The Philocalist 〰 ♡ 〰 Volume One

Time of Death

"you're giving it to Bishop?" Elle frowns as her and Zoe walk down the beach.

"Lopez made a grave mistake just to get it" Zoe answers.

"doesn't that prove she wanted it badly?" Elle points out.

"it proves that she was so worried about her next job she wasn't thinking about this one" Zoe replies. 

"oh" Elle murmurs.

" 's just how it goes, but Lopez will get the job soon enough" Zoe soothes, wrapping an arm around Elle's waist and pulling Elle into her.

"right" Elle hums, nodding, leaning into Zoe.

[Twelve Hours Later]

"I heard Talia got the Tap. You okay?" Jackson asks during patrol.

"I'm fine. She's my friend. I'm happy for her." Lopez responds as they pull up to a woman, Annie, riding a toy pony in front of a store.

"Whoo! Yeah, baby! Come on. She's comin' round the outside, going down -" Annie exclaims as she rides the horse.

"All right, race is over. Get off." Lopez instructs.

"Did I win?" Annie asks.

"Sure. Have you been drinking, ma'am?" Jackson inquires.

"No. I'm high." Annie smiles.

"You're under arrest, ma'am" Elle says.

"What? I paid for this ride." Annie protests.

"Please get down." Elle requests, helping the woman down.

"Okay." Annie agrees.

As she steps down onto the sidewalk, a disembodied foot falls out of her bag.

"What the hell is that?" Jackson asks.

"Looks like a foot. The real question is, why?" Lopez questions Annie.

"Why what?" Annie inquires.

"Why do you have a dead foot?" Jackson asks.

"It fell off." Annie shrugs.

"who did it fall off of?" Elle questions as she handcuffs Annie.

"My boyfriend. He had gangrene." Annie explains.

"And you're keeping it because it reminds you of him?" Lopez guesses.

"No. I thought I could sell it." Annie responds.

"All right. Get her in the shop Romanov." Lopez instructs Elle.

"Grab the foot. You're not gonna puke on me, are you, Boot?" Lopez smirks at Jackson

"No, ma'am. I'm glad that my discomfort is cheering you up." Jackson grimaces.

"Me too." Lopez grins.

[Thirty Minutes Later]

"Do I get the foot back?" Annie asks as they process her.

"No, ma'am" Elle replies.

"Fine. I still have the other one." Annie shrugs.

"Hey, what's up?" Lopez asks when the processing sergeant approaches them.

"Booking's closed. We got a bus in the garage to take everyone to County." He explains.

"Why? What's going on?" Jackson asks.

"There was a shooting." Lopez realizes.

Elle follows her gaze to see Nolan entering the next room, being processed.