Page 83 of Copper Script
Joel tapped his fingers on the table.“I could do that.But...All right, hear me out.Suppose I tell him I found the information myself?”
“You?”
“Let’s say Marks consulted me.Wanted to check if Colthorne’s handwriting on the IOU was real, something like that.”
“But he didn’t.”
“I’d like to see anyone prove that,” Joel pointed out.“Then he died, and I asked your advice, as the only copper I know.You persuaded me to let you look into it, but Colthorne found out about your investigation, and that’s why he’s been going at you and me.And now Sabini is involved and it’s got too much for me, so I’m giving up on the police and handing it to the Tribune.”
“That’s genius,” Challice said through a mouthful.
“No, it’s putting yourself in the firing line,” Aaron said.“You can’t do that.If you get in the papers—the things Colthorne might throw at you—”
“Are the same things he’ll chuck at me if he goes after you.I’m already in this, Aaron, like it or not.It’s just sensible.”
Aaron’s stomach was a hard knot.“Don’t.I don’t want you to do this.”
“Why not?This could work very nicely for me.I’m going to give the editor of the Tribune a whopping great scoop, and get any amount of publicity that money can’t buy.”
“Along with the full and probably hostile attention of the Metropolitan Police!Do you have any idea—”
Joel thumped his left arm on the table, which made it obvious he wasn’t wearing the prosthetic.Challice gave a slight exclamation that she suppressed almost at once.
“Yes,” Joel said, a little loudly.“Yes, I do in fact know that attracting attention isn’t always a good idea.Do you know why I was waving for attention when they shot my hand off?”He looked between Aaron and Challice.“Because we went out after a bombardment, and I had found a man who might have a chance, and I needed someone to help me get him back.Well, we needed two men as it turned out, because my stretcher-carrying days ended quite dramatically at that point, but Ididget two men, and theydidtake him back, and he lived.I wish it hadn’t happened like it did—Christ, I do—but he’s alive, his kids grew up with a father, and we still send each other Christmas cards, so I can’t wish it hadn’t happened at all.Sometimes you just have to do the thing.”
“We all have to make sacrifices,” Aaron said.His mouth was dry.“But you’ve done enough.”
Joel opened his mouth, then shot a look at Challice.“Helen, could you possibly give us a moment?”
“I need to powder my nose,” she said promptly.“And also to find out what this yellow sauce is, and see if they’ll let me have the recipe.Do excuse me.”
“Joel,” Aaron said through his teeth as she departed.
“No,” Joel said flatly.
“No what?”
“No to all of it.No, I am not making a great sacrifice because I’m playing martyr.I couldn’t be any less of a martyr; I’m just not a shirker.No, I am not going to hold this over your head forever, and fuck you for suggesting I would.”
“I didn’t—”
“You thought it somewhere deep down, so shut up.No, I am not going to ask for anything in return, and also no, I am not going torefuseanything in terms of appreciation, such as you buying me another very large meal here, because this isn’t a transaction.This is—this is us, Aaron.You and I working together as seems best.Itake this to the Tribune,youendeavour to shield me from the consequences,wedo our best to bring Colthorne down.Grammar.”
“But you’re trying to protect me,” Aaron said.“I know you are.”
“So what if I am?”Joel demanded indignantly.“We’d literally just met when you chased down that bastard Sefton and saw off your cousin for me.Why can you do it and me not?Or, to put it another way: Are you the only one who gets to do things for other people, and nobody can do anything for you?Because I’ll give you one guess who that sounds like.”
“You are the most aggravating man who has ever walked the earth,” Aaron said with feeling.
“Thank you; I try.”
“And you are probably right,” he made himself go on.“If this becomes public knowledge Colthorne is finished as a copper, no matter what the courts may say, and you probably can make that work better than I could.It’s still taking on a great deal.May I say I’m grateful?”
“No.I don’t want your gratitude, your thanks, or your obligation,” Joel said.“I simply want wholehearted admiration of my courage, integrity, and intelligence, which can be demonstrated by a good shagging at any time.”
Aaron started to laugh.There was so much to worry about, and so much to be done, but the bubble of bewildered joy had to come out and he couldn’t help it.He put his elbow on the table and his hand over his face, and he shook with laughter even as Challice returned and demanded what the joke was.
***
