They were allowed inside while the charges against Joe were being read out and the opening statements but then people were beginning to leave, including Rose and Alec.
"Won't everyone be wondering, I mean they saw me leaving with you," Rose asked him as they sat down.
"Don't worry about it. There will be other questions before either you or I will be called."
Ellie had followed them out and was sat away from them.
"Seriously, I hope she stays away from me, what if the court officials see her arguing with me?"
"Just stay away from her, if I have to go in before you. What I don't get is that we have had to come out yet others involved were allowed to stay."
"You mean like Beth and Mark?" Rose wondered.
Alec just raised his eyebrows. "If anyone asks, I'm just watching out for you, once you appear in court."
"Well I wish it was all over with. Do ya think they'll call Steven?"
"Yes, maybe not today, he'll have to give evidence about finding Danny on the beach and how he dealt with it. He was in charge Rose but they have his statement, he may be spared. I hope Daniels is talking him into backing you though."
"So do I," Rose tried to smile. "I hope Beth and Mark aren't getting pulled to pieces in there though."
"The defence will not be kind but I think the prosecution will go first."
A while later, people were coming out for a break and Alec saw Ellie's sister go up to her, hoping she wasn't telling his former DS what had taken place. He saw a woman in court attire cross towards himself and Rose.
"DI Hardy?" the woman asked him. Alec nodded. "There are some things we need to go over. Is this the witness for the prosecution?" she gestured towards Rose.
Rose was wondering why she'd not been asked before.
"This is going to be very awkward, since your ex work colleague is defending her husband. The defence are bound to make a play on that fact alone, however, I wouldn't be prosecuting if I thought Mr Miller hadn't got his wife convinced enough that she pleaded with him to change his mind about his guilt. Was she okay up to that point of her husband's arrest?"
"Ask Miss Tyler, they were friends," Alec replied.
"Miss Tyler, we really do need to go over your testimony, I apologise we haven't talked sooner but until Mr Miller changed his plea, I saw no need. It seemed though his defence council was not surprised."
"Did you know about them digging up Danny's grave?" Alec asked her.
"Yes, I'm sorry about that but until the day before yesterday, I wasn't sure I was taking the case, until I found out who would be defending him if he changed his plea. You had best both come and see me after court is adjourned, I doubt either of you will be called today but I need to know everything. There are rumours the two of you are involved."
"The defence has already found out," Alec regretted to say.
"I see? I expect they saw you both at the cemetery the other day?"
"Yes but until former DS Miller opened her mouth and told her Rose here was the star witness, the woman had no idea it was her."
"Ms Bishop is not going to be kind to either of you now she knows," they were warned. "I'll do what I can to point out the fact you are involved is immaterial if I have your assurance your relationship began after Miss Tyler gave you her statement."
"You have my word," Alec replied. "We had obviously met before since she and her partner were at the scene on the beach but it was after she came to see me with her concerns about Joe Miller that we started to get involved."
"You should have waited to get engaged," Ms Knight told him, seeing Rose's ring. "How far on are you Miss Tyler?"
"Around five months or so and no, that's not the reason we got engaged. We wanted to get married but we've had to put it off, thanks to Ellie Miller getting her husband to change his plea."
"Have you any proof of that?" Ms Knight wanted to know.
"No but I wish I had. She refused to believe her husband's guilty, she doesn't believe he has a temper."
"Well it's all dependant on you, since you worked with him and what you said in your statement. We'll be asking your last work partner since you said you mentioned your concerns to him."
"We expected that," Alec told the barrister. "So when do you want to see us?"
"I think I have enough for now, I'll call for you if I need more information. Just one more thing. I need both your assurances you won't discuss the trial at home, apart from your own parts in it. I know it will be difficult but stay away from Mrs Miller."
"I'm trying to but she makes a point of saying something to me," Rose told her.
"If it gets bad then tell me, I'll get a restraining order for her to stay away from you," Ms Knight told her.
When the barrister had walked off, Rose went to sit down again as people were going back into the courtroom.
"So who do ya think will be called first?" Rose grinned.
"I don't want to have to leave you out here if I am called first," Alec admitted, dying to take her hand. "I would imagine though it will be me."
The court broke for lunch, Rose thinking it had been a waste of time being there so far. She was about to regret thinking that as Alec was called.
"Good luck," Rose told him as he got up.
He had a feeling he was going to need it. He was asked various questions by the prosecution about how he came to the conclusion the defendant was the person responsible.
"DI Hardy," Ms Knight began. "Tell us how you were alerted that Mr Miller could have been responsible for Danny Latimer's death."
Alec knew this was it now, everyone would now know he and Rose were together, unless Ellie Miller had already told them.
"His former work colleague came forward to express her concern at Mr Miller's temper."
"Objection," Ms Bishop called out. "There is no proof that Mr Miller has a temper. Is this what he is being accused of?"
"Your honour," Ms Knight addressed the judge. "We have a witness who will attest to the fact Mr Miller showed he had a temper several times and if need be, we have another witness who will state Mr Miller started an argument in a supermarket car park with him. Plus, we have a statement from the witness's last work partner stating she raised concerns with him over Mr Miller's temper."
"Very well Ms Knight, you may continue," the judge told her.
Sharon Bishop just huffed and sat down again. Alec wondered if the barrister was just bluffing. He knew it had all been passed on to her for the prosecution to decide who was called but the man from the supermarket could still refuse, which was why he'd sent Daniels after the man. He knew there would be no problem with Steven.
"DI Hardy. Tell us your reaction to being told Mr Miller had a temper."
Alec wasn't really expecting that.
"It seemed an interesting fact. Danny Latimer was killed by someone in a temper, it was obvious he had argued with someone or he would not have stood there and let someone choke him to death."
"Objection," Ms Bishop stood up.
"Sustained. DI Hardy, please don't speculate, stick to the facts," the judge reminded him.
Alec knew he wasn't going to get an easy ride.
"Yes my lady," Alec had to give in.
"DI Hardy, you interviewed the person who claimed Mr Miller had a temper. When did you act upon it?"
Alec wondered how he was supposed to remember back months ago.
"I acted gradually and looked for more evidence Mr Miller had a temper."
Ms knight seemed to be satisfied though Alec knew the defence wouldn't be. He was asked some more questions then Ms Bishop got up.
"So, DI Hardy, did you look for more signs the defendant had a temper?"
"Yes, the witness told me of a fight he had upon entering a supermarket car park, I had someone find the person who was involved. They signed a statement to the fact Mr Miller waited for them and he laid into the man."
There, Alec thought, chew on that.
"Apart from that incident, did anyone else make a claim Mr Miller lost his temper with them?" Ms Bishop asked him.
"The witness who told me about him had seen him a number of times as he was driving the ambulance and also losing his temper with his wife's nephew."
He could see Ellie stirring in her seat. He bet she didn't even know about that, Olly wouldn't want to embarrass himself by telling on his uncle when he shouldn't have been asking him questions whilst on a call out. He also saw the look on Beth Latimer's face.
Ms Knight got up again. "DI Hardy, was it true a number of events eventually led you to arrest the defendant?"
Alec hoped he wasn't meant to list them all, how many did she want?
"Yes, when Mr Miller was arrested, his computer was examined and he had written a number of emails to Danny Latimer, about them meeting. When interviewed, Mr Miller admitted he had been meeting Danny."
He hated having to recall Joe Miller revealing what happened but he knew he had to. He was just glad Rose wasn't there, looking at Beth Latimer was enough as he recalled the event. He also hated revealing the fact Joe had threatened Rose outside the ambulance station, leading to his arrest.
He was eventually let go after Ms Bishop tried to trip him up.
"So, the witness claims she was threatened to drop the accusations against Mr Miller? Mr Miller maintains he went nowhere near her that morning."
"Well, he had clearly been out when I arrived at his home. He eventually admitted the fact," Alec replied. "He admitted he asked the witness to forget all that had happened, which proves he had a temper. She gave a full statement as to what Mr Miller had said to her."
Alec was relieved to be let go and as soon as possible, he was going to join Rose outside. Daniels was then called to the stand. He was asked various questions to back Alec up but Ms Bishop almost caught him out.
"So the witness was not alone with DI Hardy when she made her statements?"
"No, I was there all the time, except her first visit I believe was to give her statement about finding Danny on the beach but DI Hardy told me about it, then he was joined by the former DS Miller."
Alec breathed a sign of relief, hoping Daniels had got away with it.
Ms Knight had a few more questions for the DC but he was soon let go. The judge called a break and Alec went to join Rose, trying not to seem too friendly but most of the locals already knew about them, it was the jury he had to worry about.
"How did it go?" Rose asked as he joined her.
"Not as bad as I thought but it's early yet. Any trouble with your former friend over there?" he nodded towards Ellie, who had been joined by Olly and her sister.
"No, she's stayed away, she didn't have an audience, did she?" Rose tried to smile.
He knew she was going to be torn apart by the defence but Rose was strong, despite everything that had happened.
"Did they give ya a hard time?"
"No more than I expected. I'm more worried about when it's your turn."
He went back inside, hoping they would call Rose soon but the defence tore into Mark and Nigel, then Beth and the court was dismissed until the following day. Alec saw Ellie's sister talking and hoped she wasn't disclosing what had gone on.
The next day though, Rose was called early on, Alec already being inside.
"Miss Tyler," the prosecution began. "When did you become aware Mr Miller had a temper?"
"When I began working with him, over two years ago, almost three. He'd get annoyed if motorists wouldn't get out of the way when the ambulance siren was sounding and from there, when he was in his own car."
"How do you know it happened in his own car?" Ms Knight wanted to know, Rose thinking that should have been a question for the defence.
"I was a friend of his wife, he would sometimes give me a ride home when I'd been to visit. Then sometimes he would drop me at the supermarket on the way home."
"What made you worried Miss Tyler, about his temper."
"The way he would bang his fist on the steering wheel but it wasn't that that worried me," Rose replied.
Alec knew what was coming next.
"Miss Tyler, tell the court what worried you about Mr Miller's temper."
Rose told the court what she had told Alec, seeing the faces of Mark and Beth and trying to avoid Alec.
"Did you do anything about it?" Ms Knight asked her.
Rose shook her head. "No, he made me feel like I should leave it. The day after, he never said anything about it and I didn't want to upset his wife about it. Only part of what I heard him tell her was true. Once he'd dropped me at the supermarket, I assumed he was going home, I didn't expect to see him there arguing with someone when I got out. I phoned for a taxi, I didn't want him to see me."
"Just one more thing Miss Tyler," Ms Knight told her. "The morning he threatened you outside your place of work. What did you do?"
"I went into the building and my partner asked me what was wrong. The supervisor phoned the police at my partner's insistence."
"That subsequently led to the arrest of the defendant, did it not?" she was asked.
"I was just informed he'd been arrested," Rose replied, wondering if she shouldn't be asking Alec that question.
Ms Knight said that was all, now the fun was about to begin, so Alec thought.
"Miss Tyler, if you were concerned about the alleged temper of a colleague, why wait so long?"
"I was scared he would say something, I had to work with him," Rose replied.
"You were more scared he would tell your friend, his wife," Ms Bishop put to her.
"Yeah, I didn't know if she was even aware he had a temper, I couldn't say anything to her. I began telling my new work partner when Joe Miller stopped working with me. He told me I was best leaving it, at the time, until I admitted what happened in the supermarket car park. Then he said I should have reported it."
"But you never did and you waited until a boy had died, put the two events together and thought to blame Mr Miller for it," Ms Bishop replied.
"I did no such thing," Rose denied. "It did worry me so when I was called in to make a statement on finding Danny on the beach, I got up the courage to tell someone."
"That someone was DI Hardy, was it not? Was he your boyfriend at the time?"
Rose heard people mumbling.
"No, he wasn't. I told him my concern about Joe Miller and left it to him. I told him of the incident and that I felt like Joe had used me, to make his wife believe nothing was wrong."
"Miss Tyler, you are speculating," the judge reminded her.
"Sorry your honour. I heard him over the phone telling his wife I was the reason he was late home when she'd called me to see if we'd been late finishing. I felt to keep the peace I should just go along with it and the next morning, Joe never mentioned or said thanks for backing him up so I left it. It was in the back of my mind that I didn't want him to lose his temper with me."
"But he never lost his temper with you, did he?" Ms Bishop asked her.
"No but he made me feel like he could do, without any warning. He lost his temper with his wife's nephew, right in front of me, I knew what he was capable of. I didn't say anything to his wife, who was then my friend, I didn't think she would believe me."
Ms Bishop carried on. "Miss Tyler, when did you and DI Hardy begin your affair?"
There were more murmurings around the room.
"We weren't having an affair. We began seeing each other after I told him about Joe Miller's temper. Neither of us were married so as such, it wasn't an affair and I resent you saying it was."
"Miss Tyler, while you shouldn't address Ms Bishop like that, I tend to agree. Ms Bishop, you will refrain from calling any relationship Miss Tyler and DI Hardy have as such, understood?" the judge told the defence.
"Sorry, your honour. "Miss Tyler, did DI Hardy, once you were involved, ask you to change your statement?"
"No, every time I was interviewed, another officer was with him."
Rose hoped that would be the end. Ms Bishop sat down but the prosecution got up again.
"One more thing Miss Tyler. Please tell the court exactly how Mr Miller threatened you outside your place of work."
"Objection," Ms Bishop stood up. "Mr Miller denies he was at Miss Tyler's place of work that morning."
"Miss Knight, is there any proof Mr Miller confronted Miss Tyler that morning?" the judge wanted to know.
"Yes, the cab driver who dropped Miss Tyler at work saw Mr Miller's car parked just where she was dropped. The police interviewed him and he gave a statement that as he drove off, he looked through his mirror and saw Mr Miller approach Miss Tyler."
There were murmurings again and Rose wondered where that had come from. It seemed Daniels had dug further than she thought he had.
Ms Knight wanted to carry on so Rose told the court how Joe had threatened her, with his young son in the back of the car.
"Your honour, Miss Tyler feared for herself and still choose to go back to work after the police interviewed her. DI Hardy had enough on the defendant to detain Mr Miller, which then led to Mr Miller admitting the offence and that he was the one who lost his temper and killed Danny Latimer that night."
"Objection," Ms Bishop stood again, Rose wishing they would let her go. "My client has since informed myself he only admitted it because he felt he had to. Now he is proclaiming he is innocent and DI Hardy arrested him on the word of his girlfriend."
The judge had to call the court to order.
"Your honour, that is pure speculation," Ms Knight defended Rose. "As the prosecution, I defended the decision to hold Mr Miller in custody as he did not proclaim he was innocent until fairly recently. We have reason to believe he had his mind changed for him."
"That's a bold statement, Ms Knight," the judge told her. "Ms Bishop, may I remind you that your client admitted his guilt upon his arrest, it's for the jury to decide and therefore, the jury will disregard what has just been said. Mr Miller's lateness in changing his mind will have no effect on the proceedings. The police had enough evidence to arrest the defendant at the time. Miss Tyler, you may step down."
Rose was thankful someone had finally remembered she was standing there but she didn't think that would be the end of it. After lunch, Ellie was finally called and Rose knew neither Ellie or herself were going to enjoy this but she was wrong. This was a very different Ellie to the one she'd been friends with. She wondered though exactly why Ellie had been called to give evidence, Alec hadn't said anything about what they could possibly ask her about but Rose had thought Ellie was more into defending her husband by saying he never showed his temper at home.
So basically, it would be Rose's word against the defendant's wife and Rose didn't like where this was going and the prosecution would have their work cut out for them.
"Mrs Miller," the defence addressed Rose's old friend, since the prosecution had no questions for her. "Did your husband ever show any tendencies of having a temper?"
"No, never. I don't know why he's been accused of having one, by someone who used to be our friend."
Alec was moving in his seat, dying to take Rose's hand.
"Mrs Miller, why would your former friend turn on your husband, when she used to work with him?"
"She's DI Hardy's girlfriend, he believed her," Ellie replied.
"Silence!" the judge called out to those who started talking. "The jury will disregard any statements made about any personal feelings. Mrs Miller, kindly refrain from letting your personal feelings interfere."
Ms Bishop finished and Ms Knight stood up.
"Mrs Miller, is it true you went to see the witness for the prosecution and told her she had got it wrong about your husband and when you'd been to see DI Hardy, you got in to see your husband?"
That was news to Alec. Who the hell had let her in? Heads would roll for that.
"I went to see her because I didn't believe it when Joe told me that she'd turned on him. She was wrong, I've never seen him lose his temper."
"Mrs Miller, did you visit your husband and convince him to change his plea?"
"Objection," Ms Bishop called out. "The prosecution is leading the witness."
"Ms Knight?" the judge addressed her.
"Your honour, Mr Miller didn't change his plea until his wife began visiting him while he was on remand and an officer in the police station admitted letting you see him for a few moments. Was that to get him out by him changing his statement?" Ms Knight asked Ellie.
Alec already knew what he'd be doing when he got back finding the idiot who had let her in. That though had probably not done the damage.
"I told him to tell me the truth, that he couldn't have killed Danny."
Alec thought no wonder Joe had changed his mind he'd been brainwashed by his wife into believing it himself. Ellie was let go but then her sister was called, Alec wondering why.
"Ms Stevens, tell the court what you saw the night Danny Latimer was killed," Ms Bishop asked her.
"A man in dark clothing, in the back street. He was putting something into a bin."
"Did you see who this man was?" Ms Bishop ask her. "Was it the defendant, Joe Miller?"
"No, I never recognised the person," Lucy replied.
Lucy was feeling pleased with herself after Ellie had persuaded Joe's defence to put her on the stand. She knew her sister had been disappointed, hoping she'd actually seen who was at the bin in the middle of the night but she'd talked Ellie round by pointing out as long as it wasn't Joe, he had nothing to worry about.
"Your honour, what is the point of this line of questioning?" Ms Knight objected.
"That will become clear, your honour," Ms Bishop told her. "The prosecution are maintaining my client is guilty, I am trying to maintain his innocence. If the person who killed Danny Latimer was panicking, they would try and get rid of any evidence. Therefore, if it was indeed Joe Miller disposing of something, he would have been recognised."
"By his own sister-in-law?" Ms Knight objected, Alec thinking about time as well.
He could see the jury members writing down notes. He didn't see the look on Sharon Bishop's face. She was by no means finished though as she let Lucy Stevens go.
"Your honour, I wish to recall Rose Tyler to the stand," the defence barrister stated.
Alec wanted to squeeze her hand to reassure her but Rose just got up. He knew the defence were trying to catch her out.
"Miss Tyler, what made you finally turn on your friends? Why did you just suddenly decide to tell DI Hardy you claimed you witnessed Mr Miller losing his temper when my client stated there was no such fight in the supermarket car park."
"What?" Rose asked. She had thought that had been covered while she'd been absent.
"I'll remind you. You told DI Hardy that my client ran a red light and almost collided with another car, then when you got out, after you came back out again, you claimed he was fighting with another driver. I put it to you that it wasn't Mr Miller you saw, was it?"
"It was him, if I'd known he was gonna start a fight, I'd never have left him."
"Then if as you claim, you saw him fighting why didn't you try and stop him?"
"He's bigger than me and there were two of them, some other men went to split them up."
"Is it true his wife called you to ask if you had been late finishing work?" she was asked.
Rose was sure that had come up before.
"I was just telling her we'd finished as normal when he walked into his house and I heard him tell her he'd dropped me at the supermarket then waited for me."
"Then I put it to you, why would he have picked a fight, if he claimed he was waiting for you?"
Alec thought so that was why she was changing her tactics? He tried to recall exactly what Joe Miller had said at the time.
"Did you correct his statement Miss Tyler?"
"I kept quiet because I didn't want to upset his wife. I could hear him saying he knew how long women took in the supermarket."
"Then I put it to you that was what he did Miss Tyler, there was no fight, was there?"
"Well if there was no fight, why did I tell my work partner about it, then DI Hardy?" Rose replied.
"Miss Tyler, please refrain from asking questions," the judge warned her.
"Sorry, your honour. When I got out of his car, he was going to write a note to the other driver, he'd no paper so I got out and I went in the supermarket. There was a fight going on when I came out, loads of people were watching."
"Then why did no-one report it? You were in the emergency services Miss Tyler, why didn't you report it?"
"I was scared of what he'd say afterwards, I had to work with him. Both him and the other driver went off and the next day, he never said anything about it. It bothered me all that time and if he was capable of erupting in a supermarket car park, then when I found out how Danny had died, I couldn't just keep it to myself any more."
"Your information led to my client being arrested Miss Tyler, didn't that bother you, the fact you were all friends?"
Ms Knight interrupted. "Objection, the witness's feelings are immaterial."
"I'll allow it, I'm sure the jury will want to know," the judge replied, Rose thinking she shouldn't have expected any less really.
"Yeah, I felt a little guilty but only for my friend, not Joe. I had to live with that, it was a relief to tell someone and the only reason I kept quiet was for my friend's and her kids' sakes. My partner kept saying for me to do something about it, when I told him but I left it."
"Your honour," Ms Knight interrupted. "Her last partner in the paramedics is willing to testify that Miss Tyler did tell him everything that happened in the supermarket and the fact she was worried what Mr Miller would do if she told the police. He will also testify that the day Mr Miller did threaten her, she was very upset and he encouraged the supervisor to call the police when Miss Tyler wanted to leave it."
"I see then," the judge replied. "Ms Bishop, where is this line of questioning going?"
"Just one more thing your honour. Miss Tyler, you were seen several times with DI Hardy, before Danny Latimer died. I put it to you, you were both involved before that day on the beach and you were trying to get your revenge on Mr Miller and since you were involved, DI Hardy believed you."
"What?" Alec muttered, the same time as Rose.
"Yes, we'd met at a few incidents, he'd just arrived in town, it was bound to happen," Rose replied, Alec covering his face.
"According to former DS Miller, he left her one afternoon when they had seen an ambulance to go see if it was you. Is that correct?"
Rose shook her head. "We were outside the harbour newsagents, he came to ask what was wrong, that's all. DS Miller could have asked me what had happened, if she had wanted. As a paramedic, we're obliged to reveal the nature of a callout if asked by a senior police officer. She never asked."
Alec suddenly felt proud of her.
"Did DI Hardy ask what happened?" Ms Bishop wanted to know.
"He wanted to know why we were there. The newsagent, who is now deceased was complaining of a shortness of breath. DI Hardy never asked what was wrong with the man and I wasn't obliged to say what was wrong with the newsagent."
She was sure Alec would be smiling as he recalled the event.
Sharon Bishop seemed like she'd run out of questions for now. The court was finally dismissed for the day and the next day, the closing statements would begin, so the judge informed them. Once outside though, Alec couldn't stop Ellie having another go at Rose.
"Why are you still insisting Joe started that fight?"
"Leave her alone," Alec warned her, trying to get between them. "She never said he started it, only he was fighting. Oh, that's what he told you and you're trying to hide it?" Alec asked her, just as Ms Knight was looking for them.
"What was that?" Ms Knight wanted to know. "That didn't come up in the questioning so there's only one way you could have known that," she told Ellie, whose sister was trying to lead her away. "He told you he started the fight, Miss Tyler couldn't have known that, when she was in the supermarket. He said at first he left afterwards but you got him to tell you, didn't you? Then you told him to change his plea. You do know you could be charged?"
"Leave it Ellie," Lucy was telling her.
"Joe wouldn't kill Danny, he was just going to warn him," Ellie began. "I didn't know about his temper, I still can't believe he has one. He said he got annoyed with Danny when he was trying to leave the hut. He knew Rose would pick up on it, after he suspected Rose saw him in the car park."
"I think you had better come with us," Alec told her, calling a WPC over. "Caution PC Miller and take her back to Broadchurch, have her write out a statement until Daniels and I get there."
The WPC nodded and took Ellie's arm, just as Daniels came along.
"See to Tom and Fred for me," she told her sister and Olly, who had just joined them and wondered what was going on, his aunt being led away.
"Will she get charged?" Rose asked as they left the building.
"That's up to the chief but she started in front of the prosecution. It may hold things up tomorrow, the defence will get to hear about it though, they may change tactics again and get him to change his plea again, if it all comes out Ellie made him change his mind because she couldn't accept he was capable, the jury will have no choice other than to find him guilty."
"So it could be over tomorrow?" Rose asked as he helped her into the car. "Can we get married then?"
Alec got in and leaned over to kiss her.
"Yes love, best have your mother get ready to come down eh? The town will need cheering up after tomorrow."
He dropped Rose at home then went to join Daniels, who was reading through Ellie's statement.
"Why did you turn on Rose?" Alec wanted to know.
"She told you about Joe's temper and she never told me," Ellie replied.
"Rose was trying to spare you. She thought if he didn't show his violent side at home, you'd be best not knowing about it. She was only thinking of you and you turned on her, not the other way around."
"Will you tell her I'm sorry?" Ellie asked him.
"She knows, she doesn't really blame you. It was only natural you believed your husband over her but he mislead you, you chose to twist it and got him to go along with it but in reality, you were doing exactly what he wanted you to do. I don't think we can charge you with anything other than you being his wife, you were defending him."
"He kept insisting he wasn't there and all along, he was. He told me you made him confess."
"I know, that's because Rose and I are involved. He thought he could use it against us and he got the right defence barrister to believe him. Once the judge sees your statement, she will order the defence to get him to change his plea."
Feeling more relaxed that night than they had in a while. Rose was falling asleep after gently making love, Alec trying not to squash her and said it would be good to get back to normal again.
"We've never done normal," Rose teased him. "When you came to town, all we did was get each other annoyed."
"Then we'll just have to make a new normal then love," he replied, kissing the top of her head. "So, are we having a quiet wedding?"
The next day, there was a delay in the court as the judge read through Ellie's late statement, Alec having sent copies to both barristers as well.
"Ms Bishop, Ms Knight. I have no choice but to not accept Mr Miller's plea of not guilty and therefore, I am going to direct the jury to bring in a verdict of guilty. He lied to yourself, Ms Bishop but it seems you didn't do too much to ask him why he changed his plea. Bailiff, the court may now proceed and I will address the jury."
Rose wondered what had been going on. Ellie was absent but Alec had told Rose her friend wasn't going to be charged with anything.
"I didn't want to fall out with her," Rose was telling him as they sat.
"I know love but maybe she's too embarrassed to come back here today. Why not send her a wedding invitation eh?"
"Sure ya don't mind?"
Alec just smiled and kissed the back of her hand.
"You were friends with her before you met me love. Seems like we are being allowed inside."
A short time later, they were all coming back out. There had only been one closing speech and that was given by the judge, without naming anyone but the Latimers and some of the others knew who had encouraged Joe to change his plea. The jury foreperson stood and declared they had found the defendant guilty, the judge to pass sentence at a closed hearing.
Rose went over to Beth when they got out, putting her arm around her friend as best as she could.
"Did you know she was covering for him?" Beth asked her.
"Alec thought it was something like that but she twisted everything because she didn't think he was capable, even after I stood up and said what happened while I worked with him."
"You had to live with it, all that time?" Mark wanted to know. "Well thanks for doing the right thing and telling on him. We'd never had got to the truth otherwise."
"We would have done but it would have taken a lot longer," Alec told him. "Rose and I are getting married soon, we'd like you to come."
"Yeah, we'll be there, if I'm not in labour," Beth joked.
"Well don't call me, I'm not a paramedic any longer," Rose laughed. "Beth, don't take it out on Ellie, please."
"We'll try not to, if she wants to be friends," Mark replied.
Two weeks later, they were on their honeymoon, Alec never telling Rose that he'd been to get the marriage licence before the trial had taken place because he'd wanted no delay once it was over. They just went down to Cornwall for a few days. The day after the wedding, Alec told her Joe Miller had received a stiff sentence and the Latimers and other people of the town had decided if he ever came back, they would run him out of town.
"Would they really do that?" Rose asked as they lay in bed.
"Well that or they will make life unpleasant for him so he'd want to leave. I don't think Ellie will come back, not now. Time to put it behind us now love, you have the baby to worry about and yes, I'm glad Beth had her baby, I wouldn't want her sending for you by mistake, in the middle of the night. Just one thing though love."
"Mmm, what's that?" Rose yawned.
"I'm glad you never told the court what really happened when we kept getting callouts."
Rose just giggled and replied, "So am I, I almost told ya we must stop meeting like this."
"You would have done if you'd not been so mad with me," Alec smiled.
"Then I guess you'll never know, will ya?"
Alec thought he could live with that.
The End!
Sorry for the long chapter!