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"Excuse me," Sammy announced as he let go of the red wagon’s handle. "Sergeant Dobbs? Are you busy?"
"Sammy?" Sergeant Dobbs looked down at the little boy and then over at Ivanhoe. He looked back at her and meowed loudly. She wasn’t his favorite person at the station and both of them knew it. She complained that he’d shed all over her paperwork when he’d only been trying to keep it warm for her. Sammy always told him cold cases were a bad thing. She was a good police officer though so he knew she’s help his Sammy - even if she did smell like a Labrador. "One second Sammy. Bring Ivanhoe and come behind the desk."
Ivanhoe watched as she picked up the phone. "Guv? Got a visitor. Bring DI Tyler with you. No, no sir it’s not Dianna Dors with a bottle of chip oil. I think you should come down." Ivanhoe noticed that she looked at Sammy again. "It’s Sammy Tyler Guv. Ruth Tyler ain’t about either. Looks like he’s been crying."
"No I haven’t," Sammy muttered and stuck out his lip. Ivanhoe pressed his head against Sammy’s trouser leg and purred reassuringly. Sammy had been crying but Ivanhoe knew that he didn’t want DCI Hunt or Big Sammy to think he was a baby so he’d scrubbed his eyes really good before they’d come in. Ivanhoe knew what DCI Hunt and Big Sammy thought mattered to his Sammy. He wanted to be just like them when he got older. Ivanhoe knew Sammy had told some of his new friends at school that his daddy was a detective and he had to be away a lot so that was why he didn’t live with him and the Mummy - Ivanhoe had known Sammy was lying but Sammy had seemed so happy to have a daddy again that Ivanhoe hadn’t batted him for fibbing.
"Sammy?" Big Sammy came down the stairs and looked at him. "What are you doing here? Your mum must be worried sick!"
"I’m running away," Sammy announced. "Me and Ivanhoe."
"I see," Big Sammy nodded and leaned against the desk, crossing his arms. "Thought about where you’re going to go then mate?"
"Thought I could live here with you and DCI Hunt," Sammy smiled up at Big Sammy. "Be a policeman."
"I’d like that," the big fuzzy man, DCI Hunt Ivanhoe reminded himself, announced as he came around the desk. "Why don’t we go up to my office DC Tyler and discuss your bunking arrangements?"
"Ok," Sammy agreed.
"Tyler," the fuzzy man announced as he reached over and took Sammy’s hand, "snag Ivanhoe the police cat. Phyllis, we’ll leave the police wagon and DC Tyler’s bags with you?"
"Course Guv," Sergeant Dobbs nodded. "Keep them nice and safe behind the desk."
"Good bird." The fuzzy man turned to look at Sammy. "So Tyler, how about some pink wafers and milk? Get a little snack and take it back to my office? What do you say?"
"Ok," Sammy nodded. "I’d like that DCI Hunt. Thank you. It won’t come out of my paycheck will it?"
"Your paycheck?" the fuzzy man looked at him.
"Mummy always says that pink wafers are too expensive and she can’t take the money out of her paycheck to get those and all the groceries we need. Besides Uncle Jim says they rot my teeth."
"No, no DC Tyler. Pink wafers courtesy of your Guv." The fuzzy man reassured him.
"Uncle Jim," Big Sammy growled at the same time - like the words were a hairball stuck in his throat.
"Uncle Jim?" The fuzzy man asked and Ivanhoe yowled loudly in mutual disgust with his two Sammys. He didn’t like the man the Mummy made them refer to as Uncle Jim either. The man always kicked him and threw him off the radiator when he was sleeping. He wasn’t nice to Sammy and Ivanhoe wished the Mummy would go away with him so that they could live with Big Sammy and the fuzzy man instead.
"He’s mummy’s boss," Sammy answered. "He lives downstairs from us and he comes up to visit mummy a lot."
Ivanhoe noticed the fuzzy man look over at Big Sammy who had tightened his grip on Ivanhoe. "What happens when he comes down to visit your mummy Sammy?"
"They go in mummy’s bedroom to talk and I have to stay out in the garden to play. Unless it’s cold and then I go over to Billy Newton’s house to play instead. His mum always makes us cookies and milk and sometimes I stay for tea and his mum makes macaroni and cheese."
"So does your mummy know you’re here DC Tyler?" The fuzzy man asked.
"No," Sammy stuck his lip back out again. "And I’m not going to go home and tell her cause she’ll just ground me to my room. I won’t be able to go play football with Billy and the others."
"Hmm," the fuzzy man replied. "That is a problem. Boy needs plenty of football time. Bet your mum’s worried though?"
"Probably doesn’t notice," Sammy pouted.
"She’s worried sick Sammy," Big Sammy replied as he knelt in front of Sammy and Ivanhoe squirmed free of his arms. "I bet she’s crying right now, worried about where you are."
"No she’s not," Sammy pouted again and wrapped his arms around Big Sammy’s neck. "She’s too busy fighting with Uncle Jim. That’s why I came to stay here at the police station with you. He kicked Ivanhoe DI Tyler sir. He. Kicked. Ivanhoe. And then he threw my football out into the street!"
"He kicked Ivanhoe?" The fuzzy man asked as Ivanhoe twined around his legs. "He kicked my deputy police cat?"
"Yes sir," Sammy sniffled from his place in Big Sammy’s arms. "Then he made mummy cry."
"Come on DC Tyler. DI Tyler. Lets get some pink wafers and sort this out. No one kicks my police cat or upsets my detectives."
"Are you gonna arrest him?" Sammy asked from his place in Big Sammy’s arms.
"I might," the fuzzy man replied. "I take kicking my police cat very seriously."
"Good," Big Sammy and Sammy replied at the same time.
A few minutes later the group of them made their way into CID, the fuzzy man happily eating a pink wafer and Sammy dunking another in a cup of milk. "Sammy?" Annie Cartwright called out. "What are you doing here luv?"
"I’m going to live here with you Annie!" Sammy called out brightly.
"You are?" She asked brightly and Ivanhoe knew that it was the tone big people took on when they were lying to people Sammy’s size. "Well isn’t that nice! The bunk next to mine’s free."
"Really?" Sammy bounced happily in Big Sammy’s arms. "Will you tell me a bed time story?"
"Only if you promise not to laugh about my night light and be nice to my teddy bear," Annie replied.
"Deal," Sammy leaned forward and kissed her cheek. "I’ll even tell Ivanhoe to guard him during the day."
"Deal," Annie agreed and kissed Sammy’s as well. "Best let you get back to your arrangements then Sammy Tyler."
"Bye Annie! See you tonight!" Sammy answered happily.
"Right," the fuzzy man replied as they pushed into his office. "Tell me what you know about this DI Tyler." Ivanhoe looked over at Big Sammy and saw Sammy curled up in his lap. He debated jumping onto the sofa next to them but noticed that Sammy was covering it in crumbs. Instead he jumped onto the fuzzy man’s lap. It was more comfortable than he’d expected.
"Sammy," Big Sammy looked at the boy cradled in his arms. "Could you take Annie a pink wafer please?"
"Yes DI Tyler," Sammy answered solemnly. "Will you protect my milk from Ivanhoe? Mummy says he’s not allowed to drink it out of my cup."
"Of course," Big Sammy agreed. Ivanhoe watched Sammy trundle out the door at a run with two pink wafers clutched in each fist. Enough for Annie, Ray, Chris and himself to all have one. He dropped off the fuzzy man’s lap and sauntered over to curl up around Big Sammy’s feet.
"Uncle Jim," Big Sammy told the fuzzy man, "is an absolute bastard with no conscience. He’s taking advantage of Ruth and he’s horrible to Sammy."
"And what sort of work does Ruth do for him?"
"Cleans offices, nights, while her sister Heather watches Sammy."
"And?"
Big Sammy just snorted and glared at the fuzzy man angrily. Ivanhoe rubbed his chin against Big Sammy’s ankles to comfort him.
"Right," the fuzzy man agreed. "And I take it she’s still not allowing you to pitch in with the bills after Sammy’s comment about the groceries?"
"I was slipping some money to Heather," Big Sammy answered. "Told her it was coming from Vic’s family - trying to help out now that he’s gone. She took it for a while but about two weeks ago Heather starts telling me she won’t take the money anymore. Says she doesn’t want anything from the Tylers except Vic’s lying, cheating, porn peddling head on a platter with his cock shoved down it’s throat."
"Bitter," the fuzzy man whistled.
"Do you blame her?" Big Sammy snapped.
"No, shame she won’t let you help out with the boy though. Sounds like this Uncle Jim isn’t what Sammy needs around."
"He’s not," Big Sammy agreed. "But it’s not like she’ll let me anywhere near him. She’d be livid if she found out he and I were together here now."
"Sounds like this Uncle Jim needs to be gotten rid of," the fuzzy man replied.
"Can’t. He owns them for all intents and purposes. He’s her employer, her landlord, all of it. We piss him off and they’re back to living in Heather’s flat."
"Might be able to take care of that," the fuzzy man replied.
"Take care of that?"
"You take Sammy and Flashknickers out for ice cream," the fuzzy man replied. "It’s slower in here today than a geriatric orgy so you won’t miss anything but paperwork and Skelton can finish that up. Be good for him. I’ll make a few calls and go over to see Ruth Tyler. Might have a way to resolve all this."
Ivanhoe moved as Big Sammy stood and walked over to lean across the desk. "Gene," Ivanhoe could tell Big Sammy was smiling.
"Shut it Gladys," the fuzzy man replied. "Take your boy and his girl for ice cream. Reward him. You should be proud after all you poof," the fuzzy man ran his hand up Big Sammy’s arm. He noticed Big Sammy look back at the door and the fuzzy man pulled his hand away. "Right, probably not a good idea with the boy here. Don’t want him getting confused and all."
"Gene," Big Sammy cocked his head to the side and sounded disappointed.
"Sam," the fuzzy man replied. "Should be proud of that boy. He’s a smart kid. Make a fine copper one day."
"Why’s that?" Big Sammy asked.
"Managed to convince Cartwright to have a sleep over with him in less than five minutes and he didn’t even have to buy her dinner first. Might want to send him to military school when he hits puberty. Or lock him in a cell."
"Nah," Big Sammy grinned. "He’ll have problems with girls. Might even stutter and blush around them. I did."
"That, Gladys, is because you are a poof. That boy is not. He’s a handsome tyke who’s even charmed Phyllis. You’re going to have to beat the birds off him with a stick. Now take him and Cartwright for ice cream and see if you can’t learn something from the boy. Ivanhoe and I will handle this Uncle Jim."
Seven hours later Ivanhoe stretched from his place on the sofa and yawned. Sammy was asleep at the other end, Big Sammy’s coat under his head as a pillow and the fuzzy haired man’s coat across him as a blanket. Big Sammy was pacing the fuzzy man’s office, drinking a strange brown mixture that he constantly refilled from the bottle on the desk. Ivanhoe could smell it and it made his nose twitch. Big Sammy was nervous. Ivanhoe wondered if the Mummy would ground him to Sammy’s room as well. Maybe she wouldn’t let either of them play football. At least Ivanhoe could alternate snuggling between the two of them. Maybe they’d share the same bed and he could curl up between them. That would be nice. The fuzzy man wouldn’t be able to fit but maybe he could take over Ivanhoe’s cat bed - he never used it after all - he always slept with Sammy.
"How much of my scotch have you drunk Tyler?" The fuzzy man announced from the doorway. "Hope you have a mind to replace it. That was a full bottle."
"Where have you been?" Big Sammy hissed and jerked his head at the sleeping child. "We went for ice cream, we played in the cells, we did paperwork, we went for chips because that was what he wanted, we watched telly in the locker room and he fell asleep. All I had from you was a note that said ‘handling things be back later - Gene.’"
"I was handling things," the fuzzy man replied. "Went by to talk to Ruth Tyler, let her know Sammy was at the police station with Annie Cartwright, perfectly safe - lied and told her you were off duty today. Had a nice chat and a cuppa then took her to meet a friend of mine."
"That took seven hours?"
"No, had to wait for her to call her sister Heather to help her move all of hers and Sammy’s stuff into the new flat."
"New flat?"
"Near her new job."
"New job?"
"Right, thought since she already had experience as a cleaner I called a friend of mine who works for the schools. Know he’s always looking for cleaning staff, wife inherited a block of flats just walking distance away from one of them. Turns out job was open, flat was free, he agreed to give it to Ruth Tyler cheap."
"Cheap?"
"She thinks she’s paying 50 less than what she is. He knows the rent is coming from two sources. You don’t need to worry about dealing with Heather anymore. Any extra you want to slip him he’ll put in her pay packet as a ‘bonus’ or overtime. Whatever, he’ll make up a believable excuse."
"Gene," Big Sammy looked at him and Ivanhoe could see his mouth working even though no sound was coming out.
"Good school, not like the one he’s currently going to." The fuzzy man added. "Better neighborhood. Safer for her and the boy."
"And Uncle Jim?"
"Had a nice long talk with him about exactly why he needs to get gone. Told him that I was the only thing between him and a Tyler who wanted nothing more than to carve him up and put him in the canal."
"And what did he say to that?"
"Talked a lot of shit about calling the law till I shoved my badge in his face and he realized I was the law. Illuminated for him that the Tyler in question was as well and that if he didn’t reexamine his business opportunities somewhere besides Manchester and away from Ruth Tyler I’d be helping you drop parts of him all over Manchester and his case would quickly go cold."
"I see," Big Sammy nodded. "And?"
"I think after he’s changed his y fronts he’ll be looking at moving on. Need to take the boy home now though. Get enough time with him?"
"Yeah," Big Sammy smiled. "It was good. Really good."
Ivanhoe watched as Big Sammy wrapped his arms around the fuzzy man’s neck and nuzzled him. He watched the fuzzy man arch up into it and purred. He liked the way Sammy nuzzled. It seemed the fuzzy man liked it as well.
"You’re welcome," the fuzzy man murmured.
"See you at home?"
"You going to be all cuddly still?"
"Probably."
"Yeah, I’ll be straight home once Sammy’s back at Ruth’s."
Ivanhoe couldn’t help but purr as Big Sammy lifted him up and gave him a cuddle as well before putting him in the red wagon and picking up a sleeping Sammy. The fuzzy man was right - Big Sammy was as good a nuzzler as Sammy. Maybe even better. Even if he was overprotective of his chips. At least his Sammy shared.