Chapter 86

"I don't know about you guys," Tony muttered, slipping off the bonnet of his truck, "but I'm beginning to hate the sight of this bloody station."

"Me, too," Lorraine agreed. "Should we go talk to him?"

She nodded across the car park to where Nick paced back and forth alongside the building waiting for news.

"I tried earlier. He's not very communicative."

"Must run in the family."

"What?"

"Nothing. Forget about it."

"Lo-Lo, come on." He took her arm gently, turning her back towards him. "I thought we agreed we were going to talk about things when they came up, not bury them?"

"I know. Is this really the time?"

"Have you got somewhere else to go?" he asked after a moment's thought.

"You've not said anything about this," she said and waved at the station. "Connor's damn nearly dead, Yvonne's in hospital, Hope's ... God knows what's happened to Hope, Marcus is in trouble, and you're just sat there."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Talk to me. Tell me what you think about it."

"I don't know what happened," he held his arms out in supplication. "I don't know what Connor did. I can guess, but I don't want to think about it."

"Why not?"

"It's ... Because it's useless until we know."

"You were so close there."

Nick's gravely voice interrupted them, and Lorraine spun around to stare at him, backing up a step when she realised how close he was.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"He nearly admitted that he hated the idea of what Connor might have done, that he didn't want to think about it because it made him sick to his stomach. He doesn't want to think about what might happen to Marcus because it's a kick in the teeth on top of everything else, because it's so frustratingly unfair."

Lorraine turned her head towards Tony who shrugged and then nodded gently.

"That's the sort of thing you can tell me," she whispered. "That's ... that's what lets me know I'm not the only one."

"Sorry, Lo-Lo." He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her gently against him. He looked up to Nick. "You, too?"

"Pretty much exactly the same," Nick confirmed.

"You don't even know Yvonne," Lorraine pointed out.

"Does that matter?"

"No, I guess not."

"How's Ally?" Tony asked as the silence drew out.

"Tired a lot of the time." Nick frowned, chewing the inside of his cheek as he turned to look at the station again. "She doesn't need this sort of tension."

"Is she really speaking for all of them?"

"I think so."

"Even Bri and Elspeth?"

"Knowing her, yes."

"Is there anything we can do?" Lorraine said, cutting in.

"I don't think so, no," Nick said smiling. "But thank you for the offer."

Tony caught his attention with a wave and pointed towards the door where Elspeth and Briana emerged into the car park.

They stood up and started to walk over, but the two girls stopped and held the door as Ally and Marcus came out with Shawna and then Hope trailing after. Nick moved quickly leaving Tony and Lorraine to follow him as he engulfed Ally in a hug that nearly picked her up off her feet.

"What's happening?" Tony asked as they drew near, and everyone turned to face Ally as Nick released her.

"Nothing. Yvonne's injuries are old enough to demonstrate this started before you guys got back from holiday. Hope and Marcus' testimony that he was brandishing a knife stood for a lot, and they're reluctant to charge anyone with anything to do with hurting him.

"We nearly had trouble when someone was insistent on trying to convince the police that the fire-extinguisher fell on his head when he hit the wall."

Everyone turned to look at Shawna except Briana, who scuffed her foot nervously on the gravel of the car park, and Ally.

"He deserved it," Briana finally told them when everyone had followed Ally's gaze to her.

"Perhaps," Ally confirmed, "but none of you deserve to get a criminal record for perjury or obstructing a police investigation. Do you?"

"Maybe," she pouted. "If it makes sure he doesn't get off this time."

"He's not getting off. Not in any sense. He's now violated his bail conditions as well as sustaining the injuries he has, and what he did to Yvonne."

"Look, I know it's important, but do we have to do this in the car park?" Shawna asked. "Can't we just go home?"

"Sure," Nick said, nodding. "Do we have enough seats for everyone?"

"I've got Lo-Lo and maybe three others," Tony said. Bri and Elspeth shuffled across to stand by him.

"I've got your bike on the back of the van, Marcus," Nick pointed out. "And enough seats for everyone else."

Tony had driven away by the time Marcus had his bike down. He turned to offer the second helmet to Hope.

"No, thanks," she smiled wanly.

"But..." he started, and she cut him off.

"I'm going to go and see Yvonne. See how she is."

"I don't know if they'll allow visitors yet." Nick pointed out.

"She was awake long enough to give a statement earlier," Ally told them. "The police aren't keeping anyone away any more."

"Can I drop you there?" Marcus asked.

"I'd rather walk."

"Can I walk you?" Shawna asked, stepping up beside Marcus, her eyes a lot more searching than his were.

"I just need a little space after this," she tried to assure them. "Head on home. I'll be back later. I promise."

"Call when you're ready," Marcus told her, putting her helmet back under the seat of the bike. "I'll come pick you up."

"We'll see how things go."

"Does someone want to tell me what the hell's going on there?" Shawna asked, her voice trembling as she got into the back of the van.

Marcus bike sputtered to life behind them, and he peeled away more dramatically than was usual for him. Shawna stared at him until he disappeared then turned back to where Hope waved feebly and turned away towards the hospital.

"I'm not sure, really," Ally finally replied after a long look with Nick. "It's been a difficult night for all of you. I wouldn't read too much into it."

"Too much, or anything?" Shawna asked, leaning forward then back again as her phone rang. "Hang on ... Yeah ... Honey, what ... Is she OK? ... Right ... I don't think you should wait. She said she wants space ... She'll phone when she's ready ... Yeah ... I'll see you at home ... Love you too, Honey."

"Marcus?" Nick asked, as she hung up.

"No, one of my other boyfriends," she replied rather archly, and Ally chuckled.

"What did he want?" Nick asked with a smile.

"He's parked the bike up. He's going to follow Hope and make sure she gets to the hospital alright before he heads home."

"He was going to wait for her?"

"He's worried about her," Shawna confirmed. "So am I. She seemed a little distant."

"Like I said, it's been an eventful day," Ally said. "Give her a little time to process things."

"Maybe," Shawna conceded, leaning her head against the window as raindrops started to fall outside. The rest of the trip back to the flat was made in silence. The rain was beating down by the time Marcus finally trudged up the steps.

Shawna had the door open for him by the time he reached the top, nervously clutching at her own hands to hold herself back.

"How is she?"

"I don't know," Marcus shrugged. "I didn't talk to her. I just made sure she got there safely."

"You didn't talk to her?"

"She wanted space, she said."

"Well, I know, but..."

"You think I should have said something?" he asked, obviously unsure.

"Probably not," Shawna conceded after a moment. "I just thought ... I thought she'd want to be here with us."