Maverick lead Tobin to the car sitting him in the back with Brut. "You're not a very nice person."

I looked at the chief. "So I'm told. Frequently."

I started walking towards my car when the chief stopped me by grabbing my arm. His grip was on the cusp of being painful. "You will tell me what I want to know."

I gave him a long hard glare in contrast to the way I felt at the intrusion into my personal space. "You will know nothing if you keep this up." He let me go and I walked to the car.

I got in the passenger seat and Maverick looked at me. I was trying to hide the panic I was feeling at the exchange, I could see that I was failing from the concern on Maverick's face. "You alright?" He asked softly.

"Fine." I mumbled.

He frowned and started the car. She started the first time and I stroked her dashboard affectionately. "We will talk about this later. For now, where would you like to go?"

"Would you mind driving us to the police station? That's the last stop we will do so leaving the car there seems prudent." He nodded reversing the car to give her room so she could pass the van.

He drove us to the station and when I got out Janna was standing in the doorway. "Mac are you..." I watched her as she started speaking and she trailed off.

Tobin got out with Burt and her eyes widened. "We will chat later Janna, unless you have a message for me."

She shook her head watching Tobin. She looked tense as Tobin's hand found mine.

"Tia... where... do we go first?" Tobin's voice was barely above a whisper.

"Wherever you want to go first. You are in charge of this trip." Janna's eyes practically fell out of her head at that.

Tobin pointed at the pet shop. "Burt needs things."

Maverick started walking towards the shop and Tobin followed. Inside the shop, Roland stared for a moment before shaking himself out of it. "Tia and Burt my two favourite customers. Tell me Burt who's your new friend?"

Burt barked and I unhooked his lead. "Tobin go and introduce yourself then help Burt pick his treats and things."

Tobin nodded at me and walked up to the counter offering his hand to Roland. "I'm Tobin, I'm a guest of Tia." Roland smiled warmly shaking the boy's hand.

"Nice to meet you Tobin, I'm Roland. Maverick over there is my brother."

Tobin looked at Maverick and made that triangle with his fingers. I did it back to him. Roland and Maverick shared a look.

I walked up to the counter and Burt whined at me coming over. "Could I trouble you for a drink?"

"Of course"

Roland went out the back as Maverick came up to me. In a low voice, he asked. "Are you really alright?"

I nodded watching Burt sniff things that Tobin offered him but he wasn't paying full attention to him. He looked over at me every time Tobin looked at something else.

"Tia about what..." He cut off as Roland came back with a glass of water.

I shook out a pill and took it chasing it with some water. "Tia I made you a cake. I was going to bring it around later but as you're here."

He put a tin on the counter and I looked at it. "Thank you."

I pulled a bag out of the pocket of my coat shaking it out.

Tobin came up to the counter with a ball and a bag of cheese-flavoured treats. "He wants this. Does he need them?"

I smiled at Tobin. "He thinks he does, so he does."

He fingered the ball. "What is this for?"

Roland answered him. "For him to chase and play with."

Tobin frowned. "Play is a waste of time."

I shook my head. "Play is never a waste of time. Play allows you to be free of your worries." Tobin nodded and I opened my purse. "Do you want to pay for these things?"

He looked at the money and then back up at me. "Money not trade?"

I nodded. He took a note from my purse and handed it to Roland. He exchanged a look with his brother and then sorted out the change. He handed the coins to Tobin who stared at them. "Here you're in charge of the money today." I put my purse in his other hand and opened the coin part.

He put the coins in, closed it then put it in his pocket. Roland smiled at me as he put the tin and things for Burt in the bag I'd left on the counter. "Come again soon."

I nodded to him and Tobin hooked Burt's lead back on. "See you at home Roland." Maverick said as he walked to the door and opened it.

Tobin and Burt walked through. I picked up the bag but stayed where I was feeling dizzy.

"Tia?" Maverick had moved between one blink and the next. He stood in front of me. Tobin now held the door open and Burt was whining. "Tia?" Maverick's voice was calm and firm.

"I'm fine."

"You're sure?" I nodded and started to walk to the door. After a few seconds, I heard Maverick following.

Tobin took my hand and led me to another shop. We bought clothes in that one. I let Tobin pick the clothes he wanted and he refused to get a new cote. I didn't press him to, nor did I ask why.

Then we went grocery shopping leaving Maverick outside with Burt. Tobin was stopped next to a shelf of teddy bears. "Do you want a bear?" I asked.

Tobin looked at me. "Toys are for play."

"Your my guest remember the rules." I whispered.

Tobin stared at me then back at the bear. "You can have anything you want." He picked up a bear and I smiled at him.

He paid for the shopping and we returned to the car. Maverick loaded the bags in the boot while I stared at the chief's car parked next to my car. Janna appeared in the doorway of the station. "Mac, the chief would like to speak to Tia."

Maverick took Tobin's hand and led him to Janna. "This is Janna. She's my friend and I work with her. Will you go with her and have some biscuits."

She offered her hand but he looked at me before he would take it. I nodded to him and made that triangle with my fingers. He nodded taking her hand, Janna eyed me then took him inside the building. She doesn't like me, that is not super surprising.

Maverick came back to my side. "Tia, would you tell me what happened with you and the chief?" I shook my head still staring at the car. "Something wound you up. Will you at least tell me you're alright?"

I made eye contact with him and shook my head. "I'm not alright. Your boss doesn't like me very much."

Maverick looked incredibly concerned. "What can I do?"

"Nothing. I must do as I said I would but now..."

He looked to the entrance and held up his hand. "We have a moment here, but what?"

I looked over my shoulder to the door when he raised his hand. The chief stood there with his arms crossed. I turned back to Maverick. "Right now I'm reminded that you are a policeman too. You will likely report everything to him."

"And if I told you I wouldn't?" He looked me in the eye and it looked like he was being honest.

"I wish I could trust you."

"You can. You're facing me he can't see what you're saying. Speak and I will tell him you wouldn't."

I sighed and shook my head. "I don't trust him... he's hell-bent on pinning Edith's death on me."

"I can't talk about that with you."

I nodded. "I must do this thing... for Tobin."

Maverick nodded and stepped back. "Yes, but for what it's worth... I'm starting to believe you."

I turned to the door to the station and muttered. "Turn the page and read the new chapter to understand what has come before." He made a sound like he choked on something.

I looked over my shoulder and saw.. he was trying not to laugh. Maybe he has more brains than I first gave him credit for. I walked into the station keeping myself calm. Burt waited near the desk, as soon as he saw me he started whining. Tobin let him off the lead at a slight tug.

"You must leave your dog out here." The chief sounded as angry as he had been earlier.

Burt paced in front of me. "You shouldn't separate me from him at the moment."

"Oh?"

Burt continued to pace and I sat on the floor. Tobin came over making a square with his fingers. I made a circle.

Tobin sat next to me. "This isn't a sit-in!" The chief yelled.

Tobin looked up at the chief. "She's ill."

Burt barked once, he stopped pacing and jumped on me pushing me to the floor. "What is going on?" Maverick asked coming through the door.

The next thing I knew Burt was barking and Tobin sat next to me stroking my hand calmly. Maverick, the chief and Janna all stood back with Burt keeping them back. "Burt... enough." I croked.

Burt stopped barking and came to my side whimpering. I felt tired and my body ached. I stayed still listening to Burt's noises.

"Tia... do you need a doctor?" Maverick took a step and Burt growled.

"Burt don't growl at your friend." Burt grumbled and then laid his head on my chest. Tobin made a triangle with his fingers. I made a triangle back at him. "I'm fine.."

Burt stood and I sat up. Maverick came up to me and knelt. "You sure you don't need to see someone?" I waved at him to make him leave me alone.

Janna came to my side and offered me a drink. She spilt some when Burt whimpered again. She's sure Burt's going to hurt her. I stroked his head. "You know this is what happens when I'm on new medication. It will settle soon." I said to Burt I took the drink and drained the glass. "Thank you." I said handing it back.

I sat quietly for a few minutes before trying to stand. Maverick put out his arms to help me and danced about as I made it to my feet unaided. "You should go home, Tia." Maverick's voice held only a touch of the concern on his face.

I shook my head at him. Tobin made a diamond shape with his hands followed by linking his thumbs and pulling them. I made a circle. He made a triangle and took my hand. "You said you would do this today." The chief said crossing his arms.

"I am."

The chief opened his mouth and Maverick laid his hand on the chief's arm. "We need to follow policy. We can't interview her until she has seen a doctor. I'll take her to one."

Burt sat next to me and I rubbed his head. "I'm fine."

Maverick shook his head at me. "It's policy. We have to have a doctor on hand when we interview you in case this happens again."

Janna moved to the desk picking up the phone. The chief walked off to the back and a door slammed moments after he disappeared. Maverick looked down at Tobin and then at me.

Tobin was staring at the floor clinging to my arm with both hands. "We could ask Roland if he needs help with the shop Tobin." Maverick said crouching down near him. Tobin shook his head griping me so tight it hurt.

I led him to a seat and made eye contact with him by crossing two of my fingers and shaking my hands at him. I made a square with my fingers followed by a diamond, followed by placing my little finger across my thumb. He hastened and then answered me by making a triangle and crossing his little finger across his thumb. I sighed and hugged him.

Janna and Maverick both looked mortified when he pulled out a knife and handed it to me. I took it laying it down on the chair next to me. I should have seen it was missing. This won't look good. One of my kitchen knives missing from home is brought to the police station by a child in my care.

Janna opened her mouth but Maverick silenced her. I placed my index finger across the back of my fist then turned my fist upside-down. Tobin made a triangle at me and I smiled at him.

"I think Roland might need help with his shop Tobin." He nodded and I looked up at Janna. "Would you take him to Roland?"

Janna looked from me to Maverick. He nodded to her and she offered her hand to Tobin. Tobin put two fingers on his forehead in a v shape and I did the same to him. He took Janna's hand and after a moment of looking at the knife, she walked off with him. "Care to explain that exchange?"

I sighed. "He isn't allowed to speak where he came from unless involved in the conversation. So he was taught a complex set of hand gestures so he can communicate without breaking the rules."

"But what was the knife about and what did you two say?"

I looked at the knife. "He's afraid of walking around without one. Where he came from he had one on him at all times in case someone tried to harm him or his mother. As for what was said..."

"Someone would try to hurt him?"

I shrugged. "He's a damaged child Maverick. His reaction shouldn't surprise you. I told him that he couldn't do that anymore as he could get me into trouble. He didn't want to leave me because I'm not well. That's some of what we were saying."

"How did you know he had it?"

Again I shrugged. "He told me. He trusts me because I understand his ways. He said I can protect you with the sign for a knife. He only went with Janna to Roland because I told him it wasn't far from here and you have weapons. He calculated that he could get back here before anyone could get him."

Maverick nodded looking sad. "What on earth happened to that boy to end up like that?"

"People are horrible to each other. It's in our nature."

The door opened and the doctor walked in. "Oh, it's you is it?" I sighed. Great this guy again!

He did the basics and then stood. "She's tired and susceptible to having another one. I would advise against interviewing her until her new medication is at full strength."

Maverick nodded. "This can't be put off any longer!" The chief stood in the corridor that led out the back.

"If she agrees I will stay and if she has another attack I will be here."

I stood. "I want this over with." The chief gestured to the room I'd been in before. I took a breath and walked towards him.