Disclaimer I don't own Hinterland / Y Gwyll. BBC Wales and S4C own all. No copyright infringement is intended nor should be inferred. Please review.

1.

Tom loosened his tie as he stared at the board Lloyd had spent so long putting together. He hated that there had been two murders and they were still no closer to finding the killer than they had been when the first victim had been found.

"Morning." He smiled as he heard Mared arrive. She shrugged her coat off as he turned to face her. She smiled slightly as he looked at her. His lips twitched into a half smile as he remembered the previous night in the caravan. Their new relationship was still a secret; Mared determined not to have his authority as their DCI undermined if the others found out about them.

"Hi."

"Sorry I'm late. Had to drop Elin at school. It's her GCSE maths today. Didn't want her being late." She explained as Lloyd and Siân walked in.

"Yuca fi maths." Siân pulled a face. "Kid has my sympathy."

"She's good at maths. I know what you mean though. Doesn't get it from me." Mared smiled. "My brother probably."

"Hope she's ok." Lloyd wiped his glasses as Tom pulled a face.

"Hello? Two dead women." He nodded towards the board. "Wendy Shepherd and Bethan Lloyd."

"Wendy." Mared stared at the picture of the dark haired woman smiling back at her. "Aged 38. Single. Never married, no children. Worked in the medical centre. Found dead last week." She sighed.

"Bethan Jane Lloyd, 42." Tom continued. "Again single, good job, no kids. Researcher at the university. Found dead in the lanes behind me he shops in town last night."

"Cause of death?" Siân asked. "Are they the same?"

"Waiting for Rhodri to get back to us on that but yeah, it looks like it." He ran a hand over his face. "He's running a tox screen too. Until then we can assume that both were killed by the same person." Tom stated firmly.

"Bodies were in the same condition when they were found." Mared spoke calmly. "Similar age and appearance and had good jobs."

"Yeah, maybe he had a type?" Lloyd shrugged. Tom nodded.

"Right- overtime has been sanctioned so I'm guessing you all want it? Prosser is on the warpath over this and honestly, I can see why."

"Sir." Siân and Lloyd glanced at each other. Mared sighed.

"Elin's ski trip won't pay for itself." She sighed as Tom smiled slightly. He knew she wanted her teenage daughter to have everything she hadn't. She'd been a mum at the age Elin was now. She wanted her daughter's to have the opportunity she had never had. He told Siân and Lloyd to talk to the victims' families, waiting until they had left before catching Mared's hand.

"Tom?"

"Be careful,"

"Excuse me?" She smiled slightly. He held her gaze.

"We don't know who is doing this. We do know that they are seriously twisted. Sick. And they have a type. Professional, intelligent women. Similar age to you and beautiful." She blushed as he held her hand. "Please, just humour me. Ok?"

"Tom." She held his gaze.

"I've lost everything good in my life, Mared Rhys. I can't lose you too." His voice was low, almost intimate as she squeezed his hand.

"I'll be careful." She held his gaze. "For you. And Elin. Ok?" He dipped his head, nodding as she pulled back blushing. Tom frowned for a second, realising Prosser had walked into the office. Mared straightened up, picking up her jacket she headed past the older man.

"Sir?" Tom shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Any closer?" Prosser asked. Mared looked away. Tom shrugged.

"We're getting there." Tom answered before grabbing his car keys and ushering Mared out of the office.

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