"Look."
Edmund and Hawes were back in Hawes's office, poring over the picture timeline Edmund had put in place.
"Where?"
"Here."
Edmund pointed over to the background of a kissing selfie a young couple had taken with one of the polaroids.
"Five of them" Hawes muttered, looking astounded. "Good lord. You actually might be on to something."
"Thanks for your words of encouragement, ma'am" Edmund replied dryly.
"Has that call from your bartender friend come through?" Hawes demanded, skimming her fingers across the pictures.
"Not yet" Edmund sighed. "She'll call."
"This is in the wrong place" Hawes suddenly commented, lifting a picture and transferring it smartly to the other side of the board. Edmund glowered at her, and she glared back.
Edmund's phone rang.
There was a scuffle, as Edmund nearly tripped over one of the whiteboards to get to his mobile. Hawes laughed harshly at him.
"Tink?" he called into the phone, perching on his desk. "What's the deal?"
"Drinks from the card, first round five, then bought always in fours" Tink replied, from the other end of the line.
"Mainly fours?" Edmund repeated, nearly falling off the desk. Hawes looked up instantly from the polaroids, and Edmund put Tink on speaker.
"Tink, say that again" he ordered.
"I said the drinks on that card were paid for five people the first time around, and four every time after" Tink repeated clearly. "I'm sure."
"So someone was sober" Hawes muttered to herself. Edmund nodded.
"Cheers, Tink."
He rang off.
"The answer's in here" Hawes announced. "I know it is."
"See if we can find when the first group left?" Edmund said questioningly. Hawes shook her head.
"No. Well, yes, but that could be irrelevant. Go get yourself some late lunch. Quick."
Edmund raised an eyebrow. Hawes flapped a hand at him, and he was ushered out of the door.
Feeling decidedly cheesed off, Edmund wandered away. He had almost made it out of the main entrance and away when Bone waddled up, blocking his path and beaming from ear to ear.
"Good news, D.S. Gray!" he announced, looking distinctly pleased with himself.
"Good news, sir?" Edmund enquired dryly, shoving his hands in his pockets, slouching, and trying to look interested.
"Yes! We've had a promotion for one of our other Detective Sargeants. You can transfer within the week" Bone informed him, still beaming. "We can get some other unlucky kid to fill in for you now, hm?"
"Hm?" Edmund agreed, as his mind was thrown into a tailspin.
"Well?" Bone asked. "Shall I make the necessary arrangements? D.I. Blakely has already expressed an interest in you."
"Let me finish this case" Edmund stalled. "It's a bit of a mind-bender, and I'm interested in seeing how it turns out."
Bone looked slightly at him like he was mad, but nodded.
"If you're sure, D.S. Gray" he chuckled. "Say the word."
"If you'll excuse me" Edmund replied, a little tautly, sidling past and escaping out of the door. He had decided to walk to the shops, but as he passed the library of the University he suddenly stopped, thinking.
YOU ARE READING
Two Heads.
Mystery / Thriller-The first extract from the casefiles of D.I.Hawes & D.S.Gray- Edmund Gray is already under pressure. He's just been promoted to the rank of Detective Sargeant at his job in the Oxfordshire Police, and his new boss, the infamously irritating Detecti...
