It Looked Human

Chapter 1

June Warren sat in her drab 'beater' of a car, it's not as if she could exactly afford the latest model of vehicle in the small town she resided in. She was not struggling to make ends meet, but she couldn't afford a current vehicle model nonetheless. June let a small sigh fall from her mauve-painted lips, her grey eyes fixated on the New Groves Police department doors. June could not be described as just a 'plain' woman in her early 30's, 32 to be exact. While she didn't tend to spend most of her morning on her makeup, but rather on her tea or coffee, she did put some amount of effort - as most individuals tend to do. Her straight honey-blond hair was usually in a sleek high ponytail, or let down and relaxed against her shoulders. Today, it was in a ponytail. Maybe she put it up today because she was feeling a little nervous about work at New Groves Police Station, and maybe she wanted to present herself as professional. 

The passage of time sat in her car was lost. Her cup of coffee was becoming cool, prompting June to finally step out into the cool breeze that teased the arrival of Autumn. Her low-heeled boots clacked on the old pavement parking lot, as she made her way to the dull blue double doors of the police station. 

'New Grove, Oklahoma, can't even afford to keep their paint fresh. '  June thought absently, pulling them open and preparing a professional grade smile.  Almost immediately she spotted Bobby Legion. A much older policeman with greying hair, and eyes that warned he had his concrete opinion. It's said that Bobby was the prime police officer in his prime, but that was supposedly before New Groves became quieter. He gave a curt nod in June's direction and returned his attention to a newspaper. 

''Who still reads newspapers?' She tossed the thought aside, of course, Bobby Legion still reads newspapers.  

June reached the door she was looking for. On a frosted window, 'Chief Raines' is delineated in silver and gold lettering. She hesitated outside. Her mind wandered over to her former partner, Jackson Ortega. Ortega, as they often referred to each other by the last name, was a brilliant and passionate detective. June admired his balance between ethics and law and harbored a secret heartbreak when Ortega formed a relationship with - and later married a local woman. June didn't look too far in as to why she felt like her chest was hollow when Ortega broke the news of their marriage and his transfer to a busier city. She wouldn't look into it, 'what good would come of it?' June convinced herself. 

Her nervousness and forced smile today was the product of a new partner. A man June had not met yet. She heard that he had excellent recommendations, and had served 3 years as a police officer prior. Still, June wasn't sure if she wanted a new partner after Ortega. She considered debating against this new partner, her basis that nothing happens in New Grove. She scraped this idea in lieu of Chief Raines. Chief Raines is the first female chief in New Groves history, and she is not a force to be reckoned with. She is a woman of stature, outperforming her colleagues in a male-dominated profession. If Chief Raines gives a command, it may as well be written into law. 

Sucking in a breath, June knocked on the Chief's door. Almost immediately, as if she was pointedly waiting, June was called in. Inside the office, it had not been decorated much since Chief Raines settled into it. June didn't know if the Chief wanted to deconstruct any thoughts that she would decorate her office feminine because she's a woman, or if the Chief simply wasn't an avid decorator. The office remained the same professional environment void of individual personality, aside from the few pictures of the Chief's family - husband, kids, and siblings. How the chief balanced a mom's life, June both admired and could not fathom. 

Opposite the chief, another presence filled the room. He was at least a foot taller than June, with dark brown hair that had obvious good maintenance to it, neat and brushed. He was clean-shaven too. For a moment, June wondered if he was trying really hard to present as professional, as she was doing with her ponytail. 

"June, the Chief began, this is the new detective I informed you about. Detective Gabriel White, this is Detective June Warren." 

Detective Gabriel White offered a bright smile to June. An oddly bright smile, June noticed. ''What is he, a movie star?''.  June quickly returned a smile, averting her gaze back to the Chief. Something about the smile put her off. Why is it so...perfect? Too human, that it made her uncomfortable to some small degree. She pushed it away, it was just her nerves. 

Chief Raines continued, "Since Detective White is a new transfer here, and Detective Ortega is no longer at our sanction, I'm delegating Detective White to you, to show him some ropes around here and get to know the town. I trust I can count on you, Detective Warren?'' 

"Yes, Chief."  June asserted, gesturing for Detective White to follow her out of the Chief's office. Back into the small hallway, of the small police station, June started in the direction of some desks.  She didn't turn around to make sure Detective White was following her, but his sudden smooth voice almost visibly startled her. She couldn't pinpoint why his voice threw her off, but it did. Like his smile, June was put-off. She wondered if anyone else was. 

"Sure is quiet around here, does it usually get busy?''  Detective White asked, standing a few steps away, his hands tucked into his slacks. His brown eyes, which matched his hair, bored into June.  She took a moment. It was a legitimate question. it was quiet in the station today, and she would also want to know if it got busy. 

"Fortunately, there haven't been any big crime spikes in New Grove in quite some time. We get the occasional drunkard, usually the same individuals. But yeah, it is usually on the quiet end, nothing like the action movies. But hey, we still get paid". June assured Detective White, allowing herself a guilty thought that he would leave if it remained quiet. 

Rather than replying, Detective White just smirked, turning his attention to the desks. 

"The clean desk is yours". June pointed to the bare wooden desk that once was occupied by her former partner. The opposite desk, June's desk, was not as neat. She had stacks of papers that looked unruly, but it was an organized mess that June understood. She knew what was where when she needed it. Currently, her desk had a few files dating back to years ago in New grove. Back when it was a more popular town, had more people. But more people means more crime. And there were a few odd cases, In June's opinion, that were not solved and left cold.  She hadn't had the chance to ask officer Bobby Legion, surely he'd have information. She had barely brushed up on the files, but seeing them reminded her, and her interest re-sparked. 

Detective White interrupted her thoughts, "You have quite a few files on your desk for a quiet town". 

June gave a small smile, "It's just some cold cases from years ago. I find them interesting to look into. You never know with advancing technology". 

She thought she saw a dark shadow cross Detective White's eyes, almost as if they flickered black.  Like a dangerous thought flitted through. But it was so quick, that June was unsure of herself. Why would he care about the cases anyways? He's new to the area. 

"Shall we continue the tour?", He suddenly asked, as if there was no dark cloud that passed over his eyes.  June nodded, and led the way down the rest of the police station and police officers inside. Not that there was much more to show.