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 34
Lewis tapped on Innocents door.
"Yes?" she looked up "Ah Robbie, anything?"
"Definite suspect" he told her coming through the door, James at his heels "Brookes had a son evidently, and he's looking very good for this"
"Is he now?" she asked "I take it he's in the cells?"
"Well no" James muttered "We can't find him"
"I'm sorry James" she stood, walking to the front of her desk and leaning on it, folding her arms "For a minute there, I swear you said you can't find him"
"We can't" Lewis defended "We have uniform trawling favourite haunts but...his sister kicked him out, after he came home covered in blood and drunk. Not been seen since"
"So he's gone to ground" Jean sighed "Great"
"We'll find him Ma'am" Lewis replied.
"Oh I know you will" Jean replied, it wasn't a statement, it was a warning "Go on then, go detect"
"There is something else Ma'am" Lewis said, shooting a look at James, who took the hint, all be it grudgingly.
"I'll er...go and detect then" James said smartly before leaving them alone, shutting the door behind him with a snap.
"So...?" Jean prompted "Hathaway getting on your nerves is he?"
"No Ma'am" Lewis replied "Laura...Laura has decided to retire, at the end of the year, Christmas"
"And so have you?" she surmised, if she was honest, she knew this was coming.
"I don't want you to think I don't appreciate that you took me back..." Robbie said "But..."
"I know you appreciate it" she smiled "And though I'll be sorry to see you go again, I understand why you came back, and why you're going"
"Thank you" Lewis smiled, he had worried about her reaction.
"I take it you haven't told James?"
"Not yet" Lewis said "I was wondering..."
"If I'd offer him your job?" she finished "He's more than capable, he might not want it though, he didn't last time"
"Things are different now" Robbie said "He's more...settled"
"The girlfriend?" Jean asked.
"I think so" Lewis smiled.
"Then tell him" Jean said "And I'll put his name forward for the Inspectors course, he can always turn it down"
"Thank you Ma'am"
"Now go and catch me a killer" she ordered.
…...
Lewis was met with an empty room and a scrawled note on his desk when he returned.
Mortuary called, we have been summoned. Taken my car, see you there.
"Huh" Lewis screwed it up and fired it at the bin, missing "Driving myself am I?"
…...
Evie stepped out of the side door and tiptoed through the shadows, reaching the figure she slid her hands inside his jacket, running them up his chest whilst turning her face upwards, he did what she expected, and kissed her.
"Hmmm" James murmured into her lips "Why are you trying to steal my notebook?"
"I'm not" she murmured back "I'm trying to steal your cigarettes, I ran out"
"Other side" he replied as he felt her hand go into his other inside breast pocket "I knew there had to be an ulterior motive for being frisked by a beautiful woman"
"There's always an ulterior motive" she grinned up at him "But not always what you think"
"Sounds promising" he uttered "We're done when we're finished here. How long before you are?"
"When you leave" she whispered, shivering slightly in the cool air.
"My place?" he pulled her closer against him.
"Soon as I'm done" she replied, blinking at him "You better go in before you're missed"
"Not yet" he stepped away and sat down, she sat next to him, under his arm "I came as soon as Hobson called, Lewis is on his way, we have a minute or two"
He wondered if she could see through him.
…...
James looked up as Lewis came in to Laura's office.
"Ah there you are"
"So?" Lewis prompted "Cause of death? Have you solved it yet?"
"Dr Hobson" James sat back in his chair and folded one leg over the other "Insisted that we wait for you"
"Oh stop with the smug thing" Robbie muttered good naturedly.
"Apologies Sir" James stood, not stopping the smug thing at all.
"James" Lewis stopped him and closed the office door to "Just a minute"
James gave him a speculative look and halted, waiting.
"Laura and I, we've decided that we're going to throw it in, for good" Robbie said in a rush, adding "At Christmas"
"Oh" James looked slightly taken aback "That's what you wanted to talk to Innocent about?"
"Yes" Robbie nodded "Look, she's putting your name forward for the Inspectors course" he held up a hand at the put out expression James adopted "I know, I know, interfering. Nothings set in stone James, you can always decline it, but she wants to...I think she wants you to take my job"
"Right" James was slightly tight lipped "Well thank you for the thought, I'll speak to The Chief Superintendent tomorrow"
"James, don't be hasty" Lewis sighed "Think about it"
"I will" and he left the room, Lewis could sense he was quietly outraged at it all being done behind his back, so to speak. But he also knew he'd be forgiven. Forgiveness was one of his sergeant's better traits. Lewis shrugged, he'd come round.
…...
Laura smiled as they came through "Ah there you are"
"Here I am" Robbie smiled back "I hear you've narrowed it down? The cause of death?"
"Yes" she nodded "Though you're not going to like it"
James sighed, sensing another long night. His vision of some peace and quiet with Evie and a take away vanished like smoke, the analogy made him want another cigarette.
"Death" she went on "Is not a result of any of the attempts made. Death was from heart failure, caused by a rapid drop in blood pressure"
"Natural?" Robbie sighed.
"Not quite" she replied "He had a rather large dose of viagra in his system, combine that with the GTN spray he had liberally applied under his tongue, and you have problems"
"Problems?!" Lewis replied "I'd say death can be termed as a problem"
"Brookes suffered with angina, for which he was prescribed GTN or Glycerin Tri-Nitrate spray. Get chest pains and you pop a spray under the tongue, it dilates the blood vessels and relieves the pain" Laura explained "Viagra is contra indicated in patients on nitrates, it can cause massive loss of BP which can result in cardiac arrest and death"
"So he should never have taken the viagra"? James asked.
"No" Laura nodded "You should be looking at the doctor who prescribed them, guidelines are very clear. Usually the increased, ah, activity that occurs after viagra is taken, when combined with the nitrates, causes the drop. My guess here is that he took the viagra, for whatever reason... and then was attacked in the toilets. The arsenic thrown, the glass, the shot. His life being at risk would have produced enough stress on the heart to probably cause an angina attack, for which he used the spray. Then that was it, lights out"
"Lights out indeed" Lewis mumbled "James, I don't suppose that massive brain of yours can remember which doctor prescribed the viagra?"
"Not off hand Sir" James smirked.
"Other things on your mind sergeant?" Laura asked with a smile.
"This is a very complex case doctor" he replied, his face giving nothing away except for the small lift at one side of his mouth.
"Right" Lewis nodded to Laura who covered the body again "We'll track the doctor down tomorrow. You done here?"
"See you at home" she replied "We just need to finish up, won't be long"
…...
Massive thanks to readers and reviewers and to those following the story. I don't know if I will be able to fit in a chapter dedicated to Hobson and Lewis, but I will try and rework one I've done and see what happens :)