Broadchurch: Blast From The Past

Chapter 5

TW: foul language

Alec's call to his ex wife took up most of the fifteen minutes, and any patience he had left. In hindsight, Ellie thought it lucky that he threw a Kleenex box against the wall instead of the nearby potted plant. He calmed down after talking to Daisy, then had her pass the phone to the boys so Ellie could talk to them. Everyone finally hung up after nearly half an hour.

Alec dropped into a chair. "Status report?"

"Mark is going to stay with Beth and Chloe," Ellie reported. "He'll keep them safe. Patrol is sending a car out to Nigel's house. Erm, Jocelyn Knight is in London, so Olly's staying at Maggie's house overnight."

"How 'bout your boys?"

"My sister's out of town with her latest boyfriend."

"I'm in the same boat," Alec admitted. "Tess can't come get Daisy until tomorrow."

Ellie blew out a breath and wracked her brain. "What if we all hunker down at your place?"

"What?"

"Neither of us can afford a hotel, and the kids would be miserable. Susan Wright knows where I live, but she doesn't know where you live. Your place is the safest option we have. Anybody'd play hell getting past both of us."

"You want turn my house into a doomsday slumber party?"

"Do you have a better idea?"

"No," Alec admitted. "Right, then."

The SOCO van pulled up.

"You go talk to them," Alec ordered. "I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?"

"The loo, if you must know." Her horrified expression made Alec smirk as he locked himself in the bathroom. Alone, he took off his coat and suit jacket, unbuttoned his shirt and pulled it aside.

There was a deep bruise on the left side of his chest. He touched it, lightly, the got dressed, and walked out.

Outside, one of the SOCO techs was under Ellie's car unofficially assessing the damage. She reported that the tie rod was cracked, two tires popped,and the shocks on driver's side knackered. In short, the station wagon was totaled.

"Shiiiiit," Ellie groaned. "Stupid bitch ruined my car."

"We don't know that it was her," Alec said reasonably.

"Whoever ruined my car is a stupid bitch."

"Fair enough. Let's get back to the station."

They set off for the ShitMobile. Ellie flipped her hood up against the cold. "Think I could write a new car off as a work expense?"

"Worth a bloody try." Hoping cheer her up, Alec remarked, "Too bad she didn't hit my car. We'd be picking up pieces of that sedan."

"I'm pretty sure the ShitMobile could withstand a missile strike." Ellie clambered into the passenger seat. "Now if you'd just put running boards on the damn thing."

"There's one on my side."

"Doesn't help me at all."

"It's not my fault you're barely five feet tall."

"Piss off, Hardy!"

---

Word of the assassination attempt reached Chief Superintendent Elaine Jenkins on before the victims did. She was waiting in Alec's office when he and Ellie arrived; they stood in front of her like kids in the headmaster's office.

"You're both to take the rest of the day off," she said without preamble.

Alec and Ellie answered in unison: "What? No!"

"Yes!" Jenkinson contradicted. "Ellie's car is destroyed, and you've both had a shock. It's a miracle neither of you were seriously injured. Take today, get some rest, and be back first thing tomorrow." She gave them a stern look. "That's an order."

She left before either of them could mouth off.

"What now?"Ellie grumbled.

Alec leaned against the desk and rubbed his eyes. "Now, we have a doomsday sleepover at my place. This is a nightmare. What am I supposed do about supper for five people?"

"I'll cook," Ellie said soothingly

"There's nothing to cook! All I've got is-is-is tea, and almond milk, and bagels!"

"Bagels and—wait, why do you have almond milk?"

"Daisy's on a health kick, says cow are destroying the planet." Alec stuffed his hands in his pockets, thinking hard. "Might be a chocolate pumpkin in the fridge, though."

Ellie sighed. She was sure she could find something in Alec's house worth cooking. Then again, given how skinny the man was...maybe not.

Alec had never had a house full of guests, and if it hadn't been a matter of safety he would've ejected every last one of them. Fred, Ellie's youngest, was seven, and a tornado of energy. Tom, the oldest, was almost seventeen. He was excellent at looking after his little brother, but he only had so much patience, since he was a kid himself. Ellie did her best to corral the lot, futilely. Daisy and Alec ended up sitting on the couch watching the chaos.

Alec watched Fred launch himself over the love seat and wondered when bedtime was. "Remind me why I'm doing this?" he asked Daisy.

"To protect us from a psycho?"

"Ah, there it is."

"You look tired," Daisy remarked.

"A bit," Alec admitted.

"Did it have something to do with getting hit by a car?"

"Prob'ly. I'd feel a lot better if there wasn't circus in my living room." Alec looked away from the chaos, down at his daughter. "Is your mum coming to get you tomorrow?"

"If she has time," Daisy said bitterly. "I think I'm going to get a winter job and save up for a car, because this is stupid."

"If Miller's car wasn't trashed, I'd let you borrow mine."

"Oh, I couldn't take the ShitMobile away from you."

"Only because you're too embarrassed to be seen in it." He leaned down so they wouldn't be overhead. "Do you have any ideas for dinner?"

"Horse tranquilizers?"

"I like the way you think."

Dinner was sandwiches, and bedtime, it turned out, was at eight.

"Are you sure you don't want me to take the sofa?" Ellie asked, watching Alec change the sheets on his bed.

"'Course not,you're a guest," he answered calmly. He spread out the comforter. "There you go. Cozy as a bachelor pad gets. There's lavender linen spray in the nightstand if you want it."

"Why do you have lavender anything?"

"Daisy." Her name was the only explanation required. Alec glanced around the room. "So, um, I'll be downstairs. Let me know if you need anything, yeah?"

"Okay. Get some sleep."

"You too. And you're welcome to spend as many nights here as you need."

"Thanks,"Ellie said. "Good night, Alec."

"Goodnight...Miller."

Alec shut the door behind him. Exhausted, Ellie climbed into bed. It was funny: even with fresh sheets, the pillow and comforter still smelled like Alec.It was a blend of his aftershave, laundry soap, sea air—wait  a second. As soon as she thought that, she got the linen spray out of the nightstand, and doused the whole bed. The scent of lavender replaced Alec's familiar smell. Much better.

Right?