Best laid plans.
Gina Gold stormed down the corridor to the canteen "PC Kent!" she shouted
"Yes Ma'am?"
"Any chance of you going out on patrol today? Or are you going to sit around here like a bad smell?" she demanded
"On my way Ma'am" he said, putting his hat on
"And take Debbie with you, Honey's gone home ill" she watched him walk down the corridor
"Penny for them?" said Adam Okaro, making her jump
"That man" she gestured to Gabriel "Is up to something, last year he kept going AWOL all the time, now I can't get him out of the station! I'm going to get to the bottom of it Adam, if it kills me!"
"I'm sure you will Gina," said Adam "Just be careful" he warned
Smithy stood at the custody desk "Name?" he said to the woman who had been arrested for shoplifting by Sheelagh and Tony
"Minnie Mouse" she said, he looked up
"Really?" he spoke quietly "Well, Sheelagh, put Miss. Mouse in cell 2 until she looses the attitude!" he was in no mood for half-wits today.
He watched them go through, his head snapped round as Phil brought his brother Darren through from the interview room "Ok?" he asked
"I've charged him, but I need an appropriate adult, care to phone your dad?"
Smithy saw the look of pure terror on his brother's face, remembering his own teen years at home he said, "It's ok, I'll sign it" he scribbled his initials on the sheet
"You'll have to book him though June," he said, stepping away from the desk and taking Darren by the arm "Conflict of interest" He steered Darren to the room opposite the desk and closed the door.
"How am I supposed to book him as charged when he's in there?" asked June
Phil shrugged his shoulders and left. "Thanks!" muttered June
"What the hell were you playing at?" Smithy demanded of his brother, the second the door closed
"I was just having a bit of fun!" retorted Darren "Like you care, you disappeared the minute you could, only saw you when mum died, even then, you were gone as quick as you'd arrived!"
"You weren't exactly pleased to see me"
"No, Dale" he rounded on his brother "That was Dad, I was 12, what could I do? I really needed you, my big bro" his voice broke
"Daz...." He started "I missed you too, but you know what dad's like, I had to leave"
"Yeah, leave me to get it all, watch mum drink herself into an early grave"
Smithy looked at the floor "You had Kayliegh" he said
"Oh right," said Darren sarcastically "The baby girl, could do no wrong, you know she still asks when mum's coming home, dad just says soon. He's never laid a finger on her, or the grandkids."
"I'm sorry, does he still..."
"Hit me? Yeah, oh yeah, and what an ass kicking I'm gonna get for this one"
"No your not" Smithy said fiercely
"What you gonna do? Stand guard day and night?" Darren turned away
"No, if it's that bad you can stay with me"
"Dad would flip," replied Darren, unable to keep the hope out of his voice
"I'm not scared of Dad anymore" Smithy replied
"Do you mean it?" asked Darren
"Yes, I do, but I also mean this, Darren if you stay with me, you keep out of trouble, I don't want to see you in here again, unless it's with me, got it?"
"Dale, I.., thank you" the kid was on the verge of tears, Smithy hugged him, pulling away after a few moments "Another thing, you need a shower mate!" he smiled
They walked out of the office "You'll have to wait in the cells 'till Phil says you can go, I'm afraid" Smithy said rubbing his brothers head
"Ok" said Darren in a small voice "But you won't forget me will you?"
Smithy couldn't stand the fear in the lad's voice "I never forgot you Daz, I should of done something sooner" he walked off abruptly, went in his office and shut the door, fighting back the tears.
Juliet bowled into the Sergeants office and threw her arms round Smithy's neck
"Hello babes" she said and then noticing he was trying to wipe away tears "What's wrong?"
"Nothing" he said, pulling away from her
"Smithy? Is it Darren? What's happened? Talk to me" she put her hand on the back of his neck
He turned and smiled "Daz is going to stay with me" he announced
"Brotherly bonding?" she asked
"Something like that" he said
"So what's upset you? That's good isn't it?"
"Yeah, it's good, but, well, I abandoned him, I'm his big brother, I should have protected him but I ran away instead"
"I don't know what's happened in the past Smithy, but you're there for him now, and that's what counts" she soothed
"I suppose," he said
"I'll go home tonight, I know we'd said I'd stay, but you need some time with Darren"
"No, please, don't, I need you there, please?" he almost broke down again
"Ok" she said, hugging him "Now pull yourself together, can't have people thinking you've gone soft!"
He laughed, "Thanks" he said, "And Daz needs to know you as well, you'll be around a lot," he said
"Try keeping me away!" she said, planting a kiss on his forehead "And you can talk to me you know, about your dad"
"I know," he said "Just not yet"
Juliet left the office, there was something deep there, she only hoped he trusted her enough to talk.