Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Robert spun around in his chair replaying what happened the day before.  How easily Ross had opened up to him. How hard it was to keep going with a majority of the village still remembering.  His mind started to mist over with thoughts of the past when he heard the familiar sound of a new piece of mail arriving in his inbox. He sat up and pressed a button on his computer.  The files he has been waiting for were waiting for him in a nice little zip file in his email.  Robert typed out a quick thank you and sent it out to his contacts in London and then opened all the files that were sent to him.

Ross Barton

Pete Barton

Emma Barton

Moira Barton

Finn Barton

Aaron Dingle

He quickly went through the Barton files. Nothing he didn’t expect to see.   Ross worked at Dingle, and Dingle Auto and Pete worked up at Butler Farm as a farm hand which was owned by Moira Barton. Ross and Pete had the typical bad boy files that were normal for Emmerdale residents.  A few arrests of breaking and entering, some bar fights and one protecting their mother, Emma, from an angry patient.  That one was dropped because of exterminating circumstances.  There was nothing else of interest. 

Emma, Moira, and Finn Barton didn’t have anything crazy in their records. A few parking tickets and an arrest for Finn selling illegal contraband which turned out to be comic book figurines that were stolen. The charges were dropped when someone else stepped forward in Finn’s defense. Robert laughed to himself at the idea of illegal comic book figurines thinking of his own secret collection of comic books and figurines that were on display in his bedroom in The Mill. Robert couldn’t help but wonder if he and Finn would have been friends.

“Why did you get Aaron’s records?” A voice asked as Robert jumped in his chair. Victoria stood behind him looking at his computer with great interest, holding two coffees.  Robert reached up and grabbed the closest one taking a tentative sip.

“It’s none of your business?” Robert suggested putting his coffee down on his desk.

“Aaron is Adams best friend. He wouldn’t do any harm to Adam.” Victoria continued as he pointed at Aaron’s record on screen. 

“I have to cross off all the suspects I can early on.  Aaron is one I wanted to clear.” Robert said as he clicked through. 

“How did you get all of these files anyway?” Victoria asked her brother, her voice heavily questioning him.

“I have friends in high places.”

“I thought it was low places?”

“This isn’t a country song Vic,” Robert said back reading through some of the arrested Aaron had in his life.  His records peppered with low-level crimes that made him a true Dingle. A few inner infractions that seemed to add up to nothing in the end. “What is this suspended sentence? Did you know Aaron then?” Robert asked pointing to one line in the report.

Victoria sighed. “Aaron covered for Adam once. There was an incident with fire and a barn and Adam almost killing Cain. Aaron took the blame and ran. He came back though and told the truth. Got a suspended sentence for it.”

“Does he like to cover for Adam a lot?” Robert asked turning around to give his sister a look.

“Don’t think that is a normal thing that happens between them. That was when we were teenagers and stupid.” Victoria said defending the decision.  Robert sighed and turned back around in his chair to face his computer again. 

“He changed his name too. Livesy to Dingle. Livesy. Why does that name sound familiar?” Robert asked out loud. Victoria shrugged and walked out of his office with her coffee in tow.  Robert watched her leave as he pulled out his leather notebook and made a list.

Ross Barton

Pete Barton

Emma Barton

Aaron Dingle

Tapping his pen on his desk as he contemplated the underline under Aarons name.  He was ready to write him off and then by surprise he sticks around the suspect list after all. Knowing full well what he had to do next, he closed his notebook and stood up. Grabbing his black trench coat, he slipped it on and grabbed his notebook to shove into one of the hidden breast pockets on his right side.  Taking a moment to collect himself he starts to head out.

“I’m off to Dingle and Dingle Auto. I’ll be back later.”

“Oh! Moira got you into the jail to see Adam in two days.” Victoria yelled after him as she put her legs up on her desk as she read through a few pieces of mail.  Robert stopped and turned back around.

“What are you doing in two days? I need you to come with me to see Adam.” Robert asked her.

“Why do you need me?”

“You just have to trust me. Can you make time to come with me? I’ll pay you as my assistant.” Robert told her his voice rising at the end.

“Fine. I’ll request time off from the pub. Go. Investigate. I have your bills to organize.” Victoria told him as he nodded and headed out the door.

***

Robert walked up to the open garage with purpose.  He knew what he needed from everyone but wasn’t sure he would get it after yesterdays performance. He could hear the tools running, the mechanics yelling and the music playing loudly as he entered the garage. He observed the place looking for the players in the game.

Ross was messing around with the radio and arguing with Debbie about the station they wanted to be playing. Cain Dingle was watching them from the open office as he filled out paperwork and Aaron Dingle was head first under the hood of a car, his ass in the air as he struggled to reach something down below.  Robert found himself following the lines of his coveralls up to his ass which swayed a bit in the air as he heard him trying to push something into the car.  Robert found himself watching him as his mind started to clear. 

“Sugden! What are you doing here?” Cain’s voice bellowed out into the garage breaking Roberts concentration. Just like that, his mind clouded again, and he was reminded of what he was meant to be doing there.

“Hello again,” Robert said to him walking over. Cain had crossed his arms. His face in his patented death stare. A stare he had gotten more times than he could count.

“Do you practice that look in the mirror or does it just come naturally to you?” Robert asked, letting the words slip out of his mouth without thinking.  He heard a snort of laughter and spied Aaron covering his mouth with his hand as he turned away from the scene and went back to working on his car.  Robert couldn’t help but smile back.

“What do you want,” Cain said his voice low.  Robert reached in and pulled out his notebook and pen.

“I need to talk to Ross.”

“About what?”

“Its for Ross to know.” Robert shot back gripping his notebook trying to stay as professional as possible.

“It’s ok Cain. I know why he is here.” Ross told them as he sauntered over.  Robert saw Debbie watch them for a moment before turning and walking away. 

“Your aunt told you?” Robert asked.

“Moira called my mom yesterday to let us in on what was going on. I said I would help. We all will.” Ross confirmed crossing his arms like Cain.

“Alright then. Do you have time to answer some questions? Should I ask your babysitter first?” Robert asked pointing towards Cain. He heard a low whistle come out of Aaron who had given up on working and was watching the scene in front of him unfold. “Glad you find it funny Dingle. You are next.” Robert told him giving him a look. He shrugged his shoulders in response.

“I can talk now. What do you want to know?” Ross told him as he waved off Cain. He gave Robert a look before going back to the office to finish his paperwork.  Robert took a deep breath and opened his notebook. 

“Why do you think Adam killed your brother?” Robert asked.  Ross smug look dissipated at the question. 

“I told you already. Adam was jealous of our family.” Ross told him.

“Adam is part of your family.” Robert challenged back taking a few notes down.

“Our families were separated for a long time. We were in one part, and they were in another. Our family grew stronger. Adams fell apart.” Ross told him looking down at the ground.

“In what ways?” Robert asked.

“We were stronger. Holly killed herself. Hannah won’t come home for any reason. My Uncle John died in a car wreck. The only people left are Moira and Adam. He isn’t much to look at, so he lost it.  What does the bible say about eyes?” Ross asked.

“Eye for an eye?” Robert offered giving Ross a look. He didn’t seem to be the church going type to be trying to quote the bible.

“Yeah. Eye for an eye. He lost Holly, so he took Finn.”

“That’s your own personal theory then,” Robert asked writing more notes down.

“I know Moira thinks Adam wouldn’t do this, but she doesn’t know her own son.” Ross offered. Cain made a noise from the doorway of the office and pointed to the clock. “I have to get back to work. I’m sure Pete and my mom can help more than me.” Ross told him turning to walk away. 

“Wait! Where were you the night Finn died?” Robert yelled to Ross. He stopped and turned back towards Robert.

“I was in the Woolpack for that trivia night.  The whole village was there and saw me.” Ross supplied as he turned to get back to work. He hit the radio to the station he wanted making Debbie show up to complain.

“Good enough?” Cain asked from the doorway.  Robert closed his notebook and gave Cain a wave.

“Almost,” Robert told him as he made his way towards Aaron who he noticed was listening to his and Ross’s conversation closely. Robert stopped and leaned against the car as Aaron pulled at various pieces under the hood of the car. He stood there and waited for Aaron to resurface.

“What?” Aaron’s muffled voice asked from under the hood.

“No please. Take your time. I have all day to talk to you.” Robert said loudly for Aaron to hear. He watched as Aaron popped back up with a sigh.

“What do you want now?” Aaron asked looking for his rag to wipe his greasy fingers on. 

“How close are you and Adam?” Robert asked finding Aaron’s rag on the ground next to him. He reached down to grab it coming up to Aaron staring at him, his eyes lowered a bit. “Rag?” Robert asked as Aaron came back to earth and snatched the rag away from Robert.

“He is my best friend,” Aaron told him wiping down his fingers.

“A best friend that covers for you?” Robert asked getting a look from Aaron. Robert waited patiently for a response. They both stood there in comfortable silence for a bit. “You have nothing to say about that?”

Aaron shrugged.

“Why do you think Adams not talking?” Robert asked hoping to get more than a shrug. Aaron tilted his head and opened his mouth only to shut it and give him another shrug. “Seriously? You aren’t going to talk to me? Help me out? You know Moira hired me to help your best friend get out of jail.”

Aaron stared at him as his lips turned upwards into a smile. “That’s good. Now, this dirty little grease monkey has to get back to work.” Aaron told him turning back around to the engine.

“I didn’t call you dirty yesterday.”

“Yeah, but you wanted to.” Aaron shot back.  Robert raised one eyebrow at the comment as Aaron’s face grew pink with embarrassment. He looked back down at the engine and dove back under the hood. Robert smiled and put his notebook back into his breast pocket. He pushed himself off the car and headed out towards the front.

“Hey. Are you done bugging me now?” Aaron yelled after him.  Robert stopped and turned. With a smile, he shrugged his shoulders and winked. He turned back and walked out of the auto shop and into the sun. He could faintly hear Aaron swear and call him an idiot.

***

By the time he reached his office, Victoria had gone to her second job. A sandwich was waiting for him on his desk with a note telling him to eat.  He smiled at the note as he pulled out his notebook and threw it onto the desk.  Shrugging out of his trench coat and throwing it over the chair in the corner he went to sit down and enjoy his sandwich his sister made for him. As he picked it up the phone rang. With a sigh, he put the sandwich down and answered the phone on the third ring.

“Robert Sugden.”

“Wylie's Farm. Midnight. Be there.”

Click.