Broadchurch

Chapter 9

Ellie is almost ready to give up on Paul. He is not providing any useful evidence towards the disappearance of her son. She asks him one more question. "Ok Paul, I'm going to ask you again. Have you been drinking?" He then replies "Ok. You got me. I've had a couple of drinks". Ellie is not surprised by this confession because she remembers during the Latimer case D.I. Hardy interrogating Paul about attending alcoholics anonymous meetings. "And have you seen Tom?" She asks. If he's been lying to her some of the time then perhaps he has seen him. Even been with him. "No I haven't." Ellie's face drops. She thought she was going to get good news out of him. "But I did see a lady with a dog. She was with someone" He says. Ellie, Mark and Nigels face's inlighten. "Perhaps it could've been Tom" they all think to themselves. Ellie then says "Ok Paul, I'm going to let you off this one. You are free to go. Go home. That's an order." Pauls face gives a smile. He is free. At least for now.. Ellie knew if D.I. Hardy was here she would've been dead meat.

Ellie Miller is now alone. Both Mark and Nigel have now left her. She had been to the caravan park to see wether Susan Wright was there. She wasn't. Ellie is giving up. But she knows that she can't. She walks down the High Street just hoping for Tom to come out of nowhere. The air is cold. The time is 4AM. She can see the sun rising. She has spent almost 8 hours looking for her son and is still not any closer to finding him. She wonders about Alec. She wonders how he is doing. She misses him. She secretly enjoys having him around. She wouldn't dare tell him that though. Ellie wonders where Tom could possibly be. Then again he never thought that he would run away. He seemed like such a happy child, at least before Danny died.