Part 2 of 4
"Yes, yes, I understand that but you must let us do our jobs, Miss Park, and… oh, right… well, I was going over a cold file and I read where your family lost their land in the 1890's to…" He jerks the phone away from his ear and even Camille can hear the heated words pouring out of the ear-piece.
Camille presses her chin atop one of his shoulders and murmurs, "She knows all about it, doesn't she?" as her hands delve beneath his jacket. "It must be the main topic of conversation at all their family gatherings, hey?"
He jumps a bit, pushes at her hands, covers the mouth-piece, mutters back, "Camille! Behave yourself! We're at work!"
She accepts his rebuke but wraps her arms around his waist instead, "Mmmm-hmmm, and let me tell you, you are a LOT of work. I get SO tired sometimes… mmm."
The noises are abating from the phone now so he gingerly puts it to his ear once more with a final hissed warning to his partner to mind her P's and Q's. He chirps alertly, "That's correct, Miss Park, I believe the injustice done to your ancestors can now be rectified. The current St. Remy heir is… um… is… ah… known to me… and I'm sure she won't mind righting this terrible wrong."
Camille hands are once more delving and he tries once more to push her away but it's a bit of a losing battle since he's got only one hand at his disposal. As he struggles to maintain his sovereignty, she whispers into his back, "Oh, you bet! Ms. St. Remy is WELL known to you and she will do anything for you… for the right reward. Now, let's see…" she turns and leans her back against his, "… what could Octavia possible want that she would trade for a massive tract of land? Hmmm, let me think."
She makes a big show of pondering, chin in hand, as Richard steps away from her in exasperation, turning to face her while trying to end this phone call. "Yes, I'm sure we can arrange a satisfactory resolution. We'll contact you as soon as… no, no, no, Miss Park, you don't have to… hello? Hello?" He stares at the phone for a moment before hanging up and turning accusing eyes onto his partner, "Of all the times for you to indulge in a jape… THAT was not the best time!"
Camille straightens up, wipes a merry tear from her eye, and tries to match his tone, "Well, I'm sorry! First you get trapped on the phone with crazy murder fan…"
Richard's eyes drop, "Don't call her that. She's merely… enthusiastic… and…" his eyes come back up "… she was RIGHT about the motive for murder in the Leon Hamilton case, wasn't she?"
Camille immediately sobers, remembering only too well how enthusiastic Suzie Park had really been. About a lot of things. Mainly the investigating officer. Good thing little Miss Park lives on another island otherwise… Then something twigs in her memory and she gives him a suspicious look, "What did she say right before she hung up on you?"
He gives her a sudden stricken look, pressing his lips together, "Um, who, Miss Park?"
Oh, now her suspicions begin to bubble. Her hands are on her hips and she suddenly looks like a gunslinger, "Yes! Miss Park! Who else? What did she say?"
He looks away, shrugs, flaps his arms hesitantly, "Oh, um, not much, just that she might catch the next ferry if she hurried and…"
Camille stamps a small determined foot (where did she learn that, we wonder?), "What? She's coming here? Now? Today?" She sounds pissed.
Richard puts his hands behind his back, hangs his head and nods contritely, watching her from beneath his lashes. He sees her sudden scrutiny and ups the ante by biting his lip and twisting the toe of one brogue demurely into the floor as he murmurs contritely, "Um, are you very angry? We can deny her access if she gets in the way. After all, she's a member of the public and…"
Camille huffs and waves a hand, "Oh, relax, I'm not really mad. You know I can't stay mad at you for very long, not with those green puppy-dog eyes begging me to forgive you."
He jerks erect, "Here now! I do NOT have puppy-dog eyes and I NEVER beg!"
She sways towards him, making him take a step back but not fast enough as her hands once more encircle his waist and this time he doesn't object as she docks herself against him. She leans on his chest and gazes up at him, "Oh, yes, you do, and it works every single time. I'm helpless against your masculine wiles. I can't refuse you anything, not anymore. Just…" she pushes off him, making him frown, "… just try to keep Miss Park at bay, will you?"
She steps back, hands back on hips, the gunslinger once more, "And you let ME handle Octavia! You can make the phone call but I'm the investigation officer in charge, got that?"
He smiles with relief and pulls her back in for a kiss, nodding, "Oh, right, when you're right you're right." She smiles in reply and simply takes her due that she's been waiting for all morning. Soon as they are both satisfied for the nonce, they separate and he nods at his desk. "Now that the morning snog is done, let's go over everything together so you're up to speed. Miss Park will be here with the afternoon ferry and you need to call the St. Remy estate."
She looks up from the innocent little file lying on his desk, "Oh, I do, do I? And where, pray tell, will YOU be during this phone call?"
He huffs happily, "I will be ensconced most thankfully within your mother's sphere of protection with the biggest pot of tea she can manage. There is NO way I'm coming within 2 town-blocks of Ms. St. Remy. If she asks, you tell her I'm 4 islands over and up a mountain, OK?"
She pulls up a chair to his desk and curls up in it, "OK, now, DI Poole, please go over the salient points with me and…" He looks up at her as he sits back down. She leans in and purrs, "… and take it REAL slow, like you do sometimes, like you know I like." He pinks up, can't think of a comeback witty enough to cancel out the happy-dance happening inside his head, and just flips open the file.
END – part 2
