Chapter 8

"Robbie," Laura called to Lewis, she stood by one of the forensic vans closing the coverall she had put on. She handed a disposable protective crime scene coverall to Lewis as he approached.

"How's your hand," he inquired as he dressed in the blue coveralls.

"Hurts. How did you get Innocent to order all this," Laura glances around while Lewis wiggled into the coveralls. Dressed in their crime scene suits they turned toward James' house. Several people were already inside and outside methodically searching for any clues.

"I just told her James was missing, " Lewis explained. "I didn't have to beg, bargain, plea nor argue with her."

They both hesitated at the entrance both trying to convince themselves everything will be all right. They each had a hollow filling at the pit of their stomachs. Finally Lewis took a deep breath and first step through the threshold into the crime scene. Both put their personal feelings aside to do what was necessary for their lost friend. Their work began.

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Chief Superintendent Jean Innocent sat on an old burgundy settee with a white crochet doily on each arm rest. The two young PCs sat in matching burgundy wingback chairs all pretty but uncomfortable. Mrs. O'Malley's house had a smell of a mixture of strong old lady's perfume, dead fish and old trash.

The old lady walked slowly into the sitting room with a tray of tea and a few odd shaped biscuits for the visiting officers. She poured five cups of tea one for each officer and one for Percy. One of the young PCs reached for a biscuit but stopped short when Percy growled ominously.

"Percy dear mind you manners," she scolded the dog. "Have a biscuit, Son, Percy will share." She told the PC. He withdrew his hand leaving the dog biscuits lay on the china plate for Percy to eat.

"Now, Mrs. O'Malley, I'm Chief Superintendent Jea..." Innocent started to introduce herself.

"I know who you are my dear," Mrs. O'Malley interrupted. "You are Jeannie Lynn McConnell. You sat at the same desk as your father my most successful student. Yes I know you, you are the daughter of former Prime Minister Leonard McConnell. You my dear must be a disappointment to your family."

Jean was shocked to see her grade school teacher. She was old and mean then and she has not changed a bit. "So Jeannie McConnell the mean girl in row three is now a police officer." Mrs. O'Malley tormented.

Blushing Innocent quickly had to regain her composure and control of the conversation or they will be here for hours, hours of hell. "Mrs. O'Malley, I'm surprise to see you.."

"Still alive," Mrs. O'Malley finished the sentence for her former student. "I'm still here my dear. Despite how horrible you were." She looked at the young superintendent with condescending eyes. Jean squirmed, she felt like she was back in the class she hated so much with the teacher she hated.

"Right, Mrs. O'Malley, one of my Sargents is missing. From..." Once again the retired teacher interrupted.

"Still loosing things, Jeannie? You never learned, did you?" She poured another cup of tea for Percy.

Ignoring the old bat Innocent pressed on, "Mrs. O'Malley, what did you see and hear last night from Sargent James Hathaway's house?"

The mantel clock struck the top of the hour, the chimes loudly sang off key. Percy instantly bounced up and raced up stairs barking. He then trotted down stairs and out the back door, barking every step. When the chimes stopped, Percy marched inside returning to his seat and resumed lapping up his cup of tea and eating his biscuits.

Annoyed at the continuous interruptions Innocent took a more aggressive tone, "What did you see, Mrs. O'Malley?" Percy growled and started to bark. "Keep that dog quiet or I will have one of my PCs lock him up!" She warned.

Scared Mrs. O'Malley quickly scooped Percy into her protective arms. Innocent glared threateningly daring the former teacher to defy her warning. Both PCs started to take notes as Mrs. O'Malley reluctantly began to answer Chief Innocent's questions.

"Please, Mrs. O'Malley, this is important. Can you tell me about your neighbor, Sargent James Hathaway?" Innocent's tone softened her eyes were pleading.

"That young man, your Sargent, needs to have his mouth washed out with soap." Mrs. O'Malley rambled. "For the past two weeks I could hear him shouting in the night. Cursing. Poor Percy, I had to keep him inside away from such foul language."

"Well, he was wailing and cursing all night," she leaned forward in her chair almost squishing Percy in her lap. "Last night, about two or three in the morning, I saw that vulgar young man stagger outside drunk. He was half naked. No shirt and no shoes."

"Just tell us about last night, please," Jean asked.

Her eyes narrowed as she continued to describe Hathaway's moonlit walk. "He yelled at Percy and the stumbled out the back garden gate into the woods. Good ridden to him, too. He was mean, vulgar and obscene."

"Obscene?" Innocent questioned.

"Yes, he stopped and well he relieved himself by the back gate," she curled her wrinkled lip up in discuss. "Then he yelled at poor Percy. Such a tormented man, I guess you made him that way."

Innocent glared at the old teacher warning her to stop but there was no stopping Mrs. O'Malley. "Jeannie you have a nasty way to turn people bitter," she began to lecture. "You could turn a Saint bitter. You are a bad girl, bad."

Innocent rolled her eyes and moved to get up from the uncomfortable settee. The mantel clock chimed off key again at half past the hour. 'Only thirty minutes, felt like an eternity' Jean thought. Percy bounce up again and started his barking patrol of the house.

Having her fill of the torment by her old teacher and the noise of the poodle, Jean snapped at the annoying dog, "Be quiet."

She turned to the two PCs. "Wait outside for me," she ordered. They left the house closing the door behind them. Both were relieved to leave the smelly house, noisy dog and bitter old teacher. "What a fruitcake," one whispered.

Turning to Mrs. O'Malley, "For your information I am Chief Superintendent of Oxfordshire Police. Despite what you think, my parents are proud of my accomplishments. Thank you for your time, Mrs. O'Malley" Jean snarled and left the smelly house. Percy started to bark but instantly stopped when Jean turned and narrowed her eyes glaring at the pesky dog.

"That woman," she growled underneath her breath. "Turn your finished reports in as soon as you can. I'm returning to the station," she told the PCs that help her with the torturous interview. "Thank you for you help and if you two want to continue to be on the force, you will keep your mouths shut about Mrs. O'Malley and her version of my school years. You understand?"

They nodded and quickly left to write their reports. Neither said a word aloud, but both were smiling and laughing to themselves.

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