Tessa Stark: Desert Heat

Chapter Six

Officer Collins gave her a brief tour of the office---with Detective Dalton hovering close by her elbow like an enormous, watchful shadow---hitting all the high spots he thought she'd need to be privy to, and then she was taken back to the main gallery, where she was set up at a desk in the far corner, which gave her at least the feel of privacy, due to the walls beside and behind her.

The desk directly in front of her belong to Collins, and Detective Dalton, in lieu of having his own desk, simply pulled up a chair and plopped down at the end of hers. It was more than slightly disconcerting to have a tree sized man planted next to her, with his long outstretched legs and worn cowboy boots hemming her in, but she did her best to ignore the overwhelming presence and focus on the young officer, who ran her through all the apps on her department cell and then loaded her up with all necessary supplies, which she placed in the proper compartments inside her messenger bag.

"So, that's about it. You're all set to get out there and hunt down the bad guy!" Officer Collins beamed, signaling that her impromptu orientation was ended. "Just tell me how I can help you and we'll get down to it."

"Relax, Collins. You're liable to pop a vein if you aren't careful," Detective Dalton point out in an amused tone.

Hearing that statement caused the young officer to straighten up and square his shoulders. "Sorry, ma'am. I'll try not to fan-boy too hard."

Fan-boy too hard? She didn't understand the parlance—and she suddenly felt as old as dirt—but she gave Officer Collins a quick smile anyway. "You know, since we're going to be working together, you can call me Tessa."

Officer Collins' brows shot upward. "Really, ma'am?"

"Really," she returned. "I don't like to bother with the formalities if I don't have to."

"A-alright. Tessa," the young man half whispered, glancing around as if someone might overhear and give him a raking down for showing a lack of respect. "If-if you want...I mean, only if you want to...you can call me Zeb."

"Zeb?" she repeated as she watched the young man's face flush. "That's a name I haven't come across."

"Its an old family name, ma'am. I mean, Tessa," he corrected himself. "Its short for...Zebuliah." Again, he shot a look around, only this time a bit more sheepishly, as if he expected everyone in the busy room to be listening to him. And also judging him.

"Zebuliah?" she rolled the name around in her mind for a second. "That is one of the most beautiful names I've ever heard."

Officer Zebuliah Collins' face went at least three shades redder. "I-I...thank you, ma'am. I mean, Tessa."

Flustered, Zebuliah dipped his head and hurried back to his own desk, dropping into his chair and busying himself with futzing around on his computer, leaving Tessa sitting with Detective Dalton, who was watching her with a cocked brow and an almost puzzled expression.

"Does this informal thing stand for the entire group?" he asked, his voice slightly gravelly and his words thickened by his Southern drawl.

"Absolutely," she answered, trying to pretend that drawl didn't send of tickle of gooseflesh skittering along her arms. "You can call me Tessa, if it suits you."

"Well, in that vein, you can call me Cole," he replied. "And since we're all friends now, I think I should tell you that if you're not careful, you'll have that boy over there falling in love with you. In fact, he's probably halfway there already."

Tessa cast a quick glance in Zeb's direction, allowing herself a grin. "I'll try not to break his heart."

"So, Special Detective Stark...Tessa," Cole began, moving to an upright position in his chair, "how do you want to start this? Do we hit the ground running?"