Fic: The Art of Being Lost and Found (2/?), green cortina, dakfinv
Title: The Art of Being Lost and Found (2/?)
Author: dak
Word Count: 1558 (this part); (1959 in total, so far)
Rating: green cortina (for now)
Warnings: none. yet.
Summary: Post 2.08. When the Guv goes missing, CID is saddled with an inept "interim" DCI. To find Gene, and the truth, Ray must team up with a hated enemy.
Part 1
“Now, now. Settle down, lads. And lady.”
CID grumbled even louder. They wouldn’t outright shout at the man, but they knew of other ways to make their feelings known.
“I know this case was very important to you...”
“Is,” Ray spoke up. He’d maintained his composure with this fraud for the past two weeks, for the Guv’s sake, but this change of tense was too much. “This case is very important to us,” he crossed his arms and stared the man down. If only the rest of the team hadn’t looked so defeated, it may have had an impact.
“Quite right. Quite right. And we shall continue to investigate. But...”
Ray snorted. The man continued nonetheless.
“But, I am sure if DCI Hunt were here...”
“He ain’t. That’s the whole point,” Ray sneered.
“If he were,” he continued with a stern glance. “Yes, if he were, he’d want you to focus on your other cases. Crime does not stop simply because one man goes missing. We have two unsolved robberies, three assaults, and one homicide investigation that need to be tidied up. As terrible as the loss of DCI Hunt is...”
“He ain’t dead,” Ray spat, and this did earn him louder grumbles from the rest.
“We must continue to police this city with our full attention,” his eyes leveled on Ray. “So, gentlemen, and lady, you have your assignments for the day. Do carry on. DS Carling, if I could have a word with you in my office.”
“And where would that be? Sir.”
The pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes, but said nothing as turned and walked into the Guv’s domain. Ray popped an extra piece of Juicy Fruit into his mouth, rolled his eyes at Chris, then plowed through the swinging doors still meant for Gene Hunt.
“Have a seat, Sergeant,” he waved to the chair closest to Ray as he pulled a folder from the Guv’s filing cabinet. “And please don’t give me any bother about not needing one. I am merely being polite. No need to take offense.”
Ray kept his mouth shut as he plopped himself into the chair. There were more important battles than whether or not he should sit down. He waited impatiently as DCI Carter walked to the desk, sat down in Gene’s chair, and straightened his hideous green tie.
“DS Carling. Ray...”
“DS Carling,” he hissed.
“Well, if that’s the way you want this to be.”
“It is.”
Carter breathed in deep and let it out slow.
“Fine. DS Carling, I respect and appreciate your loyalty to DCI Hunt. It’s admirable, it really is. Unfortunately, as I said to your fellow officers, we still have a station to run and a city to protect.”
“It’s the Guv’s city.”
“Then do it for him.”
“It’d be better if we found him.”
“And what? Focus all your attention on one missing person’s case rather than defend the city as a whole? How would that demonstrate respect for your...Guv?”
Ray leaned back and shook his head. This bloke would never understand.
“I’m not calling off the search, DS Carling. I wouldn’t dream of it. All I am saying is that it can no longer be our number one priority.”
“Oh, you made that clear as day out there,” he nodded to the squad room. “So why do I get the special treatment?”
DCI Carter sighed and adjusted his glasses.
“You are the senior officer here, are you not? You were, are, DCI Hunt’s most trusted officer. His partner.”
“Sure,” he agreed. Ray had trouble swallowing for the bad taste that lie left in his mouth.
“Ergo, CID sees you as their de facto leader. If you had a few more years experience, you would be sitting here in my place.”
Ray wanted to shout that was the Guv’s place, but he bit his tongue. It wasn’t worth it, arguing with this paper-pushing ponce.
“I need you to set an example for those men out there. And WDC Cartwright. I am not saying we must like each other...”
“Good,” he let slip.
“But we need to try and stay on the same page. For the benefit of the team. Do you understand?”
“Whatever you say. Sir.”
If Carter recognized the sarcasm, he drew no attention to it.
“Good man. Well, now that that’s settled, I’d like you to head up the murder enquiry,” he handed Ray the folder he’d pulled from the cabinet. “Choose whichever detective you feel is most suited for the case.”
“And what case will you be working on, sir?”
“I have an important brunch meeting with DCI Litton. When I’ve returned, I’ll see where I’m most needed. Carry on, Sergeant,” Carter waved him out of the room and Ray was only too happy to oblige. Pushing open the door, he spared a glance at Gary Cooper. At least this poof hadn’t redecorated the office like Morgan. Ray closed his eyes and forgot about the past.
“Oi, Chris! Come one. We need to solve this shite PDQ so we can find the Guv.”
*
“What’d the ponce say?”
“Be a good boy and don’t rattle any cages,” Ray sneered. “Wanker.”
“Too right,” Chris agreed.
For the next five minutes, the drive to the crime scene was silent, until Chris spoke up again.
“Ray, you really think we’re going to find him?”
“For the millionth time, you berk, yes!” Ray smacked the steering wheel. “I told you to forget everything Carter says. He’s just some filing boy they dragged down from upstairs. He knows nowt about policing or the Guv.”
“It weren’t DCI Carter,” Chris mumbled. “It was Annie.”
Ray let his anger fall.
“She’s just scared, is all. Happens to birds,” he comforted him. “They expect things to be done right away. When it don’t happen, they get nervous.”
“Cartwright don’t act like the nervous type.”
“That’s cos she’s good at hiding it.”
Chris nodded worried the edge of his note pad. Ray knew he wasn’t feeling any better.
“Look, I’ll do whatever I have to, to find him. I won’t let this go unsolved no matter what,” he promised.
“No matter what?”
“Aye. Now buck up, you div. Can’t have you crying all over the crime scene.”
Chris straightened in his seat, but the worry he felt never left his face. Ray wondered if the stress was showing on him as much as everyone else.
*
The Railway Arms should never have been as subdued as it had been the past two weeks. Ray was certain Nelson’s taking had dropped significantly. Every officer stayed for only one or two drinks, then retired early, ever since the Guv had vanished. Without Gene there, what should they celebrate? The team wasn’t even drinking away their sorrows. The constant state of shock had already made them uncomfortably numb.
Ray was the only one who stayed until chucking out time anymore. He felt it was his duty to Nelson to give the man a reason for staying open, and if he had to do it single-handedly, then he would.
“No news today, mon brave?” Nelson sighed as he served Ray a fresh pint. The pub was near empty now. Only a few stragglers, people Ray didn’t recognize, were sitting in the back.
“Not today, Nelson. Not today,” he sighed, taking a sip and letting the warm ale trickle down his throat.
“Not giving up hope, are you?”
“Course not,” Ray huffed, angered at just the thought.
“Good,” Nelson smiled. “Because DCI Hunt would not give up on you. Or any of his men.”
“Just don’t know what else to do, Nelson. Chris and I reinterviewed all the suspects from the Moloney case. We’ve searched his house, the Cortina, every bloody pub in the city. And we’ve not had a single lead,” Ray shook his head. “Rathbone wants us to trawl the canal,” he added somberly and sipped more of his beer.
“I take it you disagree.”
“Don’t see the point.”
“Hm,” Nelson nodded. “Are you scared of what you’ll find or what you won’t?”
“I ain’t scared at all and don’t you ever say it,” he warned, pointing a finger at the barman. Nelson, good man, was unfazed by Ray’s reaction.
“There is nothing more disheartening than a man who’s lost his way,” the barman pondered aloud.
“There’s no problem with getting lost, long as you find your way back,” Ray countered.
“But what if you need someone to show you the way?”
Ray chugged the rest of his pint and slammed the glass on the counter. It was too late, even for Nelson’s rambling.
“That’s me off,” he sighed, tossing his money on the counter and grabbing his coat from the stool beside him. “Evening, Nelson.”
“Good night, DS Carling.”
Ray shrugged on his jacket and shuffled outside. The night was so clear, it was easy to see the stars. As he buttoned up for the walk home, he wondered if the Guv was as cold as he was, the air being so crisp. He wondered how cold it was at the bottom of the canal and if a body could feel the chilling touch of death if it was just a body.
He tossed that thought aside. The Guv wasn’t dead and he certainly wasn’t at the bottom of the canal. They’d trawl it tomorrow just to prove it.
Author: dak
Word Count: 1558 (this part); (1959 in total, so far)
Rating: green cortina (for now)
Warnings: none. yet.
Summary: Post 2.08. When the Guv goes missing, CID is saddled with an inept "interim" DCI. To find Gene, and the truth, Ray must team up with a hated enemy.
Part 1
“Now, now. Settle down, lads. And lady.”
CID grumbled even louder. They wouldn’t outright shout at the man, but they knew of other ways to make their feelings known.
“I know this case was very important to you...”
“Is,” Ray spoke up. He’d maintained his composure with this fraud for the past two weeks, for the Guv’s sake, but this change of tense was too much. “This case is very important to us,” he crossed his arms and stared the man down. If only the rest of the team hadn’t looked so defeated, it may have had an impact.
“Quite right. Quite right. And we shall continue to investigate. But...”
Ray snorted. The man continued nonetheless.
“But, I am sure if DCI Hunt were here...”
“He ain’t. That’s the whole point,” Ray sneered.
“If he were,” he continued with a stern glance. “Yes, if he were, he’d want you to focus on your other cases. Crime does not stop simply because one man goes missing. We have two unsolved robberies, three assaults, and one homicide investigation that need to be tidied up. As terrible as the loss of DCI Hunt is...”
“He ain’t dead,” Ray spat, and this did earn him louder grumbles from the rest.
“We must continue to police this city with our full attention,” his eyes leveled on Ray. “So, gentlemen, and lady, you have your assignments for the day. Do carry on. DS Carling, if I could have a word with you in my office.”
“And where would that be? Sir.”
The pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes, but said nothing as turned and walked into the Guv’s domain. Ray popped an extra piece of Juicy Fruit into his mouth, rolled his eyes at Chris, then plowed through the swinging doors still meant for Gene Hunt.
“Have a seat, Sergeant,” he waved to the chair closest to Ray as he pulled a folder from the Guv’s filing cabinet. “And please don’t give me any bother about not needing one. I am merely being polite. No need to take offense.”
Ray kept his mouth shut as he plopped himself into the chair. There were more important battles than whether or not he should sit down. He waited impatiently as DCI Carter walked to the desk, sat down in Gene’s chair, and straightened his hideous green tie.
“DS Carling. Ray...”
“DS Carling,” he hissed.
“Well, if that’s the way you want this to be.”
“It is.”
Carter breathed in deep and let it out slow.
“Fine. DS Carling, I respect and appreciate your loyalty to DCI Hunt. It’s admirable, it really is. Unfortunately, as I said to your fellow officers, we still have a station to run and a city to protect.”
“It’s the Guv’s city.”
“Then do it for him.”
“It’d be better if we found him.”
“And what? Focus all your attention on one missing person’s case rather than defend the city as a whole? How would that demonstrate respect for your...Guv?”
Ray leaned back and shook his head. This bloke would never understand.
“I’m not calling off the search, DS Carling. I wouldn’t dream of it. All I am saying is that it can no longer be our number one priority.”
“Oh, you made that clear as day out there,” he nodded to the squad room. “So why do I get the special treatment?”
DCI Carter sighed and adjusted his glasses.
“You are the senior officer here, are you not? You were, are, DCI Hunt’s most trusted officer. His partner.”
“Sure,” he agreed. Ray had trouble swallowing for the bad taste that lie left in his mouth.
“Ergo, CID sees you as their de facto leader. If you had a few more years experience, you would be sitting here in my place.”
Ray wanted to shout that was the Guv’s place, but he bit his tongue. It wasn’t worth it, arguing with this paper-pushing ponce.
“I need you to set an example for those men out there. And WDC Cartwright. I am not saying we must like each other...”
“Good,” he let slip.
“But we need to try and stay on the same page. For the benefit of the team. Do you understand?”
“Whatever you say. Sir.”
If Carter recognized the sarcasm, he drew no attention to it.
“Good man. Well, now that that’s settled, I’d like you to head up the murder enquiry,” he handed Ray the folder he’d pulled from the cabinet. “Choose whichever detective you feel is most suited for the case.”
“And what case will you be working on, sir?”
“I have an important brunch meeting with DCI Litton. When I’ve returned, I’ll see where I’m most needed. Carry on, Sergeant,” Carter waved him out of the room and Ray was only too happy to oblige. Pushing open the door, he spared a glance at Gary Cooper. At least this poof hadn’t redecorated the office like Morgan. Ray closed his eyes and forgot about the past.
“Oi, Chris! Come one. We need to solve this shite PDQ so we can find the Guv.”
*
“What’d the ponce say?”
“Be a good boy and don’t rattle any cages,” Ray sneered. “Wanker.”
“Too right,” Chris agreed.
For the next five minutes, the drive to the crime scene was silent, until Chris spoke up again.
“Ray, you really think we’re going to find him?”
“For the millionth time, you berk, yes!” Ray smacked the steering wheel. “I told you to forget everything Carter says. He’s just some filing boy they dragged down from upstairs. He knows nowt about policing or the Guv.”
“It weren’t DCI Carter,” Chris mumbled. “It was Annie.”
Ray let his anger fall.
“She’s just scared, is all. Happens to birds,” he comforted him. “They expect things to be done right away. When it don’t happen, they get nervous.”
“Cartwright don’t act like the nervous type.”
“That’s cos she’s good at hiding it.”
Chris nodded worried the edge of his note pad. Ray knew he wasn’t feeling any better.
“Look, I’ll do whatever I have to, to find him. I won’t let this go unsolved no matter what,” he promised.
“No matter what?”
“Aye. Now buck up, you div. Can’t have you crying all over the crime scene.”
Chris straightened in his seat, but the worry he felt never left his face. Ray wondered if the stress was showing on him as much as everyone else.
*
The Railway Arms should never have been as subdued as it had been the past two weeks. Ray was certain Nelson’s taking had dropped significantly. Every officer stayed for only one or two drinks, then retired early, ever since the Guv had vanished. Without Gene there, what should they celebrate? The team wasn’t even drinking away their sorrows. The constant state of shock had already made them uncomfortably numb.
Ray was the only one who stayed until chucking out time anymore. He felt it was his duty to Nelson to give the man a reason for staying open, and if he had to do it single-handedly, then he would.
“No news today, mon brave?” Nelson sighed as he served Ray a fresh pint. The pub was near empty now. Only a few stragglers, people Ray didn’t recognize, were sitting in the back.
“Not today, Nelson. Not today,” he sighed, taking a sip and letting the warm ale trickle down his throat.
“Not giving up hope, are you?”
“Course not,” Ray huffed, angered at just the thought.
“Good,” Nelson smiled. “Because DCI Hunt would not give up on you. Or any of his men.”
“Just don’t know what else to do, Nelson. Chris and I reinterviewed all the suspects from the Moloney case. We’ve searched his house, the Cortina, every bloody pub in the city. And we’ve not had a single lead,” Ray shook his head. “Rathbone wants us to trawl the canal,” he added somberly and sipped more of his beer.
“I take it you disagree.”
“Don’t see the point.”
“Hm,” Nelson nodded. “Are you scared of what you’ll find or what you won’t?”
“I ain’t scared at all and don’t you ever say it,” he warned, pointing a finger at the barman. Nelson, good man, was unfazed by Ray’s reaction.
“There is nothing more disheartening than a man who’s lost his way,” the barman pondered aloud.
“There’s no problem with getting lost, long as you find your way back,” Ray countered.
“But what if you need someone to show you the way?”
Ray chugged the rest of his pint and slammed the glass on the counter. It was too late, even for Nelson’s rambling.
“That’s me off,” he sighed, tossing his money on the counter and grabbing his coat from the stool beside him. “Evening, Nelson.”
“Good night, DS Carling.”
Ray shrugged on his jacket and shuffled outside. The night was so clear, it was easy to see the stars. As he buttoned up for the walk home, he wondered if the Guv was as cold as he was, the air being so crisp. He wondered how cold it was at the bottom of the canal and if a body could feel the chilling touch of death if it was just a body.
He tossed that thought aside. The Guv wasn’t dead and he certainly wasn’t at the bottom of the canal. They’d trawl it tomorrow just to prove it.