-1Thumbing My Way
He'd never wanted to be in this position. Never wanted to be the senior detective. Never wanted to be responsible, never wanted to be in charge. The Main Man.
Least of all to a rookie.
He'd always been happy to back up the veteran. First Lennie, then Dennis. Both gone. Dennis had retired, tired of the job, tired of the evils he saw. And Lennie….just gone.
Christ, he missed Lennie.
Lennie would have known what to say to her. Been able to tell her how to get through all the shit that was flying around her, the shootings, her score on the detective exam, Van Buren's reluctance. Lennie would have just smiled at her, walked her through the first case, showed her the ropes. He'd done it so many times he could do it in his sleep.
How the fuck was he supposed to teach her?
He'd heard horror stories about this type of partnership. Some of them worked. Some of them didn't. Some of them….the fallout screwed both of their careers.
He couldn't let that happen. Not just for his sake, but for hers. He'd enough years on the job, enough favours stored up. He would be able to dodge most of the flack. She was a rookie. That sort of shit would cling to her for the rest of her career.
Lennie would never allow that to happen.
He sighed heavily, spinning a silver dollar across his knuckles, his eyes tracking its progress against his dark skin.
Van Buren was going to look to him now. At least until the rookie found her feet. More pressure on his shoulders, pressure that he wasn't used to carrying. The same sort of pressure that Lennie and Dennis had carried for years.
Van Buren was expecting him to step up now. Take Lennie's position, the go to guy of the 27th.
His palms itched as he flicked the coin into the air, watching it until it fell into the palm of his hand, cool against his flesh. He'd bet that they'd spend the first couple of days butting heads, just until they got onto the same page.
Building a partnership was a waiting game. Figuring each other out, figuring out how things worked, even simple things like interrogations, things he took for granted with Lennie…
It all took time.
He started the coin spinning again, travelling across his knuckles, keeping pace with his thoughts.
He had heard all the stories about her. He'd even done a little digging off his own, keen to see what Dennis' replacement would be like.
She was smart, beautiful, cold, even a little arrogant. Kid had good instincts.
She'd make a fine homicide detective.
If she was given time to learn. If she was willing to learn.
His pager went off and he reached over to lift it from the table, not interrupting the coin's flight across his hand. He studied the details and nodded, flicking the coin high into the air, catching it as it fell.
He stood up, tucking the coin into his pocket, attaching his pager to his belt, straightening his tie.
He'd give her as much time as she needed to learn the job.
He wasn't the junior partner anymore.
He was Ed Green, Senior Detective of the 27th Squad.
The End of Thumbing My Way.