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 15
"And we have a breakthrough" Hathaway announced as Lewis put a steaming cup on his desk "The pills were issued to one Samuel Lowe, for low sodium levels"
Lewis raised his eyebrows as he sat at his own desk "Then I take it we are assuming that Samuel Lowe is 'Sam'?" he surmised.
"I'm looking into that now" James muttered "You could look into the doctor that wrote the prescription"
Lewis sighed "Give me the details"
James hit a key on the keyboard in front of him with a flourish "Should be popping into your inbox any second" he grinned.
The grin was removed as a notebook narrowly missed him, sliding across his desk onto the floor. James looked at it, and then looked at Lewis in askance.
"Write it down" Lewis gruffed "I'm bloody fed up of screens and keyboards"
James bent and picked up the notebook, with no reply save a sour look in his bosses direction. Getting his own back, he threw the notebook again, only his aim was better.
"Hey!" Lewis jumped, rudely interrupted from staring out of the window.
"Oh sorry, Sir" James said "I thought we were going old school"
Lewis glared at him, picking up the phone on his desk and dialling the number on the paper, then hunched his body away. He'd never admit it, but he knew he deserved James' revenge.
Hanging up the call he turned back to Hathaway "We'll call and see this Dr Han on the way back from visiting the Jacksons, there's something they're not saying about Leverick" he said.
"Oki doki" James stood, picking up his jacket.
"Oki doki?!" Lewis frowned "Who are you and what the hell have you done with Hathaway?!"
James just laughed and then straightened his face "After you Sir" he said in a grave tone.
"Better" Lewis said.
…...
"Detective Inspector Lewis, Sergeant Hathaway, Oxford police" Lewis told the teenage girl slouching at the front door of the Jackson home "Are your parents in?"
"Nope" she said, shifting her gum to the other side of her mouth "What they done?"
"We just want a chat" Hathaway told her.
She turned her attention to him, looking him up and down "Won't I do?" she asked suggestively.
He smiled, Lewis noticed that it was the one that usually accompanied a sarcastic comment.
"Not really" he said, the twist of his lips making Lewis smirk.
"Worth a try" she shrugged "The parents are in Oxford, 'shopping'. Which is code for fighting somewhere other than here. Granny's about somewhere, the gin is missing again"
"Your grandmother?" Hathaway asked "Mary Jackson?"
"The very same" she agreed.
"May we speak to her?" James asked.
"Passed over for an old soak" the girl sighed before turning her head "Gran!" she bellowed "The old bill want you! Again!"
Lewis grimaced at the sudden rise in her pitch and tone, James tapped his ear with the flat of his hand, pulling a face.
"Come in" the girl turned back to them and opened the door wider, shoving a dog out of the way "He doesn't bite, can't vouch for the rest of the family"
"Thank you" Lewis said as they entered.
A woman of indeterminate age tottered towards them from a doorway, she was heavily made up, hair an indiscreet shade of red and a glass in her hand.
"Jenny" she chided "It's unbecoming for a young lady to yell like that"
The girl looked pointedly at the glass in the older woman's hands and laughed "Right" she snorted "Gran the police want to talk to you"
"Oh dear" the woman looked instantly worried "What have you done?"
"Nothing" the girl cast a glance at Hathaway "Yet"
James smirked and then faced the lady in question "Mary Jackson?" he asked "Was Leverick?"
"Yes?" she said "I take it this is about Malcolm?"
"Your son told you he's been found dead?" Lewis asked, weighing her reaction.
"It's about time" Mary replied "At least now he's out of my life for good"
James bridled slightly "Hardly" he scoffed "He was the father of your son, the grandfather of Jenny"
"No he wasn't" she told James with a level stare "He stopped being that the minute he left"
"Where were you on the night of the 21st?" Lewis asked.
"Sozzled I would think" she replied, holding up her drink in answer.
"Can anyone verify that?" James asked.
"I can" Jenny replied sourly "She starts at lunchtime, usually passed out by 9. Not so good as a gran, but makes a great baby sitter when you want to sneak boys in"
"She was definitely here the night of the 21st?" Lewis pressed.
"She's here every night" Jenny said "Since granddad Pete died to get away from her"
"You little bitch!" Mary hissed.
"Learned from the best" Jenny replied, her foot on the bottom step of the flight up to the first floor she turned, looking at James "Don't hesitate to call on me should you need anything" she said with a grin that at her age, she shouldn't have possessed.
"Thank you" James dismissed, turning his attention back to Mary.
"Do you know where your son is now Mrs Jackson?"
"He's gone to see a solicitor" she replied "About Malcolm's money"
"Money?" Lewis asked with interest.
"Despite the fact my ex husband was a hobo" she sneered "He was once an officer in the British Army, he came from 'good stock' as my mother would say, he was the sole heir to his fathers money. Not that he ever used it, or allowed me to"
"Who would know about this money?" Lewis asked.
"Me, my son and daughter in law" she shrugged "Anyone really that knew him back then, before he came back from the Falklands and went barmy"
"Barmy?" James frowned "Do you mean he had post traumatic stress disorder?"
"Huh!" she huffed "That's what the doctors said"
James shook his head "Must have been a relief to come home to the comforting arms of a loving wife" he sneered.
"Don't kid yourself" she replied "Ours was a marriage of convenience, that quickly turned to inconvenience. He found his comforts elsewhere"
"Well thank you Mrs Jackson" Lewis said "We'll be in touch"
"Oh feel free" she told him "I don't go anywhere any more"
…...
"I think we've been looking at this all wrong" Lewis mused "I think we've got two cases here, Leverick is one and Sam and fisherman Stan, another"
James waited for the traffic to clear before turning into the road "Where there's money there's motive" he replied "Son?"
"Possibly" Lewis mused "Or maybe it is one case"
"How so?" James asked.
"Say that the son is in financial trouble, and knows his birth father is sitting on a fortune. He needs the money...murder has happened for less"
"But Leverick was killed first" James reasoned "Why the other two?"
"Jackson didn't know Leverick did he?" Lewis pointed out.
"So he went around killing random homeless people and waited until one of us lot turned up on his doorstep with sad news?" James looked disbelieving "And why alter the method? Leverick had his head bashed in, that could have been a crime of passion, spur of the moment. The other two were planned"
"Hmmm" Lewis sat back in his seat and stared out of the windscreen "Cover his tracks?"
James let out a long breath "Maybe"
"Oh bugger it" Lewis sighed "I'm hungry, lets get something to eat"
"Where?" James asked.
"The Mill" Lewis said "You never know who might be there for lunch, I hear it's popular with hospital staff"
James gave him a sideways look and Lewis laughed.