Rangers Apprentice AU-Police Force

Episode 3-Old Feuds, Bad Blood, pt2

  Standing in the hallway of the hotel, Will found himself trying to envision the scene that had played out some ten hours before..at least, that was the rounded guess that Officer O'Carrick had given the time of death. The Homicide squad of detectives had yet to show, and his job was keeping people out of the room and from messing with evidence. In spite of Joe's valiant and strained efforts, heads peeked curiously out of doorways, their eyes practically boring into Will's spine. He tried to maintain a distant and expressionless gaze.

  The sound of muffled footsteps drew closer, and O'Carrick came into sight again; oddly enough, as short as he stood there was the unmistakable air of authority about him that caused the few thrill seekers to quickly return to their rooms, whereas they had been gradually inching closer to Treaty, whispers gaining in volume until it was only a matter of time before they launched a full out attack of questions. Will was glad it wasn't something he had to talk about; the body he had seen was that of a middle aged man, in a good but worn suit. At first glance, he might have just been reclining on the floor, but the rust-colored stain on his back told another story. A desk drawer from the little dresser beside the bed had been next to his hand, empty of whatever he had been about to retrieve. O'Carrick had made sure he had been able to view, Will knew, for experience but it had been something he would like to forget.

  "Homicide didn't say which man they were sending, did they?" O'Carrick's gruff voice broke into his grim thoughts, and Will took a moment to recollect them. 

"No, Sir." Had the senior officer actually needed to know that, he wondered. They lapsed into silence, before the man next to him commented, "You have a mix, with these fellows. Some act like the officers are completely ignorant of procedure or help, others are ok. Guess it's the same with our bunch though." 

"Yes sir," Will said respectfully, although doubtfully. He hadn't met any of the men that wore gray or brown suits, sitting tiredly around a coffee table in the break room, their voices low. O'Carrick grunted. "No, you don't know. " Will started at the unexpected mind reading his superior suddenly showed again. He shifted awkwardly and then added, "No sir, I don't."

 O'Carrick sighed, but lapsed into silence again. Joe suddenly rounded the corner and came toward them, dismay etched onto his rotund features. 

 "Hey, hey fella's this ain't going to get around much, is it?" Perspirations beaded his forehead, and he patted it nervously with one already-damp hanky. "I got a business to run! Folks don't like it, if you've had a murder in your hotel, you'se know that!"

 "Happens in the best of them, Joe." O'Carrick's voice had dropped again into a professional tone, his face the look of a patient man who had been tried sorely. "You'll do just fine, I've no doubt."

 "Ah, but the newsboys! They make a guy look terrible, when there's a body! I-oh oh, here they come." With a sigh, the little man backed away as two men approached. Will surveyed them curiously, as Halt stepped forward and gave them the details in his usual brief way.

 "What's been touched?" The taller, broader shouldered man spoke out of a rumbling growl that was surprising. He listened patiently, nodding now and then. "Right, good work boys. We'll take over from here." Speaking over his shoulder, he addressed Will. "Would you mind running down and asking young Myers to bring his lenses for pictures?"

 "Yes, Sir." Will liked the man that O'Carrick had called Rodney, and the way he had asked. Man to man, a fellow colleague asking a favor. This must be one of the "rare ones" his partner had mentioned. Taking the stairs quickly, he nearly bumped into the other detective, who was carrying an armload of camera and apparatus. They did a dance to avoid collision, Will catching a box that slid out of the man's heavily laden arms. He seemed younger than the others, his voice cheerfully energetic above the Rookie's head. "Thanks, fella. Rodney would have skinned me alive, if I'd broken that bulb. Last one we had in the office."

  Something clicked in Will's head, and he straightened slowly, lifting his eyes to the bright blue ones that suddenly flashed in recognition, surprise, and ...disdain.

 "Well, I'll be. Look who joined the force."

Grimly aware of the sarcasm that had replaced the open friendliness, Will's reply was as curt and flat as one of Halt's. "Hello, Horace."