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Gabriel
How did I end up at this party? I didn’t really even know anyone here. But, it was good publicity, and my boss had insisted on it. So, I ended up standing against the wall for a good hour, just scanning the crowd. Now there are people who stick out in a crowd like a sore thumb. They’re the first ones you notice, but leave your mind just as quickly. Then there are the people that can captivate your attention and hold it, not letting it skip to the next face in the crowd. They are the kind who can stay in your mind for weeks afterward.
She was one of the latter kind. She’s not the first person you notice in the room, but she’s the hardest to forget. Her long, dark hair fell in gentle waves around her slim shoulders, stopping just above the curve of her breasts, gently gliding over the blue silk of her dress. I brought my eyes back up to her face. Her eyes were the same brilliant sapphire color as her dress, I could see that even from across the room. She was scanning the crowd the same way I was, even though she appeared to be having a conversation with the couple near her. Her eyes swept over to me, and though I looked away, I could feel them on me.
“Gabriel?” I looked over at the girl, but she was gone. Frowning, I turned to look at the girl who’d just called my name. She looked familiar, but I couldn’t remember her name.
“Um. . . Amber, right?”
“Nope! It’s Ashley! We met last year at my the Grammy Awards? My father invited you!” She pouted, appearing as though she seriously thought it made her cuter.
It didn’t.
“Oh. Right.” Now I wasn’t one of those actors who goes around sleeping with random women because I can. I’ve got more respect for women than that. Personally, I think it’s just disgusting. I’m twenty-eight, and have only had three relationships since the end of high school. I just meet too damn many people to keep track of all their names. Especially the barely legal ones like this Ashley girl who was hanging on my arm.
“Um, would you excuse me Ashley?” I asked. She nodded, and I hurried off, trying to catch a glimpse of the woman from before.
Now I’m not exactly the type to believe in love at first sight. I really don’t think it exists. But I can read people. This woman, she just had this quality about her, in the way she carried herself.
She was a mystery to me, and I loved mysteries.
I had to get to know her. “I’m Gabriel.” I blurted out. I’m Gabriel? I chided myself. What are you, in junior high? Grow up man!
She raised an eyebrow at me. “Okay.”
“It’s customary to tell me your name.” She smirked at me. Actually smirked!
“Well, I defy customs.” She said, and with that, walked out, leaving me and my open mouth alone.
I stared at the open door. How could she. . . Does she even. . . Argh!
I have to say that was a first, even for me.
David
“Dave, take a look at this.” My partner Josh tossed a folder across his desk to mine. I leaned forward, putting down my cup of bad coffee to pick it up. “That guy we were looking for? Just showed up. The M.E. Is at the scene right now.”
“Scene? As in crime scene? What happened?”
“Apparently he had a little run in with a car.” Josh smirked, though the amusement didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Same make and model as the one our suspects owns.” I frowned.
“Witnesses?”
“Six. All of them agree on the model.”
“Really? That’s unusual.”
“Yeah, well mini coopers aren’t exactly plain-looking.”
“Doesn’t your sister want a mini cooper?”
“Yeah.” Josh looked up at me. “So you want to check out the scene?” I shrugged, checking my shoulder holster to make sure my gun was loaded.
Josh glanced over at me. “I haven’t talked to her since Easter. She’s been pretty busy.”
“Yeah, writers must work long hours.” I said with a grin. He shot me a glare. “Hey, save the speech. ‘She’s doing something she loves and is making a good chuck of cash for it too’ I’ve heard it.”
“And yet you keep teasing her about it.”
“Man, you know how I feel.” I said. It was true. When I’d been promoted to detective a year before, Josh and I had been partnered up. At first I was tempted to ask for a transfer, because I really did not understand him. But after a couple of months I got used to his sense of humor, morbid as it could be sometimes, and we really got along. He took me to meet his twin sister. I wouldn’t say it was exactly love at first sight, but I was definitely intrigued.
No offense to Josh or anything, but Jessica was most definitely the more interesting twin. She was really hard to describe in words. If you saw her on the street in passing, she was one of those women you probably wouldn’t give a second glance to. But if you actually sat and talked with her for a while, listened to her, watched her movements, she was the hardest person to forget you would ever meet. I honestly don't think meeting Ghandi (if he were alive) could even begin to compare.
She was a calm person, though if you managed to make her angry you’d want to watch your back for the next ten years. When you listened to her talk it was almost like listening to a story. Her voice was soft and when she spoke about something that interested her, her blue eyes lit up with an intensity that made me want to keep her talking forever.
I wasn’t exactly sure when it had happened, but somewhere between New Year’s which we’d spent at Josh’s and the Easter dinner at her parent’s, I just knew. I knew that I liked her more than I should.
“Yeah.” Josh said. “I know.” I couldn’t help noticing the edge to his voice. He was incredibly protective of his little sister, with several dozen good reasons why. I only knew a couple of them, and it only made me like her more.
I couldn’t say Josh had exactly been happy with my feelings for her, but I’d come right out and told him, so there was no guessing involved. He knew I wouldn’t do anything without talking to him, and if I hurt her he told me he already had planned out a way to kill me without being caught.
Honestly I believe him on that.
He pulled up to the crime scene and turned off the ignition, getting out of the car. I had my badge out before I’d even closed the door, and saw he’d done the same. We ducked under the yellow tape and flashed our badges to the uniformed officer who waved us on through. We spotted the detective on scene and headed his way.
I knew the man only by reputation. Detective Summers was a brilliant man who had made detective faster than anyone on city records. He was destined to be chief of police, and was just waiting for the current chief to retire. He glanced up at us and sighed.
“Detective Warner,” He said with a nod at Josh. “What brings you out here at this hour?”
Josh shook the man’s hand, shoving his bagde in his pocket. “Your vic actually. We were looking for him as a witness in one of our other cases.”
“Oh, that drug dealer triple homicide down by the docks?” He gave us a sympathetic look before returning to business. “Well, not much to tell here. Hit-and-run.”
“By a vehicle whose description just happens to match our suspect’s.” I put in. Detective Summers looked over at me.
“Summers, this is my partner, Detective David Adams.” Josh said.
“Nice to meet you kid.” Summers said gruffly. “So your suspect drives a blue or black mini cooper with a British flag on the roof?”
“Yeah. It’s actually a couple shades lighter than navy.” I replied. “Some fancy name I don’t remember.” Summers gave me another odd look and I suddenly felt uncomfortable.
Fortunately Josh was able to read me. “Thanks Summers. Let us know if anything else turns up.” He nodded.
“Will do Detective.” He said, and gave me a nod. “Adams.”
“Anything?” I asked. He let out a low growl of frustration and tossed the folder on the table with several of our other folders.
“This really does not make sense.” He said. “A drug dealer, a bookie and a kid who works in a bookstore all killed by the same gun within an hour.”
“Since when does crime actually make sense?” I asked. He shot me a glare and I backed down. “Maybe we’re thinking too hard.”
“Maybe.” Josh admitted, glancing at the TV. “What the heck are we watching?” I shifted and looked at the screen.
“Some sort of soap opera thing?” I suggested. Josh snorted.
“Looks like something my sister would watch.” He said, grabbing the remote. He flipped through the channels, and finally settled on a movie. It took me about five seconds to realize we were watching Armageddon. The one with Bruce Willis and Ben Affleck? I rolled my eyes.
“So how’s it going with the blonde girl?” I asked. Josh groaned. “You know, the one I saw you leaving the station with a few nights ago?”
“Why do you have to be so observant?” Josh asked. I shrugged, not taking my eyes off the movie.
“Because it annoys the hell out of everyone.” I replied. “Especially my idiot brother.”
“You mean the one who’s in rehab?”
“No, the other one.”
“Ah, the schizophrenic one.” I sighed.
“Yeah. That one.”
“How’s he doing?”
“Pretty well, considering.” I replied. I never really felt the need to keep tabs on my family every single minute. I hadn’t spoken to my youngest brother since he went into rehab the third time and my second youngest brother had been committed since he was fourteen. “I was thinking about going to see him next week.”
“That’s good.” Josh paused for another drink. “You haven’t been down to see him for a couple months.”
“Yeah, but if you hadn’t noticed we’ve been a little busy.” I glanced over at Josh, narrowing my eyes. “And that was a very nice diversion.” He sighed heavily. “So, about that blonde woman. . .”
“Dave-”
“You’re not avoiding it.” I said with a smirk as I finished off my beer. “So you might as well just tell me.”
“Dave-”
“Josh.” I said mockingly. He rolled his eyes.
“No more beer for you.” He said. I pretended to be hurt and he rolled his eyes again. “Fine. That ‘blonde woman’ and I went out. Blind date. Didn’t work out.”
“Sure.” I said, and looked at the clock. It was nearly midnight.
I managed to get to my feet and found my coat. “I’ll see you in the morning.” I reached for the door knob and missed. I blinked at it, but before I could try again, Josh’s hand gripped my shoulder, turning me to face him.
“Dude, you’re drunk.”
“Am not.” I muttered, trying to twist away. Damn, he;s stronger than he looks.
“Then walk in a straight line.” He let go of me, moving to stand in front of the door. I stared at him. “Go on.” Annoyed, I turned and looked down. “There’s a straight line of hardwood right there.” He pointed at my feet. “Walk it right and I’ll let you go. If not, you’re crashing on my couch.”
I tried to walk straight, I really did. Except there’s this little fact that passing out makes it really hard to walk at all.
Author's note: Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I really appreciate your reviews, and I would have had this posted a couple of days ago, but then I realized that Gabriel's chapter was so short I just had to add something to it. So poof! In comes Dave's chapter.
I really should start sending things to my beta again. Unfortunately my email's being bitchy and I can't send her my chapters. But I will as soon as my email starts working reliably again. I promise!
Thanks again to all who reviewed!
