Ok, I've got to not muck this up as this requires a bit of thinking… Welcome dear readers to the mystical dimension I call… Chapter 12 (bit of an anticlimax really).
Chapter 12
The desk sergeant looked over the woman's shoulder to a DCI riveted to where he stood.
"Sir?" The sergeant directed the question to Sam who instantly snapped out of his trance and ambled over to the desk to greet the woman.
"DCI Sam Tyler." Sam offered a hand and the woman took it reluctantly.
"Can I have a word?" The woman gestured towards the canteen door and Sam raised an eyebrow,
she hadn't even given her name.
"That's hardly the most private-" Sam began but the woman gave a smile and Sam wondered again, how he knew that face. Sam gave a nod and followed, even though he was sure that he was leading, the woman to the canteen.
Gene wanted to leave the office as fast as his aching legs could take him. The lift gave a familiar 'ting' and Gene stepped out into the main entrance of the building. He grunted a good night to the desk sergeant, who looked up,
"DCI Tyler-" He began and Gene spun around.
"I don' give a stuff." Gene barked; he had better things to think about than Tyler.
"I used to work here." The woman gave a smile to Sam in the half light of the room and Sam nodded,
that explained one thing at least.
"It's changed so much, just like the Gov said." She said dreamily and Sam gave a quizzical look.
"Gov?" Sam asked; he felt this was getting weird all ready.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Annie Cartwright." Annie offered a hand out to Sam who took it in the same gingerly fashion as she had taken his.
Gene kicked his front door closed behind him and collapsed heavily onto the settee. He stabbed at the remote control and the TV jumped to life. The news, again. And none of it good.
"And in other news… Morgan's gone and made that bird Cartwright a WDC in the department." Ray's voice cut in over the news reader's drone and Gene sat bolt upright.
"Not sodding again!" Gene murmured, his voice failing him.
"Yeah, Gov, and on the way t' see you, he was walking the other way, don't know why he was visiting ya, he ain't even met you." Chris voice intoned over the other reporter's voice and Gene's eyes widened.
"'e went to see ya misses Gov, don' know why." Ray said with a tut.
"He better leave 'er be!" Gene barked at the TV screen.
"Oh yeah, Gov, since ya not busy," Chris said but Ray cut in,
"Busy?! You twat Chris!"
"Ya remember that Tyler bird and her son, well she came in the other day,"
"Yeah, she wanted help finding that bastard of a husband of hers, so Morgan sent Cartwright of all people!" Ray said, then laughed hollowly, "Why are we talking to a corpse, he can't 'ear us!"
Gene fell to knees in front of the screen, "But I can! I can bloody hear you! Get me out of here you pair of girl's blouses!" Gene shouted and banged the top of the set with his fist. The screen brightened until the imaged faded into snowy static.
"Pitter patter on the floor, to bad you don't know what's up anymore!" Gene spun around to find the yellow girl grinning in the sudden blackness.
"What you do want?!" Gene demanded. The girl grinned and her laughter cut through Gene like a knife, making him think of hyenas and nails on chalk boards.
"Want? I want to help you; you need me, genie, Gene Genie." Gene staggered to his feet and lunged at the girl, who moved away from his grasp with out even moving.
"Genie, Gene Genie! Genie, Gene Genie!" The girl teased and Gene clamped his hands over his ears.
"Bloody leave me be!" Gene yelled, squeezing his eyes so tightly shut that they stung.
"Genie, Gene Genie! Genie, Gene Genie! They're talking to the living dead, Six foot under, bashed your head; Car has hit you, now they all say you're dead!"
When Gene opened his eyes the darkness had faded into late afternoon glow from the windows. Moving over to switch off the set he then stumbled into the kitchen area to throw together some sort of food. It felt more than just minutes since he'd got home, more like days.
"Cartwright?" Sam asked carefully.
Surely, no, no, it can't be. Somewhere in the back of his mind the name tried to connect to something forgotten.
"So you where an officer here?" Sam asked, knowing that it was completely off the real question he wanted answering. "I feel like I know you, how long where you here?" Sam asked, feeling like an idiot.
"Oh, I left here in '83. Went to work for Cheshire Constabulary." Annie said, with an air of 'one officer to another' in her voice.
"I knew a Ruth and Sammy Tyler when I was here, little kid, he wanted to be an officer, he was so sweet." Annie's eyes misted over as if thinking of the poor child all those years away. "But anyway-"
"Wait, you knew my mum, Ruth?" Sam quizzed and Annie fidgeted uneasily.
"You're Sammy? My goodness but yes. She, she wanted to find her husband." Annie said to Sam whose eyes widened.
"My dad? You knew Vic Tyler?" Sam pressed.
"I met him once, in '74, or '73 not sure. He was connected to some sort of gambling thing." Sam could tell Annie was being reserved and ashamed of the knowledge she held.
Sam offered her a seat at a table and continued.
"My mum said, years later, that he was on the run." Sam sniffed and Annie stretched out a hand.
"I'm sorry, but, I told her she should tell you something. I kept in touch y'see, against the Gov's wishes. He didn't like the thought of well, getting mixed up in families. Yet he asked me to come here." The last part was muttered to herself and Sam caught her eye.
"Gov?" Sam asked and again Annie avoided the question, instead she handed Sam the battered letter that had remained glued to her hand.
"Gov." Annie muttered as Sam opened the envelope.
On the front in biro, Sam's name was scribbled on. The glue, after so many years hand unstuck so the letter was easily removed. The paper was just as yellowed as the envelope and stained with a coffee cup ring, clearly just a bit of scrap office paper. Opening it up Sam scanned the empty space to find, in the centre, a name and date.
"DCI Gene Hunt. 1973." Sam whispered in horror and shock
There was no denying it, it was real.
He knew he'd have to say something to Gene, but wondered if the Gene who had written the note had been told. Shaking his head, he smiled to Annie as she stood.
"Tell me about the Gov." Sam asked, gesturing for her to sit, and Annie sat down again with a slight smile.
OK, that wasn't my greatest piece of writing, so I apologize. I am very aware that it was painfully predictable. Not long now to the end. The ride's got to end somewhere, guys. (I don't what to give an exact chapter count as I always run over!) Thank you Cat Yuy for the idea of bringing in Annie, she's such a great character.