Fic: The Art of Being Lost and Found (6/?), blue cortina, dakfinv
Title: The Art of Being Lost and Found (6/?)
Author: dak
Word Count: 1301 (this part); (7678 in total, so far)
Rating: blue cortina
Warnings: none this part
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 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5
He leaned over his desk, pretending to fill in his report while all he was really doing was doodling pictures that would make his mother blush. Chris had been avoiding him all day. Skelton didn’t seem mad, just aware that every sentence said to him would be an attempt to change his mind. Cartwright, however, was not hiding her anger towards Ray and was avoiding him exactly because of it.
Ray had spent the morning joking with Vince and Clyde, but they’d gone out on a shout and CID was now filled only with the people who weren’t speaking to him. Ray looked up from his doodle to see Carter approaching him. Yes, Carter was speaking to him, but Carter didn’t count as a real person. Ray couldn’t even remember his first name.
“Afternoon, Sergeant. How are you fairing this fine, Fall day?” he smiled.
How on Earth could this man be happy when so much shit was happening?
“Oh, lovely, sir,” Ray smiled, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
“Good, good,” Carter nodded, apparently oblivious to all forms of sarcasm. “Finished some of those cases, then?”
“Yeah. All but the homicide,” he answered.
“Fine. Yes, those things take a bit more time, don’t they?” Carter perched his arse on Ray’s desk. Ray’s upper lip curled in disgust, but he feared his moustache covered most of his reaction.
“Is there summat you wanted, sir?” he asked, finally throwing his pen down. He didn’t care if Carter saw his drawings or not.
“Oh no. Well, see, I’d hate to disturb you, but I do have a quick question, though, if you wouldn’t mind answering.”
“Depends what it is,” Ray crossed his arms.
“Yes, yes. I understand. Well, the thing is, I seemed to have misplaced the key to the filing cabinet in your Guv’s office. Actually, I’m not sure I ever had it. See, I didn’t realize it could lock, and I seem to have locked it by mistake. Silly things, filing cabinets. Don’t you agree?”
“Absolutely, sir,” Ray stifled a laugh.
“Well, I was wondering if you knew of a spare key, or some such thing, that I could use to get it open again.”
“Hm,” Ray pretended to think. “Don’t believe so, DCI Carter. See, I were never privy to such important information.
“Ah, I understand. Well, thank you for your help,” Carter finally slid off Ray’s desk. “Do let me know if you think of anything, will you?”
“Of course, sir,” Ray promised and watched the flustered DCI walk slowly back to the office. If he’d arrived under different circumstance, Ray would’ve felt sorry for the poor bastard.
“Ah, WDC Cartwright!”
Ray flinched as he watched Carter approached Annie, standing a little too close for his comfort. Annie took a large step sideways as she continued the conversation.
“Oi, Chris,” Ray called out as he saw the DC enter. “You’ll never guess what Carter...”
“Here’s me report on Mr. Jones,” Chris cut in, his normally chipper voice a dull monotone. He set the papers on Ray’s desk. “I’ll be in Collator’s if you need me,” he stated and walked away.
“Chris!” Ray called after him, but his soon-to-be ex-partner ignored him as he walked away. Ray looked up to see Cartwright excusing herself from Carter’s presence, then hurry herself out of the room.
Alone in the office again, Ray went back to his sketches. He decided to give the woman bigger tits.
*
“I’ll have the roast beef, Gwen. Cheers. And some of those lovely potatoes. And a coffee, thanks.”
Ray carried his tray to a side table and sat down with the day’s newspaper. There was a cover story by Jackie Queen that would probably be a laugh to read. Ray had first been surprised by the lack of news attention on the Guv’s disappearance, but now was glad of it. They needn’t draw attention to yet another one of their failures.
“This seat taken?”
Ray glanced up and watched Phyllis sit before he even answered.
“Course not. Go ahead,” he replied anyway with a roll of his eyes.
“Enjoying your Yorkshire pudding?” she asked.
“Haven’t touched it, yet.”
“I can see that. I were only being polite,” she huffed.
“Hard to tell with you, innit?”
“Cheeky,” she chided and stirred her tea. “Heard DC Skelton was planning on leaving us.”
“If that’s what you came to chat about than sod off. I ain’t in the mood.”
“None of us are, DS Carling. That don’t mean we should ignore it,” she sipped her tea, then set the mug down. “He should go see him.”
“If he could see the Guv, that’d be half our problems solved,” Ray opened the paper with a snap.
“No disrespect, sir. But I don’t think it’s the Guv’s loss what’s bothering him,” she sipped her warm tea again as Ray’s blood ran cold. He swallowed hard.
“He’s stressed enough. Don’t need to see the Boss like that.”
“Might not be so bad. Been a few months now. He could be better. Maybe talk some sense into the boy.”
“He can barely talk sense to himself, let alone help Chris. And I ain’t taking Skelton to that shit hole,” Ray hoped if he stared at the paper long enough, Phyllis would take the hint and leave him alone.
“Have you been there?” she leaned forward, speaking urgently. Ray couldn’t think of a lie fast enough. “When?” she pressed.
“Saturday, past,” Ray shrugged.
“And? How is he?”
“Crazy as he’s ever been. Worse. And Chris don’t need to know that.”
Phyllis leaned back and again stirred her quickly cooling tea. The only sound between them was Ray’s crinkling newspaper until the Desk Sergeant spoke again.
“You know I’ve never agreed with what you lot did,” she whispered.
“Then why haven’t you been to see him, either?”
Phyllis had no reply. Minutes passed before she rose from her chair.
“I have to get back to my station,” she grabbed her cold mug. “Weren’t right, leaving him on his own like that.”
“Don’t worry. He’s not alone. Plenty of nutters there to keep him company.”
Phyllis stalked off without another word. Ray ate his roast beef cold. He never did get around to reading that Jackie article.
*
As soon as the clock struck five, Ray grabbed his coat and switched off his desk lamp. Chris was still in the Collator’s Den as far as he knew, and Annie was helping Phyllis with something at the front desk. Carter had disappeared an hour before, proclaiming something about a meeting with a locksmith.
If the Guv’s case were still in their hands, CID would be packed with detectives making calls and examining clues. Ray had the sinking suspicion that if he went to the RCS offices on the floor above, they’d be quieter than CID. Ray sighed.
Dead ends had always bothered him before, and those cases involved people he’d never known. It should only make sense he should be tearing his hair out over this one. For some reason, he wasn’t. The worst part was, when Carter announced he was handing off the case, Ray’s stomach had twisted with what he’d thought was anger. He was now realizing that it might have been relief, and that thought sickened him.
Slipping on his coat, and grabbing his ciggies and gum off the desk, Ray was just walking towards the door when the phone in the Guv’s office began to ring. He desperately wanted to let it ring (he was off the clock), but he worried it might be something to do with Gene.
Reluctantly, Ray turned round and marched into the Guv’s office. Switching on the lamp, he took a deep breath and answered the phone.
“Hello?...No, This is Detective Sergeant Carling. DCI Hunt is...unavailable...Yeah, I know...Tyler did what?”
Author: dak
Word Count: 1301 (this part); (7678 in total, so far)
Rating: blue cortina
Warnings: none this part
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 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5
He leaned over his desk, pretending to fill in his report while all he was really doing was doodling pictures that would make his mother blush. Chris had been avoiding him all day. Skelton didn’t seem mad, just aware that every sentence said to him would be an attempt to change his mind. Cartwright, however, was not hiding her anger towards Ray and was avoiding him exactly because of it.
Ray had spent the morning joking with Vince and Clyde, but they’d gone out on a shout and CID was now filled only with the people who weren’t speaking to him. Ray looked up from his doodle to see Carter approaching him. Yes, Carter was speaking to him, but Carter didn’t count as a real person. Ray couldn’t even remember his first name.
“Afternoon, Sergeant. How are you fairing this fine, Fall day?” he smiled.
How on Earth could this man be happy when so much shit was happening?
“Oh, lovely, sir,” Ray smiled, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
“Good, good,” Carter nodded, apparently oblivious to all forms of sarcasm. “Finished some of those cases, then?”
“Yeah. All but the homicide,” he answered.
“Fine. Yes, those things take a bit more time, don’t they?” Carter perched his arse on Ray’s desk. Ray’s upper lip curled in disgust, but he feared his moustache covered most of his reaction.
“Is there summat you wanted, sir?” he asked, finally throwing his pen down. He didn’t care if Carter saw his drawings or not.
“Oh no. Well, see, I’d hate to disturb you, but I do have a quick question, though, if you wouldn’t mind answering.”
“Depends what it is,” Ray crossed his arms.
“Yes, yes. I understand. Well, the thing is, I seemed to have misplaced the key to the filing cabinet in your Guv’s office. Actually, I’m not sure I ever had it. See, I didn’t realize it could lock, and I seem to have locked it by mistake. Silly things, filing cabinets. Don’t you agree?”
“Absolutely, sir,” Ray stifled a laugh.
“Well, I was wondering if you knew of a spare key, or some such thing, that I could use to get it open again.”
“Hm,” Ray pretended to think. “Don’t believe so, DCI Carter. See, I were never privy to such important information.
“Ah, I understand. Well, thank you for your help,” Carter finally slid off Ray’s desk. “Do let me know if you think of anything, will you?”
“Of course, sir,” Ray promised and watched the flustered DCI walk slowly back to the office. If he’d arrived under different circumstance, Ray would’ve felt sorry for the poor bastard.
“Ah, WDC Cartwright!”
Ray flinched as he watched Carter approached Annie, standing a little too close for his comfort. Annie took a large step sideways as she continued the conversation.
“Oi, Chris,” Ray called out as he saw the DC enter. “You’ll never guess what Carter...”
“Here’s me report on Mr. Jones,” Chris cut in, his normally chipper voice a dull monotone. He set the papers on Ray’s desk. “I’ll be in Collator’s if you need me,” he stated and walked away.
“Chris!” Ray called after him, but his soon-to-be ex-partner ignored him as he walked away. Ray looked up to see Cartwright excusing herself from Carter’s presence, then hurry herself out of the room.
Alone in the office again, Ray went back to his sketches. He decided to give the woman bigger tits.
*
“I’ll have the roast beef, Gwen. Cheers. And some of those lovely potatoes. And a coffee, thanks.”
Ray carried his tray to a side table and sat down with the day’s newspaper. There was a cover story by Jackie Queen that would probably be a laugh to read. Ray had first been surprised by the lack of news attention on the Guv’s disappearance, but now was glad of it. They needn’t draw attention to yet another one of their failures.
“This seat taken?”
Ray glanced up and watched Phyllis sit before he even answered.
“Course not. Go ahead,” he replied anyway with a roll of his eyes.
“Enjoying your Yorkshire pudding?” she asked.
“Haven’t touched it, yet.”
“I can see that. I were only being polite,” she huffed.
“Hard to tell with you, innit?”
“Cheeky,” she chided and stirred her tea. “Heard DC Skelton was planning on leaving us.”
“If that’s what you came to chat about than sod off. I ain’t in the mood.”
“None of us are, DS Carling. That don’t mean we should ignore it,” she sipped her tea, then set the mug down. “He should go see him.”
“If he could see the Guv, that’d be half our problems solved,” Ray opened the paper with a snap.
“No disrespect, sir. But I don’t think it’s the Guv’s loss what’s bothering him,” she sipped her warm tea again as Ray’s blood ran cold. He swallowed hard.
“He’s stressed enough. Don’t need to see the Boss like that.”
“Might not be so bad. Been a few months now. He could be better. Maybe talk some sense into the boy.”
“He can barely talk sense to himself, let alone help Chris. And I ain’t taking Skelton to that shit hole,” Ray hoped if he stared at the paper long enough, Phyllis would take the hint and leave him alone.
“Have you been there?” she leaned forward, speaking urgently. Ray couldn’t think of a lie fast enough. “When?” she pressed.
“Saturday, past,” Ray shrugged.
“And? How is he?”
“Crazy as he’s ever been. Worse. And Chris don’t need to know that.”
Phyllis leaned back and again stirred her quickly cooling tea. The only sound between them was Ray’s crinkling newspaper until the Desk Sergeant spoke again.
“You know I’ve never agreed with what you lot did,” she whispered.
“Then why haven’t you been to see him, either?”
Phyllis had no reply. Minutes passed before she rose from her chair.
“I have to get back to my station,” she grabbed her cold mug. “Weren’t right, leaving him on his own like that.”
“Don’t worry. He’s not alone. Plenty of nutters there to keep him company.”
Phyllis stalked off without another word. Ray ate his roast beef cold. He never did get around to reading that Jackie article.
*
As soon as the clock struck five, Ray grabbed his coat and switched off his desk lamp. Chris was still in the Collator’s Den as far as he knew, and Annie was helping Phyllis with something at the front desk. Carter had disappeared an hour before, proclaiming something about a meeting with a locksmith.
If the Guv’s case were still in their hands, CID would be packed with detectives making calls and examining clues. Ray had the sinking suspicion that if he went to the RCS offices on the floor above, they’d be quieter than CID. Ray sighed.
Dead ends had always bothered him before, and those cases involved people he’d never known. It should only make sense he should be tearing his hair out over this one. For some reason, he wasn’t. The worst part was, when Carter announced he was handing off the case, Ray’s stomach had twisted with what he’d thought was anger. He was now realizing that it might have been relief, and that thought sickened him.
Slipping on his coat, and grabbing his ciggies and gum off the desk, Ray was just walking towards the door when the phone in the Guv’s office began to ring. He desperately wanted to let it ring (he was off the clock), but he worried it might be something to do with Gene.
Reluctantly, Ray turned round and marched into the Guv’s office. Switching on the lamp, he took a deep breath and answered the phone.
“Hello?...No, This is Detective Sergeant Carling. DCI Hunt is...unavailable...Yeah, I know...Tyler did what?”