I came across this phrase only recently and I've no idea how common it is, maybe I've even completely misused it in this particular context. But the letter 'I' was a great opportunity for me to play with it so this piece is really silly, but please indulge me? Maybe you get a laugh out of it, too!
Do educate me if I was way off target!
Set in between seasons 4 and 5.
In Like Flynn
"Fine, Captain," Assistant Chief Taylor sighed, "but tread lightly," he added, already heading out of the murder room.
"Yes, Chief," Sharon nodded at his back and looked heavenward in annoyed disbelief before turning back to face her team.
The team had been gathered around their Captain, enjoying the show. They had a high profile case on their hands and the Chief was breathing down their necks, expecting them to both conduct their investigation as fast and accurate as possible and to walk on eggshells. The Captain, naturally, wouldn't have it, especially since the Chief's oh so very important person seemed to be the culprit they were looking for. Actually, she would walk on eggshells, she often did anyway, but not at the expense of putting the right person behind bars. So when Taylor heard that the Major Crimes division asked for a warrant to search that person's home and work place and he came storming into the murder room, ready to bite their heads off, Sharon Raydor did not even flinch.
He immediately started illustrating one possible PR nightmare after another, but before any of the team could even process what was happening in front of them, Sharon had Taylor not only convinced of the fact that the warrant was very much warranted, but had managed to rope him into using his dreaded public to help them, too. And now they were in for a break until a judge signed off on their warrant.
The moment Taylor was out of sight and earshot, Tao, who seemed mightily impressed, practically cheered at his Captain. "Impressive, Captain, you got in like Flynn!" He was standing next to Provenza, the two of them flanking Sharon's left side.
Both Sharon's and Andy's heads snapped up, and they fixed him with a questioning look. Provenza, Julio, Buzz and Amy looked equally confused.
"Like me?" Andy, who stood to Sharon's right, arms crossed over his chest, beat her to the question.
"Yes," Tao said simply, as if what he said was perfectly clear. When he noticed the puzzled looks on the faces in front of him, he rubbed a hand over his head. "Oh," he started, eyes going wide and eyebrows lifting, "well, you see..."
"Ye gods," Provenza interrupted him. He rolled his eyes and started walking towards his desk to fold himself into his chair, "Brace yourselves," he waved a hand at Tao, "here comes the encyclopedia!"
Tao, now looking puzzled as well, let his hand fall down to his side, and, deciding to just cut his explanation short, said, "It's a phrase."
Sharon however, not paying Tao much attention, turned it to Provenza, "Unlike you, Lieutenant, I am actually interested in hearing what Mike has to say."
"Me too," Andy angrily shot at his partner.
"Fine, fine," Provenza mumbled, propping his elbows on his desk and placing his head in his hands.
"You said that I was in like Flynn?" Sharon inquired in a carefully modulated voice, brushing a hand over Andy's arm.
"Well, yes," Tao leaned against the desk Amy was sitting at, "you see," he lifted his hands, palm upwards, and shrugged his shoulders, "it's an expression."
Andy's face lit up at that. "Really?" he asked, voice raising in surprise.
"Yes," Tao confirmed, "it means to achieve something easily or quickly, and in the way you wanted to." He shrugged a shoulder as if it was self-explanatory.
"I see," Sharon said slowly, eyeing the Lieutenant, probably trying to figure out whether he was just making this up or if he was actually telling the truth.
Andy however, practically bounced up and down on his feet. He wiggled his eyebrows, lifted his chin and placed his hands behind his back. "In like Flynn, you say?" The smug look that settled on his features had Amy unsuccessfully fight back a bark of laughter but she sobered quickly when Andy shot her a look.
"That's right," Tao said, nodding his head, completely in his element as he went on. "The term is linked to Errol Flynn," he paused and waved a hand through the air, "you know, the movie star."
Everybody but Julio nodded. He was standing behind his desk, arms folded behind his back, and chuckled. Mike turned around to look at him, "What?"
Julio chuckled again, "Wasn't he accused of rape?"
Andy's face fell with that information, but Mike, who didn't notice him, went happily on, "Oh, yes, but he was cleared of all charges." He turned his focus back to Sharon and Andy, Sharon with a carefully curious expression on her face, and Andy with a slightly worried one on his.
"He had a reputation though," Mike pressed on, completely oblivious to their reactions. Andy perked up again, but when the words "womanizer" and "alcoholic" left Mike's lips, he lifted up his hand to silence him and shook his head.
"Okay, I don't wanna know anymore," he shook his head again and made his way to his desk, "I should have stopped you at 'It's a phrase'," he added as he slumped into his chair.
"But why," Provenza suddenly piped up, a mocking quality to his voice, "what could possibly be wrong with being a womanizer and an alcoholic, Flynn?" His face was still resting between his hands, but he turned it to fix his partner with a smug look.
Andy just glared back at him, directing a mix of anger, exasperation and sheer annoyance at him.
When Sharon suddenly let out a short laugh, her shoulders rising with the unexpected outburst, both Provenza and Andy pinned her with a look. Although both caught in surprise, Provenza's eyes widened with it, whereas Andy's narrowed as the two partners regarded their Captain. She ran a hand through her hair, as if adjusting her do, and clearly ignoring the two Lieutenants, turned her attention to the third. "Thank you, Mike. That was," she slanted a bemused look at Andy, "quite educational."
Tao gave her a smile and nodded, but addressed Andy. He hadn't planned on upsetting the man. "It's only Flynn because he was good at getting his way." Andy gave him a bland look, but it didn't thwart Mike at all, and he continued, lost in thought now, "Although, the phrase is also used in regard to successful sexual escapades," he shrugged his shoulders, as if that particular bit of information was as trivial as it possibly could be. He didn't even register the now almost angry frown forming on Andy's face or Sharon's slight raising of her eyebrows at the tidbit, and merrily went on. "But there's also another possible origin-"
"Geez, stop!" Andy finally yelled, holding his palms up in surrender. "Please," he really was pleading, "I don't wanna know. I really don't."
But Provenza jumped at the chance of torturing his partner, "No, no, no, please tell us!" His hands were no longer under his head, but flat on his desk as he straightened up in his chair, and he was looking at Mike expectantly.
Mike's eyebrows shot up. He looked between Provenza and Andy, but before saying anything, he settled his gaze on Sharon. She closed her eyes and only fractionally shook her head, before turning to walk toward her office.
"Nah, it's not important," Mike waved the old Lieutenant off and walked towards his own desk.
By the time Sharon reached her office, Andy let out a relieved, "Thank God!"
When she heard Provenza say, "Oh, but I can always look it up on the internet!" she quickly took the few remaining steps towards her office, and after firmly closing the door behind her, dissolved into a quiet shoulder shaking laughter.
It was probably a good thing she couldn't hear Buzz's "Here, let me help you with that, Lieutenant."
But when her phone buzzed and she fished it out to read a message from Andy, she was glad her office blinds were drawn together.
The message said, "Stop laughing."
And it had the exact opposite effect on her.
So, what's the verdict? How did this experiment of mine go? *braces herself*
