Evie slumped down in her chair, staring at her computer screen. She couldn't figure out what was off with her design, yet it needed something more.
She had been like this for nearly four hours; sketching something in her book, grabbing a cup of coffee, or sometimes editing her design.
As a graphic designer in Brooklyn, Evie's days would usually go like this. She'd come into the studio in the mornings, and pick up a new assignment. Evie would work on that assignment until it was almost done. Then she would stall it and usually end up finishing the piece the night before the deadline.
Evie prided herself on her time management. She had discovered this underrated talent in high school, when she found that she was able to complete projects the night before and still manage to get a decent grade.
As Evie sipped her second cup of coffee that morning, she picked up a pen with her right hand and twirled it. She glanced over to the work table besides her and spotted her coworker, Alex, squinting at his screen in concentration.
Evie was about to upload a lightly tinted blue onto her computer to add to her design, when the door to the spacey office that Alex, Evie, and Farah, their other coworker, shared. Evie glanced up, expecting the Creative Works Director, because that was who usually came into the office once in a while throughout the week.
What she saw was not quite what she was expecting. Three cops, wearing NYPD vests walked into the office cautiously. Evie noted that they were fully armed and meekly put her hands up.
"Um, hi? Are you looking for someone? Because we're not really housing criminals here?"
One of the detectives let out a short and low sound that Evie deciphered as a laugh.
"We're with the NYPD," the detective said, brushing a dark curl of hair out of her face. Evie made a face.
"No, I really couldn't guess that by looking at your clothes," she muttered sarcastically, hands still raised.
The female detective cracked a smile, but it hardened . "We're here to search this office. A hella amount of cocaine and meth was discovered in one of the adjacent offices, and we're checking all of the rest to make sure no one else is stoned."
"Okay. Fine." Evie got out of her chair, and stepped aside. Farah and Alex followed her lead, standing awkwardly to the side of their desks.
"Boyle, Peralta. Take one desk each. I'll search this one," the detective strode over to Evie's desk.
"I didn't catch your name, Officer," Evie stated.
"Maybe because I didn't tell you," the detective turned to look at her. "Detective Diaz. Rosa Diaz."
"Oh, well it's nice to meet you then, Detective Rosa Diaz," Evie watched as Rosa opened a drawer full of art supplies. Rosa rummaged through the drawer a little bit, even going as far as to uncap a few markers and tentatively sniff them.
"They aren't laced with cocaine," Evie offered, earning a glare from the detective.
Rosa pulled open another drawer, revealing stacks of books and papers. At the top was a photograph. Rosa held it up for Evie to see.
"This your boyfriend? He's okay-looking for a man, I suppose."
"No," Evie said, heat rising to her face. "That's my brother. I don't have a boyfriend. I don't want one, either."
Rosa dropped the picture back into the drawer without comment. Evie mentally cursed herself, and proceeded to watch as Rosa went through more of her things.
Rosa picked up Evie's sketchbook. "What's this?" She asked, flipping it open.
"My sketchbook," Evie said shortly, as she was afraid to say more than she needed to say. Rosa looked through the sketches with one eyebrow raised.
"They're good," she commented gruffly after flipping to a blank page. She gingerly set the book down on Evie's desk.
"Thanks," Evie said quietly. "Are you done searching my desk? I don't have any drugs."
"One more thing," Rosa said. She pulled the lid off of Evie's coffee cup and peered at the brown liquid.
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me. That's caffeine. It's a legal drug." Evie huffed. Rosa capped her coffee again, and faced Evie again.
"I lied. I have one more thing to do to make sure you're clean."
"What're you gonna do now? Look for hairspray? White out?"
Rosa frowned. "No, I have to search your person. You know, to make sure you don't have marijuana or something in your back pocket. Will you please empty your pockets out?"
Evie rolled her eyes before pulling out her car keys. She threw them onto the desk, and then pulled her phone out, along with some change, a chapstick, a pad of sticky notes, earbuds, an eraser, and another chapstick. Rosa gaped at the items the Evie placed on her desk.
"How are your pockets so-"
"Hold on, I still have something," Evie muttered, and pulled a small canister of pepper spray off her person and carefully sent it on the desk without touching the trigger.
"Okay, I'm just going to pat you down. Nothing awkward about that," Rosa said, and proceeded to do exactly what she had said.
"Yeah, nothing awkward about that," Evie agreed.
"I think you're clear. Also, nice design," Rosa complimented the design that was still open on Evie's computer.
"My name's Evie," Evie stammered stupidly.
"Wow, Rosa, getting around with the ladies!" A brown-haired detective popped up behind them.
"Shut up, Peralta," Rosa muttered, staring him down.
"All right, all right! Do you have her number yet?"
Rosa bit her lip. "I'm going to leave now," she said, pulling Detective Peralta by the arm. Evie watched her walk away, a tinge of an emotion that she couldn't identify at the back of her throat.
Evie moved her hand towards the items on her desk, and clipped the pepper spray back onto her belt. She stuffed everything back into the pockets of her overlarge hoodie but hesitated as black ink on pale yellow caught her eye.
Evie turned the sticky notes over in her hand and found herself looking at a phone number. A smile crept onto her face, and Evie dropped back into her chair and downed all of her coffee.
Oh, it's gonna be a wild ride.