In the village of Oakvale-On-Roe – (020) Scene of Crime

 Hannah Wells was very excited when Aoife Shannon took the call for Macbeths stables, but then Aoife said

“Ok I’ll be there in a couple of hours”

While she watched Aoife get her kit together, she thought it was like getting a treat and then having it snatched away at the last minute.

She took a deep breath and totally out of character she somehow summoned up the courage to say, well blurt out really

“Let me do this one”

“What?” Aoife replied  

“Let me do it”

“You’ve just got back from a job, it’s my turn” she said

“But…”

“What’s in Oakdale that’s got you so forceful?” Aoife asked “Or is it someone? Come on out with it” 

 

Scenes of Crime Officer Hannah Wells was a plain emaciated looking girl, stick thin with straight shoulder length blonde hair and as she never wore make up at work she looked five years older than the twenty-six, she actually was, but she had the most stunning eyes.

She also wore masculine looking clothes to work, and the gossip in the department was that she was a lesbian, the truth however couldn’t have been further from the truth, if anyone outside of her closest circle ever saw her outside of work she would not have been recognized.

Even though her features were plain there was something about her that shone through from within and as a result of that she was never short of a date, not because she was an easy lay but because she was good company, she had in fact only had four lovers in her life, as of that moment there was no one special in her life.

But feelings had been reawakened in her that had been lying dormant for many years, until the previous month when she was last in Oakvale gathering evidence in Farmers Lane, when she saw Joe Macbeth walking down the lane.

They had been at university at the same time and were in the same  first year accommodation block, but although they socialised in the union they didn’t get together, even though they had a drunken kiss on New Years Eve and she wanted more, but after the first year they went into different rental houses and only saw one another periodically. 

He didn’t recognise her in the lane as she was wearing a paper suit and she didn’t speak to him because she was busy working, but now thanks to Aoife and some burglars she had a second chance.

 

Ross Grant was still at Macbeths when she drove up in the van

“Hi Hannah, I was expecting Aoife”

“Yes, change of plan” she replied enigmatically

“Ok come inside and I’ll show the point of entry”

They walked across the yard where Ross knocked on the door and walked in

“Joe this is….”

“Hannah Wells!” he exclaimed “As I live and breathe, I haven’t seen you since uni”

“Hello Joe” she said shyly

 

After she had seen everything, she needed to inside they stepped back into the yard

“I take it Joe was the reason for the change of plan?” He asked and she blushed

“It was for operational reasons” she rebuffed

“Of course,” he said and then Ross showed her the route from the house to the barn and the barn itself and then as they walked back to the van, he said

“There’s also some nice tyre prints about 20 yards from the gate, it looks like a trailer has gone onto the verge when they were reversing up toward the gate” he said

“Ok thanks I’ll take a look” she said

“Oh, and good luck” he called when he reached his car and she blushed again

 

When she had finished fingerprinting and making casts, Hannah got everything back in the van and removed her paper suit and overshoes, and after closing the door she pondered whether or not she should go in and say goodbye to Joe, but in the end she lost her nerve, but when she had her hand on the driver’s door handle a voice called from behind her.

“Are you all done?”

“Yes, just finished,” she replied  

“Have you got time for coffee?” Joe asked

“I think so” she replied after consulting her watch and was smiling as she followed him back into the house and spent a pleasant hour sat in the kitchen drinking coffee and reminiscing about their time at university.

But neither of them mentioned the elephant in the room, the passionate alcohol fuelled New Years Eve kiss.

They may have gotten round to it but as it was the reunion was cut short when her phone rang.

“Hannah Wells” she said “Yes I’m on my way back now, see you soon”

“Duty calls” Joe said when she had hung up

“Sorry I have another job”

“That’s a shame, I’ve enjoyed catching up” he said

“Another time maybe?”

“Yes, I’d like that” Hannah replied

“Good” he said “Perhaps we should exchange numbers”

“Good idea” she said and handed him her phone, and she smiled as he entered his number.