S1 E6 – A Knotty Problem

This long feverish frantic frenetic day is finally done! Fidel drives his boss home and this time the man accepts the supportive hand Fidel offers. The Chief is almost staggering with fatigue, his shoes leaving uneven marks in the sand. Fidel helps his boss into the house, up the little set of stairs, and seats him in a bedside chair where the man slumps wearily.

Fidel steps back, unsure if he should go or not, the man is weak as a kitten. "Um, sir, can I do anything for you? Help you undress maybe?"

His boss waves a limp hand, "Yes, can you get this jacket off me then fetch a glass of water?"

Fidel smiles, happy to be helpful once more, "Sure thing, Chief." He slips the jacket off, feeling a furnace blast of heat released into the cooling night air. He drapes the jacket over the back of the chair then goes to the kitchen for the glass of water. When he comes back, he finds his boss with elbows on knees and staring at his shoes. The man looks completely perplexed.

"Um, sir, you OK?" Fidel hushes.

His Chief makes a helpless little sound unlike anything Fidel has ever heard him make before, shakes his head then doesn't quite meet Fidel's anxious eyes as he mutters, "Er, no, I'm not. I can't seem to figure out… I mean I'm not sure I can… oh, hell! Will you please untie my shoes?"

Fidel's eyebrows go up and he waits a beat to see if this is some sort of British prank or test or something . When the Chief ducks his head and groans, Fidel drops to one knee and swiftly undoes the laces, sliding the shoes off with another furnace blast of heat. His boss heaves a huge sigh and sits back like a boneless thing.

Fidel sits back on his heels, "Did I tie it wrong, sir? I'm sorry if I did, I'll be more…"

Without opening his eyes, the Chief mutters, "No, you didn't do anything wrong. It's me, I'm wrong." He opens one rueful eye and says, "I never learned to tie my shoes, not the way the rest of the world does it. Funny, neh? Here am I, a renowned puzzler, crime solver, and criminal catcher extraordinaire – confounded by a shoe lace. How mortifying. How pathetic."

Fidel frowns, "Funny, sir? Pathetic? Everyone learns in different ways... or tries to. Look at me." Richard lifts chagrined eyes at last, quirks an eyebrow. Fidel nods, "I write down everything you say, I draw maps and diagrams and flow charts, I spend hours poring over your reports and notes, and I can barely understand how you solve cases. If anyone is pathetic, it's me! I'll never live up to your example, sir, never." He drops his chin in defeat. He's admitted his deepest fear.

Richard reaches out to take Fidel's hand, startling the young man who marvels at the steamy touch then hears with wonder, "Fidel, you are every DI's fondest dream, a truly dedicated honest loyal officer determined to better himself. I couldn't ask for a better man. I wish I'd had you at Croydon, except that would have been cruel. A man such as yourself would have been ground down to dust beneath the feet of those brutes." Now the Chief sighs in remembered sorrow.

Fidel squeezes the fevered hand and bends low to catch his Chief's hazy eyes, "Sir! Sir! I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you in Croydon… but I had to be here, waiting. I had to walk patrol and feed goats and file papers and make copies until you found me. Found me and saved me!"

The hot hand squeezes back then drops. Both men look deep into the other's eyes for a long moment… then both jerk in sudden male embarrassment at their close proximity. Fidel rears to his feet and Richard looks away, using both hands to lift himself out of his chair, "Um, OK, let's agree that we saved each other and leave at that, yes?"

Fidel nods with relief, "I'm OK with that, sir. Now, is there anything else I can do before I go?"

Richard clears his throat, "Um, no, I don't think so. I'm going to shower until the water gives out then I'm going to sleep like a dead thing. Please advise the others not to call me unless it's a dire emergency. If I'm feeling human again in the morning, I'll be in. Otherwise, carry on in my absence."

Fidel stands to attention, "Yes sir, sir. Would it be alright if I check on you if you don't come in? Just to make sure the fever hasn't returned?"

Richard pauses in shuffling to the bathroom door, turns to give Fidel a fond look, "Yes, it would, thank you." He turns back, begins stripping off his shirt, the cool relief of a shower uppermost in his mind.

Fidel takes his cue, "OK, I'll leave you now. I hope you feel better in the morning."

The sound of the shower starts up as the bathroom door closes. Richard's voice is heard, "Thanks, Fidel, for being patient and waiting for me to arrive, for being my friend once I got here, and for… oh, just for everything." There is a long pause then, "Say Hi to Juliette and Rosie for me, won't you?"

Fidel looks down, dithers for a moment then turns down the bed and plumps the pillows as he answers, "I will, sir, have a good night." There is no reply so after a moment Fidel goes down the steps and closes the door behind him.

He whistles merrily all the way back to the station.

END

*In case you didn't already know, apparently Ben Miller doesn't tie his shoes like most people. See his 2013 appearance on 'Room 101' where he demonstrates his own unique technique.*