The lift opens and Chief McIntosh enters the morgue. He's followed by a petite woman with choppy, short raven hair. Her arms are clasped behind her back and she's frowning. McIntosh walks over to the two detectives and clears his throat. "Chief Tushingham, these are the detectives that I told you about; Mr. Gregory Harris and his colleague, Ms. Kendall Bell."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaOzO5BQyNf
Gregory smiles and offers his hand to the woman. "Charmed, I'm sure."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5uP2qQMUzP
Chief Tushingham snorts at his remark and looks at Kendall. "Bell..." she murmurs, glancing over at Ian. "You mean she is Victor's barmy daughter?"204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGQicOCwL7H
"I beg your pardon! I am Victor Bell's daughter, but I surely refute that description!" Kendall exclaims before McIntosh can respond.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWWcd0WP7Yc
Tushingham smirks. "At ease, pansy. Just going off old memories." She then walks past Kendall to the corpses. "Tell me again, Ian, why the hell you are giving a police investigation over to a couple of armature private detectives?"204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnPCSiMyrQa
Gregory now frowns. "Chief Tushingham—" McIntosh cuts him off with a sharp glance. "Nevermind...."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXdqF7Zyoxu
"Gretchen, they're not armatures. Mr. Harris has cracked a number of cases that we simply were stumped upon. They have the means, the manpower, and the availability to do certain things pertaining to these cases that we simply...do not."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYnzlJ0OvVn
"You mean like bending the law, Ian?"204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWDMblEnev2
"I decline to answer that." He crosses his arms, looking down at her.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh6lTOn4c2u
Gretchen steps back to him with a brow raised. "Decline to answer?" She chuckles. "What do you think this is, Ian? Primary School? You are this close to probation, you may care to remember. So if you care to continue your little iron curtain, fine. We can take your situation up the chain and then we can see you in court. But you don't want that, do you, Ian?" She smirks. "I'd hate to be you when Margaret hears that you were being retired and jailed...then little—what was her name again? Oh right. Katie. Sweet little Katie will be growing up with her Papa, whom she looks up to so much, in jail. She'd feel so let down and betrayed. Do you want to let down little Katie like that, Ian?"204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ72r1JyRt8Y
Ian lowers his eyes to the floor in silence.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpzhFq1FRjX
"Now look here you—" again, Gregory is cut off by a sharp glance; this time from Kendall.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3DCqHopsxI
Gretchen turns away with a satisfied smirk. "Mortician! Front and center!"204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCfLahxmJjp
Amber and Daan exchange glances before Daan walks over, clearing his throat. "Yes, madam?"204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVCKLNQmxBw
"I'm sure you already have run this by the detectives, but give me the full spill on the bodies."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUrYrobbbMi
"Yes, madam."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ITz6GNAFx
While Daan shows and explains the bodies to Chief Tushingham, McIntosh takes Gregory and Kendall off to the other side of the room where they talk in hushed tones.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrIWeyXA9TQ
"What the hell, Ian?" Gregory crosses his arms.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡssCOj8NecM
Ian sighs deeply and leans back against the wall. "You know Inspector Greene, correct?"204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlPuMB0bqao
"Yeah, we know the cockroach. What about him?"204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL2lnxSbFRR
"To put it simply...The insolent boy can't take criticism. He complained to his uncle who's higher up the chain of authority, which has brought me under inspection. Then I had a squealer who brought to light all the strings I've pulled for you over the years. They think I'm corrupt or have gone rogue or something. I don't know and I don't like it."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyrPk818dm0
"And what's the barmy dame to do with this all?"204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRIW4cEv8JG
"She's over this case...If things do not go well, she will be taking over here as chief and I'll be tried." He sighs and looks at Greg. "So if you don't want to work with Satan's mistress for the next twenty years, you'll be on your best behavior during this case and you solve it and prove you're worth the trouble. Understand?"204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBYF5HmWE9V
Gregory frowns, but nods. "I just hope the harridan doesn't get in our way."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRoPv4B9TzY
Kendall sharply elbows him. "Be respectful! Don't make me bring back the jar."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf5lYPyfkZj
"When she earns it, I will be." He glares in Tushingham's direction steadily. "Right now she's proven to be nothing but a bloody harpy. I don't care about that bloody jar."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvazTgblWeb
"So you say now...Just wait until I withhold your coffee again."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjbieX93FTj
Gregory rolls his eyes and waves her off. "What was that about your father anyway?"204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY3Chv7hHjq
204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAAgU6XRDHJ
"He used to work on the bomb squad until Mum made him retire. Nothing much to say." She shrugs and looks away.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDICMQG8Ute
"Well, you could say he lost his leg saving a family and received a George Cross for it." Ian chuckles.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJR0LsVt6qC
She only shrugs again. "Like Dad says, he was just doing his job. Nearly cost him his own life..."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDHx9rWdrbK
"A George Cross?" Greg raises his brows.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOzHA3GMBrQ
Kendall sighs and crosses her arms. "Look, my family is not the issue we are conversing right now. Let's leave that for topic of some other day, okay?" She sees that Daan has moved to talk about the most recent victim. "Daan is nearly done."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Ln0AkOZwm
Gregory looks over his shoulder and nods. "We will see what she thinks she wants us to do. If she is done with us, then you can go see what Rufford has come up with so far. I think I'll see about a little...chat with Simon."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0UDXRkqeBr
"Are you sure that's a good idea, Greg? Couldn't that make the situation worse?"204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJb5GfNZ7Z6
"Nah."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoN7JGl12Tb
"Gregory, you will leave the boy alone." Ian looks at him sternly. "He's already going to get a taste of his actions later this afternoon. Gretchen may be a hard case, but she doesn't mollycoddle anyone. She's going to be drilling them hard." He smirks. "And he can't take that up with his uncle."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTV77NPEyZw
"Alright, fine." He crosses his arms.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxY3n4Wx5JZ
Just as Chief Tushingham finishes talking with Daan and walks over to the other three, there is an exclamation of, "Blast it all!" from Amber's corner of the room. All heads turn in her direction.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGsmFXqCZET
"Amber, is everything alright?" Kendall asks.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO2VLJaKaIo
Amber sighs, setting her knife aside. "Everything is just peachy."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqTaaZUlhIn
"What? Did you see that I was right after all?" Daan grins.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQQJcJe6SuG
"Actually you were just as wrong as I was. He died of congestive heart failure."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF0ib1wAvPY
He frowns. "Well that's no fun. And how are we deciding dinner tonight then?"204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR7QAriHIMZ
"I would say either left over spaghetti at home or you can take me out for steak and lobster."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ06yeol1JWZ
Chief Tushingham rolls her eyes and clears her throat. "Detectives, since McIntosh has already extended the case to you, I will honor his decision. However, you will work under my rules and you will report all breakthroughs straight to me. Understood?"204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm7x38TtHBm
"Yes, Chief."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR0o4827VkH
Gretchen looks at Gregory. "And that means no bending any rules either."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6gnY6gjaF4
Gregory looks down at her. "We will try not to, but that's as far as I promise, Tushingham. I'm not the police. We don't have to follow police protocols. "204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsUXvs1biuJ
McIntosh elbows Gregory silently.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEJW1qIbrzy
"But like I said, we will try our hardest to stick within your rules, Chief Tushingham."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJXhD4Ozipk
Tushingham nods, satisfied. "Good." She then turns towards the lift. "Come along, Ian. Show me that office you had mentioned."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcpV9ohl1tw
"Alright." He nods, following her.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4G0052hV61
Gregory watches them go and shakes his head. "I think we'll wait and take the lift after they're off."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn6jEpcbdEK
"Fine by me." Kendall nods. "So what are you going to do while Rufford and I look over their files?" She glances up at him.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq2l10DYLtr
"Watch? Take legible notes? Hit up a vending machine?" He shrugs. "Don't know yet. I may still go have a talk with Simon."204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdTkFYny1XM
"But Gregory—"204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJJk6c2C5Ek
"Just a talk, I swear!"204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpyIlkMpRAL
Kendall doesn't look convinced. "Still don't think it's a good idea."
204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyaTCKrMJut
