Ellie grimaced, rubbing her forehead wearily as she thought back to those several stressful weeks. "It had been right Joe had pleaded not guilty, and- I dunno, Hardy showed up where I was seeing a counselor and asked for my help him solve the case. He'd been hiding one of the suspects ever since the case first fell apart. I think he asked for my help to distract me from what was happening with Joe, actually."
"But it's been nearly a year since Sandbrook fell apart!"
Ellie shrugged. "Didn't stop him. He needed to get justice for those poor girls. And he did, Beth." She smiled: a wide, pleased smile that Beth had not seen in a very long time. "We got the bastards."
They both jumped then as, as if on cue, her phone suddenly buzzed. Jumping from the sound she reached into her pocket and drew it out, looking at the screen.
Beth frowned in confusion when seeing Ellie gape at the screen. "Ell—"
"That wanker," Ellie said angrily, suddenly standing. "Texting everything!" Just like that she had set her cup down and was hurrying out of the room, still clutching her phone. Beth straightened in her seat, astonished.
"Ell?"
The front door swinging open was her answer, and Ellie's voice rang out in irritation. "You know, it would really help if you would make up your mind about stuff. I thought you'd be halfway to—well, wherever your daughter is by now."
"I could just turn and leave, Miller," came the response, and Beth started. There was only one person she knew who spoke with that Scottish accent, and they had just been discussing him. But why would he be here?
"No, you don't! It's starting to pour out there, and you're soaked! What did you do, go walking out in this?" The door closed. "Get that coat off, and your shoes, and don't you dare track water on my floors!"
"I'm not here to stay, Miller—"
"Clearly you are, otherwise you wouldn't have come here," Ellie sharply replied. Beth stood and slowly made her way to the front door, looking around the doorway of the living room. Sure enough Ellie stood glaring at the familiar rumpled sight of Alec Hardy, hands on her hips as she glared up at him. It had been awhile since Beth had talked to the former DI, or even really seen him, and she wondered what he was doing visiting Ellie now at this time of the night. Rain glistened in his hair and beard and she could see water stains on his shirt where his coat had not covered it. "How long were you out there before you bloody texted me?"
"Minute or two; anyway would you give it up on the texting?"
"No, not since that stunt you pulled after your surgery. You'd probably even text me that you'd died or something. What, are you afraid of your own voice or something? Or can you not find the little green button on your phone that means 'call'?"
"As a matter of fact, Miller, I didn't even know if you'd be awake, so I decided a text wouldn't wake you up if you weren't."
That pulled Ellie up short. Beth didn't think her friend had considered Hardy would be so thoughtful; she certainly wouldn't have believed it. She rallied quickly, however. "Well, I'm awake, you're here, so what was it you missed your ride for?"
He was just opening his mouth to reply, looking suddenly uncomfortable, when a floorboard shifted beneath Beth's weight. Startled, both Ellie and Hardy turned to look and saw her looking at them. Caught, trying to hide the sudden flush that was spreading across her face, Beth cleared her throat awkwardly. She lifted her mug of cooling tea.
"Just- taking this to the sink," she offered weakly, trying to muster a grin. It was hard, especially with Hardy looking her up and down with a frown. Ellie was surprisingly trying to hide a blush of her own. Quickly Beth retreated, walking into the kitchen and setting her drink on the table.
Wanted broadchruch
Start from the beginning
