by Pete Adams
Then he did, ‘I see the few people who knew, loved, and adored this very brave man. I see those who are here because they feel obliged, or have some other motive,’ he was shaking his head. ‘I knew Biscuit, and I’m wretched because I was not clever enough to save him; twelve hours too late, and I will take this with me until it is me up here,’ he tapped the coffin, waited, as if he expected a response.
Mandy was crying, this is what he’d been carrying around with him, the feckin’ eejit she thought, as he continued.
‘It is rare we speak as coppers. We allow the fat cats to get their sound bites while those of us at the front line do the living... and the dying...’ he looked at the coffin, through it, saw Biscuit lying there. ‘They call us heroes. Lip service, that’s all,’ this was shouted and the congregation jumped at the shock of it. He calmed, took his time, ‘We do what we think is right, and often in difficult situations, we do not complain...’ he found more reserves of strength, ‘...we do nothing when comfortable politicians take away the resources we need to fight the growing battle against crime. Ours not to reason, but why?’ shouted again, shaking his head. Jack looked directly at the politicians gathered at the back; ‘...Because the police do not comment?’ he shook his head again, slowly, disgusted.
Mandy realised this is what he had been thinking about in the car. He began again, ‘I look at your children,’ and he made strong eye contact with the widow and her children, where his eye stayed, he spoke to them and Mandy thought this will be an abiding memory for them. ‘I say to you, your dad was a brave and kind man, and you must grow up to be proud of him. He wanted to stop the cruelty to innocents. This was the essence of the man I knew, and I say again, why? Why are people so cruel to others? Why can’t we just have a life free and joyful,’ whispering now, ‘a quiet life?’ He raised his voice again and railed, ‘But until we do, we have to fight against those politicians who take away the resources for this job...’ his breathing was laboured, ‘...this pig of a job,’ sobbing.
Mandy knew he was gone, and she left her seat just as Mrs Biscuit did, and together the two women walked him back to join the stunned congregation. The widow returned to the coffin, ‘I say this to the man at the back trying to hurry me up. Fuck-off! You will wait for me, this is my time. My husband loved his job, and he loved and respected Jack Austin. It is important for me to say to Jack, there is nothing for you to feel guilty about. Biscuit would say “don’t go Roman candle on me”,’ there was laughter, not from Mandy; Jack knew this man and that man knew Jack. ‘We will have Brian’s marker with the name Biscuit on it, because that was what Jack called him. I knew my husband was brave. I also knew he was going places he could not tell me about, he would not want you to feel guilty for what happened, Jack, but if it helps, I say to all of you here and now, I forgive this man as I forgive my husband. My children forgive you, Jack, and I charge you to get the bastards that did this to my Brian, their dad,’ she stopped and whispered, ‘Biscuit.’ She kissed the coffin and angrily knocked the police cap off, another woman who had not wanted her man to be a copper, Jack had seen this before; Kate.
The vicar said a few things, the curtains closed and the congregation mechanically filed out. Mandy felt Jack was close to collapse, and then Father Mike was there. He’s always there, sometimes she felt like cursing him, other times grateful, who the hell knew? She was not thinking straight, but he supported Jack physically, much as he did with Nobby outside the Asian Emporium. The widow insisted Jack stand with her at the external receiving aisle, Mandy and Father Mike bracing him. The widow had more strength than him; bloody typical Mandy thought, realising she was angry as she looked at Jack’s face; grey, ravaged, but with a steely determination. She had seen this before as well, he knew something the bastard, he had seen something, but would he tell her, would he protect her like Biscuit tried to protect his family? This is not what she wanted, the fucking bastard.
The dignitaries filed and Jack’s steely face became animated. He stepped out in front of the Leader of the Council and gripped his hand, pushed his head to the Leader’s ear, there was hardness in Jack’s eye, body language, stiff, erect and aggressive. The line stopped almost afraid of what they saw, this man who had given an impromptu and very emotional eulogy, who had spoken with a passion not all here recognised or could understand, wanted to understand even, and certainly not comfortable with. The handshake hurt the leader and he wobbled as Jack barged past to another Councillor who Mandy recognised but could not put a name to, people she did not know, but marked in her mind’s eye to find out. This Councillor winced with the strength of the handshake, and looked equally frightened as Jack whispered in his ear. Words finished, Jack spun on his toe, and stiffly walked back to the widow and resumed his position as if nothing had happened.
Then it was Dorothy. She was crying, hugging the widow, onto Jack, followed by Jamie and Sitting Bull. They pulled him and Mandy to one side, but spoke only to Mandy, ‘Get him better, we need him leading this one,’ they hugged Jack in turn, these men normally uncomfortable with masculine personal space.
‘The tribunal?’ she whispered.
‘We’ll see about that, Mandy,’ and they resumed their position in the shuffling line of mourners, looking at the flowers, and she knew exactly what Jack thought about that. He would have no flowers; "A cardboard coffin and chuck me in the sea". She looked at him as she heard his words in her head, and she wondered about his fascination with the sea. She thought about herself, something she had learned as a part of her life’s survival pack; what had started out as a pleasant day, albeit the day of Biscuit’s funeral, was now marked with more grief and sadness than she had bargained for, or more importantly, prepared for. She did not know whether to shout at Jack or hug him. In the end she did neither, she sat on a cold stone bench while Jack said his farewells to the family.
Father Mike eased up and sat beside her, looked into the space Mandy was staring into, ‘He’s just a man trying to do a big job,’ he said, ‘he’s vulnerable, can you see that?’
She turned to him, and turned on him; a woman who was hurting. ‘No kidding, Tonto, and just who the fucking hell are you Mike? I know my man, and I don’t need anybody telling me how to treat him, or whatever you think I should do. He is mine, and I will look after him, do you get that; you fucking, whatever you are, treble-sized twat?’
‘Right answer,’ Mike said, ‘not the treble bit.’
Mandy was tempted to slap him, but there’d been enough of that today. She left Father Mike sitting on the cold bench and thought, serve him right if he got piles. She wobbled on her high heels over to Jack, took his arm and squeezed it. ‘Hello you,’ a warm smile, contrasted so much by the look he had only five minutes ago, and they headed for the car, her emotions bubbling, her stomach churning, nodding to people as they passed. He held the car door and she sat, not saying a word; brusque. Jack walked to the passenger side and settled.
Immediately, she turned on him, ‘Jack Austin, never leave me out in the cold. I am your partner and I want to know everything. If you are going into a dangerous area, I want to know, so I can worry, do not protect me from worrying, got that, you bastard? I have a right to worry. Now if you want me, then you involve me in whatever this is, and use me. I’m a good copper and I can watch your arse because frankly you are far too old and you need someone.’ He shaped to say something, but she came right back at him, ‘And don’t say I could watch your arse anytime, because I haven’t got wide angle vision, now shut the fuck-up, we have a day and a half tomorrow and I am in the mood to shove a crate of mangos up Pugwash’s arse, but in the meantime, put your hand on my suspenders, I’m taking you home for a bath... I feel dirty.’
Fifty
Jack had never been to Mandy’s flat and didn’t get a chance to look around, the emotion of the day and the passion of the drive home could not be contained, and he had the bra test to pass; how many chances will he get? They began stripping each other’s clothes off as they came through the
door. She was pleased to see Jack tied his bow tie; she had always wanted to undo a man’s bow tie, and then thought how can he tie that and not undo a bra? She would save that for later as he needed help with his trousers, shirt and even her clothes, because of his feckin’ pink hand, but she was not going to let this spoil the moment. Mandy had him in just his socks, she in her underwear and she wanted to get lost in the moment, but they were making no progress to the bedroom.
‘Jack, for Christ’s sake, take me to the bedroom.’
‘Where is it?’
‘Oh, right,’ she calmed, held him by his bits and pieces and with a disarmingly syrupy smile, ‘follow me, darling.’
‘Not much choice, darling,’ mimicking her syrup, and she lead him down the corridor, opened the door, released her control and they bundled through, fell on the floor in a frenzy of pent up passion.
‘Hello, Mum, Jack.’
Mandy screamed and frightened the bajeezers out of Jack, ‘Shit, bang, fucking piss,’ Jack screamed, covering his bits and pieces.
‘What did you say?’ and Mandy dissolved into hysterical laughter, as she looked up at her daughter in bed with another woman, Jack naked except for some stupid socks with, were those dogs and penguins, sidling like a snake on the floor back into the corridor to get his clothes.
Mandy got a dressing gown, silk, knowing Jack would like that, smoothed her apoplexy, still looking into the wardrobe, not really wanting to turn back to face the bed.
Mandy thought it would be Liz to make the first move, but it was Carly, who cleared her throat, and Mandy turned to hear what she had to say, ‘Can I say, before we discuss this like grownups, those stockings and suspender belt are beautiful, and I want Liz to get some, do you have any spare?’
Mandy was in a dream and all she could think to say was, ‘Discuss this like grownups?’ and shouted, ‘Jack, they want to talk about this, but not with you,’ and she giggled, knowing if she did not control this now, it would never end.
‘What?’ Jack called from somewhere.
‘Shall we have a cup of tea?’ Carly still, will Liz ever say anything, ever, again.
Jack came back into the bedroom, his shirt and trousers crooked, ‘Can you, err...my pink hand?’ and he waved it about to demonstrate his disability.
‘Come here, dipstick,’ and she pulled him to her, and dressed him like a mum dressing a little boy coming out of the swimming baths. ‘Now, put the kettle on.’
He made a silly face to the girls and went to go to the door and stopped, ‘Where’s the kitchen?’ saw Mandy’s exasperated look, was proud he didn’t cower.
‘This place is not so big you cannot find the kitchen.’
‘I’m wary of opening any other doors,’ good answer he thought, pleased he had restrained the gibbering wreck move he held in reserve for dire female emergencies. All three women looked at him, so Jack thought, Buzz Lightyear; ‘To the kitchen and put the kettle on,’ his pink hand leading the way, he glanced back for applause, and saw three stunned faces, two of which were peeking out from a hugged quilt. So he did what any mature man would do, disappeared down the corridor making whooshing noises.
‘Well, Jack seems a little better,’ finally, Liz said something.
Jack was exploring the kitchen, finding cups, tea, bending down to look in the bottom of cupboards, ‘You got Girl Grey, babes?’ then whooped, Mandy had goosed him; shocking but not unpleasantly so.
‘We have unfinished business, Jack,’ Mandy said.
‘Shall I take the taps?’ he grinned, she smiled her beautifully malevolent smile.
‘Who’s having what taps, Mum?’ Liz appeared.
‘Nothing, honeybun, let’s have tea and talk like grownups, I’ll sit Jack in front of the telly,’ she laughed and dragged her hand over his dodgy eye, he was instantly mollified. Carly sat with Liz and Mandy noticed she pushed her chair close so their legs rubbed. God give me strength she thought, exactly what Jack does.
‘Mum.’
Liz began to talk but Mandy put her hand up, ‘Tea first.’ It was quiet, so Jack slurped, Carly slurped, and then Liz, and Mandy thought what the hell. It was the Chimpanzee’s tea party, risky Jack, but well played she thought.
‘I thought you’d gone home.’
‘No kidding, Tonto,’ it was Carly
‘You know the Lone Ranger, Curly?’
‘Is that where it’s from? I heard you say it the other day and thought it was funny.’
‘Thank you, Carly,’ Mandy said, looking at Jack who applied a smug look, hummed, and tilted his head to Carly. She gathered herself, ‘Look, it’s okay, but can you tell me when you will be going home?’
Liz spoke, ‘We thought we would wait for the weekend as Jack had his tribunal tomorrow, and you might need some support, and well, your bed is a lot nicer than the one we have at home.’
Mandy sighed and got up thinking, Our bed at home, was gone a little while and returned, dressed, and with a small case. ‘Okay, Jack, I need a bath, shall we go?’
‘What’s with the bath, Mum?’
Carly nudged her, ‘Your bath is lovely, the taps in the centre.’
‘No kidding, Tonto,’ and Mandy kissed Carly on her cheek, then Liz, and as she called to Jack to pick up the case, she said to Liz, ‘I’ve left something on the bed for you,' looked at Carly, 'and Carly I suppose.’
‘Good luck tomorrow, Jack,’ both girls.
Jack held the car door for Mandy, she popped the boot and he put the case in then sat in the passenger seat, ‘Permission to fondle your thigh, Captain?’
‘Permission granted for diabolical liberties, this is a short drive.’
‘What did you leave for Liz?’
‘A pair of suspenders and some nylons, you see, for Carly as well.’ They had driven no more than a few hundred metres when Jack’s phone went; it kept ringing, ‘Give it here.’ Mandy said, looking at the number recognition, ‘It’s the Nick,’ flicked answer, and passed the phone back.
‘Despairing from Tunbridge Wells,’ Jack answered, he listened, eventually worked out the call cancel; it was only big and in red, the twerp, she thought. ‘Amanda, can you drive to the seafront please, I want to talk to you.’
‘Jack, I want to get home,’ and she turned to reinforce the sentiment, recognised his serious head, and steered toward the seafront, parked and cut the engine, ‘okay, what?’
‘I recognised the Head of Social Services and noticed he was close to the Leader of the Council. Did you see me go up to them after the service?’
‘Yes, I think everyone did, I recognised the Leader but wasn’t sure who the other man was,’ Mandy replied, not so tetchy now.
‘Would you like to know what I said?’ it did not need an answer, ‘I know.’
She thought about the answer, ‘He did look shaken.’
‘He must have been, because he just walked into our Nick and confessed to his part in the paedophile network, apparently claiming this and that but it’s not going to amount to a hill of beans, been crapping himself since the bust on the house, I just tipped him over the edge.’
‘What do you want to do?’ she sighed, knowing bath time had been cancelled.
‘Get Jo-Jums and Paolo to start the process and interview him, he’s small potatoes, but he may lead us to Boratarty and then we might get the drugs, the skinheads, the Islamic lads, the women, and the children,’ he groaned as he thought of the children.
Mandy began calling, ‘And the rest, Jack?’
‘We’ve been sniffing around, funding streams, terrorist activity, if this was the case, who knows, but one thing has led to another; something’s not right.’
‘We, Jack?’ She got through, ‘Jo, I’m sorry, raise Paolo and get back to the Nick, hang on I have Jack with me, he says get KFC in and they should patch through to that Del-Boy bloke for a briefing.’ She listened then spoke, ‘Yes he did say patch, and I’ve no idea what it means either, but the Head of Social Services has just handed himself in, confessing to
the paedophile conspiracy. Jack thinks he’s small fry but... hang on, Jo,’ exasperated. ‘What, Jack?’
‘I said potatoes, small potatoes.’
‘It’s okay, Jack being juvenile, yes, no change there, thank you, I will take the Sainthood, yes, I will see Father Mike for it, now listen, get the team going, this is a big break, thank you.’ She closed the call and turned, ‘You were saying, is this terrorism?’
‘Don’t think so, you know Biscuit was a spook, following up the vice side as a possible funding stream?’
She put her hand on his to stop him, ‘Biscuit was a Spook?’
He carried on matter-of-factly, ‘Yeah, had a bead on Chilly, and it turned out the Head of Social was on his list as well, and today, I just pushed him a bit.’
‘What about the Leader of the Council, you seemed to push him as well.’
‘That was gut instinct, or I prefer to say twitchy eye. I don’t like him, but it will be interesting to see what happens, someone is on him, but the Head of Social had problems about five years ago, and it all went away. I was curious as to why, and who helped him. There is no record, but the Spooks monitored and were able to suggest the Leader may have been involved somehow.’
‘Who, Jack, who is on him?’
‘One of Del-Boy’s guys, it can’t be one of ours, if we are wrong then we are there to be shot down, if you get my grift.’
Mandy looked pensive, ‘I do, are we just inching up the chain or are we close to the top?’
‘Inching love, and probably nowhere near the top.’
She thought for a bit, then took the plunge, and asked the question she had wanted to ask for a little time now, but was nervous of the answer, ‘Jack, are you a spook?’
