First Friendly Face

A Kind Gift

Thank you to my three people who read the first chapter over three days :) ilysm. 

The whole time he had spent in Broadchurch he had never noticed the young girl. 

"You from around here?" He asked her. Alec noticed the girls eyes widen. 

"Um...I have a little sort of hut at the end of this road." She told him. 

"Just down there." She pointed down the road. Alec looked towards where she was pointing. 

"Alone?" He asked as he turned back towards her. She hesitated for a moment. 

"Yeah." She mumbled. She lowered her head to the ground as if she was ashamed. Alec looked at the top of her head. She had the same hair color as his daughter. 

"Come with me." He told her as he took a big breath. Her head shot up. 

"What?" She asked him. 

"Come on." He nodded as he turned to walk down the road. The girl looked behind her and then chose to follow him. 

Alec and the young girl walked down the main street in Broadchurch. The young girl wondered if she was in trouble for bringing in evidence that she thought they needed. She didn't want to be in trouble. She had too much on her mind at the moment. 

Alec didn't know who this girl was or anything about her but she was alone and he knew how that felt. He didn't want her to feel like that. 

"Where are we going?" The girl asked. Alec turned to her as he continued to walk. 

"Traders." He replied. He turned back to look where he was walking. The girl looked dumbfounded at him. 

"Why are we going to the traders?" She asked him. She tripped on her foot as she said it. 

"To get you a room. Why else?" He didn't look at her this time. 

"What's your name anyway?" He asked her. The girl paused for a moment. 

"Jenny." She replied. 

"Jenny...Ok." He mumbled to himself. 

They turned to the Tarders front door and Alec held it open for her. 

"Thanks." Jenny thanked him quietly. Alec nodded in return. 

They walked in and looked around. It was sort of Victorian, she liked it. Alec walked by her to an archway into the pub. He turned to her before he walked in. 

"Stay here. Look at the...brochures." He told her. Jenny nodded. 

Alec walked into the pub and over to Becca Fisher, the girl who ran the Traders. 

"Hey, bad day at work?" She asked him cheerfully. Alec sat down in one of the chairs. 

"A water please." He told her. She nodded and went to work behind the counter. Alec rubbed his eyes in frustration. He knew he was going to have to pay for this room but honestly he didn't have the money for it. 

"Here. Have it on the house." She handed him the water and smiled. He took a sip and then put it down. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his pills. He popped one out and then threw it in his mouth. He took a swish of water and swallowed. 

"You alright?" Becca asked him. He put his glass down. 

"How much will another room cost me?" He asked her. Becca looked at him quizzically. She put her hands on her hips. 

"Why would you want another room?" She asked him. Alec ran a hand through his hair. 

"A girl...Jenny...came and brought me Danny's phone. She found it on the street. She lives alone in a small hut. She needs a room." He said as if he was proving a point. 

"Oh...how old is she?" Becca asked him. 

"Twelve or thirteen." He replied as he took another drink. 

"Well the cheapest I can go is about eight dollars a night. I doubt the Police will cover it." She told him. 

"I know, I'll pay." He said. 

He then stood up and walked out of the pub and into the enterance. Jenny was over sitting on the stairs reading a brochure. 

"Come on." He motioned to her as he walked to the door. 

Jenny quickly put down the brochure and jumped up to follow. They walked around to the side of the building. There were lines of rooms down the side. Alec went to the very last one and opened the door. Jenny noticed that he had trouble with the door. His hand was shaking a bit. 

"You ok?" Jenny asked him. He didn't look at her but simply replied "Fine." 

He finally opened the door and stepped back for Jenny to enter. She walked in and looked around. She put down her purse on the bed. 

"Thanks." She turned to look at Alec. He took one look at her and then looked down at the floor. 

"Yeah. I'm going back to work and I want you to go down to your hut and get your things."