Finally an update – so sorry it took so long. Thanks as always for your reviews, follows and favs. I love hearing from readers so please let me know what you think!

Hope you are all staying well and safe.

'What? Yes of course I know she's married,' Gail exclaimed irritably. 'Did you call just to tell me that, mother.'

Holly pointed to herself and mimed getting out of the car but Gail shook her head. She didn't care if Holly heard what she had to say to Elaine. In any case, she didn't plan on this telephone conversation lasting long.

'Peck's are not cheaters and we are certainly not home wreckers,' Elaine continued, undeterred by Gail's response.

Gail snorted. 'Could've fooled me,' she said under her breath but of course Elaine heard. Maybe she was half bat.

'I don't know what you think you saw but Mr Johnston and I were just being neighbourly.'

Interesting, Gail thought to herself. Definitely something to file away for later. She actually had no memory of coming upon Elaine and Mr Johnston in a compromising position. The Johnston family abruptly moved out of the neighbourhood when Gail was seven so even if she had caught her mother and the neighbour chances were she had had no idea what were doing.

Gail recalled her father saying good riddance when the moving truck reversed out of the neighbouring driveway, which at the time had struck her as odd because she was best friends with Daisy Johnston and heart broken by her departure. Maybe this explained why Daisy had stopped coming by to play and didn't say goodbye when her family left.

'Gail,' Elaine said sharply.

'I always wondered why the Johnston's left so suddenly,' Gail said with a deliberate casualness that seemed to fool Elaine. She was glad her mother couldn't see the smirk on her face.

'I believe she had a job offer in Vancouver too good to refuse.'

'By she, I take it you're referring to Mrs Johnston.'

'Who else,' Elaine gave a long suffering sigh. 'The daughter was all of eight so I hardly think she would have been headhunted by some major corporation.'

'So is that what happened?'

'What?'

'Was Mrs Johnston headhunted?'

'Maybe. Of course. Yes,' Elaine sounded surprisingly flustered. 'Why are we talking about the Johnston's? We hardly knew them.'

'You bought them up.' Had Elaine forgotten about her friendship with Daisy? Perhaps she hadn't even noticed.

'I don't believe so dear. Anyway, you're transferring to 27 tomorrow.'

'What?' Gail exploded. Holly looked at her with concern. Gail twisted her lips, annoyed she'd taken the bait but then Elaine always knew which buttons to push.

'Don't worry. It's temporary. Half of 27's down with COVID and they're short detectives.'

'So what, you thought you'd volunteer my services. I'm in the middle of an investigation.'

'Which Detective Anderson has in hand. See this as a chance to network."

'Or catch the virus and die?' Gail screwed up her face. 'Bad enough that 27 is a hellhole, now it's a cesspool of disease.'

'It could do wonders for your career, dear,' Elaine said.

'This doesn't have anything to do with Dr Stewart does it?'

Holly tilted her head to one side, her expression curious.

"Why would you think that,' Elaine gave a false little laugh. 'Oh, before I go, Savannah Caron seemed quite keen on one of those zoom dates.'

'I didn't realise things had got so bad with you and Dad,' Gail said with mock concern. 'Not that I mean to judge but isn't Savannah a little young for you.'

'Very droll. You know Savannah's mother is a cabinet minister.'

'Yes mother, but I'm not interested in dating anyone at the moment.'

Holly quirked an eyebrow and Gail mouthed 'anyone else but you'. Holly stifled a laugh and Gail felt ridiculously happy that she could tell Holly this. She grinned at Holly who rewarded her with a lop-sided smile.

'Is there someone with you?' Elaine asked sharply.

'I gotta go mom. I'm at work.' Gail said ringing off despite Elaine's protestations. She was certain she heard Elaine warn that she wouldn't be able to trade on her looks forever, in fact was perhaps already too old to be choosy.

'So,' Holly took Gail's hand, 'your mother is still trying to set you up on blind dates.'

'And transfer me to 27 apparently.'

'Can she do that?' Holly's eyebrows knitted together.

"I'll get Ollie to stop the transfer,' Gail shrugged.

'Won't your mother insist?'

'Unlikely. Since the Peck disgrace she can't throw her weight around like she used to. No, that was more a reminder to me.'

'Reminder?'

'Not to step out of line. Apparently I shouldn't be hanging out with a married woman.'

'You mean me,' Holly pointed to herself and Gail nodded. 'Just tell her I'm soon to be a gay divorcee, as you put it.'

'Ha! Something you need to know about Elaine, never volunteer information.'

It was said flippantly but Holly didn't laugh. She made a sympathetic face and seemed to want to ask more but Gail didn't give her a chance.

'I guess we better get to Ray's apartment,' Gail drummed her fingers on the steering wheel. As she did so, she again caught sight of the sad little wedding boutique with its dust motes and the groom figurine face planted on the wedding cake. It seemed to mock her, as though it was planted here to remind her that she and marriage didn't mix well. Was it an omen that she had pulled up in front of this very store?

Gail sighed. 'Maybe you're right,' she said, without looking at Holly.

'About?'

'Maybe we are taking this too fast. Maybe we should wait until your divorce comes through.'

Gail still didn't meet Holly's gaze but focussed on a rose pink banner in the shop window which had come mostly unstuck. Instead of being strung up behind the two mannequins, it hung vertically and curled inwards along its edges. Gail could just make out the words, 'Happily ever after starts here', with an arrow that presumably used to indicate the shop entrance but now pointed to the floor. Yeah right, Gail scoffed inwardly but it must have been out loud because Holly looked at her quizzically.

'Is this because you feel pressured by your mother?' Holly asked carefully like she was trying not to spook Gail. She placed her hand on Gail's knee, which didn't help because Gail found that even that was enough to make her resolve waver. Admitted.y that resolve wasn't that fixed.

'I, we,' she croaked, distracted not just by the weight of Holly's hand but by the way Holly had leaned in so their faces were inches apart. It really, really didn't help because all Gail wanted to do was kiss Holly but instead she cleared her throat and plowed on. 'We should do this right, you know.,' she finally managed.

'Two things,' Holly held up two fingers. 'It's a marriage in name only. In fact, I don't even think of myself as married. Plus the divorce is practically a done deal. The papers have been filed and if COVID wasn't holding everything up, the divorce would probably have come through already. And lastly, nothing has felt so right as this, as us. And you yourself said that back at the morgue.'

'That's more than two things,' Gail sassed.

Holly laughed. 'Maybe I should stop talking then.'

That made Gail smile and nod, the memory of the kiss in the interrogation room all those many years ago still vivid. Then she just had to lean in to kiss Holly because it was clearly an invitation to do just that.

It took her right back to that kiss at the station, to the newness of it and the breathlessness at crossing that line with Holly. It had been both impetuous and long overdue, surprising and yet somehow not surprising, as though kissing Holly was something she should have been doing all along. Kissing Holly now, despite their awkward position in the front of the car and the drab surroundings, reinforced Gail's long held conviction that she should never have stopped kissing Holly.

If it were possible, would Gail turn back the clock to when she first met Holly? Admit how she really felt, rather than shut Holly out? Trust her gut that this thing with Holly really could be something. Pick up the phone the first time Holly reached out instead of ignoring not one but eleven voice messages so Holly jumped at the job offer in San Francisco like it was a lifeline.

On the very day she was to meet Holly's friends, Gail had essentially admitted to Dov that she in love with Holly. He had spooked her with his questions so by the time she arrived at the Penny was was already on edge. It didn't help that it had occurred to her that Holly—so worked out and capable and almost intimidatingly intelligent and who was apparently completely unfazed by anything Gail did or said—was too good for her.

Gail wasn't stupid, in fact was very smart about most things but crucially not her emotions and she'd been burnt before. So when she overheard Holly say she was having fun, Gail's reaction was swift and knee jerk. Of course in her head she added 'just' to the having fun, a bit of editorialising that sent her right up that tree. 'But we were having fun,' Holly would point out later when they were able to talk about that night. 'Lisa didn't need to know anything else.'

The idea that Holly had just being have fun was devastating. It had bought Gail to her knees. 'Literally?' her therapist had asked. 'May as well have,' Gail had muttered, her arms hugging her chest. And god she had hurt Holly, for whom it seemed obvious for all to see (but unfortunately not Gail) that Gail was much more than fun. If Gail had the power to go back in time she would undo that hurt at least. The thing was though Gail wasn't entirely certain she completely liked who she was back then. Too damaged to give her heart to Holly. Too ready to sabotage a good thing. But that was then. She wasn't entirely that person anymore.

Gail squeezed her eyes shut so she didn't have to look at the hideous bridal boutique. 'Okay,' she breathed.

'Okay?' Holly asked. She must think Gail crazy. Only a couple of hours ago Gail was convincing Holly that they couldn't and shouldn't waste any more time and now she was the one with cold feet.

'You're right. This,' Gail opened her eyes and pointed between the two of them, 'feels right.'

Holly's smile was wide. 'I thought you'd be harder to persuade.'

'Well, sorry for being such a pushover. Just because you needed to be talked down off a ledge.'

'Ha!' Holly looked as though she might be about to kiss Gail again but was interrupted by the blip of a police siren. It appeared that Chloe and Andy had returned.

'Get a room,' Chloe cackled through the loud hailer as the squad car cruised passed at an excruciatingly slow pace.

Gail sighed. Maybe she should just shoot Chloe and Andy. Surely it would be considered justifiable homicide.

'I'll help you dispose of the bodies,' Holly smirked.

It was so unexpected that Gail laughed a little too loudly. She was about to ask exactly how Holly proposed to do just that, when she noticed the squad car do a u-turn at the end of the street.

'Uh oh, Cagney and Lacey are heading back,' she said, switching on the ignition, 'we need to get out of here.' With that Gail peeled away from the curb, tyres screeching and the engine roaring. She was a good driver and the streets were empty and Gail knew there weren't any speed cameras on this stretch so she pressed her foot flat on the accelerator. Chloe and Andy could ticket her if they liked.

Holly gave a sharp intake of breath. Gail glanced at her quickly and saw that she was grinning, her eyes bright and eager. She hadn't picked Holly for a speed freak. Gail finally slowed when they reached an intersection.

'Wow,' Holly blew out a breath, 'that was very hot.' She put a hand to her mouth as if she hadn't meant to voice that.

'Me driving a car?'

'Uh,' Holly gave an embarrassed little laugh.

'What,' Gail pushed, certain she'd be amused by whatever Holly said and quite happy to make her squirm just a little bit.

'It's, well I dunno, it's how assured and in control you are—' Holly stopped when Gail began to scoff. 'You know what, I think the moment's killed.' Her normally tan skin flushed a pinkish tinge.

'I did ace the driving course at the Academy.'

'Of course you did,' Holly said. 'Your mother probably had you behind a wheel when you were in diapers.'

'Close but it was more like twelve.' It had been up at the cabin on one of the trails that went deep into the forest. The strange thing about Elaine was that in preparing her children to uphold the law, she was quite prepared to break it.

They passed the remainder of the drive to Ray's apartment in a companionable silence. At some point Holly slipped her hand on to the top of Gail's thigh, just casually, a reflex really. It was the sort of thing you might do with your girlfriend of some standing. Gail didn't mind it. Not at all. She may have even given a contented sigh.

Frankie called as they neared the apartment. Gail put the phone on speaker, thinking it might be easier if Holly relayed the autopsy findings.

'So what'd the hot doc say?' Frankie asked, not realising Holly was there.

'Are you referring to me or Doctor Achebe?' Holly asked.

Frankie paused for a beat, momentarily thrown. 'Well, you're both attractive women,' she said.

'Is it a habit of yours to objectify the women you work with detective?'

'Only the hot ones,' Frankie said with more than a hint of flirtation, clearly pleased with her recovery.

Gail groaned. 'Frankie, quit while your ahead.' She was surprised when Frankie didn't come back with a smart response, instead apologising to Holly.

'Sorry, that was obnoxious,' Frankie admitted.

'You're sorry,' Gail was incredulous.

'Jeez Gail, didn't you attend last month's mandatory session on sexual harassment in the workplace. Imagine if one of our male colleagues said something like that to Doctor Stewart.'

'Inappropriate and eew gross.'

'Well, it's no different,' Frankie finished sanctimoniously.

How was it that like Elaine, Frankie had this ability to make Gail seem in the wrong when it was her behaviour that was called out in the first place?

Gail rolled her eyes.

'So detective, any leads from the bank,' Holly said, steering the conversation back to a professional footing, 'because based on the autopsy I'm inclined to say Ray was murdered.'

'On what basis.'

'A blow to the back of the head and bruising around the mouth, like someone forced him to take those pills,' Holly explained.

'Plus the pill bottle was wiped clean,' Gail added. 'Would you bother to do that if you planned to commit suicide?'

'Unlikely,' Frankie agreed. ' because guess who John Smyth is?'

'It can't be Ray?' For some reason Gail didn't want to think of Ray as a criminal.

'Absolutely Ray. He set up an account just over a year ago. Would deposit cheques nearly every week. Then about a month ago he pretty much cleaned out the account. 235, 000 big ones.'

'It puts Sam back in the frame for the murders of Ray and Paul,' Gail said. Maybe her instinct about Sam had right.

'Yep. Where are you now?'

'Outside Ray and Paul's apartment. We're going to take another look at the crime scene.'

'Good. I'll meet you there,' Frankie said before ringing off.

The lab techs had messaged Holly to say they had left the morgue but there was no sign of the forensic van outside the apartment.

'Do we need to wait for them to get in?' Gail asked.

'No I've got the keys to apartment,' Holly held up a plastic key ring.

In the lift, Gail glanced sideways at Holly and grinned goofily. Holly bumped her shoulder and Gail had to bite her lip to prevent herself from doing something stupid. Shit, would Frankie accuse her of being unprofessional?

They found Ray's sister on the landing. Gail had only seen her from a distance when she came to collect Ray from the morgue, but up close she was like a slimmer version of her brother. She held a bucket jammed with cleaning products in one hand and a mop in the other and was staring at the police tape which crisscrossed the front door.

It was hard to say how long she'd been standing there. It could have been a matter of seconds or maybe some minutes or more for there was something frozen about her posture. Her face mask was pulled around her neck, which made Gail remember that she and Holly hadn't bothered with theirs.

'Ms Leeson?' Gail said.

Ray's sister started and turned. 'Mrs Crispin,' she corrected, adding in a softer tone, 'Susan.'

'Detective Peck and,' Gail gestured toward Holly, 'Dr Stewart.'

'Oh yes. Ray told me about you. He said you were both so kind when he had to identify Paul's body.' Susan's bottom lip trembled and it seemed she might be on the verge of tears but she took a steadying breath and held the mop and bucket up. 'I wanted to clean up. The boys would hate the apartment to be left in a state but then,' she inclined her head to indicate the police tape. 'Is it okay to go in?'

'I'm sorry it's still an active crime scene,' Gail said gently.

Susan seemed to sag at that, her arms lowering so the bucket and mop touched the ground. 'Is that why you're here?'

'We're just making sure we didn't miss anything,' Holly explained.

'Miss anything? So you don't think it's suicide?'

'We have to be thorough,' Holly said.

'Sure,' Susan nodded, clearly aware Holly had sidestepped her question but not pressing for an answer. She looked down at the mop and bucket. 'I suppose I should go home.'

'Do you need a ride or someone to accompany you?' Gail asked. 'I can organise that.'

'Oh. Am I in trouble for being out? I thought this would fall under essential business.'

'No, you're not in trouble,' Gail reassured, even though this most definitely was not essential work and Susan was flouting shelter at home orders.

'It's been hard you know—being at home thinking about Ray and Paul. I haven't told any of my friends that they are—' Susan stopped and grimaced. She clearly didn't want to use the word dead but seemed at a loss for what to say. 'About this,' Susan said at last. 'My husband works on an oil rig so it's only me in the house and I just wanted to do something useful. It seems stupid now. Like it will make any difference to Ray and Paul if their apartment is clean.'

'Sometimes keeping busy helps,' Holly offered. 'Is there anyone you can talk to?'

'I've tried calling Sam but he doesn't pick up. The three of them were so close.'

'They were?' Gail couldn't keep the note of surprise out of her voice.

'Oh yes. Ray and Sam met in High School. They were inseparable back then.'

'Only Sam didn't give us that impression when we spoke to him.'

'Oh.' Susan gave a puzzled frown.

'Could they have had a falling out?'

Susan's frown deepened.'It's probably nothing. Ray said it had blown over. I really shouldn't say anything.'

'It may be useful for us to know.'

Now Susan looked frightened. 'You don't think Sam had anything to do with,' she paused and then indicating the door to the apartment, said 'this.'

'We can't rule out anything,' Gail said, like Holly giving a non answer. 'Sometimes even the smallest detail can be important.'

Susan considered this for a moment, shifting her weight to the back of her feet so she appeared to shrink away from Gail and Holly. Then she bobbed her head swiftly as if having resolved on something. 'Ray was saving to have a back operation at a place in Switzerland,' she began. 'It's cutting edge surgery so there was some risk involved and it cost the earth but Ray believed it was a miracle cure.'

Gail nodded, certain she knew where Susan was going with this.

'Paul didn't want him to do it,' Susan continued, 'and then Sam accused Ray of stealing money from the company to pay for the operation.'

'Ray had access to company accounts?'

'He did a bookkeeping course and started managing the financial side of the company. It was a real help because Sam and Paul's business just took off and they barely had time to keep up with the clients let alone the banking.'

Perhaps Sam had been telling the truth when he claimed business was booming despite the pandemic. It might explain why it took him so long to notice that Ray had skimmed a quarter of a million from the company.

'You think it's Sam don't you.' Susan dropped the bucket and mop so abruptly the cleaning products spilled across the floor and the mop handle hit the linoleum with a thwack that reverberated in the narrow hallway. Her voice was caught somewhere between shock and a creeping realisation. 'It can't be. He was like a brother to Ray.'