HAVE AND HOLD

DI OLIVIA AUSTIN - BOOK FIFTY

NIC ROBERTS

Copyright © 2025 by Nic Roberts

‘Have And Hold’

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

This is a work of fiction. Names characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Some may be used for parody purposes.

Any resemblance to events, locales, business establishments, or actual persons living or dead is purely coincidental.

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PROLOGUE

All the attendees tried to turn their attention away from the hole in the ground, but given the circumstances, they were all trapped. Everywhere they looked, they saw something that reminded them of what was happening.

Andrew closed his eyes, but that did nothing to stop the sound of the coffin being removed from the car. He’d been asked about being a pallbearer but knew that he would have crumbled easily if he’d taken up the offer. There were far too many memories.

Archie had stepped up to the task, but even though he was maintaining his trademark stiff upper lip, his legs were wobbling from the effort.

Tim was trying to put on a good front, but the situation was clearly taking its toll. Ironically, the one who was dealing with it the hardest was Nikki Harding. Ironic considering the turbulent relationship she’d shared with the deceased. Tears were flowing down her cheeks in an unstoppable stream. Even the loss of her husband hadn’t upset her so.

The team finally exchanged glances with one another, trying to communicate a tone that said, we’ve got your back.

But the ones who were really struggling were Alexander and Camilla Austin.

Mills had decided not to let her two children attend the service, feeling it’d be putting them through too much.

Alex gripped at his chest, unable to quell the pain that’d been gathering. For so many years, he’d felt a sense of something missing as he’d been cut off from the rest of his family. Even after he returned, he always felt his happiness could get snatched away all over again.

And now, that’s what it was looking like.

Clara and Diana held each other close, Clara dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief several times over.

The only one who seemed to be in complete control of his emotions was Dr Elliot James, who stood in the cemetery with a look of sadness, as though he’d always known what was coming and now it’d finally come to pass.

There was one person who was meant to be there, but he’d already made it clear that he couldn’t attend. It was far too painful. Nobody held it against him.

Katie Gibson was standing away from the main group, unsure if she had any right to be there at all but feeling that she needed to pay her respects. She owed it to the woman who’d saved her so many times over.

The minister was saying a prayer, but the words didn’t seem to reach the ears of those attending. Their thoughts were of the events of the past few days and everything that’d taken place.

How had it all gone so wrong? What had led them to this point?

As each of them looked around at the group, somehow, they all figured there’d be more people in attendance. That a larger audience had been earned.

Especially considering that a wedding was supposed to be around the corner.

Andrew looked at the makeshift grave marker hammered into the earth. He tried closing his eyes, not wanting to face the cold, hard reality.

Everyone present continued to mull over all the possible outcomes and how things should have been different.

As the coffin was moved towards the hole in the ground, Nikki’s eyes darted around the cemetery, a fierce look on her face. She wanted someone to blame for what’d happened, and if she found that someone, she would gladly kill them. That was Nikki to a fault; always willing to speak her mind compared to everyone else.

They tried to keep their minds focused on the woman who’d brought them all together… and who was no longer there with them.

1

SIXTEEN DAYS EARLIER…

Neil Heaton’s body lay prone in the passenger’s seat, his eyes wide with shock, still unable to comprehend the act that had ended his life unexpectedly. In the car, he was joined by the women who had killed him: Detective Chief Inspector Steph Brown and former Detective Sergeant Melissa Baldwin, both covered in the victim’s blood.

Steph looked Melissa up and down, well aware of the history between her and Heaton back when they’d been colleagues. “Got to say… I thought you’d have a lot more trouble doing that. I mean, you did work together.”

“Yes…” Melissa nodded, looking at the body of her former commanding officer. “And I lost a good few years of my life because I let him rope me into his hare-brained scheme. I lost my family, everything, because of him.”

Steph figured that she was playing down her own fault in the matter but didn’t say anything more.

“And I’d be lying if I said that it didn’t feel good,” Melissa continued with a chuckle, wiping the bloodied knife on Heaton’s shoulder. “So, where do we go from here?”

As if in response to her query, a black van pulled up in front of the car, obscuring them from view of anyone else. “Probably best to get inside,” the senior officer suggested.

The side door to the van opened, and two burly men stepped out, ushering the women inside.

Instantly, Steph began stripping off her blood-sodden clothes, prompting Melissa to do the same. They both wiped themselves down with soap and a damp cloth provided by the men.

“So, what happens now?” Melissa asked as she rubbed herself down. She gestured to the car where Heaton’s body was still lying. “Do we dump the body somewhere? Throw it in the sea?”

Steph raised an eyebrow. “You think just because he’s dead, he can’t still be useful to us? He goes missing, there’s a huge manhunt for him. But if he’s found to be dead before he’s shot of Newquay… well….” She shrugged. “The rumours are certainly going to circulate.” The woman turned around to pull a fresh shirt out of a packet, and when she turned back around, Melissa had a huge grin on her face, clearly having come around to the idea. “So, are you going to frame DI Austin for it?”

The DCI chuckled ruefully. “Nothing so crude, I assure you. That would make it too obvious. Everyone who works with Austin knows she’s not above marching to the beat of her own drum, but a killer? That’ll be a hard one for them to swallow. But… that doesn’t mean I can’t get a few… rumours circulating. The right whispers in the right ears. I don’t need to prove it, just need to circulate it. And with DI Lawrence having a noted history with the victim… well, who knows what people will think?”

“About that,” Melissa said as she changed into a hoodie and tracksuit bottoms, lending her the right level of anonymity. “Whatever plans you have, I want DI Lawrence to myself. He was the one who burst the bubble on our little operation, and the way I see it, I should get what I’m owed.”

“And what exactly do you have planned for him?” Steph asked.

“You probably don’t want to know,” Melissa replied, and Steph was sure that whatever she had lined up for her colleague-turned-target, it wasn’t going to be pleasant.

One of the men walked towards the car, taking the keys and opening the passenger door, hauling out Heaton’s body and shoving it into the boot.

“Only advice I would give to you is to try not to get too reckless,” Steph cautioned. “This can all unravel if we’re not careful.”

She wondered whether Melissa was listening to her or whether the bloodlust was drowning out everything else in her mind.

2

Olivia Austin was supposed to be getting ready for the happiest day of her life, but there were times when she wasn’t sure if she was even going to make it that far.

She’d covered so many cases in her career, gone up against so many criminals, come so close to dying. She’d lost colleagues and friends along the way… but she’d always managed to pick herself up immediately afterwards and keep going.

It was only in that moment, a time when she was supposed to be feeling safest, where thoughts of crime were supposed to be as far away from her as possible, that suddenly it all came crashing down.

She looked at herself in the mirror, her hands gripping the sink. She’d never noticed it before, but every time she looked in the mirror, it was like a little piece of herself had broken off, and she was becoming a little less recognisable each time.

How many times have I risked dying?

She’d lost count by that point. And if it wasn’t her, it would be someone she cared about. A colleague or family member.

She wanted to be able to enjoy the day, damn it.

She knew that colleagues would be sitting in attendance, family would be breathless with anticipation… and her father would be waiting to walk her down the aisle towards the man she was going to spend the rest of her life with.

It was all meant to be perfect.

But with everything hanging over her—the controversies of the most recent case and how it’d been handled—the vultures were definitely circling.

There were plenty of people who would have been happy to see her out of the force. Some because they didn’t approve of her ‘maverick’ style of policing, and in recent times, because she’d ensured they’d be out of pocket.

And yet, what she was about to do now was more terrifying than anything else.

She would be laying herself bare, all the foundations of her character examined and scrutinised.

She hadn’t spoken to Dean about what she was about to do. She felt that if they were going to start the next stage of their lives—no, their life together—they couldn’t afford to be weighed down by trauma.

Mills had offered to go with her as moral support, but Liv felt the need to lightly tell her sister that this wasn’t like taking a shopping trip together.

Looking back, she couldn’t help but wonder why she’d never considered doing this before. Getting all her feelings out in the open.

The door opened, and Dr Helen Pike emerged from behind it. “Detective Inspector Austin, it’s good to see you.”

Liv wanted to say the same thing. She’d always had a steady working relationship with the psychiatrist, who’d consulted on numerous cases. But Liv never imagined she’d be visiting her in this capacity.

“Can I get you a tea or a coffee?” she offered. “I’ve got a new espresso machine.”

“Coffee would be great,” Liv answered, taking a seat and silently noticing how the psychiatrist’s tone seemed to be a lot warmer with her patients.

Helen finished preparing the coffee and handed it to Liv.

“I’ve got to say, I was surprised you wanted to meet up,” she exclaimed, taking her own seat opposite the detective. “We’ve known each other for two-and-a-half years, and in all that time, you’ve never once sought psychiatric help.”

“Is this the part where you tell me how that has endlessly baffled you?” Liv joked, though Helen didn’t return the smile.

“I’m hoping that you’ll open up to me,” Helen offered. “Otherwise, there is very little I can do for you.”

3

Dean Lawrence made his way into Newquay CID with heavy strides, a man on a mission. Everyone in the station turned to look at him, clearly wondering whether he should be at work after what he’d been through.

It was only days prior that he and Olivia had been involved in an explosion at the safe house and narrowly avoided being caught in the blast. Almost everyone who’d spoken to him told him he needed to take it easy and rest. But he knew he couldn’t do that… not while Neil Heaton was still out there.

He walked into the main office, not even stopping to greet any of his other colleagues, and headed straight into the gaffer’s office without stopping to knock. Steph Brown looked him over, a little perturbed at the unexpected arrival. “To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?”

“I want to know what is being done to find Neil Heaton,” Dean exclaimed, and for a moment, he thought he saw the corners of her mouth turn upwards, as though she found the whole situation funny.

“There’s been a healthy exchange of information,” she insisted. “And I can assure you, we are aggressively pursuing every lead that comes through this station.”

“You realise how dangerous the man is?” Dean asked, feeling that nothing short of having police on patrol 24/7 would be enough to appease him. “I know Neil Heaton. He's not going to just get out of Dodge before he's done with me… or Liv.” He was convinced that the man would happily get to Liv as a way of hurting him.

Steph sighed, putting on an air of sympathy. “DI Lawrence, I can understand your frustration, because God forbid, if I had an embittered colleague gunning for me, I'd be wanting to know how long I'd be looking over my shoulder. But I ask you to consider all the angles here. Heaton is in breach of his bail conditions, he has limited resources beyond the clothes on his back, and any associates he might have been working with will be well aware that he has been talking to the police. So, he hasn’t exactly endeared himself to them. If anything, it would have been safer if he’d stayed in your custody.”

The words were meant to be reassuring, but they only left Dean feeling more and Steph’s uneasy look wasn’t helping.

“How is Olivia doing?” she asked. “I figured she would want to take a break after what happened. No one would blame her.”

“Then you really don’t know Liv,” Dean smirked, knowing it would take a lot to put his partner out of commission. Even so, she seemed troubled by the recent turn of events. Dean knew it wasn’t the wedding. He certainly didn’t have to worry about cold feet. He wondered if it was the same feeling he had—not whether they both wanted the happy day, but whether they’d actually make it that far.

“Look, Dean…” she began, and Dean immediately clocked her switch to a first-name basis. “I really didn’t want to have to heap this on you after everything that’s happened lately, but the buzzards are circling. Regardless of the circumstances, as far as a lot of people are concerned, Neil Heaton was supposed to be in your protective custody, and he got away. There’s already talk of an inquiry into you and DI Austin. Not just over this incident but your whole careers. You’re basically the coppers they want to kick back out into the cold.”

Dean felt his stomach plummet. Her announcement shouldn’t have come as a surprise.

“Naturally, I’ll be batting for you both, but I can’t see it ending well,” the DCI continued, figuring it would be better to avoid dancing around the subject. “I am truly sorry.”

Dean wasn’t sure how he was going to break the news to Liv, knowing how much she defined herself by her career.

Suddenly, Steph’s phone rang, and she picked it up. “DCI Brown?” Her face clouded over. “Shit, are you sure? Okay, thank you for letting me know. We’ll get a team down there as soon as we can.” She hung up the phone. “Where is Liv right now? We’re going to need all hands on deck for this one.”

4

“So, how does this usually go?” Liv asked, sipping her coffee and crossing her legs. It had been a while since she'd gone to therapy of her own volition. Often, it had been a requirement of facing a trauma like the death of a colleague or her own near-death experience. She was sure that nearly being caught in a house explosion would qualify, but it wasn’t really about that.

“Normally, I ask you a few questions about how you’re doing and if you feel like pursuing any subject further, then we go into a bit more detail,” Helen said softly. “You’re welcome to move on to another subject, but to be honest, the less you are willing to confide, the less I am able to help you.”

“I don’t know what I’m doing anymore,” Liv exclaimed with an air of defeatism. “I just seem to keep repeating the same cycles over and over and over, and I don’t think I’ve got the energy for it anymore.”

“Burnout isn’t uncommon in your line of work,” Helen offered empathically. “At least you’re willing to hold your hands up and say you’re struggling. I’ve seen plenty of professionals who ignore that they’ve got any kind of affliction, setting themselves up to crash and burn, running on those same fumes. It causes more problems than it solves. And normally, it’s not some cataclysmic incident. It’s normally just that final straw that broke the camel’s back. So what straw broke your back, Olivia?”

“This case has been a pain in the arse from day one,” Olivia responded, thinking about how factors of the case had been present right from the beginning of January. “But I’ve also had to deal with my boss getting assaulted and nearly killed. I’ve got an investigation into my conduct hanging over my head, and I’m supposed to be preparing for my wedding. The happiest day of my life, and it’s weighed down by all of this shit.”

“Yes, I certainly wouldn’t envy being in your position,” Helen offered.

“And just when I thought it couldn’t get any more overwhelming, my boss went and offered me the job of DCI when he leaves!” Liv exclaimed, still hearing Collins’ words rattling around her head, telling her about how he planned to walk away from the service and appoint Liv as his successor. “Don’t get me wrong, there was a time when I would have loved the job, but now… I don’t know whether this is me being self-destructive or…”

“For many people,” Dr Pike said, tapping her pen against the pad, “the price of getting what you want is getting what you once wanted. I think what also doesn’t help is that it was offered to you during a time when you are at your most emotionally stretched.”

“Do you think I should have accepted the job?” Olivia asked.

“It’s not for me to say, Liv,” Helen responded matter-of-factly. “Just because you’re feeling overwhelmed now doesn’t mean that you will feel like that in a week’s time. But I do feel that in order to make the best decision, you need to take a step back from things. Distance lends enchantment to the view. You may find that once you take a step back from police work—and I don’t just mean taking the weekend off—you will remember why you fell in love with the job and discover that drive all over again.”

Liv nodded along with this, thinking that her honeymoon would probably afford her and Dean all the time she needed to get her head together… if they made it that far.

Suddenly, her phone started ringing, and she saw it was Dean. “What’s happening, Dean?” she asked. She sighed as she listened to the conversation. Typical. The moment I feel like I can finally take the edge off, all of a sudden, it’s back to panic mode again.

“I’ll be there soon,” she said, hanging up the phone. God forbid people ever contact me when I’m not in the middle of something. “Listen, Helen,” she started, rising out of the chair. “I’m really sorry, but there’s something I’ve got to sort out.”

“I understand,” Helen accepted. “Though I would like to continue this at a later point. I feel there’s a lot we need to unpack. Because these issues are going to plague you until they’re properly addressed.”

Normally, Liv would have retreated into ‘bottling up’ mode, but even she couldn’t dismiss the value of professional advice, not when she was barely holding it together.

She picked up her jacket and rushed out of the office.

5

“Are you absolutely sure it’s him?” Liv asked as she and Dean headed up the beach, still not believing what they’d been told. Neil Heaton had been found dead, his body washed up on the shore. They could see the corpse up ahead, and Liv was playing out different scenarios in her head that suggested it had been a mistake, that it couldn’t be him.

But as they drew closer, they could see he was still wearing the same clothes he’d worn in the safe house, and Dean could make out part of his face, the smugness permanently wiped off it.

Dean stumbled as he moved closer to the body. “Well, he certainly doesn’t look very burnt.” He ran a hand over his lips. The man had been his mentor, and Heaton’s betrayal had plagued his thoughts for decades. To see him lying there, dead…

“You sure you want to do this?” Liv asked, full of concern for her partner.

“I thought I’d be relieved to hear about him dying,” Dean began, the words barely audible.

“Well, you should be,” a familiar, outspoken voice called out. They turned to see Nikki Harding standing nearby, having completed her latest patrol up and down the beach. “The man was a complete cunt. And personally, I’ll look forward to the funeral where I can have the chance to spit on his grave.”

Liv rolled her eyes. Nikki hadn’t lost her blunt edge, even if she was completely lacking in tact. “Thank God the new DCI isn’t around to hear you.”

“I don’t give a fuck!” Nikki exclaimed suddenly. “Everything he’s done, everything he’s put us through… He almost got the gaffer killed, for fuck’s sake. We’re all thinking it!”

“That’s not really the issue, Nikki,” Liv said, stepping over to the sergeant and wondering for the millionth time if she should muzzle her before the forensics arrived. “While I’m not going to be shedding any tears over the man, he still knew the people pulling the strings, and with him dead, we risk the trail going cold. They clearly killed him to shut him up.”

“They certainly wanted him to suffer,” Dean said, kneeling as close as he could to the body without moving it. “His throat wasn’t just sliced. Whatever blade they used went in deep, right to the bone. Hopefully, we can find out more about the blade used during the post-mortem.”

“So why dump him here?” Nikki asked. “I mean it probably would have been smarter to dispose of the body by actually burning it… for real this time.”

“Because they would know that we’ve got all eyes on him,” Liv explained. “They want us to be looking at the body, not the people involved.” She looked over the corpse of the disgraced police officer. “Whoever it is, assuming they are part of the same group of corrupt coppers Heaton was working with, I think it’s safe to say that we’re not going to find much in the way of forensic evidence. They’d be smart enough not to have anything leading to them.”

“Which means we probably shouldn’t even bother looking to see if anybody saw the body being dumped,” Nikki moaned, looking up and down the desolate beach. “The one time it would have been ideal to have some random dog walker coming down here for a morning shit.”

The forensics team arrived at the beach and started cordoning off the area.

Nikki looked over the scene, a pensive expression on her face. “Something you want to share with us, Nikki?”

“The knobhead who was killed on the beach a while back,” Nikki pondered, “he was killed by a knife wound, wasn’t he?”

“Lewis Farrell?” Liv asked. “Yes, he was.”

“I’m thinking, what if it was by the same person?” Nikki suggested.

Liv and Dean shared a look. “Would certainly narrow down the suspect pool,” Dean offered. “We should get the body to Elliot and also look over the post-mortem report for Lewis Farrell. See if we can compare the two wounds.”

All Liv could tell for the moment was that whoever was on the giving end of that blade, they weren’t fucking around. She could only imagine the murderer was a volatile maniac. But who?

6

Melissa Baldwin watched the scene from afar, and despite what DCI Brown had said to her, she was tempted to march onto the beach, go up to DI Lawrence, and plunge the blade into his gut and be done with it.

But then she thought of the years she’d spent in prison with no friends at all. There were times when she wondered why she’d ever taken Neil Heaton up on his offer of making a bit of cash on the side.

Having been a bent copper, she would have been better off dead. She’d kept her mouth shut, all for the sake of so-called loyalty to her boss, who hadn’t reciprocated in any way and left her to fend for herself. She winced as she remembered the beatings she’d endured from inmates ganging up on her. Two or three she could have fought off, but not six of them.

When she got out of prison, she told herself that she was never going back. She would die before she went back there.

And ever since she got out, she’d made a point of honing her craft, learning how to disappear, how to fight, and how to make other people disappear. She’d found there was quite a lot of money in that line of work. She’d travelled over the UK, working for anyone who’d pay, and was able to live a relatively comfy life.

Then, she’d been contacted by DCI Steph Brown, who’d updated her on the corruption scandal surrounding Neil Heaton and requested her assistance, given her personal connection to Heaton and to Dean Lawrence. Dean Lawrence…

Melissa had been tempted to turn the job down. She’d done well to stay under the radar all those years and didn’t want to go back to prison. But then she thought about Dean, who had stabbed her in the back and was now living the best version of his life with a woman he loved and was due to marry. It made Melissa truly believe in the lack of justice.

She’d already killed Heaton and hoped that she’d feel better for it. But instead, there was just a blankness inside her, as though she were disappointed with how quickly it was all over for him. For Dean, she wouldn’t make that mistake.

She wanted to make him suffer. She wanted to take all the days, weeks, months, years’ worth of pain and turn them back on him.

And targeting Olivia would be the best way to go about it.

She’d been watching them from the shadows for a while now, picking up their patterns, their processes… and her search hadn’t been limited to the happy couple.

She’d been looking at their families and friends, asking herself the same question over and over. Which disappearance would generate the most hurt?

There were quite a few people to work through, and despite Steph’s instructions, she wasn’t going to take this lying down.

The corrupt DCI needed her. With a lot of heat on Newquay, the temporary commanding officer couldn’t be seen taking part in any illicit circumstances. She needed a trigger man; a role Melissa was expected to fulfill.

But she was not content to serve only the role of attack dog.

She wanted her pound of flesh, and she would have it.

She watched as the forensic team went over Neil Heaton’s body. Though she couldn’t make out their facial expressions, she could tell from their body language they were all taken aback by the ferocity on display. Melissa smiled. She was always happy to go the extra mile where the work was concerned.

She turned and walked up the road, conscious that if she stood there any longer, she’d be drawing attention to herself.

She would take it easy for the rest of the day, let Brown ensure Austin and Lawrence’s names were dragged through the mud, and then make her move.

She’d already decided on her next target anyway.

Or rather two of them.

She watched one of them coming out of the shop at the end of the street. She just needed to wait for the right moment.

7

Dr Elliot James looked over the body laid out on the table. While for most of the people that came through his office he tried to maintain a sympathetic air at having their lives cut short, he’d heard all about the crimes Neil Heaton was guilty of and wasn’t shy about making his disgust clear. “I suppose a man with that many enemies, it was bound to happen sooner or later,” he muttered.

The mentality regarding Neil Heaton had been pretty much the same for everyone in the who knew him, they were more sickened by the brutality they’d been exposed to rather than being saddened by his death. Nikki was definitely spot-on on that one.

Dean had gone back to the station to sort out some admin issues while DS Archie Elmhurst had accompanied Liv to the pathologist’s office.

“Bloody hell,” Archie muttered, looking at the jagged slice across Heaton’s throat. “It’s like they were trying to take his head clean off.”

“I should tell you both,” Elliot noted, not looking up from the neck wound. “If you have any loved ones, I would recommend you get them somewhere safe.” He paused his work to look up at them, dead serious. “Look at what they’ve done to this man, even if one could argue that he deserved it. You all have families. I really want to believe that the people involved will not go as far as to threaten them, but given the lack of scruples on display so far, I wouldn’t put it past them. If you can get them out of Newquay, I’d suggest you do so.”

Liv gulped. Her family had often been under threat due to her connection with the police, but they hadn’t actually had to leave town for three years, not since the Flock of Eden cult had come to retrieve her brother Alex. And given that her sister had two small children to look after, she didn’t want to risk their lives.

“I don’t know if Susan is going to want to upend her life like that,” Archie protested, referring to the art gallery owner he’d been seeing since their first meeting in February at a crime scene. “She’s got an entire business here.”

“Have you impressed upon her the danger that she will be facing if she stays here?” Elliot asked, a coldness to his tone. “I would like to believe that the police will pull out all the stops to protect your loved ones, but…” He gestured to Heaton’s corpse. “This man was supposed to be fully protected, and look what they did to him.”

Liv tried to brush the thought away, not even wanting to think of her family being in danger. “Is there any chance you can tell us his cause of death? Not that there’ll be much guesswork involved.” But that wasn’t really what she wanted to know.

“Cause of death was the severing of the carotid arteries,” Elliot observed, placing a measuring ornament next to the body. “Whoever was on the other end of this weapon, they weren’t mucking around. They practically sawed along his neck.”

“Sawed?”

“Yes, if you have a look at the edges of the skin…” He traced a gloved finger above the wound. “There’s a jagged motion…”

“You mean like a saw?” Archie queried.

“No, not an actual saw. The blade seems to be a much thicker cut,” Elliot noted, and before Olivia could ask, he continued with, “And I did have a look over the notes from the post-mortem with Lewis Farrell. Though it’s not normally wise to assume, in this instance, I think it’s pretty safe to say that the same weapon was used.”

“So, we’re looking for the same killer,” Liv observed.

“I’d say so, yes. I’d also say given the angle that the wound was made, the killer was behind Heaton when it happened. So, either it was a surprise attack… or Heaton would have allowed somebody to get that close to him.”

“You think he knew his attacker?” Archie exclaimed.

“He was on the run, desperate, and probably went to people he thought would help him disappear, and they did… though not in the way he’d hoped.”

8

“So, can you take us through that again?”

Dean knew exactly what they were doing. It was an interrogation technique that he'd used several times himself since joining the service. People seemed to think that telling the same story over and over, no matter how many times they were asked, would get them out of trouble. But it was actually the opposite case. Stories that were told the same way repeatedly were often the ones that’d been rehearsed. And now, people were trying to turn that trick back on him. But he just gave small variations at each turn. It wasn’t like he was lying. He was just finding the right way to defend himself.

The man opposite him was a bureaucrat from an Anti-Corruption Unit, who’d spent so long rooting out bad apples in the service that he now regarded everybody with an air of suspicion.

“DI Lawrence,” the officer began, looking over a document. “It says here that three years ago, you were suspected of police corruption and conspiracy to murder—”

“I suggest you stop right there,” Dean’s union rep interrupted, sitting next to the DI. “DI Lawrence was found to have been framed and has since been cleared of those charges. So, unless you’ve got some reason for digging up ancient history, I suggest we move along.”

“And yet, the orchestrator of these events is the man whose murder we’re now investigating,” the AC officer insisted. There was a certain smarminess in his tone, and Dean couldn’t tell if that was because he felt he had the detective dead to rights and was closing in, or simply that he enjoyed having someone over a barrel. Probably a bit of both.

“Look,” Dean snapped, frustrated by the endless rounds of questioning. “I’ve done nothing wrong. My whole career has been aboveboard and by the book. My conscience is clear. Now, I believe there is a bent copper pulling the strings, but it isn’t me. If I wanted Heaton dead, I would have done it years ago. It’s not like I haven’t had the opportunity.”

The union rep moved his hand over to Dean’s arm as if to say, ‘shut the fuck up.’ Instead, he turned to the AC officer, who was practically frothing at the mouth, telling him, “I think now is a good time to break, don’t you agree?”

“By all means,” the AC officer said triumphantly, pausing the tape.

Out in the corridor, the union rep turned to Dean and said, “What the fuck were you thinking in there?”

“I’m sorry, I just lost it,” Dean said, pacing up and down.

“If this is how you’re going to be when they question you on your own actions, God knows how you’re going to fare when they get to DI Austin’s.”

Dean spun around at the mention of Liv’s name. “If you’re implying that she had anything to do with this…”

“Look, I can assure you right now that the issue isn’t going to be so much DI Austin’s moral fibre but more that she has a reputation for questionable decision-making. I could give you a list of all the times her conduct was questioned, and it would depress you.” Seeing that he needed to bring his client back down to earth, he tried a more reassuring tactic. “Look, I know that whatever actions you two have taken have been in the pursuit of justice. I know that you have no involvement whatsoever with this group. And Anti-Corruption pretty much know it, too. They’re just grasping at straws in the hope you’ll give them a case to work with. So, I’m going to give you the advice that I give to all officers facing these questions—sit down, answer honestly, bear it, and at the end, tell them you understand they’re just doing their job. But for God’s sake, don’t give them any rope to hang you with like the expression you just came out with.”

“And is that going to be the end of it?” Dean asked, feeling a lot of vulnerability coming out as he spoke.

The union rep sighed. “Unfortunately, that’s not an answer I can give. I can support you to the best of my ability, but beyond that… these are things over which I have no control.”

Dean nodded numbly, feeling that he might as well have been handed his death sentence. “Okay, let’s get this piece of hell over with.”

9

Liv felt dreadful for what she was about to ask. Normally, she would have taken the stance that this was her mess, and she needed to clean it up.

She walked into Clara’s workstation where the technician was waiting eagerly in her chair. “So, what have you got for me, Liv?” Clara asked, her fingers clasped together, ready to get pounding on the keyboard.

Liv found herself thinking back to when she had first met the admin assistant, a sensitive young woman who often needed reminding of her own brilliance. She’d come a long way since then.

“We haven’t got anything for you as yet, Clara,” she said, closing the door behind her, not wanting what she was about to say to reach the ears of anyone passing by. “There’s something I need to discuss with you.”

“Go on,” Clara said, and it shamed Liv to know that whatever she wanted, Clara would give it to her, no questions asked.

“Tracking devices,” she began. “Do you think you can put any together?”

“I can’t help but note the plural there,” Clara said, ahead of the curve. “How many do you need?”

There’s a loaded question. There was Liv’s immediate family of her parents, her siblings, her nephew and niece, and Dean’s mother. And she was sure that others would have family members in need of protection. “I think two for now.”

“Okay,” Clara said, her mind already whirring as to how to go about putting them together. “And who will be using them?”

“For now, just me and Dean.” Liv wanted that to be the end of it, but if Clara was going to willingly put her career on the line, she deserved a better explanation than no explanation. “Things are going to get worse before they get better, and I’m conscious of the target on our backs. We just want to have them just in case we need them.” She knew she wasn’t doing a good job of phrasing it.

“I’m guessing no one else is supposed to know about this?” Clara asked, and Liv felt like her heart was being squeezed. “I’m not going to tell anyone, Liv, I promise you. My loyalty is to you first and the police second.”

The words were meant to be reassuring, but instead, they served as a reminder of the line that Clara was in danger of crossing. I wonder how many how many other detectives started out like this, doing the wrong thing for the right reasons, and before they know it, everyone is running as fast as they can in the other direction, trying to justify whatever the hell it was they started in the first place.

“I appreciate this, Clara, I really do,” she said, sitting opposite the technician. “I know that I owe you a debt I can never repay.”

Clara turned off her monitors, wanting to give Liv her full undivided attention. “You don’t need to repay me.” She took Liv’s hands in her own and held them tightly. “You’ve always given me opportunities and encouraged me to excel. You’ve known what I was capable of even before I did. I was able to meet my wife in this line of work, and even though we’ve both been targeted several times over, you’ve always been able to protect us. So don’t look at this as debts being repaid. Look at it as one friend helping out another.”

Liv smiled broadly, the first time in months she felt like she actually had something to smile about. “We are really lucky to have you, Clara Fitzroy. Even if the top brass never get round to acknowledging it, I certainly won’t forget it.”

Clara finally broke the contact. “I’m going to get work on something portable and inconspicuous, ideally light in weight.”

“Fantastic, Clara,” Liv noted, moving out of the workstation and closing the door behind her.

She wanted to believe that she was coming to the end of this case, but she wasn’t sure. If the case had dragged on for another few months, Olivia was convinced it would kill her. Assuming nobody else got to her first.

10

“What are you doing?”

“Just trying to make sure I’m not putting together a death trap.”

Alex Austin was busy at work in the bedroom he shared with his girlfriend Tara. They’d been living together for nearly eighteen months, and in that time, their relationship had been building from strength to strength. Alex had finally been able to put his past with the Flock of Eden behind him, and even though there were still lines of trauma in his subconscious, he was able to get through life without feeling weighed down by it all.

Tara had been through her own mental health battles, which had led to her been unfairly persecuted and struggling at times to carve out some independence for herself.

But now, the two were in steady jobs, enjoying the independence they’d carved out for one another, and getting ready for the next stage of their lives.

It had taken a while for Tara to say anything, but she had noticed that she was missing her period and that morning sickness was becoming more and more recurrent. When she finally worked up the courage to buy a pregnancy test, she wasn’t surprised by it.

But she was terrified. Her depression had worn her down frequently, and even though her family had been supportive, she was conscious of the constant strain it had put on them. Even her friends, some of whom she’d known since childhood, had turned their backs, telling her ‘we love you, Tara, but you’re just too much.’ Not that the situation was too much, but she was too much. And she’d spent a lot of time since then closing herself off to relationships, feeling that she’d only end up making herself and everyone around her miserable.

But then Alex had come into her life. And while she wasn’t grateful that he’d been through a horrific ordeal of his own, it meant that he was able to sympathise with her more than others would. It felt like they were two broken people, realising that maybe they could be whole together.

And despite the black marks in each other’s past, Tara had never had more fun with anyone. They went out on trips together and joined a local dancing class. It felt like Tara was living the life she was always meant to be living. One evening, Alex had joked that their lives could be summed up as ‘there were a few false starts, but we got there in the end.’

But the arrival of a baby had almost thrown that into a curveball. Tara still had what people called her ‘black moments’, but she was lucky that Alex was always there to pull her back from the brink. She’d read somewhere that children who are exposed to mental illness from an early age are more likely to develop it themselves later in life, and Tara didn’t know if she could bring a child into that situation.

Still, she felt it right to run it by Alex before she made any decision, knowing that he was already a father himself. Granted, his child had been born from an illegal relationship with a teacher, but Daniel was now a solid part of their lives. And as much as Alex loved the young man, there was a part of him that regretted not being there for all those milestones, watching the first steps his son took, hearing his first words, and teaching him to ride his first bike. He’d been denied all of those bits of Daniel’s life. Maybe this baby would be a chance for him to finally have those moments.

So, the two had sat down one evening and talked about all the things a baby could bring into their lives, good and bad, before Alex concluded that they’d both learned from their experiences and hoped that whatever traumas had weighed them down, they could give their child a better start in life than what they’d had.

Even though the birth was months away, and Tara had not told anyone—even her own parents—Alex had thrown himself into getting the flat organized, babyproofing it, and making it ready for the new arrival.

They had both decided to tell their families when Tara was a bit further along in her pregnancy, but Alex joked that given the numerous late-night runs he’d had to make to satisfy her cravings, they could be catching on sooner.

Everything was perfect for the couple, and they had nowhere to go but up. Nothing could take this happy period away from them.

11

Liv knocked on the door to the house, waiting for it to open. Allison’s face lit up. “Olivia! It’s good to see you! Come in, come in!”

“Thanks, Allison. I hope I’m not intruding.”

“Not at all! Steven will be happy to see you.” Liv followed Allison into the living room where Superintendent Steven Collins was sat in a chair, a number of mobility apparatus having been fitted around the room. Liv knew that it pained her boss to be so reliant on these things, and he could only hope that it wasn’t forever.

“Olivia,” Collins exclaimed, happy to see her. Liv would have preferred it if he’d called her DI Austin, because then it wouldn’t have signified the dramatic change that was taking place in their lives.

“What brings you here?” he asked, clearly grateful for the company and not used to being cooped up in the house for so long.

“Just thought I’d see how you’re doing, guv,” she said.

“Please, we’re not in the station. You can call me Steven.” That’s going to take some getting used to. “I heard about what happened with Heaton. I can’t pretend I didn’t feel a stab of satisfaction.”

Liv was grateful that because they weren’t in the office, she could at least speak her mind without fear of repercussions.

“I’ll go and get some coffee,” Allison said, excusing herself from the room and leaving the two colleagues to themselves.

“You’re still thinking about the offer I threw your way, aren’t you?”

Liv grimaced, having not been prepared for that line of questioning. “I didn’t say…”

“I know you didn’t,” Steven said, leaning forward in his chair despite the pain, just to show that he could. “And for what it’s worth, I’m sorry that I put you in that position. To be honest, I was a little scared about what was coming next. I thought I was going to take a turn for the worse, and I didn’t want to go without appointing my successor. I should have realised that you had your own stuff to deal with. But I stand by what I said before; you are the best person for the job. And the only person I would trust with it.”

“Not DCI Brown?” Liv asked.

“She’s more of a climber,” Collins explained. “She’s not put in the same time as the rest of us. No, you’re going to be much better suited… but only if you want the job.”

“I think…” Liv was finally being given the chance to get all her feelings off her chest, and she didn’t want to squander it. “I’m trying to close this case, even though I feel like the goalposts are constantly being shifted. I’ve got my wedding coming up. And I feel like I just don’t have all the time to process it all.”

“I can imagine how cluttered your head can get having to juggle all of that,” Collins said. “I tell you what then, here’s what I’m going to do. You keep working this case for now, then you go off on your honeymoon with Dean, and when you get back, we can decide about your future. When you’ve had more time to reflect.”

“And if my decision is no?” Liv asked, not saying she would go in that direction but wanting to make Collins aware that that was a possibility.

“Then I shall make sure a suitable successor is in place,” he responded, trying to sound reassuring. “I’ll even come back myself if I need to.”

“You’re willing to do that for me?” Liv asked, touched at the loyalty her friends and colleagues had shown her that day.

“Olivia, you’ve long been one of my best officers. You’ve had to endure so much, both in your career and your personal life. And yet, you’ve kept on going. This is the least I can do. And I’ve put a lot of time and energy into that station. I’ll be damned if I’m going to leave it in a worse state than when I found it.”

Liv smiled at this. “Well, the new DCI certainly has her own way of doing things.”

“As long as she’s got your back, that’s all I can ask of her.”

12

Every time Olivia Austin’s back was turned, Steph was tempted to bury a knife in it and get the job done.

She got out of the car and made her way home, having had to shoo people away several times that day, all of them bewildered as to why she would want to stay in the house where she was nearly killed—an attack that Steph herself had orchestrated. In truth, Steph couldn’t risk an investigator snooping around her home and finding something incriminating.

She made her way into the kitchen and poured herself a large whisky before quickly wondering if the bottle had been that empty

“Really nice place you’ve got here.” A voice came from behind her, and Steph whipped around to see Melissa Baldwin sitting in a seat holding a generous glass of her whisky. “Though I really wouldn’t want to let the taxman loose in here. Just imagine his thought process. You’re a copper, you’re supposed to earn bugger all, and yet you’ve got this fancy house? That isn’t going to make any sense unless you’re on the take.”

“How the fuck did you get in here?” Steph demanded, slamming the glass down.

“Please,” Melissa replied, looking insulted. “Not that hard. I could do it in my sleep. Now, I want to know what is happening with DI Austin and DI Lawrence. Are their red notices in the post yet?”

“It’s not that easy,” Steph retorted before wondering why she should have to defer to this woman. “They have a reputation for bending the rules—Austin, especially—but there’s nothing to indicate that they’re corrupt.”

“And you can’t plant any evidence?” Melissa demanded, downing the whisky in one.

“And risk it being traced back to me?” Steph retorted. “I already took a big risk luring Heaton to his death. As soon as the words ‘bent copper’ were thrown around, I had to pull back. If I’m not careful, my career could be completely knocked off course.”

“Oh, you’ll have to cut back on the posh lunches and drawing on expenses?” Melissa crooned sarcastically. “My heart bleeds.”

“Well, if you have a better solution for handling the situation, I’d like to hear it.”

“I do, as it happens,” Melissa responded, sounding positively gleeful. “It sounds to me like all of your problems start and end with DI Austin and DI Lawrence. If they were out of the way, all of this would go away.”

“Don’t you think I’ve been trying that?” Steph exclaimed, pacing up and down. “I can only put up so many roadblocks before people realise they all come back to me.” Melissa opened her mouth to speak but Steph silenced her, wanting to remind her who was supposed to be running this operation. “And before you say it, killing them is only going to go so far. It might have worked with Heaton, but not with these two. They will be on their guard now. Even if you did get a shot at them, you’d better not miss, because I guarantee you won’t get a second chance.”

“Well, I think I could get them to lower their guards,” Melissa purred slyly. “I’ve been monitoring their habits and all their family connections. And I’m sure… given the right incentive… I can get them to lower their guards and even come to me.”

“Normally, I wouldn’t mind that kind of action,” Steph responded, knowing that Melissa thinking for herself was a dangerous thing. “But Newquay is currently a hotspot, so I don’t know how you expect to pull that off in the middle of the town.”

“Who said anything about doing it in Newquay?” Melissa asked before going into detail about her plan, leaving no stone unturned.

By the end of it, Steph was fully on board, save for one detail. “You know I can’t be connected to this in any way.”

“Oh, you’ll be squeaky clean,” Melissa assured her.

Steph allowed herself another generous glass of whisky in celebration for knowing that in a matter of days, Olivia Austin and Dean Lawrence would be causing her no further problems.

13

“Yeah, I had a great night, too. No, it’ll be fun to do it again sometime. Okay, love you, ‘bye!” Andrew Shaw turned off the phone and smiled contentedly. He’d been seeing a woman whom he’d been set up with by Olivia’s sister, Mills. It was a slow-burning relationship, but he was happy with the direction it was headed in, and they clearly enjoyed being in each other’s company.

“Looks like someone’s in paradise,” he heard Liv remark as she walked over to join him at the coffee machine. That space brought back fond memories for them both, as many of their most flirtatious moments had taken place there. There’d be so many jokes about sugar and cream that even now, years after they’d stopped seeing each other, they couldn’t make any innuendos without bursting into laughter.

“Just had my fourth date lined up,” Andrew remarked happily. “I’m taking her out for a Mexican meal. I mean, I’m used to my tongue being warm, but not that warm.”

“I’m sure you’ll both have a great time,” she said, happy that he’d found someone to spend time with. Andrew was a good bloke, the kind of person who deserved to be in a relationship and have kids.

“What about you?” he asked, finishing his own coffee. “Are you excited for wedding bells?” He then caught himself. “Sorry, probably not the best time to be talking about marital bliss.”

“Well, it would be nice to have something to focus on if it wasn’t buried under a mountain of shit,” Liv said, venting her frustration. “Sometimes, I feel like God’s favourite chew toy.”

“He does like to do that quite a bit,” Andrew agreed.

“I’ve just got back from seeing Collins.”

“How’s he doing?” Andrew asked, suddenly feeling guilty that he hadn’t been round to visit. “Is he on the mend?”

“If he’s in a worse state, he’s definitely not showing it,” she remarked. She wanted to talk to Andrew about the job that he’d been offering her, but she’d already gone over it in her head so many times that she couldn’t bear to give it any more thought. “Listen, Andrew, I’m sure you’re aware things have been a little hectic around here.”

“Really? I didn’t know about that. Tell me more,” he exclaimed sarcastically.

She allowed herself a little smile before continuing. “Yeah, well, I think things are going to get worse before they get better. Which is why I’ve got to start thinking long and hard about what comes next.”

“Okay, Liv, you’re starting to scare me now,” he said, looking nervous.

“I want you to promise me that if anything happens to me, you’re going to look after my family.” There, she’d said the words with all the finality that came with them.

“Liv, it’s not going to come to that,” he insisted, putting a hand on her shoulder in reassurance.

“I’m serious, Andrew.” She turned, tensing up at the tender touch. “Collins getting assaulted came completely out of nowhere. None of us was prepared for it. And now Neil Heaton has been killed, I’m conscious of going the same way… So, I want you to promise me that if I do end up going the same way—if I end up disappearing—you’ll keep an eye on my family. Make sure they know that I loved them.”

“Olivia,” he stated, dropping any and all pretense of sarcasm, “I’ll do it if I absolutely have to, but to be honest, I’m never going to have the opportunity. Because you’re always going to be there to do it yourself. You’ll be there for them through thick and thin, just like you always have been.”

Liv wished she shared that confidence. Every time she did anything, whether it was getting a cup of coffee, sitting down at the computer, or conversing with a member of her team, it always felt like she could be doing it for the last time.

She allowed him to hug her, again trying to shrug off the possibility that this could be another one of those last times.

14

Dean wanted to take pride in seeing the Anti-Corruption Officer walk away empty-handed, but he was far too overwhelmed from everything that had happened over the last few days. The sun was starting to set, but he didn’t think he could face Liv just yet, so he decided to go for a walk. It probably wasn’t the safest option, given all the danger that seemed to follow him and Olivia wherever they went, but he needed some fresh air.

He walked around the town that had been his home, a place where he’d been exposed to so many defining experiences.

He found himself thinking back to the moment he first met Olivia Austin, when she had been recovering from a traumatic experience and her assignment to his team had been the result of her taking time to heal from a tragic loss, her therapist believing that she needed some support until she felt ready to head her own team again. At first, Dean hadn’t been so keen on the idea of babysitting, but he had taken the stance that as long as Olivia pulled her weight, then she would be a welcome addition.

And over time, he found himself admiring the strength, the wit, and the tenacity of the woman working alongside him. He saw the way she threw herself into a case. Whenever there was a victim in danger, she turned into a force of nature. He always admired that about her.

And as he learned more about her past, the trauma that she’d endured, and the loved ones she’d lost, he came to respect her resilience even more so. Over time, he found himself developing feelings for her.

He knew that she was seeing Andrew Shaw and wasn’t sure if he was the kind of man she needed in her life, so he’d gone off with a relationship of his own. But both he and Liv would look back on those relationships and say that they weren’t really relationships… they were distractions. Something to fill time as they tried to deny the feelings they had for one another. But sooner or later, they couldn’t deny each other any longer.

In some ways, it was a miracle that they even had a wedding to look forward to, considering how many elements had risen up to stop them from being together.

So many things had changed over the past few years, but Liv was the one constant in his life, the big thing holding it all together. He honestly didn’t know what he’d do without her.

And they were supposed to be starting the rest of their lives together. Dean had done a fair bit of prep work for the occasion, having had a suit fitted for him. But as he looked at himself in the mirror, he found himself thinking about all the other hurdles he’d have to work through before he could say the vows.

As for the vows themselves, he kept them on his person at all times. They provided him with an extra incentive, so that whenever he found himself in a life-or-death situation—which was nearly every day at that point—he would be able to repeat the words to himself, and the fear of not being able to say them to Olivia’s face would be enough to convince him to pull through, as they had when he was trying to find his way out of the safe house recently.

He played the image in his head of Olivia walking up the aisle, and every time he did, there were little details that changed. Regardless, he could only hope that reality would live up to his fantasy. He was sure it would.

It wouldn’t be long until they got to that magical moment. They just needed to hang in a bit longer. He was about to message Liv to find out when he’d be next seeing her when his phone lit up with a text notification from her. WHEN ARE YOU NEXT FREE? He texted back with RIGHT NOW.

To which she said, WE NEED TO TALK. That was it, nothing else. Just a plain insistence. Though she probably hadn’t intended it, Dean wondered if there’d been any way of phrasing it without sounding ominous.

Surely, she wasn’t going to call off the wedding? Not after everything they’d been through.

But what could have happened that made her take such a blunt approach?

15

Liv walked into the workstation, having received Clara’s text, and saw to her momentary surprise that Diana was there too. Then again, Clara told her wife everything and didn’t see why this occasion should be any different.

“I hope you know what you’re doing, Olivia,” Diana said, and for a moment, Liv wondered if the young PC had tried to talk Clara out of the task she’d been given.

But then Clara produced two small chips. “They’re all ready to go and should be able to keep you covered for a wide range. As to where you can put them, I’d go for either the inside of a phone casing or into the sole of a shoe.”

“Obviously, the phone casing is only going to get you so far if it gets taken off you,” Diana noted, trying to play devil’s advocate.

“Well, do you expect me to swallow it?” Liv joked, trying to keep up the levity in the room.

“Probably won’t be much good in your stomach,” Clara observed, trying to get in on the humour. “And no one else needs to know about this.” She turned and looked at Diana, as if to get the point across.

“I’m not going to say anything,” Diana responded, knowing just how much Olivia had done for her and Clara. “But you need to be very careful about who finds out about this. God knows what they could do with the information.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice,” Olivia remarked. “I know Dean has already been called in for his own private bollocking, and I’m due to have mine tomorrow. I feel like I’ve got to painstakingly choose every single word I say.”

“They don’t have a case to make,” Diana insisted. “This is just a process they need to work through. It’s ridiculous that people barely made a big deal out of Heaton while he was alive. I think people were hoping he was going to be the golden goose for them and lead them to the one at the centre of it all.” Her face clouded over a little. “I’ve got to ask, Olivia, are we safe?”

It was a loaded question, especially considering that Diana and Andrew themselves had recently been targeted by corrupt officers.

Liv wanted to assure them that the badge would offer them a certain level of protection, but given how the people behind the case were probably walking around the station, she didn’t think she could offer the same advice in this particular case.

“I don’t know,” she finally said, unwilling to bullshit two of her closest friends. “I really don’t know.” She suddenly felt the urge to go, to prevent a barrier coming between her and her friends. “Listen, guys, I’ll speak to you later, okay?”

She turned and walked out of the room without speaking another word.

As she walked to her car, she looked at the two recording devices in her hand, feeling the figurative weight of them. Now that she had them—with the promise of more on the way—she wasn’t sure what she wanted to do with them. Could she give them to two people in hers or Dean’s family in need of monitoring? But then she thought of all the other family members in need of protection, and she didn’t want to be forced into the position of playing favourites.

She wanted to talk to Dr Pike again. She felt that in the moment of unburdening herself, she was really getting somewhere with her own feelings, articulating her concerns in a way she couldn’t do even with Dean.

But she couldn’t just turn up on the doorstep and expect Helen to slip into therapist mode.

She needed to go home first where Dean would be waiting for her.

As she opened up her car to get in, she heard a noise and looked around. She could have sworn someone was watching her, but there was no one in sight. Either they were good at maintaining their cover or Liv’s imagination was finally getting the better of her.

Shrugging it off, she got in the car, started the engine, and drove off, blissfully unaware of her stalker returning to their own car and driving away, prepared to put the next part of their plan in motion.

16

Dean hadn’t been in the mood for cooking an extravagant meal that night, as he was too exhausted from the events of the last few days. He took out some lasagne that his mother had previously wrapped up and put it in the microwave while pouring out some dog food for Briggs. The dog sat at the end of the kitchen, his head cocked sideways as he looked up at his owner, able to tell something was wrong.

The door opened, and Olivia walked in looking like she was about to collapse from exhaustion. Dean rushed over to her and held her in his arms. Normally, she would have shoved him away, not wanting to be mistaken for a fragile flower in need of rescuing. But this time, she simply allowed him to hold her. He reached up and began to stroke her hair, hoping to let some of the tension seep out of her.

“For a lot of people, a day like this would be like working in a warzone,” she mused into his arms before looking up at him solemnly. “But for us, it’s basically Tuesday.”

“I’ll drink to that,” Dean said, gesturing over to the table. “I got us a few bottles of red in case we need to drown our sorrows.”

“That’s the only thing I’ve heard all day that actually makes any sense,” she noted approvingly, releasing herself from his embrace and going over to the shelf, getting two glasses out, and pouring generous amounts for them both. They flopped onto the sofa next to each other, sitting in silence for a moment as they tried to process the events of the day. “So, how did your interview go? You look like you’ve just survived a shootout.”

“It feels like it. I just told them the truth,” Dean replied with a shrug. “That I had no idea what Heaton was planning or who killed him. And granted, I could have been a lot less heated, but I think I got the point across that we couldn’t have anything to do with it. They’re just probing for weaknesses. Maybe I’ve been taking a leaf out of Nikki Harding’s book.”

“Thought you might like to see something I’ve been working on,” she said, digging around in her pocket and pulling out the trackers.

“This Clara’s handiwork?” he asked, taking one and holding it up.

“Figured we could do with some kind of protection—or rather for our loved ones,” she said, feeling that she needed to build herself up for what she was about to suggest.

“You think any of them are going to be next?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” she responded. “But I know that my sister is at home with two small kids, and I promised her that my work wasn’t going to impact their lives.”

“And Max,” Dean added with a raised eyebrow, knowing that her brother-in-law had always harboured dubious feelings about Olivia’s job, believing that it had put his family in the line of fire far too many times.

“Yes, and Max, too,” she responded, getting the joke before turning serious again. “Elliot told me that they could all risk being targeted and that they needed to make sure they were safe. And seeing what they did to Heaton, I don’t want to imagine what they’d do to—”

“Well, personally, I think we’re closing in on the big fish,” Dean cut her off, taking Liv aback by his optimism. “I know it doesn’t feel like it, but we’ve already brought in a shitload of officers. The fact that they killed Heaton means that we’re getting to them. They’re getting pretty desperate now, and in my experience, desperate criminals are much easier to catch as a result. It’s not a matter of if, just when.”

Liv wanted to feel reassured by this, but she’d faced too many setbacks for that. “I’ve been thinking about our wedding, Dean… and I’ve been thinking about what’s been happening. These people are going to come for us. We don’t get a say in that. The only reason our families could be in danger is because they want us.”

“You’re not seriously thinking of cancelling the wedding, are you?” Dean asked, hoping they’d be past that point.

“Of course not,” she insisted emphatically. “I’m going to get that ring on my finger even if I have to die for it.” She drew a breath. “What I’m suggesting is that we make it as clear as possible we’re leaving Newquay and hopefully draw them away from our loved ones. And then we get married in private, away from anyone else. Where no one else can risk getting hurt.”

17

“So basically, what you’re suggesting is a wedding on the run, is that right?” Dean asked incredulously. “How much wine have you been drinking again?”

“I’m serious, Dean,” she insisted. “There is going to be no end to it. They’ve taken a huge blow to their operation, and if they can’t keep their tracks hidden, they’ll settle for hurting our loved ones. There are plenty of people who want us out of the way. You really think our families would be in harm’s way if not for us? You and I both know these bent bastards wouldn’t even look twice at Mills and her kids if we weren’t around.”

“So, what are you suggesting exactly?” Dean asked, trying to make sense of this mad hat plan. “That we get the fuck out of Dodge, leave a trail of breadcrumbs telling them where to find us, and hope that we can make it through the ‘I do’s’ before they burst in guns blazing?” Realising the lunacy of the plan, Liv went silent. “I know that all of this is coming from a place of concern, and believe me, I’m feeling the same way. My mum is cancer-free and supposed to be enjoying her new lease on life, but instead, she is being moved from hotel to hotel and constantly looking over her shoulder. She didn’t beat a terminal illness for that. But I’ve got to say, Liv, as planning goes, you can usually come up with something better than that.”

She looked down, embarrassed at herself for her impulsive suggestion.

“You and I have literally gone through hell to be together,” he said, taking her hand and kissing it softly. “Hell, there were times when even I thought it’d be better for us to lead separate lives. But you know what? We have made it; we’ve got through the hard part. And if I had a second chance, I’d go through all that again just to be with you. This wedding is a chance for us to make it official, that it’s you and me, it’s for life. And all of these people want to be there with us when we tie the knot. They want to celebrate with us. A few of them had been egging us to get together for a long time. It’s only fair that they are there to share in that special moment.”

“You don’t think that’s being selfish?” Liv asked, thinking of the safety of their loved ones.

“They will always come for us,” Dean insisted. “They’ve already taken so much from us—self-esteem, our reputations. I want to make damn sure that they can’t take anything else. And they won’t. When you officially become my wife, I want our friends and family all there for it.”

Liv took a swig of her wine as Dean continued. “I know that all of this comes from you being scared for our families. I know you don’t want to put them in any danger. But let’s say we took off and got married, just you and me in some shitpit with no witnesses. Do you really think they’d thank us for it?”

“And what about the people after us?” she asked. “It’s not like they’re going to get tired. They won’t stop until we’re both dead.”

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it,” Dean insisted. “This is our home. We first met in Newquay. It’s only right that we should have our wedding here with all our friends. In fact…” He took out his wine glass and poured himself some more. “I’m going to make a toast. To enjoying the day and the life that comes with it. With you.”

Liv smiled at her fiancé’s winning way with words. She refilled her glass and declared, “To enjoying the day.” They clinked their glasses and took a swig.

Suddenly, Liv felt the need to put her hare-brained scheme to the back of her mind.

“Do you think we’ll get the case sorted before the wedding?” she asked, half-joking, half-serious. “I really don’t want to be going over our wedding vows with some bent copper standing at the back.” Though for all we know, they could be sitting in the audience somewhere.

“We can make it a challenge,” Dean muttered, setting his drink down. “Though I’m not sure how the team would feel about us using the wedding to motivate them.”

They laughed together, and in that moment, all of their anxieties and fears faded away. It wasn’t even about bracing themselves for the future but mainly about focusing on the present. And in that moment, they had their friends, family, careers, and most importantly, each other…

…and Liv could only hope that would be enough.

18

Alex looked at the various shops within walking distance, trying to see if he could find one that was still open at this time.

Tara had been getting some interesting cravings. When he got back from the shops and offered to make dinner, she’d startled him by revealing she’d already had an entire fish pie. She’d justified it on the grounds that she was technically eating for two. It wasn’t just the volume of food, but the various combinations she’d been trying—the most recent being chocolate and cheese—that mystified him. And now, she had a craving for sausages, hence Alex needing to make a late-night outing to find them.

The only problem was that the supermarket was on the other side of the town, and Alex wasn’t prepared to go all the way out there in the middle of the night. He loved his girlfriend and would do a lot in the name of love, but this was really pushing it.

He looked over the list that she’d hastily put together for him… then he looked at the flimsy plastic bag he’d brought with him. There was no way he could get all of that back to the flat without the bag splitting.

More to the point, he was struggling to find a shop that was still open at all.

He was tempted to call it a night and head back home, to tell her that the shops were closed, but he did not want to face the disappointment he’d be met with.

He made his way down the street, hands shoved in pockets. He looked around at the people walking alongside him, most of them heading home for the evening, others hoping for a nice night out. All of them were in pairs or groups… except for one woman.

He couldn’t make out her features, as she was on the far end of the street. But he could see that she was looking quite rigid; a stiffness possessed her body even as she walked. She was moving forward, and with each step her boots clacked against the ground.

Alex kept walking and looking around, wondering where she could be going. There weren’t any bars or shops in the local area, and the nearest housing block was a good ten minutes away.

Alex continued down the road and checked his phone to see if there were any more requests from Tara.

He put it in his pocket and saw that the woman behind him was moving closer, looking straight ahead. More and more, she seemed to be picking up her pace.

And that’s when a disturbing revelation washed over him. The woman wasn’t heading for anything in particular nor a particular person.

She was coming for him.

In the fleeting moment that he glanced over his shoulder to look at her, he could make out her eyes staring directly at him. She was locked onto him like a heat-seeking missile.

He tried to pick up his pace, not wanting to look too conspicuous but feeling the need to put some distance between them. Maybe she would lose interest in him. Maybe he was mistaken… but he recognised the technique all too well. Many members of the Flock of Eden had partaken in the same trick. The goal wasn’t about capturing someone; it was about intimidation.

Suddenly, a black van came gliding up the road, surprising him with how stealthily it had appeared alongside him. The side door opened, and suddenly the woman behind him rushed forward and grabbed him by the waist. Before he even had time to defend himself, he was wrestled into the van where hands instantly set upon him in the darkness. He had no idea what was happening or who they were, but Alex could feel himself being pinned down.

The woman climbed over him, her eyes gleaming. “We’re going to have a lot of fun, you and I,” she declared. Alex felt something sharp smack him across the head, and he felt himself losing consciousness.

The last thing he saw was the van door slamming shut, and his world went black.

19

Liv went to see her sister early the next morning, figuring she might as well find respite before she settled in for her interrogation.

She knocked on the door and Mills arrived, clutching Ru, bouncing the little boy in her arms. “You’re getting a bit old for that,” Liv observed.

“I am not!” Ru whined, clinging onto his mother as though she were a lifeline.

“No, I meant your mother,” Liv remarked, stroking the boy’s hair. As much as she loved her sister and her little family, there was a part of her that felt a deep envy for the dynamic, and she wondered if the day would ever come when she and Dean would entertain the pitter-patter of little feet.

“Got to say, didn’t expect to see you around,” Mills commented before quickly changing tact. “Not that I’m complaining. It’s always a pleasure to see you. Come in, I’ll put the kettle on.”

She stepped aside, and Liv had to avoid tripping over all the toys lying around. Little Annie, who was coming up to ten months old, was trying to stand up against the playpen walls, falling on her backside every time and gurgling.

“Hello, sweetheart!” Olivia cooed, rushing over to the little girl and kissing her on the forehead. “You being good for Mummy?”

“She’s been lovely,” Mills noted, bringing in the coffee. “Though it would be nice if she’d let Mummy get a bit more sleep.” She reached forward and took a sip of the blackest coffee Liv had ever seen.

“Since when did you take your coffee black?” Liv asked.

“It’s the only energy boost I can afford, and even then, it’s in moderation,” Mills explained. “Worst thing about breastfeeding is wine is completely out of the question. So, how’s work going?”

“Well, I’ve still got a job—for now,” she responded. “Always a plus.” Let’s hope I can make it to the end of the day and it will still be there.

“Wedding will give you something to look forward to,” Mills said, looking down at Annie. “It’s a shame this one isn’t a few years older. She’d make a great flower girl.”

At the rate things are going, we may have to postpone the wedding, and she may be old enough yet. But she didn’t want to bring any of her pressures into her sister’s house. This was supposed to be a safe haven from all things stressful.

“We need to get Alex together,” Mills suggested. “Have a bit of a triple date. You, me, Alex, Dean, Max, and Tara. We haven’t done that for a while.”

“You put the idea to Alex?” Liv asked, knowing that all of their schedules were pretty hectic at the moment. “I’ve literally been too disorganised to put anything together.”

“I’ve tried getting hold of him, but with no luck,” Mills said. “He’s not picked up his phone all day. Must be busy with work. Wouldn’t be the first time.”

“You getting on well with Tara?” Liv asked, remembering how tense things had been on account of the young woman being a suspect in a murder investigation.

“She’s really nice. Though…” Mills paused, looking dubiously at Liv. “I’m conscious about what to say because I don’t want you to go into DI Austin mode.”

“Well, go on…” Liv prompted. “I promise to only scrutinise her a little bit.”

“Well, I saw her when I asked her and Alex to look after the boys while me and Max went out for a date night, and she seemed very… secretive, like she was trying to hide something.”

“I’m sure it can’t be that bad,” Liv suggested, though she was starting to become a little suspicious. “I tell you what. I’m going to have a word with her next time I see her, see if I can get to the bottom of it. But right now, I just want to enjoy the time I’ve got with my sister, my niece, and my nephew… but not my brother-in-law.”

“Liv!” Mills exclaimed, slapping her on the shoulder playfully.

“Come on, you know I love him, really, don’t you?” Liv noted, setting back onto the sofa with her coffee just as Ru started climbing onto her lap.

This actually feels like the dream.

20

Alex groaned a little. The first sensation that came to him was the smell of oil puncturing his nostrils.

There was a dim light at the end of a distant tunnel that was slowly growing closer and closer and closer… and then suddenly, it was upon him.

He tried to open his eyes, feeling an immense soreness in his left one. It must have been where he’d been struck in the head. So much for it being a dream.

He realised that rather than the warm and comfy bed he shared with Tara, he was waking up on something cold and hard.

His eyes opened fully, and Alex realised he was sitting in a narrow, windowless room that gave off claustrophobic vibes. The dark walls gave the impression of closing in on him. He was lying on a bunk, still wearing the clothes he’d worn last night. He saw a bathroom in the corner and moved to pull himself up…

…only to stop himself halfway.

Only it wasn’t him halting. There was a thick chain wrapped around a pipe next to him. A chain that circled around his wrists and held them together—and him in place.

Panic quickly rising, Alex pulled at the chain with all his might, but it failed to come loose. He gritted his teeth, prepared to pull the pipe out of the wall if he had to, but eventually, he had to concede defeat and collapse back onto the bunk.

He found himself having flashbacks to when he was in the Flock of Eden, when he was often locked in rooms like these as part of an endurance test to see how he could cope with being treated like an animal. Those deep-seated anxieties that he’d worked so hard to bury were coming to the surface again.

Suddenly, the door clanged open, and Alex braced himself, wishing he had a weapon to rely on. He waited to see who his captor was.

A woman in her forties stepped into the room, and Alex instantly recognised her from the previous night. “What the fuck is this? Get me out!”

“I’ve heard all about you, Alex,” she said, leaning forward. “Did you really take part in a doomsday cult?” She sniggered. “For what it’s worth, I know what it’s like to fall in with the wrong crowd. Put your faith in the wrong people.”

“Is this supposed to be your attempt at sympathising with me?” he asked incredulously.

“I’m just trying to make it clear to you that what is happening right now is nothing personal. Believe me, if it were up to me, we’d be keeping you out of this altogether. Unfortunately, we’ve had certain people conspiring against us, and I’m getting pretty desperate.” She sounded flat, and Alex wondered how many times she’d rehearsed the words in her head.

“So, what is this all about?” Alex asked. “Listen, I’ve got a partner with a kid on the way. Whatever this is, just let me go.”

This wasn’t the first time Alex had been in difficult situations, but the knowledge that he was about to be a father again and hoped to have a role in the upbringing this time gave him a new perspective, a new vulnerability. He had to make it through whatever this was for Tara and the baby, even if it meant surrendering his dignity. He hoped that the female captor would take pity on him and let him go.

But the smile that etched her face indicated she wasn’t in a pitying mood. “Pregnant, you say?” she asked. “Well, that’s going to make things a lot more interesting.” She took out her mobile phone and held it up.

“What the hell are you doing?” he demanded.

“Oh, haven’t you worked it out? This is a trap, and you’re the bait.”

“For who?”

“Your sister.”

Alex’s eyes widened at the reference to Liv.

“Now smile for the camera.”

21

“So, DI Austin, can you describe the events taking place on the 21st July 2025?”

Liv remembered Dean talking about the smarmy Anti-Corruption Officer, and she had wondered how her fiancé could be so irked by one man, but having him sitting opposite her justified Dean’s feelings. “I’m pretty sure DI Lawrence gave you a full account of what happened,” she answered evenly, trying to keep herself in check, very conscious of ‘doing a Nikki’.

“That well may be the case, but we want to hear your version,” the AC officer insisted, tapping his pen against the desk in a way that set her on edge.

So, she went over it again—how the house had blown up and Heaton had gone missing until he’d turned up days later with his throat slashed and all trails going cold.

“We are just trying to ascertain your interest in the case,” the AC officer started. “We’re just doing our jobs.”

“And with that sentence, I’ve got a good mind to shut down this interview altogether,” Liv said, unable to control herself. “I’ve given fifteen years of my life to the police service, two decades if you take the time in uniform. I’ve got my fair share of commendations, and I’ve stared death in the face a hundred times over. I’ve given more to this service than I’ve sometimes felt able to give, and I’ve got a nice collection of scars as a badge of honour. And how do you lot plan on thanking me? By dragging me before you all to tell you what you already know—that I had nothing to do with any of the corruption taking place in this sodding department. I’ve done a lot of things that people have called me out for, and if you’d bothered to read my file, you’d see it all in there. I know by the end of this, I’ll be expected to be grateful that I didn’t get charged with something I didn’t even do, so you lot can polygraph me if you want, but I’m not the bitch you’re after.”

She wondered if Nikki Harding had possessed her in that moment. She was certainly channelling the outspoken Detective Sergeant.

The AC officer looked completely bowled over by her words and was scrambling through his papers, trying to move the conversation along.

Liv’s union rep looked on, impressed with the display.

Once the adrenaline started to wear off, Liv hoped that she hadn’t shot herself in the foot and they didn’t charge her for being a loudmouth.

There was the faint buzz of her phone, and she took it out, seeing that she’d had several missed calls from Tara. The calls were now being replaced by a series of frantic texts, saying CALL ME.

“I’m sorry, I’ve got to take this,” she said, getting up from her seat and leaving the room. The AC officer made no attempt to stop her, clearly still recovering from the mental blowback he’d just received.

She figured it must be pretty desperate for Tara to be calling her so frequently. “I’m sorry, Tara, but this isn’t the best time—”

“Where’s Alex?” the woman’s shrill voice demanded.

“Isn’t he with you?” Liv asked, worried by the panic in her voice.

“He went out last night to get some food, and he didn’t come back,” she explained. “I’ve tried calling his number several times, but he won’t pick up!”

“I’m sure there’s a reasonable explanation,” Liv tried to assure her, “He wouldn’t just take off without saying where he was going.” But he has. Over twenty years ago. And through all the healing and reconciling, Liv couldn’t shake that niggle, however small, that history might be about to repeat itself.

Suddenly, Liv’s phone pinged, and she saw she’d been sent an image from an unknown number. She opened the attachment and almost dropped the phone in shock.

It was an image of Alex sitting on a bed, looking worn down but otherwise unharmed. He was chained to the bunk, and he was looking stricken.

Underneath the picture was a message, GET IN TOUCH OR YOU LOSE YOUR BROTHER ALL OVER AGAIN.

“Tara?” Liv said shakily. “I’ve got to call you back.” She hung up and dialled the new number, then held the phone to her ear.

22

“DI Austin,” a female voice purred from the other end of the phone. “A pleasure to make your acquaintance. Your reputation certainly proceeds you.”

“Who the fuck is this?” she hissed into the phone.

“Please,” the voice replied, enjoying the power dynamic. “You’re a detective. Do you really think I’m going to do your job for you?”

“Where the hell is my brother?” she whispered, conscious of anyone else hearing her. How the fuck did these people always manage to get her number?

“Is this how policing normally goes for you?” the woman asked sarcastically. “You ask people a question and they just tell you what you want to know?”

“What have you done to him?” she demanded, trying to keep a cool head for Alex’s sake. She knew that the only reason Alex was in danger was because of her.

“Now you’re asking the right questions,” the voice explained. “And in any case, it’s not your brother I’m interested in, DI Austin. It’s you.”

“So, what do you want?”

“Now you’re asking the right questions. I want you to come to me. And not just you. DI Lawrence, who I’ll be calling separately. I’m sure he’ll be happy to see me again. Be nice to have a reunion.”

Wait, Dean knows who this bitch is?

“What happens if Dean and I come to you?” Liv asked, not wanting to get into the details but seeing if she could negotiate her way out of it.

“That would be telling,” the voice explained. “But I expect you both at Newquay Harbour within the next hour. Otherwise, I’m going to start taking pieces off your brother and sending them to all of your family. You have a chance to save your brother and make sure that his kid doesn’t grow up without a father. And I’m not talking about the strapping bastard born from the predatory teacher. I’m talking about the one he’s got on the way.”

“What?” Liv asked, falling against the wall in shock, the words bouncing off her skull.

“Oh, didn’t you know?” the woman asked in mock innocence, using the revelation to twist the knife even further. “His partner is pregnant with a little one. Whether it’s a boy or a girl, I couldn’t say.”

Liv gulped heavily, feeling the world shift underneath her. “You’re lying.”

“No, it’s true, I can assure you. I’ve been having a look at their movements for some time, going into appointments at the hospital to check on the baby. All I needed to do was ask the right questions, which frankly, you need to start doing. Like, what happens if you don’t make your way down here?” When Liv didn’t answer, she spoke up. “I’ll tell you what. I’m not going to stop at him. I’m going to work my way through every member of your family—dear old Mum and Dad, your sister… or maybe your nephew or that darling little niece. Do you think she’ll be old enough to understand real pain?”

Liv almost crushed the phone in her hand at the reference to the children. “If you try anything with those kids—”

“Well, you and Dean need to give me an incentive not to go after them. And you and Dean can save all of them by coming to the harbour within the hour.” She paused. “It’s actually quite ironic. You got into this business because you wanted to find your brother. Now you’re getting out of it because of him. Everything comes full circle. Now remember: one hour. And if I see anyone that isn’t you or Dean, then your brother is dead, and what I did to Neil Heaton is going to look tame compared to what I’ve got lined up for your brother.”

The phone went dead, and Liv was left standing there with an impossible choice. She could try to raise the alarm and get a team together, but she couldn’t risk losing Alex. Elliot had warned her something like this would happen, but she’d hoped it wouldn’t come to pass.

After a few minutes, the phone rang again. This time, it was Dean. She suspected he’d received the same sales pitch. On the verge of resigning herself to what was going to happen, she answered the phone. “Dean?”

“I know who this woman is, and to be honest, I didn’t think I’d ever hear from her again.”

23

“Her name’s Melissa Baldwin,” he explained. “She was my partner when I first joined Newquay. I didn’t realise that she was among Heaton’s cabal of corrupt coppers.”

The two had met in the station’s car park to exchange notes over their common blackmailer. “She was part of a drug-smuggling operation that used unwilling people as drug mules. She got twelve years in prison. I honestly thought that’d be it.”

“That’s the thing about criminals,” Liv remarked, thinking back on all of the cases she’d taken on and all the killers she’d put away. “When somebody ruins your life, that person becomes laser focused.” She could now imagine countless inmates lying awake at night with nothing to entertain themselves but the thought of killing her. “She said that she killed Heaton.”

“That doesn’t surprise me,” Dean noted grimly. “Bent copper in prison, that’d be a few people’s idea of hell. I’m really sorry that your brother got mixed up in all this, especially because I’m the one she’s pissed off with.” He paused, trying to think of a way through the situation. “Listen, what if I just go alone? There’s no reason for us both to suffer.”

“As noble as that sounds, I would never want you to go near that woman without me covering you,” Liv insisted, feeling a certain finality creeping in. “We stick together no matter what.”

Dean’s breath caught in his throat. “Do you think there’s any way through this? I saw what she did to Heaton. I can only imagine what she has planned for us.”

“We have to get through this,” Liv exclaimed. “I know people like her, and I’m not naive enough to think she’s going to let Alex go even if we hand ourselves over to her. Chances are, he’s seen her face. She can’t afford to let him go.”

“So, what can we do?” Dean asked. “We’ve got no way of letting the team know.”

“There is actually one thing,” Liv suggested, digging into her pocket and taking out the two trackers that Clara had given her. “If we go AWOL, then hopefully Clara will sound the alarm and get somebody to come out and find us… that is, assuming we’re still alive.”

“Trust me, I was the one who got Melissa sent down,” he explained. “She’s not going to get this over with quickly. She’s going to want to drag it out.”

“Is that supposed to reassure me?” she asked, trying for humour to cover the quaking in her throat.

“If it gives us a chance to get out alive, then we’ve got to take it,” Dean insisted.

Dean and Liv sighed collectively. They wondered if perhaps they should be more concerned, given that both were possibly facing the end of their lives, but they’d been down this road so many times before, it was nothing new.

“There is one thing I think we should do,” Dean suggested with gravitas. “I think we should contact our families. I really want to believe that we’ll get through this and that we’ll have our whole life ahead of us… but I want to make sure that our families know we love them. I definitely don’t want the potential last words to my mum to be ‘try to find an alternative to bingo night.’”

Liv sniggered at this, needing a good laugh before she steeled herself for what was to come.

She took out her phone and walked down the corridor. Mills’ phone was on voicemail, no doubt busy doing something with the kids. “Hi, Mills, it’s Liv. Listen, I just want you to know…” There were a thousand things she wanted to say to her sister, and right now, she couldn’t think of a single one. “Just wanted to say that I love you, and you’ve always been my anchor going through life. Honestly, I don’t think I would have lasted this long without you giving me a shoulder to cry on. And you’ve got two really lovely kids… I hope whatever they do in life… you steer them clear of all the shit that we went through. That’s all.”

She hung up the phone, her breathing ragged, realising that the next few hours could be a series of lasts—the last time she walked through the station, the last time she spoke to her friends… and possibly the last few hours of her life.

She walked through the doors, shoulders sagging like a woman on her way to her own execution. Which technically, she was.

24

Liv and Dean made their way to Newquay Harbour. They’d often come to the location for its stress-free vibes and its picturesque setting. They’d had no idea that it could possibly be the location where they’d meet their end.

It had been hard for them to slip out of the station without anyone noticing, but they’d managed it, resisting the urge to say a few last-minute goodbyes. Everyone in her team would have immediately cottoned on that something was wrong. No, it was best to keep them out of it. Liv did hold onto the faint hope that someone would walk through the harbour, spot the scene about to take place, and call the authorities. Then again, Alex’s abductor would not have chosen this location if she thought there would be any disturbances. Liv scanned the area, trying to see something out of the ordinary, maybe a boat the woman could be hiding on, but she probably wouldn’t risk drawing any unwanted attention.

“So… she's not a current member of the police service?” Liv asked, pacing up and down anxiously, just wanting it done with, the anticipation killing her.

“No. But for her to get this far, she can’t have done it all on her own. She would have to have had inside help. That’s the only way she would have gotten close enough to Heaton to kill him. I’m actually surprised they didn’t make any other demands.”

“Well, in this case, she’s not interested in money or information,” Liv said, sounding haunted. “She’s got what she wants… us.”

“Liv,” Dean remarked, tapping her on the shoulder, prompting her to whip around.

They saw two men in balaclavas come up to them from the edge of the pier. They both tensed up, wondering if they should try fighting them off. Before they could even think, the men were upon them.

“Remember,” one of them growled to Liv. “You try any funny business, your brother dies.” He pulled out a syringe. “You’re wanted on the boat.”

She knew they could have tried fighting the two masked men. They showed an equal chance. But all thoughts of resistance melted away at the thought of harm coming to Alex.

Even though it pained Liv, and she could feel a primal fear starting to grip her, she stood to attention and allowed the men to get into her personal space. She winced as the syringe was placed in her neck.

Immediately, her legs gave way underneath her, and she fell to the ground hard.

She looked to her side as Dean was given the same treatment and left to fall onto the pier alongside her. She twisted her head towards him, trying to see if he was conscious, as the men prepared them both for transportation.

Liv had so many things she wanted to say to Dean. Now, she didn’t know if she was going to get the chance. She opened her mouth, having in the back of her mind words that she wanted to share with him, but they just wouldn’t come out. They were lodged inside her. Dean was equally paralysed.

She mouthed the words, ‘I love you’ before all was lost to her world.

Because she knew when they woke up, they’d be in hell.

They both came to at about the same time. It was hard to tell how much time had passed since they’d been drugged.

As soon as their eyes opened, the first thing they tried to do was reach out to each other for comfort, but they were held back by chains wrapped around their wrists, bolting them to the walls.

Liv forewent asking if Dean was okay and instead tried to learn more about where they were being kept. She could see that that it was some kind of storage centre where small crates were piled up. It was surprisingly more cramped than she’d expected, and there was something else about the place. There was a…

Suddenly, the door clanged open, and a woman entered the room. Liv tensed herself for a confrontation despite being restrained, while Dean was confronted with a face he hadn’t seen for fifteen years and thought he’d never have to again.

“So good of you both to join me,” Melissa Baldwin purred.

25

Clara knew something was wrong.

Olivia had clearly been struggling more and more. It was evident that the case and the long hours the inspector was working affected her as they inched dangerously close to the wedding date. And knowing that Anti-Corruption was interviewing her made things even worse.

On her way back from lunch with Diana, she’d seen Liv walking by, almost in a daze. She tried to call out to her, but she was clearly lost in her own world. Not wanting to draw too much attention to herself, she retreated to her workstation and busied herself with going through software updates, trying not to think about the inspector’s haunted expression. Maybe she’d ask her about it later.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, and Clara almost bolted out of her seat. She hoped to greet Olivia… only to find it was Nikki Harding instead.

“I know I should be used to the reception I get around here,” Nikki observed, “but do you think you could rein in the ‘face like a smacked arse’ expression?”

“Sorry. I just thought you were Liv,” the technician observed, embarrassed.

“And there is another blow to my wounded ego,” Nikki stated with dramatic sarcasm before changing her tone. “I thought she had her interview today. I advised her not to let the bastards grind her down, but I don’t know how much she was listening to me there.”

“Weird,” Clara muttered. “Last I saw her, she was walking through the station. She looked like she had been drugged.”

The door opened suddenly, causing the two women to whip around. DCI Steph Brown stepped into the room. “I don’t suppose DI Austin is in here?” she demanded.

“Would you like me to check under the desk?” Nikki asked, still feeling a little embittered by the Detective Chief Inspector’s dismissal of her.

“This is serious, DS Harding,” she noted. “She walked out.”

“What do you mean, ‘walked out?’” Nikki asked, knowing that Liv was used to being the master of efficiency.

“According to the guy they’ve got in from Anti-Corruption, DI Austin got in his face about her being innocent and then stormed out of the room. No one has seen her since.”

Nikki and Clara exchanged glances, trying to work out if they’d heard the same thing. “Are you sure we’re talking about the same DI Austin?” Clara asked.

“Have you tried the good old ‘called her mobile?’” Nikki asked.

“Yes, I have, and I don’t think you really appreciate the seriousness of this, DS Harding,” Steph spat out. “The whole point of this meeting was to assess her handling of the Heaton case, and indeed, the entire corruption scandal.”

“Well, it can’t have been easy for her with someone from the sidelines always changing the rules of the game,” Nikki said, squaring up to the DCI.

“Perhaps not, but this was her chance to get her point across. Walking out in the middle of an interview is not a good look for any officer, innocent or—”

“I really think you should stop right there,” Nikki interrupted, and Clara wondered if somebody was going to get punched and whether she should duck for cover.

“I know it’s easy for you to think the best of DI Austin…” Steph began.

“Actually, no,” Nikki said to Steph’s surprise. “I find it very easy to get irked off with DI Austin. She’s got a huge stick up her arse, gets weighed down by procedure, and has a ‘her way is the best way’ headspace. But despite all that, I can safely say that I’ve learned more from her than anyone I’ve ever learned from in my whole life. She’s a great copper and a decent woman. I know that you’ve ran into your fair share of shitheads in this career, but DI Austin...” She paused, waiting to see if her words had any effect. Clara looked like she wanted to burst into applause. Any negative thoughts about DS Harding were banished forever.

“I admire your loyalty to your colleague,” Steph said bluntly, as if the words had had no effect on her whatsoever. “But walking out of a mandatory meeting is not a good look for anyone. And when DI Austin returns, if she returns, she is going to have some explaining to do. In fact, I’m going to need to call a meeting over this, and I would like you two to be with me. I need to know where everybody stands on this.”

26

“Good to see you again, Dean,” Melissa continued, as though it were a casual chat-up and she didn’t have two people chained together. “The years have definitely been kind to you.” She looked to Liv. “I can see why you’re going out with him. He’s quite a catch.”

“What rock did you crawl out from under?” Dean spat out, leaving Liv worried about him infuriating the woman and bringing no end of hurt Alex's way… who, conspicuously, was nowhere to be seen. Please God, don't let anything happen to my brother.

“The one you put me under,” Melissa responded. “Well, the one you and Heaton did, anyway. I lost everything that day because of you—my career, my freedom… everything.”

“Am I supposed to feel sorry for you?” he asked sardonically.

“Where's my brother?” Liv demanded, pulling on her chained hands. “What have you done with him?” She glanced around the storage space to see if it looked anything like the room she'd glimpsed in the picture.

“He’s somewhere safe and secure,” Melissa said. “No need to worry about him. I’d be more worried about yourselves. The good news is that you’re not dead yet. That’s a relief, right? And try not to read too much into the word ‘yet’ there. It’ll drive you crazy.”

“So, how did they get you back in Newquay?” Dean asked. “Money?”

“The chance to settle an old grudge,” she stated bluntly. “I almost didn’t come back here. Too many memories and all that. But as soon as I heard that you were the job, I knew I couldn’t pass it up. Heaton was just a delightful bonus.”

“And what about me?” Olivia demanded.

“You even need to ask? You’re a special case. ‘Loose cannon’, I believe was the term used in the memo. You see a bent copper, you’ll go after them regardless of rank or blowback on yourself. Somebody high up wants you dead, and they’re willing to pay a lot of money to see it done.”

“So why haven’t you just killed me?” Liv asked, hating the mind games. “You’ve got me, it’s obvious I’ve not got an escape plan.” She already knew there was no point in begging for her life, and Melissa was far too fixated on Dean to even consider letting him go. But maybe she could still make a case for Alex.

“It would be far too simple to just kill you both,” she explained. “I was given carte blanche to do whatever I wanted with you.”

She took a step back and looked Liv and Dean over. “You guys have made a nice little life for yourselves, and I'm sure you have had a lot of people try to take a sledgehammer to it. Clearly, none of them made it. Not even Heaton. And he had as good a chance as anybody. So, I will happily take up the position.”

“And my brother?” Liv demanded, almost wishing she could take off the chains and throttle the woman into complacency.

“Fair enough,” Melissa finally acquiesced, taking out her mobile phone. A photo showed Alex in the same position he'd been in in the earlier picture, looking worn down. Liv was trying to imagine how he must be feeling at being treated like an animal.

“What are you going to do with him?” she asked, trying to keep the heartbreak out of her voice. She forced herself to look at the sadistic woman, who was relishing the distress.

“Well, that comes down to you,” she noted with glee, and it was clear that she’d been looking forward to this particular exchange for a long time. “My instructions are to get you both out of the picture. How I do it is up to me. And depending on how you act, Alex might make it out of here alive.”

“What do we have to do?” Dean asked, deciding to play along and remembering that they had the trackers. He hoped that all they needed to do was stall for time until somebody noticed they were gone and came for them.

“Well, I want to see at least one death,” Melissa said, sitting on one of the crates and crossing her legs. “So, I think you should both choose who gets to die.”

“You think we’re just going to choose which one of us you kill?” Liv asked, horrified by what she was hearing, thinking it couldn’t get any worse.

“Me?” Melissa asked with a scoff. “I don’t plan on doing jack shit.”

27

“DI Austin has walked out of her meeting with Anti-Corruption and, to the best of my knowledge, has left the building.” DCI Brown addressed the entire team, who were all standing around the room with various levels of shock on their faces. Of all the reasons for the impromptu meeting, this wasn’t what anyone was expecting.

“That doesn’t sound like something Liv would do,” Tim Harris noted.

“I’m sure none of you want to believe it,” Steph continued gravely, “but I’ve tried contacting her with no luck, which makes me wonder what she’s thinking.” She looked out across the room. “I trust she hasn’t spoken to any of you.”

All of the team shifted uncomfortably in their seats. “Look, I know that all of you possess a strong sense of loyalty to DI Austin, and normally, I would admire that. But it’s a serious breach of protocol for her to just walk out of an interview like that. She has put herself and this department in a precarious position, especially with the accusations of corruption flying around. Anyone could get the wrong idea and then—”

“I’m going to stop you right there,” Nikki Harding barked. “I think we can all agree that ‘Olivia’ and ‘bent’ don’t belong in the same sentence, right?” She turned to look at all her colleagues, and it appeared they’d all undergone a confidence boost because they nodded their heads emphatically, unwilling to think the worst of their colleague and friend.

Steph squared up to Nikki, clearly seeing her as an equal challenger. “So where is she?” the DCI demanded, folding her arms, not willing to back down from a fight.

“Do I look like a fucking psychic to you?” Nikki demanded, returning fire. “I don’t get why she walked out, but I’m sure there’ll be a perfectly logical explanation for it when she turns up. And it won’t involve her being bent, so get that out of your head right now.”

The team rolled their eyes at Nikki’s outspoken style of speaking yet again.

“DS Harding,” Steph said slowly. “I’ve treated you more than fairly since my appointment. I’ve tolerated the abuse that you’ve thrown in my direction and the borderline insubordination that both Superintendent Collins and DI Austin clearly allowed to let slide. But neither of them is here to protect you, and I will not tolerate it any further. Now, if you have any information regarding the whereabouts of DI Austin, I would suggest that you share them with me. Once we know the truth, we’ll decide where to go from there.”

“I don’t,” Nikki retorted, fighting off the urge to add that even if she did, she wouldn’t tell Steph. “But I’m not going to shit on her reputation. I know Liv well enough to know that she’s not guilty of anything, and I would much rather focus my efforts on the real criminals.”

Steph nodded at this. “Okay, fair enough.” She turned to address the rest of the group. “I’m guessing nobody else knows where she’s disappeared to?”

The group shook their heads, just as perplexed, but panic was setting in for some.

“Then I’m going to suggest that we try finding her, and maybe she’ll have an explanation,” Steph instructed. “I’m going to send a squad car around to her house to—”

“You’re not seriously going to arrest her, are you?” Nikki asked incredulously. “For skipping on a meeting? Hell, I’d be avoiding those bastards like the plague if I could.”

“Firstly, I’m not going to arrest anyone,” Steph said in a warning tone that indicated she wasn’t used to being challenged. “Secondly, this isn’t just any meeting. This is a meeting to determine her handing of this case over the past eight months.”

“And if she’s not at home?” Nikki asked, continuing to probe.

“Then we will widen the search,” the DCI stated. “This is not a criminal matter… yet. But I’m going to warn everyone here, if any of you have had contact with DI Austin and knowingly withhold that information, then that becomes a different matter.”

She strode out of the room and left everyone standing in shock at what had just transpired. Finally, Nikki spoke up. “Well, now that Rent-A-Bitch has left the building, maybe we could start trying to work out what’s happened to Olivia. She wouldn’t just take off for no reason.” The sergeant stood up, instantly assuming command. “Diana, find out who she’s sending to the house. I don’t want anyone rooting through shit without one of our guys being there. And be careful who you speak to. There’s something going on here, and the guv’s right about one thing. We need to find Liv.”

28

“What?” Liv had come across some of the worst criminals ever, people that unnerved her, but few outright scared her as much as Melissa Baldwin.

“I want both of you to decide which one is going to kill the other.” she stated plainly, as though she were setting them a simple task to do.

“Never happening!” Dean growled, lunging at her, but the chains held him back, prompting a chuckle from Melissa.

“Still got that fight in you, haven’t you, Dean?” she noted. “I remember that girl you threw your luck in for, Hayley, wasn’t it?” Dean bristled at the mention of her name, prompting Melissa to look in Liv’s direction. “You know, he’s always had a thing for women in trouble. I think he likes to swoop in and play the hero.” She turned her attention back to Dean. “It’s like an addiction for you. Well, here’s me giving you a chance to break that addictive streak. I want you to decide who is going to kill who. One of you has to die. That’s just the way it has to be. Who bites the bullet… well, that will make for a fun little social experiment.”

“And what happens if we decide not to play your sick little game?” Liv demanded, pretty sure the alternative would be sickening but feeling like she needed to know all the cards on the table. Maybe I can turn the odds in my favour.

“Oh, I thought that’d be obvious,” she said bluntly. “You guys don’t kill each other, Alex dies. And you guys get to live with the knowledge that your love for each other ended up costing her brother his life. Oh, the irony, when that love turns to resentment and hate. And then you end up killing each other anyway.”

Liv felt the world around her spinning, like she was going to pass out.

“So, you have an hour, maybe two, depending on how much drama I can milk from the whole situation,” she declared, throwing down a knife with a jagged end, clearly the same knife used to kill Neil Heaton. Liv grimaced at the idea of it slicing against her throat.

“You do know that people are going to realise that we’re missing,” she insisted, trying to show resilience. “We’ve been gone for what, a few hours? Someone is going to pick up on that sooner or later.”

“Oh, I don’t doubt they’ll notice,” Melissa exclaimed. “But don’t expect the calvary to come running over the hill. Nobody else is going to know that you were ever here.”

Liv fought the urge to feel for the trackers tucked away in her coat pocket, praying that Clara could get a range. But she had to put on a show, if only for Melissa’s amusement. The woman seemed to like playing with her food.

“And what is the story going to be?” Dean asked, trying not to think about the possibility of Melissa succeeding in her plan.

“My partner in crime is already working on the cover story as we speak,” she stated, pointing at Liv. “It will later be found out that you walked out of that meeting because you didn’t want people to know you were a bent bitch. You tried to make a run for it. And you either you ended up disappearing altogether or you fell in with the wrong crowd, just like Heaton did. I haven’t really made my mind up on that one, to be honest. Depends on the outcome of the game. But we’ve planned for every eventuality.”

“So basically, we die and the real crooked coppers go on with no one the wiser,” Dean suggested bitterly, outraged at the injustice.

“Precisely,” Melissa replied. “If anything, you should give yourself a pat on the back for getting yourselves this far. But surely you knew that your luck was going to run out sooner or later. It’s not that you two were invincible; it’s just you hadn’t come up against the one that bested you.” She pointed up to the ceiling where a small camera had been wired in. “I’ll be watching the show. My little bit of entertainment. So, try to make it amusing. It’ll probably be the last thing you do. Otherwise, your brother is going to end up as my new toy. There should be enough space between you to reach each other for the death blow. And just remember, you try anything, that’ll be nothing compared to what I’ve got lined up for Alex. And personally, there’s a part of me that wants you to fail… just so I have a reason to go to town on him.” And with that, she left the room, slamming the door behind her and leaving Liv and Dean with their terrible decision.

29

All of the team were trying to work as fast as they could to find Liv, with Nikki trying to press home that they reported to her and not DCI Brown. Clara approached her in the office and asked, “Why don’t you want the guv knowing about this?”

“Do you not think it’s surprising with how easily she’s buying into the bullshit idea that Liv is bent?” Nikki asked. “I know Liv, and this other woman has got an agenda. I don’t know what, but I want to find out. Even if it means going over her head.”

Clara looked over to see if anyone else was listening in and whispered, “What if I told you there was a way I could find Liv?”

“I would probably spend the rest of my life kissing your arse, Clara Fitzroy,” Nikki responded, prompting Clara to roll her eyes.

“Come with me,” Clara insisted, deciding to take charge of the situation.

Just before they left the office, Archie Elmhurst came up to them. “Probably not the best time to mention it, but I’m not having any luck getting hold of Dean either.”

“What?” Nikki asked, pausing where she stood. “Nothing at all?”

“No, he’s not answering his mobile. I’ve had eight missed calls so far.”

Nikki and Clara exchanged a glance. Liv doing a disappearing act was one thing, but Dean as well? Nikki felt the pressure ramping up.

“Keep trying him, and try not to let anyone else know, okay?” she instructed before following Clara out of the room to her workstation.

“So, what have you got for me, Clara?” she said, all serious now.

“Before Liv went missing, she asked me to put together some trackers for her,” Clara responded. “Something small and portable that would give off a small signal.”

“Why did she ask that?” the sergeant queried. “Did she plan on disappearing?”

“She was worried about her family, afraid that someone might try using her family to get to her,” the technician explained. “I was able to make two with a few more to follow.”

“Do you know if she still had them on when she went into the meeting?”

“For everyone’s sake, let’s hope so,” Clara said as she booted up her computer. “I should be able to find the signal for the two trackers if I just…”

She brought up a map of the Newquay area, expanding it out. They focused in on two dots at the far end of the map. “There!” Clara shouted triumphantly, pointing at the little blinking mark. “That’s where she is. Assuming she has both trackers.”

Nikki leaned in close to the computer for a look. “Wait a minute… that’s a short distance out to sea. What the hell would she be doing out there?” She paused and looked down at Clara. “Are you sure these things are accurate?”

“Of course they are,” the technician responded indignantly. “I’ve been doing this job for some time, you know. I’m telling you, that’s where the signal is coming from.”

Nikki nodded, and a terrible thought occurred to her—the possibility that the trackers might be at the bottom of the sea. “Okay, we need to look at getting out there,” she decided. “How many people do you think we can spare?”

“You mean how many without DCI Brown noticing?” Clara asked with a raised eyebrow. “Shouldn’t this be the kind of information we’d be sharing with her?”

“Clara, she seems willing to paint Liv as some late-blooming crook,” Nikki insisted.

“Are you sure that this isn’t personal?” Clara asked. “I know the two of you have been going head to head with each other. This isn’t you trying to get one over?”

“This isn’t about me and my big mouth,” Nikki stated earnestly. “She swoops in, takes charge of the unit, and Liv does a disappearing act—which while perplexing could mean anything—and her first instinct is to treat it like a manhunt? And to force us into complying?”

Clara couldn’t disagree with that logic.

“So, I’m going to round up a few people, see if we can commandeer a boat to get out there, and maybe see if we can get some ammo too.”

She got up from her seat and walked out of the workstation… only to bump straight into DCI Brown. Nikki froze, having nothing to say for the first time.

“DS Harding, I’d advise you to make your explanation outstanding.”

30

Liv and Dean sat in silence, unable to think of what to say and knowing that Melissa was watching from her camera. “She’s going to enjoy dragging this out, knowing her,” Dean stated with disgust. “She’s a sadist at heart.”

“You know, if you play with your food, normally you give it the chance to fight back,” Liv said, trying to maintain a lightness even in the face of finality. “We can’t let anything happen to Alex. His girlfriend’s going to have a baby.” Liv squeezed her eyes shut. Of all the ways she could have found out she was about to become an aunt again, that hadn’t been the way she wanted it to go. She thought about Tara at home, wondering what had happened to her partner, terrified out of her mind. The ripple effect of trauma was happening all over again, and Liv found herself feeling a burning hatred for Melissa Baldwin. She hadn’t just reopened old wounds; she had dug into the skin and caused a new kind of pain. She thought about their parents, who were hopefully currently oblivious to the whole thing, wondering how they would feel about the possibility of losing not one, but two children.

She’d always imagined the risk of dying in the line of duty. Every single incident, every single heartbreak had prepared her for the eventuality. But the idea of it being at the hands of the man she loved… She felt herself trembling.

“You know I will not hurt you,” Dean insisted, praying that the words got through to her. “If need be, I’ll kill myself. I’m the one who started this grudge match with Melissa. There’s no reason why you and Alex should have to pay for my mistake.”

“No!” Liv pleaded, reaching out with her chained hands and holding them over his own. “I can’t afford to lose you, Dean.” She didn’t care if Melissa was watching. She was probably enjoying the trauma she was stirring up.

“Listen, Liv,” Dean said, his voice turned to gravel. “I really want to believe that people are going to come looking for us, that we’re going to be found in time, but if this is going to be the end…” Dean reached into his breast pocket. “I wrote these.” He pulled out a folded-up piece of paper. “My wedding vows.”

“How long have you had them for?” Liv asked, astonished.

“A while now,” he responded. “I keep them with me at all times so that whenever I am in a difficult situation or if I’m not sure I’m going to make it, I think of the words I want to say to you, and only you, and that gives me the push to keep going.”

Liv was touched by the heartfelt gesture, but the idea of seeing them there before her… It scared her, truly hammering home their predicament.

He unfolded the paper and cleared his throat. “My darling Olivia—”

“No,” she snapped, unwilling to hear any more. “Listen to me, Dean. I’ve waited my entire life to hear my partner for life say those things to me, to hear the depth of your feelings. But those were written for a beautiful day, a day where we were supposed to start the…” she caught herself in the middle of referring to their future in past tense. Am I really giving up that easily? “I don’t those words and the memory I’ll have of those words to be squandered.” There was another reason she was reluctant to hear the words. Because the part of her that hoped they’d pull through, the part that had faith in Clara and Nikki and everyone else back at CID—if they got through this and actually got to walk down the aisle together—knew that she would have the memory of their captivity ringing in her ears all throughout. She wasn’t going to let anyone taint the memory of her special day. Certainly not this bitch. “Either I hear those words on our wedding day… or I don’t hear them at all.”

Dean gulped heavily, wanting to be able to say so much to the woman he loved, if only because he didn’t know if he’d ever get the chance again. But he could see in her eyes that to give into those desires was to admit defeat, to accept that this was the end for them both. And if Liv was willing to keep on fighting, then so was he. He took her hands and kissed them, trying to keep his eyes off the knife on the ground, its blade still stained with dried blood. A sound could be heard over speakers in the room. “Tick tock, people. Better make a decision soon, or Alex is going to be sent back to his parents in several boxes.”

Liv gritted her teeth, vowing that she would kill that woman if she ever got out of this. Melissa Baldwin has made a big mistake in crossing me.

31

“Idon’t know what you’re talking about,” Nikki fired back to DCI Brown, realising that her blunt and honest streak had made it nigh impossible for her to lie.

“You and Clara are both planning something,” she insisted. “I was born at night, but it wasn’t last night.” She ended up pushing her way past Nikki and into the workstation, where Clara spun around in her chair, taking down the screen just before Steph could see the location pinpointing Olivia’s location. “Would someone explain to me what is going on?”

“We’re just trying to find Liv,” Clara answered, hoping that’d be enough.

“So why all the need for secrecy?” Steph asked. “What is so important that you have to hide it from me?” When the two women didn’t respond, Steph’s face twisted. “Ms Fitzroy, may I remind you that you are technically a civilian worker. You’ve been given access to sensitive material and had a lot of trust placed in you. Now, I’m going to suggest you return that trust. You clearly know something about DI Austin’s whereabouts. You can tell me right now or you can do so under caution.”

“Hey, you leave her alone!” Nikki snapped, but Steph held up a finger to silence her.

“I’m giving you an option I wouldn’t give many, Ms Fitzroy. Don’t waste it.”

“It’s okay, Nikki,” Clara said calmly, rising from her seat. “I can fight my own battles. We’re trying to track Olivia’s last movements. I placed a tracker on her before she went in for her interview.” She gave a sideways look to Nikki as if to say, ‘trust me’.

“A tracker?” Steph asked, trying to take this in. “But why would you do that?”

“Just a precautionary measure,” Clara said with a shrug and a confidence that impressed Nikki. “She seemed to be a bit panicky, so thought it’d be best to keep an eye on her. So, we should be able to find her no problem.”

She watched the woman patiently, trying to see how she responded.

“Well, that’s reassuring,” Steph said, stepping back. “Then we’d better look at getting a team together, going down to the harbour, and recovering Liv from there. Maybe she can give us some answers for her disappearing act.” She made her way to the door, only for Nikki to stand in her way. “You want to let me through, DS Harding.”

“Clara didn’t actually mention anything about a harbour, DCI Brown,” Nikki said slowly, the pieces finally coming together. “So how would you know that?”

Steph stepped back, realising she’d been caught in a lie, and tried to think of a way out of it. When words failed her, she tried to make a dash for the door, only for Nikki to grab her and smash her against the wall.

“You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting to do that,” Nikki hissed into Steph’s ear, taking out a pair of cuffs and fastening them around the DCI’s waist. “Steph Brown, I’m arresting you on suspicion police corruption and abduction. You do not have to say anything, however, it may harm your defense if you fail to mention something under questioning something you later rely on in court.”

“You’re making a big mistake,” the guv insisted as Nikki hauled her away from the wall and out down the corridor. “I’m one of you.”

“Like hell you are,” Nikki snapped, marching her along with Clara close behind. “And the only mistake I made was not putting you under my boot when you walked into CID.”

Archie and Andrew rushed up to the scene taking place. “What in God’s name are you doing, woman?” Archie exclaimed, wondering if Nikki had finally lost the plot.

“She had something to do with Olivia going missing,” Nikki explained. “Whether she’s at the top of the food chain or just a common bitch, she’s as bent as they come.”

“What have you done with her?” Andrew demanded, getting up in Steph’s face.

“You won’t do anything to me,” Steph hissed, still believing that she had control.

“Like hell I won’t,” the DC said, preparing to pull back his fist.

“Andrew, don’t!” Nikki shouted, not wanting to see one of her closest friends compromise his integrity. “Let’s focus on finding Liv for now.”

“It’s too late, you know,” Steph muttered, smiling triumphantly. “They’re probably already dead.”

“They?” Clara repeated with dawning horror. “Oh, my God. They’ve got Dean too.”

32

It turned out that they didn’t need Steph to talk at all. All they had to do was look at the tracker that Clara had placed and follow the coordinates. Nikki had assembled a team consisting of herself, Archie, and Andrew, leaving Tim, Clara, and Diana behind to update them on any information they could uncover. The latter three weren’t too pleased at sharing the same building as the disgraced DCI, but Nikki reasoned that they were the most experienced in the field, and they’d probably need that experience in case things got ugly. After throwing Steph in a cell, they set out to recover Liv.

It hadn’t taken them long to get to Newquay Harbour, but neither Liv nor Dean was anywhere to be found. Nikki called Clara on her phone. “Clara, we’re at the harbour. Please tell me they’re still active.” She was terrified that the trackers might still be working but that Liv and Dean might have already been killed.

“You’ve got to go a good few miles out to sea,” Clara instructed over the phone.

Nikki looked around the area to see if they could commandeer a boat. They saw a gentleman about to move a speedboat out of the harbour. “Okay, everyone with me!” Nikki commanded. The boat owner was taken aback by the sight of three people wearing stab vests and holding handguns. “Sir, we need your boat,” Nikki said, marching aboard the boat without even waiting for a response, but the man did not protest. They all piled onto the boat and set out in the direction provided by Clara, Nikki preparing her gun.

“Have you actually thought about how we’re going to do this?” Archie asked hesitantly. “I mean, surely going in guns blazing is not the best way forward.”

“He’s right,” Andrew concurred. “If they’ve got Dean and Liv out there, then whoever is on that boat could end up using them as leverage.”

Nikki knew they both had a point, but she was focused on getting to the boat and getting Liv and Dean out of there. It wasn’t like they had the element of surprise on their side with nothing but water surrounding them.

“There it is!” Andrew shouted as a large boat came into view. Nikki wondered if the grandiose vessel was indeed where her friends were being kept, and a quick check on the app that Clara had installed for her told her that was certainly the case.

They came up cautiously, moving around one side of the boat, trying to think of a way on. “Do you think there’ll be any guards in sight?” Archie asked.

Suddenly, a burly man in a balaclava appeared, and he wasn’t alone. He was holding Liv’s brother Alex at gunpoint. “Drop the weapon!”

Archie and Andrew did as they were told, lowering their weapons onto the floor of the boat, but Nikki kept hers raised, unwilling to back down. “Are you all right, Alex?” she asked, checking him over for any possible injuries. He looked a little dishevelled but otherwise unhurt… physically anyway.

“They have Liv and Dean!” he spat out. “They’re here on the boat. They’re going to be—” Before he could get the rest of the sentence out, the balaclaved man hit Alex over the head. “Shut the fuck up!” Alex’s knees buckled from the blow, causing the already exhausted man to stumble forward, giving Nikki the opening she needed.

She fired off a single shot, hitting the man in the left eye, causing his head to snap back. His grip on Alex slackened, and for a moment, he stood there dazed before finally stumbling forward, tumbling over the edge of the boat and into the sea. His body hit the water with a splash, dousing the officers.

“Better hurry,” Andrew suggested. “Changes are they will have heard the shot.”

Nikki angled the boat forward and held out a hand for Alex to take. He was able to get her onto the boat. “It’s going to be okay, Alex.”

“This woman is holding Dean and Liv!” he said, his body shaking. “She says she’s going to make them kill each other!” He was clearly trying to keep himself awake even through the emotional exhaustion. “There’s another two people on here!”

“Okay,” Nikki decided. “I want you to get onto the boat and stay with DS Elmhurst. DC Shaw, you’re with me. We’re going to split up, cover the whole boat, and see if we can find Liv and Dean before it’s too late.” She readied her weapon for another go.

33

Melissa Baldwin had been sat on a chair watching the live feed of Liv and Dean contemplating who should die. They were speaking in hushed tones, so Melissa had a little difficulty hearing them. It didn’t matter. It was still amusing to watch them profess their ‘undying’ love for each other. But sooner or later, they would realise that there was no other option but for them to die. She’d stopped paying attention to think about what she would do with the survivor. Maybe keep them as a pet… DCI Brown didn’t really care what she did as long as DI Austin and DI Lawrence were out of the way for good.

And then she’d seen the boat, and she growled with frustration. There was only one possible reason there’d be a boat this far out in Newquay. Clearly, DCI Brown had done a shitty job of keeping their operation under wraps. Melissa reached down to her belt for her prized knife, only to quickly remember she’d given it to Liv and Dean for one to kill the other. Shit… She’d called to one of her hired guns, instructing the man to take Alex out onto the deck as a bargaining chip and maybe get them to back off. He had done as he was told and left to confront the coppers. Melissa had been sure that he would get them to back off, but suddenly, the sound of a gunshot rang out, followed by a faint splash, and Melissa instantly knew she was a man down.

She saw from her vantage point there were three officers and knew she was outnumbered, but she wasn’t going down without a fight. She refused to go back to prison. She instructed her remaining hired hand to get the inspectors and use them as bait. He’d grunted and taken off while Melissa tried to think of how to stay hidden until she could find an advantage, but she wouldn’t let Dean Lawrence get away. Not this time.

Liv and Dean had sat in the cargo hold knowing that their time was running short. They didn’t want to give up hope that their friends would come for them, but they could imagine Alex up there under the threat of torture and felt the hope dying out. Regardless, neither of them was willing to even consider killing the other. In that regard, Melissa would fail, at least.

Suddenly, the door burst open, and they both suspected it was Melissa about to make good on her deranged promise. Instead, it was one of the men who’d abducted her and Dean. He held out the keys which presumably would unlock their chains. “You’re both coming with me,” he growled, looking at the discarded knife and picking it up. “One wrong move and I’ll slit your fucking throats.”

“Good advice,” came a familiar voice from behind as two bullets tore into the man’s back, sending him crashing to the ground, revealing Nikki Harding and Andrew Shaw standing in the doorway. They immediately rushed over, Andrew grabbing the keys from the fallen giant and trying to unlock the chains binding the inspectors’ hands. Once they were freed, Olivia sobbed with relief and threw herself into Andrew’s arms. “I thought I’d never see you again.” Then she paused, remembering her brother. “Wait! Alex is still here! He’s—”

“He’s okay,” Nikki assured her kindly. “He’s a little shaken up, but he’s with Archie.”

Liv breathed a sigh of relief. Now that she was no longer thinking about the end, her world came back into focus now that the only piece of mileage Melissa Baldwin had over her was gone. Now that was replaced by a sheer anger at the woman who’d not only threatened to tear her family apart all over again but had tried to make her own lover her murderer. Liv’s hands balled into fists as the anger overwhelmed her.

“How did you find us?” Dean asked, wanting to know who to thank for their salvation.

“It was Clara’s tracking device,” Nikki explained as she checked the thug over. “We also found out that Steph Brown really is a bent bitch. She set you both up to be discredited and taken out of the picture. How much involvement she has in the corruption scandal, I don’t know, but she definitely knew where you were being kept.”

“And where is she now?” Dean asked, getting to his feet, trying to fend off the fatigue for just a little while longer until they were back on dry land.

“She’s banged up in a cell back at the station. She’s not going anywhere,” Andrew explained. “We’ve taken out two people. We don’t know how many more are left.”

“Just Melissa,” Olivia snarled, vengeance on her mind.

34

Melissa made her way down to the cargo hold where she’d been keeping Austin and Lawrence. She might not have time to milk their final moments for all it they were worth, but she could at least take them down. Strangely, the prospect of her own death didn’t seem to bother Melissa so much. She’d always known that the odds would turn against her one day.

But the idea that she would lose everything once again while Dean Lawrence went off to live his best life? She couldn’t let that happen. And she definitely wasn’t going back to prison. She’d happily take a blade to the gut, as long as she could plunge it into Dean’s.

She took out a smaller blade—not as fancy as the one she used for many of her killings, but it would at least do the job—and made her way down to the cargo hold.

She was walking down the narrow corridor when she noticed the open door… and Olivia Austin stepped through it. The two women stood frozen, staring each other down.

Then, Liv lunged at her, full of fury over everything the woman had put her through over the past few hours. Melissa took a few seconds to be pleased at the rage she’d brought out in the inspector before she bolted and ran for it, rushing through the boat with Liv in hot pursuit.

Liv had thought that she was going to die in that cargo hold. She knew that she and Dean would never have tried to kill each other, but she had been terrified that that would be the end for them and that Alex’s death would be inevitable. The endless possibilities the last hour had forced her to imagine were not something she would soon forget.

She ran up to the top deck of the boat, not sure what she would do when she got her hands on the woman, only to realise she’d fallen into a trap.

Melissa was hiding around a corner and lashed at Liv’s stomach with her knife. Liv staggered forward, clutching at her side. She pulled back a trembling hand and saw red. She barely had time to respond before the woman lunged forward and tried to stab Liv again, but this time, Liv blocked the blow and knocked her back hard. She nearly sent her flying over the railing, but Melissa stopped herself just in time.

But Olivia wasn't finished yet. She moved over to Melissa and began to throttle her, determined to make her suffer. In that moment, she wanted the woman to feel the same fear and despair she'd felt.

“LIV!” Dean shouted, appearing in the doorway alongside their fellow detectives, all of whom were shocked by the scene taking place. “Don’t hurt her! She’s going to suffer, I promise you, but don’t let her bring you down to her level.”

Liv locked eyes with the man she loved, and an oasis of calm washed over her. She had been about to lose herself to trauma once again, and as usual, the man she loved had been there to pull her back from the brink. She released her grip on Melissa, shocked by the violence she had displayed. “I’m so sorry, Dean.”

“It’s going to be okay, Liv,” Dean reassured her, daring to move a step closer. “We’re going to get through this. Alex is waiting for you.”

She relaxed her stance, but this was just the opening Melissa needed.

With a wicked grin, she grabbed at Liv’s jacket, and with all her strength propelled herself over the railing, taking Liv with her. She had just enough time to watch Dean scream in horror before she knew that she’d won.

Liv scrambled to find something to grab onto, but it was too late. Sheer willpower alone wasn’t going to stop her descent. Both of them plunged from the boat, and Liv felt the wind whipping against her cheeks, her hair flapping in the normally peaceful breeze before she hit the water with a sickening thud.

No sooner had she hit the water than Melissa continued her assault, wrapping her fingers around Liv’s neck and trying to drag her under the surface. Liv fought and clawed at the hands strangling her, but she could only do so much. She was unable to get a grip or a footing of any kind, and she could feel herself weakening. Was this going to be how it ended for her? Drowned by this psychotic killer?

Liv felt water enter her lungs and unconsciousness threaten to take her.

35

Present day

All the attendees tried to play their parts to perfection, knowing what was at stake. They didn't feel any emotion looking at the hole in the ground, but they needed to give the impression they were immersed in sorrow to sell the illusion properly.

Luckily, much had happened to them over the previous few days, and they were still feeling the weight of that trauma, which was enough to bring forth the necessary emotions.

Andrew thought back to everything he'd seen on the boat—the sight of the woman he'd once loved being chained up like an animal and then almost losing herself for the sake of revenge before being pulled overboard. He didn't know how he could cope if things had turned out differently.

Archie recalled the helplessness he'd felt, watching the scene from afar and cursing himself for not going onto the boat with Nikki and Andrew, thinking about how things could have turned out if he had followed them.

Tim felt a sense of frustration over what had been taking place under their very noses, Nikki Harding was fully imagining how the scene could have gone. Luckily, anyone who was watching her wouldn't see that her tears were actually tears of relief.

The team exchanged glances with one another, silently communicating that they needed to keep it together for a little while longer.

They did feel a sense of guilt for bringing the Austin siblings into the situation, especially Alex, who was still recovering from the events of the past few days. Tara had almost stopped him from coming today, never wanting to let him out of her sight again. But he'd told her that this was something that he needed to see through to the end. Not just for Liv, but for Dean.

Clara and Diana held each other close. For her part in spearheading the rescues of DI Austin and DI Lawrence, as well as uncovering the corruption of DCI Steph Brown, Clara had been praised to the heavens. But she didn't feel like celebrating just yet.

Dr Elliot James remained stoic, thinking of the warning that he'd given Liv only weeks earlier. He'd had his suspicions that she was in danger, but he'd never wanted to be more wrong about anything in his life.

Dean had declined to come to the actual event, and everyone understood that he was needed elsewhere. Even an illusion could conjure up real emotions.

Katie Gibson felt a pang of guilt for the event taking place at all, as she had been the one to kickstart the investigation into police corruption in the first place. She never imagined it would turn out as a story like this—a story that, ironically, she had no intention of publishing.

The minister was saying a prayer, surprising even the officers with how convincing he was. Archie had seen him in a community theatre project, and he seemed right for the role. Of course, he was under full protection.

In a way, they were lucky that events had gone down the way they had. If Olivia's colleagues hadn't acted when they had, they'd be burying a real body, and yet, it still felt like a cost was being paid.

They didn't want a large service. This was meant to be closed off anyway. They wanted to paint the illusion of friends and family coming together to share in their grief. The real honouring would take place in the weeks to come—once there had been adequate time to heal. Maybe the wedding would wash away the bitter taste of the past few months.

Andrew looked into the grave before them, knowing that they might have been lucky in that instance, but there was always a possibility that one day, Olivia truly could meet her end.

Steph Brown was remanded into police custody, and it was unlikely she'd ever see the light of day again, but there was still one perpetrator left to be brought to justice. And no one was willing to rest until justice was done.

36

Melissa Baldwin watched the funeral taking place from afar and allowed a sense of peace to wash over her.

All those years she’d spent thinking about how she was going to hurt Dean Lawrence, she'd certainly made sure to go for the heart.

After Olivia had lost consciousness in the water, Melissa had dived deep, knowing that the police were still looking for her, and she was able to remain stealthy enough to avoid detection. When she made it back to land, she'd heard the joyous news that Liv's body had been recovered. Her greatest regret was that she wasn't there to see the profound sense of loss on Dean's face. She'd scarred him in a way that he'd never recover.

Events hadn't gone entirely the way she had hoped. Steph Brown had been found out and arrested and was looking at a very long stretch in prison. Having been a copper behind bars, she could sympathise with her co-conspirator’s position.

It would have made more sense for her to get out of Dodge before the coppers were back on dry land, but she’d had no issue with evading the police over the past few days.

She couldn't leave without beholding the turmoil she had caused. She wanted to see the hurt on everyone's face, knowing that the mark she'd left on them would be there forever.

She watched from the far side of the cemetery from behind a tree, out of sight, surprised to find that Dean hadn't come to his own fiancé’s funeral.

It made the moment a little bittersweet. Still, she'd seen everything she'd come to see, and all that was left to do was get lost.

“Enjoying the service?” a familiar voice called out, and Melissa spun around to find herself looking into the faces of Dean Lawrence—and Olivia Austin.

She swallowed deep, wondering if she was seeing things. “No… This is not possible. I saw you drown.” She backed away… only to bump into two uniformed officers.

“We knew you were too much of a sick bitch to just walk away,” Dean said. “Figured you’d want to pop by just to admire your handiwork.”

Melissa felt cold cuffs being fastened around her wrists. “This one’s all yours, Dean,” Liv offered, knowing the history the two shared.

“Oh, no, we do this together,” Dean insisted. “Melissa Baldwin, I’m arresting you for the murder of Neil Heaton, the false imprisonment of Alex Austin, and the attempted murder of myself and Olivia Austin.”

Olivia picked up where he left off. “You do not have to say anything, however, it may harm your defence if you fail to mention something under questioning that you later go on to rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence.”

Melissa could feel her bravado slipping. She’d lost. It had all been for nothing, and now she was doomed to the fate she’d spent so long trying to avoid.

“You can’t,” she stammered, all the memories of her previous stint in prison rushing to greet her. “You can’t do this to me!” She started fighting as the police officers began dragging her away.

“Wait!” Liv called after them, and they paused. She walked up to Melissa until she was inches from her face. “We just did. You tried to hurt me and my family. You failed miserably. And now, Alex is going to make sure that little boy grows up with a father.” She clasped her hand around Dean’s to further emphasise the point, “And we’re going to live the best version of our lives together.” She could have reminded Melissa about what awaited her once she was back in prison, but she felt it would be a far richer punishment for her to know that her intended victims were leading full, happy lives.

Melissa continued to struggle and grunt as she was led away, leaving Liv and Dean standing alone.

“Got to say, I’m impressed that everyone was able to hold it together for as long as they did,” Dean observed. He checked his fiancé over. “How did it feel playing dead?”

“Better than actually being dead.” Knowing that Melissa was still out there, they’d take all the necessary steps to suggest that she’d died, circulating the information to everyone, knowing that the news would get back to Melissa. Only a trusted few had been aware that the attempted drowning had failed miserably.

“We did it,” Olivia said, allowing herself this moment of triumph. “We actually manage to take out all the bent bastards.”

Dean tried to look enthused, but he was clearly struggling, and Liv could see why. We might have taken out a high-ranking corrupt police officer, but with the way the system works, sooner or later, another one will step up. But we’ve got the one we were after. And for now, I want to enjoy that.

“Has Alex been okay?” Liv asked, regretful that she hadn’t had much time to check on her brother and his soon-to-be-expanding family.

“He’s doing fine,” Dean assured her. “He’s been through a lot, but he’s focused on looking after Tara. He’s a lot stronger than I think anyone gives him credit for.”

“He’s needed to be, given the life he’s led,” Liv noted, thinking about how so many of her professional decisions, her desire to see justice done for victims, to see the worst of the worst brought down, had all stemmed from the pain of losing her brother.

“So, what happens now?” Dean asked hesitantly. They’d spent so long chasing down bent coppers, it had consumed every other aspect of their lives.

“Now?” Liv asked, allowing herself a faint smile. “We take some time to heal. And then I can get ready to call myself Mrs Dean Lawrence.”

EPILOGUE

All of the guests were gathered on the beach, a gentle breeze of summer air blowing their hair, and the smell of seawater spraying in their faces. It made for a romantic setting.

Dean Lawrence stood at the altar, dressed in a silver suit with a red tie, his thick hair combed neatly back. He wanted to make sure that every detail of the day was perfect so that he could spend the rest of his life looking back on this moment, getting drunk on the memory of its perfection. He sighed deeply, having rehearsed this moment so many times over in his heart and now ready to make it a reality.

He exchanged a reassuring glance with his mother, Marianna, who’d never been prouder of her son.

All the members of Newquay CID were seated close by. Andrew Shaw was sat next to a teacher that Olivia’s sister Mills had set him up with. They’d been on for a few days now, and though they weren’t sure where the relationship was headed, the fact that he was willing to invite her to the wedding was seen as a massive step forward. But his smile was reserved for the woman who had yet to make an entrance.

Archie Elmhurst was sat next to Susan, who’d taken a day off from the art gallery to be at the event. Archie was so used to seeing his partner in a professional capacity, interviewing suspects, chasing down criminals, and comforting the bereaved, it was refreshing to see her in a setting where she was completely at ease.

Tim Harris had attended alongside his family, proud to have developed his career under the guidance of such a capable and resilient woman. Every principle and oath he’d taken had been inspired directly by her.

Nikki Harding had attended the service alongside her daughter Francesca. There was no hint of sarcasm or a glib remark in sight, just pure sheer joy for the woman who’d gone on to become one of her closest friends. Nikki had already brushed off many thanks from people that day, since if it weren’t for her quick actions in retrieving Liv from the water and reviving her, they probably wouldn’t be able to enjoy this special moment.

Dr Elliot James sat with his legs crossed, happy for the lovely couple. For a man who spent so much time surrounded by death, it felt nice to partake in a day brimming with life.

Clara Fitzroy and Diana Hershel were sat next to one another, holding hands, always grateful that they were able to have their own happy ending and pleased that Liv and Dean could live to see their union. It was no less than what they deserved.

Dr Helen Pike sat pensively, remembering the conversation she’d had with Liv and allowing herself a thin smile, knowing that for now, the inspector was willing to put herself first.

Steven Collins was also sitting nearby with his wife, his injuries having healed to the point where he could now use a walking stick. He’d spoken to Liv about her ambitions and wants and had promised to step back into the breach until she felt ready to make a decision. His presence meant more to the team than anyone was willing to admit. They didn’t want anyone to be absent on this special day. Having known Dean Lawrence since the start of his career in CID and seeing Olivia flourish in Newquay, Collins could not be prouder of his two best detectives.

Katie Gibson was also present, sitting towards the back, still unsure whether she deserved to be there but grateful for the invite all the same.

The Austin family were sitting in the front row, minus the father. Mills and Max had brought their children to the service, little Annie squealing a bit, still too young to understand the enormity of what was taking place that day.

Alex smiled for the first time in a long while as Tara squeezed his hand reassuringly. Despite the circumstances that led to its revelation, the family still wanted to treat Tara’s pregnancy as a sign of good things to come, and Alex’s son Daniel had openly expressed how much he was looking forward to having a younger brother to look after—although he had turned deathly silent when the subject of changing nappies came up.

The only person missing was the bride herself.

But then she appeared at the very end of the aisle, her dad’s arm wrapped around her, wearing a sleeveless wedding dress which billowed slightly in the wind, her hair arranged in a chignon style. Everything was exactly as it needed to be.

Somehow, everything they’d endured to get to this moment made it all the more rewarding.

She’d spent so long defining herself as a detective. Now, she was looking forward to defining herself as a wife.

She walked down the aisle, exchanging glances with her closest loved ones, some of whom smiled fondly, others giving winks for good luck. She smiled bashfully, Nikki having joked about her getting cold feet beforehand, but she knew there was never a danger of that happening.

This wasn’t just the best choice; it was the only choice.

Whatever trials she faced as a detective, whatever adversity came her way, she knew Dean would be there to lend her his strength.

Finally, they were stood side by side, taking each other’s hands, Dean kissing hers fondly, wanting to shower her with devotion and affection for the rest of her life.

“Olivia,” he began, and Liv knew that these were the vows he’d prepared a long time ago, the vows that had propelled him to always make it through a case intact. “Meeting you has been the most exhilarating experience of my life. I’d never known passion, devotion, and love until it was with you. You mean the world to me. The sun rises and sets with you, and I’m going to spend the rest of my life giving you the one you deserve. I’m always going to be here to look after you, and I will do everything in my power to keep that beautiful smile on your face. I know that this is just the start of something even more beautiful. Wherever life takes us, I know I wouldn’t want it with anyone but you.” He was so overwhelmed with emotion that traces of his long-buried Italian accent started to emerge.

Liv tried hard to fight back the tears, but instead, she let them flow, needing him to know how much his devotion meant to her. After taking a moment to gather herself, she began with her own vows.

“Dean,” she started, looking him squarely in the eyes, “the more time I spend with you, the more time I realise I didn’t know what it meant to be happy. You opened my life up in a way I never could have imagined.” She’d chosen her vows with great care. While she knew he was responsible for a lot of the emotional healing she’d undergone over her time in Newquay, she didn’t want any of that to be the focus of the day. This was a time for positive memories. “All the things we do together, the life we’ve built with you, me, and Briggs… it feels like perfection. I am the person I need to be today because of you. Your wry smile, the way you always seem to have an answer for everything… You are the most passionate and driven man I’ve ever known… and today, I’ll be proud to call you my husband.”

Dean grinned broadly, feeling all the right pieces falling into place. Clara blew on a handkerchief, overwhelmed by the speeches as Diana rubbed her shoulder reassuringly.

The minister stepped forward. “Do you, Deangelo Lawrence, take thee, Olivia Austin, to be your lawful wedded wife?”

“I do,” Dean remarked, holding Liv’s hands tightly. “I, Dean Lawrence, take you, Olivia Austin, to be my lawful-wedding wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward; for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part.”

“Do you, Olivia Austin, take Deangelo Lawrence, to be your lawful wedded husband?”

“I, Olivia Austin, do take you, Dean Lawrence, to be my lawful-wedding husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward; for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part.”

He took the ring and gently slid it onto her finger, and with it, a sense of completion settled in.

“I now pronounce you both man and wife,” the minister stated. “You may kiss the bride.”

Olivia and Dean embraced one another passionately, the kiss electric as their lips intertwined. They held each other tightly, never wanting to let go, getting soaked in the sensation of one another.

And there was nothing to disrupt this moment, no criminals coming over the hill, no cases to be called away from; just Olivia and Dean surrounded by their close friends and family, and the promise of paradise.

It was perfect.

THE END

TO BE CONTINUED…

Find out more in Book Fifty-One here: A Peaceful Murder

Looking for Book Fifty-One? Don’t worry, it’s here!

A Peaceful Murder - DI Austin Book Fifty-One

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Sins Evoked - DS Leah West Book One

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Find the Girl - DI Austin Book One

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I’ve always had a passion for writing stories and loved being able to create a world and have my characters live inside it. Being able to do this has been a dream come true and I’m so grateful that you could join me on this journey .

I live in the United Kingdom with my Husband and four young children who keep me busy and who I wouldn’t ever be without.

I hope you enjoy reading my books and please feel free to join me on social media where I love to interact with my readers!

mrsrobertswrites@hotmail.com