Disclaimer: I do not own Rookie Blue or any of the characters….

Thanks for all the lovely reviews. It was so great to hear from readers and I got the real sense you want me to continue with this story. That said a whole bunch of people stopped following so clearly I can't please all of the people all of the time. Nonetheless thanks to everyone who continues to read, fav and follow.

I'm returning to work next week after quite a long holiday so the updates for this and Elusive will probably be a little less frequent.

This chapter we find out what's bugging Frankie, and Elaine's response to the complaint against Gail is a little more nuanced than perhaps expected. Hope you enjoy.As always, I love to know what you think –so leave a review :)

….

'Looks like you're having a worse day than me,' Frankie deadpanned as she and Gail watched Elaine advance down the corridor towards them.

Gail jerked her head away from the sight of her impending doom, in the form of her mother, and looked at Frankie. 'Yeah, what is with that?' she asked.

'Doesn't matter. And don't worry I've got your back.' Frankie muttered as Elaine finally arrived in front of them.

'Why is it, Detective Peck, that I spend half my working life putting out fires for you,' Elaine said. The words were confrontational, but strangely Elaine's tone held no bite.

'Nothing better to do?' Gail suggested facetiously. She kicked herself internally. Why was it she allowed her mother to bring out her most immature side? But then again how was it that Elaine had this knack of making her feel like she was fifteen again and a fuck-up? All it took was a word or a look from the Superintendent.

It was something Gail's therapist had asked her to address. If Gail wanted Elaine to take her seriously, Leslie suggested, then perhaps that was the level at which she needed to engage with her mother. Gail had rolled her eyes and told Leslie it wasn't that easy, that sometimes Elaine was so overbearing and her exPecktations so ludicrous, flippancy was the only sane response. Leslie had urged Gail to at least try.

Elaine sighed. 'A harassment complaint is no laughing matter, regardless of how spurious it is.'

Interesting Gail thought, it seemed her mother had already decided Francine's complaint was groundless.

'It is spurious,' Frankie said, 'just listen to the recording.'

'You recorded the interview,' Elaine looked at Gail who nodded, 'good thinking. I'm assuming Dr Hart is an ex girlfriend of Holly's?'

'She wishes,' Gail said, 'it never got that far. Holly wasn't interested.'

'And now Dr Hart holds a grudge against you?' The Superintendent arched an eyebrow. Gail nodded again, grateful her mother was actually very good at reading situations. Admittedly, not normally where her daughter was concerned.

'We can sort this quickly,' Frankie said, 'I'll speak with Francine again. Calm her down.'

'Unfortunately, since Dr Hart spoke to you Detective Anderson, she has made an official complaint through her lawyer,' Elaine said.

'Really,' Gail said, 'that was quick. I only spoke to her an hour and half ago and then she rushed away to work.'

'Well, it seems she didn't waste anytime. Her lawyer is Corey Beaumont. Is that going to be a problem?'

'Corey Beaumont?' Gail screwed up her face.

The name sounded familiar. Oh shit, Gail realized, Corey Beaumont was one of the blind dates Elaine set her up with. He would have been attractive but for a serious overbite, which clearly even money couldn't fix. Corey had spent most of the date talking about how he was the youngest person to make partner in his law firm, and the various cars and real estate he owned, and how, even though he was the youngest son, he was in line to inherit a good chunk of the Beaumont fortune.

Elaine looked at Gail expectantly. Frankie regarded the two women with open curiosity.

'Oh' Gail said.

'Oh?' Elaine queried, 'were you dismissive of him?'

Gail could swear Frankie was sniggering but so quietly you could barely hear. 'I may have turned down a second date.'

'Politely?'

Gail shook her head. 'I may have said I'd rather have my teeth pulled.' She made a sheepish face, 'and I possibly said pushing out Beaumont baby heirs with undershot jaws was not something I saw in my future.'

'Weak-chinned,' Frankie chimed in. Gail started to chuckle but broke off when she met her mother's stern gaze.

'So he has a personal reason to come after you as well,' Elaine sighed, 'unfortunately, because of our relationship, I have to stay at arms length from this inquiry, but I trust Staff Sergeant Vincent to do a good job.'

'It's an official inquiry?' Gail said. Of course it was. Once an official complaint was received, it had to be treated seriously, as much to give the officer involved a chance to clear their name as to ensure there were no cover-ups.

'I'm afraid so,' Elaine replied, 'but it sounds like Dr Hart is simply being vindictive so I doubt this will go anywhere. But in case it does, I've briefed our lawyers.'

The same lawyers who did such a bang-up job of representing Steve, Gail thought bitterly. She shouldn't be surprised her mother had taken it upon herself to contact the lawyers without consulting her. Still, it irked her. In fact, it was galling Elaine was even here discussing the complaint. Gail knew what her mother was doing, she was 'handling' the situation and it left Gail not only deeply unimpressed but resentful Elaine felt it necessary.

'Mother,' Gail began, 'if I want or need a lawyer, I can call one myself. Despite what you may think, I am capable of dealing with this, and, given the complaint system is set up to allow for procedural fairness, I'm not worried.'

'Gail,' Elaine said.

The almost wheedling tone in which Elaine said her name took Gail by surprise. But she was even more surprised by the look of hurt that crossed her mother's face. It was there just for an instant and then Elaine composed herself and put the mask back in place. It was so brief Gail wondered if she'd imagined it. Had she read this all wrong? Was Elaine actually trying to support her, even though it meant, as usual, she marched in and tried to assume control?

'Mother, I appreciate your concern but I can handle this,' Gail said

'It's just we need to be careful,' Elaine sighed, 'The Peck name, well the Peck name doesn't hold the same weight it used to.'

'The Peck name means jackshit,' Gail said a little more harshly than she intended.

Elaine winced. 'Exactly. In some circles, it's synonymous with corruption. It means the Department is going to tread extra carefully with this. Any allegation against a Peck will automatically be investigated no matter how insubstantial the complaint. Then if the media gets hold of this – well I wouldn't feel so confident about procedural fairness then.'

'Oh,' Gail said, realizing she hadn't thought about the wider implications of Francine's actions.

'I'm due at a meeting with the Commissioner shortly, but Gail I'll do whatever it takes to help you get through this.'

As she and Frankie watched Elaine retreat back down the corridor, Gail let out a huge breath. 'Oh fuck,' she said.

'Oh man, your day just got a whole lot worse than mine,' Frankie said, sounding not unhappy at the thought she'd handed that mantle to Gail. Although, she gave Gail a sympathetic smile.

…..

Returning to the detective pen, Gail found Dov and Chloe with their heads bent together in whispered conversation. It sounded urgent and a little agitated and Gail had the distinct impression it was about her. When Dov caught sight of Gail, he pushed back from the desk and stood. He gave Chloe a meaningful look and said 'just do it,' before nodding to Gail and leaving.

'Okay, I've just been dealing with the Superintendent's machinations, and I really don't have the patience for your amateur league intrigues, so spill Chloe.'

Chloe reddened and her face seemed to narrow so it became all pointy and anxious looking.

'Well, the thing is, oh jeez, I don't know how to put this. I don't want to seem ungrateful,' Chloe bit her lip, 'you basically took me in when Dov and I split that time, and it's been great, but now you have Holly and well you know it may be time. Time for both of us I mean, and it won't change our friendship. I promise. And I probably should be discussing this with Holly as well, and I've been trying to find the right moment –'

Chloe trailed off as Gail, who was standing, pretended to trip forward on her feet, and then exaggeratedly jerked her head back as if fighting sleep.

'Oh sorry, Chloe,' Gail said with false sweetness, 'I think I might be experiencing boredom induced narcolepsy. So you're moving back in with Dov. No biggie. You practically live at his place anyway.'

'So you're not upset,' Chloe asked, her relief palpable.

Gail shrugged. 'Nah, I get that you Disney's princesses need to spread your sunshine and happiness around. Like Lassie, you have to keep moving on.'

Chloe regarded Gail for a moment. 'So you're saying my work here is done.'

'Nothing of the sort,' Gail held up her hands in protest, 'it will be a relief not to be part of the Von Trapp family anymore.'

In truth though, she had liked living with Chloe. Despite her incessant chatter and steadfast optimism, it had actually been easy sharing with Chloe. Gail knew Chloe provided a foil to her more cynical tendencies and oft-professed misanthropy. God knew she'd needed some of that sunniness in her darker moments after Steve was jailed. Gail realized she'd miss Chloe, but she wasn't about to admit that. Dov reappeared then, hovering and tentative like his presence might cause Gail offence.

'It's okay Dov, Chloe told me. She goes with my blessing but it's a mystery why anyone would voluntarily choose to live with you. Chloe, you know he leaves the toilet seat up, right.'

'I do not,' Dov spluttered.

'Yeah you do, Dov,' Chloe said.

Gail grinned happily.

'What are you smiling about,' Dov grumbled.

'Oh, I do like being right,' Gail replied smugly.

'Well, you're not going to like this,' Dov said, 'there are four people called Dominic Swartz in Canada and they are either to old or too young to be our mask man. One's in his eighties, one is fifty-four, and the other two are three and thirteen.'

'So could Elspeth and Mimi have got his name wrong?' Gail asked, immediately all business.

'No, I called them and checked. They were adamant it was Dominic Swartz. Mimi distinctly remembers asking him to spell it out, because she wasn't sure if he said it was Schwartz or Swartz.'

'Is it possible he's not Canadian and that's why there is no record of him?'

'Nope I checked that too. Mimi said he definitely had a Canadian accent and there is no record of anyone of that name and matching his description entering the country,' Dov said.

'What about the phone?' Chloe asked.

'Pre-paid. It was bought by a Mitchell Warner. Now he has both a record and a history of alcohol and substance abuse. Most of his convictions are for petty stealing to support his habit. He's lived on the street for the past few years, but he's currently in a detox facility on Higgins Street, you know the one run by the church.'

'So he's unlikely to be our man,' Chloe sighed.

'Except somebody may have bought the phone from Warner or paid him to buy it for them,' Gail said.

'It's a strong possibility,' Dov agreed.

'Fancy a visit to rehab, Chloe?' Gail asked.

'Sure, but what about Frankie?'

'She's in with Fiona Vincent talking about my behavior,' Gail made a face, 'part of me wishes I had roughed up Francine so she'd had a real reason to complain.'

'You do not,' Chloe said firmly.

Gail shrugged in a 'whatever' gesture. 'Hey, Dov can you let Frankie know where we've gone.'

Dov nodded as she and Chloe started heading out. Gail stopped just inside the detective pen and turned back to Dov. 'Any chance the phone company can triangulate the phone's location?'

'I tried that. It seems they stopped getting a signal from the phone straight after you called and left a message. He probably took the battery out or destroyed the phone.'

'Damn,' Gail said, 'it was stupid of us to try and call him.' Hindsight always made you wiser, she thought morosely.

…..

Christian Outreach was the name of the detox facility. It was in an older brick building crammed on either side by office towers, so it looked completely out of proportion and as if it were in danger of being completely swallowed up by its massive neighbors.

'The church has owned this building since the 1850s,' Sister Maria explained. She wasn't particularly happy Chloe and Gail wanted to speak to Mitchell Warner. 'During this part of the program it's best our residents don't have contact with the outside world,' she explained through pursed lips.

'Sister, we really wouldn't ask if it wasn't important,' Chloe smiled sweetly.

Finally, Sister Maria agreed and ushered them into to a small room just off the reception area. It was stuffy and overheated, barely big enough to fit the round table and four chairs it held. The walls were lined with posters advertising self-help groups and drug and alcohol counseling services, a domestic violence line, a family center and a men's group. There was a large quit smoking poster and another entreating the viewer to love yourself.

Chloe and Gail took a seat and Mitchell Warner appeared shortly after. Whatever he was coming off, he looked like shit, Gail observed. Wild red eyes and sallow skin he couldn't help scratching.

'Yeah I have a phone,' he said, 'the sisters' are holding it. We aren't supposed to have contact with outsiders in the first few weeks of the program.'

'What's the number?' Chloe asked. Warner rattled it off, and Chloe looked across at Gail, who shook her head. It wasn't the same as the one supplied by Mimi and Elspeth and which Dov said was registered to Warner.

'Thing is Mitchell,' Gail said, leaning forward in her chair, 'we have a record of another phone registered in your name. A pre-paid one from Bell Canada. Can you tell us anything about that?'

'Nope,' Warner started to shake his head, 'oh shoot. Yeah, I can you about that.'

'Yeah,' Gail said, trying not to sound impatient.

'A guy came up and asked me to buy a phone for him. It was when I was living in Victoria Park. You know in that homeless camp. Ten months ago maybe.'

'And you agreed. No questions asked.'

'I'm a junky. He offered me 300 bucks. It seemed like easy money.'

'And did he give you a name?' Chloe asked gently.

'Um Johno I think,' Warner shrugged, 'it was awhile back.'

'Can you remember what he looked like?' Chloe said.

'Weedy. Moustache. Black hair. Kinda nervous.'

Shit, Gail thought, Warner might just be describing John Brierly. She pulled out her phone and scrolled through the photos until she found one of Brierly.

'Did he look anything like this man?' she asked.

'Shit, that's him. He in some kind of trouble?'

'That's one way of putting it,' Gail said. Man, this case had just got even weirder.

…

'He was certain it was Brierly,' Frankie asked. Gail and Chloe had returned to the station and relayed their interview with Warner to Frankie and Dov.

'He seemed quite definite,' Chloe said, 'called him a strange little dude and said he was nervous.'

'But Brierly isn't the man who brought the masks from Elspeth and Mimi,' Frankie pointed out, 'didn't they describe that guy as tall, sandy haired, wide smile. No moustache.'

'So maybe Brierly was working with this Dominic guy on the protest?' Gail suggested.

'But he was employed by EquanimityPlus, the very place Dominic Swartz, or whatever his name is, was protesting against,' Frankie said irritably, exasperated that nothing about this case was making much sense. The fact that she'd just spent a frustrating and fruitless hour with Fiona Vincent going over the ridiculous complaint against Gail wasn't contributing to making her mood any better. Talk about a waste of police resources, she thought.

'Maybe Brierly got turned off by the experiments and became like, I dunno, a whistle-blower,' Gail said.

'But if that's the case, why kill him?' Dov asked. Gail shrugged.

'Okay it's late,' Frankie checked her watch. It was past 7 pm. She'd collected Gail not long after six am this morning. They'd been going at this for over thirteen hours. 'Let's call it a night. Tomorrow we need to visit all the fringe animal right's groups we can find. Someone must know something about who was involved in that protest.'

….

'So what is bugging you, apart from this shitfest of a case?' Gail asked. Frankie was giving her a ride to the morgue where she'd arranged to meet Holly. Having been collected by Frankie this morning meant Gail had no car.

Frankie twisted her mouth and gripped the steering wheel. For a moment Gail thought she was going to ignore her question. 'Alannah wants us to move in,' she finally said in a rush, 'together.'

Gail smiled. Of course, this explained why the detective was out of sorts. Gail would bet her tab at the Penny, Frankie had never lived with anyone. Frankie could be a badass, a hardass, she could face up to the toughest of criminals and put her life on the line for her job, but make a commitment to someone? Oh no, that was too big, too scary a step. Not a lot could rattle Frankie. But the girlfriend, who she clearly adored, asking her to move in. Definitely unsettling, Gail thought with amusement, recognizing something of herself, or maybe even her former self, in Frankie's reaction.

'It's too soon, right,' Frankie asked, 'we've only been, you know, seeing each other for four months.'

'To the exclusion of all others?' Gail asked, knowing the answer but wanting to make a point.

'Uh, yeah. We're exclusive. Why?'

'Gotta be the first time.'

'Well, when I was with you,' Frankie started hesitantly and then broke off.

'It was hardly a relationship and we had sex with plenty of other people,' Gail finished, her tone offhand, taking Frankie's hesitation as a sign she wanted to spare her the brutal truth about the failings of their sort of relationship.

Frankie shook her head.

'You didn't sleep with other people?' Gail asked, realizing her blunder.

'Not at the beginning, but later when we kinda agreed to have casual sex.'

'Oh, I didn't know,' Gail said lamely, conscious of the inadequacy of her response. When she and Frankie had been sort of dating, Gail had done nothing to hide the fact she sometimes slept with other women. They'd never discussed being exclusive, had they? Come to think of it, they'd never discussed being in a relationship. Instead they'd just fallen into it and almost as quickly fallen out.

'Water under the bridge,' Frankie said, which Gail didn't doubt for a moment.

'Okay, I've never seen you so wrapped up in anyone,' Gail said, 'no wandering eye, no comments about how hot other woman are and you seem kind of content. Happy even.'

'Yeah, but what if moving in together wrecks all that. I mean I've never lived with anyone before.'

Ah, Gal thought, so she was right about that.

'Frankie, you and Alannah practically live together anyway. Just see it as a more formal arrangement. This way you won't have to make sure you have enough clean underwear at her house.'

Frankie grunted and said something inaudible.

'What,' Gail asked.

'I have one side of the closet,' Frankie mumbled as if making an embarrassing omission.

'Well, there you go,' Gail said, 'you have practically moved in.'

'How did you know?' Frankie asked, her voice now quite distinct.

'How did Holly and I know when it was time to move in together?'

'No, no. How did you know when you were in love?' Frankie said, her words once again tumbling out in a rush.

'When I couldn't imagine spending even another second of my life without Holly,' Gail said simply.

'Oh,' Frankie said quietly. Then 'Oh' again but this time a little louder, like something had, all of a sudden, become, clear to her. The thunderbolt moment, Gail guessed. She looked sideways at Frankie and saw she was flushed. Well, what'd you know, Frankie was in love, Gail smiled to herself. She couldn't wait to tell Holly.

…

'I'm so sorry honey,' Holly said sympathetically, making a rueful face.

'How did you know?' Gail had just arrived in Holly's office. She wasn't certain she'd mention the complaint to Holly, even if it had been weighing a little heavily on her mind since her mother weighed in. Talk about being a harbinger of doom, but that was Elaine for you. Normally Gail wouldn't conceal anything from Holly but, in this instance, she was worried Holly would feel responsible.

'Frankie called. She had a feeling you wouldn't tell me about it,' Holly stopped and smiled gently and when Gail didn't contradict this, she continued. 'This is all my fault. I never should have slept with Francine. God, it felt like a mistake even as it was happening.'

'I'm sorry Holly, but I could really do without the image of you and that psycho having sex,' Gail sighed.

'Oh, god me too. It was truly awful. Clumsy and awkward and I didn't even –' Holly stopped as Gail shuddered, 'sorry.'

Gail cupped her hands around Holly's face and leaned in to kiss her, just briefly.

'It is not your fault,' she said softly, 'that Francine is a psycho.'

'But if it weren't for me –' Holly broke off as Gail put a finger to her lips and said 'shh' and then kissed her again, this time a little longer, but unhurried, pulling Holly's bottom lip between her own and slowly letting go. Holly knew Gail was trying to distract her and it was almost working.

'Okay, but Frankie also told me Francine's lawyer is one of your ex-boyfriends,' Holly said, pulling back from the kiss.

'God, Frankie has a big mouth,' Gail whined, 'he was never a boyfriend. One date. It was one of my mother's set-ups. You know when she was doing the blind date thing.'

'Oh,' Holly nodded, remembering. At the time Gail had regaled Holly with witty accounts of the increasingly preposterous dates Elaine set up for her. Although in all honesty, Holly wasn't that entertained because, amusing as the stories were, she was crushing big time on Gail and wished it was she who being set up on a date with the blonde cop. Of course, she had resigned herself to that never happening because duh Gail was straight.

'If only my mother knew those blinds dates probably helped me realize I was falling for you, well that and the girl you were all over that night at the Penny.'

'I was not all over her,' Holly protested.

'Well, you hugged her when she arrived.'

'And that was pretty much the extent of our physical contact,' Holly said, 'and I was hoping to make you jealous, even though I thought it was a complete waste of time seeing as you were straight.'

'Really, you were trying to make me jealous?' Gail chortled, 'ha, well it worked. Good thing no one could read my mind because I was having some very murderous thoughts about your date.'

'How come you never told me that?'

Gail shrugged.

'Anyway, how did the blind dates help you realize you'd fallen for me?' Holly asked.

'I spent every single date thinking how much more fun it would be to hang out with you.'

Holly smiled, wide and happy, and kissed Gail. She was quite suddenly and without warning filled with the most urgent desire for Gail, almost a fierce need, and she pulled Gail nearly flush against her as the kiss intensified. Then she ran a hand across Gail's ass, catching her breath at the firmness, the utter sexiness of it, and pulled Gail closer still.

It took just a beat for Gail to catch onto Holly's intent. Gail's hands traveled up under the back of Holly's shirt. She loved the sculptured smoothness of Holly's back, the curves of her body upon which, on so many other occasions, she'd left a trail of kisses or unhurriedly, teasingly traced with her tongue.

Today, however, Gail had the distinct impression Holly wanted nothing measured or slow about this. So she moved a hand to behind Holly's neck, the pressure making their kiss more ardent, their tongues tangling so Gail could taste the delicious sweetness that Holly breathed.

Gail was aware their moans, breathy and wanting, were filling the room. Then Holly was pushing her across and down onto the couch and Gail was saying 'wait, wait. Oh my god wait.'

'What?' Holly stilled instantly.

'Remember no sex in your office,' Gail said, trying not to be distracted by Holly's cleavage. Two of the top buttons of her shirt had come undone, revealing a lacy black bra and a chest that was heaving ever so delicately and ever so deliciously.

'Fuck that,' Holly said. It was enough for Gail to reverse their positions, pushing Holly onto the couch. She resumed the kiss as she followed Holly, her hand unbuttoning Holly's jeans, and Holly pushed a leg against her center. Gail placed her hand inside Holly's boy shorts, finding her impossibly wet, the discovery producing a corresponding rush between her own legs.

'Inside, don't wait,' Holly panted. Gail did as she was asked. Two, then three fingers in, the heel of her hand against Holly's clit and it didn't take long before Holly was calling out her name and clawing at her back. Gail was thankful it was late and everyone else in the building, bar the security guard out front, had gone home.

Later, after Holly had returned the favor, they lay tangled together, their close embrace having nothing to do with the narrowness of the couch. Gail, now stripped of her jeans and underwear, half sat to idly reach for her boy shorts.

'Oh shit,' she said.

'What?' Holly asked in alarm. Had they been discovered? In her haste, she'd totally forgotten to lock the office door.

'There's a wet patch on the couch,' Gail said. She knew how it had happened. It was when Holly had her mouth on Gail's clit and her fingers inside her. After Gail had come so hard it was almost improbable, Holly had moved back up to kiss her, her face practically dripping with Gail's wetness.

'I think that's your fault, honey,' Holly laughed lazily, 'I won't be able to look at this couch in the same way ever again.'

'Oh shit, that's bad. At work. You don't need that distraction.'

Holly simply laughed and kissed Gail.

'You know we could have done this on the couch at home,' Gail said.

'Chloe might be there.'

'She's moving in with Dov,' Gail sat up fully now, 'she just told me this afternoon.'

'Oh,' Holly said, 'and you feel okay about that.'

'I thought it was on the cards so I wasn't surprised,' Gail mused, 'but you know it means it's just us, just you and me, at the house now.'

'Yeah,' Holly said, trying to work out where Gail was going with this. It seemed too obvious to be worth remarking upon.

'Well, it's a step.'

'A step?'

'Yeah, a step.'

'Oh,' Holly said as Gail's meaning dawned on her, 'you mean a step. Like instead of being girlfriends with a roomie, we're a couple in a house.' Holly's lips twitched in amusement.

'It's significant,' Gail said.

'Okay, but honey I already thought we were significant even with Chloe as our roomie.'

'We are but, oh' Gail sighed in frustration, 'I don't know how to explain it. It's a step.'

'Well my parents will probably think Chloe's moving out to make room for the grandchildren,' Holly teased.

'Exactly,' Gail said, not picking up, or perhaps deliberately ignoring, Holly's playful tone, 'it's a step.'

….

Later on the way home in the car, Holly asked if they should be worried about Francine's complaint. Gail liked the way Holly said 'they' because it meant Holly saw it as a problem they would tackle together. Gail realized the feeling of not having to face things alone was still novel and she found herself giving Holly a shy smile that was a mix of love and gratitude and a little bit of awe.

Gail liked too that Holly assumed she wouldn't have behaved in a way to warrant a complaint. Didn't even ask, in fact. Holly did, however, ask if Gail had said anything during the interview that could be misconstrued, especially by someone wanting to make mischief.

'I asked Francine if being a surgeon, she'd know how to cleanly sever a head.'

Holly burst out laughing. 'Oh god, I wish I could have seen her face.'

'I think it's the thing that tipped it for her,' Gail said ruefully, 'she kind of saw red after that.'

'It's a reasonable line of questioning,' Holly said, 'I don't need to tell you how in cases like this the perpetrator is often someone close to the victim, like family. I mean that's one of the first things you do, rule out family.'

'Yeah, but in this case she wasn't exactly close. She hardly knew the guy.'

'Oh,' Holly considered that for a moment, 'but you know Francine is actively opposed to animal experimentation. She belonged to a group in San Francisco. DAAE.'

'What?' Gail asked, astonished, and then 'DAAE?'

'Doctors Against Animal Experimentation. She got me to sign a petition calling on the pharmaceuticals to stop using animals to test drugs.'

'No way' Gail said again, not quite believing what she hearing. It actually meant she was justified in asking Francine that question.

'I can't see Francine murdering someone though,' Holly mused, 'annoying as she is. And Brierly's neck was cut with such force and so cleanly, it's like it was done with something like a guillotine. I can't see Francine having one of those set up at home'

Gail considered for a moment. 'Yeah, I think you're right. She's just being petty and vindictive, but I still need to let Frankie know about this. If only because it might put me in the clear.'

When they got inside the house, Chloe was there and making dinner. Gail had assumed she would be at Dov's place.

'Oh did you have to work late,' she said sympathetically to Holly, which made Gail smirk and Holly splutter a little awkwardly about an urgent matter that needed her attention.

The security guard had said something similar as they left the morgue. 'You police work her too hard,' he'd then good-naturedly chided Gail, 'you shouldn't take it lying down Dr Stewart.' Gail had had to bite her lip to stop from laughing and Holly's eyes went wide for a moment, then she found that friendly smile of hers and said 'oh, I'll think of ways to exact payback, Bert.'

Gail pulled out her phone to call Frankie, but before she could it rang and the detective's name popped up on the screen.

'Hey, I was about to call,' Gail said.

'Yeah? You must have a sixth sense. Guess what was found in a box on the steps outside EquanimityPlus.'

'Oh shit,' Gail had a feeling she knew exactly what Frankie was about to say.

'Oh shit is right,' Frankie said, 'It was Frank Gimlet's head.'

…