The Painted Door

Chapter 6

Nicola's assistant enteted. I was just as shocked as she was to see Officer McIntyre, but in his 50s walk into the room.

"Officer McIntyre?" I ask, processing the shock

"Hey kid" he replies with a gruff voice, "Got sent back a little while, as you can see" he says, gesturing to the greying in his hair

We didn't even need to ask what happened, we knew he'd either directly or indirectly gone through the weird portal the red door creates. He asks a couple questions of Chief Hoskins, about the role he was undertaking. Chief Hoksins conversed with Officer McIntyre whilst Nicola and I turned to look at each other in disbelief

"What's going on?" Carlotta asked, leaning over me

"He used to be a colleague of Nicola's" I reply

"Oh. Is he like retarded or something?" she asks, I belly laugh when she says this, and through the laughter manage to correct her.

"Retired" I say through my laughter, "Not retarded, retarded is something else" I continue, covering my mouth to stifle my laughter slightly more.

"Young lady, that's the kinda language you gotta avoid in the herenow" McIntyre says

"How did passing through a portal turn you into a British Cowboy?" Nicola asks, shaking her head

"I ended up in Dallas, made my way" he replies

"Fair enough"

Chief Hoskins asks if we're clear on our positions, and we all say we are. He then gives a nod and dismisses us, telling us we can go home for the night if we so desired. I leave the station with Nicola and Carlotta, who for some reason is taking notes.

"Y-you're not on the clock anymore" I chuckle, "You don't- you don't need to be doing that?" I say, stopping her hand

Carlotta apologises and hugs me again to make up for her idiocy, either this girl is really really bad at social cues, or she is crushing on me hard. She skips away to the nearest bus stop, and then I turn to Nicola.

"I ain't giving you a lift" she says, "I'm off the clock" she teases

"You drove me here" I laugh

"I did, but that was as a police officer, as a civillian Harry, I ain't letting you anywhere near my car!" she laughs

"Probably for the best, you'd use me as a car seat knowing you!" I joke, Nicola bursts into a small laugh when I say this

"That's illegal, you know" she begins, "You can't drive a car whilst you're sitting on someone's lap" she concludes, then gives me a hug before leaving.

I walk to the bus stop and hope to hell a bus that would leave me near my flat building would pass, I check the timetable. 48; perfect.

"Hello, again" Carlotta says

"Hey, can't drive so I'm on the bus too" I say

"Which one?" she asks, curious

"Erm... the 48" I say, feeling slightly uncomfortable

"Oh" she says, sighing

"Which one are you on?" I ask, knowing she wants me to take interest, that sigh was a dead giveaway.

"I'm on the 48 too" she says, awkwardly

I sit next to her, and she immediately rests her head on my shoulder; I ask her what she's doing and she replies that she's feeling tired, I continue the line of questioning for a bit. She seems a bit bothered by it. The 48 rumbles up, I pay for my ticket and then Carlotta pays for hers, I find a seat on the bus, and then Carlotta turns to the crowd and realises she won't have a seat.