The Aftermath

[smallhobbit]

Title: The Aftermath
Rating: Green Cortina
Word Count: 860 approx
Written for the Tension challenge on 1973Flashfic

 

You could cut the atmosphere in CID with a knife.  It was the day after a blag.  Sam had insisted that everything be done “by the book”, which had meant that they arrived 10 minutes after the bank had been hit by the blaggers.  In the ensuing chaos Chris had been shot in the arm.

Ray glared at Sam, “It was your fault.  Your stupid ways.  Chris could have been killed.”

“If you had done what you were supposed to do, it would never have happened.” 

With that Ray aimed a punch at Sam, who retaliated and within seconds they were fighting in the middle of CID.  Gene marched up and grabbed both of them by their collars and hauled them to their feet. 

“Pack this in now!” he ordered.  “I have just had to assure Rathbone that we are all working as hard as possible to find these vermin.  I did not expect to come in here and find you two scrapping when you could be doing something useful.”  With that he stormed into his office and slammed the door.

#####

 Late that evening Sam was lying in bed going over and over in his mind the events that had followed the blag.  It wasn’t his fault, he was sure of that.  He’d done everything right, he was certain.  And yet, despite everything, Chris had been shot.  Sam recalled Chris’ expression of pain and horror and shuddered.

He heard knocking on the door, “Let me in.”

“F* off”

“Tyler, open the door now.”

“I told you to f* off.”

“Tyler, that is an order.”

Sam got out of bed and let Gene in.  “Right, get dressed.  We’ve still got work left to do.”  Gene noticed that the younger man had been crying, but refrained from passing comment.

Back in his office Gene made Sam go through the aftermath of the blag one more time.  He listened as Sam explained how things should have worked out. 

“So what went wrong then?”

“I – I don’t know.”  Sam looked utterly miserable.

“Go home.  We’ll go over this again in the morning.”  Gene watched as his dejected DI left his office.  He wanted to follow him and give him a hug to reassure him, but it was not yet the right time.

#####

The following morning both Sam and Ray were in before Gene.  Both were avoiding  looking at each other, but the animosity of the previous day was no longer tangible.

Gene strode in.  “Phyllis, where’s Cartwright?”

“Her Dad phoned to say she wasn’t feeling well.”

“Phone him back and tell him that ‘not feeling well’ is insufficient reason for any of my team not to be present.”

Phyllis presumably did what she was instructed to do, because within the hour Annie had come in.  She looked very pale and Sam would have gone to her if Gene’s glare hadn’t indicated that they would both be in trouble if he did.

Shortly after that, Chris himself walked into CID.

“Skelton, you’re late.” Gene shouted.  Sam gave Gene a furious look, which he ignored.

“Sorry Guv, I ‘ad to wait for the doctor.  The appointments at the ‘ospital were all running late.”

Gene grunted an acknowledgement and Chris walked over to Sam.

“Sorry, Boss.  It were my fault.  If I’d done what you told me, it would’ve been okay.  But I forgot some of what you said.”

Ray went over to Chris.  “No mate, it were my fault.  I should’ve taken better care of you.”

Sam stood up.  “Actually,” he began, but Gene interrupted, “What your DI is trying to say is that at times sh*t happens.  And, more importantly, that drinks are on him tonight.

“Right, Ray take Chris and see if you can pick up anything on the whereabouts of the blaggers from the low-life down by the canal.” Gene began to organise his troops. “Cartwright, you feeling any better?” 

Annie smiled, “Yes, thank you Guv, I am now.”

“Good girl.  Start going through the witness statements; see if there’s anything we missed first time through.  Tyler, my office.”

Sam followed Gene into his office.  “Why didn’t you let me say anything?”

“Because it wouldn’t ‘ave achieved anything.  You were quite right, though it pains me to say it.  It is important to follow the rules.  What you forgot, was that those rules don’t allow for Chris panicking or Ray not realising that Chris isn’t as close to him as he should be.”

“I did my best Guv.”  Sam sounded despondent.

“Yeah, I know you did.  And so did Ray, and so did Chris.  What you ‘ave to learn is that there will be times when everyone does their best and it still doesn’t work out.”

Gene took a step towards Sam, who braced himself for the punch.  Instead, Gene put his arms around the slighter man and gave him a hug.  As he did so, Sam felt the tension release from his body in a way that neither the fight with Ray nor his tears had been able to achieve.  “The other thing you ’ave yet to learn, my little Deputy Dawg, is when to punch and when to hug.”