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 20
James was surprised to see Lewis already at his desk the next morning.
"Oh I'm not sure that the boss will agree that is a meaningful use of police resources" he said from behind Lewis, frowning at the computer screen.
"Laura and I have a week off" Lewis replied in a flat tone "I want to do more than tend the garden and watch Nigella Lawson make soufflés all week"
"I quite like watching Nigella make soufflés" James replied.
"That's because" Lewis twisted his neck and looked at James with eyebrows raised "You're not getting any"
"Soufflés?" James grinned "Mine don't tend to rise unfortunately"
Lewis laughed "Your own fault" he said pointedly "They do with the right ingredients"
James smirked and looked again at the screen "New York then?"
"Yes, four days, with Christmas coming we can get some shopping out of the way, see the sights, spend some time together without a corpse between us" Lewis confirmed.
"Sounds wonderful" James said "If expensive"
Lewis shrugged "Somewhere Laura has always wanted to go, not my cup of tea, but she's worth it"
James gave him an indulgent smile, one that Lewis missed, and turned away to his own desk. Love was always worth it in his opinion.
"Well sorry to burst your bubble" James said "But we're back to square one on this case. Both Jacksons have a rock solid alibi"
"They do?" Lewis replied.
"Yes, they were at the theatre, confirmed by ticket stubs and the usher, and as I am feeling particularly thorough today, CCTV too" James replied.
"Sir?" an officer put his head around the door "There's a Mrs Graham in reception, says she has an appointment"
"Right" Lewis stood "Thanks"
James didn't move, tapping away at his keyboard.
"Nice try boy wonder" Lewis told him "But you're coming too"
James looked at him, a cross between pleading and insolence "I am? But I have a headache"
"Then take some paracetamol" Lewis replied.
…...
"Barbara" Lewis tried again, whilst privately fuming, bloody Hathaway, shooting out the door on a mercy mission for tea and tissues the minute she'd starting blubbing. Sly little sod.
"I'm sorry!" she wailed "It's just such an awful thing...all this death, people threatening me! I didn't even know this man that has left the money, God rest his soul"
"Are you sure Barbara" Lewis pushed the picture across the table again "Have another look"
She slapped her hand over the picture "No!" she said "No more looking at dead people! I can't!"
Lewis felt ashamed, Barbara Graham was a good woman, and she'd been dragged into something terrible by people fuelled with greed.
"OK" he conceded "I'm sorry, I'm just trying to catch a killer"
"Oh dear Inspector" she smiled at him "I know that, but I'm afraid I cannot help you any more than I already have. I don't know Mr Leverick, and until his son and daughter in law came screaming into the shelter, I didn't know about the money either"
The door opened and James edged his way in, three cups precariously balanced in his hands.
"Here we are" he smiled "Plenty of sugar for the shock"
"Thank you" she beamed at him, taking the tissues he pulled from his pocket.
Lewis sat back in his chair with his tea, regarding her.
"Well we have your formal statement" Lewis stood "For the Jacksons, and you know where we are should anything else happen, finish your tea and Sergeant Hathaway here will drive you home, you don't want to be hanging around waiting for taxi's"
James' eyebrows shot into his hairline before he could stop them and Lewis smiled at him serenely before leaving the room. You didn't have to be a Cambridge graduate to get revenge.
…...
Returning to his office over an hour later, Hathaway was greeted with a smug smile.
"I'm not supposed to drive for 24 hours after a head injury" he huffed at Lewis.
"Bollocks" Lewis laughed "You made that up"
Hathaway shrugged "Maybe I did, but well played Sir"
Lewis inclined his head "Thank you"
"So we're back to nothing then?" James asked.
"Not quite, don't take your coat off" Lewis stood and put his own coat on "I've been thinking"
"Oh well done Sir" James retorted "I knew you could do it"
Lewis shot him a dark look "If granny was blottoed on Gin, and mum and dad were out, that leaves little Jenny Jackson at a loose end doesn't it?"
"Jenny?" James frowned.
"Yes, she would know about it all, I bet there have been some cracking arguments in that house recently. What if she decided she was sick of being the poor kid at the rich school?"
"Poor?" James asked.
"I went through Jackson's financial records" Lewis replied "They were running on less than empty, her school fees are in arrears, so she won't be getting that car for her 17th"
James opened his mouth to reply as Innocent barged out of her office.
"If you two are thinking of sneaking off home" she said "Think again"
"Always ready to think the worst of us Ma'am" Lewis said with amusement.
"I have good reason" she glowered back.
"Actually we're just off to chase up a possible lead" Hathaway said "On the homeless case"
"Solid?" she asked "Or just something that will get you out of the office for a couple of hours?"
She saw the look that they exchanged and read it correctly.
"Thought so" she continued smugly handing Hathaway a file "I have a missing French Diplomat, well actually now you have a missing French Diplomat"
"Missing person Ma'am?" Lewis asked, his tone making his feelings clear.
"Yes, Lewis, a missing person, see we at the police tend to try and find people who go missing" she retorted "Find him please, and don't cause an international incident"
James smirked as she whirled back into her office.
"Shut it" Lewis huffed at him.
"Didn't say a word" James replied.
"You didn't have to" Lewis said "You have that look"
"Look Sir?" James raised his eyebrows.
"The 'I'm saying nothing but taking the piss in my head' look" Lewis headed back to their office.
"Ah" James removed his jacket "That look"