The dangers of Smoking
Part II
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 29
Detective Inspector Robert Lewis pulled the covers further over his head at the insistent ringing in his ears. He had no idea what time it was, but it was dark, and in the promise of spring turning to summer, that meant far too early in his book.
"Robbie"
He grunted as an elbow collided with his ribs, but continued to pretend the ringing was in his head, and not coming from the phone on the bedside table.
"Robbie!" louder this time.
"All right!" he huffed, groping blindly for the source.
"Lewis!" he snapped into the receiver, and then a slightly more polite "Good morning Ma'am"
Laura turned over, tuning him out. She wasn't on call tonight, no dead bodies to disturb her sleep.
"Now Ma'am?" Robbie said, squinting at the clock "It's one in the morning...Yes, OK Ma'am. Yes well I expect Sergeant Hathaway is already there, he sleeps standing up in his suit"
He hung up and rubbed tired eyes, looking at Laura sleeping peacefully again. He sighed, yawned and slowly got out of bed. He knew he should have stayed on front desk.
…...
Lewis blinked bleary eyed at Chief Superintendent Innocent, he wasn't sure if it was the fact he'd been dragged from his bed or the level of sparkle her dress seemed to hold that made his eyes hurt.
"Nice of you to join us Lewis" she remarked, leading him through the halls and rooms of Magdalene College "The body's through there"
She gestured to a mens toilets, where the SOCO and pathology team were already hard at work.
"What's the occasion?" Lewis asked.
"A bash thrown for the good and the great of Oxford" Innocent replied, continuing to lead Lewis into a large hall filled with people "Charity event, the University, among other patrons, sponsor a grant every year to give to a local charity, this is the big night"
Lewis frowned as Hathaway appeared "Bit overdressed aren't you?" he asked, taking in the formal black dinner suit, a shift from his usual work suit.
"I was already here" James replied "As a guest"
"The great and the good of Oxford eh?" Lewis looked from one to the other "Well I never"
"Hathaway is not on this in an official capacity, he's a witness, and you won't get a better one" Innocent continued, reading Lewis' sigh of resignation "He's been drinking, and I don't need any screw ups"
"Some of my best screw ups are while I'm drinking" James replied with a half smile.
"See what I mean?" Jean looked at Robbie as James melted away again "The deceased is Theodore 'Ted' Brookes, he's the CEO of one of the companies donating money. The area is sealed, and tomorrow, hangover permitting, you can have Hathaway back"
"Thank you Ma'am" Lewis replied dryly and drew out his notebook "Shall I start with you then?"
"I'm here because the Chief Constable is 'indisposed'" Jean told him "The Benevolent police fund is making a bid for the donations"
"Right" he scribbled "And your date?"
"Is my husband" she replied with a smirk.
"So what's Hathaway doing here?" he frowned "Some Church thing?"
"No idea" Jean replied, turning to look at James "Who's the woman?"
Lewis looked up and squinted in their direction "That's Evie, works for Laura, also James' girlfriend"
Jean laughed "Girlfriend?" she asked "Well that will irritate half the station gossips"
"Only half Ma'am?" Lewis asked with mischief.
"The other half already have bets on him being straight" she replied.
Lewis shook his head "I'll talk to him first, let him get home"
"And me?" she asked him "May I go Inspector?"
Lewis gave her a wry look "I have your details should I need to speak to you again"
She chuckled and headed back into the crowd, Lewis watched her with interest, he had never actually seen 'The Husband' and his curiosity was piqued. But he was disappointed, she was lost among a crowd in seconds.
"Right" he said almost to himself, and then looking at the Uniformed officer standing ready near him "Suppose you'll have to do for tonight, seeing as wonder boy is otherwise engaged"
The officer gave him a sour look "S'pose I will then Sir"
…...
"So what do you know?" Lewis sat beside James and looked at him.
Hathaway did that thing, that annoyingly smug grin "Well Sir..."
"Stop showing off" he scolded "About tonight"
Evie stifled a laugh at him being 'told off' as James composed his face and gave his Inspector the run down on the nights events.
"Evie was invited as part of the RDA, where she volunteers"
"RDA?"
"Riding for the disabled, they've put a bid in for the money, a beautiful woman can't hurt the cause now can it?" James grinned at Lewis then her.
"How much as he had to drink?!" Lewis asked Evie with a smile.
"Enough" she rolled her eyes "He got bored"
"I did not get bored" James refuted with mock indignation "Anyway, I am her plus one as they say, there were pre dinner drinks, dinner and then speeches, lots and lots of speeches..."
"At which point you got bored?" Lewis challenged.
James gave Evie a pointed look, and her face infused with colour "Not entirely" he chuckled.
"Thank you" Lewis cut between them "And then?"
"And then there was a lot of back slapping, self congratulation of the higher echelons of Oxford society and an announcement that the grant would be awarded in 20 minutes" James continued "At which point I had a tap on the shoulder from our esteemed leader and hastened to the mens bathroom where I found..."
"Innocent asked you to look?" Lewis frowned.
"She asked me to assist her in clearing the area" James replied "It would seem that Terrence Stringer, who found the body, knew who she was, and alerted her"
"And Terrence Stringer is?" Lewis prompted.
"Over there" James pointed to a man standing alone at the bar, drinking an amber liquid slowly from a small glass "He's a journalist, sent to cover the event"
"Right" Lewis stood "I know what she said, but can you spare me 5 minutes? Observations on the body"
"Of course Sir" James also stood, and then turned to Evie "I won't be long"
She smiled an answer and he followed Lewis to the crime scene.
…...
James looked back in concern as Lewis stopped short at the doorway to the bathroom.
"Are you all right?" he asked.
Lewis didn't answer for a moment, couldn't. The scene was horribly reminiscent, of another scene, almost twenty years ago. Only his own DI had been the victim, if that's what you could call it, the 'victim' of his own lonely lifestyle.
The body lay with blood oozing from the mouth, the face in a mask of agony, fingers still curled with pain. Blood adorned the walls, where it would appear that the victim had stumbled around before collapsing onto the floor. The red stood out in contrast to the white tiles.
"Sir?" James prompted.
"Sorry" Lewis looked at him, still disorientated "Right, is this how you found him?"
"Yes, apart from feeling for a pulse, nothing else was disturbed. There was no one else in here, I closed the door, and waited for SOCO" James replied "Strong smell of almonds"
"Arsenic?" Lewis asked.
"Pathologist says so" James answered.
"Indeed he does" a man stood from his place over the body "Locum I'm afraid, your regular cover is already out, Dr Fairstone"
"Inspector Lewis" Robbie shook hands with him automatically "Will you be doing the PM?"
"No that'll be the pleasure of your regular" he smiled "I believe she's having a night off, Laura Hobson and I go way back"
James flashed Lewis a look "That so?" James asked.
"Yes" he nodded "We did our first placement together"
"Hmmm" Lewis said and then turned away "Thanks James" he said "You an' Evie get off now..." he turned to look at the bathroom again.
"Do you know him Sir?" James asked "The victim?"
"What?" Lewis looked startled "No, no just reminds me of something else, a while ago"
"Oh?" James prompted.
"With Morse" Lewis answered, and then retreated, James following, he stopped and turned to look at him "You're a lot like he was in some ways, and not in others. I'm glad you found Evie, don't end up a lonely old drunk DI with no one to mourn you properly but your sergeant"
James' face registered his shock at Lewis' comments.
"Thank you Sir" he replied "I'll try not to"
"Go on" Lewis smiled "Murder runs your life more than enough as it is, you and Evie get gone, don't let it ruin your weekend together"
"Thank you" James repeated, bowed his head slightly in respect and left quietly.