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."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCvAflxwcu1
Gregory smiles and offers his hand to the woman. "Charmed, I'm sure."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGGsuhmboMO
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?"186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpRvECPruxq
"I beg your pardon! I am Victor Bell's daughter, but I surely refute that description!" Kendall exclaims before McIntosh can respond.186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTwpAZfwlI7
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?"186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT7i2axGDoI
Gregory now frowns. "Chief Tushingham—" McIntosh cuts him off with a sharp glance. "Nevermind...."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9H8hMBNTdK
"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."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfmoQzOx54Z
"You mean like bending the law, Ian?"186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBNOzHzVPo9
"I decline to answer that." He crosses his arms, looking down at her.186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLgg1YGqvv3
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?"186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHe11UL6MMV
Ian lowers his eyes to the floor in silence.186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiNj8D7l7hX
"Now look here you—" again, Gregory is cut off by a sharp glance; this time from Kendall.186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCgaTF0kPJx
Gretchen turns away with a satisfied smirk. "Mortician! Front and center!"186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡexUbfndoBw
Amber and Daan exchange glances before Daan walks over, clearing his throat. "Yes, madam?"186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpzQIpXkOiU
"I'm sure you already have run this by the detectives, but give me the full spill on the bodies."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJy98PK5fl4
"Yes, madam."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv5W2aELFEx
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.186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHRPir01n1K
"What the hell, Ian?" Gregory crosses his arms.186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV80DMmiI3G
Ian sighs deeply and leans back against the wall. "You know Inspector Greene, correct?"186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQQa6g4sTAY
"Yeah, we know the cockroach. What about him?"186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwMj2rrAXol
"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."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgFL2Nzy3pf
"And what's the barmy dame to do with this all?"186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs4bQFPow0G
"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?"186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvIlEsIECnj
Gregory frowns, but nods. "I just hope the harridan doesn't get in our way."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvPtMmn4qsB
Kendall sharply elbows him. "Be respectful! Don't make me bring back the jar."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡILEJdpERpW
"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."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ykJOtiKQ5
"So you say now...Just wait until I withhold your coffee again."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDOChdirFFa
Gregory rolls his eyes and waves her off. "What was that about your father anyway?"186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHadHSItKUw
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiPQZSxHzJP
"He used to work on the bomb squad until Mum made him retire. Nothing much to say." She shrugs and looks away.186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ37pPTW1AV
"Well, you could say he lost his leg saving a family and received a George Cross for it." Ian chuckles.186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNIigvcFs5E
She only shrugs again. "Like Dad says, he was just doing his job. Nearly cost him his own life..."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp4vQdCtxDD
"A George Cross?" Greg raises his brows.186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvif4MBJSFn
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."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNFZisrktmf
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."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT1VHhexhgW
"Are you sure that's a good idea, Greg? Couldn't that make the situation worse?"186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXRyDkITjfw
"Nah."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4IELBGQ9Ph
"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."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ78YD4xw6vD
"Alright, fine." He crosses his arms.186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIdQWpr7HHx
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.186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQwAFZ5qyBG
"Amber, is everything alright?" Kendall asks.186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1AapPudGtQ
Amber sighs, setting her knife aside. "Everything is just peachy."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0HGxhIwTC3
"What? Did you see that I was right after all?" Daan grins.186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnTRUaVdqbZ
"Actually you were just as wrong as I was. He died of congestive heart failure."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKMdotHCsNN
He frowns. "Well that's no fun. And how are we deciding dinner tonight then?"186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQItWg3A9qW
"I would say either left over spaghetti at home or you can take me out for steak and lobster."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpbIMiVcJFA
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?"186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfc1pLzacoR
"Yes, Chief."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡENbmkQyV4p
Gretchen looks at Gregory. "And that means no bending any rules either."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIAXXBWyzFH
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. "186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnnXDUpGEKU
McIntosh elbows Gregory silently.186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEWzx9519dr
"But like I said, we will try our hardest to stick within your rules, Chief Tushingham."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWhKygrfOoV
Tushingham nods, satisfied. "Good." She then turns towards the lift. "Come along, Ian. Show me that office you had mentioned."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOJ32C0tNQz
"Alright." He nods, following her.186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk46kTbNIF3
Gregory watches them go and shakes his head. "I think we'll wait and take the lift after they're off."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvRdX6vy3QS
"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.186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbRYW2qgzqq
"Watch? Take legible notes? Hit up a vending machine?" He shrugs. "Don't know yet. I may still go have a talk with Simon."186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5PQZaqTxFm
"But Gregory—"186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWp6OgxaUTN
"Just a talk, I swear!"186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuRVsbiMayU
Kendall doesn't look convinced. "Still don't think it's a good idea."
186Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI0hGxSlVlW
