Love Between Law and Life

Chapter 19: Will you go…?

                     “So, we’re still working with… pretty much nothing.” Bobbie mutters, side-eyeing the pile of papers they had on the table. Florence shoots her a disgruntled look, flipping her off unceremoniously. “I’m just saying…”

                    They were in the file room, sitting in the middle of scattered papers and opened boxes. Technically, it was sort of against code, but Captain Akamu seemed as frustrated as them with the lack of evidence and was pretty willing to let them do anything if it meant that they might get even one lead.

                    “I still call the Centre.”

                    “Which you have found no evidence that states such.”

                    “You calling my ‘spiritual sense’ evidence?”

                    “Was it a spiritual sense?”

                    “No…” Florence mumbles, leaning her back against the shelf behind her with huff. “But I never ignore my gut instincts, they’ve never let me down.”

                    “Can I ask you a question?” Bobbie shoots her a genuinely puzzled look setting down the files in her hand. Florence waved her hand to continue, “How can you tell the difference between your ‘spiritual sense’ and your ‘gut- ack!”

                    Florence nailed her in the head with the quick shot of a small erasure, her face already set in a disgruntled scowl. Bobbie is hardly bothered, hiding a hysterical laugh behind her hand as she tried to shield from the onslaught of writing stationary that Florence has set up. The psychic is fully aware that the detective is just riling her up, but she can’t help the temporary flare of irritation in her chest.

                    “Both of you comfortable in here?” Of course, Captain Akamu would choice the most inopportune time to walk in. Bobbie clears her throat, fixing her clothes and trying to appear professional in front of her boss but there was no way of hiding the way her face had turned red with the laughter. Florence on the other hand unintentionally directs her burning glare to the poor Captain. He raises his hands in mock surrender, “It seems like I walked in in the middle of a hostage situation.”

                    “Sorry Akamu.” The psychic sighs, placing the capped pen on ground carefully, she’d been brandishing it like a deadly weapon so she couldn’t blame him for being a little weary. She immediately starts helping Bobbie with collecting the scattered paraphernalia just as a task to keep her hands occupied as the Captain tried to find a clear spot to sit down.

                    “I guess you’re not having much luck?”

                    “No sir.” Bobbie sighs this time, leaning back on her hands, “I mean, we actually have a lead, I guess?”

                    “But you don’t know where to go with it?”

                    “No…”

                    “Explain it to me.”

                    “We have evidence of bodies, that is the five… six – seven now I believe? – sets of bodies recovered. We know that there is more out there… but we don’t know where.” Florence rubs her hands down her face, packing back the useless files in their respective boxes. “Added to that – we literally have a lead on what this guy looks like, an idea on what his M.O. is and everything.”

                    “But?”

                    “But where do we go from here?” The detective shakes her head, taking the offered boxes as she got to her feet, tucking them back up on the higher shelves. “For every shred of evidence we’ve gotten so far, that’s it, there is no lead, no follow up, no light at the end of the tunnel. Everything goes straight to a dead end.”

                    “I see, that could be frustrating.” Akamu just nods his head in understanding, his eyes slightly clouded in the way that everyone who knew him could tell that he was organising his thoughts.

                    “Any tips oh great Captain?” The Captain settles his weight against the overcrowded desk at the back of the room, humming as Florence sits next to him with a curious, but tired look.

                    “Why don’t you take a break?”

                    “Excuse me?” Bobbie was the first one able to react after a shocked silence falls over the room. Florence is already on her feet, looking the Captain in the eyes with a furious look. “We’ve been on the case this long, we’re the only one who’s gotten any evidence on it. Akamu, you can’t take this away from –“

                    “No, no, no!” Akamu gets to his feet, an apologetic look on his face as he tried to placate the sudden anger that overpowered the air. “I didn’t mean like that. I meant an actual break.”

                    “You mean like, for drinks and stuff?” Florence leans heavily on the wall behind as it feels like the fight leaves her without ceremony. She gives him the more incredulous look she could manage silently asking him why he didn’t start with that instead of giving them a heart attack. She feels a little better at the slightly sheepish look on his face. “We already do that. Heck, we had a beach lime just on the weekend.”

                    “Yes, but I am sure you’ve had the mission hanging over your head the entire time.” And honestly, he wasn’t wrong, but it didn’t feel nice to be called out like that. It was Florence’s turn to hide her sheepish look, Bobbie just twists her face at the call out. “I’m asking you to take one night, two days, whatever the hell you need to do. For those two days, no case, no evidence – hell -  no talking about it. You two have been at this for months already on a case that’s already been considered cold, that’s stressful enough as it is. I need you to cool your heads and then take a fresh look at this.”

                    “Are you… sure?”

                    “Two days and you tell me if you’re still willing to do this case. You two have already done enough, you have evidence that no one has ever managed to get. You can get a fresh pair of eyes on this or you can take a breather and then start back.” He nods his head, his ‘Captain’ – or as Florence more like to call it ‘Daptain’ considering she’s seen him interact with his kids - voice coming out as he gathers the files relevant to the case and tosses them in a free box. “Am I clear?”

                    “S-sure, guess.” Florence raises her hand in time with Bobbie’s solid ‘yes, sir’, “One problem… it’s a literally a weekday though. What are we going to do?”

                    “I don’t know, I gave you two days. What you do with it is entirely up to you.” Akamu smiled at them, and from Florence’s memory, it was one of those smiles only reserved for members of the force who’d genuinely seemed to impress him. “Have fun, you’ve earned it. I better not see you here until Thursday, is that clear?”

                    “Yes, sir.”

                    “So… whad are you going to do?” When in doubt, you’ve just been kicked off one job and you don’t know where to go, a Plan B is always the best to have. Florence’s plan B of course included the one place she could walk in like she owned it… because she did actually own it. The bookstore was thankfully mostly empty, aside from the common week-by-week faces and one or two straggles browsing through the bookshelves.

                    “Honestly, I don’t know.” Florence leaned one elbow on the main desk behind her, Kahula talking just to the side of her. She may be holding a fully functional conversation with the second in command of her store, but she couldn’t quite seem to pull her attention away from Bobbie talking with Leo long enough to come up with a proper plan. “I mean, we had the drinks last week, the sort of tour with Kaleo. There was the beach lime just this week. I’m kind of out of ideas.”

                    “But from what I heard, that drinks date was interrupted by the literal dead.” Kahula laughs, voice soft so that their conversation couldn’t carry. They roll their eyes at the strange hand movements that Leo does, enthusiastic about whatever he’s talking about. The detective returns the conversation with the same level of excitement, which just led Florence to solidify the idea that she was surrounded by kids.

                    “Yea well…” Kahula tilts their head to the side with a mischievous look, a grin already growing ,and the psychic catches on to what they’re implying. “Oh no. Nope nope nope.”

                    “Come on.”

                    “No and besides, I can’t ask you to watch Kaleo again.”

                    “I’m not asking you to ask, in this case I’m asking you.” They say like it was the easiest thing in the world and Florence huffed. “Besides, Kaleo had fun last time, I think he’d be overjoyed to get the chance to do this so soon again.”

                    “It’s a weekday, not a weekend.”

                    “Then we’ll make it a study group sleepover instead, as easy as that.”

                    “If it’s so easy, then answer me this.” She waits until she gets the full attention of the other, turning to rest her side against the table so she could look them in the eye. “Why haven’t you asked out Leo yet?”

                    “W-what?” They stutter and Florence couldn’t help the little smile that breaks on her face as she watches the usually put together Kahula stutter and twitch with their fingers as their somewhat lighter skin tone flushes. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

                    “I mean I could be wrong, I don’t want to get in between the dynamic the two of you seem to have going on.” Florence shrugs her shoulders, turning back to face the objects of their rather enticing conversation. “But I’ve seen the way you two have worked for the last two years. It wouldn’t hurt to try.”

                    “I don’t want to lose the friendship I have with him.” Kahula’s voice is soft and their hands have finally settled, eyes squinting as if thinking is physically painful at the moment, “Leo is my best friend, heck at this point, he’s really my only good friend.”

                    “I don’t see why you got to give up the friendship to be in a relationship, especially with a guy like Leo.  Friendship is probably what would make the best relationship.” She shoots them a kind smile, puffing as Kahula seems torn between crying and laughing. “Besides, even if it doesn’t work out, the two of you seem like the type to fall back as friends. What was that quote? ‘Been there, done that?’”

                    “Ugh, that was terrible.”  Kahula shakes their head, but the overwhelmed look is replaced with good humour. It finally settles on serious as they turn to Florence. “I’ll strike you a deal.”

                    “A deal? I’m interested.”

                    “You ask Bobbie out on a proper date and then I will.” Kahula turns to grab her by her shoulders, looking her directly in the eyes. “It’s a little motivation, ‘cause if you don’t, I don’t get to ask Leo out.”

                    “That just sounds like you suffering for my actions that may or may not happen.” Florence deadpans, tilting her head to match the tone.

                    “Fun part is you got to do it this evening or I paint this store neon.” And at this moment, Florence could feel a stab of shock and horror spark through her heart. “I take Kaleo for the evening, I can organise a study night in a couple hours. You have two days.”

                    “You’ve got to be kidding me, I can’t-“ Florence could feel the panic saturating her whisper, hands gripping back on the sleeves of Kahula’s jacket.

                    “You can. You and Bobbie are just like me and Leo, even if you’ve only known each other for months. I’m certain if things don’t work out, it will still fall back into friendship.”

                    “I don’t know Bobbie like that.”

                    “And if she doesn’t, Leo and I will just lock the two of you in a broom closet like a cliché romance fanfiction, perfection. The fanbase we’ve had going would go crazy.”

                    “Kahulaaaaa.”

                    “Floooooooo.” They shake her shoulders gently, eyes bright with mischief. “Trust me.”

                    “…By the time you shove me and Bobbie supposedly into this metaphorical broom cupboard, will you and Leo be dating?”

                    “Sure.” That was the only warning she got before Kahula pulled her up properly on her free and – in better lack of terms – practically kicks her cartoon style in the direction of the conversation that had been steady going since they came in the store. Florence’s arms pinwheel for a few seconds as she tries to regain her balance, shoulder crashing into the detective’s back.

                    “Woah, you good?” Ever a worrier for those she labels under her care, Bobbie’s quick reflexes allow her to turn and grab on to the psychic, steadying her before she even had chance to properly get her own two feet under her.

                    “Uh- y-yea.” Florence didn’t even have a speech, it wasn’t supposed to go like this. Nope, nope, nope, Kahula and Leo could take a backseat, this is their own damn fault, she was not ready for this. Bobbie’s bright blue eyes boring into her own does not help at all, they’re so blue and – and bright and –

                    “Flo?”

                    “I… think Kahula is calling me. Bobbie, next time?” Leo doesn’t bother to wait for a response as the detective rubs her thumbs over Florence’s shoulders where her hands were still griped, not hard but solid and reassuring. The psychic takes a deep breath and rights herself, her legs a little numb from the nervousness that had now taken residence in her mind and it’s like a slap to the face once she realises that it’s not just from her.

                    The entire familiar bond is nervous. Spending time with Kahula and Leo meant that she was a little more sensitive to shifts in their emotions – auras – it depends on the day. With Kaleo, it was a given, his was even stronger as a pure blood connection with analogous abilities like her own. Florence never made it her business to pay attention to it every minute of the day, people’s emotions were their privacy, she had no right to invade that, but right now, it was much to present to just ignore it.

                     Kahula’s was curious, nervous but invested in what would happen next. It was a little stifling with the genuine worry hidden under the layer of content and smugness, but it was reassuring. Leo’s was a little confused, like he was not entirely sure what was happening at first but was quickly picking up on the surroundings and was growing invested in how it played out. Bobbie’s… bobbie’s was present, stronger, and almost physical from the distance between them… or rather, lack of it. The detective was nervous and worried and just a complete bundle of nerves and Florence realised that she had something to say as well.

              “Uh… how about we take this outside?” Florence couldn’t help the little rise of evil satisfaction that rose up in her chest at the soft sounds of protests that reached her ears. Bobbie, ears too red and hair somehow frazzled despite the braids, just nods her head. The psychic chuckles as flips the bird behind her back as she gently takes a step back from the detective and takes her hand. She could still hear the snort of laughter from Kahula as she leads the two of them out of the bookstore.

              Bobbie knew what her burning ears meant, but she didn’t exactly have a way to hide her face was surely red. Florence’s hand is warm and outside is still hot, so if anything, it just turns the rest of her red. She was going to blow a blood vessel at this point, could you imagine the morgue report on that? ‘Death happened because boss decided it would be a good idea to spend the entire day with the woman he knows you’ve been crushing on since the day you met’. If she didn’t haunt Florence, was definitely haunting the Captain.

              Florence seemed to be in much better shape, but then again, she didn’t just spend the last ten minutes arguing with Leo about… something she wasn’t sure she was ready to ask. Now that it was in her brain though, she wasn’t sure if she could stop thinking about it. She let her thumb rub over the back of Florence’s hand absentmindedly as the psychic drags them out to the back where Bobbie’s car was, and in further analysis, no one to interrupt them.

              The detective bits her lip, all of these emotions were messing with her head, she’s never felt like this in… well forever really. But it seemed she was spending too much time with the kids, and yes, she was going to refer to them as kids for the rest of their lives as revenge for putting her in this position. So, with heart hammering in her chest, she blurts out the words as soon as they stop, afraid if they say anything else, she’d get side-tracked and lose confidence

              “I want to ask you on a date.” And she couldn’t help but blink in surprise because the words are an exact replica of what comes out of Florence’s mouth. The psychic at least had the modesty to look as surprised as she did, but her brain seems to reboot a second before her and Bobbie will only commend it since she sure the ability came from however long of working with the two that put them in this position in the first place.

              “Lemme guess, Leo?”

              “Yep… Kahula?”

              “Would not be surprised if they’re the one that instigated it. I’m grounding both of them effective immediately.” And with a deadpanned nod and thumbs up from Bobbie, they both break down into quiet laughter, the tension in the air finally disappearing.

              “Are you… serious? About the…?”

              “Yes. Bobbie Rhodes… would you like to go on an official date with me?” And Florence’s brown eyes are filled with this restless warmth that makes Bobbie feel like a fire that been set ablaze in her heart. It made her skin tingle and her face hurt from smiling to hard.

              “Yes, yes, I would like that.” For extra measure. “Would you, Flo Lowell, like to go on an official date with me?”

              “Yea, I thought you would never ask.”