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 16
James turned and looked at Lewis quizzically as the older man stopped with a cry. He'd stopped in his tracks in The Mill car park.
"Oh that's right!" he held the heel of his hand to his forehead "I'm meeting Laura at The Dog!"
"What?" James frowned.
"I forgot" Lewis replied "I arranged to meet Laura at the Dog and Duck at one" he looked at his watch "Better get my skates on, you'll be all right on your own won't you?"
James gave him a suspicious look which changed to indignation as he caught sight of Evie coming along the road.
"On my own?" he asked softly.
"I'm sure you can find a pretty young thing to chat up" Lewis beamed at him.
"You're a really bad liar" James told him with a scowl as Lewis grinned and turned away, seeing Evie.
"Oh look" he laughed "There you go, company. Pick me up at half 2 at The Dog, it's only round the corner" and he was gone.
Evie looked from Lewis back to James as he stood, hands in pockets, glaring after his boss.
"Where's he going?" she asked "Dr Hobson nipped out and said to meet her here for lunch, she wanted to go over some stuff, she'll be here in a minute"
"No she won't" he huffed.
"Oh?" Evie frowned, waiting for him to enlighten her, and then the penny dropped "Again?!"
"It would appear so" he grumbled.
Evie regarded him, he did not look pleased. He stared at the point Lewis had disappeared. And then he looked at her, and smiled.
"Not that I mind" he said lightly "Saved me ringing and asking"
"Asking what?"
"You out again" he grinned, his cheeks flooding with colour "So...Evie, would you like to have lunch with me?"
"I'd love to" she laughed, taking the arm he held out.
…...
Evie sat back on the stone bench outside the pub and waited for James. She was lightly daydreaming when a voice broke through.
"Hi Evie!"
She looked up, smiling as she saw Gordy, one of the technicians that worked as part of the pathology lab. He was about 20, small and full of energy. Evie liked him, he brightened up the dull days, but sometimes, he could be a bit full on.
"Managed to escape for lunch?" she asked.
"Yes, you should have said you were coming on your own" Gordy replied, sitting next to her "We can eat together"
Evie felt slightly uncomfortable at the proximity of him, but she let it go.
"I've eaten" she said.
"Oh, we'll have a drink then, Hobson's still out, we can sneak back later" he gave her a conspiring look and leaned closer "Save being by yourself"
"She's not by herself" Evie looked up and relief went through her as she saw James, she jumped up, standing slightly behind his shoulder.
"I had lunch with James" she explained.
Gordy also stood, lifting his chin towards James, the act was slightly ridiculous, seeing as the top of Gordy's head barely reached James' shoulders.
"Nice to meet you James" Gordy said, sounding about as insincere as was possible.
"Detective Sergeant Hathaway" James corrected "And you are?"
He wasn't the jealous type, he saw it as a wasted emotion, but he was aware of Evie's discomfort, and he didn't like it.
"Gordy" the younger man replied "Mr Gordon Conran, I work with Evie"
"Well if you'll excuse us Mr Conran" James replied "We have to get back to work, enjoy your lunch"
Gordy nodded and turned for the pub doors. James looked at Evie.
"Are you all right?" he asked.
"Yes, yes" she soothed "I'm fine, he's just a bit...overbearing at times"
He took her answer on face value, or appeared to.
"Shall I drop you back?" he asked.
"It's half past" she checked her watch "You'll be late for Inspector Lewis"
James shrugged, grinning "I'll tell him we had wild sex in the passenger seat, should wipe the smug grin off his mush, especially when he's sat in it"
Evie gasped and coloured "James!" she laughed.
And he laughed too and then leaned in, just to say brushing her lips with his own. Evie froze, and just as she got over the shock and started to respond he pulled away.
"I'm sorry..." he ventured "I didn't mean to...push my luck"
She swallowed and looked at him, blinking shyly "What woman minds being kissed by a handsome man?"
He started towards the car and looked at her out of the corner of his eye "I don't know" he mused "Have you been?"
She nudged him with her elbow playfully "Behave yourself"
He stopped, fiddling with the keys and then giving her a wonderful smile "I don't think I want to"
…...
As he knew it would, James' tight lipped silence finally got to Lewis.
"Are you going to speak to me at some point today?" he finally asked.
"Yes" James replied.
"So we're going to see Dr Han?"
"Yes"
"Are you going to continue sulking?"
"Quite possibly"
Lewis gave him the look he used to give his teenage son when he was getting on his nerves "Well at least we've increased to two words"
"Yes" James replied.
The doctors surgery was busy, full of people sniffing, children with snotty noses and hacking coughs and an array of bandages and limps on display.
"We'd like to see Dr Han please" Lewis said to the harassed looking receptionist.
"You and everyone else" she replied "Nothing today"
"It's urgent" James pressed his police ID to the glass.
The woman sighed and picked up the phone, speaking quietly.
"He's in with a patient" she said, replacing the receiver "You can go in when they come out"
"Thank you" James replied.
…...
"Malcolm Leverick?" Dr Han typed the letters into his computer, tapping his fingers as he waited for the notes to load.
"Ah yes" he said a moment later "I remember him, he registered here after being pensioned out of the army with PTSD, we treated him for a while, but he got worse, marriage broke down. I do believe he started sleeping rough. Didn't see him for a few years and then he turned up after being admitted to hospital. He had developed a heart condition, messed with his bloods. They sent him on his way and he came here for one prescription of Slo-K. Never saw him again"
James scribbled furiously and the doctor looked at him "I'll print it off" he offered "You'll only come back with a warrant anyway, it'll save time"
"Thank you" Lewis said "Can you tell me anything else about him?"
"Not really" the doctor removed his glasses as the printer whirred to life "Very disorientated. If he wasn't taking the medication, which apparently he wasn't if you found a two year old bottle of pills, he'd have been more confused"
"Could that have caused him to black out?" James asked "Maybe fall and hit his head?"
"It could" Han replied "But I don't suppose he'd have paid much heed"
He handed James the sheaf of papers "If there's nothing else gentlemen?"
"Thank you for your time" Lewis said, standing.
…...
A/N – Thanks to readers, reviewers and followers! Love reading your comments and thoughts. Thank you!