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A new inspector has arrived in Kembleford.
Sid hadn't been to Kembleford for a long time and visiting Father Brown was a great excuse for that.
Walking across the field from the van one could dream of some cold drink, probably prepared by the caring Mrs M, and then slip into the cool privy (in fact, that's what he did).
Father didn't take long to find. After exchanging smiles and greetings, Carter was immediately seated at the table, asking about everything.
"It was business as usual." Sid began without interest. "I worked for the Countess, then helped out on a farm nearby, and spent the rest of my time in the caravan, you know." There was nothing to tell and he was more interested in the glass in his father's hands, into which he was now pouring something from the fridge." What was new here?"
"Oh..."
Within half an hour, Carter learned about the theft of the strawberries - which Mrs McCarthy had so carefully nurtured and now couldn't find a place to be because of their loss - about Father's new sermon and how he'd worked on it, and that a new inspector had come to Kembleford.
- Wait, really?
It didn't bother Sid much, especially since he had nothing to hide, but he was used to Valentine and they'd even found common ground with him, sort of. He'd also accepted Father's help, and now it was unusual to see anyone else.
"Yes," replied the priest, clearly not expecting his interlocutor to be so interested in the news. "Inspector Valentine had been promoted, and a new one had been sent to us from London."
There followed an account of Father Brown's first meeting with Inspector Sullivan and his impressions of it. Although Father had tried to describe the newcomer objectively - so that Sid could form his own personal opinion of him regardless of the priest's own feelings about him - but Sid could definitely tell that the inspector was simply too self-assured and therefore thought better of himself than he did of others.
"He's too stupid for you." said Sid with a smile on his face at his reflection in the mirror as he left the priory.
***
A fortnight had passed since the incident. Sid had forgotten how criminal Kembleford could be until Father Brown asked him for help.
The case was simple - Sid could tell it was one cigarette. All he had to do was to sneak into the Chief Inspector's office, take - in his father's own words - the inspection report from the desk, and then be sure to put it back.
All went well at first, as far as Sid could tell: he knew perfectly well that at the moment there was only one man left on night duty in the station, and that was Sergeant Wilkins. All Kembleford knew that the sergeant, confident of the influence of the brutal but fair police, believed that no one dared poke his nose into the station, and so slept peacefully through the shift. Sid had no trouble getting inside the station itself.
Carter crept cautiously to the window of the office he wanted - discretion never hurts - and had no difficulty in forging the window to yield and open, but it seemed he was mistaken.
Sid was almost finished with the window - sticking his tongue out, as he usually did when he was very busy - and was apparently so confident of the success of his plan that he fell into a stupor when a voice came from behind him.
"May I ask what you are doing here at this late hour?"
Sid was trained in manners, albeit on a low level, but turned around when someone unfamiliar asked him the question.
"О." It was almost impossible to make out anything outside, but Carter's eyes had already adjusted to the darkness and he was able to appreciate the rather pleasant facial features and build of the unknown person. "Sorry, handsome, but I have too much to do, I can answer all your questions as soon as I find a free minute."
But as confident as Sid was in the magic of his charm, the stranger couldn't quite appreciate the guy's charms.
"You just climbed through the window of the police station, and that's considered trespassing on private property." Sid rolled his eyes at another trespassing charge. "So you're spending the rest of the night with me."
The situation smells like smoke and, unable to find an alternative, Sid decides to flee the scene. Unfortunately, the new inspector - Carter learns this after his arrest - is in good physical shape and has strong arms, which he uses to easily roll Sid to the ground and snap his wrists behind his back.
The thought quickly flashes through Sid's mind that he would like to see those hands in action in his bed, rather than on duty at his own arrest.
That thought has to be put aside until better times as Carter is handcuffed and led away to his cell.
***
Lady Felicia arrives the very next morning to fetch her favourite chauffeur.
Already on the way back, sitting behind the wheel of the car and rubbing his aching wrists, Carter describes to her in detail the events of the previous evening, and is waiting for sympathy from the lady when suddenly:
"Oh, Sidney, did he really say that?" A chuckle escapes the Countess' lips and she covers her mouth with her silk gloved hand. Her eyes sparkle with genuine amusement.
Sid glances scornfully into the rear view mirror and the lady breaks out laughing even more when she sees the frowning eyebrows of her chauffeur.
"You look like a disgruntled kitten, Sidney." Felicia Montague concludes.
"At least you were able to see the man in action, now you'll know how you should deal with your inspector next time." says the Countess a little later, after the offended Carter has turned his full attention to the road.
"He's not mine!" quickly inserts Sid.
"Absolutely not, dear." the woman's voice is soft and condescending.
The boy only snorts and continues to stare at the road, nervously twiddling his thumbs.
***
Carter had been avoiding the police station ever since.
The lady - or Father, if he was around - could see Sid's alertness when a silhouette in a grey hat and blue suit came into his field of vision, almost like a cat on the defensive, except he didn't arch his back and his tail didn't stand up.
The guy himself pretended not to notice it, or just didn't want to think about it. Whether it was his resentment at having been so foolishly caught and roughly rounded up, or Carter's attraction to the inspector, he did not know and did not want to know.
***
"And then the Inspector changed his tone and earnestly insisted that Linda herself tell how she had set fire to her barn."
The company sat in Father's kitchen while Mrs M excitedly told her story.
"And I knew she couldn't be trusted. She would have done something like that sooner or later. It was good of the inspector to put her in her place straight away. And how cleverly he collated all the evidence."
The parish secretary had told them the story more than once. It made Sid a little uneasy that once again she was praising the inspector so much, but for a good dinner and tea and strawberry scones he was willing to do so.
"Your inspector is really good." the lady pokes Carter weakly with her elbow and barely audibly tells him with a satisfied smirk on her lips.
"He's not mine." replies Sid himself just as quietly.
With so much time and so much teasing from the woman, he has learnt to respond to every joke with restraint.
***
The day was sunny and Sid allowed himself a little walk around Kembleford. He needed to go into one of the houses as he had been asked to see what was wrong with their cooker or if the gas cylinder was the problem and should be looked at. But time allowed him to walk at ease and enjoy the weather.
The day pleased him exactly until he heard a deafening shout.
"Everyone out of the building, now!"
Carter recognised the voice but didn't understand what was happening so he ran towards the noise.
Sid was gripped with fear as he heard the intense noise and a column of smoke rising above the buildings.
Upon reaching, Sid saw the flames engulfing the house he was heading to, as well as all the family members intact and standing nearby. The neighbours had already managed to call the fire brigade and everyone was looking in the direction of the house.
All except the inspector himself, who was sitting on the grass and wouldn't let anyone near him, only accepting the help offered in the form of soaked gauze.
As it turned out, there was a problem with the cylinder and there was a gas leak. Sullivan was passing by when he was asked to come in. Immediately smelling a peculiar odour, the inspector shouted for everyone to leave the house before tragedy struck.
Remembering the man writhing in pain but not letting anyone help himself to the burns, sending everyone to the injured family, Sid thought for the first time that he felt sorry for his inspector.
***
Carter couldn't just keep his mouth shut at the right moment, he had to make a joke or a quip and flash his eyes. It was just the way he was.
So when he managed to get himself into a cell for the third time in a week, instead of obediently staying in it, the guy hissed:
"Inspector, if you want to be alone with me, you don't have to lock me in a cell every time."
Sid sees the muscles in Sullivan's face tense and how hard he clenches his jaws, which is all he needed. Carter flashes his cocky grin, glaring defiantly at the inspector.
"I suggest you shut your mouth right now Carter, I can add a couple more offences to your drunken scuffle and you'll be staying here for more than one night."
Sid doesn't have time to get a word in edgewise when the inspector finishes and slams the iron door shut, locking it.
Confidence slides off the lad's face as soon as he is alone with himself. A feeling of shame overwhelms him and he drops his face into his folded palms with a heavy sigh.
***
It was a surprisingly rainless day for the first time in a while. When he was done with all his chores, Carter thought it would be a good idea to take a walk in the woods and be quiet while he could.
It was nice to take his mind off the worries that filled his head and just walk, looking at the sun breaking through the trees.
Sid had long since left the path, as he knew the neighbourhood well and would be able to find his way back without too much trouble.
Really unexpected, was to see the inspector watching something from his hiding place, which was a tree trunk.
Sid stands far enough away, but even so notices how dangerously close a loaded snare glinting not far from the man. A couple of moves and Sullivan would definitely be caught in the trap, so Carter walks towards him to warn him of the danger.
"What can you watch so keenly that he didn't even manage to spot the trap?" Sid wails to himself as he approaches the man.
Carter is just about to pat the inspector on the shoulder as he turns around and is about to pin him against a tree, defensively. Sid, mindful of the trap tries to break free and pull them aside, but his legs get tangled between them and he loses his balance.
This would be a bit of a problem, as Sullivan manages to wrap his arms around his sides and pin him to hold the two of them in place. But apparently Sid twisted his leg and injured a ligament in the process, given the searing pain that engulfed him.
Carter heard voices as he approached, he didn't make out the gist of their dialogue, but they would have definitely heard them if Sid had groaned in pain now and the Inspector's stakeout would have failed. The Inspector doesn't let that happen when he shuts Carter up with a kiss.
It's a strange thing to do. It wasn't a kiss in any of its possible meanings. Both men just pressed their bodies and lips together while their hands clutched each other's clothes because the Inspector keeps Sid's balance and Sid is afraid he's going to fall backwards anyway and grabs onto him like a lifeline.
Also, Carter was still in maddening pain. No matter how hard he tried to restrain himself, he still hissed into the inspector's lips and bit him to dull his own pain.
It is unknown how much time passes until Sid's pain subsides, but it is at that moment that he realises that they are now actually kissing. Putting all his energy and thoughts into making sure that the two men don't hear them, he doesn't notice that he has stopped biting his lips and the man takes advantage of this moment to deepen the kiss and entwine their tongues.
The inspector comes round too, for he pulls away and looks at him with wide-open eyes.
This ridiculous action on their part could be justified as an effect, a stressful situation, but apart from the bitten lips glistening with saliva across from him, Sid could feel another man's arousal against his thigh. Carter can't say anything, then he feels his trousers become just as tight.
"Carter, I need your help" whispers Sullivan in a hoarse voice, breaking the silence first.
Sid lowers his gaze, looking between them, and then raises it back up in surprise raising an eyebrow.
Sullivan rolls his eyes and hisses:
"That's not what I meant!" Nervously, he runs his tongue over his lips and nods to the side. "There are two men behind the tree discussing drug dealing, do you know either of them?"
Carter carefully peeks out from their hiding place and is surprised to see the two men still standing there talking about something.
"One I think I recognise, but the other is definitely someone not one of ours." replies Sid, having finished his identification.
"Okay, you can tell me later."
Sullivan places the guy's hand on his shoulder and gently wraps his arm around his waist. "For cooperating with the investigation, I'll help you get to the hospital, all right."
It's the first time the inspector allows himself such liberty as a sarcastic tease in Carter's direction, but Sid only hums and grips him tighter.
***
It takes almost a month before Sid is able to move around on his own without any problems and appears at the doorstep of Sullivan's cottage.
Carter confidently knocks on the door because the inspector should definitely be in the house now.
"Carter?" The look of surprise on Sullivan's face is easy to read.
"Inspector." Sid answers him the same way, but without the questioning tone anymore. "I've come to talk. That incident in the woods..."
Sid could swear he notices the blush on his cheeks before he frowns his eyebrows and pulls him behind him into the cottage.
The lad seizes the moment and, while Sullivan closes the door, makes his way into the kitchen. It doesn't take the inspector long to arrive.
"What do you want, Carter?" Sullivan's voice is rough, deliberately dismissive, but Sid can see how long the inspector lingers his gaze on him, especially on the hips the lad himself is using to lean against his dining table.
"Well, you're a good kisser." Sid admits to him honestly.
"I'm serious. It's not funny." A nervous sigh. Apparently Sullivan himself realised how long he'd been staring and so he quickly looked away.
"Do you see me laughing?" Sid raises an eyebrow and wants to meet his eyes so he can see how serious he is now. "Maybe I misjudged your reaction the other day, but I like you."
It's only then that Carter realises who he's talking to. Sullivan is one of the most attractive people around, but he's still a man and an inspector besides, and they live in a country that punishes such liaisons harshly. Getting rejected wouldn't be a big deal, but he could be in worse trouble.
Sid swallows hard, viscous saliva. Sullivan's silence and inaction is torture for the guy.
"It's possible you've got it right."
The lad realises he hadn't breathed all this time until he heard the inspector's uncertain voice and now feels a physical need to touch him.
"Can I...?" Carter's lips spread into a goofy smile as he notices the blush on Sullivan's cheeks again.
"Not here, I'll close the curtains in the living room, besides the couch will be easier on your leg."
Sid thinks how silly and puppy-like he is in love with this man as he obediently follows him. And also that he won't leave his lips alone for the next hour.