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."316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Ud0da6PCl
Gregory smiles and offers his hand to the woman. "Charmed, I'm sure."316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfcdkNORN3F
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?"316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Egs13924p
"I beg your pardon! I am Victor Bell's daughter, but I surely refute that description!" Kendall exclaims before McIntosh can respond.316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3le2v5AtAB
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?"316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrviblHENDO
Gregory now frowns. "Chief Tushingham—" McIntosh cuts him off with a sharp glance. "Nevermind...."316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuk2FvGLKPL
"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."316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOf6LpYuiVK
"You mean like bending the law, Ian?"316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4gHxN0WIWR
"I decline to answer that." He crosses his arms, looking down at her.316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡebMnk8fT3g
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?"316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDm0Br5kato
Ian lowers his eyes to the floor in silence.316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0vFwCspamv
"Now look here you—" again, Gregory is cut off by a sharp glance; this time from Kendall.316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP6QY6ccxS6
Gretchen turns away with a satisfied smirk. "Mortician! Front and center!"316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKfZudyxQkq
Amber and Daan exchange glances before Daan walks over, clearing his throat. "Yes, madam?"316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5GvCeF32D6
"I'm sure you already have run this by the detectives, but give me the full spill on the bodies."316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ15cnqO45vJ
"Yes, madam."316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmsZtiOLdC5
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.316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqYTpIQr5K9
"What the hell, Ian?" Gregory crosses his arms.316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHL3SozHwir
Ian sighs deeply and leans back against the wall. "You know Inspector Greene, correct?"316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWbh9ee7hrZ
"Yeah, we know the cockroach. What about him?"316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡieIUx2jPM8
"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."316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZz28FaUYVv
"And what's the barmy dame to do with this all?"316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ14qkznzs9M
"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?"316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPyKS45pDSi
Gregory frowns, but nods. "I just hope the harridan doesn't get in our way."316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUqGLykjl0S
Kendall sharply elbows him. "Be respectful! Don't make me bring back the jar."316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡos61yAKRgn
"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."316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMTR209NQD2
"So you say now...Just wait until I withhold your coffee again."316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKny2Iv1CRn
Gregory rolls his eyes and waves her off. "What was that about your father anyway?"316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIXXJXa7DS2
316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkEPteVsfWX
"He used to work on the bomb squad until Mum made him retire. Nothing much to say." She shrugs and looks away.316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMB3v6SKkFs
"Well, you could say he lost his leg saving a family and received a George Cross for it." Ian chuckles.316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0hQkcMplfQ
She only shrugs again. "Like Dad says, he was just doing his job. Nearly cost him his own life..."316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAJirs6gYIZ
"A George Cross?" Greg raises his brows.316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn49dipPIq3
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."316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrQVY9QGTdB
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."316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFEkFVttxpA
"Are you sure that's a good idea, Greg? Couldn't that make the situation worse?"316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHyyaYnamOn
"Nah."316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡayTgUQb4K9
"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."316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWYF5B9Yrco
"Alright, fine." He crosses his arms.316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWLj9TuMkE2
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.316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvaOeNMVPMV
"Amber, is everything alright?" Kendall asks.316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXa6nip82OQ
Amber sighs, setting her knife aside. "Everything is just peachy."316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOS3RLU3yge
"What? Did you see that I was right after all?" Daan grins.316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxrQFNyTId2
"Actually you were just as wrong as I was. He died of congestive heart failure."316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJgY3ixSX0m
He frowns. "Well that's no fun. And how are we deciding dinner tonight then?"316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ92FEo7DIm
"I would say either left over spaghetti at home or you can take me out for steak and lobster."316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡscZ0AAu8pr
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?"316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8tXbOkSaTa
"Yes, Chief."316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1A7qaS5SQk
Gretchen looks at Gregory. "And that means no bending any rules either."316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ARzEOZ4rz
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. "316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmrLJak5poP
McIntosh elbows Gregory silently.316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6wyB8pSOoa
"But like I said, we will try our hardest to stick within your rules, Chief Tushingham."316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvRF6uUycED
Tushingham nods, satisfied. "Good." She then turns towards the lift. "Come along, Ian. Show me that office you had mentioned."316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT0PHcGGmBL
"Alright." He nods, following her.316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡslkYzg3wZv
Gregory watches them go and shakes his head. "I think we'll wait and take the lift after they're off."316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrOLxYtOkWp
"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.316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLwks50UBHT
"Watch? Take legible notes? Hit up a vending machine?" He shrugs. "Don't know yet. I may still go have a talk with Simon."316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKLDL9IGByI
"But Gregory—"316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0W4zQyHDXz
"Just a talk, I swear!"316Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJegHHitm2w
Kendall doesn't look convinced. "Still don't think it's a good idea."
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