FicWad

Finding an address for DCS Chris Skelton and Annie Skelton née Cartwright was as easy as requesting the file from Records at the station. And, perhaps not so surprisingly given her remarks yesterday, DCI Chase didn't protest when Sam requested the afternoon off.

So now he found himself at the door of a cosy little house on the outskirts of Manchester itself. Sam felt the apprehension as he rang the bell. The address on file had been quite old. Maybe they had moved already. Both of them were, after all, retired and free to do as they pleased.

After what seemed like an eternity, the door finally opened. Facing Sam was a young woman in a cleaner's uniform.

"Can I help you?"

Sam cleared his throat and then showed his badge. "Good afternoon. I'm DI Sam Tyler. I was looking for Mr. or Mrs. Skelton. Are they at home?"

The maid frowned in confusion. "I'm the cleaner for Ms Harbinger. Don't know about anybody named Skelton, officer."

Damn it. So they were gone. Disappointment was already setting in. Yet he could have expected it, even so. "Can I talk to Ms Harbinger then?"

"Please wait. I'll ask."

After a few minutes, Sam was let into the living room which harboured an elderly woman, who greeted him cheerfully. "Excuse me for not getting up, officer. I fell, a week ago. I still can't stand all that well on the leg."

"That's okay, Ms Harbinger. Thank you for seeing me."

"You were asking about the Skeltons, I think?"

"Yes. They used to live here."

"So they did. Lovely couple, from the few times I met them. Both former police officers. But of course you know that."

Sam smiled. "Yes, I do. In fact, I used to work for DCS Skelton."

Ms Harbinger returned the smile. "Then you know them better than I do, DI Tyler."

Sam responded to that by shrugging. "Maybe. But I'm trying to find them, and this is the last address on file. Do you know where they went?"

"Sure. They sold this house to move to Spain. They said they wanted to make the most of their retirement. Finally have some real sunshine for once."

"Spain?" They really did want to get away from here, then. It also made them all the more unreachable. But maybe all was not lost. "Did they leave some sort of an address?"

The old woman looked at him sadly and shook her head. "They didn't leave any forwarding address with me when they moved. I'm sorry."

"No fault of yours, Ms Harbinger. Thank you for your time." Sam got up to leave.

"Not a problem, DI Tyler. It's nice to have someone to talk to for a change."

The cleaner let him out again. Dead end number two.

"What'd you expect? For them to sit around waiting for you?"

I don't know, Gene. Something.

--

Since he'd taken the whole of the afternoon off, Sam once again found himself home far earlier than usual. This time when he tried the door, however, he found it unlocked.

He quietly edged through the door, opening it as little as possible. There were noises coming from the kitchen, so he snuck along the corridor to the doorway opening up on it. But then he heard his mother singing under her breath and he abandoned the stealth.

"Mum!"

His mother started with a small scream, dropping the sponge she'd been holding. "Sam! Ooh, you scared me. I didn't hear you come in."

"Why are you here, mum?"

"You acted so strange on the telephone last night, and you haven't been 'round in so long, I thought I'd stop by and surprise you."

"At four in the afternoon? I don't usually get home until at least six, mum. Later, more often than not."

"So by the time you did get home I'd have dinner ready and everything squared away." She dried her hands and walked over to Sam to try and hug him, but he backed away. She put a hand on his cheek instead. "Take care of my little boy. And then maybe I could talk to my son again."

"Mum, I..."

"Sammy, you've been through such a lot. Why won't you talk about it?"

For just an instant, Sam wanted to. Tell his mother everything, the whole story, no matter how crazy it might sound. But then she'd most likely think him completely insane and start harassing him about seeing more doctors, and maybe even giving up work. He couldn't take that right now.

He took the hand that was resting on his cheek in both of his. "Sorry, mum, but I have plans for tonight," he lied. "Why don't I help you finish this, and then I'll take you home, yeah?"

"Alright, son." His mother demurred, pulled her hand free and went to pick up the sponge she had dropped. While they finished cleaning, she tried one last time. "Someone called this morning, asking about you."

Christine must have really been worried, to be calling his mother. He'd have to warn her about snooping too deeply into his private life. He didn't appreciate it when people did that without asking him first. That was also what he told his mother.

"I'm worried too, Sam, and I'm your mother and you still won't tell me anything."

He took his mother home soon after. He didn't have any plans, but he did still have something to consider. Chris Skelton's file had included his employment history and the name of his superior when he started out in CID.

DCI Gene Hunt.

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