Things overheard ~ take 2

"Hey, Kyle-boy. Come walk with me a minute!"

"Hey! You're still hanging out after your shift? Must be a masochist man."

"Oh, you know me, someone's gotta keep all the young bucks in line right? Besides, I wanted to talk more about your woman troubles. Any progress there?"

"Shit man, not here!" *random travel noises and grumbling* "Last thing I need is for someone to overhear and tell Darlene I'm working on her!"

"She hasn't figured that one out yet Wow, she really ain't that bright. Here, around this way, there's a chili place..."

"I don't remember a chili pla-WHUFF!" *sounds of kicking and beating*

"Kyle-boy, Kyyyyle, stay with me. We have some stuff to talk about you and me. We're not happy you see."

"...hell? Fuck ow."

"Yeah, hurts like a bitch doesn't it? Don't worry, you're still pretty, just don't go to the gym for a while. Now, that damn stunt you pulled? Calling out our street boys to take on that dealer? You don't make those decisions Kyle-boy. You don't make those decisions at all do you?"

"...no. Don't."

"That's right. You don't. You answer when those decisions are made don't you? We keep you happy and you jump when we hand you orders am I right?"

"Told me. Told you like me thinking outside..."

"And maybe we do Kyle-boy. Maybe we do, but you bring those thoughts to the chain of command. You don't get to go play without us."

"Not playing..."

"Oh, right, you're winning your partner's heart. Yeah yeah. And you fucked even that up didn't you? Hey, stay awake, answer me! Didn't you? Fucking missed. You know what really burns us up though? No one's heard from Two-tone since. Not a peep, not a call. Did your little katzu friend get his hands on our gunman?"

"He's not...no! I don't know! Why would I?!"

"You called him in on this without orders, and don't give me any 'he owed me a favor' bullshit. Where is he Kyle?"

"I don't know!"

"You know what? You know I believe you Kyle-boy, I really do. But the higher ups? Oh you're on their shit list. You know what it's like on the shit list so there's going to be some rules now."

"...shit."

"Hey, don't worry, I hear abstinence does the heart good. That pretty partner of yours? You're strictly hands off now. Until we say so you're playing the nice boy next door. No more field trips to the clubs, you don't even step inside a skin shop on a lead. And Traver? Traver isn't your problem anymore. We're looking into him. And no more nights off. You've got errands to run for us after every shift. Maybe we'll find something to put you back in the good books soon but don't hold your breath. You got me?"

"The hell?!"

"The hell we doing to your love life man? You weren't getting anywhere anyway, and you obviously get stupid when your girl isn't an easy lay. Until we're sure you can restrain your idiot impulses you're out of that game. You can look but no touching."

"Fuck."

"No, that's the point. Calm down Kyle-boy, calm down, the higher ups wanted to just label you collateral damage but I told them you'd come back to heel. Now get up, let's get some chili."

Confessions to the Chief

Darlene shuffled nervously on the seat outside the Chief's office, waiting. She knew people were looking at her, did they guess? Did they know? What did they think about her there without her partner? She couldn't help but look at them, trying to catch them staring...

Yeah, well, fuck it. She was doing the right thing. The right thing she should have done a while back.

She nearly jumped out of her skin when the door opened, the chief looking down at her mildly. "Detective? Come in, I've a few moments now."

She really hadn't registered before how large the chief was. Large and imposing and rather comfortable with his own body. Aya knew these things, but Darlene? Darlene stared for a few moments like a deer in headlights before blinking and shaking her head. "Yes sir, thank you for seeing me."

"Of course, I can always manage some time for my people. What's troubling you today?" He settled behind his desk and fixed Darlene with a mild look, just a touched worried but not assuming the worst.

Darlene sat in the chair in front of his desk and fidgeted a moment before blurting, "I need help."

"I...see? What's wrong? Do you need to file a report against someone?"

"No, no...I need to get into a program I think." she mumbled that quietly, not meeting his eyes. It wasn't one of her finer moments to admit it. "I have...a problem. A problem."

"I think I see. I need some details Detective, and why come to me now?"

"I...people are starting to get in trouble for me. I don't use on shift! I don't! And I've been clean since November but...but people are starting to get in trouble."

"People like your partner?" Who should have told him about Darlene using.

"No, he's a good guy! He needs to...stay good. I confuse him. He doesn't know what he's doing."

The chief highly doubted that but it didn't show. "That's common, Detective. Do you mind if I call you Darlene? Don't worry, it's very common. We have a program for cops who have ended up using. Was it when you were in vice in your old precinct?"

"I...I did a little in school." Everyone did really. "But yeah. I fell pretty bad then, almost OD'd. My...my man. My man has been trying to help me and I try...I'm getting better? I have a daughter, and She...I won't live with her until I'm clean but I want to."

Oh. Oh. Traver the drug dealer was trying to help Darlene get clean? That was an interesting angle. "Don't worry Darlene. You're not in vice here. You're in arson investigation, so I don't see a conflict with your work, and you can start in our program tonight. I'll sponsor you."

"...y-you?"

"Yes, I'm twelve years clean myself, I used to do some heroine, some coke, and I'm not proud of that but I'm clean and I stay that way by going to meetings. If you'll trust me I'll help you through this until you feel confident in your ability to live with your daughter." And then he could have a handle on Darlene, and through her, Traver.

Traver who might be worth quite a bit in the grander scheme.

"I...I thank you sir. Please don't tell the others?"

"No, the meetings are confidential Darlene. Just us and the other people kicking the habit. We watch each others backs. I know you have your days off as Tuesday and Wednesday and I hate to steal one of your free nights, but the meetings are on Wednesday."

"I'll...I'll drop one of my lessons at the gym? Kyle wants me to take self defense."

"I'm sure he won't mind, and if he tries to give you any flak refer him to me. Thank you for coming to me Darlene, it will be alright, you're not alone, I promise."

Darlene smiled, relieved, and tried not to cry. "Thank you sir. Thank you...I...didn't want to lose my job."

"You won't. No get out of here and do your job alright? I'll see you Wednesday."

"You mean get out of here and go home? I waited after shift to talk to you..." Hours actually, since her shift ended late and he came in early.

"Yeah, home woman. Call your man since you sent him off to recover in country air and let him know things will be alright."

"I will sir!" Yes, time to go home.