Cuff Me

“Long story. How is your man?” I changed the subject. I wasn’t even sure I was ready to admit what happened that morning, let alone tell Dina. I was still freaking out about having to tell the detective about it.

And yes, I was thinking about his voice pretty much all evening.

“Fine. Boring as usual, but he’s what I picked.” She half laughs and then half scoffs.

Dina had been with a quiet, English teacher since I had known her. They were polar opposites, but I guessed what they said was true. Anyway, Scott, her husband, was nice and he was a little older than her. I wondered how he even got her to settle down with him, but I guess that was what love did.

“He isn’t boring.” I giggled, “he just doesn’t want to hit the bars every Friday.” I knocked shoulders with her. She shook her head and shrugged unapologetically.

“Hmm. I spent all my fun years in class. Now, I can actually afford my nights out. Speaking of, you haven’t come with me in weeks. What’s with the blow off?”

I couldn’t lie to her, but I also didn’t really have a reason. “I don’t know. I’ve just been down. Maybe next week—hell, I can’t lie. Maybe the week after.” I smiled sadly.

Dina smiled and rested her head on my shoulder. “That’s okay. As long as you don’t blow me off here.”

“Pfft. How the hell

would I get through my shifts without you?”

“True. Our anniversary is soon, and I don’t even know what to get him. Ugh, last year was almost as much work as the wedding.”

It would be their second anniversary, and I doubted anything could top their wedding. It was in a library—Dina often said it was the only thing he would ever get his way in their marriage.

“Hmm. Sexy lingerie maybe. Sometimes that’s all you need. But what do I know? I haven’t gotten laid in months.”

As soon as the words left my mouth, I thought of that sexy voice on the phone. Of course, with my luck it would happen he didn’t match the voice at all. But I was still hopeful, and kept it in my imagination.

“Oh, Rose. See, if you would go out with me…” she sang.

“Oh no, nice try.”

We laughed together.

“We should get back to work. Our ten minutes of normalcy are up.” I hopped off the bed and stretched out; my yawn was wildlife-worthy.

“Ugh. Let’s go.”

As soon as we got back out, we were separated by a group of construction workers that got caught in a bad crane accident. Luckily, there were only external injuries. Just sutures, and keeping them calm. It would have been nice if they were all hot, sexy construction workers. But they weren’t. I sighed in exaggeration multiple times.

Hours later my shift was done, and I was headed to the precinct. I was practically bouncing on the subway on the ride there. I was nervous. Well, anxious mostly. I had no idea what I was walking into, and no idea how much of a role I would one day have to play. I hoped to just make a statement and never be bothered ever again.

“Hi, I need to see Detective Alex Jordan.” I tried to ignore the way his name rolled off my tongue. Similar to the way the young lady at the desk was ignoring me. Seriously, she barely even looked legal.

“What for?” She popped her gum and flipped her papers over like she was actually working. Maybe she was a volunteer or something. Her fresh highlights and French nails told me this was just a job to pay the bills and keep her happy.

“I need to make a statement. He knows I’m coming.” My patience was running very thin and I was dead on my feet.

“I’m sure he does.” She murmured in a way she must have thought I wouldn’t hear. Little did she know, I had keen hearing because of my job. I scowled and ignored it though.

She pulled out her cell phone and did some tapping, and I realized she must be mad about something. Maybe she was just having a bad day.

“Look, just go in the squad room and you’ll find him. He looks like Don Flack, you know the show?” Her waxed eyebrow raised and pointed me in the right direction. I nodded; CSI: NY was one of my favorites.

“Thanks.”

I clutched my cross-body purse and took the sharp left. The room was huge, and there were desks everywhere. I had never seen a police station in person, but I didn’t have much time to appreciate the décor before I started scanning the room for the detective. If he looked anything like the receptionist’s description…

“Do you know where I can find Detective Alex Jordan?” I asked the first person I saw.