This is one of those stories that has a bit of a lighter tone to it. I enjoyed writing it after a road trip to Indiana and figured the boys could use the reprieve as well. Enjoy. If I don't update for a few days, it's because life has been mayhem between spring on the farm and some personal stuff going on (all good things but they keep me away from my desk). Hope you all are hanging in there ok.
ACT I
"Aw, come on now. It's three in the morning!"
The sleep-drunk figure in front of him eyed the Lieutenant with a mixture of disdain and deep annoyance, as he opened the apartment door wider to let him in, granting him refuge from the seemingly never-ending downpour outside.
"You look surprised. It's not the first time I woke you up that early, sunshine.", Mike countered smugly, and shook off his fedora to get rid of some of the rainwater.
Smiling at his partner's youthful appearance as he made his way to the kitchen sink barefooted, stumbling along the couch in a more or less uncoordinated fashion, wearing nothing but a t-shirt and boxer shorts, Mike waited a moment until he'd helped himself to a glass of water before continuing.
"I need you, Steve. We've got a new case."
"It's supposed to be my day off.", the young man grumbled and ran a hand through his disheveled hair, before yawning symbolically, as he leaned against his kitchen counter.
"It was your day off. Plans change…welcome to adulthood.", Mike countered curtly and pointed his chin south "We've got a body down on Market. Parts of one anyways, from what I heard. Very interesting situation. Devitt requested us personally because of the nature of the…circumstances. Bernie is already on his way down there. I would have called you, but your phone line is dead."
"I know, I know…forgot to tell you the other day.", the young Inspector admitted remorsefully and rubbed his chin, "Been dead since my neighbor two doors up hit that power pole and disrupted everything on the entire block. The phone company promised to have it fixed by…eh…yesterday."
"And you actually believed that?", crossing his arms in front of his chest, Mike pointed at his wrist watch in growing urgency, "Come on, Inspector, we haven't got all day. Wake up and get yourself ready. I need you in on this case."
Steve sighed theatrically and shook his head, fighting off the drowsiness that still filled every muscle and sinew of his body, before yawning again.
"You do know, I was looking forward to that day off."
"Quit your whining, will you?", Mike retorted in feigned annoyance, before walking up to his partner and pushing him by his shoulders down the narrow hallway toward the shower, "It's supposed to rain all day anyways, you might as well thank me for sparing you from wasting precious vacation hours on a dreary day like this."
"I was going to have my car fixed and a new suit fitted…"
"Yeah, well, that car of yours is still going to be broken next week and the week thereafter. And you don't need any more suits, you have enough. Come on, Buddy Boy, you've got ten minutes to get ready. It's time we check out our body."