Detective Inspector Alan Peterson was having an after-hours meeting with his anti-explosives task force. A series of small bombs had been set off in Oxford over a six week time period. None of them had caused any serious injuries so far, but each subsequent explosion was larger than the one before. The task force had been formed to find out who was responsible and to stop the activity before anyone got hurt. Missing from the group was their senior advisor Robbie Lewis. Peterson wanted to conduct his investigation without the aid of a nearly extinct mentor. He explained to the team that Lewis was just per diem and not authorized for overtime.

The group was gathered around a screen showing the meeting of two people, both of them walking dogs. "Our subject of interest is the man walking the dog. He stops to speak to a woman."

One of the Detective Constables, just out of uniform, raised his hand, "Sir, isn't the woman Dr. Hobson?"

"Yes Green, the subject is speaking to Dr. Hobson. Our intelligence tells us the two of them are not related. She was innocently out walking her dog and ran into our subject, known only as Mr. H."

Peterson changed the image on the screen. "Here is another person of interest, one Mick Capelan, following Mr. H." This man had roguish good looks and flecks of gray in his hair. "He disappears whenever we get try to bust in on him." DC Green was of the opinion that his boss rushed in too quickly and that the more measured approach suggested by DI Lewis would be better. Of course being the least senior member of the team he kept himself to himself. Also on the same screen, across the street from Mick Capelan, a man dressed in black could be seen sitting on a motorcycle. Out of range of the surveillance camera, his image was blurred. On orders from Peterson, he was followed too closely by one of the task force's eager sergeants and did a runner.


While Peterson and his team discussed him, Bradley Hobson was waiting for his bodyguard and sometimes babysitter DS Lizzie Maddox to join him at their usual meeting place, an S and M club called Red Crawl. While he sipped a non alcoholic drink at the bar, Brad watched as a most unlikely looking patron of the establishment, the woman who did his sister's ironing, entered and walked quickly to a back room. Lizzie arrived a few moments later and Brad told her where they were going next and why.

She raised her eyebrows. "You've been busy. How did you manage to get the information while under observation from all sides?"

"The dogs. Everyone was busy watching me, no one was watching them. Sorry, I can't explain how exactly."

Lizzie held up a hand. "I know, top secret. If I am ever interrogated I won't be able to tell. And of course the dogs can't talk."

Brad finished his drink. "We better get on our way."

"I have a new car waiting for us. The other one is known to your followers."

Lizzie and Brad were able to drive away unnoticed by all but one person.


Robbie and Laura sat eating the takeaway Robbie brought home. The baby was blissfully quiet while they discussed the events of the day. Laura asked Robbie how it was going, advising Peterson's anti-explosives group.

"It's like chasing after a bull in a china shop. He hasn't changed over the years, still rushes headlong to the wrong conclusion after only collecting part of the evidence. He needs to learn to be patient and put all the pieces of the puzzle together."

"Hmm", Laura remembered the time she attended a lecture with Peterson and he left her to take over a situation that should have been handled by the University security team, one of many clues leading her to the conclusion he was not her type.

Brought back to the present by a loud wailing from the youngest Hobson, Laura finished her meal and she and Robbie got ready to go visit Caroline.


At the hospital, Laura arranged the baby into her mother's arms and she drifted off to sleep. Robbie picked up the book he had started earlier on his daily 'date' with Caroline and began to read.

A few years back when Caroline first got to know Robbie she confided to Laura that Robbie's voice sent shivers up her spine, especially when it deepened. She had overhead them once in an intimate moment and had to force herself away, not wanting to intrude but enchanted by the tone of Robbie's voice. Of course Caroline also admitted to Laura that she imagined that voice coming from the body of her favourite pop star. Laura never told Robbie, not wanting him to be uncomfortable around her niece. She did suggest Robbie read to her as his voice was both strong and calm. Brain studies in New Zealand confirmed the tiniest bit of activity when Robbie read to her so he continued on a regular basis.

They had started the third in a series of mystery books where the protagonist was a young girl who performed chemistry experiments to solve crimes. Robbie started reading to the three generations of Hobson woman. His deep voice soothed two of them and gave just the infinitesimal bit of stimulation to the third.


The next day Peterson and Robbie were in to work before the rest of the team. Robbie intended to use this opportunity to speak with the action oriented inspector alone. He wanted Peterson to liaise with DI Hathaway and DS Maddox. James was in possession of an item that should be of interest to Peterson. It was one of the things James had spread out on his desk. Robbie had noticed it and filed the information away in his memory for later. Before he could begin, a fresh faced DC just out of uniform appeared at Robbie's side.

"Is there something you want?"

"Yes, sir. Inspector Peterson has assigned me to be your right-hand man."

Robbie frowned and silently cursed Peterson. A Detective Constable? He had planned to work with the entire team and had no need of an aide-de-camp. He suspected this was part of Peterson's plan to alienate him from the full team and put him out to grass. A voice from the past echoed in his mind, 'Be nice Robbie'. He shrugged. Perhaps the young copper would prove helpful.

"What's your name lad?"

"DC Green, sir."

"Well Green, if you will give us a minute, we'll try to see where you fit in."

"Yes sir, I'll be waiting in the outer office."

Robbie and his new protégée discussed the facts so far in the case of the small bombs. Green had excellent graphic arts skills and had mapped out the locations of the explosions, displaying a red dot at each site. Robbie asked him if he showed this to Peterson.

"Yes sir."

"And?"

"He said it was too basic and I needed to add some flash to it."

Robbie studied the map. "I don't agree. This very clearly shows a pattern. Do you see it?"

Green had never had an inspector ask his opinion before and answered crisply, "Yes sir, the dots are proceeding directly to Her Majesty's Category B Prison for Female Adults."

Robbie gave him an approving nod. "You're not so green as you're cabbage looking."

Green relaxed a bit. "Thank-you, sir."

Later Robbie brought Green to visit James in his office. James was happy for the interruption. He was tiring of the investigation into the death of Alec Pickman. At first it was classified as self induced alcohol poisoning. Rawbone overruled Dr. Cook's ruling and changed it to suspicious death.

Green listened intently as Robbie asked James about an identity card.

"The identity card for Mick Capelan?"

"Yes, the one you found with other items rescued from Alec Pickman's boat."

Robbie and James both had unpleasant dark memories of Alec Pickman and the events that caused them to meet him several years ago.

James went to a drawer and pulled out the identity card and other items. He tossed Robbie the identity card and held up some very personal articles of female clothing.

As he watched Robbie study this piece of evidence, James told him, "Capelan's id is a fake."

Robbie raised his eyebrows.

"And, thanks to my very capable sergeant," he waved the lingerie in the air, "these have been identified as belonging to Grace Orde."

"Grace Orde, former MI5, and Alec Pickman?"

James put the items down. "Rumor has it she broke it off with her burly bodyguard."

"Mick Capelan is a person of interest in Peterson's case of the small bombs." Robbie looked at Green, who nodded.

James made a face. "What if Alec Pickman and Mick Capelan are the same person?"

Robbie rubbed his chin. "Alec Pickman's still dead, at least according to Rawbone, so who is Peterson chasing?"

"Who isn't he chasing? I have it on good authority he is following your brother-in-law."

DC Green paid rapt attention to the two inspectors, hoping to pick up some pointers and to be in the right place and time if ever DI Hathaway needed a new team member.

Robbie officially introduced Green to James. DI Hathaway's first order to the eager investigator was for coffee and sandwiches. Green displayed more enthusiasm then the errand warranted and left to fill the order.

After Green was gone, James asked Robbie how things were going at home with Laura taking care of the baby.

Robbie gave Laura high marks for coping so well with her grand niece. James detected a bit of wistfulness, almost as if Robbie wished he were home with them instead of at work. "Finally some progress," James proclaimed. Robbie thought he was talking about the case.

"Oh, you never did say, what is the newest Hobson's name?" Or is she a Hobson, James wondered silently.

"It's an unusual name. Here, I'll write it down for you." Robbie took the pen out of his pocket and wrote down six letters.

James looked up, puzzled. "From the ancient Roman family name?"

Robbie smiled. "No, clever clogs, from a book about a girl who uses chemistry to solve crimes."

James shook his head. "Let's hope chemistry isn't overrated."