The dangers of Smoking.
The dangers of smoking are widely known, by smokers and non smokers alike. Detective Sergeant James Hathaway knows them, accepts them and lives with them. Except one. No one thought to warn about that one did they?
Chapter 3
"The thing is" Lewis said as they got out of the car "Why would someone target homeless people? I mean I can see someone whacking someone they thought was a mugger, but this one, this one was in a shelter"
"Maybe" Hathaway replied "Someone is 'cleaning up'"
"Pretty grisly way to 'keep our city tidy'" Lewis mused.
"Or it could be in house? So to speak?" Hathaway said "Dissent over turf?"
They headed towards the building as they talked, James looked up towards the building, Lewis didn't notice his eyes open wide for a second.
"Homeless war?" Lewis answered "It's possible I suppose"
James slowed and delved into his pocket retrieving his cigarettes.
"If you're gonna have one of those" Lewis fumbled in his own pocket, pulling out a note "Make yersel' useful and go grab us a coffee, I'm parched. Didn't even get a sniff of that pint"
Hathaway took the money.
"An' I want me change mind!" Lewis told him as he carried on alone.
"Oh" Hathaway responded a look of feigned sadness accompanying his sarcasm "Can't I have some sweeties?"
"Rot ya teeth" Lewis grinned and Hathaway shook his head.
Evie smiled and exchanged polite greetings with Lewis as she came down the steps, and headed towards the bench that had adopted by the smokers in the mortuary. Passing James as she did. He fell into step beside her.
"We meet again" he said "Evie Bennett"
"As you prophesied" she replied with a glance in his direction "DS Hathaway"
"More logical deduction" he said as they sat "Doesn't Dr Hobson mind you sneaking out?"
"Apparently not when DI Lewis is due" she replied, accepting his offer of a light before he lit his own.
James gave a smile "You never answered my question"
"Question?" she repeated.
"About what you did before this" he explained.
"I was studying pharmacology" she said.
"To do this job?"
"Maybe" she shrugged "Am I a suspect in something?" he saw the mischievous look in her eye.
"I don't know" he returned "Are you?"
"Not that I'm aware of" she smiled.
"Good" he nodded "Dr Hobson speaks highly of you, I wouldn't want to upset her by having to arrest you"
He coughed, a nervous cough, and inhaled his cigarette again.
"Has she done the autopsy?" he asked.
"Preliminary" Evie replied "Need toxicology and blood work yet, a four car pile up came in this morning, all fatalities"
"Anything?"
"I'll let Dr Hobson tell you" she smiled at him "Is that my interrogation over for now?"
She laughed quietly as he blushed, it confused her a little.
"Sorry" he grimaced.
"It comes with the job" she echoed his words.
A lone leaf fluttered in the breeze and landed softly between them.
"And autumn begins" Evie said.
"My favourite season" James said, picking the leaf up with delicate fingers "'No Spring nor summer hath such grace as I have seen in one autumnal face'"
"John Donne" she smiled "I thought you'd be more a Shakespeare man"
"'This above all" he finished his cigarette and crushed it under his heel "'To thine own self be true'"
She copied his action with her own stub and they stood.
"Not a fan then?" she asked with her head on one side, blinking in the sunshine.
He looked at her a moment, he hadn't thought she would get the subtle reference. When he didn't answer, she continued.
"It does tend to get overdone" she said "And commercialised"
"As many things do" he replied, smiling "Until next time"
"Next time" she smiled "In exile"
He laughed "In exile" and she returned his laugh.
They left in opposite directions, Evie back to work, and James to get coffee as he had been bid.
…...
"No James today?" Laura asked.
Robbie inclined his head to the door "Fag break, he'll be in in a minute"
"Funny that" Laura stood, hands on hips.
"What?" Lewis looked preoccupied.
"How every time your sergeant gets here, he needs a fag break, and every time my assistant hears you two are coming, she needs one too" She replied.
"Hmmm" Robbie snapped his attention back "I think your assistant fancies my sergeant"
"I think your sergeant fancies my assistant" she countered, leaning over a workbench to crane her neck and see out of the window that was cracked open .
"There's definitely chemistry. Bloody hell!"
"What?" Lewis was intrigued and tried to shuffle her out of the way to look himself.
"He's smiling" Laura said.
"Hathaway?" Lewis gave a disbelieving snort "It'll be wind"
"No, definitely a smile" Laura moved and Lewis took her place.
"You're right!" he chuckled "Laughing now, both of them"
"Question is" Laura folded her arms "What do we do about it?"
"Why would we need to do anything?" Lewis asked her "They're adults, they can sort themselves out"
"Oh come on Robbie!" Laura said "Two more romantically awkward people I have never met!"
Lewis laughed "You're right"
"Of course I am" she gave him a haughty look "So what do we do?"
"Well, he'll see straight through any matchmaking" Lewis said.
"Mmmm" Laura replied "Yes, we'll have to be smart about it"
"Outsmart Hathaway?" Lewis asked in disbelief "That'll be the day!"
…...
James tapped on the door and entered the mortuary. Looking confused as two sets of amused eyes regarded him.
"Something I said?" he asked.
"No" Lewis replied "We have more papers on this one"
James reached out and took the evidence bags, holding them at arms length, receiving a scornful look from Laura.
"They won't bite!" she chided.
"Actually they might" he grimaced.
"He's covered in flea bites" Lewis chuckled.
"Well get them out of my autopsy room!" the doctor looked horrified and James backed away through the doors again.
Lewis followed him, laughing "Come on itchy, lets get you back for a treatment"
"Oh I'm glad you find it funny, Sir" James retorted "Anything from the PM?"
"Waiting for toxicology" Lewis told him "Died of a heart attack, though Laura thinks that it may be suspicious, no evidence of heart disease"
…...
"So" Laura started as they closed and cleaned a body that had been autopsied "How are you finding it? Settling in OK?"
"Yes" Evie smiled "It's very different, but I like it. Learning a lot"
"Good" Laura nodded "No problems with anyone or anything?"
"No" The tone was light but Laura saw the tightening of her jaw "Everyone has been lovely"
"Yes, they're a good bunch" Laura smiled "And Lewis and Hathaway brighten the place up don't they?"
Laura saw a flash of something she couldn't place before the smile reappeared.
"I like DI Lewis" Evie announced "He's funny, and sweet. But then I guess you already know that"
Laura laughed "Yes, I do. And Hathaway, he's a nice guy under all that scowling you know, very sensitive. I know he's a bit..." Laura struggled for just one word to sum him up.
"Intense?" Evie supplied.
"Yes" Laura agreed "He is a very intense young man isn't he? Attractive too"
Evie didn't make eye contact, merely murmured a noise that could have been agreement or dissent.
"Don't you think?" Laura prompted.
"Think what Doctor?" Evie replied, innocence just masking a guilty expression.
"Hathaway, attractive?" Laura pressed.
"I hadn't really noticed" Evie answered, and started to push the trolley with the now wrapped body through to another room, but not before Laura saw the blush creep across her cheeks.
"Gotchya" she whispered to herself.