Isn't the Morning After Just Lovely?

[out_of_my_time]

Sam blinks his way out of an uncharacteristically untroubled sleep to the sound of the static on his television.  He blinks at it through the lingering scraps of sleep that cloud his vision, then rolls out of bed, grumbling, to switch the set off.   It takes him a moment or two to remember the events of the night before, and when he finally does,

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[manc_sheriff]

Half past eight in the morning and already it feels like it's been a long day. Long night, Gene decides, then grimaces around his cigarette. A morning scotch -- not bullpiss this time, but the good stuff -- should have cured those nasty, fly away thoughts. Lucky thing he restocked his flasks, then. It seems like he's going to need them

[out_of_my_time]

'Shot him in the stomach?' Sam echoes, snatching the case file from the desk. ‘You’d think if they wanted to kill the bloke in his sleep, there’d be less messy ways to go about doing it

[manc_sheriff]

As Sam pages through all three pages of the collected reports, Gene sucks down another long drag or two of cigarette and fetches his coat. He listens to Sam spin his cogs around the known information, tugging on his driving gloves, and scooping the keys from the desk.

He jangles them obnoxiously in Sam's direction. 'I reckon that's why he called us. So we can find out.' Gene knocks his head in the direction of the street. 'Car.' Short, sweet, effective order, he stalks out of his office, giving Sam a wide-berth.

'Chris! Ray!' Chris nearly topples onto his face with the way he misses kicking the ball. Ray laughs at him, but at least they're both up and moving. 'Get in the car.'

Gene exits the building, assured the three are right behind him, and starts up the Cortina.

[out_of_my_time]

Sam doesn't have time to summon a suitably caustic retort to Gene's sarcasm before the man pushes past him. Or rather, before the man steps around him in what's really an unnecessarily wide arc. Well, Sam reflects for a moment, if Gene's going to be making a point of avoiding all physical contact, Sam can at least look forward to a day without getting thrown up against a wall or punched in the stomach

[manc_sheriff]

The car seems compressed to the gills with silence, hard to ignore and stiff. Gene presses the accelerator, determine to wait out the weighty feeling by driving as fast as he likes. The intense quiet really could just be Sam keeping mum for once and not peppering Gene with questions. Chris may or may be prattling on in the mirror, either about football strategy or some date he was just on. Gene's grown used to tuning out the mindless jabber so early in the morning

[out_of_my_time]

For once, Sam's thankful that he's the subordinate officer. While the dozen or so reporters who've already gathered immediately start harassing Gene, brandishing notepads and cameras, they completely ignore Sam, leaving him free to push through the press of people

[manc_sheriff]

Gene remains silent as Sam issues orders. It's not what it used to be, where Gene and only Gene made the calls, but he's learned he doesn't mind it as it gives him a chance to inspect things more closely

[out_of_my_time]

'He's got a wife and she didn't wake up when her husband got shot?' Sam's lips twist wryly. 'Some bloody marriage

[manc_sheriff]

Gene follows Sam's line of sight to the bed. The blood seeped through into the mattress, discolouring a wide brown splotch across the middle. 'Heavy sleepers, both of them,' Gene grunts, studying the stain one last time

[out_of_my_time]

Sam takes one last, searching glance around the room as Gene sweeps out, barking orders at Chris and Ray. Besides the ugly stain on the mattress and the smell of blood and guts still lingering in the air, the room is disarmingly clean. Even the air has a chemical sort of freshness about it; the sort of air freshener that Sam had at first longed for for his musty, cigarette-smelling flat, but had since developed a distaste for. Too clean, unnatural

[manc_sheriff]

'Before you start erecting a memorial in her honour as the good, sainted housewife, I suggest you meet her first

[out_of_my_time]

'I'm not suggesting she's a blameless saint.' Sam's voice is deceptively patient. 'All I'm saying is that we can't convict her before we even take her in for questioning. I'll agree it's highly suspect, but we need to stick to procedure, especially on something as delicate as this

[manc_sheriff]

'As long as they don't get in me way.' A muscle twitches in the side of Gene's mouth. It threatens to be the beginnings of a smile but Sam shouldn't be encouraged too often. Gene doesn't much think Sam needs any encouragement anytime soon

[out_of_my_time]

Sam flashes the nurse a swift, apologetic smile as they pass; slightly embarrassed, as always, to be seen in public with Gene. She looks decidedly unimpressed, however, as nurses are wont to, and Sam swiftly follows after the Guv. The place seems to be lit in tones of stained yellow and grey, and he grimaces a little as they go down corridor after corridor. Health care in 1973, Jesus

[manc_sheriff]

Gene charts the oncoming nurse out of the corner of his eye. He watches her see to Abernethy, then watches Sam see to her. Good boy, Gene thinks when Sam flashes her that smile -- a smile that no bird Gene has even seen can resist -- and pretends to be lost in a haze of cigarette smoke as the woman relates what she knows of Mrs. Abernethy

[out_of_my_time]

Sam eyes Gene wryly as he shoves past the little nurse, who's suddenly looking nothing short of terrified. That is why Sam takes it upon himself to talk to members of the general public. There's no point intimidating them if they're not subjects. Once again, he gives the nurse a reassuring sort of grin (she blushes), and he strides off down the corridor after Hunt.

'Was that really entirely necessary?'

If he didn't know better, he might think Gene was jealous, and oh, now that was a thought worthy of a chuckle or several. Not that he had any time to think about that now