Nocturnal Murmurings.
[Complications of Life – Series]
Story Number Seven.
By Jaye Reid.
Written: 25 – 26/12/1999.
Disclaimer: Okay… so I don't own them. But hey, Hal. never had *this* much fun with them….
~*~*~*~
"Is he getting out of bed today or not?" said Rachel as she closed the lids on the lunchboxes lined up on the bench.
"Maybe he's cutting classes today," replied Frank unconcerned.
"Nah… I think I'll go drag him out. He's got finals starting next week."
Rachel went and knocked loudly on David's door before opening it and wandering in.
"Come on Davy… hurry….Christ!"
Rachel quickly closed the door and went back to Frank.
"Shit Frank!"
"What?" he asked looking up from his coffee and seeing the panicked look on her face.
"There's a girl…" she started.
"Where?"
"In Davids bloody bed!"
"And David?"
"He's damn well in there too!"
Frank broke into a grin. "Really? Lucky little bugger. What did she look like?"
"Blonde and FAR to young for YOU! Hell, what are we going to do?"
"Do?" asked Frank, "why do we have to *do* anything?"
"Well…"
"Come on Rachel. You don't *really* think it would have been his first time for God sake! He's nearly twenty-one. Hell, by the time I was his age…." Frank was still smiling as he went back to his coffee, "there's nothing to worry about."
"Worry about…. Worry about… what if… if one of the kids had gone in there instead of me? What if *Gabby* had seen her big brother and that… that…"
"Woman?" Frank asked.
"Woman… girl… whatever… sprawled in bed with him? She's only ten years old!"
"Shit Rachel, stop over-reacting. It's not as if they don't see enough of it on TV. Christ Sam. nearly interrupted something extremely… hmm 'adult' last weekend if you remember clearly."
"Well we're adults and we're married, remember?" she protested.
"Ha!… David *is* an adult too in case you haven't noticed. And as for married… are you forgetting the night before I sailed… or the twins for that matter. Shit before that first night there were times when I wondered if we even *liked* each other."
"But this is different," Rachel continued, ignoring the fact that she was probably being extremely irrational, "this is my son."
"Your *adult* son," corrected Frank. "Now if it was Sam. or Daniel… well…"
"Oh very funny. Thank you so much for your support. I …"
"Ah morning," said David standing sheepishly in the doorway.
"Good morning David," said Frank cheerily with a broad grin. This kid *should* have been a Holloway Frank thought.
"Morning again," said Rachel shortly.
"Ah… look Mum, sorry. We must have umm… fallen asleep. Jen.'s usually gone before…"
"Usually?" asked Rachel raising her eyebrows, "usually… she's been her before?"
Franks grin by this stage had grown broader if that was at all possible. Yep, Davy was definitely an honorary member of the Holloway clan.
"Ah well, yeah. We've been seeing a lot of each other lately," he replied.
"So your Mother saw," replied Frank.
Rachel gave him a dagger look.
"So are you going to introduce us properly?" asked Rachel.
"Yeah… give us a proper look at her?" added Frank.
"I think she'd be dressed by now," replied Rachel dryly.
"Mum come on… look I'm sorry but well… I know it's your house… but I *am* an adult and well…"
"It's your home too Davy," interrupted Frank. "It just would have been better perhaps to have asked her around for dinner first… you know, *before* your Mother sprung the two of you in bed. Gee I remember the first time I got sprung by the old man, hell I was…"
"Oh pleassseee Frank, spare us one of your classic Kodak moments," said Rachel.
Frank gave her one of his best 'hurt feelings' looks. "But it was…."
"Really Frank… save it," she replied.
"Tell ya about it later Davy," he winked.
"I'm beginning to wonder what *else* you have been telling him?" she stated.
Frank looked at Rachel and was about to say something else to her remark, but thought better of it.
"Come on Davy, she can't hide in there all day," said Frank.
"She could until you guys go to work," he grinned.
"Nah… come on… we won't bite," replied Rachel admitting defeat.
"Speak for yourself," grinned Frank, "I haven't had a look yet!"
She gave him another one of her looks.
The one that could kill if you stood too close.
"Ah okay… J E N.. C O M E ON.." he yelled.
A young woman appeared from behind David in the doorway. She was obviously as embarrassed as David was at being caught out.
"Ah.. hello," she said as she tucked her shoulder length blonde hair behind her ears. "I'm Jen."
"And I'm impressed," muttered Frank as he gave her the once over. Her jeans fitted her quite well he thought and the crop top that revealed two dolphins circling her belly-button was interesting to say the least.
"Sorry?" she asked.
"Ah.. Frank… Frank Holloway," he replied as he stepped forward to shake her hand. "And I believe you have already met Rachel?"
"Hmm yes, hello," said Rachel.
David noticed his Mothers smile.
Shit, it was one of the best forced smiles he had seen on her face for a long time. The lecture was going to be a biggie when she finally cornered him.
Gabby wandered into the kitchen.
"Hi Jen," she said as she opened the fridge door and took the milk out. "Sleep in did ya David?" she grinned.
Frank and Rachel stood there with their mouths open as they watched Gabrielle pour herself a glass of milk.
"So," she said as she took a mouthful of milk, "who's takin' us to school? Jen., you want to?"
"Ah.. I think you'd better ask your Mum or Dad about that," Jen. replied.
Gabrielle skipped over to Frank, put her arms around his waist and looked up at him with one of her heart-melting smiles, "Daddy?"
"Ah… you have a vehicle here I assume?" Frank asked Jen.
"Yes I have… I'm a safe driver," she added. She looked at her watch. "But actually Gabby, perhaps not today. I'm going to be really late for work if I don't get going now."
"Awwww," Gabby whined.
"Sorry sweetie… umm… David?"
"Yeah, you don't want to be late," he replied. "I'll walk you out."
"Nice to meet you Mr and Mrs…"
"Frank and Rachel," said Frank, "And I hope we see more of you."
"Ha.. you wish," David whispered to Frank with a grin as he walked past him.
Frank looked down at his daughter still clinging to him, "Well looks like we'll have to take you to school."
"Nah… it's okay… we can catch the bus," she replied.
"Are you sure?" asked Frank sounding disappointed.
"Ah yeah… it's okay."
"So you have met Jen. before have you?" Rachel asked when David had gone outside with Jen. "What do you know about her?"
"Ah…," said Gabby as she picked up her school bag and headed for the door, "I don't have to say anything without my lawyer…. and since David's my lawyer… well when he finishes Uni. he will be… so… see ya!" And she bolted out the door.
"Little bugger," said Rachel.
"I think she's heard about your interrogation methods," grinned Frank. "I wouldn't be hangin' around either!"
~*~*~*~
"We don't know anything about her," protested Rachel as they walked into the office.
"We don't have to," replied Frank. The discussion had continued all the way in the car. "David seemed happy enough. That's the main thing."
"He's *male*, she's a *blonde* and he has been spending *far* too much time with you!" Rachel debated.
"I thought you *liked* him spendin' time with me? You were happy that we are mates?" argued Frank.
Rachel muttered under her breath and shook her head.
"What's going on?" came a voice from the Chief Inspectors Office as they walked past, still arguing.
"Morning Helen," said Rachel stopping.
"Yeah.. mornin'," said Frank. "Davy and his girlfriend overslept this morning. Rachel sort of woke them up!"
"Oh… I see," replied Helen getting up from her desk.
"Yeah, so did Rachel," Frank grinned.
"I mean Helen… what sort of girl has dolphins tattooed on her stomach?" queried Rachel.
"Oh… one that has a figure like hers," chipped in Frank with a smile.
Rachel swung at him.
Her fist connecting with his stomach.
"Ouch! That wasn't nice… oh but she was," he said to Helen. "I used to have a thing for blondes myself once," he glanced at Rachel, who by this stage was just standing there, arms crossed. "But then I met this feisty brunette.. and what can I say… the rest is history."
"I think *you* will be history if your not careful," laughed Helen noticing Rachel's displeasure at Franks humour.
Helen turned to Rachel. "Look, if you are so concerned about little ol' David… run her through the computer."
"I can't," replied Rachel.
"Good," said Helen, "you trust David's judgement then?"
"No… I only know her first name and I didn't get her car rego," she replied as she walked into their office.
Helen looked at Frank.
"Sprung them bad didn't she?" smiled Helen.
"Yeah…"
"Maybe now she will stop treating him like he's still a kid," stated Helen.
Frank scoffed. "You reckon?"
"Hmm… yeah… you're probably right," grinned Helen. "There is about as much chance of that as there is me going straight! Go do some work Frank."
"Yes Madam," he replied as he headed to the Detectives office, still grinning.
~*~
Frank and Rachel sat at their respective desks, not saying anything. Rachel was still stewing over David.
Frank decided to lay off the jokes.
Donna Janevski wandered in half an hour after they arrived.
"Where's your late pass Junior Detective?" asked Frank. "Just because you are new at this, doesn't mean you can turn up at morning tea time. You're not downstairs in uniform anymore you know."
"Yeah... morning to you too," she replied. "Mick phoned me this morning and…"
"What you weren't at *his* place for a change?" asked Frank.
She smiled. "No. And anyway, stop trying to play big brother will ya… I'm here, and he's in Mosman, no problems."
"And when are *you* going to get tired of playing on the water?" Frank continued.
"Oh no," she replied, "leave you guys? I'm having way to much fun! Anyway… do you want to know why he rang?"
"Ah Donna… what you do…" started Rachel.
"No. Nah.. nothing like *that*. What is it with you two? One is as bad as the other. We were talking about the 'slasher' case over Dinner the other night…"
"Lovely mealtime conversation," Frank chipped in.
"Yeah well… Mick phoned me this morning. He thinks that the guy…"
"If it's a guy," said Rachel.
"If it's a guy… well *they* may have changed their favoured form of dumping the bodies in the water, or we have a copycat operating over in Mick's territory. There was a guy found mutilated in Mosman this morning."
"Where in Mosman?" asked Rachel.
"The parkland at the end of Raglan Street," Donna replied.
"How far from Rocky Point?" asked Frank. "He could have been headed to the water but got disturbed."
"Rocky Point? Frank, that's it," said Rachel hitting her hand on the desk. "Do you realise, the locations the bodies have been found at are all in movie titles? *Raven* Point in Tennyson, where the other two bodies were dumped and now a third one near *Rocky* Point."
"Could be," replied Frank. "What do ya reckon had his video membership cancelled or something?"
"Look that mightn't be as stupid as it sounds," replied Donna. "I thought you guys might want to go over there. I could check through the files and see if this latest victim has any connection to the others."
"Yep, come on Rachel," said Frank.
"Donna, check if they any of them have video membership anywhere particular. Frank, I'll just go and tell Helen what we're doing. And I'll drive."
"Oh… surprise me!" he replied.
~*~*~*~
Frank watched Rachel as she drove. She was obviously mulling over the conversation she was going to have with David when he was silly enough to find himself alone. Poor guy.
Rachel felt Franks gaze.
"What?"
"Oh nothing."
"NO! What? Shit Frank, she was in our house, our kids asleep. We don't know anything about her. She could be a bloody axe murderer for all we know."
"You think David would sleep with an axe murderer?" asked Frank. "Give him a bit more credit in judgement."
"Yeah… I guess he's not one of *yours* is he."
"And what the hell is that supposed to mean?" retaliated Frank. "Shit Rachel… you're not gonna bring *that* up again? Okay, that was a slip in judgement, she conned me, you *know* that. I admitted I was wrong, she went to jail. And it was a *long* time before you and me. I don't know why you mention it."
"I didn't," replied Rachel.
"Okay.. you *implied* then."
"Did I? Is this the turn here?"
Frank glanced up. "Yeah… turn here."
The continued in silence.
Rachel pulled into a car park along the parkland area. There were four patrol cars as well as Mick's shiny new 'D' car. The whole area was cordoned off with Police tape.
"Hey Micky boy!" called Frank as he closed the car door, spying Mick talking to a couple of uniformed officers.
Mick looked over and nodded before motioning them to come over.
"Hey missing me yet?" Mick asked as they approached.
"Nah… not the way Donna continues to yak on about ya," replied Frank.
"It's like you haven't left," added Rachel.
"Oh well, I'm glad to hear it. Anyway, this one sounds like it fits in with the case you guys are working on," he continued. "I've got enough to do, so it's all yours. I'm gonna head back to my office."
"Oh ta… yeah like we've got nothing to do you know," Rachel replied. "Where was he found?"
"Over near those trees," Mick replied pointing. "But you know, the beach is just through there. "Look I've got to go so I'll get someone….. H E Y M I L L E R!"
"Yep Mick?" the Constable replied walking up to them.
"Miller this…"
"Yeah we know each other already," said Frank with a grin. "Hello again Jen."
"You've met?" asked Mick.
"You could say that," replied Rachel.
"Ah… okay… good. Miller, can you take the Detectives through to where the body was found?"
"Sure, follow me," she replied.
"I'll see you later," said Mick as they headed off.
"Yep catch ya Mick," called Frank.
Frank and Rachel followed Jen.
"At least ya know she's not an axe murderer," whispered Frank.
"Yeah… but I'm wonderin' if I would *prefer* it if she was," Rachel replied.
"Ah the body was found here," said Jen. stopping at a clump of trees. "Apparently around 6.15 a.m. by a guy on an early morning walk with his dog. We've checked him out, he's a local and regularly walks his dog down here."
"Didn't notice anything unusual did he?" asked Frank.
"No, he says not. But you never know with a bit of gentle questioning," she replied with a grin. "David tells me you're good at that."
Frank rolled his tongue around in his cheek and smiled. "Nah… not me… you should see Rachel here have a go at an unco-operative one."
"Give us a break Frank," Rachel replied, "At least *I* don't bounce them off walls."
"Oh yeah, but at least they know when I'm havin' a go at them," Frank retaliated. "Gentle but deadly she is… messes with their minds."
Rachel glared at him.
Frank was on a roll.
"Ya see that look Jen. Now if you were a crim., wouldn't that put the fear of God inta ya?" he grinned.
"Ahhh… don't know if I'd even need to be a crim.," she replied smiling at Rachel. "I reckon you are sailing pretty close to the wind yourself."
Rachel smiled at Jen. This time a real smile. Perhaps this one wasn't too bad after all, she thought.
~*~*~*~
Rachel was breaking up an argument between Sam. and Daniel over who left the gameboy on and flattened the batteries, once again, when David arrived home.
"THAT YOU DAVY?" she called from the boys bedroom.
"YEAH MUM… NIGHT!" he called back.
"Well you had it LAST!" accused Sam.
"DID NOT!" yelled Daniel.
"DID TOO," Sam. returned.
'STOP NOW!" yelled Rachel. "I don't care WHO had it last, I am sick of buying batteries for the damn thing. So, that's it… no more batteries… You want to play with it, you will have to buy your own batteries out of your pocket money. NOW BED!"
"Awwww Mummmm…."
"But Mummmm…"
No! Enough… you have FIVE MINUTES to get your pyjamas, brush your teeth and get to bed… or I will confiscate the damn thing for a week! Now MOVE!" she thundered.
The boys mumbled and grumbled as they stomped out of the bedroom towards the bathroom.
"Urghhhh," said Rachel out loud. "Give me crims anyday! Little buggers," she said to herself.
She wandered past Gabrielle's room. She was already in bed. Frank always read to her if she went to bed early. It was Gabby's way to get her Father all to herself. Not that Frank minded. Rachel stood in the doorway and quietly watched. Frank was lying on the bed beside Gabby. She was tucked in under the covers. He was holding the book up and couldn't see Rachel standing there.
"Noooo…. Read it *properly* Daddy," Gabrielle protested. "Dame Washalot doesn't talk like that…"
"Oh well, how *does* she talk then?" Frank replied.
"Umm well she talks like this," said Gabby putting on a high squeaky voice and running off a monologue.
"Like this?" said Frank trying to imitate her voice.
"Nooooo silly," she laughed, "like *this*."
"Oh," and Frank repeated the line, "like that?"
"Yessssss… finally…."
"Okay well then, where were we?"
"She as just about to up end some more washing water down the Magic Faraway Tree and Jo. nearly got in the way," said Gabby.
"Ah yes…"
Rachel smiled, shook her head and left them to it….
~*~
She knocked on David's door.
"Can I come in?" she called.
"Ha!… you choose *now* to ask first," he called with a laugh. "Yeah come in!"
"Got a minute?" she asked as she closed the door behind her.
David closed the book he had just opened at his desk.
"Hmmm is that a multiple choice question?" he asked.
"Ah yeah," said Rachel plonking herself down on his bed. "Your choices are 'a' yes, 'b' yes, 'c' yes, or 'd' all of the above."
"Ah… too hard.. think I will skip that one and go back to it later if time allows. That's what they teach us anyway," he grinned.
"About this morning…" started Rachel.
"Ah look Mum, I am really sorry. It won't happen again… honestly," he said interrupting.
"No… Davy just listen will you…. Look I may have *over-reacted* a little bit this morning…"
David tried to hide a grin. Over-reacted, he thought. Shit he didn't even know that word was in his Mothers vocabulary let alone that she *knew* what it meant!
"And I guess I should respect your privacy and not have come wandering in here. You're not a kid anymore… but you need to show *us* a bit of respect too Davy, look if you want to have her around here…"
"Jen. Mum, her name is Jen."
"Yes, Jen. or anyone else, well look as long as you're not romping naked through the lounge at 3 a.m. and it isn't effecting the other kids, then it is fine by me. And I am sure it is fine by Frank as well. Actually you may have to put a lock on your door to keep him out!"
"Firstly Mum… there isn't anyone else but Jen., secondly well…. romping through the lounge at 3 a.m. I think I will leave to you and Frank… not that I want to even *think* about *that* visual, and three um… yeah if it is okay with you I think I would like to put a lock on the door. Especially after what happened to you guys with Sam. the other week," he grinned.
"How did you know…" started Rachel, "about last weekend? God Frank can't…"
"Nah Mum… wasn't Frank," he laughed, "Sam. came to me with some *very* interesting questions. And even *I* didn't know how to answer them! Shit, you and Frank need to get a lock on your *own* door I think."
"Ohhhh…." Said Rachel. She wasn't quite sure what else to say. Having her sex life discussed by her eldest son wasn't something that she had ever imagined as a conversation topic between them.
"I was talking to Jen. earlier today…" said David.
"Yeah, we bumped into her this morning," added Rachel.
"Um, yeah she mentioned she saw you out on the job," he replied.
"So, a cop. How did you met her?" Rachel quizzed.
"Ah we met at a party. She was with some friends of mine … ones at uni who are doing their law degree. Anyway something was said… some thing about police terminology. Well its not as if I haven't picked up a few terms around here over the years… anyway I dazzled her with my knowledge of terminology, and police procedure. She'd had a shit day at work and basically spilt her guts. Apparently I was the first person she had come across who didn't run a bloody mile and knew what to say. Another thing I must have learnt from you and Frank," he added.
"Well glad we have been useful in developing your love life," she laughed.
"Yeah," he smiled. "Anyway… that was about three months ago. Things have got a bit more serious in the last two or three weeks."
Three months?" queried Rachel. "Davy why haven't you said anything before now? I mean am I that bad?"
"Nah… come on Mum. You're a cop, she's a cop. I had a feeling it wasn't going to go down too well. I wanted to pick the right time to tell you."
"Well *that* wasn't one of your better plans," Rachel scoffed. "What does you Father think?"
"Ha! You MUST be joking," he laughed. "If you didn't know, do you think I would have told him? Shit, she's a copper for God sake… We both know how *that* is going to go down."
"Oh yeah," Rachel grinned. "Promise me one thing will you?"
"What?" he asked cautiously.
"I want to be there when you tell him!" she laughed.
"Aww hell, do I have to tell him at all?" he replied with a smile.
"Up to you," Rachel replied, uncurling herself from where she had been sitting on his bed. "Anyway, I had better see what the boys are up to. Goodnight Davy."
"Mum, please… don't get mad… but David or Dave, I think I have outgrown Davy," he pleaded.
"Oh… um, okay. I'll try," she stood and looked at her first born. When did he stop being a boy and become a man she pondered. She watched him grow, but somehow it all seemed to happen overnight.
She could hear Sam. yelling at Daniel as she opened the door.
"Damn those two," she said.
"Ah don't worry about them. Let Frank yell at them for a change," said David.
"Ha! Frank? Frank is on a pilgrimage with his 'angel' somewhere in the Enchanted Woods chasing after Moon Face and Saucepan Man," she laughed. You know what Gabby and Frank are like when they get together. They hear nothing from the outside world, least of all Sam. and Daniel trying to kill each other. Oh and if the boys come and pester you to see if you know where I have hidden that damn Gameboy… you don't have any idea. Got it?"
"Ah so it won't be in the linen cupboard between the spare blankets up the top?" he asked with a grin.
"How did you know where…?" she started.
"Coz you have been using the same hiding spot for things for years," he interrupted. "It never mattered where you were living… top shelf, linen cupboard."
"Hmm, well from the way they are going, it is about to get confiscated," she replied, hearing the noise level from their room go up another decibel. "Night David."
"Night Mum."
~*~*~*~
"So," said Frank climbing into bed with Rachel and deciding to snuggle into her already warm body. "Did you have a chat with Davy?"
"David," said Rachel.
"Huh?"
"He apparently would prefer David or Dave. Couldn't hack calling him Dave though. Not after working around McCall all those years ago."
"Oh… outgrown Davy has he?" teased Frank. "Well I guess by his age…"
"Yeah, yeah Frank… I know. You were right I was wrong, happy?" she muttered.
"What?"
"*Yes* he is an adult, *yes* I over-reacted. Perhaps we can get David to invite her around on the weekend? Would that be okay with you?"
"Oh yeah… it's okay with me. She seems like a nice kid," Frank said as he lay on his side just looking at Rachel.
"What are you looking at?" she asked.
"Oh just wondering how it is possible that you have a son who is not that far from celebrating his twenty-first birthday. You don't look old enough my dear."
"Aww don't suck Francis, doesn't suit you," she scoffed. "What do you want?"
"Ah..." he replied as he moved in close to her, "I thought you'd never ask."
"Oh that's what you want?" she replied. "Well do you want to risk waking up the kids?"
"Ah they won't wake up… the guys are too busy havin' nightmares 'bout how the hell they are going to go a week without the Gameboy and our little princess is happily dreaming about traipsing around the Hundred Acre Woods."
"That's the Enchanted Woods Frank… different story," she laughed.
"Yeah well, Hundred acre, Enchanted… Sherwood Forrest… all the same to me," he replied.
"You're bloody hopeless Francis… what the hell am I going to do with you?" she laughed.
"Oh…. you want suggestions," he laughed mischievously…as he threw himself on top of her.
~*~*~
"What was that?" Daniel whispered to Sam. from the top bunk.
"Go to sleep," said Sam.
"Nah.. it sounded like Mum squealing or somethin' I think," Daniel continued.
"Look trust me," said Sam. sticking his head up to Daniel's bunk, "Go to sleep, you don't want to know!"
THE END.