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."128Please respect copyright.PENANAJdKklMZ5sT
Gregory smiles and offers his hand to the woman. "Charmed, I'm sure."128Please respect copyright.PENANAfrWSpNalUM
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?"128Please respect copyright.PENANAY7mxHOIYlz
"I beg your pardon! I am Victor Bell's daughter, but I surely refute that description!" Kendall exclaims before McIntosh can respond.128Please respect copyright.PENANAfECyRznQp0
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?"128Please respect copyright.PENANAmu16N6NiF4
Gregory now frowns. "Chief Tushingham—" McIntosh cuts him off with a sharp glance. "Nevermind...."128Please respect copyright.PENANA6UxqeQ4umz
"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."128Please respect copyright.PENANA967ZvwaINO
"You mean like bending the law, Ian?"128Please respect copyright.PENANAl3UrB47eEd
"I decline to answer that." He crosses his arms, looking down at her.128Please respect copyright.PENANAgmatpRoXU2
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?"128Please respect copyright.PENANA8rlp9AlgaI
Ian lowers his eyes to the floor in silence.128Please respect copyright.PENANAHHuZJ3tRyL
"Now look here you—" again, Gregory is cut off by a sharp glance; this time from Kendall.128Please respect copyright.PENANAFkNC0Sssqe
Gretchen turns away with a satisfied smirk. "Mortician! Front and center!"128Please respect copyright.PENANAbLjlUXsjkL
Amber and Daan exchange glances before Daan walks over, clearing his throat. "Yes, madam?"128Please respect copyright.PENANAtmiBKauYXf
"I'm sure you already have run this by the detectives, but give me the full spill on the bodies."128Please respect copyright.PENANA9Q0uy0V8tH
"Yes, madam."128Please respect copyright.PENANA01A1LKHYiL
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.128Please respect copyright.PENANAd7PeyHnk9a
"What the hell, Ian?" Gregory crosses his arms.128Please respect copyright.PENANALI9PB4kSO8
Ian sighs deeply and leans back against the wall. "You know Inspector Greene, correct?"128Please respect copyright.PENANAARqRBTGRMb
"Yeah, we know the cockroach. What about him?"128Please respect copyright.PENANAS7UHog2B0e
"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."128Please respect copyright.PENANAKFYCK7T9Tp
"And what's the barmy dame to do with this all?"128Please respect copyright.PENANAkPCQl9u7al
"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?"128Please respect copyright.PENANAqNnmed7hwF
Gregory frowns, but nods. "I just hope the harridan doesn't get in our way."128Please respect copyright.PENANAcsWPHAV0Ku
Kendall sharply elbows him. "Be respectful! Don't make me bring back the jar."128Please respect copyright.PENANAjy24itH86N
"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."128Please respect copyright.PENANAMEEGZ5dInk
"So you say now...Just wait until I withhold your coffee again."128Please respect copyright.PENANA52bxDrNEvP
Gregory rolls his eyes and waves her off. "What was that about your father anyway?"128Please respect copyright.PENANA9HgxNQ1j3o
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"He used to work on the bomb squad until Mum made him retire. Nothing much to say." She shrugs and looks away.128Please respect copyright.PENANA6tIFIYIwbZ
"Well, you could say he lost his leg saving a family and received a George Cross for it." Ian chuckles.128Please respect copyright.PENANAUV7QDwDpWU
She only shrugs again. "Like Dad says, he was just doing his job. Nearly cost him his own life..."128Please respect copyright.PENANADEmgFeYFPL
"A George Cross?" Greg raises his brows.128Please respect copyright.PENANAXGhcQ4ez5Q
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."128Please respect copyright.PENANAsdmD9VqKCC
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."128Please respect copyright.PENANAD7Vz36nx9V
"Are you sure that's a good idea, Greg? Couldn't that make the situation worse?"128Please respect copyright.PENANAfIPT3QdWD1
"Nah."128Please respect copyright.PENANA13C9zU8Te6
"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."128Please respect copyright.PENANAVuGGbRHi25
"Alright, fine." He crosses his arms.128Please respect copyright.PENANABmppz72BmZ
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.128Please respect copyright.PENANAkAFGy1evPX
"Amber, is everything alright?" Kendall asks.128Please respect copyright.PENANAUzKoVnqtAD
Amber sighs, setting her knife aside. "Everything is just peachy."128Please respect copyright.PENANAHg2KV1fI5z
"What? Did you see that I was right after all?" Daan grins.128Please respect copyright.PENANAoLAnwQDSNl
"Actually you were just as wrong as I was. He died of congestive heart failure."128Please respect copyright.PENANALTokySrsxU
He frowns. "Well that's no fun. And how are we deciding dinner tonight then?"128Please respect copyright.PENANATNThovb9IO
"I would say either left over spaghetti at home or you can take me out for steak and lobster."128Please respect copyright.PENANAFeSzMh1oB6
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?"128Please respect copyright.PENANAaWOu5qXEQz
"Yes, Chief."128Please respect copyright.PENANA9V81HXDAZ5
Gretchen looks at Gregory. "And that means no bending any rules either."128Please respect copyright.PENANAeM4oTMcpZk
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. "128Please respect copyright.PENANAbGEplKbbO3
McIntosh elbows Gregory silently.128Please respect copyright.PENANAANLso5pRtk
"But like I said, we will try our hardest to stick within your rules, Chief Tushingham."128Please respect copyright.PENANAHwWU6PmlTa
Tushingham nods, satisfied. "Good." She then turns towards the lift. "Come along, Ian. Show me that office you had mentioned."128Please respect copyright.PENANAsJ2h6rTIeq
"Alright." He nods, following her.128Please respect copyright.PENANAEuPbyWjANv
Gregory watches them go and shakes his head. "I think we'll wait and take the lift after they're off."128Please respect copyright.PENANAXnN5gT3x7W
"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.128Please respect copyright.PENANAmx84OIhwes
"Watch? Take legible notes? Hit up a vending machine?" He shrugs. "Don't know yet. I may still go have a talk with Simon."128Please respect copyright.PENANA4MdId6maPa
"But Gregory—"128Please respect copyright.PENANAr3D3j31v9I
"Just a talk, I swear!"128Please respect copyright.PENANAccvkqmhN4X
Kendall doesn't look convinced. "Still don't think it's a good idea."
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