Adult-FanFiction.org : Television / Streaming

Back to the Future	By : gallygaskins Category: 1 through F > Ashes to Ashes Views: 1343 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I don't own Ashes to Ashes and I don't earn any money from this fanfiction

Chapter List
- 3
- 4
- 5
Chapter 4 – Sam tries to help.

The smell of lightly browning toast hit Sam’s nostrils as he walked down the stairs and into the kitchen. He got himself some orange juice and sat down at the table just as Gene was placing a plate of poached eggs on toast in front of him. “Just in time, Sammy boy. Thought I might ‘ave t’ call you for a minute?”

“Yeah? Didn’t have the best nights sleep last night.”

“Missin’ that girl of yours?” Gene asked, sitting down with his own meal, digging into his breakfast as if his life depended upon it.

“No, it’s nothing to do with Maya.” Sam responded, thinking back to the final argument that he and Maya had had yesterday. Now they were going to have to deal with one another through their solicitors.

“Got another one on the go already, then?” Gene looked over to him, a glint in his eye.

Sam smiled, “if only. No, just some of the cases we’re going over at the moment, have had to bring Drake onto the team to help with the profiling.”

“Isn’t that what she’s ‘ere for, besides runnin’ ‘er mind over my profile?” Gene laughed.

“Well, yes. But you are her priority!”

“Mmm, Sam, I were goin’ to ask you ‘bout ‘er. ‘Ave you found anythin’ out yet?”

“Not yet!” He lied. “Still waiting to here back from Bramshill, but I do know that you and Alex were never at the Met at the same time.” Gene nodded, his face was pensive. “Why do you ask?”

“Sam, last night I told you about the memories I’d ‘ad durin’ yesterday.”

“Quite vividly on occasion.”

Gene sniggered, smiling at Sam’s comment of Gene’s enthusiasm for detail. “Sorry ‘bout that!” Sam put his hands up in mock defence. “It appears that I may ‘ave been wrong ‘bout one of them.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah, could be me mind playin’ tricks but remember when I told you about Becky and her hair down her back?”

“And you twisted your fingers through it?”

Gene nodded, “that vision were in me dreams, and it woke me up as it startled me a bit. See I’d not seen ‘er face all the time I’d had that picture in me head. It wasn’t ‘til I’d had that dream last night, lettin’ events play out that I saw ‘er. It weren’t Becky, Sam,” Sam lent in, “it were Alex.”

Sam sat back in his chair, well that made sense. “Alex?”

“Yeah, couldn’t quite believe it meself. But, like I said, could be just my imagination playin’ tricks. Sam?”

“Yeah?”

“In all the times you came over, stayed over with me and Becky, did you ever notice what shampoo she used?”

“That’s a strange question. I’m not sure, but I think I could point out the bottle, I remember it was a goldeny yellow colour.”

“Stop by the supermarket on the way to work then, I’ll come an’ see you later ‘bout it.”

“Why? Is it important?”

“I don’t know, it’s just when I’ve seen that vision with all the hair I have this overwhelmin’ smell of blackberries. Could be nothin’.”

“Or it could be something; everything is significant, even when you’re trying to remember stuff.”

Gene nodded again, biting his lip. “Oh, I want a meetin’ with everyone too this mornin’, say ‘bout 11. Want t’ meet the new troops an’ get back into the swin’ of thin’s, now I’ve been given the all clear form the hospital!”

.oOo.

It was 10.45 as Gene strolled down the corridor from his office to that of Sam’s. He knocked on the door hoping that Sam would be there and when Sam murmured his ‘come in’, Gene opened the door and went in. “Did you ‘ave any luck?”

“I think so!” Sam said, picking up a carrier bag that he’d left on top of one of the filing cabinets and handing it over.

Gene quickly opened the bag up, reached in and pulled out the bottle. “That’s it!” He exclaimed, the purchased bottle now in his hands. “That’s the one.” His mind wandered back to the scene in the bath with Becky, she’d picked up a bottle exactly like the one in his hands, poured some of the liquid into his hands and gestured for him to massage it into her hair. He hadn’t needed asking twice, intently watching his wife enjoying his languid movements as he lathered and rinsed her glorious mane.

He snapped up the lid, tipped the bottle and allowed some of the lotion to land on his hand. Bending his head down to his upturned palm he breathed in deeply. “This isn’t it, it can’t be.” He looked to Sam, shaking his head. “It’s the right bottle but the smell …”

Sam nodded, “I know, no blackberries, no berries of any sort. More of a tropical smell I thought, like mangoes and a hint of coconut, too.”

“Yeah, coconut.” Gene sighed.

“So, seems like we need to find out a couple of things.”

“Like?”

“Like, does Alex use shampoo that smells of blackberries and did she have hair like Becky’s at some point in her life.”

“An’ who we gonna ask to find out this information, ‘cause I don’t think Alex is just goin’ to let us know if we ask?”

“Don’t worry, I know just the person!”

.oOo.

“Nice to meet you PC Granger, an’ do you ‘ave aspirations to become a member of CID?”

“I’d like to sir, one day,” Shaz Granger replied, her hand still firmly planted in Gene’s vice like grip.

“Glad to ‘ear it!” He turned his attention to the next lovely looking lass, “You must be DC Cartwright?”

“Yes, but ‘ow did you …”

He cut her off. “I am a detective, luv, in me spare time. Just met Granger” he pointed in Shaz’s general direction, “an’ I know Drake from me little … sessions … with ‘er,” he emphasized ‘sessions’, earning him a mixed look of surprise and horror from the woman concerned. “So, that only leaves one. Pleased t’ meet you, might be a bit of a tease but I’m ‘armless really.” He shook her hand before joining Sam as he leant against one of the desks in CID. “Doctor’s have given me the all clear.”

“Told you it’d clear up wit’ ‘at cream,” Ray said, sniggering and playfully elbowing Chris in the ribs.

“So speaks the voice of experience. Yes, Raymondo, thank you. Now, getting’ back t’ it, DCI Tyler has been tellin’ me that there seems to be some con artists scammin’ rich folk out of their money at charity parties.”

“Yes, Guv’ … er … sir,” Chris began babbling, “they’re settin’ up the next one at Lyme Park.”

“Chris, it’s Guv’ an’ that goes for all of you, I don’t like sir, makes me sound posh,” he looked directly at Alex, “which is somethin’ I most definitely am not. Lyme Park is a little out of our jurisdiction isn’t it?”

“It is, Guv’, but as we know the Bruce’s have their offices in our patch and Cheshire police are happy for us to go in undercover, they’ll help out with uniform if we need them to.” Sam commented, “does anyone have any ideas on the cover?”

“What kind of party is it?” Alex spoke up for the first time.

“Fancy dress, ma’am,” Chris said. “Georgian costumes, like Mr … er … Mr Da … Darc …”

“Mr Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett, by any chance?” Alex asked, slightly amused by Chris’ tied tongue.

“Yeah, how did you know?” Chris questioned, she shot him a withering look.

“Because she is posh!” Gene explained, ‘if only looks could kill’, he thought. “Chris, they’re characters from Pride and Prejudice.” That earnt him an appreciative look from the woman, he might not be upper class but he knew a thing or two about what women wanted, posh or otherwise.

“Most of us should go as staff,” Ray helped. “Me an’ Chris’ll do the bar!”

“I don’t think so, Ray. That would be asking for trouble. Think you two would do better as waiter’s,” Sam said knowingly. “I think there should be two ‘couples’. Annie, would you like to help me?” She nodded, “Good! And I think the other couple should be … you, Guv’ and DI Drake, is that ok with you two?”

Gene lent back a little over his desk, his arms folded over his chest, his mouth pouting at the prospect of spending the evening with her, “me an’ Bols! I’m up for it, ‘ow ‘bout you?”

Alex was staggered, how could DCI Tyler do this, “I’m not sure, I think that you and I, DCI Tyler, would be better suited, then DC Cartwright could escort the Super!”

Sam shook his head, “no disrespect, DI Drake, but DC Cartwright is a little young for the Super, don’t you think, which therefore makes you and him the obvious next pairing!”

Great, bloody fantastic!’ She thought, “ok, I suppose it makes better sense that way, now you’ve pointed it out to me. And why are you calling me Boll’s, the name is Alex.”

“Boll’s, referring to your higher status; don’t think you’d drop your knick…”

“Thanks, Superintendent,” Sam nudged Gene with his elbow; the last thing he needed was to have Alex put in a complaint against Gene for sexual harassment. “So that’s settled then …”

“Not quite, DCI,” Alex interjected, “and don’t worry I’m not going to have the Super up for sexual harassment,” could the woman read his mind? “I can handle myself, very well in fact. Sir,” she rounded on Gene, “I may talk ‘posh’,” she waggled her fingers at him, “but I think you’d be surprised at how much Bollinger it would actually take for me to ‘drop my knickers’,” she did it again, Gene closed his eyes. It was either that or break them off. “You see, I learnt restraint a very long time ago and am not the girl I used to be, I’m very particular about who exactly I will ‘drop my knickers’ for, these days.” She shot him one of her curt smiles before turning on her heel and making her way out of CID, she turned back to Sam, “once you lot have decided upon what you’re doing for this little soiree then please DCI Tyler, don’t hesitate to fill me. You know where my office is located.” She stomped through the doors and down the corridor, the sound of her heels clicking against the tiles as she walked to her domain.

“Must be the time of the month,” Gene smiled over to Sam, he turned to Shaz, “is she always like that?”

“No, Guv’!” Shaz returned, “she’s usually worse than that. She must like you. A lot!”

.oOo.

Sam looked at his watch, 4.30 pm. It had taken him a while but he was finally stood at Alex’s office door wondering what the hell he was going to say to her. If he were totally honest, and he knew Gene would’ve agreed had he been asked, she had certainly come to them with plenty of good credentials and she was worth holding on to. Raising his hand to knock on the door he silently hoped that her mood was better. He gave a sharp knock before walking in.

Alex was sat at her desk studying something on the computer screen, she looked up to him and smiled, “good afternoon, DCI Tyler.”

“I think we can dispense with the formalities for the moment, Alex. I think we should talk over Gene’s case.”

“Ok, Sam. Have you found anything?”

“Well, yes and no.” He took a seat in the chair opposite her and laid the folder on the desk. “I’ve looked over these names and events and they don’t make a match with anything we have on record.”

“I knew it!” Alex was barely able to control herself, “so he’s made the whole bloody thing up, is there any reason why he would do that, I mean has he got extra curricular activities outside of work that we should be looking into.”

“You think he’s corrupt?” Sam couldn’t believe the nerve of the woman, “Alex, he was in a coma. Besides, the events did happen just not when he thought they did.”

“What do you mean?”

“Warren, Newton, Woolfe, Outhwaite, Malone; they all existed, they were all prevalent and they were all brought down for whatever reason Gene gave you, it’s just that the dates were different. Here, take a look.” Sam passed over the folder and allowed Alex to look over the facts.

“And Denise Laycock, his supposed wife?”

“If you believe the story he tells of losing his virginity, she was the girl he lost it to.”

“So, he doesn’t have the vivid imagination I thought he did, but why think he was in 1973?”

Sam shrugged his shoulders, “perhaps we find a time that we were happiest in, or something happened that we felt we could help with or turn around in some way, you know, and make it right.”

Alex frowned, “I suppose I’d go back to 1981.”

“Why?”

“I was 8 and I watched my parents die in a car bomb, I’d got out to chase the balloon I’d lost and it happened. Lucky escape for me. My godfather brought me up.”

“Alex, I’m sorry I didn’t know.”

“It’s something I don’t tell people, don’t want them making assumptions. How about you, when would you go back to?”

“Believe it or not, 1973. My father left when I was 4 and I never saw him again, I suppose I’d want to find out why. It doesn’t appear that Gene is going mad then, just mixing up his memories.” Alex nodded resignedly. “Alex, I need to ask you something?”

“I told you everything yesterday.”

“It’s nothing to do with that; it’s to do with this undercover op. Are you happy being partnered with Gene because if it really is too terrible for you then I’ll find someone else?”

“It’s fine, really. I was just thinking about professional courtesies, to be honest, until he pissed me off. Now I’m actually rather looking forward to it!” She looked wicked. “I’m going to enjoy taunting him about his choice in costume for a start off, I’m sure he can’t look that good in a frock coat, or comfortable.”

“You know, you should tell him how you know him, if anything is driving him insane it’s the fact that he can’t remember you.”

“Sam, I can’t, not yet. He hurt me, very badly and I just don’t know if I can get over that just at the minute.”

“Perhaps you should stop being so selfish. After all, if he can’t remember you then how can he remember what he did to you? There may even be a perfectly reasonable explanation for what happened. What did happen?”

Alex was still mulling over his earlier words, finally she said, “he dropped me like a lead balloon, I’d at least expected him to fight for me a bit but he did nothing. He left me to endure a loveless marriage and a messy divorce.”

“Then don’t you think you should have the professional courtesy to tell him, put him out of his misery?” Sam asked.

“I can’t, not yet.”

“Ok, you leave me no other choice, you’ve got three weeks to tell him or I go to him with everything I know.”

“Sam, please!”

“I’m sorry but I’ve known Gene a long time and I’m not about to put my friendship on the line because of an indiscretion the two of you had over ten years ago. Three weeks Alex, and then I’m telling him.”

Alex watched Sam leave, her heart in her mouth. Her eyes were stinging, “no, don’t, not here!” But she had no control and soon tears were falling freely down her face. She ran out of her room and down the corridor narrowly missing Gene as he walked out of his office to get a breath of fresh air. He caught her arm swinging her around to face him, his face full of concern but it just made her worse, pulling herself free and finally making it into the confines of the ladies WC. Choosing the end stall she closed the door behind her and sat down on the closed lid of the toilet, sobbing her heart out. There were a lot of things that she felt DCI Sam Tyler was capable of, but blackmail wasn’t one of them.

.oOo.

“PC Granger, a word if you please,” Sam said, as he stuck his head around the door to CID, he watched her rise before marching into his room and awaiting her to join him. She was soon there, “sit down.” She did as she was bid, what had she done wrong? “I need some help, well; the Super needs your help really.”

Shaz nodded her head, “what is it?”

“Shaz, how well do you know DI Drake?”

“Fairly well, Guv’, why? I mean we’re not best buddies or anything but I like her!”

“Good, you don’t happen to know what shampoo she uses?”

“Guv’?”

“Her shampoo, Shaz, any ideas?” She shook her head, “how long have you known her?”

“Long enough to do the odd baby sitting stint for her so I can find out for you!”

“Would you?”

“Spy on my friend, course, it’s the kind of thing I do all the time!”

“There is a good reason.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yes, as I’m sure you’re aware Gene can’t remember very much from after his accident, but Alex and Gene have met sometime in the past. He’s starting to remember things, smells the odd image but things need clarifying.”

“Oh,” Shaz said, “why didn’t you say so, course I’ll help out with that!”

“There’s something else, he keeps seeing this woman but he can’t tell who she is, do you think you could get us a couple of pictures from about 10 years ago?”

“I’ll have a go, when do you want me to babysit?”

“The night of the op, I know it means you’re not being directly involved but it really would help him.”

“No problem, I’ll suggest it to her.”

“Thanks,” they heard the door go and soon Gene was in the room, both looking at him expectantly as he stood dominating the doorway. “Shaz is going to help us,” Sam winked.

“Oh, right. Thanks Shaz.” Gene smiled, “Shaz, would you mind but I think Drake needs your ‘elp in the ladies. I just saw ‘er runnin’ in there, in a right state.”

“Course,” she said, standing up and exiting the room.

Gene walked in and shut the door behind him, “you don’t know what’s up with ‘er do you?”

“I think it may have been my fault, I told her that there was absolutely no way of her getting out of being your partner for this op. Sorry.” He shrugged.

“Is it really that terrible for ‘er, goin’ with me? I’ll step down if it’s goin’ to cause too many ructions.”

“I need you there Gene, you’re the top man, and I need her there too. Sometimes we all have to do things we don’t like and it’s about time she realised she can’t just do what she wants to when it suits her,” not strictly true but it was close.

Gene nodded, breathing in and pursing his lips. “Ok, Sam. Just let ‘er know I’ll be on me best behaviour,” and with that he left.

Sam sighed, sitting back in his chair. God he hated lying but so far events had given him no other choice, he only hoped that things could be resolved soon.

.oOo.

Shaz made her way into the toilets and looked around for the DI, “Alex, are you in here,” she heard the faint sounds of crying and checked under the stalls. She went to the one at the end and knocked, “Alex, I know you’re in there, come on open the door.”

“Leave me alone,” she sobbed.

“Alex, please. Look the Super sent me in, he’s concerned about you.”

“And whatever he wants he gets,” came the bitter response.

“Alex, what’s up? I know something’s wrong, talk to me. You know you can trust me,” well kind of.

“I should never have come up here.”

“What?”

“To Manchester, I should never have come. If only I’d known.”

“Known what?”

“That he would be here.”

“Who?”

Alex fell silent, she had kept her secret for so long and now her whole existence was being threatened. She’d never confided in anyone, the only person that knew the truth was her ex husband and that was only through realisation. “Alex, who?” She heard Shaz ask again. She got up from her seat and opened the door.

She knew she looked terrible from the look on Shaz’s face. “Shaz, I have the biggest secret, I’ve never told anyone.”

“Do you want to tell me?”

She nodded, “I can trust you, can’t I?” Shaz nodded back, “You see the thing is …”
- 3
- 4
- 5
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Back to the Future