Captain Ross New Secretary

Speaking of Irritants

Chapter 2

Karla West was already at work when Captain Ross came in the next day. She had been given an office next to his with a large table and a locking door. He could look through the glass and see her working whenever he needed to. She had piles of papers spread all over the table and it looked like she was using additional chairs as well. She had an armload that she was separating. Her concentration was obvious. He almost wished that she'd acknowledge that he saw her. Her attitude the day before rankled him. He didn't intend to let it continue.

He had been there for half an hour and she'd yet to look his way. He went over and tapped on the glass. She jumped, dropping an entire armload of papers. She whirled around as though she had every intention of chewing someone out, saw him and smiled. She nodded at his preemptory summoning gesture, gave a disgusted look at the mess at her feet and left the room.

She appeared at his office door with, of all things, two cups of coffee and a small sack. "Good morning, sir. You wanted to see me?"

"Yes, please come in and close the door."

She handed him one of the cups, as her hands were full, and did as he asked. He extended the cup back to her. "Oh, that's yours. I was told you like it with three sugars and black. It's, uh, my way of apologizing for yesterday."

"Really?!" he was surprised.

"Yeah, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be difficult. I do realize that this is your house and I'm just a guest here. I was out of line. In my own defense I was told you are a hard ass and I needed to get your respect right away. And I have authority issues." She admitted with an embarrassed look. "I may have gone about it in the wrong way, but I really, truly never have learned to answer strictly to my last name. I'll do my best to restrain myself."

"You don't seem to be big on restraint, West." He informed her sternly.

She should never play poker, her face gave her flash of temper away. But all she said was "Point taken, Captain."

He gestured to the bag in her hand. "Am I keeping you from your breakfast?"

She handed him the bag. "No. These are for you, to go with your coffee. Unless, of course, you don't want them. I'll understand."

"Are you trying to bribe me?"

"Not unless it's working." Horrified, Karla immediately clapped a hand over her mouth. "Oh, I didn't just say that, did I? Damn it! I was just thinking it, honestly."

Her distress appeared real. He wasn't sure how to take it. "Did you by any chance put chocolate laced with Ex-lax in here?" he asked cautiously.

"Absolutely not!" her anger was real and vivid. "I don't mess around with things like that! Medicine is a serious business, even over the counter ones. I would hope to be thought smarter than that."

"Relax, West, I was just asking."

"Ah, I deserved that, huh? Very well, I'll shut up before I bite my own foot off. Was there something you needed specifically, sir?"

Just like that she'd slammed up a mental wall that he felt he could bounce a ball off. "I think we've covered the topic I wanted to cover. I need you to not…" he gestured toward the squad room.

"Challenge your authority? I understand, Captain. I will watch myself. Is there anything else, sir?"

He had the impression that she was offended. He knew he had every right to be suspicious of her, yet he hadn't intended to offend her. She was all over the map emotionally. He thought it might be a good idea to keep an eye on her until she left. And that couldn't be too soon. "No, West,…Karla, thank you."

"Do you want me to get rid of those for you, Captain?" Karla gestured toward the sack.

"No, I think I'll eat them. If you were nice enough to bring them."

"I also put some in the breakroom for everyone if you're still not sure that they aren't poisoned. I'll get back to work then. Good day."

Damn if she didn't make him feel like a heel. Had he come out the loser again? He scowled at the door. Karen went right back to her office and picked up the papers she'd dropped when he'd startled her. She never looked over at him, though he watched.

If he hadn't been so preoccupied, he might've seen her wipe her eyes several times. She'd tried to apologize and it had fallen apart. Well, she'd not do that again.

Ross forgot about the woman working unrelentingly in the next office and tended to his job. Except when he left his office he'd come back and find that another large chunk of the offending papers had been removed from his office into a growing stack in the other office. Never once did West talk to him, or interrupt him. He appreciated her work ethic and her efficiency, but he couldn't get the idea out of his head that she was avoiding contact with him.

He didn't leave his office for several hours, just to see what she would do when she ran out of papers to sort. She kept glancing over her shoulder to see if he was still there. He figured she'd break down and come in for more papers whether or not he was there. She didn't. Stubborn, damned woman! Fine, let her stew.

He went out to the squad room to talk to the officers there. He saw her go into his office. He made excuses to go back into his office. He expected her to stop walking back and forth carrying piles of files. She didn't she just kept working. He might as well not even been there. She walked back and forth with armloads. He got tired of being ignored and went to help her.

"Thank you." She said accepting the piles he brought. She wouldn't meet his eyes.

"Look, I'm sorry if I offended you this morning. It wasn't my intention." He told her.

She looked at him and he was surprised to see tears in her eyes. "I would never deliberately hurt you or anyone else. I would've thought you'd at least know that just by the fact that I'm here, with my security clearance, and the fact that it's illegal."

He was outright amazed by the tears and the reason for them. "You assigned too much importance to what happened. I know you wouldn't have poisoned me. Just let's get past this and go on from here. You're doing a good job with this. How are you sorting this?"

"Each form has its pile then I'll need to sort each pile. It's not hard, just time consuming."

"What criteria are you going to be using to sort each form?"

"Some will be sorted by name, some by date and some by case #. It depends on the form. It'll be cross referenced. I'll make sure you have a cheat sheet before I go in case you get busy and need something in a hurry before the system is completely familiar to you."

"How many of these have you set up?"

"This is the 17th. It all follows a pattern that will become apparent when it's all done and on paper. Actually, you are probably one of the ones who get the most use out of this system, because you will be able to fit it into your record keeping system. It's a great way to retrieve information in a hurry. Things that haven't gone into a computer yet."

"Why can't we get it out of the computer?"

"That's just it. It's not in the system yet. It will eventually. As all of this is entered onto the computers these sheets will be replaced with new information. It's a rotating system. With any kind of luck these piles will diminish as the information fills up and they run out of new ways to kill people. The computer system should start catching redundancies in the input phase. It will also log abuses from person to person in the same way."

"That's going to be a long list. And this is all in these forms?"

"These are the basis for that. It's a compilation of old files. The next phase is the use of the final paperwork on current cases to enter into the files. The final phase will be to add the form for the officers involved in the actual cases to fill in as part of their wrap up."

"That's what this is all about?"

"It is. At best, it's incomplete. These are things that were filled out from what older cops remembered, what is in the files and what could be gleaned from faded files. I think too much that has gone into these files is incorrect or time has corrupted the memories. The hope is that this system will spread throughout the country so everything will be available to all enforcement agencies. That's the grand vision."

"You sound skeptical."

Karla frowned. "It's not my job to second guess my bosses. Let's just say that I think it's putting too much of a paperwork burden on the people who should be allowed to do their job on the street not someone else's fact gathering. Maybe somebody's favorite relative had too much time on their hands."

"You sound like a cop."

"I told you that I can carry a gun and you sound like a detective."

"I am a detective. Captain, remember?" he showed her his badge.

"Seems to me I heard that rumor." Karla smiled shyly. "I need to get back to work or the Captain here will have my head, sir."

"I hear he's tough, but he tries to be fair. I'll put a good word in for you."

"You are a prince among men." Karla laughed.

"Get to work." The captain mock growled and left her to her job.

TBC