Diane and the Copper

The house was a different matter, as Diane's name was on the deeds as joint owner, so as soon as the police released the property to her she could sell.

The Inquest was relatively cut and dried. The verdict being Murder by person or person's unknown. It was down to Gascoigne now to do some real detective work. I typed my letter of resignation the following day. I would wait until the suspension was lifted then on my first day back give it to John. The decision was not for Gascoigne to make. His investigation of me motivated the action, but it was for his superior officer to discharge the suspension once he had examined the file. John told me that I was no longer a suspect yet it took another week before the letter arrived informing me that I should return to duties.

John was bitter when I handed him the envelope. He knew what it was without opening it.

"Andy, do you really have to do this?"

"Yes John. You know how it will be. I had hoped that I would make Chief Inspector or even Superintendent before I retired, but that isn't going to happen now. The suspension is on my record and no matter if it was justified or not, that will affect my career. I am going now whilst I have some years to offer a prospective employer." He grudgingly agreed with me.

"This will go to the top. I'll make sure of that."

"Good of you to say that, John, but you know it won't make any difference."

Although my heart wasn't in it, I continued working as if I hadn't resigned. The news went round the Nick very quickly, and my colleagues made the time to see me and commiserate first, then wish me well. Coming off a late shift Bob Parrathwaite invited me for a drink. We went into Jacqui 'R's. It was a weeknight so Jacky wasn't there. Bob was outspoken to say the least.

"Gascoigne a detective? He couldn't detect the smell of shit." He took a long pull of his Coors. "I can't understand what he was up to. Harry had already been down to the hospital and taken statements. That ITU was tied up as secure as Fort Knox. The hospital had copied the records for that evening for us. It was in the file! You know the nurses checked on all patients there every thirty minutes. They all said that you were there for chrissake it was noted on the records, and you couldn't have got out and back in without a nurse actually coming to the door to open it for you. If you had opened an emergency door all hell would let loose. Alarms would have gone off all over the place. The Fire Brigade would be down there, we would have been down there with lights and music, and there would have been such a ruckus that everyone would have remembered that evening. Then he had all the stuff of Bowden's association with Radic. The file had a report by Criminal Intelligence about Radic and what they thought he was capable of. Yet he ignored all that and went after you. You hadn't pissed him off at some time, had you Andy?"

"Never met him before. Heard of him yes, but never met him." I told Bob. This was true. I could not think of one reason that Gascoigne would have a down on me. I had given it a lot of thought over the last weeks and couldn't come up with anything to explain his actions. Now I put it aside as one of life's unsolved mysteries. I didn't stay long. Diane had got into the habit of waiting up when I was on late shift, just so we could have a little time together as I wound down.

This half life didn't suit me. I was a copper but in a few weeks I would be an ex-copper. There was a melancholy as I went about my duties. I didn't want to leave, but common sense told me that I had to go. To catch up I had worked some of my rest days in the office making sure that the paperwork was up to date and that I wouldn't be leaving my successor any problems.

That Wednesday I did take my rest day, as I had an interview with a security company. I got back to the flat just after eleven thirty in the morning. I was sitting with Diane telling her about the job they had offered me when the door bell rang. It was John and the A.C.C. (Assistant Chief Constable). I invited them in and introduced the A.C.C. to Diane. She asked them if they would like some coffee or tea.

"Thank you Mrs. Bowden. A cup of tea will go down very well. Two sugars if you would be so kind and just a little milk." Replied the A.C.C.. I had met Alistair Livesey the A.C.C. before. An old fashioned copper who had got to the top by sheer hard work and attention to duty. No one would achieve that now as appointments to the top jobs had to be in tune with the political dogma these days. He turned to me.

"Andy, I have got your letter of resignation." He reached into his tunic pocket and pulled it out. "Now with your permission I want to tear it up. I understand why you wrote it, but for God's sake man! We need good coppers like you in the force." John murmured softly.

"It's the Service now, Sir. Police Service."

"Load of crap! Oh, I am sorry for that Mrs. Bowden." Diane smiled to say she understood. "Service? It's rubbish. We are a disciplined, uniformed force, fighting the battle against crime, or trying to if our political masters would let us get on with the job." Diane handed him a cup of tea. "Thank you Mrs. Bowden." He addressed me. "Sometimes, Andy we get it wrong. I have read your file, and the file on this investigation. I am appalled that one of our officers could ignore so much evidence and intelligence and pursue a course that was obviously erroneous. Some would say vindictive. The suspension was automatic, you know that it's procedure, but it shouldn't have happened in the first place. So I have used my authority, the little I have left by the politico's and removed the mention of suspension from your file. Now will you let me tear up your letter? Or were there other reasons for resigning?" He looked at Diane as if she could have been instrumental.

"No Sir. I am proud to be a policeman, and I hoped to be promoted again. But the suspension would have made that difficult indeed almost impossible." My eyes went to Diane and she nodded and smiled. "With that no longer on my record I have no problems. Tear it up Sir."

"Good." He ripped the paper into pieces.

He turned to Diane.

"Mrs. Bowden. Please allow me to extend my sympathies on the death of your husband. I understand that you were estranged at the time, but nonetheless it must have been a difficult time for you." Diane thanked him.

"It was difficult for us both Pug and me. We are looking forward to settling everything and getting on with our lives."

"Am I wrong in assuming that you and my Inspector will be together?" He asked.

"No. You are not wrong." Livesey smiled.

"Good. I believe that all my officers should have a settled home life. When does your cast come off?"

"It should be in two weeks."

"In that case I will grant Andy a couple of week's exceptional leave when you are fit again. You should get away somwhere." He got up extending his hand to me.

"Welcome back to the force, Andy." There was an aside to John. " And yes Superintendent I know I should say service. Andy, I shall follow your career with interest."

John clapped me on the shoulder as he left.

"See you tomorrow, Inspector."

I closed the door after them and immediately Diane came into my arms.

"It would appear that we have been ordered to take a holiday. Where would you like to go?" I asked Diane. She mumbled something into my chest.

"Sorry. I didn't catch that." She raised her face.

"Somewhere where phones don't ring, where we are not getting knocks on the door with people taking you away and where I can have you to myself without interruptions." She waited for a moment and I could see devilment in her eyes. "I would also like to try all that sexy stuff you mentioned. All of it, Pug!" I nodded.

"Right. Well Cap D'Agde would seem the right place."

"Why. What's special about Cap whatever it is."

"Nobody wears clothes there."

"You're kidding!"

"Trust me, I'm a copper." Diane shook her head.

"Not just any copper. You're my copper."