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."247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxm3sZQdZ2x
Gregory smiles and offers his hand to the woman. "Charmed, I'm sure."247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtuQ8UUJeCO
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?"247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡadfiSYeOhV
"I beg your pardon! I am Victor Bell's daughter, but I surely refute that description!" Kendall exclaims before McIntosh can respond.247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpYHgy3CsX1
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?"247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlQKzDwmIDr
Gregory now frowns. "Chief Tushingham—" McIntosh cuts him off with a sharp glance. "Nevermind...."247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4pgDkg9TB8
"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."247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMlBb2niSUB
"You mean like bending the law, Ian?"247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMMUSb4JT9c
"I decline to answer that." He crosses his arms, looking down at her.247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4trBxwKwsU
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?"247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsiLZMrXdXj
Ian lowers his eyes to the floor in silence.247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrQEhee9V6h
"Now look here you—" again, Gregory is cut off by a sharp glance; this time from Kendall.247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO8QoOsW4VD
Gretchen turns away with a satisfied smirk. "Mortician! Front and center!"247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYMaxGk1GKu
Amber and Daan exchange glances before Daan walks over, clearing his throat. "Yes, madam?"247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX0Ir9xyRB2
"I'm sure you already have run this by the detectives, but give me the full spill on the bodies."247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKfBUbL9I5E
"Yes, madam."247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡokZrUxtdOQ
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.247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz8Y3JyoEJo
"What the hell, Ian?" Gregory crosses his arms.247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5v4ZbkxRUQ
Ian sighs deeply and leans back against the wall. "You know Inspector Greene, correct?"247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUZQ3imVhx2
"Yeah, we know the cockroach. What about him?"247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoB2hTeN7H4
"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."247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlByv5fEUzh
"And what's the barmy dame to do with this all?"247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5cyoADo3EF
"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?"247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVY5lqgJdTx
Gregory frowns, but nods. "I just hope the harridan doesn't get in our way."247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX6ENEZdq32
Kendall sharply elbows him. "Be respectful! Don't make me bring back the jar."247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVJtFIJnK2A
"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."247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6m88jL9nyb
"So you say now...Just wait until I withhold your coffee again."247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiHOG4iRf5S
Gregory rolls his eyes and waves her off. "What was that about your father anyway?"247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhbS0gjC4GL
247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR39s1fr7eD
"He used to work on the bomb squad until Mum made him retire. Nothing much to say." She shrugs and looks away.247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfAMYKpvfvw
"Well, you could say he lost his leg saving a family and received a George Cross for it." Ian chuckles.247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Oa8kaStFF
She only shrugs again. "Like Dad says, he was just doing his job. Nearly cost him his own life..."247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq7KLqQu6ji
"A George Cross?" Greg raises his brows.247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgMCKbHGpOY
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."247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡffERMPaFLd
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."247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZYvTBd2HXk
"Are you sure that's a good idea, Greg? Couldn't that make the situation worse?"247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6IvOpHKUXH
"Nah."247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjCnKXVI6z8
"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."247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTNwSH4QSuz
"Alright, fine." He crosses his arms.247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYTUm7OtbGK
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.247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrYgim14naM
"Amber, is everything alright?" Kendall asks.247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2sdLjXcNGg
Amber sighs, setting her knife aside. "Everything is just peachy."247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhTYXoJ4QJ8
"What? Did you see that I was right after all?" Daan grins.247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlqaP3uk6uq
"Actually you were just as wrong as I was. He died of congestive heart failure."247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUj6FNF7D6q
He frowns. "Well that's no fun. And how are we deciding dinner tonight then?"247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXPDiOH8kSC
"I would say either left over spaghetti at home or you can take me out for steak and lobster."247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTpObjo0DCt
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?"247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfK1b832sLM
"Yes, Chief."247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAIQNlz9rDU
Gretchen looks at Gregory. "And that means no bending any rules either."247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi2bTK7e7jJ
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. "247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBY8mJ33ob9
McIntosh elbows Gregory silently.247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEqzssQ4UGr
"But like I said, we will try our hardest to stick within your rules, Chief Tushingham."247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlNuMynI1Fm
Tushingham nods, satisfied. "Good." She then turns towards the lift. "Come along, Ian. Show me that office you had mentioned."247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbP0spmoE5B
"Alright." He nods, following her.247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz7TBvuUE5M
Gregory watches them go and shakes his head. "I think we'll wait and take the lift after they're off."247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhKyDV86xpW
"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.247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQB8oIs5rca
"Watch? Take legible notes? Hit up a vending machine?" He shrugs. "Don't know yet. I may still go have a talk with Simon."247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Iu46ZvLkb
"But Gregory—"247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIoN4zyP7H3
"Just a talk, I swear!"247Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuqorrNZD4G
Kendall doesn't look convinced. "Still don't think it's a good idea."
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