The Dark Places

Unit, specifically Witness Services. He looked up and waved in their direction.
Dennis headed over to grab some drinks while Parker and the others chose a booth furthest from the door. As the other men fell into comfortable conversation, Parker let his eyes stray to the wall beside them. A large plaque quite eloquently positioned read, “Brothers in Blue”. Surrounding it were scores of photos, some black-and-white, some in colour, polaroid and candid shots as well as professional academy portraits. The fallen, Parker thought to himself. Blarney’s was definitely somewhere cops felt they could go and be surrounded by people that understood. Parker checked his watch, six p.m. He hoped that Surin was getting some well-earned rest. Dennis strode back over with a beer and placed it in front of him, slapping him gently on the back.
“My shout, Rhodes.” He smiled and took a long pull on his own drink.
“Thanks,” Parker replied and followed suit.
***
Madison had been to Blarney’s a handful of times, she actually quite liked the place. Besides the comfortable surrounds and really great music, a drunk cop was a chatty cop. Some of her best stories had started with a few beers in the back booths of Blarney’s with rookies trying to purge what they had seen or done.
She sat in her car a block away, wondering why she was hesitating. Sighing loudly, she realised it was because of Surin Elliott. That woman was like a thorn in her side. If she wasn’t publicly humiliating her, she was blocking her at every turn. She put her head in her hands, recalling the quick but unmistakable look of hurt that flashed over Surin’s features every time the two saw each other.
“Fuck, I really didn’t know he was your fiancé!” Madison said exasperatingly. My mother did warn me about this, she thought. Be careful what you use that beautiful face of yours for, Maddy. Those words echoed in her mind as she got out of her car and slammed the door shut. Warning or no, she was definitely on to something, and if Surin was going to stonewall her, then she would go to the next best source — Parker Rhodes. This time though, Maddy had done her homework.
Single, and for quite some time, lived alone, which meant no chance of being interrupted by a gun-toting girlfriend, also extremely smart, fit and let’s face it, gorgeous. Parker was who she needed to befriend to find out what was going on in this town. Not a bad source, though. Sometimes mixing business with pleasure was a perk of the job, she smiled to herself. She had watched Surin go home earlier today, following her car and waiting to make sure she wasn’t going out again. The lights went on in her house, the shower ran and then everything went quiet. She waited an extra half-hour to make sure she was in for the night before driving to the bar. Parker was in there alone. Stepping onto the sidewalk, thoughts of Surin once again gave her pause. He is her partner, not her lover she reminded herself for the tenth time, wondering where this sudden attack of conscience was coming from. It had never bothered her before who she stood on to get what she wanted. She would be doing nothing wrong. Reaching down, she opened a further two buttons of her tight white blouse, ensuring that her lacy bra was showing just enough to be noticed but not overtly slutty. She straightened her pencil skirt, adjusted the straps on her sling-back heels and, clutching her purse, she made the decision to continue. What was the worst that could happen? She could get no information from Rhodes but have a really enjoyable time trying. Smiling again, she started the block-long walk to Blarney’s.
***
Parker returned from the men’s room to the booth that now contained only Dennis and himself. It was seven thirty already, Surin would be here soon, he thought with a smile. As he approached his seat, he could hear Dennis’s voice grow tense as he held his mobile phone tightly to his ear.
“Meredith, I can’t be blamed for everything that kid does.” He looked up at Parker, rolled his eyes and made crazy hand gestures beside his ear. Parker nodded.
“I can come over now if your boyfriend will let me in the front door, and I’ll take Callen out to dinner, and I can talk to him then.” He paused, listening to the response. “Right then, I’ll beep the horn from the street, for fuck’s sake, I’m not going to hurt the big baby.” He laughed, obviously talking about the new boyfriend. “Tell Callen to be ready in twenty.” He hung up and rubbed his palm over his face.
“Son number one; wife number two.” He smiled, looking weary. “He got in a fight at school today, and of course, it’s my fault.” He stood and laid a twenty on the table. “Sorry to bail on you,” he added.
“No, no probs, Surin will be here at eight anyway,” Parked replied.
“Oh?” Dennis looked at him with a smirk.
“Dennis, we are partners,” Parker retorted.
“No, I know that, it’s just Surin doesn’t usually make friends, I mean, she’s very guarded. I’ve worked with her for a long time, even knew her back at the academy when she was kicking all our butts on the firing range.” Parker nodded, listening. “She doesn’t trust easily, especially after Grayson, but for some reason she trusts you.” He paused and looked at Parker, his hand resting casually on the man’s shoulder. “Don’t screw that up.” With that, Dennis walked out the front door.
Parker sat there for a while, digesting what had just been said. He knew Surin had been through a lot. He knew he was her first and only partner, and he knew how well respected she was throughout the department. Now he knew how much she meant to