A Chance meeting
Canvassing a neighborhood was never fun. It was never interesting. It meant asking the same questions over and over and getting the same answers even more often. Sometimes before you even asked the questions. Newly promoted to Detective First Grade, Jimmy Deakins had this vain notion that he ought to be above routine canvasses. That notion lasted through one block and then an amused resignation set in. After three hours a break in the case would have been great but all he and his partner really expected was convenience store coffee and a bad sandwich. They had to question the owner anyway.
When they came back out to sit in the car, coffees in hand, a group of ten teenagers had gathered outside shop. Jimmy and his partner exchanged quick glances and chuckled. There was something universal about the combination of bravado and simmering sexuality in any group of kids. This was mixed group of boys and girls, mostly white but with one black girl draped over a tall skinny white boy and a Hispanic boy pulled a gorgeous Asian girl into his lap on the hood of a car. They were dressed well for their age group, nothing too loose or too tight, and all their eyes were clear of the influence of any drugs. Even the music coming out of their cars was only annoying.
Right up until one girl laughed loudly and muttered "Cops" to one of the boys. Everyone looked up and the laughter got raucous. A couple of the boys pointed and sneered. Jimmy leaned against their car, watching them with a wry smile. He waved a hand at his suit and shrugged. "That obvious, huh?"
The girl who'd spoken got pushed forward and Jimmy got his first good look at her. Petite, barely over five feet, she had long dark hair tucked behind her ears and wore jeans and a plain t-shirt. At first glance he thought she was younger than the others, but her expression corrected that impression pretty quickly. Her elfin features would always give her a youthful appearance and she was certainly pretty enough, but what struck him was the clear flash of intelligence behind the dark brown eyes.
She shrugged with complete nonchalance and looked him over. He went still under her scrutiny, waiting for some smart crack. Instead she tipped her head and smiled. "At least it looks good on you."
A couple of the boys laughed and he raised an eyebrow. "Thanks." He looked down at his average suit and worn shoes. "So it doesn't scream cop too loud?"
She laughed. "Oh, it hollers it all right. It just suits you." She walked over too him and adjusted his tie to the accompanying laughter of her friends.
Looking down at her he was struck again by the light in her eyes. She was ballsy as Hell, practically fearless. Not many sixteen or seventeen year olds would walk right up to a cop and start messing with him. Not many thirty year olds would either and with the new baby at home this was the closest he'd been to a woman in a while. She smelled good. He shut his eyes for a moment and when he opened them her expression had changed. Sardonic good humor had been replaced with speculation and curiosity.
He fought back a groan. Some detective if he couldn't hide his base reaction to the girl from her. She patted his chest to indicate the micro adjustments she'd made to his tie were done. Her hand stayed on his chest a second longer than the gesture needed and he canted his head to study her. She winked and turned to head back to her friends.
He jumped when his partner tapped the horn. "Come on, Deakins, we got something." Jimmy groaned. He'd totally missed the radio call. Just as he straightened to walk around the car, she was back.
She went up on her toes and spoke in a rushed whisper right against his ear. "Just in case."
He was so surprised at her proximity it took him a second to realize she'd stuffed something in his pocket. Once in the car and having heard what the radio call was, he reached into his pocket to ascertain that she'd left him a slip of paper. It wasn't until he clocked out for the night that he actually pulled out the paper and looked at it. It was her phone number all right, and her name. Alex. Dark, clever eyes, firm body and fearless. He knew the girl would stay with him for a while.
***
It was two weeks before he saw the number again. He'd stuffed it in his wallet and forgotten about it, if not about her. Groaning, he dropped the number on his desk and rubbed his eyes. His partner looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. More than a little embarrassed, Jimmy passed the number over. After he explained what it was, his partner cracked up.
"Please, man, tell me you weren't ever thinking about calling."
Jimmy groaned again. "I do have some self control. She's just a kid for Christ's sake."
"Yeah, a cop's kid."
Jimmy's eyes went wide and he clapped a hand to his forehead. "Of course she is. I'm not sure if I feel more or less the fool now."
His partner handed him back the number. "She's Johnny Eames' kid. His eldest. She's all set to follow in his footsteps after college."
Jimmy just put his head in his hands, his shoulders shaking with laughter.
***
Almost twenty years later he opened the door to his office and ushered in a petite blonde, neatly dressed in a light grey suit. He ushered her to a seat across from his desk and welcomed her to Major Case as he took his seat. She smiled brightly when she thanked him and they talked for a little while about getting her settled. The conversation was brisk and professional, although her naturally sarcastic streak showed every now and again.
He hid his disappointment that she didn't seem to remember having met him before and completed their business quickly. When he stood to open the office door for her again, she stood slowly and walked to the door with her head down. Just as she was about to step out of his office, she smirked and whispered, "It's good to see you again, you know. I told you this looked good on you."
He stood in his office doorway, watching her walk to her new desk with his mouth open. When he could finally close it, he let his chuckle grow to a full laugh that he didn't other closing his office door to hide.