Grace and Reason
Howlynn
Summary:
Hathaway is late for the meeting and won't answer his phone. The reason James won't answer is because he can't.
Robbie stood in a daze and began to walk out of her office without a word. "Robbie? Where are you going? Robbie? Inspector Lewis!" She finally said in a demand for his attention. "Where do you think you are going?"
Lewis looks as though he's drunk. He just stands there, defeated and empty. "I am going to go bring me awkward lad home. Then, I am going to go make Morse look like a water-drinker."
Notes:
I don't own any of Colin Dexter's characters, I just wanted to play with them a bit.
Chapter 1: Hour of our death
Reason in man is rather like God in the world.
~Thomas Aquinas
Innocent entered her office to find Robbie Lewis sitting alone with an antsy, annoyed look on his face. She sighed and sipped her tea before setting it on her desk and removing her coat. "Did your DI Hathaway give up on my arrival?"
"No, Ma'am. He should have been here an hour ago. Probably the traffic, you know." Robbie stared down at his phone willing it to ring.
"And?" Jean asks with more consideration than before.
"I'm sure he has…it's probably nothing. He just won't answer his phone. Not like him." He replied with a shrug to cover the worry etched on his face.
"Probably wrapped up with that smash out on the eastern bypass. It's said to be horrific. At least one fatality. Several on the way to hospital. Going to take them a while to sort. That's what took me so long to get here. The driving conditions are beastly."
Robbie nodded. "Phones still working. Not like me former bagman to ignore his old guv."
"We can wait a few more minutes, if you prefer. We ought to discuss how we can interest him in stepping up to the plate and making good on his fast track potential. I have a stack of applications here on my desk of those wanting to advance and the one application I hope to see, is poignantly absent. I realize he has only been a DI for a short period, but he looks to you, still, and I want you to encourage him to move forward. Now, I understand you got the secret Morse code and it seems to require a number of extra years to impart, but, don't hold him back like your Governor did you Robbie. You spent years spinning your wheels and I am not arguing that they had no value. " she raised her hand stopping his argument in its tracks.
"I can't force…"
"It is a temporary leadership position that would put him in good position for later advancement. I know the two of you are woe to be separated but he would not be that far away. As soon as possible I would have him back here. You do realize, that I hope to groom him as my own…"
The phone in her office buzzed and she smiled as if their question was about to be answered about Mr. Fast-track's whereabouts and therefore they would have time to scheme against his career stagnation long enough to launch an effective promote Hathaway crusade. She lifted the receiver and Lewis busied himself with sending texts berating James for his tardiness and in general taking the piss to Hathaway about how he was just giving Innocent time to fill out promotion papers. He knew this would wind James up like nothing else when he pretended to agree with their boss.
"I see. I see. Dear God." He glanced up at Jean Innocent to find her pallor white and a look of horror struck on her face. "No he's here. In my office. We were waiting for… him to begin our meeting. Who is on scene? I will be there as quickly as possible. Yes, thank you. "
Robbie held his breath, feeling darkness distance him from the world. His heart stuttered as he waited.
She hung the phone up and took a deep breath, but the tears welled in her eyes and all she could manage was, "Oh Robbie. I am so sorry…"
Robert Lewis stood and then sat back down. His phone fumbled out of his hand and he stooped to retrieve it. "He's been hurt?" he finally sputtered out with his false calm that came with the shock of a heart edging toward breaking.
Jean seemed to recover herself and didn't draw out the torture. "The accident out on the bypass. Right on the Thames bridge. Divers on scene have identified the car as matching his registration plates. The driver is pinned inside. He's dead, Robbie. My deepest condolences."
"Confirmed?" Robbie whispered hoarsely.
Jean sighed deeply, bracing herself for the information she was about to deliver. "Not officially. I am very sorry, but the answer here isn't pleasant. He was trapped in the car. It was engulfed in flames. Nobody could get to him because the car was in danger of falling in the river any second. There was a secondary chain collision. It fell. Nobody escaped. There are divers trying to get to the car, but the weather is exacerbating the difficulty of extraction. The remains are not expected to be visually identifiable."
Robbie stood in a daze and began to walk out of her office without a word. "Robbie? Where are you going? Robbie? Inspector Lewis!" She finally said in a demand for his attention. "Where do you think you are going?
Robbie looks as though he's drunk. He just stands there, defeated and empty. "I am going to go bring me awkward lad home. Then I am going to go make Morse look like a water-drinker."
"I don't think it will serve you in any way to see…him…you don't want that to be…"she attempted carefully.
"No. I'd rather not see him like he's going to be. But he's me best mate and I'll not turn me eye from him now. My duty as his Guv'ner, to see him well and done home. Whatever's left of him, Ma'am, he's still me poor James," he said with a determined emotionless voice.
"Detective Inspector Hathaway was a fine man. I have to say, it is my opinion that he would choose to spare you that obligation, considering… Let them handle it, Robbie. He's one of us. You know the remains will be treated with the highest level of respect and diffidence." She pleaded, knowing it would do no good.
Robbie half-smiled and half sobbed. He braced himself on the door-frame to keep from crumbling. "I don't care. I have to do this…it's the last…I have to go…and…"
Jean stepped forward and hooked her arm in his soothingly. They both gave into the need for human contact at such times and clung to each other for a few heartbeats. Slowly an office full of activity quieted as all went on alert to the unusual scene in the boss's doorway.
Her voice was gentle as she guided him back into her office, "I know. Give me a moment to find someone to drive us. I won't let you behind a wheel in this state. I need to inform his Sergeant as well."
Robbie nodded gratefully, but patted her hand. "I need a quick trip to the gent's. Be right back."
Thank you for reading - I hope you will stick with me for a bit and give me a review. This is up on A03 if you can't stand to wait, same name, Howlynn