Broadchurch: Blast From The Past

Chapter 2

TW: Foul language, discussion of murder

Ellie's reaction to the crime scene was the same as Alec's: "What the fuck?"

"Frank says SOCO should be here within the hour." Alec nodded to the squad car. "Dirty Brian's on holiday, so it'll be his locum."

"Where's Brian holidaying? Maybe we can talk him into coming back early."

"Doubt it. He's in Rome."

"Yeah, I wouldn't come back either." Ellie circled the tree, careful not to get too close and disturb evidence. "Why shoot him, then go to the trouble of stringing him up?"

"Maybe it's a statement." Alec kept pace with her. "Also, I think he was dead before he was hung. This isn't enough blood for a gunshot wound like that."

"Aww," Ellie whined. "I hate the ones with second locations. So much ground to cover."

"At least I can drive now."

"As opposed to me being your personal taxi?"

"Don't pretend you didn't enjoy our intellectual conversations."

"No, I do not miss our shouting matches." Ellie rubbed her hands together. "We should be getting hazard pay in this weather."

"And you always bragging about how warm-blooded you are."

"That's one of the things I miss about having a boyfriend," Ellie remarked wistfully. "Some guys can give you hugs that warm up your whole body."

"You mean like this?" Alec enveloped her in a huge, exaggerated hug from behind. "Is that better?"

"Get off me!" She shoved him away because he expected her to. "You're so skinny you'll give me a paper cut!"

Alec shot her a smile and paced around to the other side of the tree. He'd loosened up in the years since he came to Broadchurch, but these playful moments were still rare. Half the team had never even seen him smile.There one exception: whenever there were kids around, Alec's Dad Mode activated and he lit up like a Christmas tree. Somewhere in the office was a picture of him beaming at a little girl—the daughter of a murder victim—while she ruffled his hair. He threatened to burn the picture every time it turned up, so of course Bob made copies.

A trio of white vans pulled up behind the cars. Scene of the Crime Officers had arrived. The investigation was on.

~~~

Alec, Ellie, and SOCO were still up on Briar Cliff at sunrise. Everyone took turns hiding in the vehicles to warm up, and, judging by the look on his face, Brian's locum was seriously questioning his life choices.

"Shit," Ellie muttered during one of her and Alec's sojourns to the SOCO van. "I have to text Olly."

"Why?" Alec demanded. He and Ellie's journalist nephew, Oliver, were mortal enemies.

"We have an agreement: if he doesn't break the story before we have a handle on things, I'll give him first dibs on the press releases. If he breaks it early, I'll bury him."

"If it keeps his and Maggie's noses out of our business, by all means."

Ellie used voice text so she wouldn't have to take her gloves off. Body on BriarCliff, no ID yet. DO NOT PUBLISH. Will send press release as agreed.

"Will he be up this early?" Alec asked.

"Nope."

"Good. Anything that annoys that little shit is fine by me." In the depths of his winter coat, Alec's phone started to ring. He dug it out just before it went to voicemail; it was Daisy. "Hi, darlin'."