A/N: The episodes thus far of series 10 have been brilliant, but that's not going to stop me reworking them for my own amusement ;) In Big Topped, Gordon died on July 26th so I'm going to stick with that date for convenience.
Date: September 6th, 2013
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, I definitely don't own New Tricks.
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I was just heading out for my usual lunchtime fag when Sandra asked me to run some paperwork upstairs; she'd been in an odd mood all morning so I obliged without my usual protestations. When I returned back down to the office, not ten minutes later, there was Dan, sitting at his desk, looking suspicious as usual.
"Where's Steve?" I ask, stopping in front of his desk.
"Dental appointment" he replies.
Yeah right, I mutter to myself. I'd used that excuse so many times it was no longer acceptable even when it was legitimate. I make a note to interrogate Steve later, and tell him he needs a better excuse, coz that one won't fly with Sandra anymore.
I start to head over to my own desk when I notice Sandra's holed herself up in her office, closed the blinds, the door and all but one of her lamps are off. Immediately I know Dan has done something, because when I left her, she about to put the kettle on for coffee and we were going to have lunch; waiting for Dan and Steve to get back before deciding on the afternoon's agenda. Though, credit to me, I have been known to piss her off whilst not even being in the office, on more than one occasion. But since taking over Jack's desk … it must be his chair, I've been on my very best, professional behavior. She hasn't had a go at me in weeks. And now bloody Dan. I ask him what he said to her. He asks me about what; little shit and his feigned ignorance. I've always been a bit protective of her, all the women in my family, it's automatic. She doesn't need it, but with Jack gone and Brian, I deservedly reclaim my old nickname last man Standing and I can't help it. She doesn't need the office environment any more fucked up than what's it's been over the past year and I don't know anything about this Danny Griffin.
Now he's asking me about her dad being a Met cop. Gordon Pullman is not a discussion point in this office, not since the last time Sandra brought him up when she found out he'd committed suicide and that Jack had been head of the internal into his alleged corruption. I tell Danny to drop it. He tells me she had a call from her mother and she lied about having a work thing on and couldn't go somewhere with her. So not only does Danny know every random fact about everything, he eavesdrops in on private conversations as well.
Sandra Pullman lying to her mother was hardly tabloid news. I've met Grace, she was nothing like Sandra, but they are probably exactly alike, which is why they never got along. I never had a particularly good relationship with my old man so I understand about Sandra and Grace. But mothers and daughters are something else. I'm glad my girls get along with their own mothers, and the other mothers. And they've always gotten along with me, so I must have done something right. Sandra idolized her father, still does I suspect, that's why she became a cop just like him. She'd long surpassed his rank though, could probably still climb the Met ladder and run the joint. Why she'd stuck around down here in the basement for so long, I'll never know. It can't be about proving herself to Gordon anymore.
"What's the date today?" Dan suddenly asks me.
"No idea!" I answer back. I barely know what day it is, never mind the date. My ex wives will all attest to that fact, I have no idea of any of my wedding days or their birthdays.
Dan looks around the office, I assume looking for a calendar, which I'm pretty sure we've never had.
"Look on your computer!" I tell him, realizing he's sitting right there in front of the monitor.
"July 26th." He mutters to himself.
I think I just saw Dan smile … or grimace.
"Gerry." He motions me over to his desk with a tilt of his head.
When I cross over to him he swivels his monitor to show me what he's found. He's pulled up Gordon Pullman's service record and points to a date on the screen with the tip of his pen.
July 26th, 1975
Gordon's date of death, no wonder Sandra's been in a mood. Dan seems satisfied with himself; I pat him on the back - maybe he's not so bad - and go back to my desk. I'm pretty sure Sandra and her mother always get together and do something on his anniversary. I vaguely recall Sandra complaining about it once, she said something about how she does it more for Grace but it was the one time of the year they were remotely civil to one another. I think she mentioned wine too.
The impulse to go knock on her door is overwhelming but I sit at my desk and pull out my phone instead. I text her a short message about going out for drinks tonight. If she doesn't want to hang out with her mother, maybe going over to the pub instead will take her mind off things.
A few seconds later, I hear her office door open. She walks out announcing to Dan she's off to see Frank Miles again. Then she realizes I'm back at my desk too and holds her phone up at me.
"What the hell Gerry, why didn't you just knock on the door?"
She's not annoyed though, more surprised to see me right there. She looks from me to Dan - who has quickly gone back to being busy on his computer - then back at me, I just shrug my shoulders.
"Thought you were busy." I tell her convincingly.
She continues on towards the door, fixing up her scarf, telling Dan he can come with her and yes she'll be there tonight, isn't she always on a Friday night?
True, I nod to myself. Friday night drinks after work were almost a mandatory work event. There were other nights, of course, after a particularly shitty day or after wrapping up a case, but always Friday. Since Brian had left, our evening trips over the road had become almost nightly. We never really discussed it, but after Brian's relapse and stint in rehab, we'd cut back on patronage of our local. We all still worried about him and didn't want to keep him around that toxic -to him- environment. Sometimes, it's just Steve and me. I thought I could drink, but bloody hell, Steve makes me feel really old and pathetic. Sandra joins us most of the time too, usually her idea. I guess she thinks she has to look after us and make sure we don't get into trouble; probably a good thing actually. Plus Steve can be a bit depressing sometimes with his family tales of woe. She can tell him to shut it.