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 45

Robert Lewis looked at the man before him. The resemblance was there to the photograph, but vaguely. The picture Lewis held was of a younger man, haughty in success, arrogant. This man was weary, tainted, a fallen God of his own making.

"Marcus Gedge?"

The man turned from cleaning the pizza oven and regarded the man in the suit asking of him.

"For my sins" Gedge replied.

"Which are many and varied I understand" Lewis replied.

Damn Robbie thought Why is Hathaway never around when I say something smart like that!

"Police" Gedge said with a sigh.

"Oxford police" Lewis showed his warrant card "I'd like to speak to you regarding Evie Bennett"

Gedge stopped his scrubbing and regarded Lewis warily "Surely she's not so closed off that she's having me arrested for writing a letter?!"

"It was a condition of your release" Lewis replied "That you do not contact her, a condition you broke before you were even released"

"Why Oxford?" Gedge challenged.

"Why the letter?" Lewis shot back.

"I've changed" Gedge put the cloth down and wiped his hands down the grubby apron he wore "I know what I did to Evie, and I know that we both suffered the consequences"

"Not to mention the man that died" Lewis added.

"I can't change the past" Gedge said quietly "Only try to atone by changing the future"

"Nice cop out" Lewis grumbled "But you're still going to have to come with me"

"I'm working"

"Not for much longer" Lewis extended his arm in an invitation that wasn't, it was insistence.

"As you wish" Gedge sighed, coming around the counter and picking up a coat before following Lewis to his car.

…...

Jean Innocent regarded her suspect. Despite climbing the ranks, and the buzz and fulfilment that came with that, nothing beat the adrenaline that coursed through her veins as she prepared to interrogate someone.

"Mr Gedge" she opened, jovial, friendly "Thank you for coming to speak with us"

"I was led to believe" Gedge replied "That it wasn't optional"

"It wasn't" Lewis snapped and Gedge nodded slowly.

"So am I going back?" Gedge asked "One could argue that the system failed by allowing that letter to even leave the prison"

"Either way" Innocent replied "You broke the condition of your release, going back to prison will depend on the CPS and their view on stalking. The stalking of a woman that was put through hell by a man convicted"

"Stalking?!" Gedge was taken aback.

Good acting Lewis thought Get the man an Oscar!

"What would you call it?" Lewis demanded, pushing reams of paper towards Gedge, incident reports and photo's "Stealing someone's phone? Items from their place of work? Causing their car to break down?"

Gedge mouthed at him as Innocent stepped in.

"Of course" she added "There's also the murder of someone that tried to warn Evie she was being watched...Lewis, do we have the results of the forensics yet?"

"Not yet Ma'am" Lewis nodded "But it won't be long"

"Murder?!" Gedge huffed "Stalking?! I'm assuming Evie is in Oxford because that's where you've brought me"

"Assuming" Jean sat back "So you say you didn't already know she was here?"

"No!"

"Nice try" Lewis cut in "But when she didn't respond to your letter, you knew enough about her to know where to look. You realised she'd probably come back to Oxford and her family, and you were right. Can't have taken much to watch the hospitals and work out which one she was at"

"I have no idea what you are talking about" Gedge insisted "I wrote the letter, yes, but I didn't get a reply, and I left it at that. Yes I knew Evie had a connection with Oxford, but this is the first time I've been here in years!"

Innocent pushed forward a list of times and dates, times and dates when things had occurred involved with this case.

"Then prove it" she said "Tell us where you were at these times, and we'll look into your alibi's"

"And if I'm innocent?"

"Then the CPS may well agree that you meant no harm in contacting Evie, and if she doesn't want to press charges, you may get lucky" Innocent replied "However, make sure the alibi's are good, because if you get caught out, I can't see you seeing the light of day for years, with the added murder charge and all"

Gedge pulled the papers towards him and studied them, looking at Lewis with contempt he held out his hand.

"May I borrow your pen?"

Lewis handed it over "Names of people who saw you, locations we can check" he said.

"It's easy" Gedge replied "Because if I'm not at work, then I'm at the shoebox my probation officer found for me"

Innocent stood "I'm afraid" she said "Your word isn't going to be enough in this case"

Innocent and Lewis headed for the door as Gedge spoke again.

"I'd never harm Evie you know" he said softly "I still love her"

"That" Innocent replied "Remains to be seen"

…...

Dr Laura Hobson shaded her eyes as the tall figure loomed upon her outside the unassuming house.

"Hello James" she smiled "Allowed out on your own?"

"Inspector Lewis is busy" he replied with his trademark flat tone "I have been issued this one"

"Practice?" she teased and then her face fell as there was no answering smirk, no returning comment "James, Evie is OK you know, she's just getting things out of the van...see for yourself"

"I know" he answered "I've seen her. Gedge is in custody"

"Then that's good isn't it?"

"What's good about any of this?" he asked, and Laura saw the depth of pain for a split second, and realised that he was taking all this far harder than anyone knew. Work, she decided, that's what he needed. If he could see that Evie was OK, relieved but OK, he'd be OK too.

"So a suicide I understand?" she stepped slightly behind him "I've only just arrived myself"

"I haven't been in" James replied through his tight jaw "But uniform said the victim was found by her son, in the garage"

"Method?" Laura pressed as she pulled her gloves on.

"Hanging" his voice was low and sharp at the same time, and he looked away.

"Shall we?" Laura prompted, noting the barely perceptible nod in answer.

…...

Evie collected small bits of potential evidence from the woman's body as Laura investigated closer. She could sense James' revulsion at the scene, and it confused her.

He couldn't look at the body, he would glance every now and then but his eyes never made contact. He wasn't squeamish, she knew that. She knew that death meant something different to him, suicide especially, but he was acting uncharacteristically unprofessionally at this scene.

Quietly collecting her evidence bags she looked at Dr Hobson who nodded at her, looking at James as he held back the corner of the sheet erected to provide protection from prying eyes.

"The body can be moved now" Laura told the men waiting quietly "We have what we need"

Evie ducked under James' arm and he followed her out, not speaking and heading for his car. He leaned against it, drawing deeply on a cigarette.

Evie stowed the evidence safely and watched as they brought the body out, James bowed his head and turned away.

"Are you all right?" she asked him quietly.

He looked at her in surprise "Yes" he answered "Are you? Gedge is in custody"

"I know" she smiled at him "Inspector Lewis rang, he said chances are he's going back to prison"

"You don't sound pleased" James remarked.

"I just want it over"

James didn't answer as the private ambulance containing the woman's body pulled away.

"Don't we all?" he sighed "I have to speak to the son, and then bring the husband for the formal ID...when they find him. I'll see you later"

He stepped towards the police car where a teenage boy sat, staring into space and Evie felt dismissed, she headed back to her own transport and waited for Dr Hobson.

...

Thanks again for all the support I'm getting! Really enjoying writing this and I'm glad it seems to be getting well received :)