about them?’
‘I’m not sure,’ she admitted. ‘I can’t repeat the PM to see if there’s anything I missed, though to be really honest, I don’t think I did. It was my first case since getting back, so I was — well, that bit more aware of what I was doing, you know? I’m always careful, but this one I, like, walked on eggs. Even if I did manage another PM on the body — which I can’t get, seeing the funeral’s been given the go-ahead — I doubt I’d find anything.’
‘So this is an academic conversation?’ he said. ‘Just talk for the sake of it?’
‘I could dig out the notes of the other two, I suppose,’ George said, ignoring the little dig.
‘The ones the note mentioned?’ His voice sharpened. ‘The mysterious note?’
‘Yup. Those.’
‘Hmm! Will that be easy?’
‘Don’t know till I try.’
‘Will you try?’
‘I’m not sure …’ She knew she was prevaricating and so did he.
‘Come off it. You’re going to. And when you have, let me know what you’ve found out, right?’
‘Only if it’s significant,’ she said and he shook his head in exasperation.
‘Why? Aren’t we a team, for Gawd’s sake?’
‘When it suits you we are. If you prefer to keep me out then you do. Take that matter of the woman who’d been tied up in all those pairs of stockings back in the spring. And the man with the ankle bracelets, and the —’
‘They were different,’ he said loftily. ‘No medical input needed with them. But if you find there was hanky panky about the way those babies died, why, then —’
‘Why, then I’ll consider what I want to do about it.’ She got to her feet. ‘I have work to do, Gus. How’s about you?’
‘“I like potato chips, moonlight and motor trips, how’s about you?”‘ he sang but he got to his feet. ‘Yeah, I ought to get back. Check all the paperwork on this RTA. I shouldn’t ha’ been involved at all, really — it’s not one for CID, but traffic branch got their knickers in a twist over some insurance fuss, so there you go. And there’s me with my own work piling up, as the —’
‘— man in the livery stables said,’ she chorused with him. ‘Yeah, I know. Time you changed that gag for a new one, Gus, say one from around 1950. It’s getting as high as the livery stable man’s work. Goodbye.’ She went to the door and held it open.
‘I’m goin’, I’m goin’. Listen, about tonight …’
‘What about tonight?’ She waited, her head on one side as, somewhat uncharacteristically, he hesitated.
‘We’ve done up the Leman Street place all posh — looks a bit like a shopgirl’s dream, to tell you the truth — but the grub’s as good as ever, and we could have a nice tuck-in tonight of halibut and maybe this time you’d try some of our jellied eels. They’re the best in London and —’
‘Nothing in this world or the next will ever get me to eat jellied eels,’ George said fervently and he grinned.
‘OK, then. Plain old fish and chips it is. You’ve got basic good taste, girl, even if you’re a bit unadventurous in the cuisine department. Never mind, I’ll make a good foodie of you yet. Pick you up at around seven-thirty, then? We’ll have a noggin at the Crown and Anchor and then go and tuck in. Lovely.’
‘I haven’t said I’ll go yet!’ she protested and this time he laughed aloud.
‘Oh yes you have, ducks,’ he said. He flicked his forefingerat his forehead to tip an imaginary hat and went, leaving her more pleased than irritated — and that of course was irritating in itself.
5
‘The Plaice To Be’ in Leman Street was bursting at the seams with people when they got there. It was a raw night with the reek of the river thick and acrid in their nostrils, quite overwhelming the usual diesel stink of the traffic, and she’d been glad of the snug half-hour they’d spent at the Crown and Anchor to start the evening. She had ordered gin and tonic — an English drink she’d
‘I’m not sure,’ she admitted. ‘I can’t repeat the PM to see if there’s anything I missed, though to be really honest, I don’t think I did. It was my first case since getting back, so I was — well, that bit more aware of what I was doing, you know? I’m always careful, but this one I, like, walked on eggs. Even if I did manage another PM on the body — which I can’t get, seeing the funeral’s been given the go-ahead — I doubt I’d find anything.’
‘So this is an academic conversation?’ he said. ‘Just talk for the sake of it?’
‘I could dig out the notes of the other two, I suppose,’ George said, ignoring the little dig.
‘The ones the note mentioned?’ His voice sharpened. ‘The mysterious note?’
‘Yup. Those.’
‘Hmm! Will that be easy?’
‘Don’t know till I try.’
‘Will you try?’
‘I’m not sure …’ She knew she was prevaricating and so did he.
‘Come off it. You’re going to. And when you have, let me know what you’ve found out, right?’
‘Only if it’s significant,’ she said and he shook his head in exasperation.
‘Why? Aren’t we a team, for Gawd’s sake?’
‘When it suits you we are. If you prefer to keep me out then you do. Take that matter of the woman who’d been tied up in all those pairs of stockings back in the spring. And the man with the ankle bracelets, and the —’
‘They were different,’ he said loftily. ‘No medical input needed with them. But if you find there was hanky panky about the way those babies died, why, then —’
‘Why, then I’ll consider what I want to do about it.’ She got to her feet. ‘I have work to do, Gus. How’s about you?’
‘“I like potato chips, moonlight and motor trips, how’s about you?”‘ he sang but he got to his feet. ‘Yeah, I ought to get back. Check all the paperwork on this RTA. I shouldn’t ha’ been involved at all, really — it’s not one for CID, but traffic branch got their knickers in a twist over some insurance fuss, so there you go. And there’s me with my own work piling up, as the —’
‘— man in the livery stables said,’ she chorused with him. ‘Yeah, I know. Time you changed that gag for a new one, Gus, say one from around 1950. It’s getting as high as the livery stable man’s work. Goodbye.’ She went to the door and held it open.
‘I’m goin’, I’m goin’. Listen, about tonight …’
‘What about tonight?’ She waited, her head on one side as, somewhat uncharacteristically, he hesitated.
‘We’ve done up the Leman Street place all posh — looks a bit like a shopgirl’s dream, to tell you the truth — but the grub’s as good as ever, and we could have a nice tuck-in tonight of halibut and maybe this time you’d try some of our jellied eels. They’re the best in London and —’
‘Nothing in this world or the next will ever get me to eat jellied eels,’ George said fervently and he grinned.
‘OK, then. Plain old fish and chips it is. You’ve got basic good taste, girl, even if you’re a bit unadventurous in the cuisine department. Never mind, I’ll make a good foodie of you yet. Pick you up at around seven-thirty, then? We’ll have a noggin at the Crown and Anchor and then go and tuck in. Lovely.’
‘I haven’t said I’ll go yet!’ she protested and this time he laughed aloud.
‘Oh yes you have, ducks,’ he said. He flicked his forefingerat his forehead to tip an imaginary hat and went, leaving her more pleased than irritated — and that of course was irritating in itself.
5
‘The Plaice To Be’ in Leman Street was bursting at the seams with people when they got there. It was a raw night with the reek of the river thick and acrid in their nostrils, quite overwhelming the usual diesel stink of the traffic, and she’d been glad of the snug half-hour they’d spent at the Crown and Anchor to start the evening. She had ordered gin and tonic — an English drink she’d
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