just_muse_me | 27.1.4. Socrates quotes
27.1.4. "The hottest love has the coldest end." - Socrates
[Follows THIS, THIS and THIS]
The questioning had been one of the hardest things Stuart faced in his life. He knew, though, that it was sitting across that table from Tom in the cold, drab interview room had been the sole reason for that. Despite keeping a stony exterior, Stuart could just see from the dull look in his eyes that Tom was probably just feeling sick with dread about the whole horrible turn of events, but no matter how much Stuart tried, he couldn't read exactly how Tom was taking any of this... and it made Stuart want to scream in frustration at the gaping distance that was between them all of a sudden. The lawyer Tom's friend had arranged had been waiting there for them when they got there, and he was probably in Tom's realms professionally. A lot of the questions were understandably blocked, and once Stuart realised this, it did make the job slightly easier. It was when they got to the questions surrounding Tom's activities of the night and morning in question that Stuart started to waver again. The interview was being recorded on tape as well as video at the lawyer's request, Stuart felt like his whole life was on the line and at that point had to request a short break in the interview to escape to the nearest bathroom to throw up. It had somewhat helped ease the tension, and he managed to return to the interview promptly, though he found himself trying to avoid Tom's gaze until he was back in his seat.
The lawyer - thank fucking god - interjected on Gee's questions about Tom's whereabouts, but only after Tom admitted he had been with his lover that night, and for the whole night until he went to work the following morning. Stuart had caught the lawyer's eyes momentarily, evidently Tom would have told him what was going on here. When Gee tried to ask who the lover was, the lawyer cut her off saying that unless they charged Tom with something, he didn't have to answer that question. And indeed, that was much how the remainder of the interview played out, and ended a short time later. In essence, all the lawyer allowed questioning of was straight facts as to the victims time as an employee with Tom's law firm and Tom's version of events regarding the sexual relationship that had occurred. The hearsay card was heavily played, the lawyer firmly stating repeatedly that they had no proof Tom was anywhere near the victim that night or any time since the man had left his employment. If this had been any other suspect in any other case, Stuart would be pissed off and trying to breathe heavily down their necks for answers by that point. This time, he had never been so fucking glad to see the end of a witness interview. Of course, the lawyer was right. They thankfully didn't have enough to charge Tom with and had to let him leave once the interview was over. Stuart couldn't stick around and was the first to leave the interview room, head down in a mix of shame and a sheer attempt not to give into the emotions and start sobbing. He couldn't look at Tom and that thought made him feel sick, guilt gnawing painfully in his gut.
In fact, it was the guilt that soon found him sat in front of his boss' desk, wringing his hands in anxiety as he struggled to even get the words out immediately. Detective Inspector Corinne Masters had known something was wrong with her Scottish DC as soon as he had walked into the room. She waited for him to break the ice, though, and once it all spilled out of him in an avalanche, she had been faced with not only a serious professional issue, but also an ethical one. Stuart had gone on to outright present what they had on the case confidently and determinedly, telling her he could still work it despite the conflict of interest. He needed to do this, and he promised she would be the first to know if he wavered or was incapable of continuing. He wasn't going to resort to begging or anything else that would lead her to believe he wasn't acting on anything but his professional head. She told him she had to think about it, and he had gone back to his desk and just sat there, staring at his blank computer screen for an unknown period of time, lost in his swirl of thoughts.
It had only been when Gee went home that Stuart had gathered the confidence to go to their boss about his relationship with Tom. He just wasn't sure at first what it was that made him decide to come clean, but now he was sitting there alone with his thoughts awaiting his boss' decision on his future involvement in the murder case, he knew it was because of Tom. He owed it to Tom not to conceal this and to be honest, even if it risked his involvement on the case. That wasn't as important to Stuart as his relationship with Tom. He realised he would do anything to try and keep hold of that. He didn't want to lose Tom and his heart ached when he thought of the turmoil Tom must be in right then, and Stuart couldn't be with him to help him through it, to hold him and tell him it was going to be okay. A couple of helpless tears escaped before he could stop them and when he heard a soft, "DC Evans?" from behind him, he quickly put his hand up to brush them away, clearing his throat as he spun around in his seat.
"Sir," he greeted his boss, pushing up out of his chair so he was at least respectfully standing.
Corinne looked at him for a few moments with something akin to sympathetic uncertainty etched on her features. "I just had a phone call, Constable. I'm..." She hesitated, unable to stifle a small sigh of helplessness at what she was about to say. "Mr Hunt has been involved in a car accident. His driver ran a red light at a busy junction in the rush hour, and the car was impacted from the side by a van who had the green light. The driver was apparently under the influence, but only sustained minor injuries. Mr Hunt was... he had to be cut from car. He's being operated on to stop internal bleeding and suffered a serious head injury. They weren't able to tell me his prognosis. I'm sorry, Constable."
Stuart's breath left him in a rush when he felt like someone punched him in the gut. In fact, he fell back against his desk when his legs gave out, only just managing to catch the edge of it before he fell. He couldn't speak, and he wasn't even sure he could hear with the rushing ring suddenly in his ears like he was travelling through a windy tunnel. "No-" he got out as his breath escaped him in ragged panicked pants and tears of shock filled his eyes and spilled over. This wasn't supposed to happen, not when Stuart hadn't even had the chance to apologise to Tom for everything! "H-He cannae... he cannae be..." he stammered and then just covered his face with a sob, not even sure anymore what he was supposed to say. What really was left to say when your world felt like it came crashing down around you right when things should be so perfect?
Word Count | 1,271
[Follows THIS, THIS and THIS]
The questioning had been one of the hardest things Stuart faced in his life. He knew, though, that it was sitting across that table from Tom in the cold, drab interview room had been the sole reason for that. Despite keeping a stony exterior, Stuart could just see from the dull look in his eyes that Tom was probably just feeling sick with dread about the whole horrible turn of events, but no matter how much Stuart tried, he couldn't read exactly how Tom was taking any of this... and it made Stuart want to scream in frustration at the gaping distance that was between them all of a sudden. The lawyer Tom's friend had arranged had been waiting there for them when they got there, and he was probably in Tom's realms professionally. A lot of the questions were understandably blocked, and once Stuart realised this, it did make the job slightly easier. It was when they got to the questions surrounding Tom's activities of the night and morning in question that Stuart started to waver again. The interview was being recorded on tape as well as video at the lawyer's request, Stuart felt like his whole life was on the line and at that point had to request a short break in the interview to escape to the nearest bathroom to throw up. It had somewhat helped ease the tension, and he managed to return to the interview promptly, though he found himself trying to avoid Tom's gaze until he was back in his seat.
The lawyer - thank fucking god - interjected on Gee's questions about Tom's whereabouts, but only after Tom admitted he had been with his lover that night, and for the whole night until he went to work the following morning. Stuart had caught the lawyer's eyes momentarily, evidently Tom would have told him what was going on here. When Gee tried to ask who the lover was, the lawyer cut her off saying that unless they charged Tom with something, he didn't have to answer that question. And indeed, that was much how the remainder of the interview played out, and ended a short time later. In essence, all the lawyer allowed questioning of was straight facts as to the victims time as an employee with Tom's law firm and Tom's version of events regarding the sexual relationship that had occurred. The hearsay card was heavily played, the lawyer firmly stating repeatedly that they had no proof Tom was anywhere near the victim that night or any time since the man had left his employment. If this had been any other suspect in any other case, Stuart would be pissed off and trying to breathe heavily down their necks for answers by that point. This time, he had never been so fucking glad to see the end of a witness interview. Of course, the lawyer was right. They thankfully didn't have enough to charge Tom with and had to let him leave once the interview was over. Stuart couldn't stick around and was the first to leave the interview room, head down in a mix of shame and a sheer attempt not to give into the emotions and start sobbing. He couldn't look at Tom and that thought made him feel sick, guilt gnawing painfully in his gut.
In fact, it was the guilt that soon found him sat in front of his boss' desk, wringing his hands in anxiety as he struggled to even get the words out immediately. Detective Inspector Corinne Masters had known something was wrong with her Scottish DC as soon as he had walked into the room. She waited for him to break the ice, though, and once it all spilled out of him in an avalanche, she had been faced with not only a serious professional issue, but also an ethical one. Stuart had gone on to outright present what they had on the case confidently and determinedly, telling her he could still work it despite the conflict of interest. He needed to do this, and he promised she would be the first to know if he wavered or was incapable of continuing. He wasn't going to resort to begging or anything else that would lead her to believe he wasn't acting on anything but his professional head. She told him she had to think about it, and he had gone back to his desk and just sat there, staring at his blank computer screen for an unknown period of time, lost in his swirl of thoughts.
It had only been when Gee went home that Stuart had gathered the confidence to go to their boss about his relationship with Tom. He just wasn't sure at first what it was that made him decide to come clean, but now he was sitting there alone with his thoughts awaiting his boss' decision on his future involvement in the murder case, he knew it was because of Tom. He owed it to Tom not to conceal this and to be honest, even if it risked his involvement on the case. That wasn't as important to Stuart as his relationship with Tom. He realised he would do anything to try and keep hold of that. He didn't want to lose Tom and his heart ached when he thought of the turmoil Tom must be in right then, and Stuart couldn't be with him to help him through it, to hold him and tell him it was going to be okay. A couple of helpless tears escaped before he could stop them and when he heard a soft, "DC Evans?" from behind him, he quickly put his hand up to brush them away, clearing his throat as he spun around in his seat.
"Sir," he greeted his boss, pushing up out of his chair so he was at least respectfully standing.
Corinne looked at him for a few moments with something akin to sympathetic uncertainty etched on her features. "I just had a phone call, Constable. I'm..." She hesitated, unable to stifle a small sigh of helplessness at what she was about to say. "Mr Hunt has been involved in a car accident. His driver ran a red light at a busy junction in the rush hour, and the car was impacted from the side by a van who had the green light. The driver was apparently under the influence, but only sustained minor injuries. Mr Hunt was... he had to be cut from car. He's being operated on to stop internal bleeding and suffered a serious head injury. They weren't able to tell me his prognosis. I'm sorry, Constable."
Stuart's breath left him in a rush when he felt like someone punched him in the gut. In fact, he fell back against his desk when his legs gave out, only just managing to catch the edge of it before he fell. He couldn't speak, and he wasn't even sure he could hear with the rushing ring suddenly in his ears like he was travelling through a windy tunnel. "No-" he got out as his breath escaped him in ragged panicked pants and tears of shock filled his eyes and spilled over. This wasn't supposed to happen, not when Stuart hadn't even had the chance to apologise to Tom for everything! "H-He cannae... he cannae be..." he stammered and then just covered his face with a sob, not even sure anymore what he was supposed to say. What really was left to say when your world felt like it came crashing down around you right when things should be so perfect?
Word Count | 1,271