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."135Please respect copyright.PENANAWA6jOChe3m
Gregory smiles and offers his hand to the woman. "Charmed, I'm sure."135Please respect copyright.PENANAoYTClrNolQ
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?"135Please respect copyright.PENANASPZ5bjq69x
"I beg your pardon! I am Victor Bell's daughter, but I surely refute that description!" Kendall exclaims before McIntosh can respond.135Please respect copyright.PENANAJLTCBFRr5Q
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?"135Please respect copyright.PENANAhfWeFiTqe2
Gregory now frowns. "Chief Tushingham—" McIntosh cuts him off with a sharp glance. "Nevermind...."135Please respect copyright.PENANAxURtzMVpKv
"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."135Please respect copyright.PENANAerRBD4OYqx
"You mean like bending the law, Ian?"135Please respect copyright.PENANAW4HOnGZ7Is
"I decline to answer that." He crosses his arms, looking down at her.135Please respect copyright.PENANAlth8rygN0q
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?"135Please respect copyright.PENANA7kK92QPe5S
Ian lowers his eyes to the floor in silence.135Please respect copyright.PENANAao1s3q2gEh
"Now look here you—" again, Gregory is cut off by a sharp glance; this time from Kendall.135Please respect copyright.PENANAjAJsIE8KTD
Gretchen turns away with a satisfied smirk. "Mortician! Front and center!"135Please respect copyright.PENANA0WZTwbd8Zf
Amber and Daan exchange glances before Daan walks over, clearing his throat. "Yes, madam?"135Please respect copyright.PENANAH31PHlwzq5
"I'm sure you already have run this by the detectives, but give me the full spill on the bodies."135Please respect copyright.PENANA8Fpnl5XE5t
"Yes, madam."135Please respect copyright.PENANAn5S2OstaCZ
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.135Please respect copyright.PENANA8B5FpoPO9M
"What the hell, Ian?" Gregory crosses his arms.135Please respect copyright.PENANANxgYBqLELo
Ian sighs deeply and leans back against the wall. "You know Inspector Greene, correct?"135Please respect copyright.PENANAc5mJ4p7Nd9
"Yeah, we know the cockroach. What about him?"135Please respect copyright.PENANAB9qdX37O0S
"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."135Please respect copyright.PENANACxH0KFuNWt
"And what's the barmy dame to do with this all?"135Please respect copyright.PENANAY8qcXu9pj5
"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?"135Please respect copyright.PENANAoUadITQbvJ
Gregory frowns, but nods. "I just hope the harridan doesn't get in our way."135Please respect copyright.PENANAQPWfmlGomV
Kendall sharply elbows him. "Be respectful! Don't make me bring back the jar."135Please respect copyright.PENANAC2rXdBLpG1
"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."135Please respect copyright.PENANAdws19Bns4L
"So you say now...Just wait until I withhold your coffee again."135Please respect copyright.PENANABFN5ThfD2h
Gregory rolls his eyes and waves her off. "What was that about your father anyway?"135Please respect copyright.PENANA9gbVAb0XVg
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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.135Please respect copyright.PENANAO0vQoRgl3G
"Well, you could say he lost his leg saving a family and received a George Cross for it." Ian chuckles.135Please respect copyright.PENANAIovH5QwWqg
She only shrugs again. "Like Dad says, he was just doing his job. Nearly cost him his own life..."135Please respect copyright.PENANAOMuCpX3hpc
"A George Cross?" Greg raises his brows.135Please respect copyright.PENANAWmqjEPl3eC
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."135Please respect copyright.PENANAX0HMGFarKN
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."135Please respect copyright.PENANAyS07tAFlwq
"Are you sure that's a good idea, Greg? Couldn't that make the situation worse?"135Please respect copyright.PENANABzwxouFU68
"Nah."135Please respect copyright.PENANAponbiBcw5V
"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."135Please respect copyright.PENANAX3AeBdz9Kk
"Alright, fine." He crosses his arms.135Please respect copyright.PENANAGYlnK9UbLp
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.135Please respect copyright.PENANAB5c9Z5RyJT
"Amber, is everything alright?" Kendall asks.135Please respect copyright.PENANA08ojvb85V9
Amber sighs, setting her knife aside. "Everything is just peachy."135Please respect copyright.PENANASkhbY6ih7w
"What? Did you see that I was right after all?" Daan grins.135Please respect copyright.PENANAStyNGh79NO
"Actually you were just as wrong as I was. He died of congestive heart failure."135Please respect copyright.PENANAk2zPkyNn4D
He frowns. "Well that's no fun. And how are we deciding dinner tonight then?"135Please respect copyright.PENANAxVGqssWQb9
"I would say either left over spaghetti at home or you can take me out for steak and lobster."135Please respect copyright.PENANAUmbQlDeiye
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?"135Please respect copyright.PENANAcDOZjC3sCa
"Yes, Chief."135Please respect copyright.PENANA1MYFblBsFd
Gretchen looks at Gregory. "And that means no bending any rules either."135Please respect copyright.PENANAnPwP8tLEWJ
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. "135Please respect copyright.PENANAceTBZ1uil3
McIntosh elbows Gregory silently.135Please respect copyright.PENANAC524Yn4VOM
"But like I said, we will try our hardest to stick within your rules, Chief Tushingham."135Please respect copyright.PENANAoAp6dTyxoX
Tushingham nods, satisfied. "Good." She then turns towards the lift. "Come along, Ian. Show me that office you had mentioned."135Please respect copyright.PENANAieLboHtpaf
"Alright." He nods, following her.135Please respect copyright.PENANA0foZiOoo4m
Gregory watches them go and shakes his head. "I think we'll wait and take the lift after they're off."135Please respect copyright.PENANANttw507tId
"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.135Please respect copyright.PENANA4vcWSlCDd7
"Watch? Take legible notes? Hit up a vending machine?" He shrugs. "Don't know yet. I may still go have a talk with Simon."135Please respect copyright.PENANABNSpB0WJML
"But Gregory—"135Please respect copyright.PENANAZDVReT09sa
"Just a talk, I swear!"135Please respect copyright.PENANA2j9l0SwUxR
Kendall doesn't look convinced. "Still don't think it's a good idea."
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