A/N: I seriously, seriously do not know why I'm updating this except that I already had half a chapter sitting on my desktop for the last year or so, and FitchSwitch just read the rest of this story and informed me that I have to finish it (which I don't promise at all). At any rate, I know there probably isn't any interest in this anymore, but I'm posting a chapter anyway.
Disclaimer: I don't own Skins or the characters.
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"I want to bring Harriet in and charge her."
"Evenin' CP Freds, sir, fancy seeing you around these parts," Cook greets his old friend with mock formality.
Freddie rolls his eyes. Ever since he'd decided to become a Crown Prosecutor, Cook had given him shit for it. "Cook, we had drinks last week. I met you here. We live two streets over from each other."
"Yeah, but you're busy with all that legalese stuff now, ain't ya?" Cook replies.
"Hey, Freddie," Katie interjects, crossing over to give Freddie a kiss on the cheek before handing over the M.E. report to Cook, and sitting back.
"Hey, Katie," Freddie greets her warmly. "I think we should charge Harriet."
Katie frowns. "I think it's premature."
"Look at who the victims are! Her boyfriend who she had arguments with all the time, a student she couldn't fucking stand, and now the man who replaced her as headmaster," Freddie reasons. "She started with Doug because he was the closest to home, the easiest to get her hands on. She knew his habits. Once she got the taste of blood she decided to go after the other people she held grudges against!"
"There's a certain logic to that," Naomi interjects. She'd wondered into the room just as Freddie was beginning his explanation of things, and it had taken her a second to get over the shock of seeing how the tall, thin boy she'd once known had filled out and become a man.
"Naomi!" Freddie's face lights up when he turns to see her standing there. "I'd heard you were working with us, but I didn't believe it!" He wraps her in a tight hug, overwhelming her a bit.
She pats him hesitantly on the back. "Freddie McClair. Not someone I ever thought I'd see in the legal profession, I have to admit."
"What, but Cook you believe?"
Naomi's face breaks into a grin, and she glances at Cook. "Not really."
Freddie looks Naomi over. She'sstillbeautiful, he thinks, butshelookssotired.
"Anyway, you look good," Naomi offers, for once not just because she's sure it's expected of her.
"Still no idea of what weapon caused the injury to the head?" Cook asks, his eyes grazing over the report in his hands. "So we've got not fucking clue what this guy's stabbing them with, and now no idea what he's hitting them with?"
"That about sums it up," Katie confirms with a frown.
"You are going to love me," Effy announces, making her way through the desks.
Katie catches herself just before she says, "I already do." She swallows hard at the emotion that's suddenly overwhelmed her, pushing it back down so she can focus on her work. Nonetheless she finds herself automatically smiling like a fool at her girlfriend, so much happier just from her presence.
"Hello, Freds," Effy kisses Freddie on her way past before coming to a stop beside Katie and wrapping her arm around her girlfriend. "I know what the murder weapon is. One of them at least."
"Well? Don't leave us in suspense Ef," Cook urges impatiently.
Effy reaches past Katie to the back of her chair, grabs the silk scarf hanging there, and presents it with a flourish. "Tada."
"A scarf?" Cook scoffs.
"A silk scarf. High quality. JJ found a fibre on David Blood's neck, sent it to me for analysis. I examined bruise patterns and compared them to different scarves, and silk scarves had the most similarity. That with the fabric match. We should be able to match it if we find a scarf to compare it to. Maybe not the exact scarf, but narrow it down at least."
Katie kissed Effy full on the lips in excitement. Finally a fucking break. She didn't care that they were at work. "You are amazing."
Effy shrugged and grinned smugly. "I know."
"So the killer's definitely a woman, then," Cook says.
"Or likes to wear women's scarves," Katie counters.
"Or simply has access to women's scarves," Naomi adds. "The leverage with the scarf though would make it easier for someone of smaller stature to strangle victims bigger and stronger than him or her. Makes female even more plausible. She could even use her arms as better leverage for pinning his upper body all the while tightening the fabric around the victim's neck and cutting off their air supply."
"So search Harriet's house. If she's got silk scarves, bring her in," Freddie instructs, pushing off the desk he's leaning on and making to leave. "I've got to get back. Got research on a case going to trial tomorrow to finish up. Keep me informed, please."
"Right. See you, mate," Cook waves him off.
"We'll call you, Freds," Katie offers as the others say their goodbyes.
"I still don't think Harriet did it," Cook mutters once Freddie's gone.
Katie frowns. "I'm not convinced either, but she's our only viable suspect."
"So how about you take me out on a special, 'thank you for getting us a lead' date tonight?" Effy suggests with a grin.
"I suppose I could manage that," Katie replies, feeling familiar butterflies well up in her stomach at the thought of being alone with Effy. "But I actually have a favour to ask of you in return."
"Oh?" Effy probes.
"Family dinner tomorrow. My dad did say you were invited, and, well, I don't want to face my mum alone," Katie admits softly, aware that Miss All-seeing, All-analysing, Forensic Psychologist Campbell is lingering nearby, and Cook's apt to take the piss if he overhears, even though Katie's fully aware that he's afraid of Jenna, too.
Effy kisses Katie softly. "I'd love to."
Katie breathes a sigh of relief.
"You should go, too, Naomikins! Jenna'd really pay Katie no mind if you showed up!" Cook teases.
Katie rolls her eyes. So much for Cook not overhearing.
"I think I'd rather poke my own eye out with a stick, thanks," Naomi replies. "And I'm pretty sure, I'm not invited," she adds, not wanting to wonder why that causes a small pang of pain in her chest. Noattachments, she reminds herself.
Cook shrugs. "Shame, that. I'd fucking pay to see Jenna's reaction to you being back, man."
Katie shivers at the prospect. Her mother would likely go ballistic. They'd probably end up with another murderer on their hands.
"Cook, go be cunt somewhere else," Effy instructs, sensing the tension in her girlfriend.
Cook sighs dramatically, but wonders off to do some paperwork nonetheless.
Again the words, "I love you," bubble up and threaten to slip out of Katie's lips. She pushes them down and settles for kissing Effy again. "Right, I should get back to work."
"Going to get Harriet then?" Effy asks.
Katie nods. "We've got to tie up a few loose ends here, then we'll head over to search her place. Bet she'll react wonderfully to that," Katie comments sarcastically.
"That's the job, babe," Effy reminds gently, knowing full well that Katie's never forgotten. She places a soothing kiss on her girlfriend's cheek before heading back to the lab. She's got a job of her own to do, after all.
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"You have no right –"
"Actually, we have every right," Katie cuts Harriet off.
"We're the police, remember?" Cook adds with a smile.
"I'll be having words with whoever decided to hire you lot! I remember the trouble you caused, James Cook! If you're setting me up in retaliation –"
"Sorry to disappoint, Ms. Lawes, but you wouldn't even be top of my list of retaliation, and we don't work like that," Cook replies.
"I demand to know what you're looking for!" Harriet asks, hovering just over Katie's shoulder as she examines the contents of the first closet she finds.
It's full of coats, a few heavy-weight scarves, and an assortment of boots at the bottom. No lightweight silk scarves.
"Ms. Lawes, if you will just step aside and let us search, then we'll be out of your hair that much faster," Katie suggests, knowing better than to think that Harriet will actually follow her advice.
"Step aside? Let you search?" Harriet echoes, voice full of outrage. "I am NOT just going to let you ransack my house looking for God knows what so that you can plant evidence and so that James Cook can steal my valuables."
"I assure you, we will not remove anything that is not evidence, and if you are cleared you will get all of it back," Katie tries to calm her again as she heads down the hallway towards what she suspects is the bedroom.
"You can't go in there!" Harriet moves to block her path as Katie reaches for the door handle.
"Ms. Lawes, I think you'll find that I can and I will," Katie replies, starting to lose her patience.
"I absolutely refuse to let you go traipsing around my bedroom. That's private!"
"Ms. Lawes, I really do need you to step aside, please," Cook says standing firm just behind Katie. If Harriet's trying this hard to stop them, maybe she does have something to hide. Then again, people are rarely forthcoming when they search their houses.
"No!" Harriet stands defiantly, chin raised, and arms crossed across her chest.
"Ms. Lawes, we are going to check that room, one way or another," Katie informs her, fully prepared to be just as stubborn as Harriet. She has a job to do, and a crazy ex-headmistress is not going to stop her from doing it.
Harriet glares, but reluctantly moves just enough to the side that Katie can squeeze through.
"James Cook, don't you dare go in there. I will not have you rifling through my knickers," Harriet challenges him as he steps forward.
Katie glances back over her shoulder at him and nods. He can stay out. She'll handle the bedroom.
Cook steps back and takes in Harriet. She's gotten older, he can see now that he's studying her up close. Dark bags under her eyes indicate that she hasn't been sleeping well of late, either. Is that because she's been out strangling people with silk scarves at night? Or because she's been up grieving her on-again/off-again boyfriend? Cook would bet money on the latter, but he has to follow the evidence, even if his hunches always seem to take him far. Even he has to admit that they didn't have any other viable suspects.
"Bingo!" Katie calls from the bedroom. She appears back in the doorway dangling a silk scarf from each gloved hand.
Cook nods. He knows what's coming next will not go over well with Harriet. "Ms. Lawes, please turn around and place your hands on the wall. You are under arrest for the murders of Douglas Sparrow, Crispin Montgomery, and David Blood," Cook begins his spiel.
"David Blood? That bastard who they replaced me with at Roundview?" Harriet demands, not turning around, her surprise seeming genuine enough.
"Ms. Lawes, please turn around and place your hands on the wall," he repeats.
"I will do no such thing! This is ridiculous! You have no proof!" Harriet replies.
"Ms. Lawes, we can do this the hard way, or the easy way," Cook sighs. Pleaseletitbetheeasyway, he adds in his head.
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"Heard you had quite a time getting Harriet in," Effy greets Katie with a smirk and a kiss on the cheek.
Katie rolls her eyes. "To say she was uncooperative would be an understatement," she replies.
"Well, at least you don't have the developing shiner that Cook's got," Effy says.
"News really does travel ridiculously fast here," Katie remarks, unable to keep the grin from her lips. In all fairness to Harriet, Katie really doesn't think that she intended to elbow Cook in the eye, but it is definitely going to leave a bruise regardless. "Made any more progress on that wound track?"
"All I seem to be able to do is rule things out. I can't seem to rule anything in. Look," Effy says, moving to where she has several photographs and a few moulds of the wound set up, "it's almost square. The closest I've come so far is one brand of knife sharpener, but that would have left some sort of residue in the wound besides the dirt that JJ found. Small particles of metal or something."
"What about some sort of industrial tool? There must be square ones, right?"
"I've found a few, but either the size is wrong, they have a point, which the wound track does not, or they have some other marking that just doesn't fit. And again I'd expect to find some sort of metal residue on most tools," Effy shakes her head.
Katie slips her arm around Effy's waist, aware of the tension and frustration her girlfriend is feeling. "You'll figure it out, babes. I know you will."
"I'm running out of options," Effy replies pulling Katie a little closer and taking comfort in her support.
"Well then you're bound to find the right one soon, right?" Katie says with a grin.
Effy smiles. "Yeah. I guess so."
"Get a room," Emily moans from behind them.
"We weren't even kissing!" Katie protests, turning a glare on her sister.
"You don't have to. You're being all ridiculously lovey-dovey and whatnot," Emily waves her sister's complaint away.
Katie stiffens slightly at the word 'love'. It echoes around her head and threatens to spill from her tongue. She moves away from Effy and crosses to her sister instead, straightening her clothes under the guise of being professional, although she can't help worry that her all-seeing girlfriend will see through the act and know it's really that she's flustered. "So, Ems, you have anything useful for us, then?"
"Sorry. DNA at all crime scenes is still coming up to a gazillion perfectly innocent individuals. Or at least individuals who are perfectly innocent of these crimes. There has been no trace of Harriet or Kieran at any of the crime scenes."
"Kieran is a ridiculous suspect. Stop pretending that he's a real one," Naomi says, her voice ringing out clear and strong around the lab.
Emily stiffens instantly. She swallows hard, trying to compose herself. She's just not used to having Naomi around again. She briefly thinks that maybe Naomi would be open to the idea of wearing a bell somewhere on her person so that Emily will at least have advanced notice of her showing up, and then realises that she's being ridiculous.
"Of course, Naomi. None of us really believe that he's a killer. I was just saying –" Emily begins.
"Get off your high horse, Campbell. You know as well as I do that we have to follow every lead, personal feelings aside," Katie cuts in.
"There's the Katie I knew and..." Naomi fades out, unable to find a suitable verb. Loved certainly doesn't fit, but hated doesn't either, really.
Katie rolls her eyes. "Whatever." She turns back to Emily. "What about epithelials on the scarves we brought you from Harriet's?"
"Won't have DNA back on them for a while," Emily replies apologetically.
Katie nods. "Let us know."
Emily looks back at Naomi, hating the way that her heart skips a beat as she finds those sharp blue eyes watching her. "Did you need something?" she inquires in a curt, but polite voice. She can't afford to deal with emotions at work. Not when there's a serial killer on the loose.
Naomi glances away, years of practicing emotional control the only thing keeping her cheeks from flushing at having been caught staring. "I was looking for Katie, actually. We're going to start interviewing Harriet in a minute. I was hoping you'd conduct the interview instead of Cook. I think she'll be more receptive to you."
Katie's eyes widen in surprise, then she reminds herself to be professional and nods, trying not to act as shocked as she feels. "Yeah. Sure. Be down in a minute."
"Thanks," Naomi replies. She finds herself unable to resist another glance Emily's way, and finds curious brown eyes looking back at her. Beautiful, brown eyes. Familiar brown eyes that produce a slight stabbing of pain somewhere in her chest that she's sure they shouldn't, and that she knows they shouldn't at work. She pushes the feeling away, and nods politely in Emily's direction and then Effy's. "I'll be seeing you ladies soon, I'm sure," she says. "Please keep us apprised of any new developments."
"We will," Effy replies with a quick glance at Emily who has her mouth open, but can't quite seem to make coherent words come out. "See you later."
Naomi's eyes flicker back across Emily's face, dropping to her lips against her will, then she turns on her heels and leaves before she can do anything else stupid.
"Guess I should go with her, really," Katie sighs.
"See if you can't get a confession and close this case," Effy encourages, stepping towards her girlfriend and pulling her in for a quick kiss, ignoring the small groan of protest from Emily.
"I would if I really thought she did it," Katie replies.
Effy nods. "I don't think she did either. Maybe she'll give you a clue as to who did, though. Maybe Naomi can help."
"Let's hope so," Katie agrees. "You all right, Ems?" she asks. She didn't miss the effect that Naomi had had on her sister, and she doesn't like that Naomi already seems to have gotten back under her skin.
"Yeah. Fine," Emily replies, the picture of professionalism once more. "I'll text you as soon as the DNA from the scarves comes in."
"Thanks," Katie says, then shows herself out, leaving Effy and Emily to get back to work.
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Please hit that little button and drop me a few lines about what you thought/if you're still reading/if anyone apart from the two people I KNOW will read this chapter is actually reading it/stuff like that? It will make my day (and I really need a new day after a rather shitty/depressing/funeral filled weekend).
Thanks for reading.
xx
