Black Tie Event

Chapter Four

I was sleeping that night - alone - when my doorbell rang and woke me up. I looked at the clock, which told me it was four in the morning.

Usually someone coming to my door in the middle of the night could only mean one of two things: I was getting laid, or I was getting shot.

But it couldn't be Grace because she'd just left and she was still pretty pissed at me. And there was no one with motive to shoot me at this point in time; I'd had enough death threats in my career, and had been fired at more than once, but my last big bust had taken place miles away, and I didn't consider that a danger anymore.

I opened the door, which was a bold move, considering getting shot was probably the more likely of the two scenarios. But it wasn't an armed narco trafficker on the other side; it was Beckett.

I ran a hand through my sleep-tangled hair and leaned in the doorframe.

"Hey, Allison," I said, trying to sound awake.

"Harwood sent me over here," she said in greeting. "There's a lot of shit we have to do before we leave today."

The word today resonated with me, because I was still in the mindset of considering the move a tomorrow morning kind of thing. 

"Like what?" I asked, motioning for her to come in.

"He gave me instructions," she explained. "And I have to go over them with you."

I led her into my living room where she sat on the couch and I brewed four a.m. coffee, as I figured I wasn't getting back to sleep any time soon. I had the awful, unshakeable feeling that four a.m. coffee was something I was going to be getting used to someday soon.

"Okay," I said. "Shoot."

"Alright," she said. "First of all, we're going in there like regular people. That means no vests, no technology, and no arms. We're each taking a department car, with a handgun locked away. I'll show you how to access it in case the need arises."

I didn't really see how useful the gun would be from over there, but I didn't argue it.

"Shaw's expecting us at 7:00," she continued. "And like any first day, I don't suggest being late."

"Seven," I repeated to demonstrate that I was listening. "Okay."

I came to where she was sitting with two coffee mugs. 

She went down the physical list she'd gotten from the Captain, making sure to hit on all of his points.

"When we get there," she said, "We're not detectives. We're superficial, vapid rich girls, who just blew through a trust fund. We don't argue, and we don't talk back. No sarcasm. We're agreeable. So basically, be everything you're not."

"That note's for you too," I reminded her. If I was characterized by sarcasm and argument, I still paled in comparison to Allison Beckett.

"And when we get there, you like men."

I rolled my eyes. "I can handle it."

"No, scratch that. You love men. Even dirty, bald, old rich men. And when you serve them cocktails, poolside, and they start making passes at you, you don't throw the drinks at them. You smile and blush and take it."

I rolled my eyes. "That's fucked."

"To you, that's fucked. But Hayden St. Claire likes the attention. You can not argue with Collin Shaw or any of his rich friends, because if either one of us gets fired the other is being pulled and it's game over."

"Okay," I said. "I'll be a straight dumb bitch. Anything else?"

"Yeah," she said. "There's one more thing."

"Okay," I said again. "What?" 

She put the list down and looked me in the eye. "Kim, Collin Shaw lives in Green Falls."

I felt my entire body seize up and tense.

I didn't say anything for a long time. I saw vivid images in my mind, remembering every detail of the interior of a warehouse I'd seen all of once, for thirty seconds. I saw his face, and I thought of his friends all over the city, and I thought of the lack of closure I'd obtained.

"Are you okay?" Allison asked after a while. "Kim."

I came back to Earth after a moment and swallowed. "Unbelievable," was all I could manage.

"Look, I know you don't want to go back there, but--"

"How can they do that to me?"

"They didn't realize, Kim."

"If I go to Green Falls, I'm not coming back."

"It was a year ago."

"And they still haven't found them. Any of them."

"Look," Beckett said firmly. "We have back up, and you have me. We're not going to let them touch you. But I'm not going to sugar coat this for you either. I can't say there's no chance that you'll run into your past in Green Falls. And if you do, know how to protect yourself. Because I'll try for you, but I can't be scraping your ass off the ground every day."

"You think I can't protect myself?"

She shrugged. "I don't even know you. What I'm saying is, don't be stupid. Just watch your own back, and I'll try to watch it too."

As much as Allison and I bumped heads on everything, I began to wonder who else I would want to have as a partner. If I were to describe my ideal partner, I would want someone who was strong. Someone who was smart. Someone who knew what she was doing, and someone who had experience. Above all, I wouldn't want someone who was so totally full of shit, with her head up her ass all the time. As blunt and hostile as Allison could have been, she was, at least, herself. 

 I took one more deep breath, completely at a loss for words.

 This was going to be one hell of a ride, for which I had possibly bought a one way ticket.