Ashes to mars

To the roof

By dessert, Alex could easily see how Craig Peters had got to where he was. He had an unassuming charm and natural way with people that was persuasive and attractive.

All-in-all, she thought wryly, this date would be considered a success, if it weren't for the whole trying-to-pin-him-for-being-a-murdering-bastard part of the evening.

But so far, her subtle prompting hadn't got her very far. Both were trying to avoid saying too much, but surprisingly it hadn't stilted conversation.

Apparently, The Cave was the only place to end a night, or so he had said on Monday; on home turf, she hoped he'd be more inclined to drop his guard down.

"So, you from London?"

She looked up, smiling from her tiramisu. "Born and bred."

Alex blushed appropriately as his gaze looked over her appreciatively. He wanted to get with her that much was obvious, but she was sure the Guv wouldn't want her taking it that far to secure a confession.

"I've always wanted to go out with someone posh." He grinned.

"Is that why I'm the lucky lady tonight, then?" She grinned back, swallowing as his gaze didn't waver. "Nice pick on the restaurant, lovely ambiance."

Still, he stared at her. For the first time, she wondered if it wasn't entirely - "What is it you said you did for a living?"

She blinked, her train of thought interrupted. "I didn't, but I'm an air hostess."

"Just when I thought you couldn't get any more glamorous." He smiled, charming again, filling up her glass. "Champers?"

"Manchester's certainly more glamorous than I originally thought." She said, trying to link something in, find out something. "You read about all the crime in the North and it's puts you off, people need to come for themselves, see what it's really like." She admitted to him, taking a gulp of champagne.

"You thought there was a lot of crime?"

He asked it conversationally enough, but she wasn't sure it was enough to jump on.Sod it.

"Silly southerner that I am, yes I did. Take all those muggings happening in Oakwood Park and that Parlin boy, but I suppose it can't be any worse than London, you know." She didn't hesitate over the words, kept it smooth, kept it going; they'd been talking for a couple of hours, he shouldn't suspect anything.

He snorted, pouring himself some more champagne. "Probably not the London you're used to, though."

"No." She admitted again; to get something back, you had to give something away.

"Well, I'll have to get you acquainted with the real Manchester, won't I?" Again, he was giving her an unsettling look, but she just drunk from her glass.

He started leaning forward. "Mate of mine owns this place, I'll have to show you the view for upstairs."

From upstairs? On the roof? Alex wracked her brain, confused. She didn't know he had connections to Luddy's; her eyes drifted over to one of the waiters, watching him as he walked past.
He did all his business on the roof, that's what that bartender had said. Shit, wrong roof.

"I thought we'd be going to The Cave, after." She kept her face blank, innocent. But why did she have the distinct feeling that she was in over her head?

He was giving her that look again.

"Change of plans, love