RISK ASSESSMENT
"You we're supposed to shoot from the door..!"
Even though the op had finished three quarters of an hour ago, coming to a successful conclusion, Doyle couldn't get the words out of his head…."Well the next time you can be the monkey on the string and I'll be the back-up".
"Look, just forget it" the rational, practical side of his brain was telling him. "It was just words spoken in the heat of the moment that's all" but he couldn't, the more emotional sensitive part of him still stung from the reprimand.
Jesus, what did Bodie think he was? If, he had gone in guns blazing Bodie may have been caught in the crossfire and that's a risk he wasn't prepared to take. He'd seen the situation as soon as he'd entered. Bodie, standing, in the window, ten stories up, the gun inches from his chest, reacting from instinct, pushing it away…off target away from him…. and the people they we're paid to protect, who at that very moment were sitting in the royal box on centre court at Wimbledon, eating bloody strawberries in the sun and enjoying the tennis, totally oblivious to the danger that had just been averted in a high rise flat two miles away in Ealing.
Costa and the Greek hitman Georgi now lay considerably dead, shot by bullets from Doyle's high powered browning. Forensics had arrived shortly after and we're going over the place with a fine toothcomb. Gathering up evidence, even though all concerned knew it was practically an open and shut case. Guilty as charged so to speak, though the two lying on floor wouldn't be uttering anymore words, thought Doyle without humour.
Cowley was coming in from the bedroom, where he had been speaking to the family that was the home of the hijacked flat. He called out to his two operatives.
"Come on you two, there's nothing more we can do here, and I have a meeting at the Greek Embassy in one hour"
He was feeling pleased at the outcome. The life of a Greek royal had been spared by the quick thinking of his team. A bit of good standing was always welcome too you never knew when you might need a favour from the Greek government. Not forgetting the armed cop that had pulled his gun on them as they had stopped at the roadside and had unwittingly given them the break they needed by the mention of the tennis at Wimbeldon. A useful lad he could come in handy in CI5. Confident and assertive and Cowley was always on the lookout for new recruits. PC 221 Doyle had said. Well he'd have him in see what he was made of.
George Cowley led them from the flat and down the stairs to his waiting Rover keen to get back to HQ before his meeting with the minister. Doyle followed Cowley as Bodie skipped up one level and lightly tapped at a door. It was opened and out popped a head of a dark, cropped haired female who had abandoned the towel and was now fully dressed, much to Bodie's disappointment! Bodie remembering his promise to the pretty young woman whom who's balcony he had disappeared over some time ago, side stepped and lounged against her doorframe confidently.
"Well hello again" he spoke with a slow sexy drawl.
"I thought you we're going to compensate me?"
"Oh I will darlin… give me your number and I'll call you"
Not knowing whether or not to believe him, but deciding it was worth the gamble for this was an incredibly attractive man she began to recite it, "6296"…..
"Hey aren't you going to write it down? She asked
"No need, got a photographic memory me" Bodie replied smugly, then suddenly remembering as a vision of Philipa sprang into his mind.
"Got a bit of paper?"
Tutting she went back inside, Bodie followed.
Five minutes later he emerged with a huge grin which was quickly wiped from his face by Cowley as he got in the car.
"Where the hell have you been 37?"
"Me Sir…erm… just doing a bit of public relations Sir, you know keeping them happy, he beamed!
"Well for future reference keep them happy in your own time 37," Cowley exploded.
"Yes Sir" Bodie replied supressing his smile as he slammed the back door of the rover.
The drive back to town was a quiet one Doyle concentrated on the road, while Bodie dreamed of the delights of Suzanne, whom he had promised to call and take out following evening. CI5 permitting.
Cowley putting away the maps and documents inside his briefcase suddenly spoke breaking the silence.
"And the next time I ask for information I'll expect you not to keep me waiting 45" said Cowley sardonically.
"Sir, I did have my hands rather full in there you know" replied Doyle tetchily, looking in the mirror and catching Bodie grinning face from the backseat, the grin wasn't returned. Without it Bodie's grin disappeared too.
"Bloody hell, what have I done now?" "Ok so I might have gone a little over the top, but what did Doyle want a slap on the back a "thanks for saving my life mate? We've never gone in for all that!"
Still he felt guilty, he recalled Doyle's words right after, the emotion in his voice "And what if I had shot from the door, and missed who was standing in the window?"
Flustered and off guard Bodie remembered the words he had uttered deflated "Since when did you miss?
Trouble was he wasn't used to, colleagues, partners with Doyle's sensitivity. You backed each other up, did the job and got out. You said what you thought but then it was forgotten. There was no need for a bloody post mortem was there? But then he'd never had a partner like Doyle before. At first it had irked him. 'the copper with the conscience' he thought sarcastically, but as he had got to know him he came to realise that he genuinely cared and Bodie had to admit that it was a rare combination and one that had begun to rub off on him. Not that he would ever say that out loud of course. Thing is Ray was no pushover either, just look at the way he had dealt with Tarkos earlier. Shit he'd have spilled his guts too if Doyle had treated him like that, Limoges or no Limoges! Doyle was one scary fucker when he put his mind to it!
Arriving back at HQ Doyle came to a screeching halt right outside the main entrance. Exasperated at Doyle by the sharp braking of the vehicle and knowing that he'd probably left half of his tyres on the tarmac Cowley was about to reprimand him, then thought better of it, the mood Doyle was in.
All three men entered the building. Cowley went on ahead striding to his office, shouting for Ruth as he went. He needed a driver to take him to the Greek Embassy and he wanted to get there alive and with a functioning gear box!
Bodie and Doyle went off to write up their reports of the recent events while they were still fresh in their minds. Passing the rest room Bodie peeked in and found it was empty. Coffee seemed like a good idea. Hoping to make amends he called to Doyle who had gone on ahead and disappeared into another room on the same side.
"Hey Ray do you want a brew?" he called.
"Yeah tea, no milk no sugar"
Bodie rolled his eyes in disgust. How the hell did he drink the stuff like that? Mind you it wasn't like he needed the energy from an artificial high; he had enough boundless energy of his own. God knows where from, he seemed to survive only on the odd lettuce leaf and a handful of vitamins! Now him he liked it sweet, three sugars and a dash of milk and a packet of chocolate biscuits if there were any going. He looked. There wasn't, some greedy bastard had ate them all! Taking his coffee and Ray's tea into the room they used as their office he plonked them down on the solid wooden desk, slopping Ray's tea over the side of the cup.
"Sorry" he mouthed.
Doyle gave him a withering look but stayed silent. Bodie sighed deeply and they both got down to the hated job in hand. An hour later after much gnashing of teeth and the odd expletive from Doyle's side of the desk Bodie flung down his pen.
"Ok let's ave it"
"Ave what?" replied Doyle innocently
"Whatever's bugging you and don't tell me it's nothing, you've had a face on and a temper to match all afternoon"
"It's nothing" said Doyle, It doesn't matter, forget it"
"How can I? Look I know what this is about you know. ..It's about what I said in the flat, right?
"Ok yeah if you really want to go there Bodie, Yeah… look I was only trying to save your hide you know, next time I won't bother ok?
"Aw don't be like that mate" spoke Bodie now feeling slightly guilty about his outburst,
"Well what do you expect, BODIE!" returned Doyle exasperatedly
"Ok I'm sorry alright…..I'm just not used to blokes…ya know….caring.
Each catching the others eye and holding the contact they both suddenly grinned,
"Yeah me too" apologised Doyle
"Hey, how about a drink when we finish?" Offered Bodie
"Ok where?"
"You choose Sunshine, replied Bodie with a smile
"Right then up West, somewhere exclusive and very expensive and you're paying" smirked Doyle.
"Hey I'm not that sorry" replied Bodie lifting a hand a ruffling Doyles curls.
"Oi gerroff " said Ray punching Bodie playfully in the ribs.
"And you've spelled that wrong" Doyle observed looking over his shoulder at Bodie's report
"What wrong?" Bodie asked puzzled
"Misunderstood"…. grinned a self-satisfied Doyle.
THE END.