Better
by Disherona
Lieutenant Randy Disher was already in a foul mood when he pulled into the driveway of the Babcock's opulent home. He had spent almost an hour in a stuffy car, with a broken air conditioner in rush hour traffic with Mrs. Ling, a small vocal Asian woman who owned a dry cleaning business in San Francisco, and who was an expert witness in a multiple murder case.
When Randy went into the shop and asked her about doing business with Mr. Babcock, she seemed very willing to talk to the police. When he told her that she was going to be an expert in a case that Adrian Monk had been working on Mrs. Ling went on a rant about Mister Monk, complaining about his business, his sanity and what a terrible customer he was, until the Lieutenant almost couldn't take it any more.
So when he opened the door to his Ford Crown Vic, he felt refreshed by the rush of fresh air, until he saw Sharona Fleming leaning up against her beater Volvo. Her arms crossed, and she muttering curses under her breath. Her cheeks were flush with anger as she vented; "Who does he think he is." "Son of a bitch." "Nobody talks to me like that." and so on.
Randy could imagine what she was upset about. He didn't miss much when it came to Monk's assistant, not that he intended to be so observant - he couldn't help it. She had gotten under his skin. He knew her track record with men, and noticed certain patterns in that area. Also, as the Captain said, Kenny Shale was a weasel. It was only a matter of time before Sharona would pick up on his weaselhood.
After the questioning, and the arrest, he found her still outside. Mrs. Ling had been long gone, picked up by her son, and she was still there, venting her anger at the Captain's car about that jerk. He listened to her for a moment, his head beginning to pound with the combination of Mrs. Lings droning opinions, the heat of the day and the sun in his eyes. The thought he was beginning to feel a migraine coming on.
Sharona turned and placed both her hands on the hood of the car as the group went into the house to talk the the murderous couple. She repeatedly kicked the tire with the toe of her shoes, "Damn it. Damn it! Damn it….GOD DAMN IT!"
Before getting into his own car, Randy stopped next to her and leaned in, conspiratorially. He opened his mouth to say something , but paused, as if to consider the merit of his input. After a few moments of considering the previous couple of days; Sharona's insults, put downs and her veiled threat to report his disrespectful remarks to her boyfriend, the Deputy Mayor, he said. "He's a jerk. you know." Randy said, softly. "You can do a lot better."
Sharona looked at him, incredulous as Randy walked away without another word.
The End
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