Dance of Danger and Desire

CHAPTER 2

Faces of my friends stuck on me after they saw me back on the field. They seem to be so awestruck by my comeback that they still can't believe why in hell I threw my vacation away. While typing on my computer, Phoebe, Dan, and Patrick can’t stop grilling me with questions that are seriously insignificant and obvious. Phoebe sits next to me, Patrick stands in front of me with his cup of coffee, and Dan is sitting with one butt on my desk. I wish I could throw them away and let the day rest with my work, but it’ll be difficult to do so.

It took them an hour before they decided to stop. They basically left and went back to their tables. Thankfully, I made peace. I work and work like what I promised myself on my way home. I searched the database for some files and studied it before I wrote notes about my thoughts. My job might sound extremely easy, but it was hell difficult and dangerous. Well, despite the difficulties, I found myself enjoying it; after all, it’s what I want in the first place.

“So, how’s the baby?” Phoebe suddenly asked after she left. I think it was just a minute before she left.

“Phoebe, will you please stop disturbing me?” I gritted my teeth.

“No, this friend of yours needs some explanation after you used her as an excuse to your sister-in-law and brother. Also, I’m the one who briefs you on the new case,” she proudly answered, recalling each contribution she made in my life.

I rolled my eyes in annoyance. “I left while the family is still on vacation because I don’t want to go on a vacation and I love working.”

She smirks, “hell, get a life b***h. Learn to separate personal and professional life.”

“Phoebe, where’s the boss?” I changed the topic.

She tilted her head to the side, glaring at me as if I had done something stupid. “I don’t know.”

Phoebe turned her chair and started rolling the gear of her chair back to her table, leaving me in peace. I continue doing my job that I missed the most. Opening folders to folders and reading criminal records for potential suspects in the case. I read all the files related to homicide and suicide, even murders got me captivated until past twelve noon.

The boss is back with his cup of coffee and bread. He walked like the big mama of the place. Buttons are popping out and neckties get tighter as he comes to work every day. He’s the least I missed in the squad. He’s intricate and shitty.

“Hey boss!” I exclaimed as I walked towards his way to his office.

“Got a problem, Crofts? Why are you back so early?” he asked; his voice cracked and ragged.

I gave him a snickering smile as he got closer towards me, “Don’t you want me back?” I answered as I put my hands in my back pockets, making unnecessary moves as if I was asking for a favor. I hate it, but sometimes you have to do something to keep his attention on you. He passed through me, then I followed him in his office, closing the door when I got in.

The table is still messy with papers, tissues, cups, pens, sticky notes, and whatever s**t you can name on a messy table. Plants are dead and dry. The trash can is overflowing with trash; sometimes I can’t tell if it’s really a deputy’s office or a huge trash bin with a huge trash life.

“Stop scanning my office, Crofts,” he muttered when he caught me looking around, “what do you want this time?” he asked.

“Nothing in particular, I just really want to say hi. I’m back, that’s it,” I answered.

He smirks, “leave me alone and do your thing. Finish whatever s**t you’re doing in there.”

I expected him to answer like trash since, like I said, he's trash. I don’t really give great respect to him or address him carefully to Sirs and Deputy Mills, I just call him whatever I can think of calling him. I left the room and went back to my table, finishing the notes I'd written in my notebook and sticky notes.

The day was great, and I finished doing my thing. I was at my table sipping coffee in my mug while eating a cinnamon Phoebe’s boyfriend baked. It’s f*****g tasty and flavorful. That’s why it’s my favorite out of the other breads. I enjoy my business and no one tries to bother me until I finish everything. Phoebe is still doing her job of calling different numbers and the boys are busy filing the other cases in order. I don’t really do much except rush hour. I hate it when rush time attacks. There’s always a time when homicide happens occasionally, which leaves us with nothing but a stack of workloads to finish and process. Sometimes, because of having too many cases, we tend to forget about the older ones that should be processed for justice. You know, life is unfair, but justice is more unfair.

Everyone is out for lunch. Phoebe gave me a call earlier than I expected to follow them in the cafeteria. After eating bread and drinking coffee, I don’t think I will be able to eat lunch. My belly will soon explode and yet Phoebe never stops texting me to come down. I pocketed my phone and badge together with my ID. Closing my drawer and turning my computer off, I left while tying my hair into a high knot along my head. I wasn’t really paying much attention to my ways considering the fact that I was busy tying my hair neatly to my head. But no matter how I try, it just keeps on finding its way to look messier than the last time. I really hate it.

Well, unlucky of me to bump into an unfamiliar face that seems to be lost around. He does look great and cute, which is alarming to me. I stopped and turned around to see his broad back and sexy walk, but I didn’t approach him at all. Despite having a feeling of discomfort, I still let him walk away. I continued walking and walked through the elevator before pressing the number one.

The cafeteria is crowded as hell like always. It took me a while to look for Phoebe and the others. My eyes lingered from the right side tables to the left side tables, tip toeing just to see them from afar. They were seated in the corner near the window that had the view of traffic jams outside. Too many people pass by, and car horns are blaring out loud. Good thing we can’t hear anything inside. Phoebe waved at me when I was on my way to their table. She opened the chair next to her and I directly slumped on my seat. Patrick and Dan were busy eating and sipping coke. Patrick sips his coke like an old man sipping some coffee in the coffee shop while reading the newspaper, while Dan is shoving a big-sized burger in his mouth that gets widened when the burger gets in. On the other hand, Phoebe has her sandwich and juice. She was eating slowly like she always does. That's why she always leaves when all of us are done eating. I decided not to get anything and just take a sip of Dan’s coke. It tastes sweet and cool.

I told the squad about the unfamiliar guy I met on our floor. Everyone is at first confused by the fact, but they lock eyes for a minute, like realizing something after forgetting about a certain thought. My eyes wander from each of them, processing the silence that surrounds us for a brief moment. Dan puts his burger down and Patrick stops sipping his coke. I can tell the realization hits them hard because it hardly happens that Patrick stops sipping from his beloved coke or coffee; the man will surely die from caffeine.

“Er, can anyone tell me what the hell is going on?” I said.

Phoebe turned to me, “well, we forgot about a newbie coming today.”

“Come on, he’s not really a newbie. I suppose he's more of an expert,” Patrick spoke with his straight expression and plain tone.

“You guys know that you’re not making any sense at all, right?”

“An FDI agent is coming today to help us with the case we are currently dealing with. I don’t want to say that the FDI collaborates with us to solve this sickening problem, but you know…it’s something like that,” Dan interjected.

Patrick stumps his coke bottle, “Why would they? The case is totally out of their jurisdiction. Never heard of the FDI investigating a homicide case.”

Phoebe pouted, resting her cheek in her palm, “whatever. All that matters to me is that we are intact and alive. FDIs are big fishes, whatever the reason for that guy's coming, I hope it's not Mills' fault.”

“Federal Department of Intelligence… sounds s**t,” I murmured.

Everyone left their mouths hanged. Right, Mills could have something to do with this. If the guy was sent because of him, I don’t think I could still stop myself from killing the fat man. It is total nonsense that an FDI agent will come to us for nothing. Phoebe is right, as long as we were intact and not jobless, we were good. All that matters, really, is our job. After all, it won’t take long before we solve the case and the FDI guy will be out of the picture once again.