On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me... Two Christmas dinners

Julie stared at the cold oven. It was dark when it was switched off, which was how she was used to seeing it. It was also surprising big, when you looked closely at it, bigger than she had thought it was. Good thing really. She looked up at the large object that was supposed to go in it – pale, mottled and very dead, it was hard to imagine it had ever been a bird. Think turkey, she told herself, not autopsy.

She sighed and picked up her phone. As much as it galled her to ask, she needed help.

And a whole Scott & Bailey family

Gill had worked for nearly a whole peaceful hour when the office door banged, signalling the first arrival of her team. She peered over her computer terminal and caught Rachel stumbling in, trailing scarf and handbag and clutching her head. Rough. Still, she was in early. Still keen. Or showing off. Gill waited for Rachel to look up, met her eyes with a cool nod, and enjoyed the way Rachel ducked and tried to smooth her hair, hide her confusion. Then she waited for the peremptory knock and the oddly awkward, studiously casual, 'Err, do you want a coffee Boss?'


I should also say that each of the stories are completely separate and may exist at different points in time, even in different S&B universes. But what is happening in Story 1 (for example) will continue throughout all 12 chapters. I do hope this makes sense.