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Language:
English
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Published:
2024-02-01
Words:
542
Chapters:
1/1
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7
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61
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Uncomfortable

Summary:

Just a bit of surveillance footage to watch.

Work Text:

The deep rumble of the kettle reached its anticipated crescendo and a cloud of steam billowed high over Pat’s head as she poured the freshly boiled water into the assembled line of mismatched mugs.

Glancing over her shoulder she chuckled softly to herself at the assembled line of mismatched detectives currently standing behind her desk. Strike, Barclay and Dev Shah all stood in enraptured silence, their attention collectively fixed upon the computer screen in front of them.

Walking through from the partners’ office, Robin eyed the group curiously.

“What are they doing?” she asked Pat, pushing her phone into her pocket and reaching for the biscuit tin on top of the counter.

“Midge finally got video footage of that young engineering student last night.”

“Oh right,” Robin nodded. “Anything interesting?”

“He met a woman,” Pat informed her conspiratorially.

“Make that two,” Strike added, his face belying the amusement his tone was hinting towards as the story evolved before them.

For a moment his green eyes left the screen to find the cool blue of his partner’s and he watched as an eyebrow rose in intrigue as she nibbled on a chocolate finger.

Robin smiled as Strike’s tongue moved unconsciously across his lips before his gaze lowered once more. His expression was largely impassive and she could garner little information as to what was being watched. Those of their subcontractors, however, were slightly less so.

Sam Barclays’ arms were crossed firmly across his body and though his chin had been pulled in tight to his chest his blue eyes were blown wide hiding little of the incredulity he so clearly felt.

Shah, on the other hand, had stuffed his hands so deep into his trouser pockets that Robin couldn’t help but wonder if he was actually trying to pull up his socks. The frown fixed to his forehead gave an impression of disinterest, but Robin could see every movement of his dark eyes as they followed what was playing out on the screen.

Then, as if pulled by a single thread, all three heads slowly tilted to the left.

“They look like a bunch of dentists at a strip club,” Pat muttered with a shake of her head as she handed the younger woman a mug of tea.

“Thank you,” Robin replied with a grin as she continued to watch the scene before her.

Three heads returned to vertical once again, then thirty seconds later tilted back to the left.

“Jesus Christ,” Barclay muttered. “What the hell kind of engineering is this bloke supposed to be studying?”

“Uncertain… though he definitely seems to have paid attention in his geometry classes,” Strike observed, blindly accepting a mug from Pat with murmured thanks.

“Hmm,” said Shah, “Can’t say I’d call that the work of a precision engineer.”

“Aye, definitely more the approach of a man heading towards a career in civils.”

All three winced as one, a unified hiss and unconscious leaning back from the screen.

“Agreed,” said Strike.

“That does not look comfortable,” Shah observed with a disbelieving shake of his head.

“Oh, it’s not.”

All three stilled in place before slowly and purposefully turning their heads towards the office manager standing directly behind them with a biscuit tin in her hand.

“Hob Nob?”