Nikki knows she is going to be in a boatload of trouble. The only regret she has is that she dragged James, her partner for the last two years, into it. He is a good man and she knows he has a family to think of, but as usual he has her back, no matter what. But maybe this time she has pushed it to the limit. Walking into a swanky hotel and loudly accusing the local businessman of the year of being a two-bit hood... hadn’t gone down very well. Especially as the Mayor, along with the chief of police, had been there to witness it. Realistically, it could have waited until after the ceremony, when there wouldn’t have been so many upstanding members of the community watching a serious crimes cop shouting at the top of her lungs while being escorted quite forcefully out of the hotel.
The decibels coming from the office are even more deafening than usual. Jonathon winces and glances over to his rookie partner, Chris. "Good job it's her in there, and not us. I may not like Nikki, but I wouldn't wish that ass chewing on my worst enemy... Oh, hang on, that stuck up bitch is on my shit list, suppose that comes close enough to my worst enemy." Chris rolls his eyes at Jonathon.
Hearing the loud slamming of the office door, they both stare down at their desks, avoiding eye contact as Nikki storms by, followed closely by her pale-faced partner, James. Spinning around on the spot, Nikki stands with her back straight and her arms crossed, breathing heavily for a few moments as if to try to calm herself. “Of all the ridiculous things I have ever heard. You were very quiet in there, James... don't tell me you actually agree?" James scopes the office, all the team now watching. I think we need to take this elsewhere, Nik. Come on, let’s go to Hannigans." Crossing his arms across his chest, he can see that this is not going to go down privately. Okay, people... show over. If you care to join us, we are going to Hannigans. Seems as you lot stuck around, the least you can do is get the drinks in." Nikki groans. She really doesn’t understand her partner sometimes. He knows she is not into the group bonding thing. James leans in and whispers to her, “You owe me a drink, Nik, time to play nice and be sociable. It’s the least you can do. When Jane finds out about this, I will probably get the silent treatment. It may even come to sleeping on the sofa until the inevitable ass-whooping I will get." Nikki winces at what he will be going home to. I should know better than to point blank accuse the local business man of the year of being bent as a nine bob note...I just hope Jane isn’t too hard on him, I know she already wishes he had a different partner.
With only a gut feeling, and no solid proof, the business man is now pursuing the department on a harassment complaint. Nikki has landed James on desk duty for the next two weeks—this of course, means no overtime, plus a short pay-packet at the end of the month. Nikki is not so lucky. She has enforced leave for the next two weeks, and then desk duty, time length to be determined at a later date.
After enduring two hours of being sociable, with plenty of jibes about the expression bent as a nine bob note, Nikki has no idea where it came from, what it means, or how it popped into her head. She slips away from her colleagues, feeling proud of herself for not chewing someone a new ass, and heads home. Nikki is miffed about the enforced time off, but it will not be wasted. She plans to watch Bret Channing in her own time. Arriving at her apartment building Nikki enters the reception area and jumps into the lift. Living on the second floor, Nikki normally takes the stairs, but she decides there is no time like the present to get started on that stake-out, so she jumps in the lift to speed things along. Entering her place, she feels instantly relaxed. It is her little piece of heaven. The place has an open-plan living area, with a small bedroom with en-suite bathroom. The living area has a lived in feel to it. Nikki loves the natural look so it’s cream walls and a few pieces of light wood furniture.
There is a TV she keeps hidden in the cabinet, but it rarely gets switched on. The shelves have little knick-knacks she has bought, one day they will be replaced with items she hopes to collect on her travels. There is also an eclectic selection of books, a few classics Nikki’s mother bought her, and quite a few text books on the law, she also loves a good crime novel. Fred her unfriendly and most grumpy black cat, makes his presence known. He is curled up in her favourite chair hoping for a fuss, but Nikki tells him it’s going to be food, shower and then she is straight back out. He slumps back into the chair, making her feel guilty, Nikki caves, taking few minutes to give him a quick back rub.
Putting a ready meal in the oven Nikki grabs a quick shower, putting on some dark jeans and a t-shirt Nikki sets off. Arriving a block away from the swanky apartment buildings where Bret lives, Nikki parks her beaten- up Ford and walks along, trying to blend in with the people out on the streets. Lucky for Nikki, it’s a busy part of town, so she can stand around for a while and no one will take any notice. Hopefully.
Up in the penthouse of Cambridge house, Bret looks down on the street, expecting company impatiently. “The bitch is late. Why pay good money for a hooker, when she can’t even turn up on time? I think I need to remind them whose boss. Showing her a world of hurt should do it.” Looking out again, someone in the shadows catches his eye. “Hey, Sam... I think that nosy bitch of a cop is watching the building, go down and have a look.” Sam turns without a word. As he walks down the hall to leave, there is a faint knock on the door. Opening it, he clocks a young girl stood in front of him. She has a look of sheer terror on her face, and he can see she is physically shaking. Poor thing must be just about over the legal age of consent. “You had better get in, and don’t look so pathetic. He’s got a right mood on him, and you looking like you want to cry will either piss him off or turn him on. Either way, he is gunning for some pain.” Pushing the girl into the hall, he hears a sob escape her lips. The poor little cow is going to be in a world of hurt really soon, but he can’t do anything to help her. He just hopes she doesn’t run...it never ends well when they run. Shaking his head, he makes his way to the lifts, and out of Cambridge House.
It’s a pleasant spring evening, so Sam decides while his boss is otherwise occupied, he will take the opportunity to go to the local coffee house. Brody is on the door, so nothing to worry about there. Plus he can check out the broad over the way, see if it is that cop. If it is her, she is either mad, or way too dedicated to the job. It’s a Friday night. Surely she has a family, or a bloke. Nikki is stood back, casually leaning against the building. Holding her mobile phone, as if she is having a conversation, but she is really watching out for what may be going on over the way. People are just passing by, not paying her any attention, but she makes sure she is saying ‘yes I am standing in one spot, is that better’ if anyone does. Sam crosses the road so he can take a closer look, and sure enough, the woman standing there watching is the detective. From where he is standing he can see her very well. Tall and well-built, muscular, but she has curves where women should have. And although it’s pulled back, he can see she has glossy long hair. He is surprised she is only wearing jeans and a t-shirt as it’s a pleasant, but chilly evening. His curiosity gets the better of him, he has to get closer. He just has to find out a bit more about her. Being a werewolf, he has a heightened sense of smell, and he is curious to see if she wears perfume. And if she does, is she a flowery artificial type of girl, or natural musky?
Walking by casually, breathing in deeply as he saunters past, Sam smells soap. Nothing fancy, good old-fashioned Cussons, but it suits her. Stopping just down the road, he stands there, watching her surveying the building. Curiosity has Sam wondering as to what is driving her to pursue Bret the way she is. All this hanging about has cost him, no time for that coffee now. And even worse, he has to go tell the boss that it is the detective watching him. He is going to be pissed, and the messenger always gets it. With a sigh, he makes his way back up.
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