Ronnie walked alongside Natalie as they headed towards the MIU offices.
"So, murder."
"Yeah." Ronnie looked at the floor in front of him as Natalie stopped walking. "Nasty an all. Seems someone wanted Lawson to suffer before he left this world."
"Like his victims did." Natalie sighed as Ronnie nodded.
"Single stab wound. Something pointy. That was what Joy said." Ronnie stepped forwards, holding the door open for her. Natalie raised an eyebrow.
"So? Who are our suspects? Buffy the Vampire Slayer?" She scoffed as Ronnie tried and failed to hide his smirk. "I mean it, Ron. We need to be all over this. I know our clean up rate is good."
"Its better than good." Ronnie stated. Natalie nodded once in agreement.
"I know. But this is a hit. We actually have a known criminal dead in the morgue and he was taken out in what looks like a professional hit."
"Not a great loss." Sam chimed in as they entered the office.
"That may be true but it is still our job to find the person responsible." Natalie stated firmly causing her DI to look away. Ronnie smiled slightly, sometimes the younger man's inexperience was plain to see. He liked the DI but he was certainly still a bit wet behind the ears as Ronnie's dad would say. He headed towards his desk as Matt picked up the phone.
"Alright? Matty?"
Matt nodded once before picking up a pencil to write down whatever it was the caller was telling him. Moments later he ended the call before turning to his friend.
"C'mon."
"Where we going?"
"Sycamore Street. Shop on the corner with Edgeware Road has CCTV footage."
"Right, lets go then." Ronnie picked up his car keys before following the younger man out of the office.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
James sat at his desk deep in thought. He wasn't particularly upset that one of the most violent criminals he had ever built a case against was now dead but he was perturbed that it was beginning to look more and more sinister as time went on. He was aware that Alesha was as angry as he was about the man getting bail in the first place but to think the Judge was part of a conspiracy to murder the man seemed a little far fetched, even for him. He looked up as Alesha walked into the room.
"It was a hit."
"Good afternoon Alesha."
"Yeah, whatever." She sat down, still clearly annoyed. "You know it, I know it. Henry and George just don't want to."
"Hitmen aren't exactly that common."
"Never said they were." Alesha turned her computer on. "James, all I am asking is that we don't rule it out."
"Its the police to find out."
"All I am saying is, if it is a hit then they have certainly killed before." She reasoned. "Have you ever worked on a case like this?"
"Not this side of the fence?"
"When you were working for the Defence?"
"Not personally but Bea did. So rare it made the newspapers."
Alesha watched him as he seemed to get lost in his memories. She waited for a moment before prompting him. James smiled slightly. "It was the case before the one that made me want to jump ship. Not a good time."
"No?"
"Least said the better. Focus on now, not then." He snapped as Alesha nodded, knowing that whatever Ronnie and the others came up with she was going to have to tread carefully.