A Bloody Grim Payne

The Death of Rosa Wolf

Nicola Payne stepped out of her bedroom door and saw a young boy, still in his pyjamas.

"Mum, do you have to go to work? I can't stay with Granny and Granddad now. They're back in England!" he said with a pout.

"Tom, kiddo, you know I got you a babysitter. Jennifer seems quite nice. Aunt Louise, Uncle Martin, and Alessia all like her," the tall woman smiled, crouched, and ruffled her boy's black curls. She even got the white patch of hair that was at the front.

"Yeah, I know. Hey, Alessia's still here... You can show her your new uniform!" Tom grinned cheekily, as Nicola's fair freckled cheeks warmed up.

Nicola was wearing a black blazer with a white dress shirt and a teal tie, with black trousers and black trainers. The trainers were the only part of her attire that looked casual, and they were only to help her run faster. Her black hair, usually reaching to the middle of her back, was now done up into a bun, with a few white strands from the long skunk-like streak resting on her forehead. Pinned to her left breast pocket was her badge, and her brown belt held a holster for her gun.

"I, uh, very well. Let's go, kiddo."

The two headed down the stairs, and entered the kitchen, where Alessia was cleaning up the dishes that the busier Louise and Martin had left.

"Alessia!" Tom launched into a tackle-hug, startling the shorter blonde. She didn't drop any plates, and Payne laughed at her son, latching onto the woman like his life depended on it.

"Hallo, you adorable little thing!" the Swiss woman smiled, setting the dishes down and lifting Tom upwards. His blue pyjamas matched his mother's eyes, and the dress Alessia was wearing.

Alessia was shorter, at 5'7'', and was rather round, though not unhealthily so. It seemed to run in her family, especially when a Dupont got older, if her father and uncle were any sign of it. Her green eyes twinkled as she admired her friend's new work uniform, Nicola twirling about with an amused smile on her face.

"Tada. Blame Tom, I might be late, and Aunt Louise may just murder me..." she sighed.

"I can't blame Tom for wanting me to see!" Alessia grinned, "You look beau-brilliant! 'Brill', as you like to say!"

Tom's dark brown eyes widened a tad, and he smirked, "Ok, mum, you can go to work. Tell us how it is, ok? I love you!"

Nicola looked at her son. The only similarities she and he seemed to have were the white in their hair and the freckles covering their bodies. His skin was a much darker shade, courtesy of his father. That man was one reason Payne had come to Grimsborough. The other was to assist her aunt, who was struggling under all the homicide cases. Her superior, the Chief of Police, would have her hide if Nicola hadn't applied for the job, giving another detective his long-awaited partner.

"Well, Jennifer should be here soon. Tom, behave, I love you.. Alessia, see you later. Have fun grading the programs that those students made!" Nicola smiled, grabbed her lunch box from the fridge, and headed out of the house of 5. There were usually three cars in the large driveway. Her aunt's and uncle's cars were missing, being used. Alessia's car was still in, but Nicola preferred the speed. She had a motorcycle, black with yellow stripes which she would have nicknamed 'Bumblebee', but felt like she would copy something. She nicknamed the vehicle 'Hornet' instead. If the yellow stripes weren't enough, the bright yellow helmet matching her nails would be enough to let anyone notice her.

Jennifer, a young blonde girl in a purple shirt and black shorts, got out of a nearby grey car, her mother throwing a cigarette onto the road as she waved her daughter off. The mothers nodded at each other, though Nicola didn't smile as the other passed her. She wasn't Nicola Payne, citizen of Grimsborough at the moment. No, she was Detective Payne of the GPD, serious and ready to work. With the lunch box now in her brown work bag slung over her shoulder, she revved the engine and sped off to work as quickly as the law would allow.