Kind Hearts And Martinets Collection

Chapter 21

In Mandy’s car, she buckled up, laid her head back and sighed, ‘I hate going to meet a colleague’s loved one. Did you know Biscuit?’ Jack remained silent; where women were concerned, he instinctively knew what to do. ‘Why? I accept there are the bad guys and us; why kill, why hurt, why abuse? I saw you on telly with that girl, you’re a good man and you touch me inside.’

‘Touch you inside, Mands? I’m pretty sure I would have remembered that,’ again he always knew what to say and when.

‘Alzheimer’s, Jack,’ moment over, and in silence, she drove to Biscuit’s home. Mandy was thinking through what she would say, whereas Jack normally said what came from his heart, and besides, he couldn’t take his eyes off Mandy’s legs. Her skirt had ridden up and he was mesmerised by a sheen; stockings, and for a dirty old man, it didn’t get much better than this.

They pulled up outside Biscuit’s house. ‘We’re here, you can stop looking at my legs.’ He went to protest, but her smile disarmed him.

The gloom of dusk was reinforced by an overcast sky, the fine weather over. Mandy had gone in and the door was held by the family liaison officer, WPC Forbes.

In the small living room of the terraced house, the widow and her sister sat and hugged; both ravaged with grief. Biscuit"s wife was a pleasant-looking woman, would be beautiful in normal circumstances, Jack thought, medium height, as she stood to shake hands, slim, dark mid-length hair, straight, fine and shiny, if she’d been advertising shampoo, she could shake her hair in a carefree manner, but there was nothing carefree this evening. She sobbed into Jack’s shoulder, ‘Biscuit, you called him, he trusted you, always wanted to work with you again.’

Mandy noted, “Wanted to work with you again,” odd?

‘Shall we sit Mrs Biscuit?’ She laughed and hugged him again. Mandy thought, he just knows what to do. To anyone else, that would have been a huge faux pas, or else he’s forgotten her name; I bet he’s forgotten her name.

‘He found something out and was worried,’ the widow said.

‘Had he done undercover work before?’ Mandy asked.

‘Err, can I call you Mandy?’ the widow looked quizzically at Jack.

‘Please do,’ Mandy replied.

‘Yes,’ and she looked at Jack again, ‘he was onto something, and it scared him.’

Jack was tearful. ‘We arranged to meet last night, but he didn’t show.’

‘Did he say anything else?’ Mandy felt as though she was intruding.

The widow responded but continued looking at Jack, ‘He was protective of his family, and if he thought something would endanger him, he wouldn’t say. I wanted him to return to being an ordinary copper, but you know what he was like, Jack.’

Mandy was looking at Jack, looking at the widow, ‘I’m going to get who did this and find out why, small comfort, I know. How’re the kids?’

‘Jack,’ she was going to break, her sister tightened the grip across her shoulders, ‘the kids, it’s not sunk in. They’re with my mum, I’ll deal with that tomorrow, Cindy will be with me,’ gesturing to her sister, and both women hugged and sobbed and Jack joined them. Mandy looked on resigned; Jack was definitely a girl’s blouse, but truthfully she already knew this.

WPC Forbes returned with tea and separated Jack from the grieving women. Jack beckoned her to follow them to the door. ‘Are you with them all night?’

‘Yes, Sir.’

‘Make sure everything is locked tight, someone will pick up his home computer, but as a precaution, phone in every two hours and make sure no volunteer t**t gives you shite, and let Dawkins know that if you miss a call to get a squad car around, okay?’

‘Will do, Sir, you were wonderful tonight, and you of course, Ma’am.’

‘Thanks, Babes, get back to your tea, you must drink gallons of the stuff.’ She closed the door and he stayed until he heard the bolts strike home.

‘Did you mean that?’ Mandy asked.

‘Yeah, they must drink tea all the time.’

Mandy bashed his arm playfully. ‘No, are they in danger?’

‘Don’t think so, just cautious.’

Jack held the car door for her, she made to protest and let it go. Seated, she buckled up, Jack did the same, slowly, thinking if only Kate had buckled up; Kate never wore a seatbelt, used to say, “If a man had t**s, he would"ve designed a better seatbelt”.

‘Jack, what are you thinking?’

‘You pulled your skirt down, suppose I’ll have to talk to you now.’ She chuckled and he thought she had the most wonderful smile, her face was aging, naturally, but she must be the most beautiful woman he knew, and in Jack’s mind, she was just blooming.

She tugged her skirt, a little, ‘Penny for them, Jack?’

‘f**k-off, it’ll cost you more than that.’

* * *

Driving up to the rear of Jack’s house, they saw someone having a go at his garage door. ‘Jack, did you see that?’

They dismissed it and went in. Mandy hugged Michael as he worked at the hob. ‘Are you sure you’re Jack’s kid, you’re so good looking.’

‘I saw him first Mandy, hands off.’ Colleen said, and Mandy hugged her, and Jack tried to press in; the women pushed him away.

‘Open the wine, Dad, I’ve done a chicken stir fry, one mild and one hot Thai, and there’s tortilla if you want to roll them.’

‘Mmmm, Yumbo Jumbo,’ Jack said as he dashed upstairs to change his shirt.

Dinner was messy, on Jack’s part, but a tasty affair. Lots of it, and Jack was well satisfied; Mandy ate modestly. Colleen looked at Mandy and how she looked at Jack, and Jack looked at Colleen to see how she looked at Michael. Jack insisted he would clear and Michael insisted back, Colleen interjected, ‘Jack, when were you going to tell us about Martin?’

Jack’s face morphed, guilt. ‘Well...’

Michael put him out of his misery, ‘We know, Mandy telephoned, so did Jo-Jums.’

‘He’ll be okay, son.’

‘I know, Dad, we went to see him.’

‘You did?’

Mandy relieved Jack’s remorse, ‘It’s okay, you may not have noticed, but what with a major bust, a Brahma of a ruck with Pugwash, a new bike, two briefings, several crying and sobbing incidents, and meeting Biscuit’s widow, you’ve had no time. So, unless you want to turn Roman candle on me?’

‘You forgot, Martin was appointed Police Dog.’

‘He was?’

‘Who did that then, Jack?’ Mandy asked.

‘I did, and I told the vet to tell him, so if it doesn’t happen and with a ceremony, he will be a disappointed hound.’

Colleen and Michael were stunned because this was news, Mandy more so, because she knew Jack would expect her to arrange a ceremony. They sat around the table for another half-hour of convivial conversation, mainly talking about Michael and Colleen going off to college in September together.

Colleen’s dad picked her up and looked at Jack in a funny way. ‘What the hell was that about?’ Jack whispered to Mandy.

‘Your son is having s*x with his daughter. I remember you with Alana, it was all Kate and I could do to stop you manalising the guy.’

Jack shrugged defensively, ‘She was only twenty-three.’

‘Fathers and daughters, Jack, and if it is any consolation, I feel the same way about my boy, but there is nothing you or I can do about it but be there as a safety net, as you so often say.’

‘Fancy a pint at C&A’s?’ he’d moved on.

‘No thanks, I’m off to Bedfordshire,’ and she stood and stretched.

‘I’ll be up in a minute.’ Jack said, ever hopeful.

‘In your dreams.’

‘I don’t intend sleeping, for five minutes anyway.’

‘Will you ever grow up?’

‘No, he won’t.’ Michael was back from seeing Colleen off.

‘Did you give her a big kiss in front of her dad, son?’

‘No, Dad, it’s bad enough as it is.’

‘Michael, you’re more mature than your dad. Thank you for a lovely dinner, and Colleen’s a treasure, look after her.’ Mandy kissed him and followed Jack to the back door.

Jack opened the door and saw a silhouette on his garage roof, ‘Oi, you, bugger-orf.’

‘Jack, phone it in, this is making me feel uncomfortable,’ Mandy said.

‘Me too, d’you want to sleep with me tonight, I’ll protect you.’