Lewis was working on his report when Hathaway returned.

"Did he confess?"

"Not saying a word, but Innocent feels we have enough evidence against him for charges of assault with fatal consequences. He'll have trouble getting out of that, no matter how silent he remains."

Hathaway sat down. "I hope so."

Lewis looked up, but Hathaway sat with his back turned to him, switching on his screen to start his own report.

"How's Miss Tubbs holding up?"

Hathaway stiffened slightly. "Considerably well. I think she's still suffering from shock though, too numb to grieve for her lost love yet."

Lewis nodded, he knew the feeling only too well. A moment later his gaze fell on the display of his phone and he realized how late it was.

"You know, reports can wait. Innocent wants them tomorrow, but she didn't say she wants them first thing in the morning. Let's go for a pint. I'll pay."

Hathaway hadn't started his report yet, only stared at the blank screen. Now he turned the monitor off again.

"I can't say no to you offering to pay."

Lewis approached the table with two pints and sat one down in front of Hathaway before taking the seat opposite his colleague.

"Something's bothering you," he stated.

Hathaway didn't comment but picked up his glass and drank a mouthful of beer. Lewis didn't press him, he knew his Sergeant well enough not to. He picked up his own beer and waited.

After a couple of minutes of silence Hathaway spoke up. "Do you think Ingelsham would have reacted the same way if he had been dumped for another man?"

The question caught Lewis off guard, he hadn't expected anything like it. "I don't know, maybe. But I can't look into his head. He's got a huge ego, whether it got hurt especially because Miss Martin fell in love with another girl, I cannot say. I threw accusations like that at him but he didn't take the bait so I honestly don't know." He studied Hathaway's face. "You think she would still be alive if it had been a man."

Hathaway didn't answer, not with words. But his eyes confirmed Lewis's statement. Once again it made Lewis wonder about his Sergeant's sexuality for a moment before he dismissed the thought. He'd said it before and it was still true: It was none of his business.

"You could have gone to your band practice after all. Someone else could have brought Miss Tubbs in for her good bye."

Hathaway shook his head. "No, I needed to do this myself. It was worth missing the practice for."

It was the last word they spoke about the case that evening. Hathaway excused himself after finishing his pint and Lewis didn't try to talk him into a second round. Instead he went home, too. He felt tired. Tired of playing the same old game day in, day out. But as tired as he was of it at times, he wouldn't want it any other way either. It seemed to be the one constant in his life. The game stayed the same, only the players changed with every round he played.

~ FIN ~