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 6
Chief Superintendent Jean Innocent was one of those people that James found intriguing. He'd seen many sides to her. The official side, dispatching criminals and unruly coppers with equal disdain. The personal side, the woman who liked to mix with the upper end of Oxfords society as her position demanded, but who was also equally at home in a quiet pub with colleagues having conversation. The compassionate side, the side that showed actually, she was human, as when her dear friend had taken to murder to solve her problems. She was a worrier, the old adage 'takes one to know one' was never more apt. James knew she worried, because he did, he knew the signs.
"Are you all right James?" she asked pointedly.
"I'm fine Ma'am" he looked more convincing than he sounded.
"The verdict was natural causes" she told him "The father has dropped any complaint, social services are on the case, let it go"
"I have Ma'am" he replied quietly.
She looked at him a moment, professionally yes, he had. Case closed. Personally? No, he hadn't.
"Good" she nodded, she knew pressing this line of enquiry would get her nowhere, that he would work it out himself, he usually did. Didn't stop her worrying though "Back to your homeless case then"
He watched her go, face blank. If only it were so easy.
…...
"I think we have to face the fact that these two deaths may not be connected" Lewis said, standing to Hathaway's side. They both looked at the evidence table, littered with paper, empty packets and general rubbish. All that remained of two lives.
"Other than the fact that in general, the contents of both men's pockets are similar, there's nothing to link them" James agreed "And we still don't have the full PM results on 'Fisherman Stan'. Thought I have managed to trace a long lost relative, a cousin. Elderly herself, but on her way to Oxford to ID him, and take him 'home' for a proper send off, so she said"
"She'll have to wait until Laura's done" Lewis chewed the side of his mouth "Before she'll release the body"
"She knows that" James replied "So what now?"
"Unless someone comes forward to ID the first victim" Lewis said "Or we stumble across some evidence, I can see this one spending a while on my shelf"
James nodded, they were effectively at a dead end here, he'd exhausted every avenue that could be in identifying the first man. Appeals had gone out for witnesses, a fingertip search of the area had been conducted, all yielding nothing. They had two dead men, one definitely murdered and unidentified, the other awaiting formal identification and official cause of death. A murderer at large, and other than scraps of paper and rubbish, no evidence.
"You've been at this all day" Lewis sighed "Put it away, go home. Go row or play guitar or read a book, whatever it is you do in the absence of a good woman"
James looked out of the window at the miserable day and gave a half smile "Even I don't row in the rain Sir"
Lewis clapped him on the back affectionately "Well that's something"
…...
Evie ducked her head and ran along the pavement. The rain poured into her eyes, despite shielding them with a hand. What a stupid day for her car to pack up.
James drove along, windscreen wipers on full, suddenly he braked and pulled in, jumping out of the car into the rain.
"Evie?" he called as she almost ran into him. He could have kicked himself for startling her, she looked up, physically jumping back, hands defensive. The actions of most women, alone on a street in the gathering dusk.
"Oh God Hathaway!" she cried "You scared the living daylights out of me!"
She tried to lighten it, but he had seen the flash of terror before she recognised him.
"Sorry" he pulled a face "Do you need a lift? Where are you going?"
"My bloody car won't start" she said, pushing straggly curls out of her face "I'm on my way back from work"
"I'll give you a lift" he offered, stepping into the road and opening the passenger door he moved something to the back seat, she noticed he'd removed his tie and loosened his top button, he had shed his jacket and now his pale shirt was soaked with rain.
She followed him and they almost collided as he moved back, holding the door to allow her into the car.
"Sorry" he mumbled, watching as she got in. Evie looked up at him as she sat in the seat, he had stayed where he was, something unreadable about his expression as she looked back.
"Getting wet aren't you?" she teased.
He realised that actually, he was already soaked, but for those long seconds they had looked at each other, he hadn't noticed.
He dived into the car, turning to look at her.
She knew she looked like a drowned rat, but now so did he. And then he laughed, and she realised that she'd never heard him truly laugh before. Any residual uneasiness she had started to melt away.
"What's so funny?" she asked.
"You" he replied "You're soaked" and beautiful he added silently.
"Oh hilarious" she rolled her eyes and flicked some water from her hands at him "Not so dry yourself there James"
He ducked and laughed again before starting the car.
"So where are you going?" he asked as he turned the heater controls, trying to find a balance between keeping them both warm and being able to see through fogged up windows.
"Home James" she grinned at him "I've always wanted to say that"
He smiled out of the side window before replying.
"If you had any idea how many times I've heard that" he said, but with a quirky smile.
"Sorry" she laughed "Couldn't resist"
He shook his head, giving a few huffs of laughter himself.
"So home? Where would that be then?" he asked.
She gave him an address and he pulled back into the street, driving with care in the conditions.
"Just finished work?" she asked.
"I was heading to a friends" he explained "With my companion" he reached back and tapped the object he'd moved, that now leaned against the front seats.
Evie swivelled and looked "A guitar?" she almost veiled the surprise she felt.
"Actually it's an axe" he said with an air of conspiracy "Was looking for my next victim when I saw you"
"Guitar case is a nice touch" she replied.
"I think so" he gave a smirk.
"So should I expect some mutilated bodies tomorrow?" she asked with amusement.
He looked at her "Maybe, I now have a great alibi"
She started to laugh and he did too, before he spoke again.
"Band practice" he explained "I need it, haven't had much time recently"
"You should make time for things that make you happy" she said.
He looked at her swiftly, her expression of almost regret made him wonder.
"Do you?" he asked "Make time for things that make you happy?"
"I try" the regret was gone, replaced with a smile, the smile.
A few moments later he pulled into a street of large and grand houses, slowing to a stop where Evie directed him.
"Thank you" she said with sincerity "I wasn't looking forward to walking all that way in this"
"You're welcome" he smiled "Big house"
"Converted to small flats" she answered "I have the bottom floor, it's nice, better since the students above were replaced by a reclusive bachelor"
James lifted his lips in an almost smile, he'd been described as such before.
"Thanks, again" she said, getting out of the car.
He opened his mouth to call her, and changed his mind, instead watching as she made a dash for the front door. Watching until she was safely inside he continued his journey, thoughtful.