Chapter 1

The first few chapters will be lifted from the series with my editorial notes around the scenes. Let's be honest series 8 was not their best work. Let's see if I can make it better.

He sat at the table reading the newspaper. It would undoubtedly be the highlight of his day. He didn't want to think about the stupid canoe sitting on the patio, mocking him. The directions had seemed so simple, even a child could do it.

He laughed to himself; perhaps that was what he should do with Jack. Let him put the damn thing together. Feet on the stairs drew his attention, he looked over to see Laura coming down. He returned to his newspaper, trying to look enthralled, hoping she wouldn't see his melancholy.

"I might have a go at the canoe today. Get it ready for Jack's half term."

She smiled to herself as she looked over his shoulder, "Good at swimming is he?"

He shook his head, accepting the teasing which was becoming decidedly less cordial, "It's gonna float."

Tightening the scarf around her neck, she tightened her lips, "Hmmm."

He looked up at her, "It is."

Laura wrapped her arm around his neck. She inhaled deeply, calmed by his scent. "Well good luck to her and all that sail in her. I've got an autopsy to go to. I'll see you tonight."

Turning into her, trying to catch a whiff of her perfume, he lowered his voice. "Try and enjoy your work."

She nuzzled against him, "Hmmm, will do." A lingering kiss to his cheek and she was gone.

He watched her, envious she had somewhere to go, something to do. He stared back at the canoe on the patio, "Right then."

He'd spent the last twenty minutes silently, occasionally not so silently, cursing the instructions. He'd followed them to the letter and each time the canoe would fall apart. He'd used the last of the wood glue and would be forced to go out and buy more.

The ringing phone was the only thing that kept him from chucking the piece of wood across the patio. He wiped his hands then grumpily answered the phone, "Hello." A voice he hadn't heard in months filled the line. Well, he'd heard the voice, she was after all one of Laura's best friends. He just hadn't heard the officious version of it. He quickly fell into his old routine, "Oh hello ma'am."

They'd bought coffee and walked along the river exchanging pleasantries. Not really necessary as they saw each other quite regularly in social settings but he knew this wasn't social. They didn't do things together without Laura.

"Ma'am." She looked at him, surprised by him not using her name, "I know this isn't a social call."

She rolled her eyes, not sure how she thought he wouldn't know she wanted something, "Come back."

"What?"

Turning to him she met his gaze, "A one year contract, flexible hours, you can't dismiss that out of hand."

Looking out at the river, his mind running wild. Could he go back, did he want to go back? Shaking his head, it wouldn't do to let her know how eager he was, "Yes, I can. It's the whole point of retirement." He paused for a moment wondering how it would work, "Besides I'd be treading on people's toes."

She smiled knowing he was hooked, "Well if by people you mean James, then he's the one asking for this. We're desperate for experienced manpower."

Robbie's head snapped back to her, a skeptical look on his features, "Really?"

Jean forced herself not to smile. She knew she'd won this battle now to win the war, "He's already driven himself into the ground. And, as of an hour ago, he's got his first murder."

The scull pulling through the water easily seeming to mock his own personal failure. Policing seemed to be the only thing he was good at, "I don't know."

Jean shrugged her shoulders as if she didn't care, "Listen, what are your plans for this afternoon?"

He looked at her unsure, "After this?" He drained his cup, mustn't let her know how excited he was about her offer, "I'm going to the hardware store. I need some waterproof glue."

Jean almost laughed at his feigned indifference, "Exciting!" Tilting her head she fixed him with her best gaze, "Alternatively, you could figure out why a neurosurgeon has a bullet in his head."

Laura was crouched over a body when she heard a familiar set of footsteps. She looked up and smiled, "Here he is, what happened to you on Friday?"

Looking sheepish he smiled down at her, "I tried to make it but work got in the way."

She stood, walking toward him with a knowing smile, "It'll do that if you let it." Pausing she fixed him with a glare, a hint of anger peeking through at the way he'd hurt Robbie, "He's looking forward to a catch up."

James hung his head, he didn't need her to say who "he" was. Softly, "How is he?"

Shrugging she smiled, letting him off the hook, "A man of leisure, seems to be in his element." Smirking at him she held out her hand, "Have a look then." James dug in his pocket, pulled out his new warrant card and handed it to her. Smiling up at him, "DI Hathaway, congratulations." Leaning forward she pulled him down to kiss both cheeks. As she handed the leather holder back to him she smirked, "I knew you'd be back. Once a copper always a copper."

He shrugged, "Yes, well…"

Knowing she'd embarrassed him she turned back to the body, "Right, from the hypostasis I'd say he's not been dead much more than 2 hours. Bullet entered the side of the skull here, but it's not exited. So it was traveling at a low velocity by the time it hit. Sniper at long range possibly?"

James looked around the clearing trying to see where a sniper might have perched, "Any chance of the postmortem results this afternoon? I need the bullet intact." He looked down at her and noticed the turbulent look on her face. He tried to give her a baleful look, hoping her fondness for Robbie would carry over to him, "If possible."

Knowing exactly what he was doing she huffed. Best to put him in his place from the start, "I give all of my DIs three strikes. Try not to use them all up on your first investigation."

He sighed a small smile passing across his face. Of course she wouldn't give him a pass, "Message received."

He climbed out of the small valley and looked back at her. She'd already gone back to work over the body. She'd put him in his place, something he likely needed. But it wasn't the same. Even with her here, he wasn't sure he could do this.

The interview had gone well enough. Maddox wasn't as bad as the last few DSs he'd been saddled with. He wondered briefly if this was how Robbie had felt about him on their first investigation.

He stared out the window of the widow's cottage and saw something he thought he'd never see again, Robbie Lewis walking up to an investigation. For a moment, relief swept through him at the appearance of his slightly rumpled yet oddly comforting figure.

As he pushed through the door his relief was replaced by annoyance, why was Robbie here? Robbie smiled at him, "Good morning Detective Inspector. So what have we got?"