I'll Help You Hide From Them

Suspicions

When I'm at my home, a team of officers position themselves to be watching my home from their car while Kier and a few other officers come into my home. They discuss putting up cameras so that they have 360° degrees vision. None of them seem to listen to my complaints that I don't need them so I just move into another room to avoid them, groaning when one of them step into the doorway to keep an eye on me. To distract them, I go over to the phone and type in a familiar number.

After two rings, a woman picks up. "Hello, who is this?"

"Hi, it's Detective Woolnough, I trained under Brad Lemmings. Is he home? I really want to talk to him." I reply, fully aware that those officers earlier were lying to me and forcing myself to stop thinking up all of the possible reasons for that by going to my old mentor for help.

"Oh, Drew! My husband's told me fantastic things about you! He's never been so excited to work with a trainee. He kept telling me you were the real deal." She enthusiastically recalls. "He's out in the garden doing some gardening but I'm sure he'd love to hear from you so I'll get him."

"Thank you Mrs. Lemmings." I reply, waiting for the old familiar voice to come to the phone.

How could they be so stupid to say that someone else I know is dead and think I won't check up on it? No, I shouldn't be mad, they're just doing their jobs. It's still slightly shady that I'm being cut out of that investigation if it seemed so important.

"Hey my little Woolly coppa." He greets, even just the sound of his voice fills me with relief, remembering all the support I got from him when I was in training.

"Hey gramps." I reply, smiling. "It's so good to hear your voice."

He immediately senses something's up. "I read about what happened to your partner. I'm sorry." He sincerely tells me.

"Thanks, it's all got me thinking recently... maybe I'm not cut out for this." I admit.

"Don't think that, you're a natural. I know that a lot of horrible things can happen on the job and losing your partner is one of the worst, but you have a talent, kid. You have the support you need to heal physically and emotionally." He reassures.

"What made you decide it was time to retire?" I ask.

"Well, it was a number of things. A new breed of criminal requires a new breed of cop, right?" He points out.

"I wouldn't say so, they have the same motivations." I reassure.

"Well, it was that and the fact that my heart wasn't as in it as it used to. I couldn't keep up what I was doing with my weak heart. I've also got an amazing wife who's stuck with me through all of it but I wouldn't have the time to be there for her. I just figured, I should spend the rest of my life with an amazing woman." He explains.

I can't help but giggle when I hear his wife tell him to stop it bashfully.

"I don't think I'll ever get married." I tell him.

"You're only twenty six, you aren't ready to be in a relationship and you certainly aren't at the stage where you can retire." He points out.

"Okay, I won't retire." I almost laugh.

"You're amazing kid, I know that you have the strength to get through this." He tells me. "Show whoever shot your partner that they messed with the wrong Detective." He encourages.

"I've been taken off the case." I point out, ignoring the disapproving look from the officer watching from the doorway.

"Are you going to let that stop you?" He challenges confidently.

I think it through for a moment before nodding. "Thanks, it's been great talking to you. I'll see what I can do." I reply.

"Knock 'em out kid." He adds before ending the call.

"You should be careful what information you share on the phone. You don't know who could hear them." The officer in the doorway points out.

"He's a retired cop. If you think I should suspect him of working with criminals then by that same logic I'd also suspect you too." I bluntly point out.

They look a little annoyed at the sound of this. "We've all got things we'd rather be doing than protecting a difficult Detective with barely any friends but we're doing it because it's our job. Prove that you're worth it so that we can at least feel like we've done the world a favour by protecting you." The officer snaps.

"Who are you protecting me from? The shooter? It's a bit late and stupid. If the shooter wanted me dead he would've killed me the same time he killed my partner." I mutter.

The Officer is just about to snap something in reply when their superior steps into the room.

"Is there a problem here?" She checks.

"Yes, I'm trapped in my own house! Is this all really necessary?" I challenge.

"Please don't be frustrated, unfortunately it is necessary. The team of detectives investigating your partner's shooting have come across something that might be a threat on your life." She explains. "So please, don't take it out on my officers." She tries.

I don't let myself to be at all convinced that is all but since she's the only one who's given me some kind of explanation, I have a reason for them to think I'll stop poking around. "Okay, can you just make sure they don't overcrowd my personal space?" I try to compromise.

"That might be conflicted due to the job we need to do but I'll alert everyone of your request." She tells me.

"Thank you." I reply, glaring at the other officer in the room to get them to step back.