"Oh, that's my department. I work there, although I haven't heard about the whole thing yet. Besides, I am new... you know?" I said to officer Trevor as he concentrated on the road.
"Okay, so... are you single?" he asked, this time around he didn't glance at me. Was he shy or something? Anyways, I didn't even know what to reply him with.
Of course I wasn't in any relationship yet but, I had to lie in order not to give him iota of hope. "Yes, with... someone I met recently" I said and didn't add anything more, "How about you?" I asked him. I could read his expression when I told him I was in a relationship, he didn't look good.
"Actually, I am single" he responded, "I have been single for a while now, my grandma said I don't know how to woo a girl. She said I am too shy, and that I am naive. Can you believe that? She always blames me even though I am trying my best" he muttered in what seemed like a whisper.
"Hey, you don't have to feel bad. I am sure it's not just the right time, but trust me, when the right time comes you will definitely meet someone and your grandma will be glad" I said, trying to make him understand that everything has its time.
"I hope so" he huffed.
"Trust me," I said and then asked if he had female colleagues, "But don't you have females in your department? I mean, it's going to be awesome if you date a colleague, isn't it?"
"Like seriously?" he glanced at me, "Law enforcement agent dating law enforcement agent?" he scoffed, "I don't think that is going to work, this job requires attention. Plus it's dangerous, what if we both ended up dying? I am sure our children won't have proper care in the orphanage" he wore a sad face as he continued to drive.
"Not everyone is bond to die on the field, you know? You just have to rely on..." I said as he cut in,
"I don't want to date a cop like me, I didn't do that in the academy and I won't do that now" he uttered, "Trust me, I know what I am saying. It's not an easy job, of course a doctor can marry a nurse, a surgeon can marry a surgeon, a pathologist can marry a pathologist, a lawyer can marry an advocate, but a cop marrying a cop? I may consider marrying a federal investigation bureau agent but certainly not a cop"
"Okay then," I muttered, and suddenly the thought of Jessica brushed through my mind. Something told me to hook her with the guy, at least that would save her the danger of being ruined by Reade. But would she accept him? "I have a cousin, she's blonde and beautiful" I said, waiting to hear what he would have to say.
"Wow," he uttered, "blonde and beautiful? Nice, but is she good? I mean, how is her temper? I hope she's also as calm and understand as you are" he was obviously more curious about her character, than her beauty.
Men like that are super duper rare, most of the men prefer beauty and physical appearance than character. Although for some, they combine both to measure their feelings for a woman.
"Actually," I gulped not even knowing what to say. I wanted to lie to him, but also I was scared of lying to him because if I did and he ends up finding out the truth then he might hate me. I wanted lying to him that she was a good girl and has no problem, nothing to worry about. However I changed my mind in fear of what the lie will lead to in the end. "she's complicated, and she's obsessed with studying in Oxford" I giggled, "But above all, she's... understanding when she's with the right people. And when I say right people, I am talking about people she loves"
"Do you think she's going to love me?" he asked out of curiosity.
"Well," I cleared my throat, "I don't really know but the fact that her dad was a cop before he died, I am pretty sure she will welcome you with an open arm"
"Her dad was a cop?" he was puzzled.
"Yes, a Sheriff deputy" I uttered, gritting my teeth.
"Wow, that's great" he said and continued before I could even think about saying a word, "I won't bother getting her contact now from you, when we arrive at your house you will talk to her for me"
"Sure, I will" I gave him a thumb up.
"Alright, thank you" he beamed at me.
"You are welcome" I beamed back at him.
Suddenly the radio, or should I say talkie of his car reported a fresh incident around the town, multiple gun shots from a grocery store, ordering proximity officers to attend to it immediately.
Trevor couldn't ignore the report, even though he wasn't close and some officers had already made acknowledgements and that they would be going to the scene.
Trevor quickly pulled over and asked if I could follow him to the scene before taking me back home. He said it is important for him, young officer; fresg from the academy to be present and crime scenes in his first year as that may increase the chances of him being promoted soon.
However, I didn't want to be at the crime scene. I didn't want to end up being shot or getting myself killed, hence I chose to alight from the vehicle and get a cab.
He wasn't really happy to hear that, he almost changed his mind about going to the crime scene but I advised him not to and then gave him our home address should in case he decides to come some day.
As soon as he drove off, I stood and waited gently for a cab. Thankfully, I was able to get one and without hesitation I headed back home. "Here!" I settle the cabman, alighted from the cab and watched as he drove away before walking to our door.
Unfortunately, the door was locked. I was so surprised to find out it was locked, why was it locked? I checked around for the key but couldn't find anything, thus I called Anty Vicky and asked where they went to and if she had kept the keys somewhere before leaving.
"Sorry, Laura, I forgot to keep the keys" she said, making me to wrinkle my brows and drop my jaw. "The police came and asked Jessica to come with them," she continued, "I couldn't let her go alone hence I decided to follow them. Sadly, I forgot to keep the keys before I left. I was restless, you know?"
"Okay, so, should I come and meet you where you are or..." I said as she cut in,
"No, please," she opposed the idea, "stay with our neighbors before I come back"
"Neighbors?" I was puzzled, totally surprised to hear that the fact that we didn't used to mingle with our neighbors, me especially.
And most of them were more careful about stepping into our premise ever since the police placed Jessica under house arrest and began paying us visits from time to time.
Sometimes, you may even wonder if some of the houses in the neighborhood were inhabited. However, the one facing us, also known as the noisy neighbors, they had their eyes always on us.
Those guys, you can't step out of our house without being watched by them. Sometimes I used to wonder if they had a deal with the police or were hired to keep track of our whereabouts and activities.
Why would Aunt Vicky ask me to stay with any of them? Why not just call me to wherever they were? I wondered, annoyed. And when I looked back, I saw one of our neighbors staring at me. She had that look on her face that made me wondered if she knew what was going on.
Since I had no place to stay for the meantime, and it wasn't as I had any place to go, I decided to smile at and see if she could warmly welcome me or invite me to her house. "Hi" I inaudibly said while waving at her.
She also waved at me, smiling lightly. Thus, she gestured to me to come over. That was great, she understood the situation. I needed a place to stay, before the owners of the house returned. I mean, Aunt Vicky and Jessica.
While walking over to our neighbor's house, I looked around to see if I was being watched by other people. Fortunately for me, no one was watching. At least not yet, or as far as I could tell. And when I arrived at the doorstep of the woman, she smiled and asked how I was.
"Fine, ma" I responded in a respectful manner, "how about you?" I asked.
"Same here" she huffed, "Mind coming in for a drink?" she wrinkled a brow at me.
"Sure" I blurted out.
"Good!" she said and then ushered me into her house.
The interior of the house was amazing, I never thought it would be that amazing the fact that the exterior looked old. She even had a sixty five inches smart television mounted on the wall, and some electronics that you would never imagine a middle aged woman like her would mind keeping in her house.
"Those," she gestured towards the electronics the moment she realized I was staring at them, "belongs to my daughter, Emily. She's into electronics, you know, and her dad used to get her things. Different kinds of gadgets" she explained.
"Wow, that's great" I commented, "He must be a good father"
"And a good husband," she added with a smile, "he's also a good citizen. I met him when he was working at the Vinewood Institute for Medical Research, also known as VMR. I was a student then, doing my intern while he was a surgeon. It was love at first" she said and then told me to have seat, "Sit please while I get you something to quench your thirst with, do you like soda?"
"Water will do" I muttered.
"Alright, water it is" she said as she headed to the kitchen, which of course wasn't far from the sitting room, "So, tell me more about you," her voiced echoed from the kitchen, "are you Victoria's first daughter?" she asked.
"Aunt Vicky?" I was puzzled, I didn't expect such question from her. Does that mean she didn't even know who exactly I was, or she just wanted to confirm if what she heard about me? I wondered. "No, of course not. Aunt Vicky is... my Aunt, she's my mom's younger sister"
"Oh, wow, that's great. I never heard all that, I thought you were her daughter. I thought you came to live with her too" she said.
"No, she's not my mom. And her daughter, Jessica, is my cousin not my sister" I explained further to her.
"Nice, now I understand" she said as she brought a glass of water for me, "here is your water, it's chilled though"
"It's okay, I like cold water. Thank you" I took a sip and then dropped the glass on the table facing me. "You read medicine, right? Which university?" I curiously asked.
"Yes, St. Louis College. And presently, I work as a doctor in our Specialist Hospital here in Cornfield. I am one of the senior doctors there" she said, I was so overwhelmed by her explanation.
"Wow, I've never been there. I mean, the hospital" I uttered.
"Well, unless you are sick or wants to see someone, you have no business there right?" she wrinkled a brow at me and I nodded in acknowledgement, "So, tell me about your school. I used to see you going out every morning lately"
"School? No, it's not school. I... I got a job recently, that's where I am going to" I responded.
"Oh, nice. and the guy I used to see you with, who's he? I mean, the tall handsome man that used to pay you visit" she uttered, and at that moment I realized all she wanted to know was everything about me. What a nosy neighbor!
