"I know you've been out of it for a while old chap, but enough to have a conversation about talking dogs? Come on old thing, you think that I'll buy that as a way to explain why Brett mentioned the word majesty? Edmund?" DI Clarke pestered him once the two of them had re-entered the room where their unofficial base was, eventually grabbing the files that Edmund held loosely in his hand and hitting Edmund on the back of the head.
"Hey! That hurt!" Edmund protested feeling the sharp slap across the back of his scalp. DI Clarke looked satisfied, and sat himself down on a worn brown chair, and rocked slightly back on the balls of his toes.
"Good. Now maybe you'll tell me why you've been even weirder than normal Edmund. It can't be the coffee, as you've been drinking that vile stuff for years. It can't be withdrawal from your family; you only saw them last week, just before you started work on the North case. Now why did you mention talking dogs, and why are you so weird?"
Edmund flopped into the companion chair, and rubbed his eyes.
"Something Mr North said brought back a memory. No, can't have been, dogs don't talk, not even... "
DI Clarke waved a hand in front of Edmund's face, which was lost in thought.
"Hello, earth to Edmund Pevensie, anyone there... Hey!" he was knocked aside as Edmund got up and stared closer at the map of London on the wall, while DI Clarke got himself back on his feet and stood by him.
"Mr North mentioned something about a woman before he blacked out, said her dog was run over." Edmund turned to DI Clarke.
"Where's Mr North's house on this map?"
"Pardon?"
"Have a hunch." With that, DI Clarke rolled his eyes, but dutifully pointed out Brett's house while Edmund frantically searched his pockets for a pin.
"It's obvious you weren't in the Boy Scouts, always NOT being prepared and all that rot."
Edmund didn't reply, but found a pin, and placed where Brett's house was.
"Okay. Now where's the victims house?"
Once again, DI Clarke developed an ache in his arm while Edmund went to find another pin.
"Any time would be helpful Edmund" he called, "I mean; I don't really need my left arm for anything important."
"That's good", Edmund called on his way back, and he placed the second pin on the map, connected the two together with a piece of string he brought as well, and stepped back.
"A perfect line..." the two looked at each other, and back at the map.
"Any buildings in the way?" DI Clarke looked at Edmund.
"We're in London."
"Let me re-phrase that – any prominent buildings in the way."
"Much more like it. Any more brilliant insights, and I'm liable to make you a detective" DI Clarke grinned.
"Think I'll pass, after all, if it means being like you, then I'll grow fat on Turkish Delight – vile stuff" Edmund replied with a mock shudder.
"Hah hah very funny. As for your obsession with prominent buildings, there is an old warehouse slap bang in the middle of your line... care to check it out?"
Edmund smiled.
"I think so."
As the two of them left, Edmund heard the voice again:
"Edmund..."
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