Scarlet Rose

Chapter 71

"Sir, we're here."

The police officer who was on the wheel of the car pulled to a stop. Through the front mirror, he looked at his boss, sitting at the back, having not moved, despite them having reached their destination.

Robert Shaw's gaze was fixed and unmovable to someplace where only himself was privy to. To the officer who waited for a response, he looked like he wasn't at all there.

The Detective Constable was a seasoned police officer. He had been on the forefront, having led several cases in the past; his eyes had seen many things and his ears had heard even more. To have a case however, where both a highly known criminal with a popularity of a matinee idol among the working class and the leader of the most famous gang in London were involved, whilst he had to follow the orders of the former...

of a "plan" which himself hadn't masterminded, that was doing his head in.

Detective Shaw was a man with his own path in life. A master of his own fate. The time he had spent fighting for his country in the Great War, had made him so. He had seen action at the Battle of Mons, in France. He had seen death and devastation, men he fought side by side perish within a fraction of time. He had been a good soldier. Followed orders, fought against the enemy, even when fear run inside him. It was his duty and he served it with honour.

When he returned back home, he had been a changed man. Or perhaps, he himself had been the same all along and everything else around him had changed. He hadn't dedicated time to ponder much about it. Would it have made any difference? Bottom line was -

Nothing stood the same

After all, he was an action man. Came back from war and had to start building a life for himself. He entered the Police force. Once more following orders. Soon enough though, given his tireless drive, the promotions kept coming his way. Till he reached the point where the decisions were all his own. He could breath again. The more he became independent, the better he felt. For too long in his life, he had been following someone else's decisions. He had lived through their mistakes, experienced their errors. Sometimes with serious consequences where lives were lost.

 He was adamant he wasn't going to be such a man. He didn't want to be one. Each decision had been weighed with care, under meticulous consideration. He didn't take unnecessary risks and most of all he didn't risk the lives of the men under him. If there was a risk which had to be taken, he took it himself. On his own. No one else.

The police officer behind the wheel cleared his throat. Robert's eyes moved, met with his driver's stare through the front mirror.

"Stay here." He ordered him and came out the car.

Stood for a minute in front of the imposing door of the Grandchester mansion in Hampstead Heath. The time had been well after lunch but he wasn't doing a "cold" visit. The Duke of Grandchester was already expecting him, once Robert had put down the phone the same morning.

After all, from all that was Christian's plan, Robert had taken one decision. To phone Richard Grandchester. 

~~~~~

A few hours beforehand, as per usual, Robert had arrived at the police station, bright and early and had entered his office after asking one of the police officers for a cup of tea. Not enough time had passed for the residual warmth of his jacket, hang on the back of his chair, to evaporate in the morning air, when a knock made him turn towards the door.

The police officer, who Robert had asked for that cup of tea for, entered the room but he came in looking almost reluctant to do so, having a quizzical look about him. He left the tea on the Constable's desk and made him aware he had someone outside who was asking to see him. Robert raised his brows with surprise but asked for whoever it was to enter the room.