The Dark Places

of laughter drew her attention, and she looked over to see some fellow officers staring in her direction.
“Elliott — you have a little accident this morning?” An officer laughed from the other side of the room, holding his hands over make-believe breasts.
“Immensely observant, Dennis,” she quipped, “you should become a detective. I’m not sure you’d pass the reading test though,” she added with a smile. “There are no little pictures to help you out.”
The other men laughed, slapping Dennis on the back. He gave her the finger as she waltzed past into the chief’s office and closed the door in Dennis’s face.
She spun around, feeling mildly pleased with herself, to face the chief sitting patiently at his desk. There was another man in the opposing chair. His eyes remained forward, but Surin was sure she could see a hint of a smile playing on his lips.
“Sit, Elliott,” the chief ordered gruffly and gestured to the vacant chair.
Surin slowly sat and subconsciously tucked her hair behind her ear. “Sorry, sir, I know I’m a touch late, but that fat bastard from accounts wouldn’t hold the elevator doors open and—”
“I don’t care that you’re late,” the chief interrupted with a wave of his ruddy hands. “Frankly, it’s the first morning in a month that I haven’t had to wake you up at your desk and tell you to go home.”
“Right,” she answered sheepishly, dropping her hands into her lap. At that moment, the phone on the desk started ringing incessantly. The chief answered reluctantly.
“Nicole, I asked you to hold my calls for a half-hour,” he said, pressing the intercom button.
“Sorry, but it’s your wife, sir. She won’t hang up the phone,” she replied, trying to mask the humour in her voice. It was a well-known fact throughout the department that the chief’s wife was an extremely demanding woman.
“Right,” he sighed, “I have to take this, you two, I won’t be long.” He picked up the phone and turned his chair away from them in an effort to gain some privacy.
Surin used the gifted moment in time to study the man sitting next to her. He was obviously tall as his long legs were folded uncomfortably under the desk in front of him. He had sandy-blonde hair that hung over the tops of his ears, which he occasionally brushed back. A nervous gesture, she guessed. He was visibly fit but not overtly muscular; he looked like a surfer, not a cop, she silently scoffed.
There were a few minutes of uncomfortable silence between them before the chief spun back around in his chair.
“Bye, dear,” he mumbled and hung up the phone. “Sorry about that, now, where was I?” he asked and clapped his hands together.
“You wanted to see me?” Surin replied, holding her hand up questionably.
“Yes, that’s right.” He stood and gestured towards her. “Detective Surin Elliott, meet Detective Parker Rhodes.”
Parker turned to face Surin for the first time, and she was instantly taken aback by his intense blue eyes. He stared at her with his hand held out awkwardly.
“Oh, sorry,” she stammered, reaching out and giving it a firm shake.
“Nice to meet you, Detective,” Parker stated politely, with a shy smile.
“Yeah, likewise,” she replied tightly, not quite knowing what to say. She sat back down in her chair, waiting for the chief to continue.
“Surin, Detective Rhodes will be your new partner. He has just transferred here from Miami, so show him the ropes. That will be all,” he stated quickly and began shuffling papers to signal that he was done.
“Partner!” She stood involuntarily, her voice rising a few octaves in the process. The chief looked up expectantly, matching her gaze.
“Chief, I don’t really do partners,” she stammered, then realising what she had said, she immediately looked at Parker, who was grinning.
“No offence, Detective,” she managed, looking down. “Chief, I just think I work better alone.”
“Well, Elliott, here’s the thing. It’s not your choice; it’s mine. That’s why I’m the boss, and you’re not,” he replied, smiling like a Cheshire cat. “Now get out, I have things to do. Parker, you take the spare desk beside Surin’s.”
He dismissed them both with a wave of his hand and immediately picked up the phone and began making calls.
“Yes, sir,” Parker replied curtly. He stood, picked up his box, and looked at Surin for direction.
She chanced a last look at the chief, who blatantly ignored her, then sighed and walked out, closing the door behind her, a little bit sharper than intended.
“I can’t fucking believe this,” she mumbled under her breath, her hands firmly on her hips.
“No offence taken,” Parker said from behind her with a chuckle. Surin had forgotten he was following her. She turned to make a half-hearted apology just as Dennis nudged her out of the way and grabbed Parker’s hand in a firm shake.
“Welcome to Baltimore PD, Peter,” he began.
“It’s Parker,” Surin corrected, rolling her eyes.
“Yeah,” Dennis replied, taking no notice of her. “So, you’ll be partnering Elliott, huh?” He laughed loudly. “Sorry about that,” he joked, “there’s a reason she doesn’t have partners.”
“Bite me,” Surin snapped and sat down at her desk, staring at the mess she had left the day before.
“I’m sure I’ll manage, thanks,” Parker replied politely and began unpacking his things.
Surin watched closely as Parker organised his work space, waiting for the typical family photo to be placed on the desk and was surprised when nothing at all personal appeared.
“It’s beer o’clock at six on Fridays. Pub around the corner,” Dennis yelled out over his shoulder on the walk back to his desk.
“Do you go to the pub?” Parker asked Surin casually.
“Yeah, I usually go about once a month if I get a chance,” she sighed. “Look, I have a heap of paperwork to do, so if you don’t mind…”