The Sock

Chapter 3 - Hot Dogs

Disclaimer: I asked Evan Katz if I could have SU2 since nobody else seems to want it. He said no. :( Men in Black isn't mine either, although I'm going to go see it when it comes out! I don't own Batman, either. Actually, I don't even like Batman.

Spoilers: The Walls

A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews! Please keep them coming!

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Kate and Nick stepped out of the car at the home of Suzee Q. Madeupname. Several witnesses had seen her shove a little old lady out of her way a few days ago. It wasn't like Suzee at all. She was normally a very nice person. The three had agreed that she was their best connection to the Kleptaraiment. If they talked to her, they might be able to determine where it went after it assaulted her laundry room.

"Stay here," Nick told the Gnome. "And don't steal anything," he warned.

"O'Malley, I'm insulted," Carl responded. Even Kate had to roll her eyes. She had initially felt sorry for Carl, the way Nick treated him had seemed inexcusable. She was starting to realize that Carl enjoyed this little game as much as her partner. And as for stealing- Kate didn't trust Carl as far as she could throw him. Less, actually. She was fairly sure she could get some good distance with him. She shook the thought.

The two headed to the door, leaving the Gnome to pout in the car. Kate greeted the young woman at the door with her friendliest smile. "Hi. Ms. Madeupname?" The woman nodded. "I'm detective Kate Benson, this is my partner Nick O'Malley. May we come in?"

Suzee eyed them suspiciously. "Cops? What do you guys want?"

"We just want to ask a few routine questions," Kate answered.

"Is this about that lady?"

"Well, yes, but you're not in any trouble. She decided not to press charges. We were just wondering what was so upsetting that day?" The two were still on the front porch. 'Oh, well,' Kate thought ruefully, 'It still beat interrogating links with a baseball bat.'

"Are you guys shrinks?"

"No, Ma'am," Nick answered this time. "I assure you there is absolutely nothing shrunken about us. Ow."

Kate smiled disarmingly at the lady while she nonchalantly jabbed Nick in the ribs with her elbow. "May we please come in? It will only take a minute."

"Yeah, sure." The detectives sat down on the sofa while she continued. "I really gotta say, that wasn't like me at all. I don't know what came over me. I guess I was just having a really bad day."

"It happens to everybody," Kate assured her. "What was wrong?"

She shrugged. "Just little things, really. I dropped a glass unloading the dishwasher. My dog made a mess on the floor. I stubbed my toe." Out of the corner of her eye, Kate could see that Nick was trying not to laugh. "And then, when I was folding my laundry, I noticed that two of my socks were missing. It wasn't a PAIR of socks, mind you, it was TWO SEPARATE SOCKS. Then my bank called. Turns out I'm-"

"About the laundry, Ms. Madeupname," Kate interjected quickly. "Did you hear any unusual noises while your clothes were drying?"

The lady looked puzzled. "Well, there was a little bit of banging around."

Nick was very interested now. "This banging," he prompted. "Which way did it go?"

"Excuse me?"

"Did the banging move in any particular direction?"

"Um, North, I guess. What kind of cops are you?"

Nick answered with a completely straight face. "We are them. We are they. We are the Men in Black."

Kate sighed. "Shut up." She turned to Suzee. "Don't pay any attention to him. He's a moron."

They headed back to the car. "Where are we going now?" Kate asked.

"Corner of 85th and Main. I know something we should talk to." He paused at the driver's door. "Actually, why don't you drive? I need to make a phone call."

Kate looked at her partner as if he had a duck on his head. As a general rule, she did not drive. She had driven three times in the time she had known him, and once it had been her own car. Even THEN he whined to drive.

Nick didn't act like anything was unusual as they switched sides. "Let's stop to eat first. I'm starving." He got in the car and dialed.

She started the car. After a few seconds, a smile spread across his face. "Hey, Nancy. What's new? Since last night, I mean. Oh, good, good. I'm alright. You know that thing we talked about? Yeah, that. Well, I was thinking about that- Kate, stop sign."

What was he talking about? What thing had he been talking about with Nancy? Not Nancy the new detective? Last night?

"Kate, stop sign."

"What?" She turned to him just in time to see a stop sign flash past. She checked the speedometer. 60. Whoops. Little high. She slowed the car.

"So anyway, you know what I mean, right? Yeah, I think that's a good idea. Oh, and did you get the flowers? Great. Thanks a million. You are fantastic. Bye." He hung up.

"Hey, O'Malley, what was that all about?" It was Carl, talking in his most annoying tone. "Last night, huh?"

"Shut up Carl." He didn't seem in the mood to beat Carl up, which was quite rare. "Hot dogs," he said to Kate.

"What?" She was confused.

"Hot dog guy, over there. Pull over."

Kate stopped the car and they got their hot dogs. "Nancy Levine? That new detective?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, that was her."

She smiled wickedly. "What's going on?"

"I can't tell you. Good hot dog."

"You can't tell me?" She said incredulously. "Oh, c'mon, you tell me everything!"

"No, I don't. You only think I do. See, I lead a secret double life and you don't know anything about it. Remember when I said I was a silverware insurance salesman? That's my other job. I'm a monster fighting cop by day and a door to door dishware policy salesman by night. Sorta like Batman. You didn't know that, did you?"

"Oh, come on, be serious!"

"I AM being serious. I can't tell you."

Kate pouted and returned to the car. She started to open the driver's seat.

"Hey, I wanna drive!"

Kate rolled her eyes. "Like a five-year-old."

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Well, whatja think??!! Please review.

Questions to ponder:

When is something going to explode?

What is Nick going to interrogate?

Who is Nancy?

What is his idea, already?