Breaking and Entering

Chapter 5

"Gail Peck actually doing her paperwork? I am shocked."

"Ha ha, Traci. So funny." Gail didn't tear her eyes away from the computer screen in front of her.

"All right, Peck, what is it?" Traci sat on the edge of the other woman's desk, crossing her arms and scrutinizing the blonde's face.

Gail said nothing for several moments and continued to focus on the task at hand. Traci, refusing to be discouraged by Gail's tactics, continued to wait for an answer. After a minute, the woman's presence in her work space became too much for Gail to handle any longer.

"Can I please just finish my paperwork in peace?"

"What's going on, Gail?" Traci asked gently, the same tone she used to question minors who clammed up during interrogation.

"I want to get out of here on time for once."

"You got somewhere to be?"

"Nope."

Traci studied the officer before her, a thought occurring to her, "Does Gail Peck have a hot date?" Silence greeted Traci's inquiry, but it was still an answer. "Which one of your mom's setups is it? Is it that guy with the fake British accent? I thought you weren't gonna see him again."

"It's not a setup," Gail denied. She swiveled her chair to face the detective. "I just— I need to be out of here on time, Trace."

"That important, huh?"

Gail smiled to herself, licking her lips before pulling her bottom lip through her teeth.

Traci grinned and stood. She placed a soft hand on Gail's shoulder, squeezing it gently. "Good," she said quietly, before walking away.

Gail watched her leave, her eyes following Traci until she was out of sight before finding the computer screen once again. She continued to work diligently, but with haste. If she was lucky, she would actually be finished with time to change and be out of the station on time.

——

She finished all of her paper work with five minutes to spare on her shift. She had locked her gun away, and was mostly changed when Chloe's face appeared next to her locker. Gail did her best to ignore the other woman's presence, continuing the task at hand.

"We're all going to the Penny after work! I thought you might like to join us," Chloe said in that chipper tone that just rubbed Gail the wrong way.

"I would not like that."

"Gail, it's been so long since you've been out with us. Come have a drink and relax," the redhead pleaded.

Gail closed her locker, maybe just a little more forcibly than she had intended, but that was just what Chloe brought out in her. She gathered her things from the bench as she growled, "One, I already have plans. Two, I went out with you all last week. And three, I don't want to." She threw her bag over her shoulder and started walking out of the locker room.

"It's just, well, I know you've been having a rough year, so I thought you could use a friend."

Gail stopped short, and turned on the woman following her.

"If I needed a friend, which I don't, you would not be the person I go to." With that, she turned back around and headed for the door to the locker room.

Then a thought occurred to her. Chloe smiled and ignored the bite in Gail's words. "Have a good night with Holly, Gail."

Gail paused for a split second in the doorway, shook her head, and continued on her way.