Roll Away Your Stone 2/18
Chapter: Reason Nor Rhyme
Rating: PG-13 - R ish…language folks…
Pairing: Nikki & Nora
Disclaimer: At some point, don’t these become superfluous? Do we need to consistently rub my, or our collective, nose(s) in the fact that Nikki & Nora do not belong to me? I’m still trying to get over the idea that Buffy and associated characters aren’t mine, let alone these girls…*sigh* Let’s pretend for a little while and then I’ll give ‘em back to Nancylee Myatt and Co.
A/N: I’m glad the lot of you picked up on Patrick and Chris…there’s way more to that story and we’ll get there, eventually, as it’s been my experience where there’s one gay in the family there are probably more, some closer than you think. However, for right now, we’re not dealing with Patrick, Chris and what all that means to Nikki & Nora, but instead we’re here in this chapter…enjoy the read. =0)
Ch. 2 - Reason Nor Rhyme
“I still don’t see why we had to come in today?” I protest stepping from June Lee. The wind cuts through the sweater I have on and I reach back into my baby and grab my jacket. Looking over at Nikki I can tell the wind is getting to her too.
“Nor, come on, we’re hardly ever in the station anymore. Once, maybe twice a week tops.” She narrows her eyes at me and I give up. The set of her jaw and brow tell me I’m going to be in hot water if I don’t stuff it.
I make a motion to zip up my lips, lock it and pitch the pretend key over my shoulder.
“Besides, Nor, we should probably tell Dan we’re making absolutely no progress on any of our open cases.” Nikki’s head gives a little frustrated shake before we make our way inside and up the steps to the squad room.
Not much of this place has changed since I started in S.C.U. and I don’t suspect that much will change anytime soon. I like having Dan as our boss and keeping Nikki as my partner has been a blessing. As for the rest, I’ve learned to live with it.
“Well, look what the cat drug in!” Dominic Barrett calls out from across the squad room.
Nikki and I head over to the cluster of desks that give the six detectives of S.C.U. their own space amongst the insanity on the squad room floor.
“Dominic, you saw us on Monday night,” Nikki scolds, her hands are on her hips and there’s a wide grin across her face.
“True, but Dan’s got you two runnin’ every which way, but to the station, so…” he trails off on the implication.
Of course he’s going to give us shit when he can. If the roles were reversed, I would too. Nikki and I spend maybe eight hours of a fifty hour work week in the station. We’ve even got used to finishing up paperwork at home. Charlie pulled a few strings and got us VPN access at home.
“What’s brought you two in?” Benjamin “Benny” Armstrong asks from the desk across from his partner.
“Our Lieu wanted to talk,” I answer Benny. “We’ll ignore the fact that we need to make head way on our open cases,” I snicker.
Dom gives a snort of laughter, “Dan’s getting’ soft. You know he’s drinkin’ tea now?” Dominic shakes his head. “Here I thought only queers and flouncy English guys drank that shit.”
Nikki and Benny both cluck their tongues. It’s Dom’s partner that puts him in his place, “Really, Nic, you gonna sit there and say some shit like that?”
Dominic’s face heats up a little, but he gives it right back to his partner, “Look just ‘cause you don’t give a shit doesn’t mean I don’t.”
Benny rolls his eyes and tosses a crumpled piece of paper up at his partner, “You know,” he wags a finger towards his partner, “For as much as you carry on, I wouldn’t be half shocked if you didn’t mind taking it up the ass.” Benny wiggles his eyebrows and lays into him more, “Gettin’ the ole prostate massaged may feel kinda good.” He shrugs his shoulders and gives an exaggerated shiver.
“Fuck you, Armstrong.” Dominic sneers.
“Nah, not my type, Dom. I like my men hung like horses and not afraid to let me know it,” Benny winks at his partner and Dom flips his partner off.
Nikki and I exchange looks. Benny and Dominic have always been cool. They’ve never really came out with anything ‘cause most of us just don’t talk about it. This exchange…it speaks to something else…Seeing Nikki’s reaction, she feels the same. We’ll have to catch up later with Benny.
“Delaney! Beaumont! My office is this way detectives,” Dan calls out from behind us.
I sigh and turn around. Nikki leads the way to Dan’s office and I make a point to slam the door behind me.
Dan and Nikki both wince. “Nora was that necessary?” Dan asks sitting down in his chair.
Nikki and I take our respective seats across from him. I’m on the left, she gets the right.
I just grin.
“Of course,” Dan mumbles and shuffles a few folders and papers on his desk to the side. “So how are the cases going?”
“Which ones?” Nikki asks, crossing her legs and resting her clasped hands on top of her knee.
Dan looks up from the folder he was reading over and his eyebrows hike up. “Uh, how about all of them?”
“The double homicide isn’t going anywhere. It was a body dump of two transients. Tennessee isn’t being too cooperative and hasn’t responded to any of our attempts to find next of kin,” I answer.
Nikki picks up the other cases, “The attempted kidnapping was handed over to the D.A. We arrested the cousin of the attempted victim. He needed some money and thought that taking his little cousin for a spell would cause his uncle and aunt to pony up some money.”
“Please tell me you’re joking,” Dan pleads rubbing his forehead.
“’Fraid not,” I answer. “Cousin J.P. has a nasty gambling problem. He was short and his bookie was looking for parts. You can follow up with Mica. He’s assigned to the case.”
“Shit.” Dan mops his face with his hands. “All right and the single and the B & E?”
“You mean the Hoyt case?” Nikki asks. Dan nods. “We have a primary suspect. We’re waiting on forensics to confirm and the person of interest, John Kindy, has no way to account for his whereabouts. Nora snagged a piece of his trash to run against the prints that showed up at the scene. We should be closing it out today.”
“The B & E is on hold until the son comes back into to town. We need to ask him a few questions and exclude him from the list,” I answer.
“Why’s he on it?” Dan wonders.
“His prints besides his parents are the only ones there,” Nikki tells him, “and the son doesn’t live at home. The dad, Neil Rondo, claims the son hasn’t been by to see him in weeks.”
Dan’s eyebrows raise and he bobs his head. “All right. I want you to give the double to Benny and Dom. Hand over Hoyt to Georgia and Jesse. Keep on the B & E and shake up the son.” He hands over a folder to Nikki and I lean in as she flips it open to start reading while Dan talks, “I was called in by Vice this morning. You’re old partner, Ron Baird, called and asked us to take point on this case.”
I read over the case details. Two victims, a brother and sister, Alissa and Owen Knox, ages seven and five. My jaw clenches.
“The kids were at the right place at the wrong time. A drive by occurred at approximately oh-one-fifteen this morning. Baird has been working the neighborhood trying to shake loose a dealer or two from the area. The mom’s a known associate of the primary for Baird. Jennifer Knox, age twenty-four, has been known to turn a few tricks. Ron wants us to crack the drive by.”
Nikki looks up at him and Dan offers a tight smile. “He asked for you two. He said he wanted you. I agreed.”
Nikki nods while I sigh. “We’ll bring in the files and catch up the other detectives.”
Dan nods and dismisses us, “I’ll see you two later.”
I sit in June Lee waiting on Nora to come back from passing off our cases to our other detectives. The engine rumbles underneath the hood and I eye the file for our new case wearily. I hate cases that involve kids.
I can’t believe Ron called us out. We’ll need to go and see him. If Vice is running an operation, I’d rather not step on any toes or arrest the wrong person. That’s happened before, but Baird will give Nora and I full disclosure.
Nora comes jogging out of the station and I grin watching her move. She’s in hip huggers, sneakers and a scoop neck sweater that I bought her for Christmas. The faded green brings out her eyes. She opens the passenger side door and climbs in; shoving the jacket she left behind towards the center. “Let’s go.”
I bob my head and put June Lee in gear. “Where to?” I ask as I pull away from the curb and into traffic.
“I was thinking we should talk to Ron. See what’s going on in Vice and why he needed us to work this case.” I watch from the corner of my eye as she turns towards me, resting her back against the passenger side door and scoops up the file from the dashboard.
“Sounds good. Anything jump out at you?” I hang a left and head towards downtown where Vice is located.
“The basics that Dan told us.” I stop at a red light and look over at her. She’s shaking her head.
“What?” I need to know.
“Well, from the basics, this doesn’t look like there were any intended targets. Four houses got shot up in the drive by. It just so happened that the kids were in the living room, sleeping on the couch when the shooting started. Knox’s house was the first in the line of four to get hit. Jennifer Knox was in the dining room when it happened. “
The light turns green and I direct my attention back to the road.
“I think we should start by finding out who the neighbors were. Reports say that the other three houses were empty. Seems kind of strange. At one in the morning, why would no one be home?” My Nora wonders aloud.
“Okay,” I agree. I love the way her mind works as she puts things together. Sometimes I think it’s pure dumb luck that she makes these connections, and then others, it seems like she’s already got it figured out.
“What do you want to do about the B & E? I think the son’s due back in town soon.”
“We’ll sit on it. You really like the son for this. I think it’s a good angle. None of the stolen goods have turned up anywhere and Darius said that there’s no chatter about anyone working or casing the neighborhood.”
Nora slides over to me and sits in the center of the seat. The file goes to her right and her left hand covers my right. “Report also says that the mom sustained two GSW’s and she was taken to La Croix. We should swing by and get an update.” Nora fiddles with the radio and settles on my oldies station.
I identify the Otis Redding song and hum softly. “They think she’ll live?”
“Don’t know,” she answers, “The report’s spotty. She took one in the stomach and one in the arm.”
I shake my head. “Drive by’s usually aren’t that precise,” I say.
“Hmmm, that’s what I was thinking. But why the kids?” Nora’s hand tenses and I run a thumb over her knuckles.
“We’ll figure it out and let the D.A. sort out the punishment,” I try to soothe her.
She is right though this does stink a little too much for my liking.
“You think it’d be okay to ask Dar…” she starts off.
“No,” I bark, wincing at my tone. “I…I’m sorry, but I can’t Nor.”
She pats my arm with her other hand and doesn’t say anything else. I don’t think she meant anything by it and I shouldn’t be this gun shy about asking Darius, but after November…
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have brought it up,” she apologizes. “Nikki you need to stop blaming yourself. It wasn’t your fault he got shot at. He’s fine and he’s safe.”
I let go of my lower lip, frowning at the taste of blood. “I know, but he wouldn’t have been shot at if he wasn’t helping us. It got too close.”
She runs her hand through her hair. “I know that too. Dan’s taken him off the C.I. lists. Bernie said she’d take care of getting his names off any books that may exist. I want to protect him just as much as you do.”
I nod not really wanting to talk about one of the worst days of my life. Darius had been helping us ferret out a new gang that’d been responsible for a host of shootings, robberies and two murders. The members found out Darius was the one asking around and decided to try and shut him up. I had a heart attack when the hospital called to tell me that I needed to come and get him.
“So, we’ll go see Ron, go to the hospital and then check out the neighborhood?” Nora outlines.
“Sounds like a plan,” I say managing to swallow the lump in my throat.
“Then maybe when we go home, I can draw you a bath,” Her fingers walk up my arm and her nail scrapes down my neck, “and get you put to bed. You didn’t sleep well last night.”
I give a short sarcastic laugh. “Yes well, it’s better than not sleeping at all.” I send her a pointed look.
She has the good grace to duck her head. “Hmm, I think we could both work on our sleeping habits,” she concedes.
“Avery, Whitacker and Alstadter, I want you three working Corbould. I want someone brought in by the end of the month. Barrett and Harris catch me up on the Gress case?” Ron Baird directs his group of plain clothes officers. Nikki and I stand in the back of the room and watch. Vice is definitely different than S.C.U. Most of the guys working here seem to have more to prove than most and the nature of the unit seems to catch up with a lot of the cops that work it.
I.A.B. had a field day with the unit about a year ago and busted down the then commanding Lieutenant and three officers. Ron’s been here a long time and when the axes finally came down, he was promoted to head up the unit. Since then, Vice has done some good work.
Baird’s also a good friend of Nikki’s which means I have to like the guy. He’s been good to me too. I watch as he catches Nikki’s eyes while his officers fill him in on the cases that they have open. As Harris finishes up, Ron points to the two of us and motions us forward.
“Gentleman, I’d like to introduce you to my old partner, Nikki Beaumont and fellow Detective Nora Delaney,” Ron introduces and we get a round of ‘hey’s.’ “I’ve requested that they join us on the Knox case. They’ll be taking the investigation over on the murder of the two children and shooting of the mother. I expect full cooperation. This isn’t a pissing contest.” He glares at each one of them before turning a smirk our way.
“Let’s get going boys, we’ve got a lot of work to do and I’ve been getting rode harder than a two dollar hooker over in the Ninth,” Ron breaks up the meeting.
“Yeah, yeah,” the group chatters.
One cop, I think Ron identified him as Alstadter jokes back, “Yeah, but at least those two buck ponies are a fuck lot prettier than your stinky old ass.”
The group busts up in laughter and Ron gives it right back, “Keep it up Danny. Least I can get paid for it. You couldn’t get laid if I took you to a whorehouse and slipped ‘em some soap.”
The detective flips off his boss good naturedly and then departs. Nikki’s arms are folded across her chest and she looks her old partner up and down. “Are you ever going to grow up?” she asks.
He stuffs his hands in the pocket of his khaki pants and rocks back on his heels laughing. “Fuck no. Remember, Princess, I tried that and nearly got divorced and lost my job.”
“Hmm, that’s true.” Nikki finally breaks and opens up her arms. He accepts the hug greatly, picking her up and swinging her around to set her down by me.
“Nora, I see you aren’t keeping this woman of yours in line.” He winks at me and I shake his outstretched hand.
“She can’t be kept in line.” I bump Nikki’s shoulder. “Hell, I can’t even get her to fill out paperwork right half the time, let alone do anything else.”
Ron rubs at his chin and nods. “That sounds like the Nikki I know.”
“I will whoop both of you if you don’t quit it,” my lover warns.
“Ohhh,” Ron wiggles his eyebrows, “Does this mean I get to watch you two?”
My face finally breaks from the frown and I smile, socking the Lieutenant in the arm.
“Ow!” he whines and rubs the spot on his arm, “You’ve got bony ass knuckles and you hit…”
“If you tell my girl she hits like one, I won’t step in when she kicks that scrawny white tail,” Nikki laughs.
“I was going to say…” he drawls, “that she hits harder than most of my squad.” He makes a face at my Nikki and points to me, “You up for PT training with my detectives? Maybe I can teach them how to throw a punch and not get their asses handed to them by the pricks we drag in here.”
“I could, but then you’d have to deal with the reputation of having the squad that got schooled by a little blonde woman,” I shoot back.
He taps his chin in thought. “If it keeps ‘em alive, I think my manliness can take it. They can start a pissing contest, I usually finish them.”
“Oh boy,” Nikki says and snags his ear, pinching it between her thumb and index finger. “Come on Baird, before I call your wife. Fill us in on this case so we can find the party responsible.” Nikki half drags him out of the conference room towards his office.
She lets him go when we hit the main floor and he takes the lead towards his office. I shut the door behind us and he hops up on top of his desk. “So, Dan did his job and got you the information, what can I fill you in on?” He swings his legs off his desk. I sit in one of the chairs and Nikki stands behind me. Her hands rest on my shoulders and I take my left hand to lace together with hers.
“Yeah,” Nikki answers, “We were wondering what there is about this case that’s not in the jacket we should know. Do you have anyone in mind?”
Ron bobs his head. “We’ve got an idea of who may have ordered something, but we don’t know why. Something isn’t adding up.” He leans back and grabs a blue folder, righting himself he hands it over to me. I open it up and Nikki bends down to look at it with me. “The top five photos are of a Darren Brooks. He’s been working his way through some of the neighborhoods in our great city. His rap sheet says he’s from Columbus, Ohio. Moved here about seven years ago and we think he’s been pushing Primos for the past two years now and the shit’s getting stronger and stronger. There have been six O.D.s in the past nine months. The stats coming from the Parish aren’t reflecting the true numbers. Considering what we see coming and going…it’s double maybe triple the stat.”
I look over what he’s talking about and the chart on the left of the folder runs a graph of methadone clinics and admittance for opiate rehabs across NOLA. The numbers, even if they are under stated, do not look good.
“What’s Primo?” I ask out loud. I never worked Vice and did my best to keep out of drug related crimes.
“Primos are cigarettes dipped in heroin,” Nikki answers off handedly while reaching over me to flip through the report, “You think Brooks is responsible for the Brown Sugar, Dynamite and,” I crane my neck to look at her. Her eyes are large and she’s chewing fiercely on her lower lip. “You like him for the Crystal that’s been coming through too?”
“I do. He’s bad news in a major way, but he’s slicker than a fucking gator greased up with Pennzoil. None of the dealers we’ve bagged will roll on him. No one will,” Ron spits.
“So how does Jennifer Knox fit into this?” I need to know.
Looking at Ron, he gives me nothing in body language. He says, “I don’t know. Jennifer Knox is a part time hooker, but knows Brooks. Sources put her and him getting chummy over the past few months.”
Nikki and I lock eyes. She’s thinking what I’m thinking and I don’t like it.
“You two carry on anymore and I’m gonna start feelin’ left out. Or maybe…you want I should leave you two for five minutes….I don’t suspect Nikki takes much longer than that.” Ron ribs us and Nikki huffs.
I roll my eyes and wonder why it always comes down to sex with guys.
“I will have you know Ron…” Nikki starts in, but I stop her with a hand on her arm. She always gives in when her prowess is in question.
“We’ve no time for you to trade insults about who’s better in the sack. I’ve no intention of finding out how Ron performs.” I hike an eyebrow at her and she blushes. “You on the other hand are the only one that I care about…performance wise.” I wink at her and she blushes.
I take these small victories to heart. Getting her to blush isn’t easy. Ron guffaws and coos, “You two just get sweeter every time I have the pleasure of seeing you.”
Nikki clears her throat and asks, “Everything we need in here?”
“Yep,” Ron gives.
I take that as my signal and stand. “Thanks, Ron,” I say shaking his hand. Stepping back, I let Nikki get her hug in and I hear, “Love you Nicollette. Take care of your lady. She’s done wonders for my old partner.”
“You’re getting too soft in your old age,” Nikki chides.
He steps back and shrugs. “Just got my priorities right. Call me soon. Maybe you two can come over for dinner soon?”
“Date and time?” I ask. Nikki and I have spent a few nights over at the Baird residence and his wife’s a sweet woman.
“I’ll check with the wife and get back to you on that,” he promises.
Rating: PG-13 - R ish…language folks…
Pairing: Nikki & Nora
Disclaimer: At some point, don’t these become superfluous? Do we need to consistently rub my, or our collective, nose(s) in the fact that Nikki & Nora do not belong to me? I’m still trying to get over the idea that Buffy and associated characters aren’t mine, let alone these girls…*sigh* Let’s pretend for a little while and then I’ll give ‘em back to Nancylee Myatt and Co.
A/N: I’m glad the lot of you picked up on Patrick and Chris…there’s way more to that story and we’ll get there, eventually, as it’s been my experience where there’s one gay in the family there are probably more, some closer than you think. However, for right now, we’re not dealing with Patrick, Chris and what all that means to Nikki & Nora, but instead we’re here in this chapter…enjoy the read. =0)
Ch. 2 - Reason Nor Rhyme
“I still don’t see why we had to come in today?” I protest stepping from June Lee. The wind cuts through the sweater I have on and I reach back into my baby and grab my jacket. Looking over at Nikki I can tell the wind is getting to her too.
“Nor, come on, we’re hardly ever in the station anymore. Once, maybe twice a week tops.” She narrows her eyes at me and I give up. The set of her jaw and brow tell me I’m going to be in hot water if I don’t stuff it.
I make a motion to zip up my lips, lock it and pitch the pretend key over my shoulder.
“Besides, Nor, we should probably tell Dan we’re making absolutely no progress on any of our open cases.” Nikki’s head gives a little frustrated shake before we make our way inside and up the steps to the squad room.
Not much of this place has changed since I started in S.C.U. and I don’t suspect that much will change anytime soon. I like having Dan as our boss and keeping Nikki as my partner has been a blessing. As for the rest, I’ve learned to live with it.
“Well, look what the cat drug in!” Dominic Barrett calls out from across the squad room.
Nikki and I head over to the cluster of desks that give the six detectives of S.C.U. their own space amongst the insanity on the squad room floor.
“Dominic, you saw us on Monday night,” Nikki scolds, her hands are on her hips and there’s a wide grin across her face.
“True, but Dan’s got you two runnin’ every which way, but to the station, so…” he trails off on the implication.
Of course he’s going to give us shit when he can. If the roles were reversed, I would too. Nikki and I spend maybe eight hours of a fifty hour work week in the station. We’ve even got used to finishing up paperwork at home. Charlie pulled a few strings and got us VPN access at home.
“What’s brought you two in?” Benjamin “Benny” Armstrong asks from the desk across from his partner.
“Our Lieu wanted to talk,” I answer Benny. “We’ll ignore the fact that we need to make head way on our open cases,” I snicker.
Dom gives a snort of laughter, “Dan’s getting’ soft. You know he’s drinkin’ tea now?” Dominic shakes his head. “Here I thought only queers and flouncy English guys drank that shit.”
Nikki and Benny both cluck their tongues. It’s Dom’s partner that puts him in his place, “Really, Nic, you gonna sit there and say some shit like that?”
Dominic’s face heats up a little, but he gives it right back to his partner, “Look just ‘cause you don’t give a shit doesn’t mean I don’t.”
Benny rolls his eyes and tosses a crumpled piece of paper up at his partner, “You know,” he wags a finger towards his partner, “For as much as you carry on, I wouldn’t be half shocked if you didn’t mind taking it up the ass.” Benny wiggles his eyebrows and lays into him more, “Gettin’ the ole prostate massaged may feel kinda good.” He shrugs his shoulders and gives an exaggerated shiver.
“Fuck you, Armstrong.” Dominic sneers.
“Nah, not my type, Dom. I like my men hung like horses and not afraid to let me know it,” Benny winks at his partner and Dom flips his partner off.
Nikki and I exchange looks. Benny and Dominic have always been cool. They’ve never really came out with anything ‘cause most of us just don’t talk about it. This exchange…it speaks to something else…Seeing Nikki’s reaction, she feels the same. We’ll have to catch up later with Benny.
“Delaney! Beaumont! My office is this way detectives,” Dan calls out from behind us.
I sigh and turn around. Nikki leads the way to Dan’s office and I make a point to slam the door behind me.
Dan and Nikki both wince. “Nora was that necessary?” Dan asks sitting down in his chair.
Nikki and I take our respective seats across from him. I’m on the left, she gets the right.
I just grin.
“Of course,” Dan mumbles and shuffles a few folders and papers on his desk to the side. “So how are the cases going?”
“Which ones?” Nikki asks, crossing her legs and resting her clasped hands on top of her knee.
Dan looks up from the folder he was reading over and his eyebrows hike up. “Uh, how about all of them?”
“The double homicide isn’t going anywhere. It was a body dump of two transients. Tennessee isn’t being too cooperative and hasn’t responded to any of our attempts to find next of kin,” I answer.
Nikki picks up the other cases, “The attempted kidnapping was handed over to the D.A. We arrested the cousin of the attempted victim. He needed some money and thought that taking his little cousin for a spell would cause his uncle and aunt to pony up some money.”
“Please tell me you’re joking,” Dan pleads rubbing his forehead.
“’Fraid not,” I answer. “Cousin J.P. has a nasty gambling problem. He was short and his bookie was looking for parts. You can follow up with Mica. He’s assigned to the case.”
“Shit.” Dan mops his face with his hands. “All right and the single and the B & E?”
“You mean the Hoyt case?” Nikki asks. Dan nods. “We have a primary suspect. We’re waiting on forensics to confirm and the person of interest, John Kindy, has no way to account for his whereabouts. Nora snagged a piece of his trash to run against the prints that showed up at the scene. We should be closing it out today.”
“The B & E is on hold until the son comes back into to town. We need to ask him a few questions and exclude him from the list,” I answer.
“Why’s he on it?” Dan wonders.
“His prints besides his parents are the only ones there,” Nikki tells him, “and the son doesn’t live at home. The dad, Neil Rondo, claims the son hasn’t been by to see him in weeks.”
Dan’s eyebrows raise and he bobs his head. “All right. I want you to give the double to Benny and Dom. Hand over Hoyt to Georgia and Jesse. Keep on the B & E and shake up the son.” He hands over a folder to Nikki and I lean in as she flips it open to start reading while Dan talks, “I was called in by Vice this morning. You’re old partner, Ron Baird, called and asked us to take point on this case.”
I read over the case details. Two victims, a brother and sister, Alissa and Owen Knox, ages seven and five. My jaw clenches.
“The kids were at the right place at the wrong time. A drive by occurred at approximately oh-one-fifteen this morning. Baird has been working the neighborhood trying to shake loose a dealer or two from the area. The mom’s a known associate of the primary for Baird. Jennifer Knox, age twenty-four, has been known to turn a few tricks. Ron wants us to crack the drive by.”
Nikki looks up at him and Dan offers a tight smile. “He asked for you two. He said he wanted you. I agreed.”
Nikki nods while I sigh. “We’ll bring in the files and catch up the other detectives.”
Dan nods and dismisses us, “I’ll see you two later.”
I sit in June Lee waiting on Nora to come back from passing off our cases to our other detectives. The engine rumbles underneath the hood and I eye the file for our new case wearily. I hate cases that involve kids.
I can’t believe Ron called us out. We’ll need to go and see him. If Vice is running an operation, I’d rather not step on any toes or arrest the wrong person. That’s happened before, but Baird will give Nora and I full disclosure.
Nora comes jogging out of the station and I grin watching her move. She’s in hip huggers, sneakers and a scoop neck sweater that I bought her for Christmas. The faded green brings out her eyes. She opens the passenger side door and climbs in; shoving the jacket she left behind towards the center. “Let’s go.”
I bob my head and put June Lee in gear. “Where to?” I ask as I pull away from the curb and into traffic.
“I was thinking we should talk to Ron. See what’s going on in Vice and why he needed us to work this case.” I watch from the corner of my eye as she turns towards me, resting her back against the passenger side door and scoops up the file from the dashboard.
“Sounds good. Anything jump out at you?” I hang a left and head towards downtown where Vice is located.
“The basics that Dan told us.” I stop at a red light and look over at her. She’s shaking her head.
“What?” I need to know.
“Well, from the basics, this doesn’t look like there were any intended targets. Four houses got shot up in the drive by. It just so happened that the kids were in the living room, sleeping on the couch when the shooting started. Knox’s house was the first in the line of four to get hit. Jennifer Knox was in the dining room when it happened. “
The light turns green and I direct my attention back to the road.
“I think we should start by finding out who the neighbors were. Reports say that the other three houses were empty. Seems kind of strange. At one in the morning, why would no one be home?” My Nora wonders aloud.
“Okay,” I agree. I love the way her mind works as she puts things together. Sometimes I think it’s pure dumb luck that she makes these connections, and then others, it seems like she’s already got it figured out.
“What do you want to do about the B & E? I think the son’s due back in town soon.”
“We’ll sit on it. You really like the son for this. I think it’s a good angle. None of the stolen goods have turned up anywhere and Darius said that there’s no chatter about anyone working or casing the neighborhood.”
Nora slides over to me and sits in the center of the seat. The file goes to her right and her left hand covers my right. “Report also says that the mom sustained two GSW’s and she was taken to La Croix. We should swing by and get an update.” Nora fiddles with the radio and settles on my oldies station.
I identify the Otis Redding song and hum softly. “They think she’ll live?”
“Don’t know,” she answers, “The report’s spotty. She took one in the stomach and one in the arm.”
I shake my head. “Drive by’s usually aren’t that precise,” I say.
“Hmmm, that’s what I was thinking. But why the kids?” Nora’s hand tenses and I run a thumb over her knuckles.
“We’ll figure it out and let the D.A. sort out the punishment,” I try to soothe her.
She is right though this does stink a little too much for my liking.
“You think it’d be okay to ask Dar…” she starts off.
“No,” I bark, wincing at my tone. “I…I’m sorry, but I can’t Nor.”
She pats my arm with her other hand and doesn’t say anything else. I don’t think she meant anything by it and I shouldn’t be this gun shy about asking Darius, but after November…
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have brought it up,” she apologizes. “Nikki you need to stop blaming yourself. It wasn’t your fault he got shot at. He’s fine and he’s safe.”
I let go of my lower lip, frowning at the taste of blood. “I know, but he wouldn’t have been shot at if he wasn’t helping us. It got too close.”
She runs her hand through her hair. “I know that too. Dan’s taken him off the C.I. lists. Bernie said she’d take care of getting his names off any books that may exist. I want to protect him just as much as you do.”
I nod not really wanting to talk about one of the worst days of my life. Darius had been helping us ferret out a new gang that’d been responsible for a host of shootings, robberies and two murders. The members found out Darius was the one asking around and decided to try and shut him up. I had a heart attack when the hospital called to tell me that I needed to come and get him.
“So, we’ll go see Ron, go to the hospital and then check out the neighborhood?” Nora outlines.
“Sounds like a plan,” I say managing to swallow the lump in my throat.
“Then maybe when we go home, I can draw you a bath,” Her fingers walk up my arm and her nail scrapes down my neck, “and get you put to bed. You didn’t sleep well last night.”
I give a short sarcastic laugh. “Yes well, it’s better than not sleeping at all.” I send her a pointed look.
She has the good grace to duck her head. “Hmm, I think we could both work on our sleeping habits,” she concedes.
“Avery, Whitacker and Alstadter, I want you three working Corbould. I want someone brought in by the end of the month. Barrett and Harris catch me up on the Gress case?” Ron Baird directs his group of plain clothes officers. Nikki and I stand in the back of the room and watch. Vice is definitely different than S.C.U. Most of the guys working here seem to have more to prove than most and the nature of the unit seems to catch up with a lot of the cops that work it.
I.A.B. had a field day with the unit about a year ago and busted down the then commanding Lieutenant and three officers. Ron’s been here a long time and when the axes finally came down, he was promoted to head up the unit. Since then, Vice has done some good work.
Baird’s also a good friend of Nikki’s which means I have to like the guy. He’s been good to me too. I watch as he catches Nikki’s eyes while his officers fill him in on the cases that they have open. As Harris finishes up, Ron points to the two of us and motions us forward.
“Gentleman, I’d like to introduce you to my old partner, Nikki Beaumont and fellow Detective Nora Delaney,” Ron introduces and we get a round of ‘hey’s.’ “I’ve requested that they join us on the Knox case. They’ll be taking the investigation over on the murder of the two children and shooting of the mother. I expect full cooperation. This isn’t a pissing contest.” He glares at each one of them before turning a smirk our way.
“Let’s get going boys, we’ve got a lot of work to do and I’ve been getting rode harder than a two dollar hooker over in the Ninth,” Ron breaks up the meeting.
“Yeah, yeah,” the group chatters.
One cop, I think Ron identified him as Alstadter jokes back, “Yeah, but at least those two buck ponies are a fuck lot prettier than your stinky old ass.”
The group busts up in laughter and Ron gives it right back, “Keep it up Danny. Least I can get paid for it. You couldn’t get laid if I took you to a whorehouse and slipped ‘em some soap.”
The detective flips off his boss good naturedly and then departs. Nikki’s arms are folded across her chest and she looks her old partner up and down. “Are you ever going to grow up?” she asks.
He stuffs his hands in the pocket of his khaki pants and rocks back on his heels laughing. “Fuck no. Remember, Princess, I tried that and nearly got divorced and lost my job.”
“Hmm, that’s true.” Nikki finally breaks and opens up her arms. He accepts the hug greatly, picking her up and swinging her around to set her down by me.
“Nora, I see you aren’t keeping this woman of yours in line.” He winks at me and I shake his outstretched hand.
“She can’t be kept in line.” I bump Nikki’s shoulder. “Hell, I can’t even get her to fill out paperwork right half the time, let alone do anything else.”
Ron rubs at his chin and nods. “That sounds like the Nikki I know.”
“I will whoop both of you if you don’t quit it,” my lover warns.
“Ohhh,” Ron wiggles his eyebrows, “Does this mean I get to watch you two?”
My face finally breaks from the frown and I smile, socking the Lieutenant in the arm.
“Ow!” he whines and rubs the spot on his arm, “You’ve got bony ass knuckles and you hit…”
“If you tell my girl she hits like one, I won’t step in when she kicks that scrawny white tail,” Nikki laughs.
“I was going to say…” he drawls, “that she hits harder than most of my squad.” He makes a face at my Nikki and points to me, “You up for PT training with my detectives? Maybe I can teach them how to throw a punch and not get their asses handed to them by the pricks we drag in here.”
“I could, but then you’d have to deal with the reputation of having the squad that got schooled by a little blonde woman,” I shoot back.
He taps his chin in thought. “If it keeps ‘em alive, I think my manliness can take it. They can start a pissing contest, I usually finish them.”
“Oh boy,” Nikki says and snags his ear, pinching it between her thumb and index finger. “Come on Baird, before I call your wife. Fill us in on this case so we can find the party responsible.” Nikki half drags him out of the conference room towards his office.
She lets him go when we hit the main floor and he takes the lead towards his office. I shut the door behind us and he hops up on top of his desk. “So, Dan did his job and got you the information, what can I fill you in on?” He swings his legs off his desk. I sit in one of the chairs and Nikki stands behind me. Her hands rest on my shoulders and I take my left hand to lace together with hers.
“Yeah,” Nikki answers, “We were wondering what there is about this case that’s not in the jacket we should know. Do you have anyone in mind?”
Ron bobs his head. “We’ve got an idea of who may have ordered something, but we don’t know why. Something isn’t adding up.” He leans back and grabs a blue folder, righting himself he hands it over to me. I open it up and Nikki bends down to look at it with me. “The top five photos are of a Darren Brooks. He’s been working his way through some of the neighborhoods in our great city. His rap sheet says he’s from Columbus, Ohio. Moved here about seven years ago and we think he’s been pushing Primos for the past two years now and the shit’s getting stronger and stronger. There have been six O.D.s in the past nine months. The stats coming from the Parish aren’t reflecting the true numbers. Considering what we see coming and going…it’s double maybe triple the stat.”
I look over what he’s talking about and the chart on the left of the folder runs a graph of methadone clinics and admittance for opiate rehabs across NOLA. The numbers, even if they are under stated, do not look good.
“What’s Primo?” I ask out loud. I never worked Vice and did my best to keep out of drug related crimes.
“Primos are cigarettes dipped in heroin,” Nikki answers off handedly while reaching over me to flip through the report, “You think Brooks is responsible for the Brown Sugar, Dynamite and,” I crane my neck to look at her. Her eyes are large and she’s chewing fiercely on her lower lip. “You like him for the Crystal that’s been coming through too?”
“I do. He’s bad news in a major way, but he’s slicker than a fucking gator greased up with Pennzoil. None of the dealers we’ve bagged will roll on him. No one will,” Ron spits.
“So how does Jennifer Knox fit into this?” I need to know.
Looking at Ron, he gives me nothing in body language. He says, “I don’t know. Jennifer Knox is a part time hooker, but knows Brooks. Sources put her and him getting chummy over the past few months.”
Nikki and I lock eyes. She’s thinking what I’m thinking and I don’t like it.
“You two carry on anymore and I’m gonna start feelin’ left out. Or maybe…you want I should leave you two for five minutes….I don’t suspect Nikki takes much longer than that.” Ron ribs us and Nikki huffs.
I roll my eyes and wonder why it always comes down to sex with guys.
“I will have you know Ron…” Nikki starts in, but I stop her with a hand on her arm. She always gives in when her prowess is in question.
“We’ve no time for you to trade insults about who’s better in the sack. I’ve no intention of finding out how Ron performs.” I hike an eyebrow at her and she blushes. “You on the other hand are the only one that I care about…performance wise.” I wink at her and she blushes.
I take these small victories to heart. Getting her to blush isn’t easy. Ron guffaws and coos, “You two just get sweeter every time I have the pleasure of seeing you.”
Nikki clears her throat and asks, “Everything we need in here?”
“Yep,” Ron gives.
I take that as my signal and stand. “Thanks, Ron,” I say shaking his hand. Stepping back, I let Nikki get her hug in and I hear, “Love you Nicollette. Take care of your lady. She’s done wonders for my old partner.”
“You’re getting too soft in your old age,” Nikki chides.
He steps back and shrugs. “Just got my priorities right. Call me soon. Maybe you two can come over for dinner soon?”
“Date and time?” I ask. Nikki and I have spent a few nights over at the Baird residence and his wife’s a sweet woman.
“I’ll check with the wife and get back to you on that,” he promises.