CHAPTER 74

            "So,you two," he began. "You must be wondering why I have called you here together and even so, why I decided to make you partners."

  ‘Pretty much so .’ Dylan wanted to say but instead just nodded.

            "There are multiple things I should have discussed with you both the first day but didn't because you had not yet passed my test to go on into the field. Well, I haven't tested you yet and that's why you are here."

     Well,that came as a relief for both. She didn't remember the last time she had been that afraid of her boss and wondered whether Kenny had always been like that or if it was just here. 

               "Insubordination," he paused and looked at her. Oh well,he had gone through her history of work and that wasn't to her advantage. "I get that you and your former boss used to be close." Used to be were the most appropriate words to use. "And you got away with disobedience every time. Well,that is not going to happen here,I don't play favorites, got it?"

                 "Yes sir!"

                   "Captain is okay. However I have studied all these cases you have gone against protocol and they all makes sense. You always chose the best way to deal with them which means you have a very good reasoning capability."

                 "Thank you," she replied knowing it was the best thing to say at that point.

               "Now I know you are capable of handling homicide cases,your contribution to the one involving the rogue model some time back said as much. I understand she was a friend, right?" She nodded again. "That must have been a pretty tough one. Anyway, I'm assigning you our newest case and I'm expecting you to cooperate with me. Report back all your findings directly to me and the approach you choose to use,you are gonna run it by me first before taking any action." Dylan hesitated for a long while wondering if this as exactly how it was supposed to be because the man in front of her was more threatening than instructing. She had had a fair share of being under a boss who wanted the opposite of what was supposed to be. Insisting on knowing every detail with the hope of manipulating the facts so she didn't blame herself when she thought the same about her new boss. "Clear?"

   She looked up abruptly then slowly  nodded, "Clear."

              "And you Watson," he turned to him next. "Maybe you are  not accustomed to Investigating homicide cases but I understand you played a big part in helping us get rid of our most fear criminal, Kelley Smith. You are however mostly the muscle which is ironic," he chuckled and they look at each other at the same time wondering what he was playing at. He must have noticed their reaction because he changed the subject quickly. "Anyway,I know you are more than capable of making sure your partner is safe."

              "Pretty sure she is more than capable of taking care of herself but thank you," Kenny finally spoke, his fear completely gone.

         " I'm sure you are going to make a great team. Don't disappointment me." He pulled back his seat,opened a drawer then produced a file. He dropped it on the desk before them. "Here. It is a list of girls who have been reported to be missing over the past  two months. Five in total. One minute they are there and the next they disappear without trace. There have been a lot more bad cases on our plates to handle and we are short staffed so,I figured you might chip in and help with it." He shrugged, " Who knows, maybe even solve it." 

   Dylan took the file and went through it studying the images of the girls. They were all about the same age,late teens to early twenties. She looked at him,"College girls?"

             "Yeah,all happen to be from the same school Upstate and all of them disappeared from their dorms. Their parents have been bugging us threatening to sue us for not finding their girls but what could we do?" Well,they had the right to do that, after all they were their kids. That was what was going on in Dylan's head but she didn't say it out loud. "I am really hoping you will get us some breakthrough."

               "Okay,we will start on it right away."

              "Good,you better get going then," he dismissed them. She closed the file and stood up, joining Kenny towards the door. He was ahead of her and she could tell his legs were aching to get out of there so by the time her right foot stepped outside the doorway,he was already halfway back to their desk. She shook her head and smiled. She now had something to tease him about. As she was about to pull the door closed,the captain interrupted her.

               "Dylan?" Well,he had used her first name. Why had he used her first name? The smile disappeared from her face and she turned around.

               "Yeah."

                "I might be many things;authoritative, threatening, intimidating but I am definitely not a rogue cop." So,he had noticed her hesitation and questioning. "Everything I do,I do it for the good of the society. I know from your recent experience with your former boss had you questioning everything and everyone and that's okay. All I hope is that you will be able to trust me and work with me freely within no time. You are one of the best cops and that's why I brought you in. I know that together we are going to make a change. Let's begin by bringing those girls back to their parents."

              "What makes you think that they are alive? I mean, we can't be sure about that."

             "Yeah,we can't. But at least it's better to know that your kid is dead and given a decent burial  than to know their remains are out there being fed on by animals or bugs."

She nodded understandingly,"Okay."

               "Great. Now go ahead,get on with it."

   She pulled the door closed and exhaled before heading back towards her desk. That had gone much better than she had expected. Kenny sat waiting for her and he looked at her questioningly. She sat down before she could talk to him to avoid the attention of the other detectives around them. She dropped the file on the desk.

             "Why did he hold you back?"

              "He thinks I have trust issues or something like that. Something to do with my former boss."

               "And he is right. I don't like him though."

She chuckled, "Now,who has the problem?" Then,"Is it something you feel naturally or is it something to do with the fact that he was about to make fun of who you are?"

               "That doesn't concern me. I am getting used to it," he replied and looked away. He took the coffee from earlier and took a sip. "That's good!" he said  but she knew there was no way that coffee tasted good especially after it got cold. He was definitely pretending that everything was okay.

             "Doesn't it though?" she asked and looked at him fixedly. It was one thing to be a gay black man but it was an entirely different thing to be that and a cross dresser too even in the current world. There were still that percentage of uncivilized people who still saw it as mockery. "Look,no one should tell you or make you be something you are not. Not even our boss. If he tries it,I promise you I'm gonna help put him in his right place, okay? Let it not bother you."

   Kenny finally looked at her,"I like it when you turn into that protective mama bear style whenever you are pissed at something. More like papa bear style rather." He smiled. "Thanks Lewis."

 She just shook her head in amusement,"You are welcome. Now let's start digging into whatever hell hole these girls might have disappeared to."

               "Alright, I'm following your lead."