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."302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1lO4aU5sPy
Gregory smiles and offers his hand to the woman. "Charmed, I'm sure."302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF0VuG0nNoF
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?"302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqHloCqIKzg
"I beg your pardon! I am Victor Bell's daughter, but I surely refute that description!" Kendall exclaims before McIntosh can respond.302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQjJbXo5vl8
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?"302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw14uSWQX9O
Gregory now frowns. "Chief Tushingham—" McIntosh cuts him off with a sharp glance. "Nevermind...."302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡslvI5DRZBJ
"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."302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdJu43evu5g
"You mean like bending the law, Ian?"302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2R4dqXCFwx
"I decline to answer that." He crosses his arms, looking down at her.302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrZQBx6NT1r
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?"302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQoPsaVJsCI
Ian lowers his eyes to the floor in silence.302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDhleOvcY0C
"Now look here you—" again, Gregory is cut off by a sharp glance; this time from Kendall.302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb43NSyVxUo
Gretchen turns away with a satisfied smirk. "Mortician! Front and center!"302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx7Or8P6VGh
Amber and Daan exchange glances before Daan walks over, clearing his throat. "Yes, madam?"302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Hqgh2fyxb
"I'm sure you already have run this by the detectives, but give me the full spill on the bodies."302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4LyWhhnO0j
"Yes, madam."302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLMqE2Wl5iz
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.302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWa1DsgUMIq
"What the hell, Ian?" Gregory crosses his arms.302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa0LY87x4Yr
Ian sighs deeply and leans back against the wall. "You know Inspector Greene, correct?"302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyRQcBCgses
"Yeah, we know the cockroach. What about him?"302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIWTu89835w
"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."302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj7dGbpZtQl
"And what's the barmy dame to do with this all?"302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX6h9E4Y0oN
"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?"302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCtpD6BsBAH
Gregory frowns, but nods. "I just hope the harridan doesn't get in our way."302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ86ULqvAXQM
Kendall sharply elbows him. "Be respectful! Don't make me bring back the jar."302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAhSDdJJXZ4
"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."302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ72SVNFCfsG
"So you say now...Just wait until I withhold your coffee again."302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjzQvKg345A
Gregory rolls his eyes and waves her off. "What was that about your father anyway?"302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTh1acmE4NM
302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡngsO8B5fnK
"He used to work on the bomb squad until Mum made him retire. Nothing much to say." She shrugs and looks away.302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAMol3Fb749
"Well, you could say he lost his leg saving a family and received a George Cross for it." Ian chuckles.302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGClZQRHLLc
She only shrugs again. "Like Dad says, he was just doing his job. Nearly cost him his own life..."302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcVukyjyHli
"A George Cross?" Greg raises his brows.302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpkaMy1QFJ0
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."302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKSlSEbI7gF
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."302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlnJstd3XUO
"Are you sure that's a good idea, Greg? Couldn't that make the situation worse?"302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi93PWwDcoc
"Nah."302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKpYgGaP4eO
"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."302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡphnQBn7PE6
"Alright, fine." He crosses his arms.302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdggKaNS3oA
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.302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUfRZD3wNiO
"Amber, is everything alright?" Kendall asks.302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8cM3SL82im
Amber sighs, setting her knife aside. "Everything is just peachy."302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgoDJyU98Ou
"What? Did you see that I was right after all?" Daan grins.302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC1g9SSX05n
"Actually you were just as wrong as I was. He died of congestive heart failure."302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcSyqB0WT2o
He frowns. "Well that's no fun. And how are we deciding dinner tonight then?"302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn7RSShRrXl
"I would say either left over spaghetti at home or you can take me out for steak and lobster."302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSDCILi2S7C
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?"302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAs05hHzPls
"Yes, Chief."302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjYwnVyTaEQ
Gretchen looks at Gregory. "And that means no bending any rules either."302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU12eZ7XqKO
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. "302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6jIjrCaYlT
McIntosh elbows Gregory silently.302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw3DB862Ry0
"But like I said, we will try our hardest to stick within your rules, Chief Tushingham."302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1l8gNuoY8b
Tushingham nods, satisfied. "Good." She then turns towards the lift. "Come along, Ian. Show me that office you had mentioned."302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡubGTzCj6Wv
"Alright." He nods, following her.302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2EPwfTPwwU
Gregory watches them go and shakes his head. "I think we'll wait and take the lift after they're off."302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0WkuDtdj5d
"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.302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVxfSstCcvA
"Watch? Take legible notes? Hit up a vending machine?" He shrugs. "Don't know yet. I may still go have a talk with Simon."302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvOaQxQsQne
"But Gregory—"302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVFaVVdjunV
"Just a talk, I swear!"302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoxN51dmha2
Kendall doesn't look convinced. "Still don't think it's a good idea."
302Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP7A8wXZUfB
