A familiar face?
Title: A familiar face?
Summary: A recently promoted Annie goes to interview the neighbours of a flat that was broken into and meets a familiar face.
Rating: U - no swear words
Setting: Five weeks after Episode Eight - August 1973
Word Count: 1410
Disclaimer: All belong to the BBC and Kudos
DC Annie Cartwright, pressed her thumb to the doorbell of the flat. She'd only been recently promoted, and still couldn't get over being called "DC" rather then "WPC". It meant she was now a proper part of the CID, and didnt have to wear a uniform anymore. Still, she had to do jobs like this though, being dispatched to interview the housewives in surrounding flats, about a burglary that had happened the day before.
DCI Hunt had said to her,
"You're a bird love, they'll talk to you."
And that was that.
There was no answer at the door, so she pressed the bell again. She could hear the ringing reverberating in the flat and then she heard a voice shout,
"Just a minute!"
Through the frosted glass in the bright blue door, she could see a figure emerging, a figure, who slid the chain across the door, and pulled it open a fraction.
"DC Cartwright Love," said Annie. "I've come to talk to you about the brake-in next door."
She showed her badge to the woman through the gap.
"Oh - right, hold on."
The woman closed the door, removed the chain, and opened the door properly. Annie was a bit taken aback, she knew the young woman who stood there. She'd briefly met her five weeks before.
"Mrs. Tyler?"
"That's right - oh, yes it's you."
There wasn't much else for Ruth to say. Both women knew what had happened at the Woodbank Community Centre, earlier that summer, how Ruth's husband was wanted by the police, and was still on the run.
"I'm here to talk to you about the break-in, can I ask you a few questions?"
"Of course come in, sorry about being so cautious before - the burglary has got all us residents on guard. Would you like a cup of tea?"
"Yes that would be very nice."
"Just go through," she said pointing to the sitting room/kitchen area.
Annie sat herself down on the settee.
"Recently moved in, have you?"
"Yes, two weeks ago," she said as she put the kettle on, and put two tea bags in the pot.
"We couldn't afford the house anymore, after well you know."
There was nothing really more to say about that, so Annie rather diplomatically changed the subject.
"You've got this place looking nice."
"Thanks, I always try to make the best of every place we live in - even if we are only here a few months, make it a proper home you know."
She poured the water from the boiling kettle into the teapot, and walked through to the living room area, with the tea tray.
"You work with DI Tyler, don't you?" she asked. "How is he these days?"
What could Annie say? After that incident, the doctor had looked him over, and signed him off for two weeks, saying he was suffering from stress. Sam had confided in Annie, that the doctor had diagnosed him as a mild fantasist, with an over active imagination, but that the doctor jokingly added, that it probably helped with the job. And yet, he still believed he was from the future, that this woman was his mother, and that her missing husband was his father. He said, he'd never stop believing. It was true what he'd told her. He really was,
"The sanest lunatic you've ever met."
"Oh he's fine," said Annie. "Took a bit of time off work, but he's back now."
"That's good. Milk? Sugar?" She asked, as she poured the tea into two cups.
"Thanks," said Annie, but she was distracted by something, a noise in the corridor.
"Oh, that's just my Little Sammy. He's become very shy lately of people he doesn't know, and I think the break-in next door hasn't helped."
"He'll be on the summer holidays then?"
"Yes - he goes back at the end of the month. He likes school, gives him a bit stability. Say, could you do me a favour? He'll be very impressed to meet a police officer - Perhaps it might cheer him up a bit."
Ruth got up from the settee, and went to go and get him. She came back in, holding the little boys hand. He was hiding behind her skirt, but curious enough about the visitor to peep round, and get a good view.
"Hello," said Annie.
She liked children. She had no plans to have any at the moment now her career was taking off, but she had enough nieces and nephews, to know how to talk to them.
Ruth sat back down and put Sam on her knee.
So this was the child that Sam - that is the grown up DI Tyler Sam, claimed was his younger self. It was a silly idea of course, thought Annie. This Sam was just an ordinary boy, who happened to have the same name as him, that's all.
"How old are you Sam?" asked Annie.
"Four." said the lad, and he held up four fingers, as if to emphasise the fact.
He had a shy voice, that could have belonged to a younger child. Annie knew the boy had been through a lot lately. His father had left and they had moved house again - no wonder he was shy, and clung to his mother.
"And tell the lady what you want to be when you grow up, Sam?"
"A policeman."
"And, do you know what this lady does?"
The boy looked up at his mother.
"She's a police lady."
He looked at Annie, with almost a look of awe. Then the look changed as if he was trying to take her all in, work her out. There was something familiar in the way he looked at her with his hazel eyes, a way of looking at things, that she had seen before. It sent a shiver down her spine and she nearly dropped her cup of tea.
It can't be, it just can't be!
But there was something in his eyes, in his face.
"Are you alright?" asked Ruth. "You've gone all pale."
"Y..yes fine, fine." She struggled for a moment to get her wits back, but she managed it.
"Why don't you go and play Sam, while me and the police lady talk?"
The boy slid off her knee, and went to a corner of the room, to play with a set of green plastic solders strewn on the floor.
"He's become a bit withdrawn lately. He's got such a good imagination, he's quite content just to sit and play for hours in his own little world. I can't wait till he goes back to school, and can mix with the other children. It will do him so much good."
Annie watched as Sam took hold of his soldiers. She watched as he lined them up in a row, shifting them minutely to get them in perfect alignment.
This could not be real, he can't be, well he just can't be!
But all the evidence was there before her eyes.
"Did you want to ask me some questions about the break-in?" asked Ruth and suddenly Annie's attention was drawn away from the boy.
"Oh, oh yes, the burglary."
She went through her questions, and made her notes as quickly as she could. This was just not happening, she had to get out of here and take this all in.
"Well that's all my questions, thank you Mrs. Tyler, you have been very helpful."
Annie got up and took one last look at the little boy before being shown to the door. She had to say something to him - it would be rude not to - no matter how shaken up she was,
"Goodbye Sam, enjoy the rest of the holiday."
The door closed behind her, and she took in a deep breath. It was far too much for her to believe - it just couldn't be real. That little Sam Tyler, couldn't be the same Sam Tyler, she would see in just under an hour, back at the Station. She made her way back down the outside steps, back to her car, and by the time she reached it, she'd managed to convince herself it was all in her head. She'd been mistaken surely - she had seen something that wasn't there, something she'd wanted to see. A delusion - that's all it was.
It's amazing what you can make yourself believe, when you put your mind to it!
Originally posted in lifein1973 A familiar face?
Summary: A recently promoted Annie goes to interview the neighbours of a flat that was broken into and meets a familiar face.
Rating: U - no swear words
Setting: Five weeks after Episode Eight - August 1973
Word Count: 1410
Disclaimer: All belong to the BBC and Kudos
DC Annie Cartwright, pressed her thumb to the doorbell of the flat. She'd only been recently promoted, and still couldn't get over being called "DC" rather then "WPC". It meant she was now a proper part of the CID, and didnt have to wear a uniform anymore. Still, she had to do jobs like this though, being dispatched to interview the housewives in surrounding flats, about a burglary that had happened the day before.
DCI Hunt had said to her,
"You're a bird love, they'll talk to you."
And that was that.
There was no answer at the door, so she pressed the bell again. She could hear the ringing reverberating in the flat and then she heard a voice shout,
"Just a minute!"
Through the frosted glass in the bright blue door, she could see a figure emerging, a figure, who slid the chain across the door, and pulled it open a fraction.
"DC Cartwright Love," said Annie. "I've come to talk to you about the brake-in next door."
She showed her badge to the woman through the gap.
"Oh - right, hold on."
The woman closed the door, removed the chain, and opened the door properly. Annie was a bit taken aback, she knew the young woman who stood there. She'd briefly met her five weeks before.
"Mrs. Tyler?"
"That's right - oh, yes it's you."
There wasn't much else for Ruth to say. Both women knew what had happened at the Woodbank Community Centre, earlier that summer, how Ruth's husband was wanted by the police, and was still on the run.
"I'm here to talk to you about the break-in, can I ask you a few questions?"
"Of course come in, sorry about being so cautious before - the burglary has got all us residents on guard. Would you like a cup of tea?"
"Yes that would be very nice."
"Just go through," she said pointing to the sitting room/kitchen area.
Annie sat herself down on the settee.
"Recently moved in, have you?"
"Yes, two weeks ago," she said as she put the kettle on, and put two tea bags in the pot.
"We couldn't afford the house anymore, after well you know."
There was nothing really more to say about that, so Annie rather diplomatically changed the subject.
"You've got this place looking nice."
"Thanks, I always try to make the best of every place we live in - even if we are only here a few months, make it a proper home you know."
She poured the water from the boiling kettle into the teapot, and walked through to the living room area, with the tea tray.
"You work with DI Tyler, don't you?" she asked. "How is he these days?"
What could Annie say? After that incident, the doctor had looked him over, and signed him off for two weeks, saying he was suffering from stress. Sam had confided in Annie, that the doctor had diagnosed him as a mild fantasist, with an over active imagination, but that the doctor jokingly added, that it probably helped with the job. And yet, he still believed he was from the future, that this woman was his mother, and that her missing husband was his father. He said, he'd never stop believing. It was true what he'd told her. He really was,
"The sanest lunatic you've ever met."
"Oh he's fine," said Annie. "Took a bit of time off work, but he's back now."
"That's good. Milk? Sugar?" She asked, as she poured the tea into two cups.
"Thanks," said Annie, but she was distracted by something, a noise in the corridor.
"Oh, that's just my Little Sammy. He's become very shy lately of people he doesn't know, and I think the break-in next door hasn't helped."
"He'll be on the summer holidays then?"
"Yes - he goes back at the end of the month. He likes school, gives him a bit stability. Say, could you do me a favour? He'll be very impressed to meet a police officer - Perhaps it might cheer him up a bit."
Ruth got up from the settee, and went to go and get him. She came back in, holding the little boys hand. He was hiding behind her skirt, but curious enough about the visitor to peep round, and get a good view.
"Hello," said Annie.
She liked children. She had no plans to have any at the moment now her career was taking off, but she had enough nieces and nephews, to know how to talk to them.
Ruth sat back down and put Sam on her knee.
So this was the child that Sam - that is the grown up DI Tyler Sam, claimed was his younger self. It was a silly idea of course, thought Annie. This Sam was just an ordinary boy, who happened to have the same name as him, that's all.
"How old are you Sam?" asked Annie.
"Four." said the lad, and he held up four fingers, as if to emphasise the fact.
He had a shy voice, that could have belonged to a younger child. Annie knew the boy had been through a lot lately. His father had left and they had moved house again - no wonder he was shy, and clung to his mother.
"And tell the lady what you want to be when you grow up, Sam?"
"A policeman."
"And, do you know what this lady does?"
The boy looked up at his mother.
"She's a police lady."
He looked at Annie, with almost a look of awe. Then the look changed as if he was trying to take her all in, work her out. There was something familiar in the way he looked at her with his hazel eyes, a way of looking at things, that she had seen before. It sent a shiver down her spine and she nearly dropped her cup of tea.
It can't be, it just can't be!
But there was something in his eyes, in his face.
"Are you alright?" asked Ruth. "You've gone all pale."
"Y..yes fine, fine." She struggled for a moment to get her wits back, but she managed it.
"Why don't you go and play Sam, while me and the police lady talk?"
The boy slid off her knee, and went to a corner of the room, to play with a set of green plastic solders strewn on the floor.
"He's become a bit withdrawn lately. He's got such a good imagination, he's quite content just to sit and play for hours in his own little world. I can't wait till he goes back to school, and can mix with the other children. It will do him so much good."
Annie watched as Sam took hold of his soldiers. She watched as he lined them up in a row, shifting them minutely to get them in perfect alignment.
This could not be real, he can't be, well he just can't be!
But all the evidence was there before her eyes.
"Did you want to ask me some questions about the break-in?" asked Ruth and suddenly Annie's attention was drawn away from the boy.
"Oh, oh yes, the burglary."
She went through her questions, and made her notes as quickly as she could. This was just not happening, she had to get out of here and take this all in.
"Well that's all my questions, thank you Mrs. Tyler, you have been very helpful."
Annie got up and took one last look at the little boy before being shown to the door. She had to say something to him - it would be rude not to - no matter how shaken up she was,
"Goodbye Sam, enjoy the rest of the holiday."
The door closed behind her, and she took in a deep breath. It was far too much for her to believe - it just couldn't be real. That little Sam Tyler, couldn't be the same Sam Tyler, she would see in just under an hour, back at the Station. She made her way back down the outside steps, back to her car, and by the time she reached it, she'd managed to convince herself it was all in her head. She'd been mistaken surely - she had seen something that wasn't there, something she'd wanted to see. A delusion - that's all it was.
It's amazing what you can make yourself believe, when you put your mind to it!
Originally posted in lifein1973 A familiar face?