Alec Hardy and the fairground girl

Chapter 6

The jury were sent out and by four were sent home for the day, their verdict not reached and Alec got Ellie to take him back since he wanted to go through some other evidence with her and calling Tess, who had made some progress.

Rose was feeling miserable, the fair wasn't opening that night and she had to endure the evening watching TV and listening to her mother until she went to bed, cuddling the bear Alec had won for her and after telling the real Alec how much she missed him, fell asleep dreaming about the last time they had been together, hoping he would come and find her.

The next morning, Alec got a surprise as Claire turned up in court and flung the missing evidence bag with his writing on it at him. He called Tess and told her to get to the court and hauled Claire into the courtroom with him, warning her to keep quiet. The jury returned and everyone half expected the result but it still took it out of them and Joe Miller was told he was free to leave the court.

Beth Latimer was shouting at Ellie and Alec escorted Claire from the courtroom and into the waiting arms of Tess and a female officer, handing the evidence bag to her.

"It was you who broke into my car? Alec, are you coming with us?" Tess asked.

"Yes, we'll go back to Broadchurch, I'm sure Claire has plenty to say for herself and I can't wait to hear what it is, since she's had this all along."

He turned to Ellie. "Give me a lift back if you want to see this over with?"

"You mean go back to your girlfriend?"

Tess laughed at the idea. "What? He's got a secret girlfriend? No wonder he
tried to get rid of me on Friday night. He practically shoved me out on
Saturday morning. So who is she then?"

"She's out of town so you won't get to meet her, not that I would let you anyway."

"Oh, has the fair left already Hardy? You never even won that prize for
Fred. I thought she would have given you an extra turn at winning it?"

Tess was more than interested. "Do tell more Ellie, you mean his new girlfriend's with that fair that was behind his chalet?"

Ellie grinned at his discomfort. "Oh yes, didn't he tell you?"

Tess laughed. "Who would have thought it, no wonder he was so quick to deny you two were having an affair, who is she, some young twenty something
blonde?"

"Near enough."

"Have you two quite finished? Who I see is no-one else's business so let's get back to the matter at hand. Besides, she's gone now, I'll catch up with her when this is all over."

The two women just grinned at each other, they both liked to make him squirm.

Claire had plenty to say, including accusing Alec of making her have sex with
him against her will which amused Ellie but after he told Claire her game was up, everything came out, well more or less. Alec and Ellie left the station but instead of going to his chalet, they sat on the steps then Alec got a call. He dashed off to find Ashworth tearing Claire's old cottage apart after Alec had been confronted by him before he had left for court that morning, telling Ashworth it was all over.