So excited to see positive responses already! This is very much an experiment for me in terms of genre, so it should be a fun time for you and me! Without further ado, enjoy!
Dobby's Polka-Dotted Sock
Chapter Two
"I just can't believe he's dead," said Ranjit, Rory Williams' boss at the hospital. They were walking down one of the many antiseptic scented corridors, heading for the nurses' lockers.
"Yes, well, neither can his wife. That's why I'm here." He briefly flashed his PI license, and the other man blinked.
"Amy thinks there's something funny going on? I heard the police had stopped looking, but nothing about how they found his body."
"They didn't," he answered curtly, pushing open the door and striding down the row of lockers, looking for his client's husband's name.
"So they just decided he was dead?" Ranjit was incredulous. "If they hadn't let you in at the front desk, I would've snuck you in the back! That just isn't right, Rory deserves better."
"I'm glad you think so." He spotted the name at last. "Key?" The man handed him a key ring, with one of them singled out from the rest. He took care to grab that one, and then turned it in the lock.
Rory Williams was a tidy man, from the looks of his locker. A couple pairs of scrubs sat in the locker, neatly folded; a clipboard with some notes about various patients and their care was laid on top; on the inside of the locker door a single magnet held up a picture of the man in question—so he assumed—with his arms wrapped around a much happier Amy Pond—or Williams, he still hadn't quite worked out which was really her name. Mr. Williams had short, fair hair and a disproportionately large nose. Something to keep in mind, then.
Unfortunately, none of this gave any hints as to his whereabouts, alive or dead. He shut the locker and turned back to Ranjit. "How would you describe his behavior of late? Anything unusual?"
The other man shook his head after a moment. "No, I wouldn't say so. Same old Rory, really. We had a patient in a couple nights before that was pretty badly hurt—still unconscious—so he was a bit worried about that, but nothing out of the ordinary."
"You say the patient was hurt. Not an accident?" He surmised, and Ranjit looked surprised he'd been able to guess. "Any connection between the two of them?"
"No, don't think so. At least Rory didn't say to me."
"I don't suppose you'd give me the patient's information?" When Ranjit shook his head with a grimace, he knew the answer. "And I'm guessing the police already have the CCTV footage."
"Yeah, I can't release it to you. Sorry, I wish I could help Amy more."
"Well, you've helped me as much as you could. Thank you, Ranjit."
"You're welcome, er—"
"The Doctor," he supplied, on the way out of the locker room.
Ranjit pulled a face. "Bit of an odd name to use while poking around a hospital, mate."
"I don't have the luxury of picking cases that suit my name," was all he said in reply. He then handed over his card. "Do give the number on there a call if you remember anything pertaining to Mr. Williams' disappearance."
"Sure." Ranjit showed him out of the hospital, and he made his way through the car park to where he'd left the beautiful rental. Now that the preliminary work had been done, it was time to drop by to visit his favorite DI.
OoO
"I was wondering when you'd be in," Kate Stewart remarked as he threw the door open without knocking. "Clara called."
"I know," he said. "Just getting some basic facts straight before I came in." She nodded to the chair in front of her desk and he dropped into it. "Now then, the Williams Case."
"Hm," she flipped open a file for a moment, scanned it, and then said, "Male nurse, missing for a week, no body, case closed." She looked up. "What about it?"
"Why'd you close it?" He fixed her with a stern gaze, but she shook her head.
"It's no use scolding me; that decision came from higher authority. The DCS herself."
He sat up straighter at this pronouncement. "Oh really? Who is the DCS these days, maybe we ought to have a chat. Honestly, you people haven't been able to keep someone in that position since—"
"Since you gave Harriet Jones that nervous breakdown," she reminded, and he had the grace to avoid her gaze for a moment. "You've never been able to get within ten feet of that office after that."
"Well, not like I'd want to anyway," he muttered, digging at her carpet with the toe of one boot.
"So what has you so intrigued by the Williams Case? I'll admit, I'd like to look into it more myself, but as it is my hands are tied."
"Ah, but mine are not! I've been hired by his would-be widow, I'm sure you talked to her."
She nodded, obviously recalling the redhead. "Briefly, yes. Seems a nice woman, felt sorry for her."
"Yes, well she was quick to drop the married name," he confided in her, and Kate raised an eyebrow.
"Anything else you can tell me?"
"Probably not, although I'd love to take a look at any CCTV footage you collected from around the hospital the night he disappeared." The hopeful look on his face dropped at her shaking head.
"It's been confiscated, closed case. It's more than a little odd, I'll give you that," she acknowledged.
"Yes, why the hasty dropping of the case? Surely the DCS doesn't feel you've got too many, or that it would be a waste of resources to spend a little more time. What is it about a missing nurse that has everything so hush-hush?"
Kate shrugged. "I did look at the footage myself, and all I can tell you is that Rory Williams left the hospital, walked toward the car park, and disappeared while he was in a blind spot for the cameras."
"So somebody knew just where to wait for him and attack," he made the leap and she nodded.
"If he has been attacked, that is. There was no blood or any other evidence, so it likely wasn't a simple mugging. More likely, if it was sinister, an abduction. But with no ransom notice, it's hard to believe he's still alive."
They were grim words and he had no answers, so he changed the subject. "His car?"
"Clean, no suspicious items or fingerprints. No sign of a break-in. He simply didn't make it to his vehicle. And it's been impounded."
"So the wife told me. Speaking of which, does she have an alibi?"
"Isn't she your client?" She asked wryly, but at his pointed look she held up a hand. "I understand; better to prove her innocent now than to find her guilty later. She was at a photo-shoot late, several witnesses."
"A model?" He guessed in interest. It wasn't too surprising considering the redhead's rather pleasing appearance, but still something to note.
"Fairly successful, too. Has a line of perfume out, some nature word about rain—" A sharp rap sounded on the door and they both turned to look. "Come in!"
DS Owens opened the door and leaned in. "We got a call from someone saying they've got—" the man's eyes landed on him in the chair. "Oh, you're here. That's weird."
"Hi, Craig," he decided to state politely all the same.
"But I meant good-weird. I mean, not that you're normally bad-weird, but—"
"Owens," Kate interrupted before Craig could stammer away too much. "The call?"
"Right. Said they had information on the Williams Case, and that they'd only speak to him," the man pointed at him, causing Kate to arch an eyebrow.
"Oh?"
"Yeah. He's to meet them. But it's at Maldovar's place."
"Dorium Maldovar's?" Kate repeated. "That's out of our jurisdiction."
"Interesting," he commented, a hand to his chin.
"I don't like it," she said. "Whoever they were could've easily called your mobile or your office. Either they're taunting us or trying to scare you; showing they can predict your movements."
"Oh I am unpredictable, Kate," he countered. "Still, this is certainly the only lead I've got, so I'd have to follow it either way. Did they say anything else, Craig?"
The man shifted a bit uncomfortably. "No. I mean, it was just stupid anyway, but they—never mind, forget it."
"DS Owens," Kate reprimanded calmly, "Nothing pertaining to a case is stupid. What else did they say?"
Craig shifted one more time and looked at the floor as he answered, "To give him a kiss."
He drew a breath in and released it, standing up and fixing his bowtie. "Well, let's have it, Craig."
The other man looked up in shock. "What? You're not serious!"
"No, but it was a good one, eh? Now then, I'd best drive over to Maldovar's bar if I want to meet this person."
"I still don't like it," Kate remarked.
"Yes, but as you so wisely pointed out, it's out of your jurisdiction and part of a case your boss on high has closed. Still, I suppose Craig could follow me in a car to the edge of your little sphere of authority."
"I've got loads of paperwork piling up," Craig jerked a thumb in the general vicinity of his desk.
But Kate cut across with a smile, "What an unusually responsible suggestion, Doctor. I'm sure the DS can make time to do just that."
Craig sighed in defeat. "Yes, ma'am." The man left, presumably to grab his keys.
He made to follow after, but Kate's voice stopped him. "Try and be careful. There's nothing I can do if you get into trouble out there."
He looked back at her over his shoulder. "Oh come now, you know that won't do anything."
"Yes, but now I can say to myself that I tried," she replied, and he laughed.
"Keep up the good work, Kate," he said, and exited the office. Craig was waiting for him at the front entrance. "Don't look so glum, Craig, you're not the one going to meet a mysterious someone in a questionable establishment. Speaking of which, anyone in particular I'm to ask for when I get there?"
"They gave a name," the other man told him as they walked out into the sunlight. "We ran it through, but didn't find any plausible matches, so it's probably an alias."
"Can't have enough of those, it seems," he commented. They'd reached his rental now, which clearly impressed Craig, and he opened the door but didn't get in. "What's this one?"
Craig had continued on to the police car he drove and turned before sliding in to answer, "Melody Malone."
So the Doctor's going to meet with a certain someone. Naturally you all know who, but that's for next chapter. I hope I've raised some questions and incorporated some favorite characters for you all to enjoy. Thanks so much for reading and please review!
