Catching Mr Ripper

August 31st 1888 Morning

Detective inspector Edmund Reid marched into the station house, ignoring the whispers from the other officers as he went. He had a job to do, and one job only. Catch the leather apron killer. He had already brutally murdered one woman, and Edmund was determined to stop him before the killers count could grow.
"Hello. You must be Detective Reid" the police commissioner smiled at him, shaking his hand.
"Yes sir" Edmund replied, as the commissioner led him through the station house.
"Good, we need to find the man who did this. Everyone is already calling him the leather apron killer. I need this stopped and swiftly. Got it?" He asked.
"Yes sir" Edmund nodded.
"Good. We'll get you aquatinted with your team and of course the medical examiner. I suppose you'll want to talk to her first?"
"Of course" Edmund replied.
"Most men go cross eyed when I mention her gender" Commissioner George Warren told him with a small chuckle.
"As long as she gets the job done well, I wouldn't care if she was a horse" Reid joked.
"I've been called worse" Came a feminine voice from behind him. Reid didn't need to turn around, he already knew who that voice belonged too. He could never forget her voice.
"Hello Edmund" she smiled up at him.
"Hello Lizzie" he smiled down at her, using the nickname he gave her years ago. He took in her light brown curls and her light hazel eyes, he could never forget her even if he tried, even if it had been almost nine years. She looked the same as she always had, but something about her had changed over the years, to him she felt more aware of herself. She felt stronger.
"How long has it been?" She asked still smiling.
"Too long" he replied and she nodded in silent agreement "So you're our coroner?" He asked.
"Father allowed me to finish and take up a career. I never liked doing anything by the book" she smiled fondly.
"I remember" he agreed, meeting her eye. The room seemed to fall into comfortable silence around them as if nothing mattered at all, except them.
"Well, shall we get to it?" Commissioner Warren asked breaking the pair out of the little space that they had blocked all other out of.
"Yes sir" Edmund and Elizabeth replied in unison. George led them into the main area that seemed to have been taken over with every piece of information that they had on the killer who was still yet to be found.
"Our victim is Mary Ann Nichols. They called her Polly. She was found on August 31st at about 3:40am by two Carmen on their way to work. PC John Neil was on the scene first" the commissioner explained.
"Her throat had been cut in two places, nearly decapitating her. Her lower abdomen was partially ripped open, leaving a jagged wound. I also found several other incisions in her abdomen that were made with the same knife. I was able to tell that she had been dead less than 30 minutes by the time she had been found" she told him.
"Is it a good idea to have you on the case?" Edmund asked, making her scoff.
"My work is arguably better than any male coroner's that you will find in England. I can handle myself" she shot back.
"Your father would kill me if he found out I was allowing you to be put in danger" he said making her scoff again.
"Since when do you care what my father thinks?" She challenged.
"Since one word from him could end my career almost everywhere" he frowned.
"When did you start caring more about your career than anything else?" She challenged him again.
"Lizzie" Edmund groaned, using her nickname again. George watched their argument from the sidelines trying to figure out how the pair knew each other.
"Don't you know by now that you won't win an argument against me. I'm staying and that's final" she glared at him, seeing him sigh in defeat she rose from her seat "I'll be in the morgue if I am needed" Elizabeth told the commissioner before leaving the room, not bothering to cast a glance at Edmund.
"You two have a complicated history, I'm guessing" Commissioner Warren said plainly but Edmund could see the corners of his mouth twitching upwards.
"We tried courting once. Her father didn't approve and it ended there" he told him vaguely.
"There seems to be more to the story than just a short courtship" he pushed him.
"It was fleeting. Nothing more" Edmund told him "We need to gather everything we can before he strikes again" Edmund said changing the subject.
"Of course. The brutality of this crime is unlike anything I've ever seen on this job, we need to find this man and quickly. I'll introduce you to your team now that they are here" George targeted his words at the men who had entered the room.
"Constable John Neil was first on the scene, Constable Robert Thain alerted the coroner. Thomas Bond is our police surgeon. William Seaton is our forensic pathologist. We also have Frederick Abberline, Henry Moore and Walter Andrews joining us from Scotland Yard" As Warren introduced each man Edmund shook their hands one by one.
"I look forward to working with you all" Edmund smiled.
"Have you heard, were stuck with a broad for a coroner" Moore laughed.
"I heard her work is better than any male coroners in London" Warren tried to hide his smirk as Edmund smiled widely at Moore who was definitely not smiling.
"We'll see if she's up to the task" Moore muttered back.
"Well, let's begin by setting up the board" he smiled, bringing his hands together in a loud clap.