Free The Operative by Duncan Falconer Page B

service wives beating on my door … I’ll call our close friends when I get to my dad’s.’
    ‘Sure … I’ll give you a hand.’
    ‘I’d rather do it alone. There’re a lot of things in this house that are going to be tough to say goodbye to.’
    Stratton understood and got to his feet. ‘Can I go to see Josh?’
    ‘Sure. I need to make him something to eat,’ Sally said, standing up and going to the fridge. ‘Can I get you anything?’
    ‘No, thanks.’
    Stratton left the kitchen and walked along the corridor and down the stairs lined with framed family photographs, one of which included him. He stepped quietly into the living room.
    Josh was seated on a couch, watching a cartoon show, and did not look at Stratton as he sat down beside him.
    ‘Hi, Josh’
    Josh moved closer to Stratton without looking away from the television and leaned against him. Stratton put an arm around him and they sat for a while, watching the TV.
    Stratton eventually moved forward to face the little boy. ‘I have something for you, Josh. It’s a present from your dad,’ he said as he opened his hand to reveal the little camel.
    Josh took it and examined it, instantly appreciating the strange smirk. ‘Thanks,’ he said. ‘Is there a story with it?’ he asked.
    The irony of the question struck Stratton. So many of the gifts he had brought back for Josh over the years were accompanied by fictitious tales of derring-do but he could not tell the boy the truth behind this one.
    Stratton made a move to get up but Josh took hold of him. Stratton held him close and kissed his head. ‘I’m going to go and see your mum,’ he said, pulling away and getting to his feet. ‘I’ll see you later. Okay?’
    Josh slouched forward as if to study the camel but he was actually hiding his disappointment.
    ‘You look after that, Josh. It’s a very special little camel.’
    Stratton left the room.
    As he walked back into the kitchen Sally was busy cutting up vegetables into a saucepan. He picked up his tea and took a sip, unsure what to say to her, then saw her mobile phone on the counter and picked it up.
    ‘You can use it in the States.’
    ‘I know. I’ll take it with me in case of emergencies until I can sort something out over there,’ she said.
    Stratton punched in his name starting with three ‘A’s and followed by his number. ‘My number’s at the top of your phone list. You call me if you need anything. Any time of the day or night. Okay?’
    ‘I will.’
    He stared at her, unable to hide his sadness. ‘I’m gonna go, then … I’ll call round tomorrow.’
    ‘I want to leave first thing in the morning,’ Sally said, wiping her hands and coming over to him. ‘Dawn if I can get Josh to wake up that early.’
    Stratton looked into her tired, reddened eyes, the pain clearly etched in them. He placed his arms around her and they held on to each other in silence for a moment before he released her and stepped back.
    ‘Let me know when you get there,’ he said.
    ‘I will.’
    ‘Promise?’
    ‘Why wouldn’t I?’ she replied, unable to hold his gaze as firmly as she would have liked.
    Stratton walked out of the room and a few seconds later the front door closed.
    Sally watched him through the kitchen window as he headed down the gravel path and wondered when or even if she would ever see him again. ‘If ’ seemed like a strange notion but she could not help thinking it.
    Stratton drove directly to the sergeants’ mess in Poole Camp, which was crowded with practically every current member of the service who was not on operational duty and even more retired hands who, although many of the old and bold did not personally know Jack, had turned up to pay their respects. He spent an hour chatting to various people and before slipping out cornered his Squadron Commander to ask for two weeks’ leave, effective immediately. Under normal circumstances the operations officer would have had to be consulted in case there was