Pros Novel Read-Along - Waiting to Fall by Rob - Chapter 1
It's Friday night and I've finished work on time! *g* And it's Pros Novel Read-Along night! *g*
Waiting to Fall by Rob
Also available on the ProsLib dvd
Before anything else, thank you so much to FMP for providing the missing line towards the end - it should read "Will you listen to me for a minute." Doyle wanted to tell him how wrong he was" - yeay! (And I'm going to post about the other two missing lines when we're ready to move onto the next chapter)
So - Chapter One starts with Bodie entering a prison to collect someone for transfer - and it's Doyle! Bodie knows nothing about him except that he has to take him Cowley, and so he does, like a good agent. To Bodie's surprise - and Doyle's as well, as he's not been told what's going on - Cowley invites Doyle to join CI5, and then - and then - tells Bodie that they're going to be partnered, and that Doyle will be sharing a flat with him until accommodation has somewhere ready. Oh my - what's Bodie going to do with a bent copper? (Shush, we're not there yet... and if you know this story's nickname, you know it's gonna be a while. *g*)
In fact Bodie has a date, so he gives Doyle his spare key and heads off, leaving Doyle standing there with £5 in his pocket. Luckily that went alot further way back in 1977, but still - Doyle gets the tube, and is able to stop off at his brother's house on the way to Knightsbridge to collect the cases he left in storage. His brother John is not pleased to see the man who brought shame on the family and killed their mother (although she really died of cancer while Doyle was in prison), and our Doyle is given short shrift, but at least he has his things back. It's all he does have - he was living with his girlfriend, Ann Holly, when he was arrested and brought to trial, and she left him too. He heads back to Bodie's place, has his first private bath in a long time and goes to bed - leaving the door ajar, because finally he's no longer going to be shut in.
Bodie's date doesn't go well - he's been off active duty with an injured back, and it turns out that's not particularly conducive to sex either... Seeing the light left on, and assuming Doyle's waiting up for him, he looks forward to taking his frustrations out there - only to find Doyle in possession of additional cases, and fast asleep. He doesn't look at all like he'll survive CI5 training, and Bodie decides he doesn't have to worry about ending up with a partner after all - Doyle won't last.
So this story could almost be pre-canon, except for the mention of Ann Holly. Doyle could almost have got tangled up in the corruption case and arrested, and recruited from there by Cowley. I like how it's all such a hair's-breadth away from what might have been. Sliding doors and turning left instead of right one day, and where would any of us be now?
I'm believing in this world as I read it. CI5 hq out in Hounslow? It seems pretty un-central, but not impossible, especially since we know Cowley moves it around. I can absolutely see Cowley's machinations - the look on his face as he's talking to Doyle, as if it was an ep. *g* And Bodie thinking life's going his way, and then Cowley landing him with a partner - Cowley'd do it, just to keep him on his toes! *g*
I'm believing in Doyle too. There's maybe a little bit much emphasis on his "frailty" for my liking - I just can't see Doyle as frail, no matter what - he might be skinny-hipped compared to Bodie, but he's not insubstantial by any means. But then again, I can well imagine how being an ex-cop in prison might make someone seem frail when they're finally released, especially when nothing's explained to them, and Cowley's purposefully trying to keep him off balance so that he'll either sink - but far more likely, swim strongly.
I found it pretty hard not to keep reading after this one chapter - how did you all get on? What did you think? *g*
- did you believe in the characters?
- did you believe in the set up?
- do you think Bodie's right? Doyle won't last a week... *g*
Waiting to Fall by Rob
Also available on the ProsLib dvd
Before anything else, thank you so much to FMP for providing the missing line towards the end - it should read "Will you listen to me for a minute." Doyle wanted to tell him how wrong he was" - yeay! (And I'm going to post about the other two missing lines when we're ready to move onto the next chapter)
So - Chapter One starts with Bodie entering a prison to collect someone for transfer - and it's Doyle! Bodie knows nothing about him except that he has to take him Cowley, and so he does, like a good agent. To Bodie's surprise - and Doyle's as well, as he's not been told what's going on - Cowley invites Doyle to join CI5, and then - and then - tells Bodie that they're going to be partnered, and that Doyle will be sharing a flat with him until accommodation has somewhere ready. Oh my - what's Bodie going to do with a bent copper? (Shush, we're not there yet... and if you know this story's nickname, you know it's gonna be a while. *g*)
In fact Bodie has a date, so he gives Doyle his spare key and heads off, leaving Doyle standing there with £5 in his pocket. Luckily that went alot further way back in 1977, but still - Doyle gets the tube, and is able to stop off at his brother's house on the way to Knightsbridge to collect the cases he left in storage. His brother John is not pleased to see the man who brought shame on the family and killed their mother (although she really died of cancer while Doyle was in prison), and our Doyle is given short shrift, but at least he has his things back. It's all he does have - he was living with his girlfriend, Ann Holly, when he was arrested and brought to trial, and she left him too. He heads back to Bodie's place, has his first private bath in a long time and goes to bed - leaving the door ajar, because finally he's no longer going to be shut in.
Bodie's date doesn't go well - he's been off active duty with an injured back, and it turns out that's not particularly conducive to sex either... Seeing the light left on, and assuming Doyle's waiting up for him, he looks forward to taking his frustrations out there - only to find Doyle in possession of additional cases, and fast asleep. He doesn't look at all like he'll survive CI5 training, and Bodie decides he doesn't have to worry about ending up with a partner after all - Doyle won't last.
So this story could almost be pre-canon, except for the mention of Ann Holly. Doyle could almost have got tangled up in the corruption case and arrested, and recruited from there by Cowley. I like how it's all such a hair's-breadth away from what might have been. Sliding doors and turning left instead of right one day, and where would any of us be now?
I'm believing in this world as I read it. CI5 hq out in Hounslow? It seems pretty un-central, but not impossible, especially since we know Cowley moves it around. I can absolutely see Cowley's machinations - the look on his face as he's talking to Doyle, as if it was an ep. *g* And Bodie thinking life's going his way, and then Cowley landing him with a partner - Cowley'd do it, just to keep him on his toes! *g*
I'm believing in Doyle too. There's maybe a little bit much emphasis on his "frailty" for my liking - I just can't see Doyle as frail, no matter what - he might be skinny-hipped compared to Bodie, but he's not insubstantial by any means. But then again, I can well imagine how being an ex-cop in prison might make someone seem frail when they're finally released, especially when nothing's explained to them, and Cowley's purposefully trying to keep him off balance so that he'll either sink - but far more likely, swim strongly.
I found it pretty hard not to keep reading after this one chapter - how did you all get on? What did you think? *g*
- did you believe in the characters?
- did you believe in the set up?
- do you think Bodie's right? Doyle won't last a week... *g*