She stood in the middle of the expensively furnished office space, staring off into conference room next door but not actually focussing on what was going on in there. She couldn't if she wanted to. She took of her glasses and rubbed her eyes. This case was beginning to take its toll on her, or was it the lack of sleep. She couldn't tell anymore, but she could tell that she had a migraine coming and things were going to get worse before they got better.
Upon hearing a light knock on the door she span on the heels of her Monolo's to see a familiar face at the door. The young man at the door stood mountain of bags that smelt to her like dinner, or was it tea, she didn't even know what time it was but the rumbling sound from her stomach told her she would be stupid to turn away whatever was making that beautiful smell. As the bags had been carried across the room outside the office the smell had attracted a following of people who now stood behind the young man. She nodded politely and gave a small smile before waving him off to the break room.
She walked slowly behind her large wooden desk, collecting her phone and coffee mug, her eyes returning to their previous occupation of watching what was going on in the conference room. Food would wait until they were finished in there. She eased herself into the sleek leather office chair that sat behind the desk. It felt so good to take some pressure off her feet. She was used to the long days and the heels however this case had worn them all down more than usual and every part of her ached, but in particular her feet.
No more than five minutes later the young woman who had been brought in was escorted out by a uniformed officer leaving both of the members of her team in the conference room alone, and neither was looking particularly happy. She heaved her aching body out of the chair, took a deep breath to regain her normal composure and glided out of the office as though her body wasn't causing her any issues at all. She stopped outside the conference room door and shooed both of the men out in to the corridor, then followed them down the quiet hallway to the break room where the rest of the group had gathered.
"This kid is a star. And he can cook." Came one voice as she entered the room smiling at the young man dishing out food.
"Someone put some coffee on, we're gonna need it." Came another voice.
She smiled to herself and walked over to the young man who was already plating up some of the delicious smelling food for the last three members of the team. As she stopped by his side she rested a weary hand on his shoulder and gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze to show her thanks. While she waited, her bright green eyes darted around the room checking on the state of the team. It wasn't a comforting sight. As she returned her attention to the glorious smell in the room and the young man next to her she was handed a clean cup filled to the brim with hot, black coffee and a plate of homemade lasagne. It wouldn't have been her first choice however it was food. It was hot, fresh food which had been made for her team who probably hadn't eaten since yesterday and when they had eaten it was take away.
She smiled as she took the plate and cup and chose a seat at a table with one of her team. As she sat down he looked up at her and met her eyes. Neither of them spoke. He returned to eating and his cup of coffee and she began the mammoth task of eating her plateful. It was more than she would have normally have eaten however she wasn't going to complain, who knew when they would have a proper meal next. The whole room was silent apart from the sounds of eating and slurping coffee with the occasional tap tap tap of people texting or emailing on their phones or the sound of someone yawning.
As she neared the end of her meal her hip started to vibrate. Slender fingers reached into her pocket for the iPhone which she has earlier turned to silent so she could have just ten minutes peace and quiet. An email had come through and by the looks of things everyone else had got the same one. She opened the email and skimmed through the infuriating contents. She slammed her fists on table and pushed her chair back in one swift movement. The rest of the team nor the young man who was now clearing plates needed to know what was on that email, only that it wasn't good and their boss was now on the warpath.
Without a word she stormed out of the break room adjusting her royal blue fitted blazer as she went. She marched down the long hallway, straight past the secretary at the door and threw the door to the last office in the corridor open with such force that the occupants of the office jumped out of their chairs.
"Aaaah! Captain. I see you got the email I sent your division." Chief Taylor had expected nothing less from her than what was happening now. If looks could kill her stunning green eyes would have frozen him on the spot the second she flung the door open.
"Three days. Three days my team have been looking for this little boy. Three days. Now you want us to hand it over to the FBI. Now all the leg work has been done. Not a chance."
"Well, I'm sorry you feel that way Captain but the FBI have jurisdiction now and our priority has to be finding that little boy."
She knew it was pointless to argue with him, because he was right. They had avoided handing over to the FBI in the beginning on a technicality. Being the woman she was and playing by the rules, she would have to concede.
"The FBI liaison is on the way up, I'll have them report to you for collection of all case files as soon as they arrive." Stated the ex-FBI officer, who stood next to the Chief, coldly.
She turned once again on her designer shoes and stormed down the hallway straight through the murder room and into her office slamming the door with such a force that the internal walls of the room shook. She stopped at her desk and leant forward with her palms pressing down into the hard wood top of the desk. She hated to lose. She hated not being able to solve cases. What she hated more was the fact that they would waste time handing the case over to the FBI when they could be out there finding that little boy and returning him home where he belonged.
Even she was becoming bored by the rules. Playing by the rules wasn't getting her anywhere, in the office, at home.
She'd had enough.