Jamie
I was almost winning this round. Almost. Boxing was a good diversion after all those hours driving around in the car. I knew that being a cop would be hard in more than one ways, but I never thought of how wearying it can be to sit in a car for three hours, just circling around the outer streets and check the rich one's gardens. Though most of the times Renzulli manages to avoid those round, he can't do it always. So last week we stuck to our car most of the time, and having to write my report and stuff which still takes me far too long, I keep sitting for more than ten hours each day. That's worse than Harvard!
Still, when Renzulli called me in that morning, I was relieved. As I said, I was almost winning.

"C'mon, Harvard! Time to make yourself useful!"

As we got out of the car, Renzulli shook his head. "You know something? This is not gonna make it to the evening news!"
I was confused. "How do you…"
"We got calls like that every day. Sometimes it's old people who just want someone to talk to, sometimes it's crazy people, hey, it's New York!" He laughed, and my confusion grew. It's not likely for the searge to make fun of victims. Of Danny, yes, of taxi drivers even more and of me the most – but never before had I heard him speak like that about someone who called us. "Do you know her, searge?"
"Unfortunately, I do." Renzulli sighed. "Her name's Melissa Samuels, poor old rich girl. Last year we got called here for nothing. I mean she's a nice girl but she's a bit… you know…" He rolled his eyes and I quickly nodded. I didn't want him to say it out loud on the street, that wouldn't help nobody. Renzulli grinned. "She said someone was in her apartment, moving around things… we never found anything. So…"
I knew where he was leading to. "Seems like she's nuts", I offered quietly, and he laughed. "Maybe she is, maybe she's not. We'll see."
As he knocked at the door I knew from his face that he had his mind settled already.

Melissa
So much for I'm gonna through this alone.
I called the police, for the third time in my life, actually. Though I know that the first time doesn't count – I was only four then, and I had lost my mom in the mall, and since I was too afraid of asking one of the shopkeepers to help me, I went outside to a phone booth and called 911. That was what my older brother Jake kept telling me to do in such cases.
I don't remember the police officer's name – or whatever he was exactly – but I'll never forget his face. He had a very kind smile, and I remember thinking that surely he had kids himself. He lifted me up and carried me back to the mall where he called through all the shops so mom and Jake would know where I was, and then he stayed with me.
But that was a lifetime ago. By now, my parents are dead, and I won't ever be really happy again, not only because of them but also because of the damn medication I can't live without anymore. As I open the door I wish I hadn't called the police, but I know that I can't fight against me home also. It's too much already.

Jamie
As she opens the door, I'm stunned. I don't know what I imagined, but the girl's about my age, and she's quite pretty. Renzulli nods at her politely as she leads us in, obviously uncomfortable when seen on the street.
I know I shouldn't, but I can't help but pity her. Like what does it help you to be beautiful and rich when you are scared to go out of your house? Or rather stay in your house… whatever. We follow her into the living room, and she shows us something that for her is chaos, something about books and spoons that have been moved – I don't see anything wrong or messed up in here.
Halfway I'm starting to take Renzulli's side, but there's something in her eyes that hook me. She doesn't do this to get attention or because she hates being alone. She just called us because she's scared to death, and she trusts us to help her. We owe her to take her serious.
"So besides the books and the spoons, is there anything?" Renzulli has a hard time staying earnest as I ask her – and having him almost laughing doesn't really help me.
I try to focus on her eyes, and I think that now I see a gleam of hope in them.
"It's just a feeling", she says quietly, "like… everything is dirty, though you can't see it." She shakes her head. "Yesterday it was Rachmaninov. Playing when I came home, I mean." Her eyes grow even wider.
Trying to calm her down, I look around and see a camera, but she says it doesn't work. Renzulli sighs and I know that his patience with Melissa's almost at an end. Obviously he doesn't believe her and her feelings.
I try the last thing. "Who's got keys to your apartment?"
"Nobody, I'm alone. Except for my housekeeper who comes twice a week, but she's very protective of me." She's always moving, always keeping the distance between us, as if even though she called us, she's afraid.

Renzulli's heard enough. "Listen, Miss", he says, not unfriendly, "we've got to get out patrolling.
Melissa stops dead. "You don't believe me." It's not even a question anymore.
The searge shrugs. "I have no reason not to believe you."

She backs away, then looks at me as if I was the last straw to clutch at. "He doesn't believe me." I swallow. I want to help her, really, I do – she looks like she's been through hell, and from the resignation in her voice I get it that nobody has listened to her for a long time, but – I can't. I can't right now. I turn around to the bookshelf she mentioned. The photo strikes familiar.

Melissa
They're gonna go. I see it in the older's eyes, they don't believe me. And I can't even blame them cause I wouldn't believe it myself. I look at the younger one, but not for help. I know he can't help me, even though I think he really tried. He seems to care for me – maybe he doesn't believe me, but he wants to help. He wants to understand, and that's all I want, too, but – it won't work. I close my eyes, waiting for them to be gone.

Jamie
"You've been to Harvard?" It's the only thing I can think of to keep us here. She opens her eyes and quickly nods. "Yes. Sixth generation of Samuels to go there."
That's a start. "I was the first in my family", I say.
She seems surprised. "And now you're a cop?"
Oh yeah. That stuff. I wonder what comes next.
"That's pretty cool… noble, actually." Melissa smiles, just a little, but it seems honest and I can't help but smiling, too. I never heard that reaction. And smiling suits her.
Of course, Renzulli can't resist. Smiling mischievously, he says something about not trying to intervene with Harvard rituals and goes out, leaving the two of us alone. From the deep red that just coated her cheeks I know that she got the hint. I try to smile it off and look away but she holds my glance, and I somehow know that if I look away before she does, she'll never trust me again. So I keep smiling.

Melissa
He believes me. That's the only thing I can think of. Yes I got the hint of the other officer, but it doesn't matter anymore. It doesn't matter what he thinks about me. The young man right before me believes me, that's the only thing that matters.
He's still smiling at me, looking at me and I smile, too. I don't dare to look away from him because in his eyes the world seems almost safe. Just for that moment, of course.
So I keep smiling.