Skirts and Badges

Chapter Two

Coleson

   Two months. It has been two fucking months since my team and I have taken on this case and we haven't gotten anywhere.

    "I don't get it, there's got to be a link." Lawrencia said.

   I continuously banged my head against the desk in frustration.

   "The question is, what is it and why the hell can we find it?!!" I yelled.

   After banging my head on the desk for the eighteenth time I decided to just let it hang there.

   Just then, the sound of the door opening flooded my ears along with the sound of footsteps. I automatically knew that it was Joel. So, I straightened myself up to at least look like I wasn't trying to give myself a concussion.

   "Hey guys." Joel greeted halfheartedly.

   Something was up. I knew it. Joel was never anything but cheerful when he came to speak to us.

   "What’s the matter, Joel?" Kamren asked.

   He seemed to have picked up on Joel's sudden melancholy as well.

   "I just received a call from dispatch," he started.

    "There's been another murder." He finished.

   "You've got to be shitting me!!" Exclaimed Lamia.

  Everyone else groaned in dissatisfaction.

    "Yeah. Coleson, can I speak with you outside for a moment?" He asked.

   He had a neutral expression plastered on his face as he looked at me.

    I internally began to panic as I pondered on what the fuck he could want to talk to me about.

   "Alright. Fine." I said.

   I got out of my chair and made my way towards the door.

    My worry and nervousness started to grow bigger and bigger as Joel led me out of my team's office and down the hall.

   "Joel, what's going on?" I asked nervously.

   Joel stopped walking, but he didn't turn around, which only made my initial unease even worse. I started to reach out to him, but he shrugged out of arm's length. He sighed heavily before turning to face me.

   "I made a phone call today, Coleson." He responded in a soft and cryptic tone.

    "Um, okay? What does that have to do with me exactly?" I asked, confused.

    Joel began to fidget with the loops of his pants. He only did that when he was nervous. And he only ever  got nervous when he knew I wasn’t gonna like something. Which could only mean one thing...

   "You called someone to interfere with my case, didn't you?" I asked accusingly.

   "Not necessarily 'interfere', but to help you guys get some leads." He stated confidently.

    "Look, Taylor, this guy is the best there is, okay? Please, just trust me on this one. I've seen how you guys are struggling with this case. It's not like anything you've taken on in the past, Coleson. A fresh new outlook is what you need, I see that now." He explained.

   I wanted to argue with him, I really did. But the desperate and utterly exhausted look on his face told me just how badly he needed for me to agree.

   So I did.

   "Fine," I sighed reluctantly.

   "When do I get to meet this 'expert' of ours?" I asked.