The Mafia's Doll.

The Town (2)

Detective Valerie Gauthen

I leaned against the desk as I gazed at the wall covered with crime scene photographs, maps, and strings of linked prospects. Despite their best efforts, the evidence collecting team had been unable to gather much solid proof, which put a great burden on my shoulders. This was a challenging case, made more so by the fact that the owner was out of town and there was no security camera on the block where the jewelry store was located.

I discovered myself held in a frustrating state of mind, unable to concentrate despite the hours I had spent staring at the wall in front of me. I became frustrated and attempted to release some of the stress by pressing the pad of my fingers on the bridge of my nose. I let out a long sigh that was carrying a mixture of tiredness and distress.

With an unmistakable appear of eagerness, I reached for my phone knowing that I desired a brief break from the dull atmosphere of my office. My heart plummeted when I opened the phone and discovered an empty notification box. When I discovered that my significant other hadn't called or texted me, I felt unsettled.

From the moment I stepped into this office until now, it had been a terrible night and morning. After spending so many hours researching, I was mentally and physically worn out. I couldn't help but think about the status of my relationship amidst the exhaustion. For more than three years, we had been together, enjoying a bond that had previously appeared impenetrable. But since I became the head of my department, something had changed in him.

I had a sneaking suspicion that jealousy had surfaced. It looked that his accomplishments as a top chef in a lower, aged restaurant had been overshadowed by my rise to widespread acceptance. His formerly unshakeable love and support was now tainted by a noticeable tension. I began to doubt the basic basis of our connection as doubt chewed at the edges of my mind. Why did he distance himself now? Was my advancement in my job really the cause?

My thoughts turned into a war zone of feelings as the minutes passed in the oppressive stillness of the office. Frustration, concern, and a tinge of harm interconnected leaving me longing for answers and connection. The loneliness that followed the late hours spent alone increased as the weight of the uncertainty bore upon me.

The silence was punctuated by the loud ring of my office phone which reverberated against the walls. Well, it certainly jolted me out of my daydream. I leaned off of the desk and turned around to face it before picking up the receiver. "Detective Gauthen speaking," I greeted, my words professionally rolling off of my tongue.

"Detective... this is Amanda Gomber," A quivering voice choked out. This must have been Miss Mae's relative who left her near the crime scene last night. "I was at the jewelry store when it was robbed, I need to meet with you," added Amanda. As I made my way to my worn-out-leather chair from around my desk, my senses began to go into high gear.

Even though I wasn't expecting the call, I could tell by the witness's eagerness that I might be able to acquire a lead on this case. "Thank you very much for getting in touch, Amanda. Would you want to meet at Miss Mae's, your grandmother's bakery, in 15 minutes, so that we can chat openly?"

On the other end of the telephone, all that I could hear was deliberate breathing. "I can't, detective. What if they are watching me. I don't want them to go into the bakery and harm my grandmother once I am gone," she replied, her voice trembling.

A crease developed between my eyebrows as I positioned the phone to my other ear. "Amanda, I will do everything in my right to make sure you are safe," I reassured, noticing a shift in the atmosphere. I tacked on, "Trust me," to lessen the tension between our lines. Amanada replied, consenting to meet with me, "Okay, I'll be at the corner table,". I set the phone down and exhaled before grabbing my personal items and my blazer that hung on the chair.