A/N Had this scene sort of stuck in my head, so I thought I would get it out there asap. Strange how that makes you feel better.
Lestrade was beginning to wonder if he had some sort of curse following him, romantically. It had been months since Katherine had called him; last time it had been some minor dispute about the insurance on the house or the car. Something ridiculous he had forgotten as soon as he had rung off. Now he was getting mad calls in the middle of the night about some prowler setting off the automatic lights. He wondered where her P.E. teacher boyfriend was in all this, seemed like he should be the one dashing off into the night. He'd be lucky if Serene ever spoke to him again. Running off to see Sherlock was one thing, but leaving her half naked in his office because his ex-wife had called was frankly too pathetic to be forgiven. He should be forced to wear a sign "Gregory Lestrade- the Amazing Spineless Man". A small voice in the back of his head reminded him how she had gone silent, that maybe just maybe something was terribly wrong. He would never be able to forgive himself if that was the case.
He turned onto his old street and he saw the whirling lights of several police cars. He felt an odd sense of calm intermingled with the concern he felt for Katherine. At least he wasn't a complete fool for trusting his gut. He parks opposite the familiar townhouse and walks towards the police tape. A sergeant tries to waylay him, but he flashes the badge and keeps walking looking for the lead.
He quickly picks out the slight build of DI Dimmock. He walks across the small patch of grass that constituted a lawn in London in about three steps.
"Right, what am I walking into?" Lestrade mirrors Dimmock's posture; hands on hips, action ready.
Dimmock turns and nods dismissing the two officers he was talking to. "Your wife's unharmed, Lestrade."
"Ex-Wife." He corrects Dimmock firmly, last thing he needs is an office rumor about him having his pick of the consultants on the side while his wife is at home.
"Whatever you say, mate. She's a little rattled, been asking for you."
"Well there's a first time for everything. She inside?"
"Yeah, the sergeants will let you through. They know whose house this is."
"Was." Lestrade heads back towards the house he never thought he would have cause to enter again.
He was reminded of the late hour when he saw Katherine sitting on the couch, weeping into a box of tissues in a silk nightie. It was white and stretched almost to transparent over her breasts; she was covered in a matching robe. The woman he went to bed with every night had certainly never looked like this; her blonde hair had been dyed to a lighter more youthful shade. It was braided in the familiar way and Lestrade strongly suspected up until the police arrived she had been in one of the sturdy cotton nightgowns he remembered. Explains why she hadn't called the PE teacher. He leaned awkwardly in the doorway not sure what to say.
"Right, all sorted then Kath?"
Katherine looked up at him slightly bewildered and began sobbing again. "All sorted? For Christ's sake Greg, is that all you have to say to me? I find a body in my back garden and you want to know if I'm all sorted?"
"Right, yeah, no of course I meant are you all right?" Lestrade felt like a pratt, he cursed Dimmock for letting him go in blind. At least he could take comfort in knowing that he was still an awkward mess around Katherine. How was it that he could keep his head around a sultry French doctor, but a reformed tart from Brixton still made him trip over his feet? He used to think it was because he was madly in love with her, but now thirty years down the road he suspected it was just masochistic compulsion.
"No I am not all right. What took you so long?"
"I was at the Yard, it's not exactly a short trip."
"Why didn't you pick up the first time I rang?"
Lestrade opened his mouth to defend himself when Dimmock came into the hallway. Lestrade turned and ran a hand through his hair awkwardly, he felt like tonight was going to be nearly impossible to get through without causing some sort of scene for the whole of the Metropolitan Police. Dimmock paused as he walked into the living room; he looked from Katherine to Lestrade. Dimmock quirked his head and looked at Lestrade in profile.
"Is that lipstick on your ear?" Dimmock's tone was slightly congratulatory, but Lestrade could feel Katherine's icy gaze as he hastily rubbed his earlobe.
"Nah, probably just Brown sauce."
"Anyway, we've called in an expert to examine the remains. We just have a few questions for you Mrs. Lestrade, then we'll all clear out as soon as possible."
"Expert? Not Holmes?" The idea of Sherlock Holmes walking around his old house, talking to his ex-wife made Lestrade feel slightly ill.
Dimmock turns away and leans into Lestrade whispering as if to shelter Katherine.
"Not Holmes. Decomp was pretty far along, we called in that fit French one. Should make the night go faster." Dimmock winked and Lestrade felt like decking the man. The territorial impulse was soon replaced with equal panic, the only person he wanted here less that Sherlock Holmes was Serene.
Dimmock joined Katherine on the couch; she leaned into him letting her robe slip open slightly. Lestrade rolled his eyes.
"I'm just going to take a look outside."
"This is my scene Lestrade."
"Right, of course. Just couldn't hurt to have a second set of eyes."
Lestrade walks out onto the back lawn and he sees police lights surrounding a figure crouched on the ground. She holds the sheet above her head, shining a torch. Lestrade lets the door bang behind him and Serene looks over her shoulder. She straightens slowly and walks uncertainly towards him. They meet in the middle of the small back garden, they hover nervously Serene's arms wrapped around her middle.
"I'm sorry, I couldn't think of a reason to say no" Serene breaks the silence, she looks at the ground as she speaks.
"It's fine. I understand, yeah." Lestrade watches as she shifts side to side. "Are you cold? Do you want my jacket?"
Serene laughs and looks at him "That would definitely start some rumors. How's your wife?" Serene's eyes flick up to look into the house behind him. Lestrade steps closer, he tips her chin so she looks into his eyes.
"Ex-wife."
Dimmock comes out behind, Lestrade drops his hand when he hears the door.
"Dr. Laurent you've arrived... and Lestrade you're still here."
"Good evening, Detective Inspector. I've just had a cursory look, I have some thoughts."
Serene walks back purposefully back to the lights. Lestrade can't help but watch her transfixed as her hips sway. She was truly a magnificent woman with nerves of steel if this body was as horrific as Katherine was making it seem.
"That would be the butty then, Lestrade? Got to say I can't fault your taste in bacon."
"You quite finished, Dimmock?"
Dimmock walks passed him following Serene. "And your wife's a bit of a tart."
"Ex-wife." Lestrade spits out after him.
He joins Dimmock and Serene beside the sheet.
"We are going to take a look at the body then?" Lestrade nods at the sheet on the ground.
"Just an arm, really." Dimmock sucks his teeth.
"An arm?"
Serene pulls back the sheet and reveals an arm laying on the ground, the tendons stringy and bare, the flesh rotted off.
"What can you tell us?" Lestrade asks her, Dimmock gives him the side eye.
"Obviously the decay is advanced, evidence of several different larvae. No apparent animal activity-"
Serene leans forward, holding her hair back. She inhales deeply.
"Not only was she placed here, but I would say she was exhumed from a proper grave."
"Did you have to smell it?" Lestrade wrinkles his nose.
"Pine. Very telling. Can I borrow your pen?" Serene smiles sweetly at the detectives. They both hold out a pen to her. "Oh, merci."
Using the pen she carefully uncurls the fingers of the hand. Stuck into the rotting flesh of the hand was a pound coin.
"Greg." Serene feels ice cold fear run from her heart to her stomach.
"Bloody hell." Lestrade curses as he paces away and back again.
"Is that a pound coin?" Dimmock leans in, one step behind Serene and Lestrade.
"Call Sherlock, this case has just been officially re-opened."