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It had been weeks since Grace had come back to work and there was never a chance to get her on her own. When Boyd did manage to corner her, she'd either make an excuse and leave, or one of the other members of the team would interrupt them. Boyd had agreed to give her time, but he wasn't the most patient of men and he hoped Grace had understood what he was trying to say to her. Yes, he needed her, but it went further than that. Boyd knew it now. He loved her. But how to make her see that?
He looked out of his office window at his team working hard, and his gaze shifted to his right. Grace had all the blinds of her office closed and he knew she was putting together a detailed profile of their killer, who was already in custody and had confessed to the murder, but they were waiting on forensics to be able to close the case properly.
Boyd opened his drawer and took out an envelope. He held it for a few moments, turning it round and round in his hands before he emptied the contents onto his desk. A single necklace fell out, one that had caused the team so much confusion and pain. It had been dubbed 'Mel's necklace'; no one wanted to change that now. As much as Stella was now a part of the team, and even their friend, no one could ever replace Mel, and no one, certainly not Stella, would ever try.
The conversation - well, more of an argument really - between himself and Grace before she had left a few weeks ago came flooding back to him. She had been right, as always, and suddenly Boyd knew what he had to do. He had to let go of the past before he could grasp his future. He stood up and slipped his suit jacket on.
"I'm off out," Boyd told Spencer as he left his office.
"Where?" the DI asked.
"Unfinished business." Boyd muttered something else, but Spencer didn't catch it and he just shook his head. However, Stella was standing at the coffee machine and she frowned as Boyd left.
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Boyd stood in the graveyard looking down at Mel's grave. There were so many things he wanted to say, so many things he should have said when she was still alive. It was wrong she had died so soon, so unfair on everyone the way Mel had been ripped from their lives. Grace had been right when she told him he was bottling everything up, avoiding dealing with issues. He hadn't gone to Mel's funeral because it had been too painful; Boyd was too proud to let anyone see him cry, and cry he would have done.
Fingering the white pebble in his hand, Boyd thought about all the conversations he'd wished he'd had with Mel, transferring them all to the stone. He ignored the rain as it started to fall, ignored the chill that settled on the back of his neck as the drops ran down his back. His coat was in the car, and he wasn't going back for it. He'd just have to get soaked. Crouching down, Boyd put one hand on Mel's grave tentatively. He lifted his other hand to his mouth, placed a gentle kiss on the pebble and put it on the grave.
"I'm sorry, Mel," he whispered.
"You Boyd?" a voice asked, and Boyd stood quickly, whirling around. He winced as his back complained about the sudden movement, but he focussed on the man in front of him. He looked familiar….
"Who wants to know?"
"Doesn't really matter now, but you've been looking for me," the man replied.
"I have?" There was no use in pretending he wasn't Boyd. It was obvious the man knew exactly who he was and asking seemed to be just a courtesy.
"Yeah." The man pulled a gun out and trained it calmly on the policeman. "Hands in the air and don't do anything stupid."
This wasn't the first time Boyd had had a gun pointed at him, but it still made him nervous. Doing as he was told, the policeman asked, "What do you want?"
"To kill you, of course."
"Why?"
The man shrugged. "Why not?"
"Don't I at least deserve a reason?" Boyd asked.
"No!" the man shouted suddenly. "Just like my brother didn't deserve the way you treated him!"
"Your brother? What are you talking about? I've never even met you, let alone your brother!" Boyd shouted back.
The man sneered. "Are you sure about that?"
Boyd stared at him, waiting for the penny to drop, and when it did, his jaw went with it. "Bloody hell! Wait, so James is…?"
"Yes."
"But he…."
"No."
Boyd's eyes darkened as he realised what was going on. "Shit." He looked away from the man for a moment, hoping to see some backup arriving, but there was no one else around. The only other company he had was the pouring rain. "What are you going to do now?"
"I told you, kill you," the man replied, and pulled the trigger.
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Grace finally emerged from her office looking tired, but pleased. The case, it seemed, was finally over, thanks to a stroke of luck and some nifty forensic work from Eve, who phoned Grace to tell her the good news. Looking around, she couldn't see the one person she wanted to. "Spence, where's Boyd?"
Spencer shrugged. "Went out. Said he had some unfinished business to attend."
"Did he say where he was going?"
Spencer shook his head, but Stella spoke up. "He muttered something about saying goodbye to a lost friend." Spencer and Grace stared at her. "I don't think I was supposed to hear it, but, you know, sometimes you can't help it."
Grace smiled. "Thanks, Stella." She turned and went to his office, peering through the window for a clue as to where Boyd might be. But all she could see was an envelope on his desk, the one that contained the necklace that was sent to Mel, from the looks of it. Grace frowned. Surely Boyd hadn't gone there…. She shook her head. He wouldn't have done, not without telling her.
"Arrrghh!"
The frustrated cry made Grace turn round, and she saw Spencer pulling his fist back, presumably with the intention of putting it through his computer monitor.
"Don't do it, Spence, it's not worth it," she said lightly.
"I wouldn't bet on it," he replied grumpily.
Grace smiled and walked towards him. "What's the problem?"
"James called someone just before we arrested him, but I'm having trouble tracing the number. Well, that's not exactly true. I've traced it to a mobile phone, but it's registered to James."
Grace frowned. "James said he didn't own a mobile phone."
"Perhaps it belongs to a friend or family member," Stella suggested, but Spencer shook his head.
"We checked. He has no family, and no friends to speak of."
"The true loner." Something was niggling Grace at the back of her mind and she stared at the board in front of her. James Taylor, arrested for murder, enough evidence to convict him, and a confession to boot. "It just seems too easy," she murmured.
"There's just no pleasing some people," Spencer said to Stella, shaking his head. Stella grinned and ducked her head.
"I'm serious, Spence, something just doesn't seem right with all of this." Grace gestured to the notes and pictures on the board. "It just seems…."
"Too easy," Stella finished. "We heard you the first time, Grace." It was Spence's turn to grin, but Grace ignored them. She walked forward to the board as if in a trance. Two photos caught her eye and she moved them so they were side by side. One was of James in a store, the other on a street. They were clear photos from a CCTV camera and Grace knew there was something she was missing….
"Oh my God," Grace whispered, her hand going to her mouth as she realised what she was seeing.
"Grace?" Stella asked, concerned.
Just then, Eve burst into the room and she looked pissed off. "Bad news, guys…. Where's Boyd?"
"Out," Spencer replied, his eyes on Grace.
Eve sighed. "Well that's just fantastic. He needs to see this. Now."
"I'll phone him," Stella said, reaching for the phone.
"What is it?" Spencer asked.
"James does have family," Grace replied. "He has a twin brother."
Eve looked at the profiler in amazement. "How the hell did you know that? I've just found out."
But Grace shook her head. "You first."
"Well, there was something about this whole thing that seemed way too easy to me," Eve said.
Spencer snorted. "Grace said the same thing. Please don't tell me it's women's intuition."
Eve smiled sweetly, reached forward, and patted his cheek. "Don't worry about it, Spence. You're good for other things, though I'm not sure what."
"No answer," Stella added, putting the phone down.
"Anyway, I ran the DNA again, and again I came up with two matches. I thought it was the computer playing up but then I looked at them closely. There is a slight difference, but nothing too obvious. So I checked the records again. James Taylor did have a brother, Gabriel, but he died when they were sixteen years old."
"No, he didn't," Grace said.
Eve nodded. "Exactly. The DNA from the cigarette butt and the DNA I took from James are actually different."
Spencer shook his head and put his hand up. "Woah. You're telling me that we're dealing with twins who are using the same name because one of them is supposed to be dead?"
"Pretty much," Eve replied.
"Okay, Grace, so how did you know this?" Stella asked.
"There was something about these photos that struck me as odd," Grace said. "In this shot," she pointed to the one of the store, "we see that James is left handed. But in this one," she pointed to the one of the street, "he's right handed. And when James signed his confession, he used his right hand."
"How can you tell?" Stella asked.
"In the photo of him in the street, he's holding his mobile with his right hand. This generally indicates a person is right handed. In the other photo, he's holding his wallet in his right hand, taking money out with his left. This indicates…."
"A person who's left handed," Eve finished, staring at the photos closely. "Excellent, Grace."
"Why, thank you." Grace smiled and gave a little curtsy. "One does try one's best."
"Okay, so who do we have in custody?" Spencer asked.
"James," Eve replied.
"And who committed the murder?" Stella asked.
"Gabriel," Grace supplied.
Spencer nodded in understanding. "Okay, so why is James taking the rap for his brother?"
"Maybe he thinks he owes Gabriel something," Stella suggested.
"Or maybe he has nothing to lose," Eve said slowly. "I'll be back in five minutes. Keep trying Boyd!" she yelled as she headed to the lab.
"No need, he just left the room," Stella muttered. She dialled Boyd's number but hung up again and shrugged. "His phone is off."
"That's not like Boyd," Grace said, frowning. "Spence, I think we need to have another chat with James. There's still something he isn't telling us."
"Okay," Spencer agreed.
"I'll observe," Stella said, following them out.
Ten minutes later found Grace, Spencer and James Taylor in the interview room. "James, we know you've been lying to us. Your brother is still alive and it is him who committed the murder. Why are you covering up for him?"
James shrugged. "It doesn't matter now."
"Where is Gabriel?" Spencer asked.
James shrugged again. "Don't know."
"Yes, you do. You just don't want to tell us. It gives you a measure of control over the situation, doesn't it?" Grace asked.
"Where's Superintendent Boyd?" James asked suddenly.
"Why do you want to know?"
"Curious."
"Superintendent Boyd's whereabouts are not your concern," Spencer told him. "Now, your brother. Where is he?"
"Where's Boyd?" James replied, and Grace felt her blood run cold.
"James, we know you called Gabriel before you were arrested. What did you tell him?" she asked.
"A little white lie," James admitted. "I really didn't like Boyd."
Spencer was about to say something, but Grace stopped him. "Interview terminated at four twenty three." She exited the interview room with Spencer, looking very confused, in tow ,and Stella followed them back to the bullpen in silence.
"What's wrong, Grace?" she asked, seeing the worry on the older woman's face.
Eve reappeared at that moment. "James Taylor is dying. That's what led to the discrepancy in their DNA."
"And that's why he's sacrificing himself for his brother," Stella said.
Eve nodded, and then looked at everyone's faces. "What's happened?"
"Grace just bailed out of an interview with James and we're waiting for a reason why," Spencer said, his tone neutral.
"I think Gabriel has gone after Boyd."
Eve frowned. "What makes you think that?"
"James just told us that Gabriel is wherever Boyd is, that he phoned Gabriel before he was arrested and told him a lie, and that he never liked Boyd," Grace replied, ticking the points off on her fingers. "That means that Gabriel thinks Boyd did something to his brother and he will want revenge. If he's already killed once…,"
"He'll kill again," Spencer finished for her quietly.
"Great. So where the hell is Boyd?" Eve asked.
Grace suddenly turned to the DS. "Stella, tell me what Boyd muttered before leaving."
"He said he was going to say goodbye to a lost friend," she replied. "Why?"
Grace looked at Spencer, whose expression was one of sudden realisation, and said, "I know where he is."
Spencer jumped to his feet and grabbed his mobile and jacket. "We need to get there now! And call SO19!"
"I'm on it!" Stella said. No one asked where they were going, and no one questioned why Eve was with them. They moved like a fluid machine, a prize working unit, a family.
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"SO19 won't be here for another fifteen minutes," Stella said as they pulled into the graveyard.
"Shit!" Spencer exclaimed.
"We need to find Boyd," Grace said, the urgency clear in her voice, but Spencer shook his head.
"Stella and I will start searching. You and Eve stay here."
"Spence! Boyd's out there somewhere, he could be injured!"
"It's too dangerous, Grace," Spencer replied firmly.
"Normally, I'd agree, but…." Grace bit her lip, wondering how much to say. "Please, Spence."
"The answer is no. Boyd would kill me if anything happened to you," Spencer replied.
"So would I," Eve added.
Stella put her hand up. "Me too."
"Look, the longer we stand here and debate the issue, the longer Gabriel has to do some harm to Boyd or to get away!" Grace exclaimed, gesturing with her hands. "I'm going to look for him, and the only way you can stop me is to arrest me, Spence!"
Spencer glared at the profiler but it did not good. "Fine," he said eventually, giving in. "But take Stella with you."
"We'll cover more ground apart," Grace told him.
"Alright, I'm not going to argue with you any more over this. But if anything happens to you, Grace…."
"I know, I know, *you'll* kill me." She half-smiled at Spencer. "I have to do this, Spence," she said as some sort of explanation.
"I'll stay here and wait for SO19," Eve said. "I've got a picture of Gabriel and of Boyd for them to look at. And I'll call for an ambulance, just in case."
"Thanks. Okay, let's go," Spencer ordered and the three of them split up, leaving Eve by the car.
As Grace moved through the gravestones, she wondered just what the hell she was doing. She knew Spencer was right; she wasn't a police officer, she had no experience in the field, yet here she was searching for a killer. But Grace knew what was driving her; Boyd. She had to find him, she had to see for herself that he was okay before anyone else go to him.
Grace looked to her right, knowing Mel's grave was in that direction, and that was when she saw him lying on the floor. Her hand flew to her mouth and she froze momentarily. Then she was running towards him, regardless of the danger she was in.
"Oh, Boyd," Grace said quietly as she dropped to her knees beside the policeman. There was a gash on his temple that was gushing blood, coating his face, neck and shoulder in red. As she looked down his body, Grace noticed there was a bullet hole in his shoulder too. And there was so much blood....
*Grace was sat at her computer, waiting for a man to come back, a man with information about the Annie Keel case that no one else could know. Suddenly Boyd appeared on her computer screen, moving through the room oblivious to the fact that Grace was watching him. Someone burst into Grace's office, told her the identity of the man; Reese Dickson, Annie Keel's solicitor. But Grace wasn't listening. She was concentrating on Boyd. She yelled at him to get out of there but he didn't seem to hear. Then Dickson appeared behind Boyd and stabbed him. Grace's heart jumped into her throat and she covered her mouth with her hands. She couldn't watch this; not him, not Boyd. He couldn't die.*
"Don't leave me, Boyd. We've been through too much for you to just give up now. Please come back to me; after all, I've come back to you." She smoothed his wet hair away from his face and went to check his pulse when a voice stopped her.
"Dr. Foley, I presume."
Grace shifted slightly, Boyd's head still in her lap, so she could see who was talking. "Gabriel, I presume," she replied.
Gabriel smiled but it was a chilling sight. "Very good. Did my brother crack or did you work it out for yourself?"
"James didn't tell us anything," Grace said, trying to think of something to talk about until Spencer or Stella found them. "It was very clever, the way the two of you lived using the same name. Was it difficult for you?"
But Gabriel shook his head. "No, Dr. Foley, there won't be any delaying tactics. I know you're not alone, and I have some business to finish."
"James told you to hurt Boyd, didn't he? James doesn't like Boyd."
"No, he doesn't. But he likes you. He told me not to hurt you," Gabriel replied, pointing the gun at her.
*"I won't hurt you, Grace," Charles said. "I like you."*
"And are you going to hurt me?" Grace asked, holding Boyd closer to her. She was starting to shiver, not just from the cold rain, but from fear as well.
"You know, I think I might," Gabriel replied honestly. "I'm not that fond of doctors."
*Bang.*
FIN