Mr. WANTED's Girl

Chapter 3 - Surivior's Guilt

(Detective Johnny Hamilton's narrative)

I feel bad about the mess I'd made of the apartment shoot-out.

  As I waited outside the deputy commissioner's office, my mind turned back to the events of tonight. I had done my best, but had my best been good enough?

  "I heard about the shoot-out. I'm sorry."

  I looked up and saw Maisy Spencor, the deputy's pretty secretary who I had fancied for a total of three years now, looking up at me from behind her desk.

  "Oh, hi, Maisy. You're working late."

  She smiled, revealing a set of teeth that would do justice to a dentist's advert.

  "This DiCote affair is a lot of work for me, too."

  I held my head in my hands and stared at the floor.

  "You alright?"

  "Yeah… I'm alright…"

  At that moment, a loud buzzer rang through the small room. I stood and tapped on the smart wooden door opposite me.

  "Come in," the deputy's loud voice boomed from the other side.

  With one last reassuring smile from Maisy, I entered.

  "Ah, Hamilton. It's you."

  I was not in the mood for sitting, so I continued to stand.

  "What is it you want, sir?" I asked curtly.

  "No need to take that tone with me, Hamilton, but I know you've had a rough night. Do you know how Sgt. Benjamin is doing?"

  I swallowed.

  "He's dead, sir. He didn't make it. And the night watchman was killed instantly."

  Although he was hiding it, and hiding it well, I could tell Deputy Carlos was moved my this. Sgt. Benjamin had been barely out of his teens – little more than a child.

  "Anyway," he said after a minute of silence, "I'm going to put you in charge of this DiCote affair, Hamilton. What do you think of that?"

  It was strange. Part of me was screaming, telling me to forget everything that had happened tonight. But another part of me was desperate to avenge Sgt. Benjamin, and bring DiCote to justice – and to the electric chair.

  I took a deep breath.

  "Thanks, sir. It will be a pleasure."

In case anyone is intersted, the pic at the side is of Detective Hamilton (on a slightly happier occasion!)! Sorry this chapter is a bit short! Thanks! Love, Cinnamon