Fic: The Art of Being Lost and Found (9/?), blue cortina, dakfinv
Title: The Art of Being Lost and Found (9/?)
Author: dak
Word Count: 1236 (this part); (11,889 in total, so far)
Rating: blue cortina
Warnings: none here
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.
A/N: Yeah, I already posted today, but it turns out I need to go out of town for a few days, so there won't be any updates until Thursday, possibly Wednesday, depending how my schedule goes. Please enjoy!
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8
“Chris!”
“Mornin’ Ray,” Chris attempted a smile. Since it was his first try in two days, Ray decided it meant the lad was improving.
“Look, Chris,” Ray checked to make sure they wouldn’t be overhead. “I have a new lead.”
“On the Hartford murder?” Chris asked.
“No, you div. On the Guv!” Ray whispered urgently.
“But, that’s RCS’s case now, innit?”
“So? He’s our Guv. I’m going to follow it up. Thought you might like to come with. Get your hands dirty with some real policing, and all.”
Chris stared at his feet, scuffing his soles against the grime-covered floor.
“DCI Carter wanted me to help go through the files in the Guv’s cabinet,” he mumbled. Ray pretended that sentence hadn’t hurt.
“And what’ll he do if you don’t? Sack you? You want to quit anyhow,” Ray persuaded him. He could see Chris mulling it all over. The boy wore everything on his sleeve. “You said you wouldn’t leave till all this with the Guv was sorted.”
“Yeah, but--”
“So, the sooner we find the Guv, the sooner you can go.”
“Is it dangerous?” Chris asked warily.
“What?”
“The lead.”
“Only if you’re allergic to flour,” Ray grinned, grabbing Skelton by the arm and pushing him out the door.
*
“Good morning, gentlemen! And what can I get for yeh?” asked the cheery woman behind the counter.
“Could I get a sausage roll?”
“Chris,” Ray scolded. “We’re supposed to be--”
“One sausage roll for the young man,” she chirped. “And for you?”
“Erm, the same. Cheers.”
“Thought you said...” Chris started.
“Well, since you already ordered. ‘Sides, I did skip breakfast.”
“There you are. Two sausage rolls,” she placed two brown paper bags on the counter and dusted off her hands. “Anything else?”
“Actually, there is, luv. any chance we could speak to Mr. Hynes?”
“Larry!” she hollered, loud enough to damage both Chris and Ray’s eardrums. “Some blokes here to see yeh!”
“What’s it about?” shouted a voice from the back.
“What’s it about?” she asked with a smile and a normal tone of voice. Ray pulled out his warrant card and elbowed Chris to make sure he did the same.
“Police, sweetheart. We just want to ask him a few questions is all.”
“It’s the police!” she screamed. “They’re here ‘bout that cat what’s been pissing on the wheat rolls!”
“Erm...” Ray exchanged glances with Chris. “Actually,” he continued.
“Tell ‘em I’ll be right out!” bellowed the unseen man.
“He’ll be right out. That’ll be two pound fifty,” she smiled, nodding to the sausage rolls.
“Chris, pay the nice lady, would you?”
*
“He’s been getting in through here,” the large man waddled towards a hole in the brick wall. “Used to keep a loose brick there, but the kids kept kicking it out, on purpose, like. No discipline these days, eh?” he shook his head. “I think it’s just a stray, but damned if I don’t think someone’s leading him here on purpose. That’s malicious mischief, that is!...Isn’t it?”
“Mr. Hynes, we’re not here about the cat,” Ray finally informed him.
“You’re not? But Mabel said...”
“We’re wondering if you’ve seen this man,” Ray held out a photo of the Guv - a group shot taken after Tony Crane’s arrest. Mr. Hynes pulled a pair of glasses from his pocket and slipped them on. He studied the photo for a few seconds before pursing his lips and shaking his head.
“No. ‘Fraid I’ve never seen him in me life,” he shrugged calmly.
“You sure?” Ray pressed. “He’s never been in your shop? Or round your house?”
“No, sorry,” he shook his head, still staring at the photo.
“Maybe you’ve seen him at your bridge club?”
“Bridge club?” the man asked, confused. “I don’t play bridge. Could never quite figure it out, much as me mam tried to teach me,” he laughed. “Mabel, me sister, she’s the one what’s good at bridge.”
Ray sighed and started to tuck the photo away. Having not told Chris how he’d come up with this lead or what it had to do with the Guv, the young Constable was left without any questions.
“Now hang on a mo,” the man reached out for the photo just before Ray had it slipped into his pocket. Ray handed it over and watched carefully as Hynes reexamined it. “I have seen this fellow. Yes, that’s him. Skulking about all hours...”
Chris looked to where Hynes’ finger was pointing.
“D...DI Tyler?” he asked anxiously.
“Used to come round in the middle of the night, well, early morning, depending on how you look at it. I’d be getting me early deliveries and there’d he be across the street, near the lamp post. Gave me the heeby jeebies he did,” Hynes shuddered. “Always staring. Thought he might be a bit off in the head. Nearly called you lot.”
“Why didn’t you?” Ray asked, his mind too tangled to think of anything else.
“Weren’t doing no harm, really. And, soon as it did start to bother me, he were gone. Took me a few weeks to notice, but he’s not been round for months now,” Hynes handed back the photo. It crumpled in Ray’s hand as he shoved it in his pocket.
“Let’s go Chris,” he said and started walking out the alley.
“But what about the cat?” Hynes shouted after them.
*
Ray and Chris scurried into CID, hoping their absence had been unnoticed.
“And where have you two been?” DCI Carter was on them as soon as they stepped foot into the office.
“Following up a lead on the Hartford murder,” Chris lied before Ray could.
“Good, good,” Carter nodded. “Learn anything of interest?”
“Not as much as he hoped,” Ray answered.
“Well, keep at it. I’m sure you’ll crack it eventually. DC Skelton, I’d still like to go over those files with you. So, whenever you’re ready, I’ll just be in my office.”
Ray flinched when Carter referred to it as “his” office, but held his tongue. He had more important battles to fight today. Once Carter was gone, Chris drew attention to the obvious.
“We need to see the Boss,” he whispered.
“ ‘We’ don’t need to do owt. If anyone goes to see...Williams, it’ll be me.”
“Why?”
“Cos I can handle it.”
“And I can’t?”
“You’re the one that wants to quit the force cos it’s too scary,” Ray mocked, hoping to push Chris away, for the lad’s own safety. “You wouldn’t be able to set foot in that asylum.”
“Might not be so bad,” Chris tried to say bravely. Ray was reminded of his conversation with Phyllis and was determined not to make the same slip.
“Might not, but do you really want to take that chance?”
“Sort of,” Chris mumbled.
“Look. Someone needs to go see the Boss, yeah? And we should do it sooner rather than later, right?”
“Right...”
“But we can’t have DCI Stick-up-his-bum knowing, can we?”
“S’pose not.”
“So, why don’t you distract him with those files, while I duck out and visit the nutter?”
“A diversion,” Chris concluded.
“Exactly,” Ray pat him on the arm. Chris reluctantly agreed to the plan with a hesitant nod.
“Will you tell him I said hello?”
“If he understands what I’m saying,” Ray agreed. Chris nodded again and turned towards Carter’s office.
“And his name’s Tyler,” Chris muttered under his breath just loud enough for Ray to hear.
Author: dak
Word Count: 1236 (this part); (11,889 in total, so far)
Rating: blue cortina
Warnings: none here
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.
A/N: Yeah, I already posted today, but it turns out I need to go out of town for a few days, so there won't be any updates until Thursday, possibly Wednesday, depending how my schedule goes. Please enjoy!
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8
“Chris!”
“Mornin’ Ray,” Chris attempted a smile. Since it was his first try in two days, Ray decided it meant the lad was improving.
“Look, Chris,” Ray checked to make sure they wouldn’t be overhead. “I have a new lead.”
“On the Hartford murder?” Chris asked.
“No, you div. On the Guv!” Ray whispered urgently.
“But, that’s RCS’s case now, innit?”
“So? He’s our Guv. I’m going to follow it up. Thought you might like to come with. Get your hands dirty with some real policing, and all.”
Chris stared at his feet, scuffing his soles against the grime-covered floor.
“DCI Carter wanted me to help go through the files in the Guv’s cabinet,” he mumbled. Ray pretended that sentence hadn’t hurt.
“And what’ll he do if you don’t? Sack you? You want to quit anyhow,” Ray persuaded him. He could see Chris mulling it all over. The boy wore everything on his sleeve. “You said you wouldn’t leave till all this with the Guv was sorted.”
“Yeah, but--”
“So, the sooner we find the Guv, the sooner you can go.”
“Is it dangerous?” Chris asked warily.
“What?”
“The lead.”
“Only if you’re allergic to flour,” Ray grinned, grabbing Skelton by the arm and pushing him out the door.
*
“Good morning, gentlemen! And what can I get for yeh?” asked the cheery woman behind the counter.
“Could I get a sausage roll?”
“Chris,” Ray scolded. “We’re supposed to be--”
“One sausage roll for the young man,” she chirped. “And for you?”
“Erm, the same. Cheers.”
“Thought you said...” Chris started.
“Well, since you already ordered. ‘Sides, I did skip breakfast.”
“There you are. Two sausage rolls,” she placed two brown paper bags on the counter and dusted off her hands. “Anything else?”
“Actually, there is, luv. any chance we could speak to Mr. Hynes?”
“Larry!” she hollered, loud enough to damage both Chris and Ray’s eardrums. “Some blokes here to see yeh!”
“What’s it about?” shouted a voice from the back.
“What’s it about?” she asked with a smile and a normal tone of voice. Ray pulled out his warrant card and elbowed Chris to make sure he did the same.
“Police, sweetheart. We just want to ask him a few questions is all.”
“It’s the police!” she screamed. “They’re here ‘bout that cat what’s been pissing on the wheat rolls!”
“Erm...” Ray exchanged glances with Chris. “Actually,” he continued.
“Tell ‘em I’ll be right out!” bellowed the unseen man.
“He’ll be right out. That’ll be two pound fifty,” she smiled, nodding to the sausage rolls.
“Chris, pay the nice lady, would you?”
*
“He’s been getting in through here,” the large man waddled towards a hole in the brick wall. “Used to keep a loose brick there, but the kids kept kicking it out, on purpose, like. No discipline these days, eh?” he shook his head. “I think it’s just a stray, but damned if I don’t think someone’s leading him here on purpose. That’s malicious mischief, that is!...Isn’t it?”
“Mr. Hynes, we’re not here about the cat,” Ray finally informed him.
“You’re not? But Mabel said...”
“We’re wondering if you’ve seen this man,” Ray held out a photo of the Guv - a group shot taken after Tony Crane’s arrest. Mr. Hynes pulled a pair of glasses from his pocket and slipped them on. He studied the photo for a few seconds before pursing his lips and shaking his head.
“No. ‘Fraid I’ve never seen him in me life,” he shrugged calmly.
“You sure?” Ray pressed. “He’s never been in your shop? Or round your house?”
“No, sorry,” he shook his head, still staring at the photo.
“Maybe you’ve seen him at your bridge club?”
“Bridge club?” the man asked, confused. “I don’t play bridge. Could never quite figure it out, much as me mam tried to teach me,” he laughed. “Mabel, me sister, she’s the one what’s good at bridge.”
Ray sighed and started to tuck the photo away. Having not told Chris how he’d come up with this lead or what it had to do with the Guv, the young Constable was left without any questions.
“Now hang on a mo,” the man reached out for the photo just before Ray had it slipped into his pocket. Ray handed it over and watched carefully as Hynes reexamined it. “I have seen this fellow. Yes, that’s him. Skulking about all hours...”
Chris looked to where Hynes’ finger was pointing.
“D...DI Tyler?” he asked anxiously.
“Used to come round in the middle of the night, well, early morning, depending on how you look at it. I’d be getting me early deliveries and there’d he be across the street, near the lamp post. Gave me the heeby jeebies he did,” Hynes shuddered. “Always staring. Thought he might be a bit off in the head. Nearly called you lot.”
“Why didn’t you?” Ray asked, his mind too tangled to think of anything else.
“Weren’t doing no harm, really. And, soon as it did start to bother me, he were gone. Took me a few weeks to notice, but he’s not been round for months now,” Hynes handed back the photo. It crumpled in Ray’s hand as he shoved it in his pocket.
“Let’s go Chris,” he said and started walking out the alley.
“But what about the cat?” Hynes shouted after them.
*
Ray and Chris scurried into CID, hoping their absence had been unnoticed.
“And where have you two been?” DCI Carter was on them as soon as they stepped foot into the office.
“Following up a lead on the Hartford murder,” Chris lied before Ray could.
“Good, good,” Carter nodded. “Learn anything of interest?”
“Not as much as he hoped,” Ray answered.
“Well, keep at it. I’m sure you’ll crack it eventually. DC Skelton, I’d still like to go over those files with you. So, whenever you’re ready, I’ll just be in my office.”
Ray flinched when Carter referred to it as “his” office, but held his tongue. He had more important battles to fight today. Once Carter was gone, Chris drew attention to the obvious.
“We need to see the Boss,” he whispered.
“ ‘We’ don’t need to do owt. If anyone goes to see...Williams, it’ll be me.”
“Why?”
“Cos I can handle it.”
“And I can’t?”
“You’re the one that wants to quit the force cos it’s too scary,” Ray mocked, hoping to push Chris away, for the lad’s own safety. “You wouldn’t be able to set foot in that asylum.”
“Might not be so bad,” Chris tried to say bravely. Ray was reminded of his conversation with Phyllis and was determined not to make the same slip.
“Might not, but do you really want to take that chance?”
“Sort of,” Chris mumbled.
“Look. Someone needs to go see the Boss, yeah? And we should do it sooner rather than later, right?”
“Right...”
“But we can’t have DCI Stick-up-his-bum knowing, can we?”
“S’pose not.”
“So, why don’t you distract him with those files, while I duck out and visit the nutter?”
“A diversion,” Chris concluded.
“Exactly,” Ray pat him on the arm. Chris reluctantly agreed to the plan with a hesitant nod.
“Will you tell him I said hello?”
“If he understands what I’m saying,” Ray agreed. Chris nodded again and turned towards Carter’s office.
“And his name’s Tyler,” Chris muttered under his breath just loud enough for Ray to hear.