Broadchurch: Across the Pond

Chapter 12

TW: foul language

Keith Larson watched the Brits disappear around the corner. The man, Alec, was moving a bit stiffly, but seemed to have recovered well. He needed surgery before his condition got worse. Keith hadn't bothered telling him that, since he obviously wasn't the listening type.

He was surprised by the encounter. He'd thought that the Brits would be brutes. They had roughed him up a bit, but it was a reasonable reaction. He should have known better than to run from cops. He suspected that his flight had caused the male detective's episode. The thought filled him with guilt, which was why he'd told them the last bit, something he'd never told anyone.

Rubbing the lump on his forehead, Keith decided that the Brits were good folks. Maybe they could get justice for Leslie, 'cause nobody else seemed to care.Right now, though, he needed to call his contact and lie his head off.

"It's all good,amigo," he told his contact. "Of course, I didn't tell them anything new. I know who's got my back. I gave them some generic shit and sent them on their way. That's all. Don't be too hard on 'em, okay? Later."

Back at the office, Alec collapsed into a chair. He leaned his elbows on his knees and tried to catch his breath.

"Can I do anything?" Ellie asked him quietly.

He shook his head wordlessly

Of course, that was when Sanchez burst into the room like an angry bull.

"What the hell were you thinking?" he bellowed, red-faced. "You could've ruined that kid's life! You're lucky I figured out where you'd gone, otherwise--"

That was it for Alec's temper. Tired, sore, and in no mood to take shit from a stranger, he stumbled to his feet. "Don't you dare reprimand us, Sanchez! You've got no authority over us. We're here to help you."

"You can't keep running off," Sanchez retorted, stepping right up to the much-taller Alec. "There's protocols you need to follow!

"Fuck protocol!" Alec yelled in his face. "We wouldn't have to go anywhere if you'd just let us interview people."

"They've been interviewed!"

"Not by us, they haven't!"

Ellie put an end to the testosterone-fueled pissing match before it came to blows. "It was my idea!"

Her outburst drew the attention of both men. Alec looked annoyed, but Sanchez was downright shocked.

"Your idea?" he repeated.

"Yeah, my idea," Ellie shot back. "We're in the dark, here, Sanchez. You haven't given us shit. What does your team even do, besides gossip and get food poisoning?"

Sanchez's face went from red to purple. "Get out. Come back tomorrow, when you've come to your senses."

"Fine with me," Alec snarled, and stalked from the room.

Ellie was hot on his heels. She grabbed his arm to slow him down; the last thing they needed was for Alec to keel over in front of everyone. Of course, the motion would just reinforce what everyone already assumed: that the two were a couple. Judging by Alec's glower, he cared even less than Ellie, and she didn't give a dog's shit.

Alec fell right into bed, as he often did after an episode. When he woke up, he and Ellie debated at length whether they should even go in the next morning. They decided that they had to: Sanchez's team was miles away from solving the case. If the victims were to get justice, it wouldhave to come from the Brits.

That didn't mean they had to enjoy it.

"I would kill for some tea," Alec muttered. "Proper tea. God, why didn't I pack any?"

"You're a cop,standing in front of a murder wall, talking about killing people," Ellie pointed out. "Do you see the irony?"

Sanchez tapped on the office door and stuck his head in. "Hey, guys."

Alec didn't even glance at him. "As you can see, we're in our little cage, just like you want us."

"Yeah, about yesterday." Sanchez scratched his ear. "I overreacted. We all ok a liking to that kid, and I couldn't stand thinking about his future getting messed up just because he lived next to a murder victim. I'm sorry."

"Thank you, "Ellie replied. God knew Alec wasn't going to say anything.

"And to prove how sorry I am," Sanchez continued, "I want to invite you out with us tonight."

"Out?" Alec echoed at the same time that Ellie asked, "Us?

"The team and I are going out for drinks after work. I'm officially inviting you to come with us. Consider it an olive branch."

"Tequila-soaked olive branch," Alec grumbled under his breath. Louder, he said, "I don't drink, but Miller might be interested."

"Miller doesn't go anywhere without Hardy," Ellie piped up, placing the decision firmly in her boss's lap.

"Thanks for the invite." Alec pretended to squint at the map wall so he wouldn't have to look at anyone. "We'll think about it."

"It's up to you,  amigo. Like I said, olive branch." Sanchez tossed off a cheeky salute and left.

"Well?" Ellie ventured. "What do you think?"

Alec gave her a stern look over the rim of his reading glasses. "If you want to go, that's your choice."

"I want to go, but..." Embarrassed, Ellie fiddled with her necklace. "I don't..."

"What?" Alec demanded. His accent was so thick with frustration that it came out as "wot?"

"I don't know anyone here."

 He stared at her for awhile before he sighed, and deflated like a punctured balloon."God's sake." He leaned out the door. "Sanchez, let us know before you leave, we're tagging along!"