Unexpected

Alicia James

(March 23, 2012)

Ten years today. She would have been 17.

Kenzy.

"Alicia, Conference Room in 5," Chief says and walks briskly to the Conference Room.

I try to get up but a hand rests on my shoulder.

A man's hand.

Just be cool. Breathe, kick his ass, maybe arrest him, then off to the Conference Room you go.

I turn slowly and see Eddy and breathe out.

"Oh thank God it's you, I was so close to whooping your ass if you were someone else." I breathe out again. "Shit."

"Well thank someone because I might of had to use my moves on you," he says and smiles.

I get up and stand in front of him. "Mm-hmm yeah right," I say playfully.

"Hey we gonna get lunch?"

"After my briefing with Chief and some other detectives."

"Okay baby girl."

We kiss quick on the lips.

"I gotta go, see you in 30 minutes, maybe and hour."

"Okay, I need to go make a run anyway, just call me when it's over."

I power walk to the Conference Room.

"Okay," I yell down the hall.

I hurry down the hallway into the Conference Room and sit next to my partner, Rollens.

She looks at me.

"Eddy?"

"Yeah," I say smiling and blushing like an idiot.

"All right everyone, let's get started," Chief says as he flicks the lights off and moves to his laptop.

Besides Rollens and I, there are four more detectives: Morgan Bishop, Jess Sherwood, Jordan Rogers, and Noah Poe.

Chief starts his briefing,"Okay, in the past 8 years, 4 women have been missing. All went to the same college together. That's the only thing that they had in common: Mills University. Our first missing person is Jackie Street. She is 5'3 and 120 pounds and she is black with somewhat dark brown eyes. She would be around 28 this year. Our next missing person is Mary Warner. She is 5'7 and 150 pounds and is white with blue eyes. She would be 25 this year. Our third missing person is Carol Martin. She is 5'5 and 135 pounds. She is light-skinned with hazel eyes and would be 27 this year. Our final missing person is Kay Tucker. She is 5'1 and 110 pounds and she is white with green eyes and would be 26 this year. Jackie went missing around late 2004, Mary in late 2005, Carol around the middle to the end of 2006, and Kay in early beginning of 2007."

Poe in his deep voice says," And no one knows anything about the unsub?"

"Well they know that the unsub used to go there, but that's a lot of people to try and figure it out," I answer.

"What made the unsub stop in 2007?" Sherwood asks.

"Who knows honestly. It could be money, love..."

"Food, sex, food and sex," says Rollens and everyone laughs.

"Sounds like my type of motive," Chief says.

Everyone still laughs.

After 5 minutes, everyone has calmed down.

Chief straightens up and finishes the briefing by saying,"I picked you guys because you guys are good at your job and you'll get the job done. I believe you'll find out what's going on and solve this case. I've sent you all copies of this case. Good luck."

The other detectives leave except Rollens, Chief Lewis and I.

"You comin'," asked Rollens.

"Yea I'll catch up in a minute."

Rollens leaves the Conference Room.

"Chief?"

"Yes Alicia?" he looks at me with concern.

"I was wondering... maybe after I have lunch with my boyfriend, I can go visit Kenzy for an hour or two?" I look up at him and he lights up like a Christmas tree.

"What?"

"Alicia, yes. You work as much as I do,and that's a lot, you deserve the rest of the day off and enjoy your life while you still have one."

I smile at him.

"I appreciate that but I will decline for now and save it for something special or important. I want to go to Mills University when  I get back, with Rollens."

"Okay, take the time you need."

I head for the door.

"Be back around 3:30."

He collects his laptop.

"Okay."

I walk out and go back to my desk with Rollens beside me.

I text Eddy.

*Come get me babe.*

He texts back.

*Okay baby girl :)*

Thirty minutes later, he walks through the door with red and white roses and some tulips.

"Hey babe I don't know what you get these flowers for, but, here you go."

Holy fuck aww.

My heart skips and I hug him and whisper," They're for Kenzy when I visit her today." Tears spring to my eyes.

"Don't cry," he pulls out of the hug and wipes my tears away.

"Thank you. Do you want to go after we go to lunch?"

He breathes out," I thought you would never ask."

I go over to Rollens and say,"I'll be back at 3:30 okay?"

She looks at me and smiles,"Okay."

I take Eddy's hand and he leads me out to the car. He opens the door for me.

"Always a gentleman," I smile and get into the passenger seat.

"Always in public," he says wiggling his eyebrows making me giggle. He makes his way to the driver's seat and we drive off.

"So where do you want to go for lunch babe?" he asks me.

"Hmm... maybe Zaxby's."

"Okay, which one?"

"The one before we get to the entrance of White Heart where Kenzy is buried."

"Okay."

Ten minutes go by.

"I got a case today."

"Oh really, which one did you get?"

"A missing persons case."