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."274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQqP6AwnLkF
Gregory smiles and offers his hand to the woman. "Charmed, I'm sure."274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBQq8wxqQsl
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?"274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDNHOHE9vn8
"I beg your pardon! I am Victor Bell's daughter, but I surely refute that description!" Kendall exclaims before McIntosh can respond.274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf39vlV3jOY
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?"274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO3uSDIMgvV
Gregory now frowns. "Chief Tushingham—" McIntosh cuts him off with a sharp glance. "Nevermind...."274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVHU6m5rc17
"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."274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYwHNoyDTXe
"You mean like bending the law, Ian?"274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9iXxp0HyhC
"I decline to answer that." He crosses his arms, looking down at her.274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk7n3uU0rry
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?"274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzjY6UC1fAi
Ian lowers his eyes to the floor in silence.274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6jAUcRe7Yf
"Now look here you—" again, Gregory is cut off by a sharp glance; this time from Kendall.274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡODBXO40Y9G
Gretchen turns away with a satisfied smirk. "Mortician! Front and center!"274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6VrArBjj7w
Amber and Daan exchange glances before Daan walks over, clearing his throat. "Yes, madam?"274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk0DYpu8oi9
"I'm sure you already have run this by the detectives, but give me the full spill on the bodies."274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlTPFEN3lVG
"Yes, madam."274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbvb8lZmbUF
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.274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUXuAbOcY5L
"What the hell, Ian?" Gregory crosses his arms.274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUClQ8klLRF
Ian sighs deeply and leans back against the wall. "You know Inspector Greene, correct?"274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXYbvU9Slfw
"Yeah, we know the cockroach. What about him?"274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgFKhQDRlwY
"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."274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ11FtwbRnWx
"And what's the barmy dame to do with this all?"274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8jLVSMH622
"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?"274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ48yons3DgY
Gregory frowns, but nods. "I just hope the harridan doesn't get in our way."274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj9tClnPLCy
Kendall sharply elbows him. "Be respectful! Don't make me bring back the jar."274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7uupcTJD75
"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."274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB3k97bL28N
"So you say now...Just wait until I withhold your coffee again."274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgshzgelCbK
Gregory rolls his eyes and waves her off. "What was that about your father anyway?"274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdr69VhFHHG
274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKybZw56OOy
"He used to work on the bomb squad until Mum made him retire. Nothing much to say." She shrugs and looks away.274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhreCIB9Cag
"Well, you could say he lost his leg saving a family and received a George Cross for it." Ian chuckles.274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoVy7M44nop
She only shrugs again. "Like Dad says, he was just doing his job. Nearly cost him his own life..."274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA78VJIlQ3k
"A George Cross?" Greg raises his brows.274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Bpjhj6fOP
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."274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcQVR6YIhfg
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."274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7u5WrBOSKn
"Are you sure that's a good idea, Greg? Couldn't that make the situation worse?"274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzJjCbWZvS7
"Nah."274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy4Tix3jeRL
"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."274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgaWh9X3xym
"Alright, fine." He crosses his arms.274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJuj8c8UEco
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.274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE3KofRRydp
"Amber, is everything alright?" Kendall asks.274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2WaycxsI4N
Amber sighs, setting her knife aside. "Everything is just peachy."274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnA9N1IHkoB
"What? Did you see that I was right after all?" Daan grins.274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUS7ucVIxQj
"Actually you were just as wrong as I was. He died of congestive heart failure."274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡad3VRTnk5B
He frowns. "Well that's no fun. And how are we deciding dinner tonight then?"274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUyNIruoD3S
"I would say either left over spaghetti at home or you can take me out for steak and lobster."274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqRsumxDSjs
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?"274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoCIubS1Vwi
"Yes, Chief."274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJPNW5BErgR
Gretchen looks at Gregory. "And that means no bending any rules either."274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3JhfinkBEE
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. "274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJQZ5coRiAY
McIntosh elbows Gregory silently.274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKVu6XJzsdR
"But like I said, we will try our hardest to stick within your rules, Chief Tushingham."274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxav2LlMWWv
Tushingham nods, satisfied. "Good." She then turns towards the lift. "Come along, Ian. Show me that office you had mentioned."274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFtPXHDDE62
"Alright." He nods, following her.274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTc65QeJGZ0
Gregory watches them go and shakes his head. "I think we'll wait and take the lift after they're off."274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVepWbynzJG
"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.274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCTUS1HlTRU
"Watch? Take legible notes? Hit up a vending machine?" He shrugs. "Don't know yet. I may still go have a talk with Simon."274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPZawGVY09a
"But Gregory—"274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEfMEh6oAsu
"Just a talk, I swear!"274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDxyvbRXZr0
Kendall doesn't look convinced. "Still don't think it's a good idea."
274Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgnARvne52y
