Disclaimer: Mmmmmm Max. I mean, nope, still not mine.
A/N: You asked. I answered. For all of you who came back. You people make me so happy!
Chapter Sixteen;
A Man Named Stamos
For the first time in Max's life, he wasn't the first one out of bed the next morning, finding himself alone as he rolled over and checked the clock to note it was a little after 5am. Something had awoken him and before he even had a chance to figure out what the bedroom light flicked on and Millie appeared in the doorway.
"Inspector Smith just rang. We're needed at the station."
Max nodded and pushed back the covers, watching her walk to the wardrobe and pull out her favourite items of clothing – jeans and a red polo top. Usually when she removed the old clothes Max would complain but today he knew better than to and simply let her wear whatever she wanted. He'd been surprised that the night before he hadn't been sent to the couch but actually allowed near the bedroom. That said, she'd placed a pillow between them and inched as far to her side of the queen-sized as she could, so the cold animosity of the night before reigned still.
"Did he say what about?" Max asked as Millie returned from the ensuite, now brushing her teeth, and he slid out of bed and grabbed the trousers he'd left on a chair the night before. After calling Roger about the maroon sedan he'd found Millie had crawled into bed, pillow fort and all, and wouldn't even talk to him when he came in. He couldn't say he was surprised.
Millie looked up at the question then glared with a look that said 'what do you think?' and Max took it to mean Smithy hadn't mentioned what it was. Typical Smithy – he liked the dramatic reveal. Heading downstairs he grabbed his car keys from the small table inside the front door, not bothering to really wake up, and pulled a t-shirt from the washing pile, noticing Oscar's red fire engine shirt next to it. He pointedly ignored it as he looked up the stairs where Millie was now descending, pulling her hair up quickly, that same frown from the night before etched on her face. Some men would say that when their wife started frowning they hated it, knew they were about to get killed, and opted to run for the hills. Max wasn't like that. When his wife frowned he only wanted to be around to watch what happened next. When she frowned she was all business, the sweet and sometimes daft Millie gone, replaced by someone Max didn't just care about, he respected.
"About the sedan business," Max started and Millie looked up quickly, the frown waning a little. "I'm sorry I didn't listen to you." He did seem to be apologizing a lot lately. It still amazed him that Millie could make him feel so guilty about the way he acted. Others had attempted to call him up on it in the past and failed but Millie just needed to go silent for just a minute and he instantly knew what he'd done to cause it.
She took a deep breath and he thought she was about to brush him off but she gave a small smile. "Thank you for apologizing." Then, touching his arm softly, she passed him through the front door. Max took that to mean he was still in trouble and just followed her silently.
Inspector Smith glanced across at PC Copeland, one of the few in the IBO at this time of the morning, and caught her yawning. "Head off PC Copeland."
She shook her head resolutely. "I'm okay guv. Anyway, my shift ends at 6, I can last." And she didn't yawn again, smothering them so Smithy couldn't see, and he just let her be. After the information had come in from Southport of Palenski's real identity, he'd spent most of the night on connections and allies. The information from Roger about the maroon sedan, which Millie had confirmed had been tailing her for a week, helped seal one connection. A fleet of maroon sedans, four in total, belonged to a local businessman. Elliot Stamos.
Stamos had a rap sheet a mile long, from drink driving to fraud, but nothing big time. He'd also spent two months in Southport. The connection was enough so finally he called Millie.
"Guv?" Smithy turned to the voice from the doorway and smiled at the redhead. She stepped into the room, Max right behind her, and PC Copeland looked up and glanced sideways at Smithy, waiting to give Oscar's parents the information they'd come for. "Is this about the sedan?"
"Sort of," Smithy pulled out a chair and offered Millie a seat. He ignored Max. It wasn't that Smithy disliked Max, he didn't have an opinion on him either way, it was just that Millie had long ago proven worthy of his niceties. In Smithy's eyes (and many others) Max had still yet to prove he even deserved Millie's love. "PC Copeland?" The young brunette stood and handed over a picture, smiling at both Millie and Max in turn, then sitting down again. Max stood behind Millie as she frowned down at the photo. "This came through from Southport last night. This is Palenski." He didn't need to say the rest. They'd already recognised Jankowski. Max put his hands on his hips and looked away as Millie put her thumb to her teeth, an old nervous habit Smithy guessed she hadn't lost yet. Smithy handed her another picture. "And this is Stamos, whom we suspect is a friend of Jankowski." Max glanced up this time and Millie nodded slowly. "We traced him thanks to your confirmation of the maroon sedan." Max's head sunk again at that information but Smithy didn't push it. "We have an address and we're putting together a team as we speak to go get him."
"And how long will that take?" Max seemed to growl out the words.
"About an hour, maybe 90 minutes, but not long." Millie accepted that, just standing slowly, her hands shaking, and turned to face them. Smithy understood. "You want to know what you can do?" She nodded silently as Max walked off, headed for PC Copeland, and the young brunette sunk a little lower in her seat. "Door-to-door will need photocopies of Jankowski's picture for Stamos' neighbours. Can you take care of that?" The task was menial but it seemed to be enough and Smithy was glad as he watched Max lean over the young PC and start talking to her. Taking the photos Millie left, walking quickly, and Smithy went to Max's side. "DI Carter, can I have a word?"
Max looked between Smithy and PC Copeland, the young girl now staring at the table, then stood up straight. "Of course."
Smithy led Max a decent distance from the PC. "Would you mind not harassing my PCs for addresses?" Max started to speak but Smithy cut him off. "I'm not stupid Max, I know what you're doing, but don't. PC Copeland did two straight shifts tonight because she cares about Oscar's safety, we all do, so hounding her into helping you go one-on-one with him isn't a good way to repay her."
Max stuck his hands in his pockets. "I just asked her how it was going." Smithy looked up and caught PC Copeland watching them. "Would you like me to go thank her for her hard work?" The tone was biting and Smithy frowned.
"We just want to help Max."
"I know." He stepped away from Smithy, motioning to the door. "I'm going to make sure Millie's doing okay, not struggling under the petty tasks you've given her, under the pretence of caring of course." And before Smithy could say another thing he'd stalked off.
Smithy shook his head and walked up to PC Copeland. "What did he say to you?"
"He thanked me for helping Millie, with the maroon sedan, and for coming in early to find Palenski." Smithy's frown deepened. "Do you think he's going to do something stupid?"
"It's Max Carter; when he's not doing something stupid, he's not doing anything." Returning to his desk he picked up the phone, intending to check up on the team when Millie walked back into the IBO alone, photocopies in her arms, that usual frown etched on her face. She looked tired, depressed but more than anything, dare Dale think it… lonely. He knew Max, what kind of person he could be when he was driven, and assumed he hadn't let Millie in on everything he knew. But Millie was no fool, she'd always known when she was being left out of the loop, and while Smithy didn't doubt Max had left Millie out to protect her, she still made it clear she needed to be involved. It was why he'd encouraged them both to come in that morning. If Max wanted to leave Millie out of things then so be it, but Smithy wasn't going to, he respected Millie too much to do that.
"Where's Max?"
Millie frowned. "What do you mean?" She put the papers down on a desk nearby and glanced up at him, confusion etched across her face, and instantly Smithy knew. When PC Copeland frowned at her own desk, picking up pieces of paper as if looking for something, he wasn't even the least bit surprised.
"He told me he was coming to help you." Dale shook his head and ran a hand through his hair. "You haven't seen him?"
She took a seat as she said it. "He's gone after Stamos hasn't he?" Smithy didn't even need to think about it before he nodded slowly. Millie just rubbed a hand over her face. "Oh Max."