Chapter 2

Now clad in disposable overalls, something Joseph was sure he would appreciate, Miles leaned over to grab so gloves for both of them.

"The victim's name was Cathy Lane. 43 years old," A pair was offered to Jo as he zipped up his jumpsuit, "Mother of three. Separated from her partner." The crinkling of paper accompanied the explanation, "She was found around 2am by a community support officer. Cathy was still alive then, but by the time emergency services got to her," He glanced up at Jo, "she was dead."

"Who identified her?" Joseph queried as his pull on a second glove.

"We all did. Let's go." Miles shut the boot of the car. It was a confusing statement. But one that Joseph was sure he'd get an answer to.

They made their way to the tent that hid the body as Miles asked, almost scathingly, "You worked a murder scene before?"

Joseph adjusted his gloves and the mask around his ears, "I'm not a virgin, you know. I've had my fair share." They knew he was a fast tracker. And they clearly didn't like it. It was as he expected from what he'd heard from Will.

"Oh well, you'll be laughing then."

Other members of the team, Will, now holding a clipboard, and the man he saw earlier, and 2 other men stood nearby as they lifted the hoods on their overalls and entered the tent. "Streak of piss." Came the voice of one of the men, followed by a grunt. Joseph assumed Will had smacked him the board and a slight smile appeared under his mask.

Fitz rubbed his shoulder, "When are you gonna stop hitting me?" He grumbled.

"When you stop being a twat." She blew a strand of hair out of her face, wishing she'd had time to put into a ponytail, but the various clips in it meant she had to wait.

"You got your eye on the new DI? Is that it? Thought you had a boyfriend, Will." Joked Sanders, before going silent at the sharp look in her eye.

"No, you dickheads." She finished writing something on the board she held, "I'm annoyed 'cause you aren't giving him a chance. You acted the same when I first rocked up and I know you regret that now." Her tone was low, but they all heard her. Chancing a look up at them, she could see that they didn't take her words to heart.

It was Fitz that responded, "Yeah, yeah. But you're one of us now," He took the board back from Will, "He's a Plastic."

She just raised an eyebrow and pursed her lips in response. She had other things to worry about. Like whether Jo could handle being near a dead body.

"Hello Ray," Said a cheery voice as they entered the tent.

"We've gotta stop meeting like this." It was a joke, but the circumstances made it much more macabre.

The woman, Caroline Llewellyn, nodded, "Ah, yeah, but it wouldn't be the same without a dead body between us." She looked up, "Morning."

"DI Chandler." Responded Joseph, not quite used to…..this.

Caroline wasted no time in explaining her initial findings, "Can you see the cuts to her throat?" She indicated with her finger and glanced up, "From the side here, we have the first incision," Jo turned his gaze away in revulsion, "And then, we have a second cut, more decisive, right round. This is a deep one. Seems to go all the way through to the vertebrae." She finished grimly.

Miles turned to Joseph, "You wanna get a look at this?"

"No, I'm good." He swallowed the lump in his throat. He could do this. Will was right outside and what kind of officer could he hope to be if one body made him sick?

Miles didn't question it. Instead, he stated, "There's not much blood."

Caroline hummed, "I know, it doesn't look like much does it? I know what you're thinking. 'She was dumped', but you'd be wrong." Jo continued to avert his gaze. "It's all here. It's soaked into her clothing. She's sodden."

The thought almost made Joseph gag. The mere thought of being soaked in blood enough to turn his stomach.

"It's interesting," remarked Caroline, "there's no struggle." She pointed to Cathy's cheek, "There's a bruise here and more on the other side, "She gestured for a photo to be taken, "with small petechial haemorrhages around the eyes, suggesting asphyxia." The cameras flashed. "I think she was strangled first, and this is how he dropped her." Joseph nodded his acknowledgement. "Just a snapshot based on obvious injuries."

Her and Miles stood and pulled off their hoods and masks. Placing her hands on her hips, she uttered the word, "Patience."

Seeing his chance, Joseph bolted from the tent, whilst Mile and Caroline looked on.

The rustling of the tent flap had Will turn her attention away from the floor beneath her. Joseph had emerged and exhaled deeply, before bending to lean on his knees. A train rattled overhead and Miles came out and motioned for her to come with him. She wasn't complaining. It'd give her a chance to see if Jo was okay.

Joseph ripped off his gloves and she approached them. "I want a detailed plan of the area."

"Fitzgerald and McCormack are doing that." He gestured to Will, "This is DC Will Carter. She's usually who shadows me with stuff like this."

Will smiled and Joseph stretched out a hand for her to shake. He'd known they didn't know the name of her boyfriend and figured that right now wasn't the best time to out their relationship. "DI Chandler, nice to meet you. Wish it was under better circumstances." A little joke, paired with a look that meant they'd talk later. They needed to focus on the case.

"Likewise." He turned to Miles, "Witnesses?"

Miles didn't even look at him as he spoke. "Mary Bousfield, community support officer. This way." And off he went.

Joseph glanced at Will, "You really weren't joking about how rough they are, were you?" He muttered to her. Her only response was a sly smile, before she unzipped her jumpsuit walked off. Jo followed suit.

Mary was sat in the back of an ambulance, the same place she'd had been since they'd arrived. The poor woman was understandably distraught, and Will couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Not many PCSOs saw this kind of stuff.

Kent was with her, asking what she'd seen when she'd found Cathy.

"I saw a man with a long knife." She wiped at her eyes with a tissue and sniffed, "He was over 40. Dark coat, about 5'10"." She glanced at Will and the 2 men when they came closer. "Posh, but shabby." Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Had a funny hat."

"Funny? How?" Asked Joseph.

"Funny, unusual," Mary spoke, nodding slightly and sniffing, her face screwed up slightly, "had flaps."

"Did you see his face?"

Mary's head shook and her face scrunched up more as she began to cry, "I'm really sorry," she apologised wiping her nose, "I know police aren't supposed to cry." Will reached for her hand.

Straight faced, Miles began to reassure her, "I cry all the time, Mary. You should see my mascara run." It had the desired effect. Mary chuckled through her tears. "Thanks. Let 'em get her off to the hospital."

As they walked away, Will began to speak, "Cathy Lane was a battered woman." She began. "Split from her partner six years ago but they always argued about money for the kids. He didn't want to pay up while she was living with other men." They came to a stop and she and Miles turned to face Joseph.

Miles continued, "They'd have too much to drink, have huge rows. We were constantly banging him up in the cells for the night." He glanced at Will, "Once he stuck a potato peeler in her head. Bang," He hit his palm with a clenched fist, "like that."

Will remembered that day. The poor woman was bleeding everywhere, and she'd been tasked with making sure the kids were all okay. It wasn't a pretty sight and definitely not something you could forget. "We always knew we'd find her dead one day." Her face was sombre. She didn't like the thought but it was true.

"Who is this guy?" Joseph asked.

Crossing her arms, Will responded, "Rob Lees." Her voice was grim. "He's a butcher. Works with long, sharp knives."

Joseph's response shocked her, "Well, let's go talk to Rob Lees, then." DI's don't normally do field work. At least, the ones she'd met didn't like to.

It was Miles that verbalised that thought, "Don't you have a desk to go to?"

Joseph's voice was soft, "No, I don't. Let's go."

As they began to walk, Will called out, "Sarge! I need to go and change out of this dress and also pick up my car from the flat." She sent a sly look to Jo, "Boyfriend droves us to that party, ya see. I'll have to meet to you back at the station." She looked apologetic as she took off the boots and overalls she'd been given before she slid her heels back on her feet and grabbed her coat. With the clicking of her shoes accompanying her and she walked, she called back, "See ya later!"

Miles and Joseph watched as she walked away. This was clearly how she worked with her team, an easy camaraderie that had come from working hard. She hadn't slipped her coat back on despite the chill of the morning air.

'She never did care about the cold.' Joseph thought to himself, watching her skirt swish around her legs. 'One of the many unique things I love about her.'

He broke from his reverie when she turned a corner and left his sight. "Right," He began, "Rob Lees."

The cab ride from Commercial Street was mercifully quick to the flat that Will and Jo shared. When he'd asked her to move in, it came as a shock initially. She knew that he like things thing to be ordered and organised, and she was almost the complete opposite, especially the days when her mental health got the better of her. When she questioned him, he'd merely responded by saying that it didn't bother him. Previously relationships had failed because he couldn't accommodate their messy living habits, but she'd subconsciously changed hers to fit his. She was accommodating him. And it worked. She had her spaces where her things were 'organised messes'. They seemed haphazard and out of place, but were organised to her tastes. Jo had his spaces that were perfectly tidy, not a mote of dust out of place. On her bad days, Will would lose track of keeping things tidy, including herself, but Joseph knew she couldn't control it. Just like his urges, her bad days were unstoppable. He just helped coax of out of those bleak moments, like she'd coax him out of his.

Padding barefoot across the bedroom she reached the closet, grabbing work appropriate clothes. Black skirt, a trumpet sleeved Bardot top and some black heeled brogues. She'd coveted a pair of brogues, proper Oxford ones at that, but never dreamed she'd actually own a pair. Joseph had bought her a pair for her birthday the year before and they were the most looked after item of clothing she owned. She even had Jo teach her how to properly polish them.

After a quick shower, and rushing to get dressed, she was almost out the door. Her car keys lay in a dish near the door, along with a photo of her and Jo. It was one she'd taken with a cheap polaroid camera she'd gotten from a friend, also a birthday present. They'd been cuddled on the sofa and she'd been playing around with the camera, a few candids of Joseph that she kept in a box somewhere were taken before she'd sidled up to him and snapped a picture of them both.

"Come on, give us a smile you big grouch"

Smiling at the memory, she grabbed her keys and was out the door.