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."299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMnPbdfYulm
Gregory smiles and offers his hand to the woman. "Charmed, I'm sure."299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwjCdBrNXPF
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?"299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9buK5gHgUh
"I beg your pardon! I am Victor Bell's daughter, but I surely refute that description!" Kendall exclaims before McIntosh can respond.299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡub0RPFNDaD
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?"299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ50MMmNrtQE
Gregory now frowns. "Chief Tushingham—" McIntosh cuts him off with a sharp glance. "Nevermind...."299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5MjD4lp2bP
"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."299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGA7K6n11lL
"You mean like bending the law, Ian?"299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLAXT697qhm
"I decline to answer that." He crosses his arms, looking down at her.299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3xvcpYeeaK
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?"299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbmB2aLHqM1
Ian lowers his eyes to the floor in silence.299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxyTBk1msii
"Now look here you—" again, Gregory is cut off by a sharp glance; this time from Kendall.299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNdYgihjOjp
Gretchen turns away with a satisfied smirk. "Mortician! Front and center!"299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA5XrH3eQi5
Amber and Daan exchange glances before Daan walks over, clearing his throat. "Yes, madam?"299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB4LWr8DHXp
"I'm sure you already have run this by the detectives, but give me the full spill on the bodies."299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxP2TgCgyrm
"Yes, madam."299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡATqtp5gokC
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.299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhjfktASSmO
"What the hell, Ian?" Gregory crosses his arms.299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBMin56vbJR
Ian sighs deeply and leans back against the wall. "You know Inspector Greene, correct?"299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwLoFFhsnYC
"Yeah, we know the cockroach. What about him?"299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk0c0OPfoNX
"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."299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ0CZ77LcYI
"And what's the barmy dame to do with this all?"299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF9F02SkprK
"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?"299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQSOFG0FFBK
Gregory frowns, but nods. "I just hope the harridan doesn't get in our way."299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSeTdIX171d
Kendall sharply elbows him. "Be respectful! Don't make me bring back the jar."299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdur0tge02K
"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."299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVszKVeNgay
"So you say now...Just wait until I withhold your coffee again."299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKdPyyq0W6N
Gregory rolls his eyes and waves her off. "What was that about your father anyway?"299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡInsudopkxA
299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfeW0YbIOkr
"He used to work on the bomb squad until Mum made him retire. Nothing much to say." She shrugs and looks away.299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTVpbacwrd7
"Well, you could say he lost his leg saving a family and received a George Cross for it." Ian chuckles.299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPalJaNsv6O
She only shrugs again. "Like Dad says, he was just doing his job. Nearly cost him his own life..."299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ49EdFXedfz
"A George Cross?" Greg raises his brows.299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFA3mKpGIKI
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."299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmoUu19N6eH
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."299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPQOg8fyoHJ
"Are you sure that's a good idea, Greg? Couldn't that make the situation worse?"299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3RBVYXyYv3
"Nah."299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQmsM5eoVb5
"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."299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmEIzHPyZq8
"Alright, fine." He crosses his arms.299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4VfDVNk7Uk
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.299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB0DhNaN0Ob
"Amber, is everything alright?" Kendall asks.299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡakNKz9kYJH
Amber sighs, setting her knife aside. "Everything is just peachy."299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO5o3J5fBv2
"What? Did you see that I was right after all?" Daan grins.299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0H5J4WEbLZ
"Actually you were just as wrong as I was. He died of congestive heart failure."299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGSAPHeeSAD
He frowns. "Well that's no fun. And how are we deciding dinner tonight then?"299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7pl5ciQYBc
"I would say either left over spaghetti at home or you can take me out for steak and lobster."299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIyysM1piKd
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?"299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKsPPhbn54K
"Yes, Chief."299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJBDSUntRTC
Gretchen looks at Gregory. "And that means no bending any rules either."299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9pFk5FlTkL
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. "299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHMLFRS2Cuc
McIntosh elbows Gregory silently.299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsrmwN5v4jp
"But like I said, we will try our hardest to stick within your rules, Chief Tushingham."299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYNDlmZ4BgC
Tushingham nods, satisfied. "Good." She then turns towards the lift. "Come along, Ian. Show me that office you had mentioned."299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBfH2WhknIZ
"Alright." He nods, following her.299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3HzzHlBMGE
Gregory watches them go and shakes his head. "I think we'll wait and take the lift after they're off."299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyaxeOL5wI2
"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.299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4lXvC1VMFe
"Watch? Take legible notes? Hit up a vending machine?" He shrugs. "Don't know yet. I may still go have a talk with Simon."299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhaFWa6g488
"But Gregory—"299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyDHgvdvL4k
"Just a talk, I swear!"299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbg9LADvelh
Kendall doesn't look convinced. "Still don't think it's a good idea."
299Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMKy1foWesz
