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 12
Laura hung up the phone and headed through to the room where Evie worked.
"I just called Lewis" she said "They'll be here soon, on their way back from interviewing someone"
"OK" Evie smiled a reply and continued logging the blood samples from the latest victim "Though it'll probably be 24 hours before these are back"
"I'm pretty certain that this is another murder" Laura went on "Even without toxicology, same manner of death"
Evie sighed "Shame" she said.
"Nature of the job" Laura shrugged and then her expression changed "Nice to see you out last night too, did you enjoy yourself?"
"Yes" Evie's reply was guarded, but not greatly so.
"Good" Laura nodded "Get home OK?"
Evie heard the hidden question "Yes, thank you"
"I take it James was a perfect gentleman?" Laura pushed.
"Perfect" Evie agreed, studying some labels a little harder than she needed to.
"Disappointed?" Laura Hobson wasn't known most for her tact.
Evie gave her a startled look "Why would I be disappointed?"
Laura laughed "Never mind"
Evie shrugged to cover her awkwardness "He's nice"
"He is" Laura agreed "Anyway, I found some fibres" Laura handed her some tubes and petri dishes "And a substance, that need identifying"
"Leave it with me" Evie replied with a smile.
…...
"Hello"
Evie looked up to see James peering around the door frame of the lab.
"Oh!" she started "Hello"
"Busy?" he asked.
"Running some fibres from the last dead body" she said "Take a look"
He moved beside her, squinting at the screen "Hmm, blue wavy lines" he said "Very enlightening"
She gave him an amused look "Wool fibres"
"From?"
"A sheep?" she countered with a smile.
"Blue sheep" he nodded "Can't be too many of those around"
She laughed "From a woollen jumper or jacket" she said "But not a match to his clothes, and they were clean. Everything else he had on him was ingrained in dirt, but these were clean"
He rested his elbows on the table "So they could be from our killer?"
"That's your job" she replied "I just clean up"
"Little more to it than that" James frowned.
"Maybe" she shrugged "Shouldn't you be next door gathering information?"
"I'm in here" he smirked "Gathering information, and besides, I got sent out while the grown ups talk"
"Hmm?" she prompted.
"After some pointed remarks about me, and you, looking rather tired this morning" he sighed "I have been asked to come and collect the reports, personally"
"Oh you have?" she laughed "That's funny, I put them on Dr Hobson's desk 10 minutes ago"
He chuckled "Set up again"
She shrugged, with a shy smile.
"I also, hoped to beg a cup of coffee from you" he continued.
"You must have passed 10 coffee places on the way here" she pointed out.
He took a step closer "You might have more custard creams" he tilted his head to one side, hands in his pockets "And theirs isn't served by someone wearing a rather fetching green apron"
Evie laughed and he thought he liked doing that, making her laugh, so he could hear it.
"You said no more coffee and biscuits" she challenged lightly.
"I was wrong" he grinned "You can't have too much of a good thing"
"I already know that" she returned "Sometimes you can't get enough"
"I was hoping you thought that" he said and then coloured, as she did at her choice of words "About...aha, you know the coffee..." he finished lamely.
The floor suddenly became of avid interest for both until James looked upwards, hands in his pockets and gave a low laugh with a bashful but happy smile.
"What?" she asked.
"I am so bad at this" again he looked away, unable to keep the smile off his face "This, ahem, talking to you thing"
"Flirting?" she offered, not without hope.
"Is it that bad?" he smiled again.
She laughed again "It's not that bad" she conceded.
"A resounding 'no' would have worked for me" he laughed.
She looked up at him and he looked back.
She blinked a few times under his gaze.
"So" she snapped them both out of it "Coffee?"
"Yes, thank you" he stepped back "If it's not too much trouble"
"Not at all" she smiled "Though I do have to remove the apron"
"Needs must" he sighed, but she caught the twinkle of amusement in his eyes.
…...
"Hathaway?!" James actually jumped as Lewis bellowed down the corridor.
"You're wanted" Evie smiled.
James rolled his eyes and set his cup down.
"Sir?" he answered.
"Come on, stop chattin' the ladies up. We have work to do" Lewis replied, still out of sight.
"Ah" Evie looked down as he spoke, noting his face start to colour again.
"I have to er..." he gestured back into the corridor.
"Yes" she agreed "You do"
"Right, well" he huffed "See you at 7"
"Bye James" she smiled "7"
…...
"You all right there James?" Lewis asked with a speculative glance "Looking a bit flushed"
"Fine thank you" James grinned back.
"Good" Lewis nodded "Forensics came back with a chemist that issued the tablets you found, we'll go and see if they can shed any light on them shall we?"
"Lead on McDuff" James replied.
"Quoting Shakespeare at me?" Lewis grinned "Must be love"
James didn't reply, merely smiled to himself.
…...
"I'm sorry Inspector" the chemist peered at the copy of the label "But without a name, there's little I can do"
"Couldn't you check your records for all prescriptions issued that day?" James asked "We will do the rest"
The man looked again, for some reason he made James feel uncomfortable. He was as tall as him, and broader, good looking.
Lewis had noticed James' reluctance. The chemist was what Lewis referred to as 'The Oxford type' and he and Hathaway obviously rubbed each other up the wrong way.
"That looks like Slo-K maybe" the man frowned at the photocopy of the enhanced label "A supplement for potassium deficiencies"
"Would that also be termed as low sodium levels?" James asked.
"Well in laymans terms, yes" the pharmacist replied, mockery just under the surface.
"So" Lewis cut in as he saw Hathaway's eyes tighten "Could you look up prescriptions of Slo K?" the pharmacist nodded "Issued on this date?"
"It was two years ago" the man replied "It may take me a while"
Lewis handed over his card "As soon as you can" he urged.
James glowered as they left the chemists.
"Let me guess" Lewis sighed "You two rowed against each other, back in the day?"
James gave a snort "No. I never met him before, he's just a pompous tw... idiot"
Lewis laughed.