Jim took a deep breath as he entered CSU; it had now been 12 weeks since
June had been killed and each day Jim was finding it harder to do his job.
A new sergeant had replaced her and it was heartbreaking for Jim to see someone else sat at was once his wife�s desk. He kept expecting her to be sat there working at the computer with her face breaking into a smile as he walked into the office, the smile which he could still see when close his eyes, wanting to know if Aimee was ok when he had dropped her off at nursery.
Each time he walked into that office the memories of that fatal day would replay in his mind, the look on Gina Gold�s face, the sound of Polly sobbing, the silence of the building as Jim left that day, the look on everyone�s faces.
The feelings of pain and emptiness were becoming more raw each day.
He sat his desk and looked at the picture of Aimee that was on his desk, it hurt him that she was the spit of her mother but it made him happy that he still had this ray of sunshine within his life.
�Jim, can I have a word�
Jim looked up at Gina, who was stood next to him
�Certainly ma�am�
�Can we go to Mr Okaro�s office�
�What�s wrong?�
�There have been some developments, I think it is best that we talk in private�
�Sure, no problem�
Jack shut the door of Adam�s office
�Sit down Jim� said Adam �We have just had a call from the
CPS...um...the case against Kevin Fletcher has been dropped...I am so sorry�
Jim bit back the tears to over ride the emotions of anger and pain
�What.... Why?�
Jack put his hand on Jim�s shoulder trying to offer some support�
�They decided...�Adam continued �...that there was no conclusive evidence to support the murder charge�
�No evidence...� Jim blew with anger �... that bastard killed my wife, he set up the situation, he�d been following her for weeks, he even came to our home, he followed June when she took Aimee to nursery, all those pictures in his flat and all those details he knew about June, stuff that only June and I knew about, he even knew that June was pregnant when she died...this can�t be happening�
�We are so sorry Jim� said Adam, knowing that what Jim had said was pretty damming evidence
�Saying sorry is not going to bring my wife back is it sir, not going to give Aimee her mum is it� Jim got to his feet and stormed out
�Shall I go after him?� Gina asked
�No I will� said Jack
Jack looked at Jim who was sat on the floor by the bench for June in the stations garden
�I know that this cannot be easy for you Jim, this was a cast iron case, we were sure of it, I let you down Jim, I let June down and I am sorry�
Jim looked up at him, tears streaking down his face
�Why did this happen to me, have I done something so terrible that I am not allowed the chance to be happy, what had June done to deserve that, why did that bastard chose her?�
�I really don�t know, I wish I could give you the answers, why someone so wonderful and caring as June could be targeted like that, why you have to live with this nightmare�
�I can�t do this anymore Jack, each day is a struggle, each time I walk into that office it hits me like it is happening all over again, it�s just to hard to do�
�Is it worse here than at home?� asked Jack as they sat on the bench
�At home I have not got to pretend to anyone, not got to put on an act,
Aimee makes things so much easier, she is my reason to keep strong�
�It is amazing how such a tiny person can have such an effect isn�t it?�
�Indeed, oh Jack, she is so like June in the way she acts, she is a complete carbon copy, that�s why I hoped that this would help end this nightmare, the case going to court, him going down would ease some of this pain.... but instead it has ripped open this gapping void within me�
�That is understandable, you lost your wife and a new child on the same day and to make things worse the day after June�s funeral it was Aimee�s birthday, it�s been hard but you are not alone in coping with this, everyone here is there for you if you need anything, you know that...�
�I know that but there are some things that I can only tackle on my own, some demons that I have to fight...the day after June�s funeral,
Aimee�s birthday was when things really hit me, I nearly lost it....�
�In what way�
Jim wiped tears from his face and took a deep breath in �It was the first time I had been left on my own since it had happened, Polly had gone and I found myself wandering around the house and my emotions got the better of me.... I went into the kitchen and took a bottle of vodka from the cupboard...Aimee began to cry just as I put the bottle to my lips and I suddenly realised that I owed it to this innocent child not to being drinking, she had already lost one parent and did not deserve to loose another, June would have been so disappointed if I turned to drink and let our daughter down�
He smiled at Jack �sorry to unload this all on you�
�Don�t be silly, these are tough times for you, for everyone, this is what friend are for, to help you, look why don�t you take some time off, go away somewhere, clear your head�
�I can�t, it would feel like I am running away�
�You would not be, I�ll speak to Mr Okaro for you�
�Thanks, it would be good�
Jim walked into the yard, the past fortnight with Aimee had done him the world of good, the had spent some of the time in Blackpool, he and June had discussed taking Aimee there to see the illuminations and he thought it was the best place to go, to do something June had wanted to do.
He had the chance to think about many things during the time off, the phone call he received from Adam Okaro had made him think about his future at Sun Hill. He looked down at his sleeping daughter in the buggy, he knew his decision was the right one, he owed it to Aimee, even though he felt as if he was betraying June and her memory. He knew in his heart that she would understand his decision.
�Jim� shouted Tony � It�s good to see you�
�Thanks mate�
�You look well� said Kerry as she hugged him �How you doing�
�I�m good, I have the chance to do some thinking, I�m here to see Mr
Okaro,
I�ve reached a decision about the future� Jim pulled a box from under the buggy �I bought this today � he took the lid of the box to reveal a gold locket witan angel on it and the words little angel on it �I�m going to put some photos of June in it for Aimee when she is older�
�That is a lovely idea Jim� replied Kerry
�Look we will be on refs in an hour, how about we meet in the canteen�
�Yeah that would be good Tone, I�ll meet you in there once I have seen the super�
�I�m glad you have made that decision Jim� said Adam �You are a too much of a good officer to lose�
�I could not have walked away from the job, it would have been betraying
June, her memory, at least by doing this I�m not�
�I admire your courage Jim, many people would have given up, taken the easy route�
�Walking away would have not been the easy option, it would have been running away, at least by doing this, regular hours I can be there for
Aimee�
�Well if things don�t work out we can see what we can offer�
�Thanks Sir, I am very grateful�
Jim sat down with Kerry, Nick, Tony and Polly
�You will be pleased to know that I am not leaving, I�m going to be back in uniform�
�That�s brilliant mate� said Nick
�I�m going to be working in CAD during the week so that I can be there for
Aimee, it was Mr Okaro�s idea�
�It will be good to have you back with us� said Polly
�June would be proud of you mate�
�Thanks Tone, I hope she would be�
Tony stood up and raised his tea cup �To June�
�June� echoed around canteen as others raised their cups
�My angel� said Jim and he looked down at Aimee, who was still asleep in her buggy � and more importantly daddy�s little angel�
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