.’
‘I’m happy,’ he said, looking miserably at her. ‘I really am.’
‘God help me when you’re not,’ Ruby smiled and wiped his tears away. ‘It has been full on since we got back together. I know it and you know it. Scottie, I want us to be happy.’
‘I am!’ he blubbered some more, making her laugh. ‘It’s not funny. I’m just overwhelmed. I never thought I’d get another chance to meet someone and you’ve given me that.’
‘Oh god, I really love you,’ she said, burying her body in his arms. ‘But first we have a party to arrange.’
‘What did you do on your fortieth?’
‘Me? I cried. I’d split from Hugh and everything looked bleak. A meal for one from Marks and Spencer and a bottle of wine. I think you deserve something better.’
‘When are you going to tell Theo?’ he asked. She heard him sniffing so turned and got some tissues, putting them in front of his eyes. ‘Do you think he’s going to get upset?’
‘We’ll do it together. I’m more worried about his father and, of course, there’s your family and boss to deal with.’
Ruby examined him wiping his face then blowing his nose. He certainly wasn’t your regular copper in any way, shape or form.
‘I’m not usually like this,’ he said, flinging back his head. ‘I’m just tired.’
‘My romantic and sweet co
pper. Now I know for sure those crooks behind bars are having a good wank when they think of you,’ she laughed out loudly then felt a dull thud in her head. ‘And I think I need to sit down. All this excitement is taking its toll on me.’
‘Shall we go to bed,’ he smiled, wiping his eyes. ‘It’s an empty house.’
‘Come on then,’ she grinned, taking his hand and leading him down the corridor. ‘Let’s play mummies and daddies.’
Over dinner, she couldn’t stop looking at her son, wondering how she was going to tell him about the baby. Ruby was pleased that Theo and Scottie were getting on but it was very early days. Her child’s loyalties would always stand firmly with his father.
‘And that’s it really. I’ve been there for years,’ Scottie said, summarising his career. ‘I love my job but, to be honest, I’m not a desk person.’
‘But you’re very important because you go around solving murder cases, don’t you?’ her son asked, wide eyed. ‘That’s really cool.’
‘Well, the thing is, the higher you get up the ranks, the less interesting stuff you do and more of the boring things, like non-stop meetings, budgets.’ Scottie let out a weary sigh. ‘I have to go to a dull dinner tomorrow and try to look interested.’
‘How are you going to find the ‘Samaritan Slayer’ if you go to all these meetings?’ Theo asked anxiously. ‘How will my mummy be safe?’
‘Oh baby, I’m safe now,’ she said, stroking her son’s head. ‘Try not to worry. They’ll find the culprit soon.’
‘And it’s not Auntie Diane?’
‘Certainly isn’t my cousin,’ Scottie said, trying to hide his grin.
‘So if she didn’t do it?’ her son continued, frowning slightly. ‘Then who did? Why can’t you find them? My friend at school says it’s because the police don’t care.’
‘Do they know I’m a Samaritan?’ Ruby asked, wondering if her son mentioned it.
‘I don’t tell anyone what you do. It’s like, well, it’s a bit weird that you write to people you don’t know. I say you write for a paper and when they ask, I say stories.’