Chapter 5
John sat at his desk, positively seething in anger. 'How could she do this? Leave me to do all the grunt work while she goes out and plays copper with Reg bloody Hollis! First she turns me down, now she's flirting with Reg, of all people, the PC Plod of Sun Hill! When she gets back I'm going to find out just what the bloody hell she's playing at.' John looked down and realised that he subconsciously drew an effigy of Reg on the back cover of his notebook with a large axe planted in his head.
"John, can I have a word please?" Jack Meadows was standing in the doorway of the CID open-plan office.
"Yes Guv." John rose from his desk, knocking a pen and a few papers off. He didn't seem to notice, as preconsumed as he was in his angry thoughts.
Meadows escorted John to his office and closed the door behind them. "John, how's it going with Special Agent Gowan?"
"Not too well, Guv. She's a typical self-absorbed Yank and I don't know if I can deal with her attitude much longer." John stood erect, shoulders tense and jaw clenched.
"She seemed absolutely charming to me when I met her. And you both got a collar last night as well, which can't be too bad. Where is she now?"
"Out with Reg Hollis, Sir. He offered to take her on the beat with him and she accepted. I can't figure out why she's wasting time like that."
"Do you think it may be she's covering her story so that Reg doesn't suss she's running a covert investigation?"
Meadows smiled inwardly to himself. Don Beech told him that John was acting like a puppy dog around June Gowan. Jack sensed that his DS was interested in more than just solving this case but in June herself. His hostility towards her could possibly be that June refused John's advances. Meadows felt it necessary to caution John to stick on matters relating to the job only.
John was starting to get irate with his Super. "Perhaps, but it doesn't seem to be her style, somehow. At any rate, she's left me to do the work tracing the information we found during our interview with Rourke. I thought she was supposed to be working together with me on this."
"John, I don't think you should be worried about her style. June Gowan is a professional investigator, trained at the FBI academy in Quantico, Virginia and here at Scotland Yard. She has worked on all levels of investigations, from uniform work to matters of national security. She knows what she's doing. Mr. Brownlow and I picked you for this operation because we had faith that you could fulfil the requirements which she, personally, specified. If you don't stop being such an old woman, I am going to have to relieve you of your duties on this case."
By now the anger in John Boulton was in danger of bubbling over. There was fire in his eyes, engulfing him, burning in his soul. He hated being reprimanded by anyone, especially his superiors. His natural perfectionism and fear of failure did not allow for such occurrences, and when they inevitably did occur, the anger he felt towards himself was often released on those around him, criminal or colleague.
"Is that all, Guv?" John managed to growl out, through clenched jaw.
"Just one more thing, John. June is a very beautiful woman. Don't get any ideas."
"I beg your pardon, Sir!" John was ready to explode if he didn't get out of this office soon. Meadows' implication was really too much to bear at this moment.
"You heard me, John. The rumour mill has already started regarding you and her. Just watch your back."
"Guv." John left quickly. He wished he had a criminal to catch or a snout to harass, but all he had to do were the checks that June left him with. He wondered how long she would be gone. He went for a disgusting Sun Hill coffee, and as he slunk back to his desk, he passed Kerry Holmes in the hall.
"Alright, Sarge? You look like someone stole your candy."
John turned and looked at Kerry. She realised that she completely misread his mood and placed herself right in his firing line. Her breath caught in her throat as she prepared herself for his legendary temper.
"Cram it, Kerry."
John turned on his heel and walked away. Kerry was lucky. She didn't envy anyone hanging about the CID office today.
* * *
Around 4:00 John got a text message on his mobile from June: "Meet me outside Sun Hill at 4:30. Bring any-all information you have."
'Cheers, then.' John thought, bitterly, to himself.
* * *
He heard their voices before he saw them.
Reg: "So, do you fancy going out sometime, perhaps for a curry?"
June: "Well, I'd love to, Reg, but I'm afraid I've got a boyfriend already."
Reg: "Oh, I understand. Maybe just as friends then."
June: "Perhaps. Thanks again for everything."
Reg: "My Pleasure, June. I just hope I've been of some help. Oh, Hi Sarge."
John Boulton smiled a plastic smile. "Alright Reg. On your way now."
Reg sensed that Sergeant Boulton was in one of those moods again. He was a nice guy at heart, most people were. He could actually be quite lovely if he wasn't so angry all the time. Reg was almost afraid to leave June with Sergeant Boulton, seeing as he was in such a mood. After all, Reg didn't want Sun Hill to get a bad recommendation based on the Sarge's notorious temper.
"Are you alright, Sarge?"
"Yes Reg, now on your way!" John exclaimed, glaring a hole through Reg. Reg decided not to push John anymore and walked across the lot towards the nick.
"So did you have a good day with Reg then?" John asked, sarcastically, as they got into June's car.
"Right, before you start laying into me, let me just say what a relief it is to get away from that guy, and secondly, it's so good to have someone intelligent to finally talk to!" June quickly pulled out of the nick.
"Then why the bloody hell did you decide to waste a whole shift going on patrol with him?"
"Because, John, I know his type. He's too helpful and probably would get curious why a report on inter-branch compliance didn't assess uniform. I waste a shift on him now, when time is semi-expendable, and don't have to deal with him later on, when we have no time to lose. This way, my cover is intact and we don't have to deal with a overly-helpful PC when we really don't have time to."
"Oh." John sat in silence for a few minutes. "Where are we going?"
"To a little café up by my flat in Islington. I reckon you're hungry. I'm bloody famished."
"Alright. Sounds good."
John looked out the window, deep in thought. June put the radio on softly. It was the same Doors CD that was on the night before. She sang along to "When the Music's Over":
"Cancel my subscription to the resurrection. Send my credentials to the house of detention. I've got some friends inside."
John turned to look at her. "Do you have anything else?"
"Yeah," June said, flipping the button on the CD player. "I've got The Doors, U2, Tori Amos, Pink Floyd and George Michael. Which do you want?"
"U2. Has to be U2." John smiled. 'She has excellent music tastes. Except for George Michael. Hey, nobody's perfect,' he thought, 'I'm just glad no one knows about my large disco collection.'
The opening notes to "A Sort of Homecoming" from 'The Unforgettable Fire' ripped through the car. "Are they your favourite band as well?" June asked.
"Yes. Always have been, always will be. I was there in the beginning and have enjoyed them since."
"Me too. I have seen them twice live, and they're absolutely magnificent. Especially Bono - what an entertainer!" June smiled, "Bono was my first love. It's too bad that him and I have never met."
"And what does your boyfriend think of that?" John turned to look at her.
"What boyfriend?" June asked, incredulously.
"The one I heard you tell Reg about."
"John, I only said that, because the thought of going out on a date with Reg Hollis makes me want to commit kamikaze!"
John chuckled, "I guess I can see your point."
June pulled into a parking spot outside Le Monde Verde. "I hope you like French."
"Oui, mademoiselle." John grinned. Somehow, just by virtue of being around June, made all of his anger and tension magically disappear.
'She has a very calming effect on me,' he thought.
* * *
Once seated, order placed, they began to get down to business. Rourke's two leads turned up trumps. Charles Spire had form for GBH and theft up in Leeds, and Ben Bryant, well, John was more than familiar with him already. Both had addresses.
"Good work John. Excuse me for a second." June got up and went to the ladies'.
After checking that she was alone, June turned on a tap in the sink and locked herself in a cubicle. She scrolled through her mobile's address book, until she found the number of her governor.
"Alright, Sir, we've got two more leads. Charles Spire, GBH, theft in Leeds. He is Rourke's supplier. The person who made the connection is a Ben Bryant, apparently the main figure on the Bronte estate. Rourke claims that Bryant is his supplier. Bryant put Rourke in touch with Spire. Rourke claims that he has no way of contacting Spire. Spire contacts Rourke, gives him drugs in a suitcase and sends him to clubs and pubs within Escoverda's corporation. Rourke gets 5% of the profits. Yes, I know, it's Pittsburgh revisited. Same form. How should we proceed?"
June listened closely as her governor briefed her, "Right, sir, thank you."
Returning to the table, she found that the starters had been delivered. John had waited for her. What a gentleman! June liked him in spite of herself. She found him to be very sexy, his short, dark red fringe and those big eyes gave him boyish charm mixed with an older man's wisdom. He had a good heart, and was very quick. If only he would simmer down a bit, but she sensed that his anger was his frustration with his own shortcomings. He was competitive, and she guessed by his stature that he played sports or worked out.
'If only situations had been different,' she thought to herself.
"Ah, there you are. I thought you got lost or something." John smiled at her.
"No, just freshening up, as ladies do." June took her seat. "Mmm, my favourite. Onion soup."
John took a mouthful of soup, savouring the tart flavour. He swallowed, and looked over at June. "We've got to talk, June. About last night."
"I know John. I was very harsh. I'm sorry. It's just that, well, I find that romances with people in the line of duty never work out."
"Yes, but this time could be different." John smiled at her, leaning forward.
"John, you're a lovely man, I'm going to tell you why I don't want to get involved with you. No one over here knows about it. Not my superiors, not anyone. I wanted it that way. I feel like I can trust you, though. I feel like I could tell you anything."
June sighed and folded her napkin.
"John, do you remember when I told you that Escoverda killed two officers? The reason that we need all this secrecy?"
"Yes, June." John shifted in her seat, his eyes focused on her.
"It was horrible. He killed them execution style. They knew they were going to die. It was a terrible tragedy for everyone working on the case, and many people dropped off, not being able to handle the loss of two of the FBI's best men. I was one of the people who dropped off then. A vacancy opened up in the FBI's overseas special teams, in co-ordination with Scotland Yard. I put in for a transfer and that's how I ended up here today. I never thought I would find myself working on Escoverda again."
"That's terrible June, but, why does that mean that we can't be together?" John cocked his head to one side and looked at her.
"John," June paused, "One of the men that was killed was my fiancé. It was a secret romance. I was in charge of the investigation and sent my lover in to die. It wasn't my fault though. Someone within the FBI was working for Escoverda and fed them Thomas and Gene's identities. I can't, I won't go through that loss again. Now do you understand?"
John was taken aback. "June, I don't know what to say, I'm so sorry."
"Yeah, I don't want your pity, I don't want you to be sorry. This is why I don't tell anyone. I just want you to understand, it's not you."
"Alright, June. I understand. Can we be friends, though?" John sighed. John wanted to hold her, take her pain away. He felt such a strong urge to be close to her, but he knew that his advances would be rejected. She was alone, and wanted to keep it that way.
"Of course we can. Partner." She grinned, with a twinkle in her eye.
John sat at his desk, positively seething in anger. 'How could she do this? Leave me to do all the grunt work while she goes out and plays copper with Reg bloody Hollis! First she turns me down, now she's flirting with Reg, of all people, the PC Plod of Sun Hill! When she gets back I'm going to find out just what the bloody hell she's playing at.' John looked down and realised that he subconsciously drew an effigy of Reg on the back cover of his notebook with a large axe planted in his head.
"John, can I have a word please?" Jack Meadows was standing in the doorway of the CID open-plan office.
"Yes Guv." John rose from his desk, knocking a pen and a few papers off. He didn't seem to notice, as preconsumed as he was in his angry thoughts.
Meadows escorted John to his office and closed the door behind them. "John, how's it going with Special Agent Gowan?"
"Not too well, Guv. She's a typical self-absorbed Yank and I don't know if I can deal with her attitude much longer." John stood erect, shoulders tense and jaw clenched.
"She seemed absolutely charming to me when I met her. And you both got a collar last night as well, which can't be too bad. Where is she now?"
"Out with Reg Hollis, Sir. He offered to take her on the beat with him and she accepted. I can't figure out why she's wasting time like that."
"Do you think it may be she's covering her story so that Reg doesn't suss she's running a covert investigation?"
Meadows smiled inwardly to himself. Don Beech told him that John was acting like a puppy dog around June Gowan. Jack sensed that his DS was interested in more than just solving this case but in June herself. His hostility towards her could possibly be that June refused John's advances. Meadows felt it necessary to caution John to stick on matters relating to the job only.
John was starting to get irate with his Super. "Perhaps, but it doesn't seem to be her style, somehow. At any rate, she's left me to do the work tracing the information we found during our interview with Rourke. I thought she was supposed to be working together with me on this."
"John, I don't think you should be worried about her style. June Gowan is a professional investigator, trained at the FBI academy in Quantico, Virginia and here at Scotland Yard. She has worked on all levels of investigations, from uniform work to matters of national security. She knows what she's doing. Mr. Brownlow and I picked you for this operation because we had faith that you could fulfil the requirements which she, personally, specified. If you don't stop being such an old woman, I am going to have to relieve you of your duties on this case."
By now the anger in John Boulton was in danger of bubbling over. There was fire in his eyes, engulfing him, burning in his soul. He hated being reprimanded by anyone, especially his superiors. His natural perfectionism and fear of failure did not allow for such occurrences, and when they inevitably did occur, the anger he felt towards himself was often released on those around him, criminal or colleague.
"Is that all, Guv?" John managed to growl out, through clenched jaw.
"Just one more thing, John. June is a very beautiful woman. Don't get any ideas."
"I beg your pardon, Sir!" John was ready to explode if he didn't get out of this office soon. Meadows' implication was really too much to bear at this moment.
"You heard me, John. The rumour mill has already started regarding you and her. Just watch your back."
"Guv." John left quickly. He wished he had a criminal to catch or a snout to harass, but all he had to do were the checks that June left him with. He wondered how long she would be gone. He went for a disgusting Sun Hill coffee, and as he slunk back to his desk, he passed Kerry Holmes in the hall.
"Alright, Sarge? You look like someone stole your candy."
John turned and looked at Kerry. She realised that she completely misread his mood and placed herself right in his firing line. Her breath caught in her throat as she prepared herself for his legendary temper.
"Cram it, Kerry."
John turned on his heel and walked away. Kerry was lucky. She didn't envy anyone hanging about the CID office today.
* * *
Around 4:00 John got a text message on his mobile from June: "Meet me outside Sun Hill at 4:30. Bring any-all information you have."
'Cheers, then.' John thought, bitterly, to himself.
* * *
He heard their voices before he saw them.
Reg: "So, do you fancy going out sometime, perhaps for a curry?"
June: "Well, I'd love to, Reg, but I'm afraid I've got a boyfriend already."
Reg: "Oh, I understand. Maybe just as friends then."
June: "Perhaps. Thanks again for everything."
Reg: "My Pleasure, June. I just hope I've been of some help. Oh, Hi Sarge."
John Boulton smiled a plastic smile. "Alright Reg. On your way now."
Reg sensed that Sergeant Boulton was in one of those moods again. He was a nice guy at heart, most people were. He could actually be quite lovely if he wasn't so angry all the time. Reg was almost afraid to leave June with Sergeant Boulton, seeing as he was in such a mood. After all, Reg didn't want Sun Hill to get a bad recommendation based on the Sarge's notorious temper.
"Are you alright, Sarge?"
"Yes Reg, now on your way!" John exclaimed, glaring a hole through Reg. Reg decided not to push John anymore and walked across the lot towards the nick.
"So did you have a good day with Reg then?" John asked, sarcastically, as they got into June's car.
"Right, before you start laying into me, let me just say what a relief it is to get away from that guy, and secondly, it's so good to have someone intelligent to finally talk to!" June quickly pulled out of the nick.
"Then why the bloody hell did you decide to waste a whole shift going on patrol with him?"
"Because, John, I know his type. He's too helpful and probably would get curious why a report on inter-branch compliance didn't assess uniform. I waste a shift on him now, when time is semi-expendable, and don't have to deal with him later on, when we have no time to lose. This way, my cover is intact and we don't have to deal with a overly-helpful PC when we really don't have time to."
"Oh." John sat in silence for a few minutes. "Where are we going?"
"To a little café up by my flat in Islington. I reckon you're hungry. I'm bloody famished."
"Alright. Sounds good."
John looked out the window, deep in thought. June put the radio on softly. It was the same Doors CD that was on the night before. She sang along to "When the Music's Over":
"Cancel my subscription to the resurrection. Send my credentials to the house of detention. I've got some friends inside."
John turned to look at her. "Do you have anything else?"
"Yeah," June said, flipping the button on the CD player. "I've got The Doors, U2, Tori Amos, Pink Floyd and George Michael. Which do you want?"
"U2. Has to be U2." John smiled. 'She has excellent music tastes. Except for George Michael. Hey, nobody's perfect,' he thought, 'I'm just glad no one knows about my large disco collection.'
The opening notes to "A Sort of Homecoming" from 'The Unforgettable Fire' ripped through the car. "Are they your favourite band as well?" June asked.
"Yes. Always have been, always will be. I was there in the beginning and have enjoyed them since."
"Me too. I have seen them twice live, and they're absolutely magnificent. Especially Bono - what an entertainer!" June smiled, "Bono was my first love. It's too bad that him and I have never met."
"And what does your boyfriend think of that?" John turned to look at her.
"What boyfriend?" June asked, incredulously.
"The one I heard you tell Reg about."
"John, I only said that, because the thought of going out on a date with Reg Hollis makes me want to commit kamikaze!"
John chuckled, "I guess I can see your point."
June pulled into a parking spot outside Le Monde Verde. "I hope you like French."
"Oui, mademoiselle." John grinned. Somehow, just by virtue of being around June, made all of his anger and tension magically disappear.
'She has a very calming effect on me,' he thought.
* * *
Once seated, order placed, they began to get down to business. Rourke's two leads turned up trumps. Charles Spire had form for GBH and theft up in Leeds, and Ben Bryant, well, John was more than familiar with him already. Both had addresses.
"Good work John. Excuse me for a second." June got up and went to the ladies'.
After checking that she was alone, June turned on a tap in the sink and locked herself in a cubicle. She scrolled through her mobile's address book, until she found the number of her governor.
"Alright, Sir, we've got two more leads. Charles Spire, GBH, theft in Leeds. He is Rourke's supplier. The person who made the connection is a Ben Bryant, apparently the main figure on the Bronte estate. Rourke claims that Bryant is his supplier. Bryant put Rourke in touch with Spire. Rourke claims that he has no way of contacting Spire. Spire contacts Rourke, gives him drugs in a suitcase and sends him to clubs and pubs within Escoverda's corporation. Rourke gets 5% of the profits. Yes, I know, it's Pittsburgh revisited. Same form. How should we proceed?"
June listened closely as her governor briefed her, "Right, sir, thank you."
Returning to the table, she found that the starters had been delivered. John had waited for her. What a gentleman! June liked him in spite of herself. She found him to be very sexy, his short, dark red fringe and those big eyes gave him boyish charm mixed with an older man's wisdom. He had a good heart, and was very quick. If only he would simmer down a bit, but she sensed that his anger was his frustration with his own shortcomings. He was competitive, and she guessed by his stature that he played sports or worked out.
'If only situations had been different,' she thought to herself.
"Ah, there you are. I thought you got lost or something." John smiled at her.
"No, just freshening up, as ladies do." June took her seat. "Mmm, my favourite. Onion soup."
John took a mouthful of soup, savouring the tart flavour. He swallowed, and looked over at June. "We've got to talk, June. About last night."
"I know John. I was very harsh. I'm sorry. It's just that, well, I find that romances with people in the line of duty never work out."
"Yes, but this time could be different." John smiled at her, leaning forward.
"John, you're a lovely man, I'm going to tell you why I don't want to get involved with you. No one over here knows about it. Not my superiors, not anyone. I wanted it that way. I feel like I can trust you, though. I feel like I could tell you anything."
June sighed and folded her napkin.
"John, do you remember when I told you that Escoverda killed two officers? The reason that we need all this secrecy?"
"Yes, June." John shifted in her seat, his eyes focused on her.
"It was horrible. He killed them execution style. They knew they were going to die. It was a terrible tragedy for everyone working on the case, and many people dropped off, not being able to handle the loss of two of the FBI's best men. I was one of the people who dropped off then. A vacancy opened up in the FBI's overseas special teams, in co-ordination with Scotland Yard. I put in for a transfer and that's how I ended up here today. I never thought I would find myself working on Escoverda again."
"That's terrible June, but, why does that mean that we can't be together?" John cocked his head to one side and looked at her.
"John," June paused, "One of the men that was killed was my fiancé. It was a secret romance. I was in charge of the investigation and sent my lover in to die. It wasn't my fault though. Someone within the FBI was working for Escoverda and fed them Thomas and Gene's identities. I can't, I won't go through that loss again. Now do you understand?"
John was taken aback. "June, I don't know what to say, I'm so sorry."
"Yeah, I don't want your pity, I don't want you to be sorry. This is why I don't tell anyone. I just want you to understand, it's not you."
"Alright, June. I understand. Can we be friends, though?" John sighed. John wanted to hold her, take her pain away. He felt such a strong urge to be close to her, but he knew that his advances would be rejected. She was alone, and wanted to keep it that way.
"Of course we can. Partner." She grinned, with a twinkle in her eye.
