Reprobates by RC Bridgestock Read Free Book Online Page A

it under your hat she doesn’t know yet.’
    ‘ She is?’ he said. He gave Dylan one of his big broad toothy smiles.
    ‘She’s the only one in the office qualified, and she’s more than capable.’
    ‘The supervisory experience will do her the power of good. Hey, glad it’s you rather than me going to the mortuary.’
    ‘ Aye well, someone has to do it.’
    ‘ It feels good to be back. The duration of that bloody course was way over the top.’
    ‘Aren ’t they all?’ Dylan said raising his eyes to the sky. ‘Another tick in a box for you, though. Bloody hell...’ he said looking at his watch, ‘talking of mortuaries we should be there now. V I C K Y, it’s time to go,’ he shouted across the yard.
    ‘ Glad to know nothing’s changed,’ Paul laughed, nodding towards Vicky who was dodging around parked cars, papers under her arm, texting with one hand, one arm in her grey bubble coat and a half eaten slice of toast hanging from her mouth.
    ***
    The pair were met at the mortuary by Professor Stow’s theatrical wave from his chubby pink hand. ‘Tea for me, strong and sweet, preferably with a shot of brandy,’ he said to his assistant with a wobble of his big, fat, red chin. There was unusually no belly laugh associated with the larger-than-life character.
    ‘You okay? You don ’t seem yourself,’ said Dylan.
    ‘ I have to be on my best behaviour,’ he said. His top lip curled back exposing his teeth, as he grabbed Dylan’s arm to steady himself. He stepped into his coveralls. ‘And, between you and me I absolutely hate being watched,’ he added in a whisper.
    ‘ Watched, who’s being watched?’ asked Vicky. Her voice was without enthusiasm at what lay ahead.
    ‘I ’ve got an eminent surgeon with me today. They’re assessing us again.’ Head down, Professor Stow looked over his half-rimmed glasses and smiled, as he acknowledged the smartly dressed man who had just walked into the room. He was wearing a three piece suit, his outer coat had a velvet collar.
    ‘ Eugene Regis,’ he said holding out his hand to Dylan. He nodded in Vicky and Professor Stow’s direction. Dylan noticed the strength in his grip.
    ‘ A man of few words unfortunately for me,’ Stow whispered out of the corner of his mouth to Vicky as Eugene turned his back on them to find a place for his shiny black briefcase. ‘Truth be known, I can’t figure out what he’s thinking about my old fashioned ways. We’re dinosaurs to these youngsters, you know,’ he said.
    Vicky raised an eyebrow at Dylan and smiled before moving quickly to help the doctor. ‘Let me help you, Doctor Regis.’
    ‘Mister, ’ he said to her in a cold but polite manner.
    Without looking at Vicky, Eugene Regis felt inside the inner breast pocket of his suit jacket and extracted a key. He opened the locker. Vicky shrugged her shoulders at Dylan who shook his head.
    ‘You wouldn’t want to cross him, would you, boss?’ asked Vicky sidling up to Dylan.
    ‘He ’s known as the good doctor,’ Stow said to Dylan. He couldn’t tell if he was being sarcastic or not.
    Mr Eugene Regis took off his coat and hung it very precisely so it didn ’t crease. He turned, extracted a pen and paper from his briefcase and secured it on a clipboard before standing upright with his paperwork neatly tucked under his folded arms.
    ‘ He doesn’t give a lot away does he?’ asked Vicky.
    ‘ What do you want to know?’ asked Dylan.
    Vicky giggled. ‘Hey, I ’m a detective aren’t I, and he’s one hell of a good looking guy.’
    ***
    Dylan relayed the circumstances of how the naked body of the unidentified deceased was discovered and what had been found at the time in the canal. Professor Stow listened intently. This information was paramount for the pathologist to give the officers the best chance at time of death. The more well-known post-mortem changes, such as rigor mortis, livor mortis and algor mortis progress on a relatively set schedule; however, many