1 Year Later
"Who else should we invite?" Clara asked as she looked through their list. She sat on the mattress, cross-legged while surrounded by books and catalogues.
"It's up to you," John replied from the en-suite. "I've invited my team and Kate."
"Yes, I forgot my future husband has a small circle of friends," she commented in jest.
"Easier to plan the wedding then."
She giggled before looking down at the catalogues. They were nearly complete with all the planning and all that was left was catering and sorting through the guests. The couple had agreed that they wanted a small wedding and they had estimated about thirty or so guests.
"Come over here and help me decide the food," she called.
John emerged from the bathroom. "You do realise that the wedding is two months from now and you can slow down and unwind a bit, right?"
The wedding was set to be held in late August, just before the summer holiday ends and while he is just as excited as she was, he thought that she deserves a break. The detective couldn't believe how his future bride even managed to sort everything out four months after he proposed!
"Just want to get this done so I don't have to think about it," she reasoned.
He joined her in bed. "We decide on one appetiser and then you can resume planning tomorrow."
"Deal."
He took one look of the menu and swiftly made a decision. "Menu 12," he stated, setting the piece of paper down.
"Really?" she asked, half-surprised. "Just like that?"
John shrugged. "Just like that and besides, food is food, so I doubt that anyone will be complaining if it's good."
The schoolteacher read the menu again and thought that he has a point.
"One decision and off to bed," he reminded her, resting his head on the soft pillow.
"I was actually torn apart between menu 11 and 12, but thank you for helping me with that," she chuckled, finally putting the task to rest. "Eager to get some shut-eye?"
He scrunched his nose. "In case you've forgotten, I have work tomorrow and before I get to the office, I have to drive a certain schoolteacher to her school where her students are excited to learn about Shakespeare, especially Disruptive Influence."
She lied down next to him. "Courtney Woods may be disruptive, but I can assure you she's very bright."
"Soon-to-be Mrs Smith defending her favourite student – shocking!" he muttered sarcastically before scooting closer to her.
"DCS Smith, I believe you said something about sleeping."
John pouted. "Who started this banter, I wonder."
Clara giggled in response, kissing the back of his hand. "Why go along with it?"
He let out a tired groan. They could continue this tomorrow morning.
John ducked under the tape and headed for the spot where several of his team members were gathered. Martha was currently examining the body while Aidan was interviewing a witness.
"Thought you wouldn't show up," the coroner commented as she turned around to face him.
"I was told this had something to do with Davros."
"Bossman," Rena greeted before handing him a bag of evidence. It contained a smartphone which was externally and internally modified. The case bore a symbol of a robot of some sort. John had taken to calling it a pedal bin. What separated the smartphone with the rest is that it was impossible to trace and hack.
"Send it to cybercrime," he stated, shifting his focus back on the victim.
"I don't think they'll be of much help," Rena pointed out.
John considered his options. He knows someone who could very likely help him decrypt the phone, but he decided to try his luck with Scotland Yard first. "See if they have anything new to say about this."
She shrugged. "Ok, then."
"You know, I'm beginning to think you're obsessing over this Davros guy," Martha commented. "Stop it and look forward to your own wedding!"
John flashed her a kind smile. "What makes you think I don't have Clara Oswin inside my head?"
"Never doubted it for a second," Martha muttered. "Anyway, a stab wound to the abdomen killed him," she explained, changing the subject. "He did struggle with the killer, though," she continued, raising the man's arm and showing his fingernails which had a red tint to it.
The detective nodded and made eye contact with Dylan who had been sweeping the area for any clue or evidence. "Paul Enzio, twenty-seven, was last seen delivering a parcel just a mile from here," Dylan explained.
"Where's the van?"
"Just right around the corner," the DCI replied, showing John where the vehicle was located.
By the time he saw the blue and white van, John's heart skipped a beat. "Oz Shipping and Courier."
His mind immediately made the connection to his fiancé's father's company.
"You said something?" Dylan asked even though he could hear John clearly.
"No, I mean, Clara's father owns this company."
The DCI raised his eyebrows. "I guess we'll have no issues getting all the details about our victim."
"He hates me."
Dylan couldn't help but laugh. "The classic girlfriend's dad hates the boyfriend trope – oh, sorry, fiancé."
John glared at his colleague, not appreciating the joke at all. He was sure that Dave would be notified of an employee's death at some point and that he would discover that his daughter's fiancé is on the case. "Why don't you be a helpful friend and phone the company."
Dylan shrugged. "Fine by me."
John tapped his foot impatiently against the floor as he sat in a chair waiting for the CEO to arrive. All he wanted was information but the moment he told the receptionist who he was, she ushered him and Dylan all the way to the top floor.
"Who would have thought that a courier company could do so well," the DCI muttered, looking around the modern and bright office. "You know you've made it when you have one of these fancy coffee machines," he said.
"Where the hell is he?" John grumbled.
At that very moment, Dave Oswald entered his office and greeted the detectives. "I'm sorry we have to meet under such circumstances," he said before gesturing them to sit down. "And sorry to keep you waiting, I was in a meeting which I had to cut short."
"Mr Oswin, we won't take much of your time," John began. "I'm sure you've been informed of what's happened."
"That an employee of mine is a drug dealer and that he was found murdered this morning – yes, I'm well aware of that." Dave murmured. "I'll cooperate in any way I can."
"We need everything on your former employee."
Dave nodded. "Sam will give you Mr Enzio's records," he said. "Is there anything else you'd like to ask or need?"
John and Dylan stood up. "No, that would be all, Mr Oswin," the DCS replied. "Thank you."
Just as he headed for the door, Dylan and Dave locked eyes and Dave nodded. The DCI knew that his priority then was to prevent his superior from finding anything connecting Dave to organised crime.
Once the two men were shut and the doors were firmly shut, Dylan patted John on the shoulder. "Wasn't that bad, was it?"
"No," John admitted.
"Though he's probably just as surprised as anybody else that his future son-in-law showed up at his office and requested files on a deceased employee."
"Records," John grunted as he strode to the secretary's desk.
The moment they got what they were looking for, the detectives headed straight back to Scotland Yard to discuss their findings with the others.
"Paul Enzio was arrested back in 2012 for instigating a fight at a pub," Dylan explained. "Since then, he hasn't had any brushes with the law or at least until now."
"Rena, Aidan, I want the both of you to search his residence," John ordered.
"On it, boss-man," Aidan said, reaching for his belongings before following Rena.
"What do you want me to do?" Dylan asked.
"You've made a few friends from special branch," the DCS commented. "Ask them if they recognise our victim."
Dave Oswald swirled the glass of whiskey he held lazily as he stared blankly at the wall in front of him. What a day he was having. First, his spy is murmured and now his daughter's fiancé is investigating the crime.
He wasn't too worried about John as he trusted Dylan to do whatever was necessary to protect him, but he was a bit shaken by Enzio's death. The man had been under him for nearly a decade and was one of the few who was loyal to him. To discover that his cover was blown was quite the shock.
"You're a difficult man to meet, aren't you?" a voice said shortly before taking the empty seat in front of him.
Dave's face hardened as he finally recognised who it was. Davros.
"Sending someone to spy on me is very rude."
"So is recruiting my men."
Davros smirked. "Why don't we make a deal."
"You murdered him."
The man merely shrugged. "Mr Oswald, you signed his death the moment you asked him to infiltrate my organization," he explained. "I was merely exterminating the pest."
Dave gritted his teeth. "I wouldn't broker a deal with you even if you were the only one left."
"I suggest you hear my proposition first before finalising on your decision."
Dave exhaled through his nose and gestured Davros to continue.
"It's no secret you're attempting to withdraw from the underworld, and I am very much interested in taking over your factions."
Dave Oswald had met Davros several times prior to this. He controlled most of east London which weren't an issue until now that is when he decided that it wasn't enough and heard that he was quitting the game.
"Surrender all your factions to me in exchange for 12 million."
"If you think I'm surrendering all of them to you, you're a fool."
"Hence the reason why I offered."
Dave knew he could get a better deal with his associates and rejected the offer. "I'm keeping my factions for now and the foreseeable future."
Davros merely smiled. "I wonder how this is going to play out if your future son-in-law discovers who you really are."
"My personal matters are none of your concern and I would advise you to keep them out of this."
Davros got to his feet and adjusted his suit jacket. "Think about the offer," he suggested. "My patience has its limit."
"What if I still refuse?"
Davros smiled. "I'm sure I can convince you somehow," he replied before walking away, leaving a very angry man in his wake.
"I will not take kindly to threats," Dave muttered.
"And I don't take kindly to people saying no, good evening Mr Oswald."