Offended

Chapter XXV

Warning: this chapter includes and mentions blood. If you feel uncomfortable reading this, feel free to jump ahead or not read this chapter entirely. Stay safe :)

SleepyFerret

~

It was pouring outside when Alex and John reached the police station. Despite that, both of their windows were rolled down, just a smidge, as they tried to air out the nauseating metallic smell of blood that lingered in the backseat. John could only hope that the blood hadn't seeped into the seat and carpet below, wishing that, by the time he got back home, he would be able to clean it up.

Alex covered her nose and mouth with the back of her hand and leaned in closer to the open window.

When they pulled into the parking lot of the police station, John quickly got out, not even bothering to turn off the engine completely. He coughed loudly and forcefully, hands on his knees, trying to get the nauseating and disgusting smell out of his lungs. Alex got out not too long after, hand over her mouth, as she walked away from the car and to the front doors of the police station. Once there, she took 3 deep breaths of fresh air, almost gulping it down. The strong and calming scent of rain quickly making its way down her throat and into her lungs.

"Fuck..." – She heard her partner mumble; a shuffling of feet and splashes of water were heard afterwards as John steadily made his way over to her.

The parking lot was littered with small puddles.

"You okay?" – he asked and Alex could only respond with a nod.

An uncomfortable silence engulfed them before John cleared his throat.

"I'm... I'm gonna go and try to talk to the inspector. You can, um, you can stay here for a bit. Fresh air, clear your head, stuff like that... Um, yeah," – with that he walked into the police station, the door slamming shut behind him as a strong gust of wind passed by.

It seemed like John didn't know what to actually say. He wasn't exactly stumbling over his words, but he sounded unsure, like he didn't know how to do what he said he'd do. Alex didn't know how John will talk to the inspector, moreover, what he'll actually say to him.

The inspector wasn't the most patient or empathetic man in the world. He wanted authority, he commanded respect. That man was the complete opposite of the older gentleman who was in that position before him. Alexandra couldn't remember his name. Was it... Howard Kirk? It might have been something else, after all, she hasn't seen him in almost a decade, but his memory still lingers in her mind. Howard was kind, a smile almost always adorning his face, even though it was hard to see his mouth due to his bushy grey beard and moustache. But even when he wasn't smiling, his moustache seemed to always be curled up, almost like a smile.

This inspector, Christopher Wright, didn't even let his closest colleagues use his first or last name. They always had to refer to him as 'inspector' or 'detective inspector'. It was a complete 180 and most of Alex's colleagues had a hard time adjusting to it.

Since everyone was so used to calling the last inspector 'Inspector Kirk' or 'Inspector Howard' (some even called him just by his name), they would sometimes slip up and call the new inspector 'Inspector Wright', which would earn them a mean glare and maybe an angry tone when answering any questions, they had. No one really knew why he was so against anyone using his name, but no one ever dared to ask either. After a while, the whole thing kind of stuck, although, some still slip up but they correct themselves before it's too late. Most of them even forgot his real name sometimes, only remembering it when they were called into his office and saw his name written on the small desk name plate he had. Some younger recruits don't even know his real name.