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."202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Rg4o2fvLN
Gregory smiles and offers his hand to the woman. "Charmed, I'm sure."202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsyOUmC7qiV
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?"202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0SLbFyTual
"I beg your pardon! I am Victor Bell's daughter, but I surely refute that description!" Kendall exclaims before McIntosh can respond.202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtcD5jxP9TG
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?"202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmG8tamcizS
Gregory now frowns. "Chief Tushingham—" McIntosh cuts him off with a sharp glance. "Nevermind...."202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYJk6IaaNju
"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."202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpb3XcLHpow
"You mean like bending the law, Ian?"202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIcEvm6jq6B
"I decline to answer that." He crosses his arms, looking down at her.202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVpb8fCpvMe
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?"202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy78Xrtwpru
Ian lowers his eyes to the floor in silence.202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA12kTAfi4R
"Now look here you—" again, Gregory is cut off by a sharp glance; this time from Kendall.202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcHKNJud2J1
Gretchen turns away with a satisfied smirk. "Mortician! Front and center!"202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEKPpG1OjFn
Amber and Daan exchange glances before Daan walks over, clearing his throat. "Yes, madam?"202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb5XhBdMZTI
"I'm sure you already have run this by the detectives, but give me the full spill on the bodies."202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6BTcjHaOG1
"Yes, madam."202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqP3KK5WHl2
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.202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp0nudxYQ8i
"What the hell, Ian?" Gregory crosses his arms.202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡktwCj1jrE6
Ian sighs deeply and leans back against the wall. "You know Inspector Greene, correct?"202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr6EVWjKLLm
"Yeah, we know the cockroach. What about him?"202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1SGBdWK6LV
"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."202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPraa1WutNT
"And what's the barmy dame to do with this all?"202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ICBha7byM
"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?"202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk9HViOIuBJ
Gregory frowns, but nods. "I just hope the harridan doesn't get in our way."202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLvfx4qN84e
Kendall sharply elbows him. "Be respectful! Don't make me bring back the jar."202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDKBn64oGDQ
"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."202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlRaXnPTpA9
"So you say now...Just wait until I withhold your coffee again."202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf5LeqjJHEv
Gregory rolls his eyes and waves her off. "What was that about your father anyway?"202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3xJPg7vbWG
202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQyWY5dYrAV
"He used to work on the bomb squad until Mum made him retire. Nothing much to say." She shrugs and looks away.202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSBJ4U0RQn8
"Well, you could say he lost his leg saving a family and received a George Cross for it." Ian chuckles.202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDwNQBDXcsu
She only shrugs again. "Like Dad says, he was just doing his job. Nearly cost him his own life..."202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfXyFE1XqpV
"A George Cross?" Greg raises his brows.202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeGRZGrw1rh
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."202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4F8eIVNeLB
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."202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj8yGzEUcbi
"Are you sure that's a good idea, Greg? Couldn't that make the situation worse?"202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡal7UL1Q46N
"Nah."202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBVSMi4V3k8
"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."202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRVqcmdbmFt
"Alright, fine." He crosses his arms.202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2PfJrt2MRc
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.202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSQVJP1w9Dr
"Amber, is everything alright?" Kendall asks.202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDIl9pUZfyv
Amber sighs, setting her knife aside. "Everything is just peachy."202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ20uTzAO3XY
"What? Did you see that I was right after all?" Daan grins.202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5DK5A9wb5D
"Actually you were just as wrong as I was. He died of congestive heart failure."202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy2C9jWXrgT
He frowns. "Well that's no fun. And how are we deciding dinner tonight then?"202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKoCTjJwCbg
"I would say either left over spaghetti at home or you can take me out for steak and lobster."202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyyH4n1z7mw
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?"202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNdsTxc0Xsq
"Yes, Chief."202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSslkY1enQQ
Gretchen looks at Gregory. "And that means no bending any rules either."202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ92sTOh5Opq
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. "202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT0qfOvfHbH
McIntosh elbows Gregory silently.202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7HZfaRMCDe
"But like I said, we will try our hardest to stick within your rules, Chief Tushingham."202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3XrU0f2KGs
Tushingham nods, satisfied. "Good." She then turns towards the lift. "Come along, Ian. Show me that office you had mentioned."202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVz9cwB7m6k
"Alright." He nods, following her.202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTDmLm41xEY
Gregory watches them go and shakes his head. "I think we'll wait and take the lift after they're off."202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyGb6NpE2eN
"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.202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnkgLvkd8pP
"Watch? Take legible notes? Hit up a vending machine?" He shrugs. "Don't know yet. I may still go have a talk with Simon."202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGSK0lModL8
"But Gregory—"202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc3yVCy0nMH
"Just a talk, I swear!"202Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8mtmI4kWaQ
Kendall doesn't look convinced. "Still don't think it's a good idea."
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