Title: Here Comes Trouble - Part 14

I know it's only a mile to the precinct from the Medical Examiners office, but I swear to God that if Nora doesn't quit drifting over to the right and endangering my sideview mirror, it's going to be the last day she's going to drive. Ever.

My hand grips the door handle so hard I think I've put in a permanent imprint in it.

Nora's wide smile as we pull into a spot near the entrance makes it all worth it however. And that's what I intended, to try to bring her out of her rut or whatever it is that she's been in this morning.

I've always believed that's what partners are for. Not just to back each other up whether investigating or under fire. But to be there to pull each other out of the muck that we have to swim through every day, and in my fine estimation Dan has been letting Nora slip away into it. Yesterday, it was new to us, but now we're getting into the meat of our new relationship and I hope I don't step on her toes as I try to remind her she's also human as well as a cop. I hope she does for me when it happens, and it will. No one can be human and NOT let it effect you. But this is a new relationship and one can't know what blind alleys and cliffs are right around the corner until you hit them.

But I'm subtle. I took a calculated risk giving her the keys to my baby and I don't mean that I was risking that she might wreck it, I truly don't believe she will. No, the risk I took was to our newly born partnership.

I gambled and won.

Shaking my wrist to get some blood back into it, I exit the car, leaving Nora to her tricky seat belt. We get inside the precinct just in time to escape the downpour outside only to find a miniature storm inside the squad room by the name of Lt. Dan Jackson.

I follow Nora into his office, taking a seat when he gestures to the ones in front of his desk. "OK, not a problem," he ends the call, and turns to us.

"That was the Chief. He needs answers. I need answers. So, let's have it, Ladies."

All business is good.

Nora looks at me for a moment with a questioning look. I have a good idea what she's asking and I don't mind, so I give her a small nod, letting her know that I realize she has to take charge of the conversation.

It affords me the opportunity to watch their interactions as she proceeds to go over our findings. Then she goes into how we're going to try and track down Simon Martins, the boyfriend of Ellie Dupont. He's supposedly in Mississippi but no one answered the phone when I called yesterday afternoon. The phone is registered to his mother however, a Maureen Matthews. Perhaps a call to the local sheriffs office would get an officer or two out there just to check for us.

Then something hit me. Dan said he just got off the phone with the Chief of Police. He wouldn't have needed to tell us that unless it concerns us specifically. What is going on here?

"Lt. Jackson?" I interrupt at an opportune moment. Nora has given most of the information we have, so I don't feel as if I'm being rude. I do note that she hasn't mentioned Darius yet.

"Call me, Dan, please," he smiles at me, throwing a little charm my way.

"Dan..." I drawl, tossing a bit of my own charm out there.

Nora does a little fake clearing of the throat behind her hand, trying not to laugh. I don't know what's so funny however. I'm charming. I know it. Anyways...

"Dan, you mentioned you were just on the phone with Chief Harrison?" I put it out there, hoping I'm right and that there's something to share with us.

He nods, but doesn't look happy about the thought. "Have either of you heard the news or watched it today? Seen a paper?"

When both of us shake our heads, Dan continues, "A member of the esteemed fourth estate," he says the word as if he's describing dog excrement on the sidewalk. "managed to buy a cellphone picture from someone with an extremely good shot of the little girl on the gurney being wheeled out of the house. Someone that had to be on the scene," he adds.

"Well hell," the exclamation just comes out. With news like that it can only mean one thing.

Media storm.

Nothing like having to see a photo of a dead child to rile up morning coffee drinkers.

Nora speaks up and she's definitely not happy with the situation, "Dan, you know who sold that photo..."

And just like that the conversation is over and Dan's face closes up, "I'll make sure Robbery gets taken off the case as secondary. Now, get to work. Get me results."

Nora is out of the office like a shot, slamming the door open and walking to our desks.

Myself, I stand up slowly and give Dan an inquisitive look, inviting comment or some kind of explanation. Something. Nora was his partner not too long ago, so it would be nice if he could give me a clue as to what may have pissed off Nora.

"You're excused," is all he says. Pointedly looking at the door.

Thank you, very much. No, no, it's OK. Please keep all your little Nora secrets to yourself. I'm sure I'll get to have more secrets with her than you could even dream about.

It's funny how you think something, and realize that it comes out with a different meaning than what you intended.

I walk out of his office, making a beeline towards Nora, conveniently forgetting to close his door. Before I can get even halfway there, my cellphone rings.

I look at the caller id and immediately answer.

"Darius, it's always a pleasure," I greet him cheerfully, speaking a little too loudly in order to catch Nora's attention. I nod towards the hallway, cluing her in that I'm going to take it in a more quiet atmosphere.

"Hey sweet thing, you sound so very pleased to hear from me. Are you sure you should be flirting with me with that gorgeous new partner of yours around? I wouldn't want to cramp your style," he chuckles evilly over the phone.

"Hon, if I wanted you to comment on my lov..." I immediately stop what I'm about to say as I realize Nora has followed me out into the hallway. God, if I could please not be blushing right now, I would forever be thankful.

Damn it.

"What have you got for us?" I demand, trying to get the conversation under control. Nora stands next to me, listening in on my side of the conversation and watching the few people going down the hall.

"Heh... she just walked up didn't she?" he ignores my request. I swear that the man is the bane of my existence, and, fortunately for him, a blessing of it.

"Yes. Now may we please..."

He interrupts me again, but his tone has changed. Darius knows he can only push my buttons, big red buttons though they may be, so many times before I attempt to kill him.

"I got some info on your girl, Ellie Dupont. The word is she likes bad boys. Bad boys that like to take care of her. Unfortunately, her latest bad boy..."

This time I interrupt him, "Simon Martins?"

Nora perks up at the name. I know she would love to be interrogating Darius herself, but she's being good and letting me be his handler. I appreciate the trust.

"That's him. He's got some heavy hitters looking for him right now. Apparently, the last shipment of junk he was couriering over from Mississippi is missing. And so is he. He's alive however. He was spotted near the Blue Heron, down by N. Robertson in the 7th Ward, sometime last night."

Darius sounds certain about his information and I trust him not to give me a false lead. Especially not a false lead in the 7th ward. 27 murders in that neighborhood alone last year. The highest in the entire city. The 9th gets a bad rap, but of the 125+ homicides each year, the 9th is no where near the top.

"Thanks, hon. I appreciate it," I tell him, meaning it.

"One more thing..." he interrupts before I can say anything else.

"What is it?"

"I'm pretty sure, not positive mind you, that he's got someone with him, backing him up. So be careful. Don't make me call MeeMaw on you," he threatens. He knows how powerful of a threat it is too. His Grandmother, his MeeMaw as we say in the south, is a terror if you get on her bad side.

"I will," I promise earnestly. "How you do your magic, Darius, I will never understand. You're a miracle worker."

Nora's being a champ and just keeping an ear out on my side of the conversation. I'm sure I'll be swamped with questions after I hang up.

"Well, I did find out his shoe size if you really want to know," Darius answers seriously.

Huh? I take the phone away from my ear and look at it, puzzlled, for a second and then bring it back.

"Right...and I'm sure you know his underwear size too," I quip back, winking at Nora.

"No, but I did find out what kind Nora wears," he deadpans.

It's an odd mixture of sensations and feelings going through me right now. I'm both startled and curious.

"Thongs, Nikki. Thongs," he laughs and immediately hangs up before I can respond.

Not that I notice, since I'm struck dumb.

"Nikki?"

Oh my.

"Nikki?"

A warm hand comes up to my shoulder and squeezes gently to get my attention.

"Nikki? You OK?" Nora's voice finally cuts through the haze in my mind.

I'm going to kill that little...

TBC