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 44

Jean Innocent looked up at the small tap on her door "Ah, Inspector Lewis"

"Ma'am"

"What can I do for you?" she replied, she looked tired he thought, how he felt.

"Got a bit of a one" Robbie all but collapsed in the chair before her desk, shuffling a file across to her.

He watched as she read the first page and then looked at him again "Delegation Robbie" she smiled "The art of a good senior officer, it's a stalking case, give it to Hathaway, it's a good one to cut his teeth on"

"I can't" Lewis looked her dead in the eyes "It's Hathaway's girlfriend"

"He's still got one?!" she sounded mildly surprised and turned back to the file "Wonders will never cease"

Lewis was slightly needled at her words and tone "Why shouldn't he Ma'am?"

Jean looked at him sharply "No reason" she sensed the protective air to his attitude and decided to leave it for now "How can I help?"

"I need another perspective" Lewis leaned forward "James is all bent out of shape and I'm not sure I trust that it won't end up as gossip if I draft someone else in on it"

"I see" she murmured from her perusal "Evie Bennett, works in the mortuary?"

"Yes" Robbie nodded "I've looked into this Gedge character, and the back ground"

"Tell me" she closed the file and regarded him.

"She was attacked by a patient" Lewis began "In London, a few years ago. Dr Gedge was at fault, he had released this patient although he knew he wasn't fit. Professional pride in some trial, upshot was that the patient came after Evie, and she defended herself, the patient died"

"But Evie was found to be acting in self defence?" she'd read that far.

"Yes" Lewis nodded "She was cleared of all blame and Gedge was held accountable, he was struck off and then sent down after his criminal trial. Evie moved back to Oxford and trained for a couple of years, and then went to work in the mortuary"

"Where she met and fell in love with our enigmatic sergeant?" Jean smirked slightly, she had trouble with the image of James Hathaway being the doting boyfriend, but she wasn't sure why.

"Yes" Lewis snapped. God, doesn't James above everyone deserve some happiness?! He thought to himself What's her problem with it!

"And now Gedge is out of prison and she's got a stalker?" Jean reigned in her amusement.

"Yes" Lewis said again quietly.

"Says here" she read "That a condition of his release is not to contact Evie"

"He's broken that anyway, somehow he managed to write to her from prison, and that wasn't caught" Lewis replied "And then she's had a phone stolen, things missing from her work and home and now this homeless guy warned her she was being watched and turns up dead. Could all just be coincidence though"

"Do you think it is?"

"No" he said "The method of death is different for this guy than the other homeless, so I'm thinking this one is connected to Evie. And I think...well she's not the type to panic, she didn't report any of it because it was all circumstantial"

"Any further on the other homeless cases?"

"Nope" Lewis sighed.

Jean Innocent closed the folder and handed it back "Hathaway goes on the Inspectors course next week" she said "Give him the initial homeless cases to work on again, let him lead it. You concentrate on Gedge, find him and get him in. He's looking at going back behind bars for his contact anyway"

"Right"

"Bring Gedge here" she decided "I'll sit in on the interview"

"Oh...OK" Lewis stood "So you think there's something in it then?"

"I trust your judgement" she replied "So if you do, then yes"

"Thanks" Lewis almost forgave her for her comments about James' love life "I'll go and find him then"

Jean nodded and turned back to her computer as he left, but she watched him when he didn't know, with a little sadness. Old style coppers were getting rare these days, thank God she had Hathaway to take Lewis' place, he might be computer literate and have modern techniques, but she'd bet that James had been middle aged since child hood. He just had that world weary air about him.

…...

"Eevs?" James asked as she lay curled up next to him, an arm across his chest.

"Hmmm?" she answered sleepily.

"If I pass these Inspectors exams..." he started, stopping when he saw a lazy grin across her face "What?"

"A first from Cambridge in Theology" she replied, not opening her eyes "But OK, I'll play along, if you pass the Inspectors exams?"

"How do you know I got a first?" he asked.

This time she opened her eyes, regarding him with amusement "Educated guess" she said dryly, eliciting a low laugh from him "Go on"

"If I pass the inspectors exams" he repeated "Would you, ahem, like to come away on the boat for the weekend, a few days? Or a week maybe?"

Evie chuckled, closing her eyes again "Well, what is it?" she asked "The weekend, a few days, a week?"

"Well, uh I don't know" he replied "Whatever you want"

"Just need to know how much time to book off work" she yawned, turning onto her side.

He wrapped an arm around her waist settling behind her "A week" he whispered.

"Umm hmmm" she answered "Write the dates down, I'll request it tomorrow"

…...

James snatched at his phone as it rang out in the quiet bedroom, Evie was curled up away from him, sunlight from the early Spring morning flooded the room as she slept, James looked at her as he answered the call, glad that she had woken earlier and insisted on opening the curtains.

Angelum parvum meum he thought as the sun covered her My little Angel.

"Yep" he muffled into the receiver, easing out of bed and of the room.

"Disturb you?" Lewis teased.

"No I was awake" James replied.

"Like I said, did I disturb you?" Lewis answered with a smile in his voice.

"This is getting old Sir" James muttered.

Lewis laughed before pausing "I'm on my way to London" he said "To track down Gedge"

"Right" James jaw tightened.

"Take Evie to work, she'll be safe there, I've spoken to hospital security" Lewis continued.

"Right"

"And posted uniform there"

"Right" though the tone was a little easier.

"Then get yourself back on that homeless case, discounting the latest victim" Lewis said "Innocent wants a result, and you'll get bored and into mischief with nothing to occupy you"

"What are you insinuating Sir?" James asked, but his attitude was calm, almost jovial.

"That you're hard to keep occupied?" Lewis ventured "Anyway, go back through everything, start again. I'll ring you when I have Gedge in custody"

"Culpae poenae par esto" James murmured.

"Yeah, that too" Lewis huffed.

"Let the punishment fit the crime" James translated.

"It will James" Lewis promised before hanging up.

James padded back into the bedroom, Evie was pulling a t shirt over her head beside the bed and she turned and smiled at him, he watched her a moment, not moving or speaking. The sun illuminated her still and he caught his breath. He was glad that Lewis was on this case, that Innocent hadn't handed it to anyone else. He trusted his boss, and he knew he would never have rested with Evie in danger had anyone else been investigating. He would do anything to keep her safe.

"All right?" she asked at his intense silence.

"Amare et sapere vix deo conceditur" James almost whispered.

"I'll look that up later" she said, approaching him and sliding her hands onto his shoulders, she kissed him lightly on the cheek "Along with the others"

"Others?" his brow creased.

"All the things you said to me last night, I'm assuming it's all Latin" she replied.

"Hm" he smiled self consciously "Just silly things"

She smiled again "Can I have a shower?"

"Can I join you?"

"Not if we want to be on time for work"

James chuckled, pulling her closer momentarily and then releasing her.

"Even a god finds it hard to love and be wise at the same time" he said "As a mere man I have no chance"

Evie regarded him "Was that a translation?"

"Of sorts" he answered.