A Day in the hills.
Chapter One.
Bodie, ahead of me, bounded up the stairs two at a time pushing through the double doors with determination.
"Some would call that an addiction!" I called after him.
"And they'd be right!" He disappeared into the restroom as I caught the eyes of Janet from the Computer Room.
"Are we still on for tonight?" she asked.
"Should be, though I don't know what Cowley has planned for today. I'll let you know." Janet gave me a hopeful smile before slipping back in to the room as George
Cowley emerged from his office engrossed in a handful of papers. At the sound of our voices he looked up.
"Ah, Doyle, my office now." He looked beyond me when it dawned on him I was alone. "Where's Bodie?"
"Getting a coffee, Sir. He's run out of it at home."
"What does he think this is, a bloody café? Bo-die!" Cowley roared down the corridor.
"Sir?" Bodie stepped into the hallway sipping at the hot and hastily made coffee.
"When you're quite ready I'd like you in my office."
"Yes, Sir." Bodie replied half asleep, the caffeine having yet to kick in. He followed me into Cowley's office and we both took a seat at his desk.
"A day in the hills cures most ills, isn't that what they say? So, how do you gentlemen fancy a couple of days away in the country? Wales to be exact."
"Wales, Sir?" Bodie exclaimed with some disdain, spluttering into his coffee.
"That's what I said, Bodie. You've nothing against Wales have you?"
"Well…..no, Sir…..but well, it's a bit cold at this time of the year, isn't it? I mean it's only early March." Bodie looked at me for some kind of support or agreement but just got the same look that Cowley then treated him to.
"Are you going soft on me, 3.7? Because if you are I can arrange for you to be kitted out in a full set of thermal underwear if that would help."
I dropped my head with a smile and felt Bodie squirm uncomfortably in his seat. Cowley raised his eyes skywards for a moment and then continued.
"The consignment of weapons that were thought to be arriving at London docks have in fact turned up in Swansea. It seems that Willie the Snitch's information was a little off kilter. All credit must go to South Wales Port Authority for that one, I must say. And they are now awaiting collection in Sennybridge. I thought we could take a trip out there to recover them."
"Sennybridge? That's my old stomping ground!" Bodie exploded excitedly beside me, the caffeine now clearly having reached the parts nothing else would at this early hour. "I trained there as a soldier in the Army."
"Indeed. It's the Army that now have hold of the shipment."
"I take it they've verified the rifles as being Kelmers?" Bodie's eyes danced with excitement as the prospect of seeing the revolutionary new rifle.
"Indeed," Cowley confirmed. "So you'll appreciate the need for their swift recovery. If these get into the wrong hands….. well, they mustn't be allowed to."
"Sir?" I queried. "You said 'we'?"
"Aye, I did. I've a meeting later this morning but apart from that I have nothing that can't wait a day or two and as I'm anxious to find out whether the pair of you are worth the payrise I've just sanctioned I thought I would join you." There was a sudden glint in the eye of the older man. "I trust, Bodie, that your passport is up to date?
"Passport, Sir? I don't need a passport for Wales." He glanced at me and then at Cowley, suddenly unsure. "Do I?"
"New rules from U.K. Border Control, Bodie. Came in last year. You must have read about it in the newspapers." Cowley said, convincingly.
"He reads 'The Sun', Sir, mainly page three." I informed our boss."And I use the term 'reads' loosely." I didn't need to look at Bodie to know he was scowling at me.
"Okay,okay gentlemen. Get what you need from home for a day or two and meet me back here in an hour."
"Yes, Sir." We rose from our chairs and headed for the door.
"Oh, and Bodie?" Cowley called out. "Remember to pack your thermals won't you?"
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The journey across the country to the Welsh border proved unremarkable. Bodie, waxing lyrical in an ebullient manner about his time in the Army, drove the small nondescript blue van with Cowley and I up front as passengers. Cowley viewed his agent's past military escapades with marked disapproval though I think he secretly enjoyed the stories that served to lift us from the gloom of the unrelenting rain. In the midst of one of his tales we gazed in awed silence when a rainbow arced ahead of us as we approached the bridge crossing into Wales. Both Cowley and I suppressed smiles when Bodie maintained he knew his boss had been teasing him about his need for a passport but we both remained unconvinced. No one said anything about the noticeable drop in temperature as we climbed higher into the sheep strewn hills of the Brecon Beacons!
Several hours later and after a stop for lunch and a change of driver I pulled the van up in a quiet street in a largely agricultural village.
"I'm going to sort out arrangements for tomorrow. In the meantime I've secured lodgings for us overnight." Cowley pointed to a pub a few yards away which, judging by the expression on Bodie's face, met with his approval. It didn't go un-noticed by Cowley as we exited the van.
"May I remind you why we are here, Bodie? I need you focused and alert at all times. Dispite what you seem to think this is not some great boys adventure."
"Yes, Sir. Alert and focused as we speak, Sir."
Cowley gave him a long suffering look as I moved slowly away and wandered a few steps down the street to take in The Salutation Inn. And then the name of the licensee above the door caught my eye and I stared hard at it. I turned it over in my mind and then recognition made itself known to me as I heard Cowley drive the van away.
Bodie struggled towards me groaning under the weight of the three overnight bags.
"How come I always seem to be the one stuck with carrying the bags?"
"Bodie, mate." I said softly and my sombre tone made him put down the bags to look at me. I nodded towards the door and he stared at it blankly for a few seconds until his eyes alighted upon the name plate.
"How many Cassidy Palmers do you think there are?"I asked, watching my partner's insouciant air rapidly disappearing. "It's not a common name."
Bodie seemed rooted to the ground, standing motionless but for the continued blinking of his eyes that lingered on the name of his former friend. He'd met the man a few days after joining the Army at a difficult time in his life and they'd forged a friendship deeper than any Bodie had ever allowed himself to have before. But after many years Cass had thrown it all away when Bodie had caught him sleeping with Sophie, Bodie's girlfriend at the time. To Bodie this was an unforgivable crime and he left the S.A.S. where they had both been serving and never saw each other again. I don't think Bodie had ever truly recovered from the betrayal. I know. I suffered because of it when I was first partnered with him.
"It might not be him." I offered with hope.
"It is." Bodie seemed certain. "We often spoke about getting a pub together when we got too old for anything else. I don't think I was ever that keen but Cass was."
"Well there's only one way to find out, mate."
Bodie nodded reluctantly and we stooped to pick up the bags. On pushing open the pub door a few heads of the locals turned in our direction as Bodie and I made our way to the bar. Bodie trailed behind me full of apprehension as he tried to take in this sudden twist.
There were several people serving but it was immediately obvious from Bodie's attitude that one of them was indeed the Cassidy Palmer he used to know. Cass lifted his head and was clearly shocked to see his former friend. They stared at each other for what seemed ages until I caught the man's eye.
"I believe you have rooms reserved for us. Probably under the name of Cowley. George Cowley. He should be here shortly."
"Yes," replied Cass distractedly. "Rooms seven eight and nine at the top of the stairs on your right. I'll…. erm…. get the keys."
"You alright?" I asked Bodie as Cass disappeared. He didn't reply, continuing to stare straight ahead but on Cass's return he snatched a key from his hand and stalked off. I threw Cass an apologetic look before following Bodie who dived into the first room and closed the door. After placing my bag into my room and dropping Cowley's into his I knocked on the door to Bodie's room. When I opened it he was lying on the bed hands clasped behind his head and staring up at the ceiling.
"I'm going down for a pint. You coming?" I asked
"No."
"I'm buying."
When there was no response I sighed. "Look, I appreciate what's happened between you two in the past but Bodie, that's where it is. The past. You need to resolve things if you are ever to move on from this."
"Not that it's got anything to do with you, Doyle," Bodie glared at me savagely. "but it has been resolved."
"Oh and beating him to a pulp has clearly worked, hasn't it." I knew better than to persue it any further and went out.
Downstairs I ordered a pint and noted that Cass made a special point of serving me. He's not dissimilar to Bodie, tall and dark but with several small scars across his face.
"Bodie not joining you?"
"No."
"What's he doing these days?" Cass handed me my drink.
"Works with me. In C.I.5, a government agency."
"C.I.5? Yeah, I heard about that set up. Must be about six years or so back. You're partners? Is that how it works?"
"Yeah."
"You and he are close?"
"If you mean has he told me about you then yes."
"Right." Cass said slowly. "I am sorry about what happened."
"It's not me you should be telling."
"Something tells me he doesn't want to listen."
"Seeing as you nearly destroyed him can you blame him?"
"No, I guess not." Cass conceded. "I don't suppose he knows then that Sophie and I are married with two kids?"
I shook my head in surprise and then became suddenly aware that Bodie had come down and was crossing the floor towards me. Cass was quick to pour him a pint.
"On the house." he said pushing the glass towards him.
"I'll pay." Bodie threw a handful of coins on the bar and walked away towards a table.
"Getting pally, are you?" he glared at me with venomous eyes as I sat down opposite him. When I didn't respond he looked at me apologetically knowing that I was not a part of his feud and nor did I want to be drawn into it.
"I don't suppose this will make any difference," I told him " but Cass and Sophie are married and have two young kids. I thought you should know."
Though Bodie tried hard to hide it this news had visibly shaken him and he swallowed a mouthful of beer nervously. "Is she here?"
"I don't know, mate. You could try asking him yourself. We'll be gone in the morning. Now might be a good time to get this sorted out but if you are just going to use your fists again then….."
To my surprise Bodie nodded his head and glanced over to Cass thoughtfully who was busily serving customers at the bar.
"Are you sure?" I asked firmly. "Because you need to remember where we are and why we're here." I softened my voice. "And you need to remember what a good friend he was to you and what you once meant to each other."
When my partner nodded his head again I moved towards the bar.
"Have you got a few minutes?" I nodded my head in Bodie's direction. Cass looked beyond me to view the hunched figure with sceptisim. "I don't want any trouble."
"You won't get any just as long as you remember who the injured party was in all this."
Cass hesitated for a few seconds and then left the bar to cross the room and I moved to a table within earshot. He took a seat opposite Bodie unsure of the reception he was going to get. For a few long moments the two men regarded each other with apprehension.
"Doyle seems like a good man, a good man to have watching your back. I'm glad." said Cass eventually.
"He's more than good, he's the best." Bodie's voice was hard and unforgiving with not a hint of friendliness.
"I've often wondered what became of you, you know, where you went, what line of work you went into."
"Yeah? Funny that. I never once wondered about you."
I sighed inwardly in frustration. If this was Bodie's way of making some kind of peace he was going the wrong way about it. Cass seemed to think so too for he got to his feet. "It was good to see you again, Bodie." He turned to walk away.
"Cass, wait."
I watched Cass stare down at him as he noted the sudden softer tone to his voice. Bodie seemed anxious to keep him at the table and offered him a small smile.
"So you finally bought yourself a pub then."
"Yeah, about five years back now." Cass sat down again just as I saw Cowley walk in and I waved him over.
"Can I get you a drink, Sir?"
"I've got a better idea. How about we get a bite to eat?" he suggested buoyantly.
"Great."
"Who's that with Bodie?" Cowley asked.
"An old mate from the Army. They're catching up. We should leave them to it."
A backward glance to the pair satisfied me that it seemed safe to leave them and I followed Cowley out of the pub.
It was several hours later when I'm lying in bed reading a book that there was a soft knock on the door and Bodie appeared looking relaxed and happy.
"Where'd you and Cowley get to?"
"We went out on a date." I grinned at him. "He took me out to dinner."
"And he paid?" Bodie looks incredulous.
"Yep."
"Cosy." Bodie drew up a chair and sat down.
"What about you?"
"Dunno." Bodie dragged a weary hand through his short cropped hair. "I never expected to see him again, it's all been a bit of a shock. I was barely getting over that when you told me he'd actually married Sophie. In a way it made what he had done a bit more…acceptable? I mean, I was never going to marry Sophie was I? I thought I loved her at the time but I realised I didn't, not really. And if I wanted Cass to marry anyone well, it would have been Sophie. I'm not making much sense really am I? "
"You are actually, mate. Where is Sophie?"
"Taken the kids to visit her mother in Lincolnshire for the week. At first I was glad, I didn't think I could face her as well as Cass in one day but by the end of the evening Cass and I were talking almost like old mates and it didn't seem to matter any more. In fact none of it did. "
"Are you going to keep in touch?"
"He's invited me to drop in whenever I am in the area again but….well, that's not likely is it and to be honest it's like you said, it's in the past. I think I'm happy to leave it there. We've got different lives now, we're different people." Bodie stood up. "Anyway, what time are we off tomorrow?"
"Not sure. The old man said there was no hurry. I think he's treating this as a bit of a break and let's face it he doesn't get many of those. He was in a really good mood this evening."
"He must have been to pay for dinner!" Bodie put the chair back but then came to rest a gentle hand on my head and let his fingers play softly through my hair for a moment with uncharacteristic affection. "I'm a lucky man." he whispered warmly. I blinked up at him bemused. "See you in the morning, mate." he said, his hand on the door.
"Yeah, goodnight Bodie."