Pros Community Bingo Card 2016 - A Slow Heartbeat Pt III

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Bodie didn't question the sudden reprieve from duty when the order reached him, instead he headed home with a tingle of anticipation in his stomach. To date, every reprieve for him had meant a similar reprieve for Doyle. Belatedly it occurred to him that this was no co-incidence, that Cowley had simply been making sure that Doyle wasn't alone whenever the stress of regaining his place on the squad had proven too much. Alone, Doyle would brood. Reading too much into each failure, discounting every success.

Bodie was not disappointed, Doyle's bedraggled countenance met him at the door to their shared abode.

''What happened to you?'' asked Bodie, ignoring the warning glare from his partner.

Doyle turned pointedly on his heels and stalked back into the flat, leaving Bodie to secure the locks.

Grinning at the welcome return of the more ratty end of Doyle's personality, Bodie followed his partner into the living room. Doyle shoved a bit of paper into his hands and threw himself into a seat on the sofa. Arms crossed, jaw tight.

Bodie scanned the paper, it showed Doyle's record on the firing range was as good as it had ever been. The other scores were where they needed to be. There was a note cross referencing a pass on the psychiatric test. Bodie continued scanning in search of the cause of Doyle's ire.

At a loss to find it, Bodie looked up. The brooding presence of his partner didn't tally with the acceptable interim report of a returning agent. If you threw Doyle's weapons assessment into the mix, it was more than acceptable.

''What's all this about, Ray?'' asked Bodie.

In answer Doyle bent down and removed a boot, tipping it up so that a trickle of stinking water and pond slime dripped onto the rug. Then he switched his attention to his other foot.

Given the creamy perfection of the floor covering beneath his partner's feet, Bodie had rarely been more grateful for the sharpness of his reflexes. He dropped to his haunches and grabbed Doyle's wrists, only then getting a whiff of his partner's less than savoury aroma. The truth of the situation dawning on him, he couldn't help his laughter as he retrieved the paper from the floor beside Doyle's discarded boot, where it had fluttered in his haste to grab Doyle's wrists. ''Boats and outboards, acceptable. Could work on balance'' quoted Bodie, adding by way of deduction ''Had you on the water today, did they, Sunshine? Let me guess. Every practice run, perfect. You fell in on the assessment and they only judged you on that.''

Doyle's only commentary on the subject was to roll his eyes ceiling-ward and launch himself to sprawl the length of the settee on his back. Bodie leaned over him and sniffed delicately. Doyle took advantage of the situation to plant a kiss on the top of his head.

Bodie rocked back on his heels, smiling at the coquettish move and speculating as he took hold of Doyle's hands to haul him to his feet ''Fell in on the slip? Perfect run and then one false step? They dried you out, sent you home and now you're spitting feathers because you thought you'd make the same score you did on the range and Cowley might be tempted to put you back on strength. That it, Goldilocks?''

Doyle's expression said guilty as charged, although he was never going to admit it out loud, and Bodie's smile grew wider.

''Dream on, Sunshine'' comforted Bodie in his own perverse way ''Even Nelson couldn't get back on the squad with the rest of those scores. How about I make some tea and then we go to bed? Says here your hand to hand could do with some work, maybe we could practice a few moves.''

Doyle's temper begrudgingly dissolved and a wry smile took its place.

''That's it, Sunshine. You know it makes sense'' advised Bodie as he headed for the kitchen. He'd barely got the kettle on when the doorchime sounded.

Doyle appeared in the doorway to the living room, looking at his partner with the same indefinable guilt which had so disquieted Bodie the day before.

''Don't worry'' said Bodie with more ease than he felt ''I'll get it.''

As Bodie passed, Doyle stepped out and stopped him, eyes pleading for absolution as the chime sounded again.

''Ray?'' asked Bodie in bewilderment, feeling yesterday's morbid chill fill his bones once more.

Doyle hesitated, then with solemn resignation withdrew, allowing Bodie to pass.

Bodie went through the motions of checking the identity of the man beyond the door, but he already knew who it was.

''Sir'' he acknowledged as he let Cowley in, wondering if the same careless neighbour who had given admittance to Mayli Kuolo had admitted Cowley.

Cowley looked round the flat, noting the ornaments and other signs of cosy domesticity before asking ''Have you contacted Doyle's family?''

''No, sir. Not yet, sir'' said Bodie, shuffling nervously on the spot, something else the Controller noted ''There's something I should tell you, sir. Before I contact Doyle's family. Something you need to know, sir. Something I should have told you already. Never lied to you before, sir.''

Cowley considered this, of course Bodie had lied to him, on countless occasions, but inflated expense chits and the occasional feigned illness had always weighed as nothing in the balance of the man's loyalty ''Never, Bodie?''

Bodie dropped his head and Cowley was alarmed to realise that this was shame, not chagrin.

''Not like this, sir'' said Bodie ''Not over something this important.'' Then the head came up again ''Sorry, sir. No excuses.''

''About what, Bodie?'' demanded Cowley, made impatient by a growing sense of unease ''Spit it out, man.''

''Doyle, sir'' Bodie almost whispered in response.

Cowley took a deep breath. He didn't often misjudge a man, but upon the few occasions which he had, he'd never been sentimental enough to think the failure his own. Did Bodie know something about Doyle? Had living in this flat revealed a truth which gave the lie to Doyle's flagrant integrity, a truth to which Bodie had been unable to reconcile himself?

''Doyle's in the living room, sir'' said Bodie ''Maybe we'd better go in there.''

Although wild horses couldn't have dragged it from him, the piquancy of that touched Cowley deeply. Bodie's loyalty was more solemn than a wedding vow, and more binding.

As he followed Bodie into the living room, Cowley's eyes were drawn irresistibly to the eloquent, unadorned vessel occupying one of the shelves.

Bodie had been looking round the room as if searching for something, but as his eyes registered the direction of Cowley's gaze, he paused and said awkwardly ''Thank you for that, sir. It's appreciated.''

''Least I could do, lad'' said Cowley gruffly ''How have you been coping?''

''Well enough'' said Bodie ''More worried about Doyle.''

''Doyle?'' prompted Cowley, suspicion making him sharply inquisitorial. Then suddenly mindful of the countless ways in which Bodie had given so much more than had ever been asked, he added more kindly ''What is it you have to tell me, lad?''

Bodie cast another agitated glance around the room and then announced ''I want to live with him, sir.''

''I see'' observed Cowley tonelessly ''I'll not do you the disservice of asking if you've thought this through, and there's nothing in the law or CI5's regulations to prevent it, but Doyle's family should be the final arbiter and you tell me you've not contacted them.''

''No, sir'' Bodie admitted once again ''Doyle wasn't positive how they'd take it.''

''None the more am I'' confessed Cowley, nevertheless feeling constrained to point out ''But whatever Doyle's misgivings, there are other priorities which must be considered now.''

Alarm flared in Bodie's eyes ''He's doing alright, isn't he, sir? Okay, so he took a bit of a dunking today, but this is CI5, not the bloody Sea Scouts. Even I don't take that part seriously and I've got certificates, in any case, he passed fit, on that and everything else. It's just effort now, sir. You know that. You can't be thinking of dropping him, it'd kill him.''

Cowley stared at his agent in stupefied incomprehension, he'd always known the two men were close. Closer than his other teams and maybe more successful because of it. He paired men for their weaknesses, few had what it took to work alone. But this pairing, of all pairings, had been an experiment. And it had worked, they'd not merely covered each other's blind spots, the sum had become so much greater than the whole.

But Bodie had a history of instability and leaving him paired with Doyle had been no kindness.

Cowley shrugged off his coat, placing it over the back of a chair before walking over to the scotch, pouring two generous tumblers and turning back to face Bodie. Fight or flight in full flood, Bodie's implacable loyalty held him rooted to the spot.

Cowley handed one of the glasses to Bodie and said ''Sit yourself down, lad.''

Bodie obeyed, sitting on the settee where his mercurial partner had sprawled mere minutes before.

Cowley took the armchair, twisting the tumbler in his hands and gazing into its depths as he inflicted the wound he must.

''Bodie, Doyle's dead. He died almost six weeks ago. A matter of days after the surgery'' Cowley looked up then and saw the light in Bodie's eyes go out.

''But he woke up'' Bodie protested feebly, looking about him distractedly, as if he'd misplaced something.

''Yes, he woke up'' agreed Cowley ''But then he died. Embolism. Barely forty-eight hours later.''

''I spoke to him'' said Bodie stubbornly ''We went to the hospital and I spoke to him. He wasn't awake then, sir, but you said I could stay with him.''

''You did stay with him, Bodie. But he wasn't asleep. I delivered his personal effects to you with the urn, a few days after the funeral.''

''He wasn't wearing the ring, it was in his pocket'' Bodie explained to his scotch ''At first I thought he'd gone off the idea, you know, once he'd been discharged. Well they shoot 'em full of all sorts in hospital, don't they, sir? But it was just because he couldn't use his hands. We were going to get bracelets instead, only he couldn't decide on the words.''

Cowley knew the secrets of Bodie's file, knew the dangers of leaving him paired with a man he'd defy even his Controller to protect. He'd made a pact with the devil and Bodie's soul was the price.

''He was getting fitter, sir'' Bodie rambled on ''Training hard, some nights he was so knackered he'd put himself to bed without eating. I used to make him something when I came in. Keep his strength up. You know Doyle, sir. What he's like when he gets all fired up. More guts than sense, sometimes.''

''He didn't come home from the hospital, Bodie'' Cowley insisted gently, trying to find a path back to reality for the madman before him ''There was never any training. No assessments. Doyle died.''

''Got a bit lonely in hospital, I think, sir'' Bodie ploughed on heedlessly '''Course, he'd never admit to that, but he had a grin on him as wide as the Dartford Tunnel when I got him back here and told him how many people had asked after him at the briefing.''

''Briefing, Bodie?'' queried Cowley, already speculating about Bodie's future. How far could a man leave his senses and still be brought back? How much of a kindness was it to try? Hadn't Bodie earned the right to his delusions? He'd had no hand in stripping Tommy McKay of his, but he'd given the man a place to live with the pain. It wasn't a future he wanted for any man, perhaps this one time boy soldier least of all.

''Yes, sir'' replied Bodie ''At that place near the park, been watching it ever since, for all the good it's done. What's it all about, sir?''

''My instruction was for you to settle Doyle's affairs'' Cowley answered firmly ''At the time, I believed it was the right thing to do. I'll admit I never asked the questions I might have and I had no wish for the answers to come to light when it couldn't possibly matter.''

''I haven't let you down, sir'' Bodie assured his Controller ''I've got things sorted. There's food in the cupboards, the bills are paid. Gave the whole place a good going over. Talk about blood on the carpet, right shambles in here, could eat your dinner off it now. Had a bit of a problem getting his clothes back from the launderette, might want to take a look at her, sir.''

''Her, Bodie?''

''Woman at the launderette'' amplified Bodie ''Stick her in the armoury, you'd never lose another weapon.''

''You seem to have charmed your way round her, Bodie. Or am I to take it that Doyle's clothes are still languishing in the bowels of that establishment?''

''Wouldn't budge for me, sir. But after I showed up with Doyle, no problem.''

''You went with Doyle to the launderette?'' clarified Cowley.

''Yes, sir.''

''I'm sorry I missed that'' observed Cowley, for a moment as beguiled by Bodie's innate disregard for the proprieties as he had ever been.

''Clothes are packed away now, sir'' continued Bodie, still seeking assurance that Cowley adjudged his duty as having been done.

''Bodie'' insisted Cowley gently ''Doyle's dead.''

''Yes, sir'' agreed Bodie promptly ''but I've seen his latest assessment. He's going to make it back onto the squad, isn't he, sir? Only, if he gets the boot, then I want to go too. Sorry, sir. But we're together now. I couldn't stay on the squad, if he can't. Couldn't do that to him, sir. He'll bellyache about it, say I don't have to, but watching me get called in, op's going on without him, it'd kill him. Bit by bit. Just couldn't do that to the daft little bugger'' Bodie paused and then gave a wry grin ''Guess that means I've got it bad, eh sir?''

Refusing to be drawn down the slippery slope, Cowley changed tack ''I've been thinking of mixed teams. What do you say to that, Bodie?''

''They're pretty mixed now, sir. Look at me and Doyle. He's an ex-copper, I'm a soldier'' Bodie hesitated for a moment, reflecting upon his answer, and then added '''Least that's what I've done longest. Been in CI5 for a bit now, though. Maybe that makes me some kind of copper too. Doyle'd love that, says I'm rubbish with the public.''

''I've been thinking men and women'' continued Cowley, undeterred.

''Nice to know there's life in the old dog yet, sir'' announced Bodie, with reflexive flippancy.

Cowley smiled despite himself and elaborated ''A man and a woman, teaming them.''

''Been done, sir'' observed Bodie sardonically ''They say even me parents tried it.''

''Your parents don't work for CI5'' persisted Cowley with relentless patience ''However, you and Janine Holland do. I should like you to consider that fact without the benefit of your more juvenile instincts.''

''Blonde bird'' assessed Bodie ''Gave Doyle a bit of a roasting when he tried it on. Turns out she's better with a bike than he is. Nearly stuck his spanner where the sun don't shine.''

''And you, Bodie?'' asked Cowley, indulging his curiosity ''I find it difficult to believe a young woman like Miss Holland escaped being subjected to your dubious charms.''

''Had other things on me mind, sir'' said Bodie '''Sides, met her sort before.''

''Her sort, Bodie?'' prompted Cowley.

''Yeah'' said Bodie smugly ''Not into men, sir. Surprised Doyle never picked up on it.''

''Yes'' mused Cowley ''I don't suppose anyone might have misled him?''

''No idea what you mean, sir'' protested Bodie, with his customary air of injured innocence.

''Could you work with her?'' pressed Cowley.

''Sure'' answered Bodie easily ''But I'm not sure about Doyle, all that injured masculine pride. Quite put out, he was, sir.''

''Injured masculine pride, Bodie?''

''Apparently, sir. Text book case'' said Bodie with smug superiority.

''You never cease to amaze me, Bodie'' observed Cowley unguardedly.

''You thinking of teaming us until Doyle's back on his feet, sir?''

''I was thinking of teaming you, yes'' Cowley confirmed cautiously.

''Fine by me'' Bodie agreed readily ''That mean I can give up on the surveillance, sir?''

''You were never assigned to watch the church, Bodie'' replied Cowley gently.

''Church, sir?'' Bodie repeated absently, frowning as he searched his memory for the order which had impelled him to watch the ugly, nameless building beyond the park gates.

''There was no briefing, lad'' Cowley explained carefully ''We held Doyle's service there.''

Bodie's mind was suddenly crowded with ponderous words from his childhood 'For mighty dread had seized their troubled mind' and for the first time he understood them. The might and the power of them.

''As shepherds washed their socks by night'' he mumbled tunelessly to himself ''All seated round the tub.''

''Bodie?'' queried Cowley uncertainly.

''The Angel of the Lord came down and taught them how to scrub'' Bodie finished blankly, searching Cowley's eyes for something to hang on to ''Used to sing that when I was a kid, sir.''

Cowley gave a wry grin ''I'd've had me hide skinned.''

''I brought him home'' Bodie pleaded plaintively.

''No, lad'' said Cowley ''But I'll talk to his family about the ashes, if that would help.''

''He came home'' repeated Bodie, clinging forlornly to the dream crumbling to dust about him.

''No, Bodie'' insisted Cowley ''He died.''

Bodie got up, unsteadily enough that Cowley reached for him on reflex. Then withdrew his hand, knowing Bodie needed to find his feet on his own, both metaphorically and literally.

Bodie shuffled over to the terrarium and took the ridiculous ring from its finial.

''I gave him this'' said Bodie ''I put it on his finger, but he never really wore it, did he, sir?''

Cowley, having suspected something of the sort when Doyle's effects had been returned to him, kept his own counsel.

''Good with a gun, Jan'' mused Bodie ''Like Doyle.''

''You'll work with her, Bodie?'' asked Cowley ''I'll not order it, but speak now, if you're against it.''

Turning to look at the ugly urn which Doyle had never liked, Bodie asked quietly ''Can I stay here, sir?''

Cowley could already hear the flak he'd get from his specialists over the decision, but he could be as selectively deaf as he sometimes chose to be blind and so he said ''If you like, lad. Janine Holland reports to me at eight tomorrow. She'll have a lot of hoops to jump through. She's a long way from being ready, but I do not believe my judgement is misplaced. She's a promising prospect, maybe even more so than you were. Those stripes always were too hard won. It'll give you time, Bodie. Wind up his affairs. Put it to rest.''

''Not sure I'll ever be able to do that, sir'' said Bodie, eyes on the urn, fingers gripped tightly round the ring ''But I'll be ready when she is.''

''Soldier's lot, eh Bodie?'' observed Cowley as he got up and retrieved his coat, slipping his arms into the sleeves and adjusting its drape so that it sat smartly in place.

''I brought him home, sir'' said Bodie stubbornly ''We'll always have that.''

''Aye, lad'' conceded Cowley ''Maybe you will, at that.''

END