June stopped as they reached Gina Gold's office. "Well I guess this is it� why did it have to be Polly's day off..." June took a deep breath. "Come in with me... please."
"Course I will...but I can't do your talking for you. I can hold your hand, or whatever, but... you have to admit to what's happened."
"I know... you don't have to stay... I just need a friendly face til I've got it off my chest."
"When you want me to go, say the word. I have a statement to write anyway."
"You do." June squeezed his hand and rapped on the door.
"Come in." Gina called. June cracked open the door. "June... to what do I owe this pleasure?" As the door opened wider, she continued. "Jim...?"
"I need a word ma'am..." June faltered.
"I am rather busy." Gina sighed, gesturing to a pile of files.
June looked from Jim to Gina and then back again before bolting for the door. "I can't do this... sorry to waste your time."
"June..." Jim reached out, found and grabbed her hand. "Come on." He looked at Gina. "This is really important... and personal."
June turned to face Gina, her face pale. "Go on Jim... it's ok now. I'll tell her."
"You sure?"
June nodded. "I have to... I've got to keep my side of the deal."
"So do I. Come and find me when you're done." Jim left the room, but only walked a few paces away and then stopped, looking down the corridor at the office door.
Inside, Gina dropped her pen. "What is it, June?" She gestured her into a seat. "I have to admit... we've all noticed you haven't been yourself lately."
"I know that... there's reason for it though... and I need your help."
"You need my help?" Gina raised her eyebrows.
"Much as I hate to admit it... yes." June sunk into the chair opposite Gina.
"OK... look, June, you and I have never been the best of friends but I can tell that something's really troubling you. Whatever I can do to help you, I will." She leant forward. "Is it to do with Jim?"
"Not really..." June stuttered. "Well it all happened on the night of Jim's wedding but that's as far as the connection with him goes."
"What happened? I heard a rumour that you'd been in an accident or something... people saw bruises on your arm, but nothing more was said."
"I got jumped on my way home."
"Jumped... mugged?" Gina's face shot over with concern. "Why didn't you report it?"
"I couldn't..." June hung her head. "It was more than a mugging ma'am."
Gina stared at June for a moment. Then: "You're not saying..."
"He assaulted me..." She paused, took a deep breath, looking up at Gina with wide eyes. "He... raped me."
"Oh, god, June no...." Gina got up, moved round to June's side of the desk, hunkered down to her and placed an arm around her. "Why didn't you tell anybody?"
"I just hoped it would go away... I tried to forget it..." June wept.
"Oh... June, you know better than that..." Gina took a box of tissues from her desk and ripped out three, passing them to June. "I don't mean to sound harsh, but you need help, counselling... even if you may think you can deal with it on your own."
"I know I can't deal with it on my own... this proves that." She showed her wrist to Gina. "And what you saw on the bridge last night... we lied."
"You were going to...." Gina looked aghast.
June nodded. "Both of us..."
"What?" Gina pulled back. "But... there's nothing wrong with Jim, is there?"
"It was an over reaction... he's dealing with it."
"June, I need to know what's going on with my staff. You two are still uniformed officers. If there's a problem we deal with it. Together."
"His wife's beating him and her son. He's making a statement now... we're going to arrest her. Don't tell him I told you... please."
"And you've both been bottling all this up." Gina shook her head slowly. "I had a couple of timebombs on my hand and never knew it. Look - what do you want to do... if you want to try to carry on dealing with it on your own, then... alright, but if you want counselling..."
"I need help ma'am... it's taken me this long to admit it... I want to get my life back to normal. As for Jim... let us deal with that for the moment. If that's ok?" She looked up at Gina.
"Of course... it's a CSU case after all." Gina stood, moved back behind her desk. "I know a very good counsellor - she was a victim herself, she's one of the best."
June nodded. "I hate counsellors... but I hate being a victim more. I have to deal with this... if only to get a proper night's sleep."
"You'll be alright June. Looks like you've got some good support in Jim. What happened to his eye, by the way?"
"Erm..." June blushed. "I hit him... accidentally. I was having a nightmare."
"Oh dear." Gina tried not to smile but failed. "Still, after what he's put you through..."
"Ma'am!" June smiled. "Surely you don't condone fighting amongst your relief?"
"Of course not." Gina smirked. "It's good to see you smile."
"That's what Jim said earlier. It feels good to smile again. So will you make an appointment for me? Or do I have to do it?"
"I'll sort it out... I'm not saying you won't change your mind but you know as well as I do, it does happen." Gina sighed. "What about you and Jim... what's happening there?"
"I can't let anything happen right now... not after what gone on. But he's in a state over Marie... but he needs me. I can't stand by and watch it... I still..." She looked down at the floor. "...love him."
"Big surprise there." Gina looked at her and winked. "We'd never have figured it. He's a good man, June, keep hold of him."
"I'll try... if things happen they happen. It'll take time but the opportunity is there... if it does I'm not giving him up so easily this time."
"I don't think he will either. I think he's realised his mistake. So... what are you going to do now?"
"That's up to Jim... we made a promise that if I got help he'd report Marie... I've seen his bruises..." June shook her head. "He's got to get her arrested before she kills him."
"And are you going to arrest her?"
"I think he wants to do it... but I'll go with him to their house... if he still wants me to."
"OK. If you need assistance, you know where we are." June nodded, thanking Gina. She left the office, and headed up the stairs to the CSU where Jim was typing away at his computer.
He looked up as she approached. "All sorted?"
"Yeah... she's contacting a counsellor for me. What about you?"
"I thought this would be hard to do, but once I started, it's just all come out. I've kept it concise... I think there's enough to warrant an arrest." He hit "print" and wandered over to the printer. "Can't believe I'm going to arrest my own wife... don't even know if I'm allowed to."
"Probably not Jim... I'll come with you to the house... we'll take it from there."
"Yeah... she'd just love it if you arrested her. You're one of her favourite topics of conversation."
"Oh dear." June groaned. "Do you want me to read that through for you?"
Jim looked down at the papers in his hand. "Please." He passed it over. June headed to her desk and slipped on her glasses, while Jim sat in his chair and directed his attention out of the window.
June read in silence, pausing only to wipe tears from her eyes. She reached the end and looked up. "Oh Jim... how did it get so bad? Why didn't you talk to me?"
"You were blanking me, I didn't think..." Hex shook his head, still refusing to look at her.
"I'm sorry Jim." She stood and crossed the room, stopping beside him, one hand gripping his shoulder. "If only I hadn't ignored you... we could have nipped it in the bud."
"I kept hoping she'd stop." He shrugged. "But she never has. If anything, it's just got worse."
"Then we've got to do it... got to make her stop. Are you ready?"
"As I'll ever be." Jim stood, retrieved his coat from the stand. "Let's do this."
June grabbed her radio and picked up her handbag. "So who's driving?" She smiled.
"You, my hands are shaking."
"So are mine." She placed her hand on his back. "The sooner we get there, the sooner it'll be over with."
***
They finally drew up outside Jim's house. The curtains were open; signifying Marie must have finally woken up.
"Ben's at school - maybe we should get a uniform officer and a social worker to go pick him up." Jim stated, resolutely all business.
"Later... there's a good few hours til school finishes for the day... we don't want to alarm him unnecessarily do we?"
"He's going to know sooner or later... June, Ben and I have discussed this, and he says if he has to go into care for a while, he can cope with that. I said no, of course, but... he's more worried about me than himself." Shaking his head, he continued. "Get someone down there to him. Make the call. I'll go in first." He opened the car door.
"If you insist... why don't you wait for me to go in though?" She paused. "Or do you want to see her alone first."
"I want to see her alone. I owe her that much."
"I'll give you five minutes..." June sighed, picking up her radio.
"Thanks." Jim walked slowly up the path, and let himself into the house with his key, deliberately leaving the front door open. After a brief search, he found Marie in the kitchen, peeling potatoes. He leant up against the doorframe. "Marie."
"Decided to come home did you?" Marie spat, not even bothering to turn round. "Your floozy throw you out?"
"I told you I was at work."
"Yeah yeah... as always." Marie spun to face him. "What happened to your face?"
"I'm a policeman, it happens."
"You're also a husband remember."
"As I said last night, you knew what you were taking on when you married me."
"It would be nice to see you every now and again. So where'd you spend the night then? With *her*?" Marie sneered.
Jim stared at her impassively. "I'm not going to let you do this to me."
"You're not denying it then... had to happen sooner or later I guess."
"I did not sleep with June Ackland last night." Jim snapped. "Though, it doesn't matter what I say, does it, you'll believe what you want."
"But you spent the night with her? Gee thanks Jim, we've only been married a few months and you're already back with your old flame."
"Married - what kind of marriage is this?!" Jim stepped further into the room. "It's certainly not how I envisaged wedded bliss."
"Me neither. I expected to see my husband once in a while..." She banged the knife down on the worktop. "So I suppose you're just here to change your clothes then head back to her."
"No... that's not why I'm here."
"What then? Are you leaving me?" She laughed.
"Yes. As a matter of fact I am." Jim looked up as he heard June's heels clip-clopping into the house. "In the kitchen, June."
"Brought your tart with you too? Oh how cosy."
"I'm afraid this *tart* is here in an official capacity." June barked.
"Thought I'd have succeeded in scaring you off Jim... men even. Obviously not." Marie's fingers curled around the knife handle.
"What do you mean by that?" June stepped forward, her gaze narrowing into a glare.
"My little wedding present to you..."
June gaped at Marie. Jim stepped closer. "If you're saying what I think you're saying... for God's sake Marie how could you DO that to another woman?!"
"Waste of money wasn't it? She's still following you round like a love sick puppy."
"Oh my god...." Jim swallowed, seethed. "This should have happened a whole lot sooner, I thought I was protecting Ben but he shouldn't have to be brought up by anyone as sick as you a moment longer."
"Me sick? What about you two." Marie hissed, slowly approaching them.
"We have done NOTHING wrong. I've tried to love you, Marie, I've tried to understand you, but it's impossible! You're evil! June...."
"You deserved to be raped you husband stealing whore." Marie lunged for June with the knife.
June flung her arm up in front of her face to defend herself. She cried out in pain as the blade scored her arm deeply. "Aaaahh!" She doubled up, clutching her wounded arm to her chest.
Marie smirked. "Hurt did it? There's plenty more where that came from..." She lunged again.
"MARIE!" Jim jumped forward. He placed his body between June and Marie. "MARIE, for god's sake STOP th..." There was a sudden silence. It was broken by the sound of the knife clattering to the floor�
on to Part 6