Chapter 15

He pushed into the flat, hurrying. His jacket hung over his arm, tie in the pocket. Before the door closed, his shirt was unbuttoned and he was pulling it from his trousers. He dropped everything on the bed as he unbuckled his belt and started the water in his shower.

"I think the kids call this the 'walk of shame'."

He turned back to her, scowling. "The kids?"

She shrugged, "I keep up with the times." Smiling at his annoyance, "You could just bring her here, you know. It's not as if I would watch."

"It wouldn't feel right."

"You've had Laura over, that never seems to bother you."

"I'm not… Laura and I are just friends." He turned away, removing his trousers.

Val's laughter filled the room, "You don't have on any underpants."

He scrubbed his hand over his face, "I was in a hurry, couldn't find them."

She bit at her lips, trying to prevent further laughter. "Well, I'm sure you can claim them the next time you see her. Perhaps you could have her bring them here. You could cook dinner for her."

Her conversation was halted by his ringing phone. He grabbed the phone from his trouser pockets. One look at the screen and he wrapped a towel around his waist, before pressing the button to connect the call.

"Lewis." He listened for a few seconds, "Yeah, text me the address."

As he climbed into the shower, Val teased, "Is there a reason you wrapped the towel around you to answer your mobile?"

He gave her a grumpy look, before he stepped under the hot water. "It was Laura. James asked her to call me with the details."

Val looked away, biting the inside her lips to keep from laughing. "She couldn't see you on the phone."

"I know that, Val. It just didn't seem right."

Sticking her head around the shower curtain, "Does it feel wrong because you are fresh from the bed of another woman or because you don't want to be naked around Laura Hobson?"

He opened his eyes, glaring at her. "I don't remember you being quite so sarcastic when you were alive."

She shrugged, cheekily, "I wasn't. It's my one regret from our marriage. I should have challenged you a bit more. Maybe then you wouldn't have such a hard time moving on."

As he pulled up to the crime scene, his conversation with Val echoed in his mind. Her regret, especially, was worrying him. He didn't have any regrets from their marriage. It bothered him that she did.

James was on him the minute he got out of his car. He was still ten feet away when he started talking, "Professor Andrew Crompton, Master of Gresham College, took a tumble and hit his head."

"Suspicious?"

James handed him scene suit as he continued detailing the case, "Signs of a struggle and his face is scratched.

They pulled on their scene suits and entered the building. Laura nodded at the two of them, then started running down the facts.

"He fell backwards down the stairs, by the look of it, and bumped his way down, but the fatal impact was probably the wound to his right temple."

"When he hit the floor?"

"Yes." She looked over at Robbie, "I was at Gresham College yesterday."

He paused for a moment, trying to remember why she would have been there. He remembered her telling him, over drinks, about her concert. "Oh, practicing for your concert?"

She nodded, "Rehearsing, yes."

Staring down at her, "Is there a difference?"

James watched them, having a conversation not pertaining to the case. "What about these scratches?"

They turned to them simultaneously, Laura answered him. "Someone's clawed at him." She turned back to Robbie, "I practice alone; together we rehearse."

James interrupted again, trying to get them to focus. "Attack? Defense?"

"I'm not Mystic Meg."

Robbie smiled at her joke, "More like Acker Bilk."

Laura rolled her eyes at Robbie as James asked, "Who?"

Smiling down at James, "He played the clarinet, too."

Robbie had crossed the room, was climbing the stairs as he added. "Back in the olden times."

Laura smiled to herself as he climbed the stairs. She was secretly thrilled he'd remembered her concert. It would be nice if he came.

They watched the press conference from across the quad. James turned to Robbie, "How serious do you think Mrs. Crompton was about the Master having an affair?"

"I'm not sure." Robbie paused for a moment, "You're wondering if Gwen Raeburn's tears were for more than just an old friend?"

"Uh-huh. There's definitely something in that notebook; she'd asked me whether we'd returned it to Jez."

Grimacing, "I should have thought."

"Don't worry, sir, I did. I ran off a copy."

Robbie looked over, surprised at his sergeant. "You're not so green as you're cabbage looking, are you?"

James looked at him, a confused expression. Looking away, back across the quad, "What?"

Robbie saw Laura, walking, on the far side of the quad. She looked their way but he wasn't sure if she was looking at them or at the ongoing interview. James glanced at Robbie, wondering if he'd noticed Dr. Hobson. He was just about to say something when Robbie spoke.

"Tell me if you think this is a really, really bad idea."

"Go on."

"What if we ask Dr. Hobson to keep an eye out? She's in those rehearsals, can get access to things we can't. Think she'd be up for it?"

James smiled to himself, "I'm sure if you're doing the asking, she won't mind."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Shaking his head, "I'm sure she won't mind."

They circled around, caught up with her easily. "Dr. Hobson, Laura, we have a favor to ask?"

Eyes going back and forth between them, she asked skeptically. "A favor?"

Robbie smiled, "It's a small one. You're going to be here anyway. All we need to know is if anything odd is going on."

"What do you take me for? Undercover clarinet? I'm too busy getting the notes in the right order to spy for you."

"Not spy, Laura. Just keep your eyes open."

James leaned in, whispering conspiratorially. "And your ears."

"Oh, ears too now, is it?" James nodded. She paused, giving their favor a few seconds thought. "Have you got your tickets yet?" The two men stared at each other, neither had planned on attending. "For the performance?" As they looked anywhere but at her, "It's in a good cause." She smiled as they reached for their wallets, "So, that's, um, two each? Top price?"

Pulling money from his wallet, Robbie handed it to her. Frances would enjoy the event, "Done."

She handed the tickets to Robbie then took James' money as he smiled down at her, "Quite."

She smiled, pleased with herself for twisting them into buying the tickets. Truth told, she would have done it without the ticket purchase but served them right for ganging up on her. "Thank you, gentlemen. I look forward to seeing you and your dates the night of the concert. I'll let you know what I see and hear."

They watched her walk away, each rather certain they'd just been conned. James was the first to break the silence, "We have to bring a date?"

"I might ask the Chief Super, pay her back for all of those events she makes me attend."

"She's already going, I heard them talking about it earlier in the week. What about the lovely Dr. Woodville?"

"This would be right up her alley. Now we just need to find you a date."

Laura heard the first gunshot and instantly knew what it was. Mentally she tracked the sound, dropped her clarinet case to the ground, running toward it not away from it. She was running down the corridor when the second shot rang out.

She found the woman at the end of the corridor. She was on her knees, clasping her chest, gasping for air. She closed the distance between them, wrapping her arms around the woman. "It's all right. It's all right, it's all right."

The Master's wife appeared in the courtyard, Laura called to her. "Ambulance! Call an ambulance!"

She held the woman, felt when the life slipped from her body. Still, she couldn't bring herself to let the woman go until the paramedics arrived. They'd attempted to pry her arms from around the lifeless body of the woman. Even then, it wasn't until she heard Robbie's voice that she let go.

He'd knelt beside her, his arms wrapping around her. "It's all right, pet. Let her go. These lads will take care of her."

She'd nodded then, turning to him as he pulled her up. His arm had encircled her waist as he walked her away from the body. She'd curled into him, happy for his warmth as he led her away. Her mind started organizing what she'd witnessed when they made it to the courtyard.

She pulled away from him, starting running through the details, while they were still fresh. "According to my watch, life was extinct at 3:48."

He paused for only a second, he knew she needed this so he questioned her. "But you didn't see anyone?"

"No, only the Master's wife. Whoever did it must have run back through and left the other way as I went in. There was a door open."

"The room's unoccupied. We think they must have hid there and waited." Reaching out he touched her arms, "Look, I'll get you a lift home."

She shook her head, "No, I'm fine."

"I'm not arguing." She smiled, nodding. James and a PC approached. "Can you take Dr. Hobson home, John?"

"Frances, sorry to do this on such short notice, but I have to cancel tonight."

"I saw on the news. A shooting at Gresham."

"I've got a few leads to run down. I'll be half the night."

"I'll be up; you could still come by."

He laughed, "No, my mind'll be racing. No need in both of us losing sleep."

"I wasn't exactly talking about sleep, Robbie."

He smiled, a blush creeping up his neck. "A raincheck, dinner later in the week. I have something I want to ask you."

"Perhaps I could come to your place. You could cook one of those simple meals you always tell me about."

He swallowed, panic setting in. "Yeah, maybe. I'll give you a call." He disconnected the call, dropped the phone into his pocket then stepped out of his car.

As he walked to the door, he thought about the tickets that had come in the post earlier in the day. He'd bought them on a whim, knew it was something she would like. But now, he wasn't as certain. Going away together, it was a commitment of sorts. There was no turning back from that.

He knocked, looking up at the second story windows. He saw lights go on and he waited. When the door opened, he smiled, widely. Holding up the wrappers in his hands, "Just wanted to check on you, make sure you ate."

Wrapping her arms around her waist, she smiled. "You could have called."

"But then I couldn't have provided sustenance, Laura."

Tilting her head toward the house, "Come on in."

He followed her inside, unsurprised by how tidy the house was. "Did I wake you?"

She smiled over her shoulder, "Yes. I made it home and all of the stress of the afternoon hit me. I barely had time to change before I collapsed."

"Then it's a good thing I brought food."

She motioned toward the table, "Would you like some wine? I might have a beer or two in the refrigerator."

"What are you having?"

"Wine."

"Then I'll join you in that."

They settled at the table, eating and drinking in comfortable silence. "You didn't have to do this, Robbie."

He smiled at her, "I know, I wanted to."

"Thank you, it means a lot."

Sleep was beckoning as he entered his flat. Once again, his jacket was hanging from his arm, tie in his pocket. His shirt was unbuttoned, hanging loose by the time he stepped into his bedroom. Val was there, on the bed, reading.

"I wasn't expecting you here."

She smiled, "I knew you would be home tonight. Thought you might like a friendly face."

"Clean teeth and a comfortable bed are all I want tonight."

"I'll go."

He shook his head, "No, stay, talk to me. Tell me about the kids." He pointed at the bathroom, "I'll change, be back in a minute."

She nodded watching him finish stripping. Listened while he went through his nightly ablutions. When he returned to the bedroom, she smiled. He slid into bed beside her, lay on his back staring up at the ceiling. She knew he had something on his mind. She also knew it was best to let him come to her.

It only took a few minutes then he inhaled deeply. "I'm sorry you had regrets."

"What?"

His head turned toward her, "In our marriage, I'm sorry you had regrets."

"I didn't, really. Not in the sense you seem to have worked up in your mind."

"But you said you regretted not challenging me more. I hope you didn't think I expected you to be something…"

"Robbie, I wasn't anything…I mean you didn't make me do anything. I chose not to push and challenge you because I didn't want to fight needlessly. My grandmother gave me advice right before we married. She told me to choose my battles, it was the secret to a happy marriage. So I did, I chose the ones that were really important, like Sunday dinners. The rest, I let go. Because it made us all happier and because they weren't important." Pausing, she smiled sadly, "But, I see you struggling so to move on and I wonder if I had chosen more battles if it might be easier."

"I don't understand."

She laughed, "The women you meet now are all vastly more independent than I was. They aren't going to choose their battles. They are fully capable of not only fighting the battle but winning the war. And that's not something you're really equipped to deal with."

"Did I make you happy?"

She nodded, "Very much so."

"I'm afraid."

"Of what, my love."

"Of not being able to make another person happy. What if I can't adapt?"

"Robbie, when the time is right, you won't have any problem at all. Just don't try to force the issue. Let it happen naturally."

"I'll have to give you up."

She shook her head, "No, the right person will make room for me. In her own way, will even honor my memory."

He closed his eyes, sighing softly. "I hope you're right, Val."

He waved at Laura. She was right on time. While James went to get drinks, Laura filled him in on the rehearsal from the day before. There was something about this performance nagging at him. "What is it you're performing again? The Planets?"

She nodded, "That's right."

"One of them's not Venus by any chance, is it?"

"Second movement. Venus, the Bringer of Peace. Why?"

He shook his head, "Wish I knew." He nodded as James sat the glass of orange juice in front of him. "Thanks." Nodding at Laura, he filled James in. "Kate Cameron apparently was very angry just before the shooting."

"Angry or desperate. When I asked her what was wrong she just walked out."

"She'd just had a bust up with Jez, we saw that."

James turned to Laura "And what about Lady Raeburn?"

"You mean Gwen? She's very down to earth. Hates people using a title."

Robbie smirked at James, "Good for her."

"Well, she left rehearsal in a bit of a state too, just before Kate. But I sort of know what that was about, text that Finniston received. It seemed to upset both of them."

James nodded, "Well, Finniston goes way back with the Cromptons and the Raeburns."

Robbie shook his head, "I don't suppose you…"

"How on earth would I know what the text was about…unless I managed to snaffle Finniston's phone for a second when he left it lying around, scrolled through to the message…" Smiling, "Made a note of it and the number it came from?"

She pulled a piece of paper from her pocket and handed it to them. James smiled over at Robbie, "Genius."

Robbie took the piece of paper from her, "Seconded." He unfolded the piece of paper, reading from it, "Revenge is sweet." He read the number out loud as James dialed it.

He was cooking dinner when the knock came. Turning down the heat, he gave the pan one last stir then went to the door. "Frances? Did we have plans?"

She held up a bottle of wine, "Thought you might like some company and a sympathetic ear."

Rubbing at his left eye, "I'm not really…"

She pushed past him, "Something smells good, what are you cooking?"

"Just a simple stir fry."

Turning back to him, "Is there enough for two?"

He nodded, "Sure." Pointing at the bottle, "Let me get some glasses."

They ate in relative silence, basic questions about their respective days. But the conversation lagged each time. At the end of the meal, Robbie picked up the plates. "I'll just clean these up." He pointed to the sitting room, "If you want to have a seat. I'll just be a few minutes."

She wandered around the room, glancing at all of the pictures. There were only two that didn't include his wife or his children. One was an older picture; he was getting some sort of commendation. There was an older man in the background. The other was of him with a younger blonde woman. It looked like it have been taken at some party. They were stood close together, each was smiling but they weren't looking at the camera. Instead they were looking at each other.

"Would you like some more wine?"

She turned, slightly ashamed to have been caught snooping. "No, I suspect I'm going to need a clear head."

He furrowed his brow, "Why's that?"

"I don't really fit in here, do I?"

"What do you mean?"

She waved around the room, "Amidst all of your memories, that's why you've never invited me. Isn't it?"

"Frances?"

"Just say it, Robbie. You're still stuck in the past. And I'm not willing to play second fiddle."

"It's not that…" He took a step toward her, "I like spending time with you."

"But only on your terms."

"We're having fun, getting to know one another."

"Only I'm not looking for a bit of fun."

He closed his eyes, exhaled heavily, "And that's all I'm ready for."

She nodded, "At least we found out before something bad happened."

Meeting her gaze, "Such as?"

"Before I fell any more in love with you." His eyes widened, she stepped closer, kissing him lightly on the cheek. "Goodbye, Robbie."

They needed to find Kate Cameron, knew the one place she would be. As they entered the room, his eyes were drawn instantly to Laura. She was smiling, talking with Sir Arnold Raeburn. Spotting them, she excused herself and made her way to them.

"Do you know where Kate is?"

Laura looked around, "Uh, she hasn't arrived yet."

Robbie turned, walking away. James turned back to Laura. "Well, break a leg if that's what they say."

"I don't think they do."

They walked out of the quad, watched the body loaded onto the ambulance. Robbie looked over at James' long face and knew a touch of levity was what was needed. "I was looking forward to that concert."

James looked over at him, "Do you think we'll be able to get our money back?"

"Worth a try." They started walking away, "Although, actually, I'm more of a Wagner man myself, especially if the conductor's Knappertsbusch."

"Bless You."

He was still in his pajamas when the knock came. Looking up from his paper, he glanced at the clock. It was half one, he wasn't expecting anyone. He walked to the door, opened it and almost jumped out of his skin. Laura was standing there, dressed casually, smiling up at him. "You're not going out like that, are you?"

"Did we have plans?"

"Sunday dinner, once a month. We agreed on the third Sunday of the month." Holding up her hand, she showed him her watch. "That's today. You can't very well invite a girl to dinner and then back out."

Looking down at his pajamas, slightly embarrassed, "You'll have to give me a few minutes."

"Do you have a paper?"

He stepped back, letting her enter. "In the sitting room."

"You haven't done the crossword have you?"

"No, I haven't."

She nodded, "Then you can have half an hour."

"It's going to take you half an hour to do the crossword."

She shook her head, "No, it'll take me ten minutes to make a cup of tea and twenty minutes to do the crossword."

"What if I offer you a glass of wine instead?"

"That will only take two minutes. What am I supposed to do with the other eight minutes?"

He poured her a glass of wine, "I'll leave that to your discretion. I'll be back in half an hour."

Twenty-five minutes later he returned. Laura was on her second glass of wine and was wandering around his sitting room. She was looking at the picture of him and Morse. Hearing him she turned, smiling, "I missed this. I'd planned on going but was called out to a scene. He was very proud of you."

"And how do you know that?"

"He told me. I expect he never said it to you."

"Never."

"Maybe, he thought I'd tell you one day."

He nodded, "Maybe. You ready?"

Draining the last sip from her glass, she handed it to him. "I like your new place. Feels more like a home than your last flat."

He smiled, "Thank you."

"You're settling back into life, aren't you?"

Nodding, "I am."

"Does that include dating?"

He stared at her, for a split second thought about lying. But there was something in her expression and he knew he had to tell her the truth. "Until a few days ago, yes."

"What happened?"

"She thinks I'm not ready to move on."

"What makes her think that?"

He motioned around the room, "She didn't feel comfortable amidst all my memories."

She smiled, "Funny, I think all of your memories are what make you, you." Their eyes met, held for a moment. "So, is she right?"

He shook his head, "No, I think she's wrong. Or at least the wrong person. With the right person, I suspect I won't have any problem moving on at all."