'I Didn't Do Nothing'
(*Contains Spoilers for 17x02*)
Mears School. Belfast. 1999
"Well Jack, what do you have to say for yourself?"
A fifteen year old Jack Hodgson scowled down at his shoes. He'd been hauled into his head-teacher's office during lunch after fighting in the playground with a couple of lads in the year above him.
They'd been pushing him around for months now, tripping him up in the corridor or kicking in his school locker. But he'd put on a growth spurt that summer and now was starting to tower above his peers. So this lunchtime when Niall McGrath and Stephen Jones had started on him, pushing and shoving him Jack finally snapped.
And punched Niall McGrath in the face.
Of course, the two lads wouldn't take that sitting down and had rounded on Jack. Jack might have been tall but there were two of them and only one of him. He'd begun to take quite a beating before the teacher's had seen what was happening and broken it up; much to the dismay of the other pupils who were enjoying the fight.
All three had been hauled in front of the head-teacher but Niall and Stephen were backing each other up in an attempt to blame it all on Jack. At fifteen Jack knew better than to punch back and he knew he'd get the biggest punishment out of the three since he threw the first punch. But he wasn't going to apologise.
Jack Hodgson did not apologise.
So instead he just stared down at his shoes trying to ignore the throbbing pain in his ribs and occasionally wiping away the trickle of blood from his nose.
"Jack Hodgson!" the head teacher called again
"What?" he said moodily
"Do you have anything to say for yourself?"
"Like what?"
"An apology maybe," the head teacher demanded
"Why should I?" he glared at the other lads "They started it,"
"And I'm finishing it," the teacher said sternly "Apologise or I'll suspend you,"
Jack looked at the teacher squarely in the eye. He wiped at his bloody nose and pulled himself up to his full height and glared at him cockily
"I never apologise,"
…
Barnet Police Station, London. 2003.
"The custody sergeant says you're free to go," a voice called to him as the cell door was pulled open
Nineteen year old Jack swung his long legs off of the uncomfortable makeshift bed in the cell and followed the police officer down the corridor of the custody suite. He'd been booked earlier that evening after fighting in a bar. He'd gone out with some mates to celebrate the end of their first year exams but had got on the wrong side of some regulars. Alcohol fuelled courage led to arguments. Push came to shove and Jack had ended up having to be pulled off one of the men by three police officers.
He had spent that last 6 hours in custody sobering up.
"We've decided not to press charges this time," the custody sergeant told him as Jack collected his belongings "But I should remind you that fighting in a pub is against the law and you narrowly avoided being prosecuted for assault,"
"He started on me," Jack slurred and the office pulled back as he smelt the alcohol on Jack's breath
"I think you've had too much to drink mate," the officer frowned "So I'm going to pretend that you've actually apologised for your behaviour and assured me that you will go back to your halls of residence and get some sleep,"
"I don't need to sleep," Jack shook his head
"You'll regret it in the morning believe me lad," the officer said "You're a young man with your whole future ahead of you. Spend your time studying not fighting,"
"Whatever," Jack grabbed his belongings and shuffled out of the police station
"Do I get that apology?" the officer called after him
"I never apologise,"
…
West Yorkshire Constabulary, Yorkshire. 2009.
"Mr Hodgson the accusations you're making here are very serious,"
Twenty-five year old Jack Hodgson gritted his teeth as he tried to control his temper "I realise that,"
"Accusing one of my officers of tampering with forensic evidence is one thing," the DCI said "But shooting your mouth off round the station is not acceptable,"
"Someone broke into my lab and tampered with the samples I took. Of that I'm sure," Jack said firmly
"And what makes you suspect it was DS Chrissie Reed?"
"I've heard things about Ross Parkwell. I know that he's an informant for SOCA and that he's more use to you on the outside than the inside. She's the only one who had the opportunity to access my lab,"
"And how would she be able to do that?"
Jack took a deep breath and glared hard at Chrissie who was standing beside him quietly "Because she's been sleeping with me to gain access to my lab,"
"That's complete crap!" Chrissie said as she spoke up for the first time "I would never act so unprofessionally,"
"Listen!" the officer said "I'm sure this had just been a misunderstanding. DS Reed is a professional and dedicated officer. You've got your wires crossed her Jack. Just apologise and we can all move on,"
Jack shook his head "No way. If you want to brush this under the carpet then fine. But a woman had been murdered and deserves justice for that. My samples were tampered with and if you're not going to deal with this then I'll just go higher,"
Jack turned on his heel and stormed out of the door "Oh and by the way," he called over his shoulder "I never apologise,"
…
Thomas Lyell Centre, London. 2014
"Jack!"
Jack groaned as he heard Clarissa call to him. He scowled at the piece of paper in front of him as he got to his feet, gently massaging his ribs which had taken a pounding from the previous night's fight.
He moodily stalked down the corridor as he headed towards Thomas' office. He really didn't know why he had to do this. The DI's accusations were groundless. He's stepped up to the job in hand. It was the police that had got tunnel vision on the case.
He'd done nothing wrong.
Jack stopped in the doorway of Thomas' office and Clarissa gave him a nod of encouragement. Jack looked down at the piece of paper in his hand and back up at Thomas, remembering what Clarissa had told him earlier.
He cleared his throat "I'm a passionate person. Sometimes people mistake my passion for anger. I regret that. Please accept my apologies…"
Jack Hodgson never apologised.
Unless, Clarissa forced him to.