Back in Town

Chapter 1: Liv Wright

Alec Hardy woke up to the sound of the phone ringing and snatched it off the side table with a growl. "What is it?"

He was suddenly wide awake at the sobbing voice on the other end. "Hardy. It's the pub. It's been broken into and the dispatcher says there's a victim at the scene, they say she's alive. Hardy, Liv was closing up tonight and I can't get her to answer her phone. I'm on my way. You've got to meet me there."

As he quickly got dressed, his mind started spinning on about the pub and that fateful day he actually took Ellie Miller up on her request to go there after finishing up the Trish Wintermen Assault Case.

-*-*-

*Eight Months Earlier*

Alec Hardy sat at the bar next to Ellie Miller, shifting uncomfortably as he eyed the other patrons cautiously. "I can't believe I let you talk me into coming to a pub tonight."

"Oh, c'mon Hardy, Daisy already had plans with Chloe. And besides, we need to celebrate!" Ellie Miller elbowed him and grinned.

Alec's left eyebrow raised. "And what exactly are we celebrating, Miller?"

"Putting another SOB in jail, making it through another case without killing each other, you making an attempt, albeit a poor one, to be a decent human being to SOCO Brian."

Alec let a single chuckle escape before shaking his head and taking another swig of his beer. "Whatever you say, Miller."

"Ellie, is that you!?" Alec didn't even take a look at the woman who approached from behind him towards Ellie. He just groaned quietly and hunched over his beer in an attempt to become invisible.

"Oh my god, Liv!" Ellie hopped up and hugged the woman. "You really are back!"

"I am! I got back into town two days ago and have been so busy settling back in at my flat, I haven't had the chance to phone you!" the woman replied, and Alec immediately picked up on her Scottish accent. He went through his mental list of possible Broadchurch residents who were from Scotland. He was coming up empty, and before he could consider further, he was seen. "I'm sorry, Elle, have I interrupted your date?"

"Oh, him?" Ellie responded, throwing her gaze over her shoulder, then turning. "No, this is my partner, er, boss, well whatever—Olivia Wright, meet Alec Hardy."

Alec took a deep breath in as he turned and tried his best to plant a courteous smile on his face. He was a bit stunned by the woman he saw. She was just a little taller than Miller, with long wavy red hair, and piercing blue green eyes. "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Wright."

Liv held out her hand. "Pleasure to meet you, Alec. It's Miss now, but please call me Olivia, or Liv."

Alec took her hand and hesitantly shook it, slowly the two pieces of information lined up in his mind and his left eyebrow lifted curiously, a smirk forming at the corner of his mouth. "Wait, your name is Liv Wright?"

Ellie giggled beside them. Liv sighed as she dropped Alec's hand and responded, "And yet again, my ex-husband has the last laugh. Yes, Alec, my name was Liv Wright. What Ellie doesn't know is that I recently had my name changed legally back to my maiden name." She looked to Ellie with a smile. "So, it's Miss Olivia MacDonald, thank you."

"Oh, you mean I can't make the joke anymore? How disappointing." Ellie grinned.

LIv rolled her eyes then playfully hit the other woman on the arm with the back of her hand. "Not unless you want Alec here investigating your murder."

"Well, okay, if you say so. But he—" Ellie motioned to Alec. "—doesn't like his first name, he prefers to be called 'Hardy.'"

Olivia turned to Alec with a smirk. "Then I suppose Alec shouldn't have made the Liv Wright joke, hmm?" She turned her head back to Ellie, glancing momentarily at her watch. "I'll let you two get back to your drinks. I'll call you later Ellie, unless you're going to be around for a while."