Ashes to mars

Ivy Parlin and Tiffing With Gene

"I'm sorry, love." Ivy smiled, confused, taking a drag of her cigarette."I don't really understand why I'm here. I thought I'd said all that was needed to Gene."

"You were very helpful, Mrs. Parlin," Alex assured her, her gaze still trying not be distracted by all the shit in the interview room. It's not even a bloody interview room for a start. "But I was hoping to clear some things up. You said that your son's been hooked on..."

"Speed." She confirmed. "Since he was about fourteen."

"Hmmm, but he was able to hold down a job," Alex looked back to her notes, "- as a plumber?"

"Yeah, that's right, did a lot of odd jobs for people, worked all kinds of hours - had some bar shifts, too." The older woman smiled, wringing her hands a little.

Alex smiled to reassure her, but wondered where Sam had got to with that tea. She could use his input, he knew the case and the people involved far better than she did.

"Nineteen and a qualified plumber, that's quite an achievement."

"Well, I don't know about qualified but he could fix a toilet" Ivy sat up a little straighter, feeling the Inspector to be taking issue with her son, "-it's a bit late for him to get in trouble for that."

"Well, fixing toilets certainly seems to pay well these days," Alex continued, looking again at her notes, knowing Tom's situation was too fishy to go unquestioned. "Nice flat in Salford with all the mod cons."

"Mod what?" Ivy snapped, starting to get defensive. "Look, Tommy did well - he was popular."

"Popular, yes." Alex agreed. That had been the general consensus.
"And persuasive, according to his mate, Charlie."

"Not Charlie Barnett?" Ivy scoffed, stabbing out her cigarette. "What's that even supposed to mean? Where's DCI Hunt? Charlie's probably involved in all this. I don't why you're listening to him. He's usually as high as a kite."

"On speed...like your Tom. Only Charlie says that he can barely get by. His mum's about to kick him out because he can't get a job, can't function without his little fix." Alex went on, fuelling speculation as to why the two boys circumstances would be so different.
"He's good with a guitar apparently, uses the money he makes busking to feed this affliction to the health. Because that's what addiction is, a disease." And Alex was pretty sure Tom Parlin wasn't suffering from it.

"I know!" Ivy said, loudly impatient with the toffee-nosed woman in front of her pretending like she had any idea, using words Mrs Parlin didn't understand, when Alex was the one that didn't understand
"My boy was sick and no one could help him. None of you lot did anythin'!" She snapped, getting up from her seat.
"Kept saying you'd clean it up, that you'd stop those junkies selling this crap to kids behind the bike shed, but you couldn't be bothered, all you gits in parliament. My boy's dead and now you're treating me like I'm the one who killed him!"

"I'm not trying to accuse you of anything, Mrs. Parlin," Alex said slowly, trying to calm things down "- but has it ever occurred to you that it was your son who was the one do the selling behind the bike shed?"

"You bitch!"

Alex went to respond, but both women stopped as the door flew open causing an almighty slam on the wall holding it down. Gene Hunt walked in. He said nothing, but clenched his jaw as he looked over at Alex.

The Guv looked back to Ivy, whose cheeks were already staining with tears.

"Ivy my love, you are free to go." He said gently, gesturing towards the door, where Sam now stood, swaying uncomfortably on the heels of his shoes.