The point of the call and each text was the same; “How much longer are you going to be there?” With her was implied, but not spoken.
“Hold on,” Kirk said, and put Bautista on hold. “Excuse me, detective.”
“Tell her I said hey,” Dawkins said as Kirk walked to another desk to take the call.
“Hello.”
“Didn’t want to talk to me in front of her?”
“No. I don’t want to have a private conversation with you in front of her.”
“How much longer are you going to be there? We need to talk,” Bautista breathed the words that no man ever wants to hear.
“I don’t know. There is a lot of material to review to get up to speed.”
“How’s it going?”
“Like I said, it’s a lot to take in, so I’m gonna go now and get back to it.” Because I’m working, and I don’t want to have this conversation with you right now, Kirk thought but thought better than saying. “So, we’ll talk …” Kirk looked over at Dawkins as she looked at the crime scene images. She is beautiful. “… later. I gotta go,” Kirk said and ended the call without waiting for Bautista to say another word, and you know that made her mad. By the time Kirk got back to his desk, he had two new texts from Bautista expressing her displeasure. Kirk read them and shook his head.
And what about that makes me wanna talk to you later, Kirk thought and put his phone away.
It was after one in the morning when Kirk and Dawkins called it a night and made plans to meet at the place where the first girl’s body was found at seven in the
morning. Kirk walked Dawkins to her car, said good night, and headed for his car.
He drove away from the precinct thinking that he and Bautista did, but really didn’t, need to talk. At least not from his point of view. Only thing that he wanted to talk about was her taking an unnecessary risk instead of waiting for backup. But now that they weren’t partners anymore, that conversation was no longer necessary. So, with that thought in mind, Kirk drove home and was glad that he didn’t give Bautista a key.
“Otherwise, I’d be going to a hotel,” Kirk said aloud, because there is nothing like sleeping in peace.
It was just before six later that morning when Kirk’s cell phone began ringing. He didn’t have to look at the display.
“Hello, Marita.”
“What happened to you last night?”
“It was late, and I was tired, so I came home to get some rest. I’m meeting Dawkins at the sight where the first body was found at seven,” Kirk said with his face half in the pillow.
“You could have come over here and gone to sleep. I wouldn’t have bothered you.”
“Yes, you would. You wanted to talk.”
“And you didn’t want to talk to me?”
“No, Marita, I didn’t want to talk at one in the morning,” Kirk said, but Bautista had ended the call when he said, didn’t want to talk.
“Good.” Kirk said and buried his head in the pillow, but since he knew what time it was, he kept the phone in his hand. It didn’t take long before the phone rang again.
“Hello, Marita.”
“Is she there with you?”
“Who?”
“Don’t play with me. Dawkins, is she there with you?”
“No,” Kirk said, not believing, but yet believing where they were. “Dawkins is not here.” But the idea is appealing.
“Did you ask for her as a partner?”