One Miserable Day.

Robbie Lewis groaned as he got out the car. It was wet, it was cold and it was Monday morning. Early monday morning. Obscenely early, six am was not the time that a 60 year old man should have to wake up. None of these things had a positive effect on his mood. As he looked up, he realised that the last possible thing to make his day worse was coming towards him. It wasn't that he and his sergeant didn't get on. It wasn't that, they got on very well except when Hathaway's personal motives and secrets messed up a case. And they'd sorted that out now anyway. No, the problem today, was that his sergeant looked unbelievably cheerful. And when James Hathaway was cheerful, it invariably meant he was going to be annoying.

"Good Morning Inspector" The light, airy tone was already grating on Lewis' nerves.

"Is it? It's a freezing, damp Monday morning and we've got a body. What's so bloody good about it James?" Hathaway smirked in that way the Lewis just knew, meant he was going to come out with some sarky comment. "Don't say a word. Just don't." If James wasn't the sort of guy he was, he'd have just kept going. But he wasn't that sort of bloke. He knew when he was pushing it and when that pushing it would be tolerated by the older man. Today wasn't one of those days. He ducked his head under a branch as they walked towards the site of the crime. Lewis shuddered involuntarily, Wytham Woods always gave him the shivers. Well being dragged in there and made to dig your own grave was bound to leave some ill feeling about a place wasn't it? He was aware that James was actually being quiet and turned to survey the man.

"Well, what have we got then?"

"Dog walker found a skeleton. Reported it in and since Grainger is on that murder case in the vicarage, it got given to us. Hobson's on her way" Lewis smiled. Laura Hobson was a good friend and well, she weren't bad looking either.

They stood by the scene, and saw what looked like a snapped leg bone sticking out of the soil. James was looking very, well pensive and it worried the old inspector some what. He knew what the younger man was thinking about. The Zelinsky case. James had been the one to find her, the 10 year old that Zelinsky had murdered and he hadn't taken it well. Looking at the size of this bone it looked like he may well be having to watch his sergeant a lot more closely this case. It started to drizzle. Then shower. Then bucket down. Both detectives were wet through and even James' exuberant expression had disappeared, to be replaced with sour discontentment.

At last, Hobson's car turned up and she climbed out, already suited in the customary blue jumpsuit that forensic pathologists were supposed to wear. Eyeing them both, she decided that today was not the day to be making jokes. James excused himself and went to meet a constable carrying styrofoam cups of cardboard-like coffee. Once he'd gone, Laura turned to Lewis.

"What's eating him? Not our usual bundle of joy today is he?"

"That Laura, is because, like me, he's been stuck in a rainy forest for two hours." As she assumed an affronted expression he hurriedly continued. "That and we think it's a young body. Well he's not even fully over Zelinsky yet is he?" She nodded sympathetically.

"Ah. Best keep him away from this then."

"No good. He'll just get annoyed. Doesn't like anyone trying to help him out does he?" They were both quiet as Hathaway returned balancing 3 cups of the meant-to-be coffee in the crook of his arm. Hobson shook her head.

"None for me until I've examined this body." She looked pointedly at Lewis. "No need for you two yet. I'll tell you when I know something." Lewis nodded, no need to make James watch if they were indeed going to find a young victim.

After much grumbling by the two police men about tine wasting and the absolute failure of British weather, Dr Hobson emerged from the trees.

"Want the good news or the bad news first?"

"Good news" James and Lewis said simultaneously

"The good news is that we're not dealing with a child here" James visibly relaxed.

"And the bad news?" He asked in trepidation. Laura looked from one to the other.

"You won't kill me?" They both assured her that they wouldn't.

"...It's a dog."

"A DOG?" James exclaimed. Lewis looked at her in disbelief.

"You mean, we've been stood out here since half six...?" Hathaway saw the warning signs that Lewis was about to explode in anger. He grabbed his arm and started to drag him back to the car, tossing a 'Thank you doctor' over his shoulder to Laura. Who, for her part, was doing her best not to laugh. As he got into the car he saw Lewis' reddening face and held up his hand to silence any violent out burst.

"I think you could do with a pint sir."

"Its half 8 in the morning sergeant. No where will be open. "

"Ah sir don't worry about that. I happen to have a very well stocked fridge" Smirking at the almost pleading look on Robbie's face he quickly drove off in the direction of home.