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."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZw0ZTqJG4C
Gregory smiles and offers his hand to the woman. "Charmed, I'm sure."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUdibAbMxjB
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?"270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡixhdZhHpoJ
"I beg your pardon! I am Victor Bell's daughter, but I surely refute that description!" Kendall exclaims before McIntosh can respond.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj9NKiyRwtw
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?"270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW4A2Acrqkw
Gregory now frowns. "Chief Tushingham—" McIntosh cuts him off with a sharp glance. "Nevermind...."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhtr3C66Kqt
"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."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFRgDEUZr1B
"You mean like bending the law, Ian?"270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQzXb78UaA
"I decline to answer that." He crosses his arms, looking down at her.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGNjQ2NCeb9
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?"270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpD4sYPmwEh
Ian lowers his eyes to the floor in silence.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtNbZ0aJZYu
"Now look here you—" again, Gregory is cut off by a sharp glance; this time from Kendall.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXX9nOPPPyA
Gretchen turns away with a satisfied smirk. "Mortician! Front and center!"270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTtlHM4a1Fx
Amber and Daan exchange glances before Daan walks over, clearing his throat. "Yes, madam?"270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbnmetMmPoF
"I'm sure you already have run this by the detectives, but give me the full spill on the bodies."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb2c4JawcQK
"Yes, madam."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBCw83t3FT7
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.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1y6AodJKgU
"What the hell, Ian?" Gregory crosses his arms.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDIz5cyfWQA
Ian sighs deeply and leans back against the wall. "You know Inspector Greene, correct?"270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFXu0SXnTq3
"Yeah, we know the cockroach. What about him?"270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmHWwYBAnMt
"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."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmtcUykBEVD
"And what's the barmy dame to do with this all?"270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7vJjy6Rwt9
"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?"270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjCi7JUquYa
Gregory frowns, but nods. "I just hope the harridan doesn't get in our way."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8h0NUnVJRv
Kendall sharply elbows him. "Be respectful! Don't make me bring back the jar."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡapN1cHVvo8
"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."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGJgKdg5nh9
"So you say now...Just wait until I withhold your coffee again."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJZqjf3Ijiv
Gregory rolls his eyes and waves her off. "What was that about your father anyway?"270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsSC7vexqw6
270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXBJn2Um0bE
"He used to work on the bomb squad until Mum made him retire. Nothing much to say." She shrugs and looks away.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnJJJZaZSZH
"Well, you could say he lost his leg saving a family and received a George Cross for it." Ian chuckles.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZiSdfVRpSF
She only shrugs again. "Like Dad says, he was just doing his job. Nearly cost him his own life..."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwQSdrdYldc
"A George Cross?" Greg raises his brows.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡffmS7exHIO
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."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYePVHle2N5
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."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡybsEUDGmNs
"Are you sure that's a good idea, Greg? Couldn't that make the situation worse?"270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPZVnZAjmug
"Nah."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrc6fuJ1taQ
"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."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIGZJgDUjQE
"Alright, fine." He crosses his arms.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZgFyUVe9e0
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.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaWNyvIStet
"Amber, is everything alright?" Kendall asks.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡljl7yzctmY
Amber sighs, setting her knife aside. "Everything is just peachy."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtI2mSHX6b4
"What? Did you see that I was right after all?" Daan grins.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡclSXJCb2eF
"Actually you were just as wrong as I was. He died of congestive heart failure."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4HOt5NMCID
He frowns. "Well that's no fun. And how are we deciding dinner tonight then?"270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFJLlG5h5I0
"I would say either left over spaghetti at home or you can take me out for steak and lobster."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKgId2lxv7K
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?"270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr2UHq1ak6I
"Yes, Chief."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9kQibCsP1y
Gretchen looks at Gregory. "And that means no bending any rules either."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn0AEmaLBac
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. "270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCF1eCDBaSB
McIntosh elbows Gregory silently.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLjW0k6WMH0
"But like I said, we will try our hardest to stick within your rules, Chief Tushingham."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ3BDDxqcDz
Tushingham nods, satisfied. "Good." She then turns towards the lift. "Come along, Ian. Show me that office you had mentioned."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkXPcVTOoAP
"Alright." He nods, following her.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡllTTpSYXBf
Gregory watches them go and shakes his head. "I think we'll wait and take the lift after they're off."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg3empQ69dn
"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.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUpVYpgS83f
"Watch? Take legible notes? Hit up a vending machine?" He shrugs. "Don't know yet. I may still go have a talk with Simon."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKx4HVSx824
"But Gregory—"270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiKT4kZ2njt
"Just a talk, I swear!"270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOdD04N0QkJ
Kendall doesn't look convinced. "Still don't think it's a good idea."
270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡADEXr0buXC
