.

.

What she did not enjoy at all was the following night sitting in a car half of the time and waiting for something to happen in the observed house and being completely tired the next day. The fact that she merely found the time to regularly visit Tommy was not exactly edifying either. And as bad chance would have it they never were alone in those rare moments. She did not hear him arguing with his mother that he should be brought home and she did not know that out of pure boredom and discontentment he was unfairly mad with the poor nurses and the doctors. After three of those days they had enough of his moods (or an understanding... ah, well, probably not) and he finally was allowed to go home. He was stable, the healing process of the gunshot wound was going pretty well and the bones were fixed with titanium nails and so he left the hospital. His mother had been taught how to help him change the bandage and in a brief phone call Barbara had agreed on coming to his house the next evening. Daze would have to return to Howenstow soon but Barbara would be there for him.

Inwardly Daze laughed about how both Tommy and Barbara independently acted as if it was no big deal. She knew from the shy and longing and hesitantly yearning looks and the hidden gentle touches they exchanged the entire time when Barbara had found some five minutes time to drop by that there was something even bigger tenderly creeping to the surface.

She still had no luck yet. When Barbara arrived the other evening after a long day of driving through London and having team meetings at work Tommy already was asleep. It had turned too late before she finally could leave the office. He already had taken a few more heavy painkillers for the night and would not wake up until tomorrow so she just had a short chat with Daze and then went home again. Daze of course felt entirely sorry for both.

On the next sunny day though everything went easy. At ten in the morning Barbara and Winston had found the boy and his sister, both safely hidden in his father's hunting lodge. They were able to arrest the kidnapper in the docks at eleven and had his admission on tape at about twelve.

"Well, that was smooth." Barbara sighed and closed the door to the interview room. "Now up for the paperwork and tonight we're having a pi- hey!"

Ignoring her words Winston had turned her towards the exit and gave her a gentle push. "Now out here for your Tommy, Barb. And tonight we're definitely not having a pint, Ma'am."

"Winnie, there are things to be done and-"

"Barb, you are now in the happy position of delegating the paperwork to your team." A cheeky grin showed up on the Constable's face. "And I am here to oversee it so maybe one day they would acknowledge my work too and give me my next pips. But you have better things to do. And if the Chief-"

"Nkata, I can't simply go and leave you with-"

"Shut up, Havers!" Nkata finally pushed her hand bag into Barbara's arms. "And get out of my sight! Chop-chop! He's waiting for you and with all due respect, Ma'am-"

"Stop that, Winston!" Barbara could not help but laugh but undisturbed he went on.

"-you are so longing to see him for more than just five minutes that you actually wouldn't be of great help here."

Barbara finally gave in. "I owe you something, Winnie!" she said when she turned in the doorway.

"Something huge! Now off you go!"

With a little detour to the evidence room where she picked up the cleared off Asherton heritage in its beautiful box Barbara left work. She quickly had a shower at home and then drove to Belgravia. Daze opened the door.

"Oh, Barbara, nice to see you. I didn't expect you so early today. I was having a coffee but you could join me." With a grand gesture she let her in and received the wooden box with the revolver.

Barbara explained that she had not yet been able to get back the bullets but later when that case would be closed and the robber sits in jail - she had no doubt that was where he would end for a very long time - she probably would get those too and maybe also the one that was in Tommy's shoulder. "At least I've brought you some photographs that are allowed to be shown in public."

Daze was happy about how Barbara so naturally got involved with businesses concerning the Asherton family. She hoped that the thing that was developing between her son and the down-to-earth woman from London would be worked out into something special that would last for the rest of their lifetime. Her thoughtful expression must have looked suspicious because Barbara's face suddenly frowned.

"Has something happened?" she fearfully asked.

"Oh, good Lord, no." Daze laughed and she turned to go into the living room. Barbara followed. "He's just taking a nap. He had done some light exercises with his arm today and had to take some painkillers afterwards but I'm sure he'll be up soon. Shall I call him?"

"No, no. Let him sleep." Uninvited Barbara sat down on the sofa. She had sat here so many times working with her boss so she had not spent a single thought at Daze being the host for the moment. Formal decorum probably would have dictated she waited for being asked to sit. The elder woman recognised that too and smiled. Yes, she would be the brazen and unceremonious counterpart to her starched son. Barbara would be a very refreshing Lady A.

For half an hour they sat there animatedly talking about the coming exhibition in Nanrunnel. The weapon and the photographs of the bullets together with the story behind it probably would become the main sensation. Maybe they also could get the bullets in time and put them on display.

When some sounds were heard from the upper floor they both did not have to wait long before Tommy emerged in the doorway.

.

...