Peace & Quiet
Chapter One.
Gene Lestrade stared absent mindedly through his office window on to the busy street below and he sighed. He did not feel well. His head was fuzzy and throbbed with a dull, insistent pain. The slightest noise echoed around his brain and made his eyes ache. He turned away and sat down in his chair, turning it from the door to the window, where a faint patch of July sunlight was creeping its way through. The sunlight helped, it was warm and it soothed his tired mind. He closed his eyes and listened to the clip clop of hooves on the pavement, until one clip clop paused, moved again, and then stopped. He frowned as he heard a carriage door shut and two sets of footsteps came running into the building, before long he heard them mount the stairs in the corridor and yes, they were coming to see him; and he bet he knew who the blasted footsteps belonged to. He knew but he didn't move. He kept his eyes closed and his back to the door.
There was a knock, he growled but ignored it.
It came again, harder this time. Again he ignored it.
Again; followed by, "Inspector?"
Again. He flung his head back and sighed, turning in his chair he shouted towards the door.
"Bloody what?"
DC Carling looked sheepishly through the door, a cigarette hanging from his lips.
"Sorry Guv, you know who wants a word." He raised his eyes heavenward and cocked his head back behind him, smiling sarcastically. Gene sighed again and hauled himself to his feet.
"Alright show the bastard in."
Carling smiled and shut the door behind him, Gene stood with his hands in his trouser pockets, staring at the door, before long, the knob turned and in walked Sherlock Holmes, followed by his ever faithful companion the good doctor.
"I have just this second walked in Holmes, what the bloody hell do you want?"
He rocked backwards and forwards on his heels, trying to calm the pain in his head, it wasn't working. Holmes smiled gently at him and leaned one arm nonchalantly on his cane.
"Don't blame your hangover on me Lestrade." Holmes continued, his smile growing wider. Dr. Watson also smiled until Gene threw him a look and he coughed instead.
"I'm not sodding blaming you for it; I'm blaming you for aggravating it. I repeat what the bloody hell do you want?"
"I'm glad you're in such a lovely mood this morning Lestrade." Holmes continued, taking a chair and flamboyantly sitting down in it, flicking his coat tails out behind him as he did so. Lestrade grimaced.
"If you don't tell me in the next ten seconds what it is you want, I'll get DC Carling to kick you out on your arses."
Holmes laughed,
"Oh dear, bad night last night was it?"
Gene coughed and took his seat, his stare fixed on the lanky man seated in front of him.
"I'm warning you Holmes."
"Yes…" Holmes drew the word out until Gene was sure he was going to knock him unconscious before he left the office, "Forgive me Gene but DC Carling looks in a worse state than you, so if anyone will be 'kicked out on their arses' I very much fear it will be him."
Gene flashed him a quick smile. The cheeky bugger was probably right, Gene had never seen anyone fight as well as Sherlock Holmes, tried it on himself once, when he was very drunk and Holmes had nearly killed him, he vowed never to fight the man again, drunk or sober.
"Grab a seat Doc, you look like a bloody spare part standing there, or his Holiness' lady's maid." He threw a look at Holmes who smiled back, one finger tracing his bottom lip. Watson mumbled something about indignity which Gene ignored and pulled a chair up next to Holmes. All was silent.
"Well?" Gene demanded, rapidly losing what little patience he possessed.
"Did you know about the abduction of Lord Anson's daughter?" Holmes asked, looking at him now from behind lowered lids.
"Yes. How the bloody hell do you know about it?" Gene scowled at him, why was he always two steps ahead?
Holmes smiled.
"Because I am me Lestrade."
Gene scowled again.
"Well? Gonna tell me where she is are ya?" Gene threw one of his legs up onto the table and crossed his arms over his chest. Holmes smiled in his self satisfied way.
"Not just yet, I just thought I would offer you my services."
Gene smiled, Smug git.
"Ta, always appreciated. That all?" Gene asked, standing up and putting his hands in his pockets.
Holmes smiled,
"Yes that's all." He stood up and picked up his cane, the doctor did the same. As he reached the door he stopped and swung his body round, his legs crossed and eyed Lestrade.
"He's dangerous Gene, this man that has taken her. Do not underestimate him."
"Him? Him who?" Gene asked, his patience getting thinner.
Holmes shrugged,
"It is useless to theorise without data, all I am saying is be careful."
Gene shot him a smile that was far from sincere. Holmes' face remained set as he swept out of the office, the doctor following close at his heels.
Lestrade's smile immediately disappeared and DC Carling reappeared in the doorway.
"What'd he want?" He asked, his Manchester accent strong, the same cigarette dangling from his lips.
"Bloody usual, telling me how to do my job." Gene sat back down in his chair and swung both legs up onto his desk, "Smug git, telling me to be bloody careful!"
"He's got a nerve." Ray agreed, still loitering in the doorway.
"Always has done," Gene agreed.
"What we gonna do Guv?"
"We, Ray, are going to do what we always do, bloody solve it then his highness can come in and take the sodding credit!" Gene spat out the last word with contempt and slammed his hand on the desk. Ray laughed.
"So we search?" Ray asked tentatively, not exactly certain what his D.I was asking him to do.
"No Ray, I thought we'd sit here and wait for her to come 'ome of her own accord, of course we bloody search!"
Again the hand slammed down on the desk and Ray shrank further behind the door, the Guv angry was never good. Gene searched Ray's face.
"What are you bloody waiting for a written invitation? Get moving! And take that bloody plonk with ya."
"Yes Guv." Ray said, finally disappearing and shutting the door behind him. By plonk, Gene meant Constable Collins, newly appointed and getting on every nerve Gene possessed. He closed his eyes again, bloody, sodding, arsing Sherlock Holmes, what he wouldn't have given for a gun during that interview…He let the thought train off and smiled….today was going to be a long bloody day…
Gene Lestrade VERY loosely based on Gene Hunt from the brilliant BBC series Ashes to Ashes and DC Ray Carling also taken from the BBC, Holmes and Watson obviously belong to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle but everything else is mine….taking liberties but still…I hope you enjoy! Reviews always welcome :-)