Hey! Thanks to everyone who has come back to read Chapter 4 of this and thank you so much to everyone who read the last instalment, especially talkingtothesky, Iaveina, losttimelady and Innogen who took the time out to review! I am so grateful for any comments – good or bad – that anyone has so don't be shy to let me know what you think. As long as it's constructive, I'm always happy to listen!
The two officers of Manchester's A Division strolled into the dingy Cafe, one doing his best to be discrete about his authority, the other embracing an attention warmly. It was one thing using their influence against soon to be convicted criminals (and, to be fair, that's what many in this establishment appeared to be) but trying to provoke trouble would be a mistake from the get go, at least in the mind of DI Tyler.
The smoke clung near the top of the ceiling like a grey veil, staining the once white wall with yellow like teeth. Sam smirked, hoping one day for a 'No Smoking' law to be imposed. He thought he remembered his Mum telling him something about it, or hearing it over a radio somewhere in the back of his mind.
Gene glanced over at the counter, his eyes coming in contact with the blonde stood with his back to him making a customer a cup of coffee. Sam meanwhile was still scanning the area for the young woman. He didn't get too good a glimpse at her early. At least her running ability was good enough to be made a copper!
The blonde spun on her heels, her sandy locks tied together clumsily with a red and white spotted ribbon. Her eyes were a downcast hazel, her mind obviously not on the job at hand. "Thank you sir, is there anything else I can get for you?"
Her turn of phrase was drawn out by her lethargic sigh and slow speech. It was clear that she simply couldn't be arsed; as if she was living the same day a thousand times over.
The stout, bearded gentleman took the coffee in one hand, his greying features lighting up at a more hopeful proposition. "Well, maybe after work, you could..."
"OI!" Gene yelled, marching over to the counter; he took no pleasure in the older bloke's savvy, perverted chat up lines.
Sam hastily put a hand on his shoulder, watching the Governor clenching his fist, his eyes sharp.
Gene exhaled, a deep throated growl making the shorter man hurry away. He ordered for his Inspector to find a table somewhere in the corner, instructing his offspring to follow them shortly.
Sam's eyes diverted from the young woman as soon as Gene made his way over to the table. His boss took a seat beside him, folding his arms over his chest as his legs sprawled out underneath the table. He was trying to give the impression that she was wasting his time; that he couldn't give two shits about being where they were. His ever impatient pout capturing his lips, this time it looked false in a sort of over-exaggerated actor kind of way.
"Is she like you?" Sam asked, trying to learn a little more about the young woman before they were formally introduced.
Gene snorted. "What do you think this is, a blind bloody date?"
"Well, ok then - what's her name?"
"Casey." he answered bluntly. "'Er mam's choice, not mine. If she were mine, she would 'ave 'ad a decent name."
Sam tried not to laugh. Really, there was nothing funny about that at all. In fact, it was rather tragic that Gene had had so little to do with his only child. At least Sam was guessing she was Gene's only child.
It was rather the thought to Gene doing Daddy things like taking his children to the park or buying them ice cream. Teaching them how to ride their first bike without swearing at them when they fell over the handlebars. Trivial little things like that made Sam chuckle, as if his minds eye was projecting his ludicrous images for the world to see.
Perhaps not.
Gene saw his right hand mans face turn redder with each passing second. "What's the matter, Gladys? Your big 'ead finally gonna explode, ay?"
Sam stopped dead in his tracks as Gene turned to notice the little confrontation between Casey and her boss. He looked like a regular greasy spoon worker; tubby with his guts spilling over the edge of his trousers like a bad soufflé, oily skin and a shiny bald head with a paper, napkin like hat as a poor wig.
Taking her fraying and filthy apron from over her head, Casey's thick hair swung in time to her funeral march like walk; seeing Gene was about the most unappealing thought in her head right now. Although she wanted the help, it was dreadful that it was his that she needed.
She slung her apron down onto the coffee stained table, not caring about the splodges of tomato ketchup now spreading on the fabric, like blood from a gunshot wound. Trying to hide her teenage like tantrum in favour of a much more mature approach, she imitated her estranged Father's actions. Gene saw right through it though, rolling his eyes at her.
"Father?" she spoke, her tone attempting to sound snotty, as if it was a pain in the arse Gene being in a hundred mile radius of her.
The Gov shuddered at this name. "Uh, this is my DI, Sam Tyler - Inspector Tyler to you."
She turned to Sam, her face lighting up a little as a small smile struck the delicate features of her pale, olive skin. "Nice to meet you," she greeted, levelling her face and extended her hand for which the gentleman took. He was a little weary, half expecting the slide of the greasy food with the spread of germs. Instead, her hands were warm and soft as her fingers laced across the palm of his hand gently. She didn't want to seem too familiar, for the first casual meeting with her boss. Yet, she didn't want to seem ungrateful; he really was doing her a massive favour.
They let go of the others hand, no wanting to cling for too long. Their eyes let go of the others gaze, as the Detective Chief Inspector spoke about her subsequent training.
"I want to get a couple of things straight now we're acquainted," Gene spoke quietly, his face becoming ridged. "First and foremost, 'e is your superior officer. When you don't answer to me, you answer to 'im."
Casey sat up to a more professional posture as she pushed her lengthily fringe away from her eyes. She wasn't expecting her Father's reaction to be quite that abrasive.
"Secondly, I want you in the office on time, everyday. If for one second you think it's acceptable to turn up even a minute late than you are scheduled, you can forget even trying to make it in my section."
Sam lost connection with the girl completely. Gene was being a little demanding of her to say the least; he'd seemed to have forgotten that she was only a sixteen year old girl. Someone who probably wasn't used to that kind of grilling that early on in her life.
"Thirdly, if you want to make it as a copper, you need to listen to everything Dorothy says." Gene commanded, pointing over to the more sympathetic man, his ears perking up at the mention of his pet name.
Casey raised an eyebrow in perplexity. "Dorothy? I thought his name was Inspector Tyler?"
Sam couldn't help but smirk. She was certainly picking this stuff up fast. He'd become the master of irritating Gene but it seemed that there was a new contender in town.
"To you, 'e is DI Tyler. To me, 'e is Dorothy, Gladys..."
"Doris, Edna, Enid. The list goes on really."
Casey giggled, covering her mouth with her hand to try and hide her obvious amusement. Her cheeks turned pinker as her hazel eyes tapered in merriment. Maybe Sam Tyler was more human that her Father was giving him credit?
Gene glared at Sam as he held his hands out in mocking defence. The Chief sharply glowered to the young girl, as she pressed her lips together and looked to the ground, kicking a piece of dropped toast out of sight. She swung her bare legs against the leatherette seat, her youth becoming palpable as she awaited the next set of ear bashing instructions.
"Fourthly, if I tell you I don't want you working on a mission, you don't, ok? We don't want any needless casualties along the way. Fifthly..."
"Oi, Case! You comin' back to work or wha?"
As the boss called her, Casey turned to examine the surroundings. "Give me two minutes, ok?"
"Jus' coz there ain't no customers, don't mean there isn't work to be done!" he bawled disgruntledly, stomping his way back into the kitchen as the walls clattered from his near rapid movement and velocity of door swinging.
Gene curled a lip, finding yet another nonce. "Fifthly, you do as you are told. If we don't tell you to do summats, don't do as 'Inspector Tyler' does and go off one a whim. Wait until you get instructions."
Casey sat towards the edge of her seat, chewing her lip as she glanced up at the clock to her left. "Father, I really need to get ba-"
"You can wait a couple of minutes. It's not like you're gonna be working 'ere for much longer!" Gene requested rather bluntly. "Sixthly, now this is important."
He leant in, his finger beckoning for her to do the same. "You do not, under any circumstances, cop off with any of my other officers. The last thing we can do with is you up the duff by the end of yer first week..."
"Father, what do you take me for? My mother?"
Her bitterness astounded both men.
"Oh, and one last thing..."
"Then can I go?" she mumbled. Cautiously out of the corner of her eye, she spied her boss tapping the face of his watch manically. Sam thought that at least she wouldn't have to get used to a different temperament of boss at least.
"You do not mention that we are related. You do not tell anyone that I'm your Father...you simply don't call me that in public, got it?"
Casey nodded, her mouth twisting into an almost dazed frown as her cheeks ripened.
"Good," Gene gasped, glad that the 'induction' ceremony was over with. "You'll be using your mam's last name then?"
"Yes - like I've used any other my whole life?"
Sam saw a lot of Gene in Casey already; the sarcastic attitude, the smart arse answers. It really did bring a whole new edge to the nature/nurture debate.
"You call me Gov, or DCI Hunt, ok?"
"Yes." her monosyllabic answer still had an undercurrent of anxiety to it. Sam expected that her feelings were genuine; she wanted to be strong, trying to act up to Gene and be older than she was. But, underneath the cheap bluff was actually a tiny girl who felt confused, quietly alone. Someone who was desperate to prove something, not only to herself but to others around her. Especially to her Dad who seemingly expected a lot less of her than he was going to get.
The silence of the three people sat around the table was becoming uncomfortable; Casey was unsure of how to act. Her gut told her to be stroppy, to be the teenager that she truly was. Yet, her mind told her to be professional, as if she knew how to act in front of older gentlemen of such power. DCI Hunt and DI Tyler certainly were doing her a major favour, more than both of them cared to admit.
"Have you told your boss that you're packing up here, Casey?" Sam questioned his voice kind yet subtle in his compassionate approach.
Casey was taken aback by Sam's sudden quizzing. For the most part he'd just sat there listening to her answers, letting Gene do all of the talking. "Uh yeah, when I got in this morning. He's not too happy coz I only took the job a week ago!"
Sam and Casey shared a short, faint laugh, Gene continuing to sit with a face like stone.
"Well, we'd better be goin' soon, Gladys. We've got real problems to solve." he remarked, standing and pulling his camel coat closer to his body. In all truthfulness, the only problem Gene had to solve now was whether to have a pint or double malt down the Railway Arms.
Sam pulled himself up, standing beside his DCI, awaiting his instructions surprisingly obediently. Casey stood before them, looking a little anxious from the two men before back over to her current boss.
"So, when do I start?" she asked, her hands dug deep inside her lose fitting jeans pockets. She'd certainly inherited her height from Gene. Thankfully - for her - not his waist!
"Tomorrow morning, 9am sharp," Gene insisted, pulling his gloves tighter against his hands. "You'll meet DI Tyler outside the offices. Then, I want you to report to me. You'll then be told exactly what to do afterwards."
Casey nodded as the Gov continued to give out orders. She was taking this all in, her eyes becoming a little indistinct as she struggled to remember everything.
"OI, CASE, BACK TO WORK!"
Her current employers yelling broke the near silence lying across the only three people in the cafe. Casey gave him an evil glance, grateful that this would be her last day on the job.
Then, in walked two or three youths, perhaps a little older than her. She appeared to recognise them. Yet that recognition seemed tainted with a flurry of varying emotions; she wanted to greet them cordially but just couldn't bring herself to do it.
Gene observed them, looking them up and down; they looked like your regular Barker Street trouble makers. Cigarettes dangling between their fingers in a surly sort of way, in a vague attempt at becoming the next James Dean without the looks and even the laid back attitude.
One of them clocked her on the bum, spinning her round and holding her against his palms. "Alright, sweethear'?"
"Bloody pervert!" Gene growled, raising his right fist.
Sam glanced over at Casey before she retreated behind him. "Alright, leave it out, yeah?" he reasoned, standing between the two warriors nose to nose with each other.
With a sickening thud, Sam fell to the ground, dazed and possibly concussed.
To be continued...
Hope you enjoyed this chapter of 'Keeping it in the Family?' – let me know what you think! Thank you!