Detective Robert Goren exited the precinct and went towards the local coffee shop nearby. He wasn't a stickler for brands, but a good cup of coffee should be deserved once in a while. The air was warm for an October afternoon, and he decided not to wear a heavy coat.
Once at the coffee shop, he waited in line where the people were being served. He skimmed his eyes over the crowd, as he found it was always useful to get an eyeful of ones surroundings instead of keeping to ones self. From there, he spotted a woman sipping some hot chocolate at a table at the other end of the room. What made her more interesting was that she was looking at him out of the corner of her eye.
He was never one to take a hint, so once he got his coffee he went to the table opposite hers. Her back went stiff and he knew that she had been viewing him since he came in the shop.
"I would say that you caught my eye, but I think I caught your eye." Turning to her he suddenly felt a little more nervous. She was even nicer looking close up. She had red hair and pale skin.
The woman coughed on her hot chocolate. "Um, excuse me?"
"I saw you looking at me while I was ordering my coffee." he replied softly.
"Oh! I didn't know I was staring. Sorry." she replied, embarrassed.
"No, it's okay." Bobby said. "I was just wondering why."
A pause happened. Goran knew that on most introductions he had with women, the conversation ended at this point. This pause was usually indicative of the beginning of the end.
"Well, to be honest, I thought you where my blind date."
This was unexpected, but not an exit. How to respond? Robert took some time to find the words to gracefully tell her that he wasn't her blind date, but the words, "I wish." came out instead.
A soft chuckle came from her. "Well, I'm sure you would have made a great blind date."
It was the Detective's turn to sit up.
"Um, thank you."
She sighed. He couldn't read into that one. "But since you're not, my suspicions are confirmed that my blind date never intended to show up. I've been here over an hour, and I've got to go." She put on her coat and hat and stood up to leave.
"Wait." he said. She sat back down.
"If say you were to go on a blind date, but you met another man, would you consider a second date?"
Her jaw slightly kind of dropped. He liked that look only in some cases. And this case was one of them. She quickly tilted her head with a smile. "I think I could warrant that."
He smiled. "Great."
She went into her purse. "I have to run, but here's my card. My name's Beatrice. And you are?"
Taking her card, he said, "Robert. Robert Goren."
"Call me at seven. I'll still be in the office."
"Okay."
She walked out of the coffee shop with her head held high. Bobby tried to hide his smile.
Once back in the precinct, Bobby went straight to his desk. They had just finished the Muller case, two drag queens murdered in Alphabet City by a playboy living in the Upper West Side. The confession happened just two hours ago after an intense meeting with the convicts now ex-girlfriend.
Paperwork. Meticulous as it was, he never enjoyed it, but it had to be done. But today, it seemed less of a burden with the recent events at the coffee shop.
Opposite him was Detective Alexandra Eames. She was tired from having been up since 4:30 questioning the playboy and his girlfriend for three hours. She was tired and ready to go home, but the paperwork still had to be done. She yawned and looked at her partner.
Something was different. She didn't know what yet. That was okay. Time would tell all as long as she was patient with him. She continued with her work.
The time passed as the pens flew across the many papers on the desk. Nothing out of the ordinary.
The ventilation system turned on, as it did every fifteen minutes, and Alexandra noted a strange pitch was coming from it.
"Do you hear that?"
Detective Goren looked up and the pitch stopped.
"Huh?"
"Oh, nothing. I thought I heard something but I guess I didn't." She looked back at her desk.
The sound slowly came back after three minutes. She continued listening, but didn't comment on it. The pitch changed here and there, and after getting used to it, she noticed that it resembled a tune of a song. She looked at her partner from the tip of her glasses. His mouth was closed, he looked deep in concentration. She decided to play it out.
The ventilators stopped humming, but Bobby didn't.
"Okay Bobby, what's up?" she said still looking at her almost done paperwork.
"I'm finishing up my paperwork then I'm going to go home to watch the news, make some phone calls and read some of my emails." He didn't lift his head either.
"Okay. I'll be going to watch my nephew and play some pool with my sister if the baby sitter is available." Her voice was calm, but it was still conveyed that she knew that something was up.
Ten minutes later they both wrapped up and were putting on their coats.
"I'll see you tomorrow." Eames said. "Just remember, the Captain wants to speak to both of us tomorrow about the Jenkins case about the extra evidence that was found in the van."
"Okay." He made a face and looked at Alexandra. "Does the blue tie I have look too flashy?"
It was Eames turn to make a face. That was an unusual question! "Uh, no, it looks fine."
"Okay. See ya." And Detective Robert Goran was out the door, leaving an even more confused partner standing there.
Closing the door to his apartment, Robert was finding himself to be nervous. He looked around his apartment. It was a one bedroom, and it suited him. Things where nice, but not too fancy. You could tell a bachelor lived there. A few white shirts hung on a chair and a few outdated papers on the coffee table. The main colors were brown, and more brown.
He wasn't completely depressed about it, so no changes were made. He used to like making a home feel like a home, but, since his family life had gone down a couple notches, some things didn't seem important anymore.
He went to the fridge and got a beer. It was something that the fridge always had, that and takeout. He knew how to cook, it was just easier that way.
He put the beer on the coffee table and went into his room to change into more comfortable clothes. Once the shirt and jeans were on, he sat down onto the leather chair and turned the television on. The news displayed nothing but the usual stories that he already knew about, either from hearing about them at the precinct or from the papers. He didn't pay much attention to it, but was thinking more about the coffee shop and Beatrice.
She was intriguing. He couldn't match an encounter quite like this. It was a successful one so far, but then the stab of past relationships got to him. He would have to know how to play his cards with this one. He knew that he wasn't getting any younger.
He took out the business card that Beatrice gave him; it already showed wear from his wallet.
Green Index
Beatrice Mercury
10111 S7th Street, NY, NY
"When the Green Thumb needs an Index"
So she was into plants. Interesting. He guessed that flowers where out of the question.
Looking at the clock, he found that time was passing slowly. The fact that he hadn't touched his beer yet may have had something to do with it. He opened it and took a sip. It was six o'clock. He flipped the channel to a local station. A murder mystery series, solved by Chicago cops. He smiled. If only a crime could be solved in an hour.
By the time he had figured out the culprit, it was six fifteen. Don't they have anything new besides ex-boyfriend killing the cheating wife? He had enough of it and decided to go online to check out Beatrice's site.
Logging onto his web browser, he took a sip of the beer that was almost done.
The site was nice and green, and well presented. The green was the only thing that he expected to see. Splayed on the screen was a pentacle covered in ivy.
That I didn't catch.
Bobby went to the fridge for another beer. He knew that he'd need it to take all this information in.
Going through the website, he learned that her business sold herbs and incense and other items that where considered spiritual to some. The web site was positive in its presentation, and promoted good health for its customers. There were some Reiki mentions and meditation subjects, with several mentions of a god and goddess.
Everyone has their own beliefs.
Looking at the time, he saw that it was now seven ten.
Going to the phone, he looked at the card again.
No number.
That was strange.
He went back to the website. Thankfully the company phone number was listed, so he made the call.
"Green Index, this is Tricia, how may I help you?"
"Uh, this is Robert Goran. Is Beatrice there?"
"Beattie? Oh yeah, sure, she's in her office, I'll forward the call."
A couple of rings later, then, "Hello, this is Beatrice Mercury, how may I help you?"
"Hi, this is Robert, Robert Goren. We spoke at the coffee shop."
"Oh yes! Hi Robert. How are you?"
"Fine, thanks. And you?"
"I'm doing well, I was swamped with paperwork from a new shipment of herbs, but when I'm on a mission to get things done, they get done before closing time."
"Good. I checked out your website, so I'm guessing they're probably medicinal?"
A laugh came from the other end of the line.
"Something like that. There more for purification, but sometimes they are used for medicine by the Algonquin tribe."
A smile splayed on Bobby's face. This girl knew her herbs. He started wondering what else she knew.
"I'm wondering if we could meet up for a coffee sometime." she continued. "I know this really nice place where I went on a blind date and met a real cute guy. Would you be interested?"
"Only if that cute guy was me." Cocky for him, but it was a safe zone.
"Well, I do believe that you've got me there." Beatrice replied. "Say, eleven, tomorrow? My lunch hour is then and it's not too far from my shop."
"That sounds great. I'll see you then."
"Have a good one, and wear something blue. It looks great on you."
"...Okay…"
The phone conversation over, but the receiver still in his hands, Goran thought about the last comment for a second.
Psychic? Nah... And he hung up the phone.
The morning came quickly. Robert woke up with a start at the sound of the alarm. Wincing he turned it off. He hadn't slept that soundly in a while. Getting ready for work was routine, except the extra touch of the blue tie.
At the precinct he met Eames. She looked tired.
"Babysitter didn't show?"
"Nope," replied Alex. "She was on a date with her girlfriend."
"Well, sometimes couples can't be separated." Goran said back silently. That got a look from Eames. When did he ever advocate for the opposing side?
"I'll grab us coffee and then we'll meet up at the Captains office."
"Okay."
Once at Captain James Deakins office, both detectives waited while Deakins was on the phone.
"Nice tie." Alex said.
"Thanks."
"Is something good happening today?"
"Maybe" Bobby said as he took a sip of his coffee. Still being cryptic... Eames was patient, though; she knew it would come out soon enough.
The Captain waved his hand forward for the detectives to enter.
"Detective Eames, Detective Goran, I called you here for a very special case." He put his hands together and looked at his feet. "The chain of events might sound a little archaic, but here they are as is: it seems that there is a witch hunt going on in New York City."
Detective Eames stammered "Wha..?"
"I know. We're not living in the dark ages anymore, but it's widely known that Pagan faiths are still under pressure by the extreme religious groups and certain politicians who are God Almighty serving."
"What can you give us?" Bobby asked.
"From what it looks like, we have an extremist or a fanatic running these murders. I have two crime scenes I want you to have a look at. There's one place which is in the Bronx, it seems to be a coven of witches who were all murdered, don't ask me exactly what a coven is... And another group also killed- this one at a Pagan meet up at a coffee shop not too far from here."
Robert's eyes went wide, but he didn't say anything.
"Any idea what killed them?" Eames asked.
"All poisoned." was the Captain's reply.
"Well," Eames said, "This'll be one Halloween with fewer broomsticks."
So far so good! Wish I owned the regulars but so far only Beatrice Mercury is from my own mind. More coming soon, as long as the job doesn't tax me too much. ( ;