Double Dosage

Gladys went over to the phone in her own office which constituted the reception area. A few yesses and sympathetic sounds followed, before the phone came gingerly down upon its cradle.

“It’s Mrs. Murkowski; she says her cat has gone missing again.”

Gloria was still rolling her eyes as Gladys pulled an umbrella and handed it over.

“What is this for?”

“In case it rains.”

“The old lady tell you that?”

“Hmmh hmmh.”

A few minutes later, Gloria cursed into the slight drizzle that surrounded her, dropping delicate, white grains like diamond dust upon her jacket, causing her to marvel, and wonder why she had not taken the umbrella Gladys had offered. Already more than a block from her office, she looked up at the continuously darkening sky with disbelief, the dark clouds stern-looking; diamond dust settling upon her soft brown features. Sighing, she hailed for a cab, ruing the extra expenditure.

She had gotten into the cab not a moment too soon, and now she listened to the rain as it pelted the top of the cab, and watched it stream down profusely along the glass windows as the cab sped like a capsule through water to cover the four, traffic ridden blocks towards the police building.

The police building, an impressive structure dedicated to the safety of the precinct was threatening to most people, but Gloria felt quite at ease, even nodding a few times at some people as she navigated the crowds of the reception area on her way to the elevator. She squeezed through a closing door to join a few people going to the higher levels of the building. She punched the button for the third floor just as the doors closed on the huge expanse of the reception area.

Lieutenant Bill Eko saw her round the corner to flow in like a breeze into the crowded, desk ridden hall located outside his office. She was already making a bee-line towards him when he waved her over.

She gave him a hug on both cheeks as he received her just inside his door.

His eyes were keen, never leaving her face as he pointed her to one of the two seats before his desk, taking the other one for himself.

Lieutenant Bill had been a friend to the Pattons for longer than Gloria and Gladys had been alive. Gloria counted him a friend in need.

“So to what do I owe the pleasure-or at least I hope it’s a pleasure; it’s been a while since you last came into my part of the world.” He asked, slowly, the smile on his face belying the layers of wisdom hinted at by the knowing sparkle of the eyes set within his narrow wrinkling face.

“Oh just passing through the neighborhood; missed you Uncle Bill!”

“Bull!” He said cutting her off, his blue tie with shite stripes resting smoothly along his rotund belly. “And you’re lucky I can’t see you blushing.” He leaned back into the chair he was sitting in. “How’s the firm?” he asked, unable to keep the laughter from his eyes.

“Oh Uncle Bill I just need a few cases, you know; continue to build my reputation…I thought you could help me out with that.”

“Rough patch I see; happens to the best of them.” He said knowingly. He shot her a classic Tommy Lee Jones look from where he lay back.

“Don’t give me that look, I can do this!”

“Brains like yours, five years tops, you could be senior detective.” He persisted.

“You know why I don’t want that. This is what I want instead, and you gotta help me if you don’t want us moving into your house in the near future.”

She put her chin out, and gave the best defiant gaze she could muster against his know-it-all stare. It was a no-contest. “Look anything okay, Uncle Bill.” She implored, hoping to corner him emotionally.

“No way; I work with homicides, and deal with psychos whom I wouldn’t let my enemies touch with a thousand-foot pole. There is no way I would drag you into that. What you need is exposure; you may have what it takes to investigate, but you got to bare your guts out there for people to see. If you got out more like Gladys then maybe; people got to have you on their lips. Think Jim Rockford.”

Gloria stifled a laugh, remembering her father’s and Uncle Bill’s obsession with seventies television shows. She did not know how credible their claim were that those were the inspirations behind their joining the force, but she had always been willing to play along.