Memory Lane
Disclaimer: New Tricks belongs to the BBC, I'm just playing.
Rating: K+
Episodes: This story takes place just after Sandra's departure. It is linked to one of my other stories, 'Home cooked comfort', but can stand alone, though it will make more sense if you read that first.
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Robert walked along the pavement, nervously counting down the house numbers, he really hadn't wanted to make this walk, but he had never shirked away from his responsibilities before, and he wasn't about to start now. He saw the door he was looking for looming before him and took a deep breath. He opened the gate and walked up the tidy garden path stopping in front of the wooden door. He had the overwhelming urge to push the envelope of papers through the letter box and walk away as quickly as possible, but though he had been labelled many things in his time, many of them not very pleasant, he had never been a coward.
He rang the doorbell and took a polite step back. He could hear the woofing of the spaniel and movement on the other side of the door.
"Scampi! Out of the way." He heard the voice of Esther lane. He remembered the last time she had spoken to him, her words scathing and her voice sharp. Nobody had quite understood the pressure he had been under at the time, how Brian's crusade on behalf of Sarah Kaye had alienated much of the support that UCOS relied on to survive. Even now, after months had passed, the repercussions were still echoing around the upper offices, and he was still very much on the outside for his support of the little unit and its employees.
The door opened and he tensed, Esther looked out and he could see that she was slightly surprised by the identity of the visitor.
"Evening." He tried to break the awkward silence.
"Mr Strickland. This is a surprise. What can I do for you?" She asked, her voice polite, but he could hear the edge within it. He tried not to remember the last time he had been at this door, when he had been invited in warmly and had enjoyed tea almost as a friend. He had revealed a lot of his true personality to the Lanes that day. But there was no sign of that today, today he was about as welcome as dry rot. He sighed and held out the envelope.
"I wanted to give you this. It's the final report on the Antony Kaye inquest. I thought Brian might like to see it." He watched as Esther took the papers and looked back up at him with a question in her eyes. He smiled shyly. "I'll leave you in peace." He went to turn, stepping back from the door. Esther's voice stopped him.
"Would you like to come in and give this to him yourself?" She asked. He shook his head.
"No, I'd better not. I'm probably the last person he would want to see." He turned and started off down the path.
"How are you?" Her question took him by surprise. He looked back, blinking slightly.
"Ummm. Fine..I'm fine." He answered. Esther smiled.
"That didn't sound very convincing. Please come in for a while, I've just got a shepherd's pie out of the oven."
"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt your meal." He apologised. She laughed.
"Come in for a moment. Brian will want to say hello."
He faltered for a moment before turning and heading back towards the inviting warmth of the house.
"Just a few minutes." He assured her. She took his coat and hung it on the peg.
"Come on through." He followed her into the kitchen that he remembered from last time. She turned to him. "You never came to dinner." It took a few minutes for him to realise she was talking about the open invitation from the last time he was here. He blushed, slightly embarrassed.
"I know, I'm sorry. But I didn't want to intrude. Those dinners were a team thing, my presence would have just made everyone uncomfortable." She tutted, but he could see she wasn't angry with him.
"Brian! We have a visitor." She called. Robert heard movement from the next room, just before the man himself appeared. Brian tensed at the sight of his former boss.
"Oh, hello. Is something wrong?"
"Brian, nothings wrong, Robert just thought you might like these. She handed her husband the envelope. Brian looked at it as if it was a dangerous animal.
"What is it?" He asked suspiciously. Esther rolled her eyes. Robert answered.
"The final report from the inquest. They found Embleton and the other officers negligent, and though you admitted to being alcoholic at the time, you have been exonerated of any wrong doing, after all, you placed his care in three other officers. You didn't leave him alone..."
"But I was never looking to pass the blame, I was as responsible..."
"No more so than any officer who has to nip off to the loo, or something. You were right Brian, they made you a scapegoat. Because of this, your pension has been fully restored." Brian broke into a bright smile and hugged his wife.
"I hope this means an end to all the conspiracy talk." She scolded. He nodded.
"I was right though love, wasn't I."
"Yes, you were, love, you were."
"Does this mean I could come back?" Brian looked at Robert. Esther frowned.
"Brian." She warned. Robert rubbed his eyes.
"Brian, I'm sorry. The fact that you were right doesn't erase the way you went about getting the result. I'm still dealing with the political fall out. I really wish you had come to me. You know I wouldn't have buried something like this."
"Yeah, I know. One of those mad moments where I acted then thought."
"Not like you at all." Esther dead panned, making the men smile. Robert reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. He handed it to Brian who unfolded it, on it was a name and phone number.
"Who's Katherine?"
"Katherine Morris. She runs a charity called lost hearts. I met her when I was a detective sergeant. Her teenage daughter ran away and came to London. Kath moved here to find her. Unfortunately the girl was eventually found dead from an overdose, I had to deliver the news. She set up the charity and has dedicated her life to help others track down lost loved ones. I've helped on occasion over the years, but she would find the talents of two investigators such as yourselves invaluable. Your work on the Peter Sale case was exemplary." Brian nodded.
"Thank you. I do miss it. UCOS I mean, I miss...everyone."
"Me too." Robert admitted.
"How is the new lady working out?" Esther asked. Robert shrugged.
"It's early days. But I think she will be fine, she just has to get used to the way the boys work."
"It took Sandra a good while to get used to us." Brian smiled. "Tell her good luck from me."
"I will. Now, I had better get going, your pie will be cold."
"Please stay." Esther pleaded. "Just this once."
"Though, I guarantee, once you've tasted her shepherds, you'll be back for more." Brian winked. Robert nodded, the feeling of being welcome somewhere, if only for a short time filled him with warmth.
"Maybe, just this once."
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Author's note: This is just a little one shot which has been annoying me. xxx