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 10
Robbie Lewis snorted and woke reluctantly as he heard the telephone, he heard Laura answer it, speaking in short and clipped sentences. He opened one eye, glaring at the clock that announced that it was only 5.45am, and if he looked really closely, it also said he had another hour and a half sleep. Or should have.
"What is it?" he asked as Laura hung up and swung her legs out of bed.
"Body found by the river" she yawned "That'll be your lot for you"
His heart sunk as his mobile started to ring.
"Lovely" Robbie said with disdain "I'll put the kettle on, you have the shower first"
Laura stood and turned back towards him, smiling "We're getting too old for this"
"Then retire" he replied, sitting up.
"I think I might" she said before heading for the bathroom.
He hung up from the control room that informed him of a suspicious death near the river, and that the coroner was en route. He didn't enlighten them that he knew the coroner was en route. He dialled James' speed dial number, expecting that he'd be up, probably out running or discovering the meaning of life, or whatever he did. Lewis harboured suspicions about him being a vampire, he always answered his phone, day or night, within a few rings, and always sounding wide awake.
…...
James groped for the source of the noise, finding it and clicking the button on automatic pilot.
"Hathaway" he croaked.
"James?" Lewis asked on the other end.
"Yes, Sir" his brain was slow to function as James slowly registered the voice on the other end.
"Dead body by the river" Lewis went on "I'll pick you up in half an hour"
"Sir"
"Did I wake you?" Lewis asked.
James glanced at the clock, surprised to see it was a few minutes to 6.
"Yes, you did" he answered, sounding puzzled himself.
He let the phone slip onto the pillow next to him as the call ended and rubbed a hand over his eyes and face, to wake himself up. He looked at the clock again, he would usually at least be awake by now, if not up and about. He'd been in bed by midnight. That in itself was a revelation recently, he'd spent more nights cat napping for a few hours on the sofa than sleeping solidly in his bed.
Six hours straight he wondered, he felt refreshed and better for it. Getting out of bed he padded to the shower to start his day.
…...
Lewis looked down at the body, twisted in a way that spoke to a violent end. It was at odds with the serene surroundings, cool air drifted with the river and trees swayed gently, casting leaves onto the barely moving surface of the water.
Hathaway stood beyond the crime scene tape, talking to a shocked man with a dog, the unfortunate one to stumble across the death of a stranger.
"There's nothing obvious" Laura said quietly "Despite his position. No evidence of trauma, this is the way he fell"
Lewis turned his attention back to the body as she carried on.
"Not dead long, four hours at the most" she said.
"But another homeless person" he sighed "I think we have a problem here"
"A serial?" Laura asked.
Lewis nodded sadly "Possibly. Any ID?"
"No" she shook her head "I'll bag up the usual, tell James to get his flea spray out"
Lewis smiled softly, this was one reason why he loved her, the ability to find humour during the darkest of situations, and for it not to be distasteful.
"He likes a good jigsaw puzzle" Lewis replied, giving her a grateful smile "Call me when you have the PM"
"Don't I always?" she replied.
He headed for his sergeant who had dismissed the man and dog with a kindly hand to his shoulder, and now stood taking in the scene.
"Anything?" he asked Hathaway.
"Walking his dog, found the body" James said "Has seen no one else, except us, for his entire walk"
"Well this one has no ID either" Lewis said "So it's back to the shelters for you"
James pulled a face and Lewis gave a low chuckle "As a man of God, I thought you were all for helping those less fortunate?"
"I am" James replied with conviction "But I like this suit"
Lewis laughed "Come on, I'll buy you a coffee. If we get there early enough, we might catch some of the residents before they leave"
They fell into step as they left the scene in the capable hands of uniform.
"So, did I drag you out of bed this morning?" Robbie asked with a sideways sly look.
"Yes, you did" James replied.
"Your own bed?" Lewis pressed with a smile.
"Yes" James snapped "And to save you the trouble of asking, I walked Evie home, we drank coffee, and no that is not a euphemism, and I left. I slept in my own bed, alone"
Lewis' reply was to laugh and shake his head, James' awkwardness towards women he found attractive never failed to amaze him.
…...
James trudged along the pavement, it was starting to rain again, and he'd left his coat in the car. Bowing his head he huffed his way along, dodging other people as he went.
Drawing to a halt at his last stop he looked up at the sign, and then the sky. Taking a deep breath, he entered the shelter.
He waited patiently as the woman he'd spoken to before conversed with another woman. His mind made a link to the Scottish play, one of the witches coming to mind. He gave a smirk, and then sobered slightly as he realised this wasn't the first time he'd mentally referenced Shakespeare in the last few days. He remembered Evie's assumption that he wasn't a fan of Shakespeare, all be it due to his chosen quotation. He wondered at her view that it was commercialised, she wasn't wrong in his opinion. He enjoyed Shakespeare, but the grass roots of it, the bare bones. Not the 'plays' over acted by over zealous Hollywood stars who faked poor English accents and were applauded for it.
"Can I help you sergeant?" he was drawn from his thoughts by Mrs. Graham, Barbara.
"Yes, I hope so" he replied "Are you familiar with this man?"
She took the proffered picture of the latest victim.
"Why yes, this is Sam...Oh! Not him too?"
James took the picture and put it back in his pocket "I'm afraid so" he answered "Sam who?"
"Just Sam" The tissue made a reappearance again and James fought his impatience. It wasn't that he didn't like Mrs Graham, or respect her work, but he was cold, hungry and his ankles were starting to itch again.
"You don't know his surname?" James pressed, he wasn't going to get sidetracked by tears and tea this time.
"No one has a proper name here" she sniffed "Sam probably wasn't even his real name, just one he chose to be known by"
James nodded "Can you tell me anything about him? Or Fisherman Stan?" he asked "Anything, however small may help us"
"Sam was a wanderer" she replied, her eyes far away "Spent one or two nights a month here maybe. Often wandered the lanes around Oxford, sleeping in barns and the like. He was a free spirit, as most of my clients are"
She caught James' look of surprise as she used the word 'client'.
"They have lost their way sergeant" her tone became defensive "Not their pride"
"I understand that" James replied quietly, guilt rearing it's head again.
"For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me"** she told him tartly.
"Matthew 25:35" James murmured.
She eyed him carefully "You are familiar with the bible?" she asked him.
"Somewhat" he replied, pulling himself together "I did not mean any offence"
"I know that" she smiled "Tea?"
"No" he replied "Thank you, just a few questions"
"Fire away" she said.
"When did Sam last stay here?" he asked, flipping open his notebook.
"Last night" she replied "I signed him in myself"
"May I see the room?" he asked.
She led him to a room, identical to the one Fisherman Stan had found his end in. James poked around a little, not finding anything of interest.
"Do you clean everyday?" he asked.
"Yes" she nodded "But if you want his things, I have them. Sam did not travel light. He left last night, saying he had something to do, so I gave him a key and went to bed myself. The cleaner said that his bags were still there this morning, so I put them in the office. He sometimes left things here for a few days before coming back"
"Did he return the key?" she now had his full attention.
"It was hanging up in my office" she replied "So yes, he must have"
James scribbled and then closed his notebook "The bags?"
"This way" she led him to her office.
…...
** Quote taken from the Bible.