The car ride to the mortuary was quiet, but intense. Neo drove with DS Gwilt riding shotgun and Charlie in the back, refusing to be left behind when it was her idea that was inspiring their trip.

Once they arrived at the hospital, a receptionist guided them through the maze of corridors.

Neo could see Gwilt glancing at Charlie when he thought no one was looking, his lips pressed into a thin line. He'd already tried to argue with Neo about bringing her, but Neo had still asked her to come.

She had seen something that would have taken the police another few days to notice.

Whilst they were split four ways from Sunday, she was free to focus on Jane Bennett and her missing family. He was wondering if having her on the case would be a good thing.

The pathologist met them at the door, a fresh gown and white gloves already in place.

'DCI, DS.' His eyes landed on Charlie and he smiled like he liked what he saw. 'And who may this be?'

'This is Miss Hoggins, she's a private detective working on the case.' Neo interjected before Charlie could speak.

'Really, and what's a sweet thing like you doing in a dangerous job like that?' the pathologist teased.

'How else is a girl supposed to get a little excitement in her life?' she flirted right back.

Neo cleared his throat, breaking their game. 'I believe you have a body for us to inspect?'

The pathologist's smile slipped as he returned to professional mode. 'Right this way.'

The mortuary was a cold, foreboding place. No matter how many times Neo attended, he never got used to the oppressive feeling the tiled walls inspired.

A body was laid out on the slap with a simple white sheet covering it from view.

They all crowded around, spectators to life's final show.

'Dean Montgomery.' The man pulled the sheet down, revealing the boy's face. 'Seventeen-year-old from Welshpool. Cause of death was a heart attack from an overdose of heroin approximately 38 to 41 hours ago.'

He pulled one of Dean's arms up so they could see the puncture marks. 'This was the fatal wound. As you can see, there are several older marks on this arm.'

'So he did use his left arm to inject?' Neo asked, his gaze sliding to meet Charlie's.

'In the past, yes, but these marks are weeks old, though they don't look like it.' The pathologist moved to his right arm and held it up for everyone to see. 'The marks on this arm are much more fresh.'

'How fresh?' Charlie was quick to say.

The man pointed to one mark. 'This one was made just a few hours before the fatal injection.'

'Why would he inject so close together?' Gwilt's forehead creased.

The pathologist sighed. 'Truthfully, if you hadn't noted the hand used, it would have likely been chalked up to death by misadventure, except for a few things.'

'What things?' Neo replied.

'The fingerprints on the injection, for instance.' He motioned for them to step away as he pulled the sheet back over the body. 'Only Dean's fingerprints are on there.'

'That doesn't sound strange?' Gwilt looked on confused.

'It's more the way they're on there. You'd expect to see multiple amounts of prints as he handled the injection before using it. But this is the only pattern we found.'

The pathologist picked up a syringe and mimed holding it as if to inject himself.

'If I had to guess, I would say that it was wiped and his fingerprints were added later.'

'Would it be likely that he'd do it?' Neo had to ask, though he already knew the answer.

'Mr Montgomery here was so high I doubt he'd even be able to hold a syringe steady enough to inject himself. Never mind wiping down the delicate instrument without damaging it.'

'So in your professional opinion, what are we looking at here?' Neo pushed the man.

The pathologist flicked his report closed, putting it on top of others in a wire tray.

'In my opinion, this boy was murdered with his own syringe, but I couldn't give you any clues about who did it.'

                                                                                    ***

'I think I need to get some water.' Gwilt dabbed at his forehead with his sleeve and raced from the mortuary.

'I see Gwilt still has a delicate stomach,' the pathologists joked, reclining back in his office chair.

Neo sighed, Gwilt always did have a weak stomach and that wouldn't have been made any easier having to go through details of the other tests done on Dean Montgomery's body.

'Charlie would you...?' Neo asked.

Charlie looked at him with scepticism and rose slowly.

'Thank you..' she hesitated, realising she'd never gotten the pathologist's name.

'Barry.' He held his hand out for her to shake, lingering for just a second or two to make his advance clear.

'Well, thank you, Barry.' She beamed at him.

'Please take my card, in case you have questions you need to ask.'

She wanted to laugh at the optimism in his eyes. Regardless, she pocketed the card. She would never say no to useful contact, especially one that seemed so willing to play.

As she left, she glanced at Neo over her shoulder, wondering what the Chief was up to.

Neo watched her leave before turning to Barry.

'Do you have to flirt with everything that has a pretty set of legs?' he joked, though he didn't feel much like laughing.

'There's no fun if you don't. Where's your sense of adventure?'

'Between my job, two kids and a mortgage, I have all the adventure I need.' Neo replied, dryly.

'Well, my offer to show you an adventure is always open, Chief.' Barry winked, 'besides it looks like Charlie would be game as well.'

Neo felt a prickle of annoyance at the man's casual way of saying her name. It was so typically Barry. A never ending, casual flirt. The man had left a string of heart-broken men and women in his wake when he'd moved from Manchester to Shrewsbury, not that he cared. In Barry's words, life was for the living and he'd slow down when he was dead.

Neo pretended to scoff. 'In your dreams.'

Barry's smile widened. 'Always.' he sassed back, kicking his feet up on the desk, showing off his expensive shoes. 'So what do you really want to talk about, since it's clear it's not to accept my humble offer?'

Neo fished out a cream coloured folder and dropped it onto Barry's desk.

Barry's brown eyes flashed with curiosity as he dragged it forward and tossed through the pages.

'The Felton Pond Murders?' Neo nodded, remaining silent as Barry's eyes roamed over the pages. 'I wasn't aware that the police were treating the two cases as linked?'

'Officially they're not.' A warning in Neo's tone that was not lost on Barry.

'But you suspect differently?' Barry placed the folder on the desk and kicked his feet back under the table, giving Neo his undivided attention. It was in moments like these, when Barry became the professional he only pretended to be most of the time.

'I think the police had all the evidence they needed to go after one suspect.' Neo dodged around his question but Barry knew what he was alluding to.

'You think the individual investigation missed something?'

'I think I want an A Class Pathologist to review the data and see if he can spot any anomalies.'

Barry fanned his face dramatically. 'Oh Mr Denzel, you and your compliments.' He smiled ruthlessly. 'And I called you boring. They always say you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover. Especially a tall, dark and handsome one.'

'You never give up, do you?' Neo shook his head.

Barry remained silent for a few seconds before a smile that could rival the Cheshire cat's crossed his face. 'So what's with you and the lovely private investigator?'

'What are you talking about?' Neo screwed up his face, not liking what his friend was implying.

'Neo? Come, come, I've known you for seven years and that woman has definitely got under your skin. So I'm asking, is there anything there?'

Neo sighed. This was one of Barry's only flaws. He loved to meddle in Neo's love life. Despite being a permanent bachelor, Barry always thought of himself as a matchmaker.

'Look at the file again,' Neo urged.

Barry frowned, but did as he was told. Skipping past the pathologist's report, he scanned the officer's report, wondering what Neo was referring to.

Charlotte Hoggins. The name jumped out at him, and he had to read the paragraph twice before he'd digested it all.

'Fuck.'

Neo felt like that word pretty well summed it up.

'So she's investigating your missing persons case but was tied to the Felton Pond murders. Just what are you getting yourself involved in, Neo?'

Neo stood, drawing a hand through his hair.

'The family requested her.'

Barry's eyebrows practically reached his hairline. 'And you just let her join your investigation? That doesn't like you, no offense.'

'Not usually, but you're right; she gets under your skin, not to mention she was the one that caught what arm the kid was injecting into.'

'You're putting yourself down. You would have caught it, but don't forget you're trying to keep a team together, and an entire village of people with their own problems. You can't be everywhere,' reassured Barry.

'The woman is ex British intelligence. And she's good. She's got the time, resources and connections to really push this case.' They were all valid excuses as to why he'd relented to allow her onto his case. And yet it didn't feel like that was all, and judging from Barry's expression, he was thinking the same.

'You find her intriguing,' Barry said it like a statement and Neo couldn't disagree.

Charlie was smart, and resilient, and yet she was still warm and caring underneath all that. He'd seen that first hand with Mr and Mrs Phillips. She was a complex character that wasn't easy to pin down, and that's what Neo found so intriguing. He liked a puzzle, and Charlie Hoggins was just that.

'You ready, Chief?' Gwilt's voice echoed from the mortuary before he appeared at the door.

His colour had returned, but he looked flushed and agitated.

'Where's Charlie?' Barry looked behind the Sergeant but his smile dimmed when he didn't spot her.

'I sent her to the car,' was Gwilt's clipped reply.

'Sounds like she has a knack for getting under people's skin,' Barry mused, earning himself a glare from Gwilt.

'I'll see you again, Barry,' Neo said, before World War III could break out.

'Keep me updated.' Barry wiggled his eyebrows, letting Neo know it wasn't the case he was interested in.

Deciding not to comment, Neo left with Gwilt in tow, not keen on the car ride back to the station. Whatever had happened between Gwilt and Charlie seemed to have left his DS in a foul mood.