Crashing Waves

33

"The defence calls DI Alec Hardy, your honour." It had begun. The DI made his way to the stand, placing his hand upon the book and swearing to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Ellie sat nervously as she thought about Alice in that room alone. She had luckily eyed the victims father, meaning that he wasn't over there grilling his daughter about her abusive ex. The man he was trying to prove was innocent.

"DI Alec Hardy." Alan's attorney, Sean, began. "It is to my understanding that on the day of Miss Walker's stabbing, you and her were in the same household, correct?" Alec was puzzled by this, but he nodded.

"Yes, she did." He responded, not wanting to add anything else that might stir up something unwanted.

"Did she spend the night in your home?" He asked, making Alec tense. He knew where this was going.

"Yes." He nodded, taking a deep breath.

"Because you were dating? Or do you often have cases sleep over when you want?"

"Objection!" Lucy stood, but the judge waved it off.

"I'll allow it. Mr. Parker please rephrase."

"Very well, did Miss Walker stay over because you were dating? Or simply because you thought it would be a good idea for you share a house, and perhaps even a bed, with an alleged victim of a case that you were currently investigating?"

"Your honour-" the judge waved her off again, making Ellie sit forwards.

"Answer the question please, Mr Hardy."

"I didn't believe the local Hotel was safe for Ali- Miss Walker, on her own, so I invited her to stay over as a colleague. No formal investigation had been opened by myself at that time so there was no conflict of interest." He wasn't lying, only Miller had the time to open up a formal case, but he knew he wasn't off of the hook yet.

"But she had spoken to you about a so-called assault from my client."

"It was clear Alice was terrified of him, Yes. It implied something had happened but she had not told me exactly what at this point." It wasn't a lie, as she hadn't, but the DI knew he was on thin ice with Alan's Lawyer. He was building to something and Hardy could feel it.

"So, even with the implication that my client, the defendant, had sexually assaulted Miss Walker, you slept with her anyway? Is that not a form of misconduct?"

"Your honour!" Lucy objected for the third time.

"Mr. Parker please move on from this." The judge was getting impatient, but the look of the jury told Sean that he had Alec Hardy right where he wanted him.

"Yes, your honour." He paused for a moment, flipping through the files. "Do you have any proof or evidence, other than a blurry video that could have easily been fabricated, of my client sexually assaulting Miss Walker?"

"That video is more than enough-"

"DI Hardy." The judge warned. Alec took a deep breath before shaking his head.

"If you mean did she partake in a rape kit after the event, then no. To my knowledge if she had he would've killed her." He looked over to Miller before looking at the door, wishing Alice would walk through and this would all be over. His career was on the line. If this one was going down the drain, two men that shouldn't have been out would be walking the streets thanks to Alec's misconduct. The papers were going to have a field day.

"So there is no physical proof that my client raped Alice Walker."

"Those videos are evidence enough, and if you've seen them you would know that." Alec leaned forward before the judge told them both to calm down.

"So before she stayed the night at your home, this wasn't the first time, was it? We have testimonies from locals that you escorted Miss Walker Home, incredibly drunk, on her first night in Broadchurch." He paused, Alec looking concerned as to where this was leading.
"I think that you two went back to your place and fabricated the whole story about her ex to make him seem like he was guilty and to get him out the way you decided to send him down."

"She was drunk and I did what any gentleman would do. I escorted her home and made sure she didn't choke on her own vomit." Alec's brows hung low, his face an expression of annoyance and worry. This lawyer was getting to him and that worried him.

"So you admit to spending the night with her there?" He said.

"I sat in the chair opposite her bed and stayed until she was asleep, before I left and went to work." Ellie looked puzzled at this, she wondered why he had strolled in so exhausted that day. Just before he had realised Alice was the new DS, too. "I didn't realise that she was transferring to the police station, I wouldn't have been so careless." He admitted, and the lawyer laughed.

"You were, DI Hardy. No more questions, your honour." Those questions hadn't really gone anywhere, but Alec realised what he had done. He had planted all of that in the jury's mind without being told to get it scrubbed. That meant that all of their meetings and their first proper night together was going to be used against them, even though by law Alec wasn't in the wrong. No formal case had been opened, and he was aware of what Alan had done to Alice; but because of the way Parker has set out the questions, it made Alec look like he was sleeping with the victim, when actually he was trying to date her.

"Does the Crown have any questions for DI Hardy?" Lucy stood to the judge and nodded, looking at Alec.

"Yes, your honour." She paused, taking a deep breath and quickly crossing her fingers. "DI Hardy, do you consider yourself to be a man of principle?" Alec nodded.

"Yes."

"And do you respect women, most of all respect that they deserve loyalty?"

"Yes." Hardy answered again.

"Do you consider yourself to be single?" Lucy said, looking to the judge to check she was ok.

"No." Was all he answered.

"No? Then who are you in a relationship with, DI Hardy?"

"Alice Walker. We were keeping it quiet." He was honest, after all they had agreed.

"So you and Miss Walker are in a formal relationship."

"Yes, which is why as soon as I was aware DS Miller launched the investigation I left due to a known conflict of interest." Alec nodded, looking over to the jury. Lucy was helping him prove that he had done everything by the book.

"No more questions your honour." With that Lucy has wiped the majority of Parker's damage away, allowing Alec to keep his dignity and he exited the podium and joined Miller, who congratulated him on staying so level-headed.

"The defence would like to call Alice Walker to the stand, your honour." Alec took a deep breath, hoping she'd be ok up there. The defendants lawyer was good at going around in a circle to try and make yourself trip. That wouldn't be good for her if she was nervous.