The Scene Before That - What You've Seen and What You are About to See…
"Sorry for taking so long, Atkins wanted a chat. So, what are we going to here?" Detective Montoya dropped herself into the passenger seat next to her partner and slammed the door.
Allen started up the car. "Straight homicide. Neighbour found the door slightly open and when she went inside, she found the guy's corpse lying on the bed with multiple stab wounds. Local police are in, they say he looks like he's been there since at least yesterday."
"Oh wonderful. Just enough time to start that vomit inducing smell."
He raised an eyebrow. "Uh, yeah. It's not a good neighbourhood and the apartment's pretty squalid, could be a gang thing…"
"They ID the guy?"
"They're searching the apartment but they haven't found anything with a name on it so far. The neighbour was no help. She'd seen him around once or twice, even talked to him, but she didn't actually know the guy. She thinks that he didn't stay there regularly."
"Illegal immigrant?"
"Could be. The neighbour said the guy talked with a mild accent, though she didn't know where he was from."
"That's the problem nowadays. No one gets to know their neighbours."
"Do you know yours?"
"Kathy Heyson, hairdresser, on one side. Michael Johns, schoolteacher, and family on the other."
"Impressive." He paused, not sure how to proceed. "So, are you… You're okay?"
"Okay? Why wouldn't I be?"
"How about because you got the envious job of seeing the aftermath of the arson murders while I had my day off?"
"You're worried about me seeing bodies? That's a little ironic considering where you're taking me now, Allen."
He scowled. "I'm not worried about you seeing bodies Montoya. I'm just… Look, they're saying this is one of the worst ones they've seen for years. You know what that means? We're talking about Gotham City here! And I saw some of the photos. Hell, I'm not being condescending, I'd be feeling pretty queasy too…"
"Hey, calm down! Look… I'm sorry. That came out wrong, and I know you were being serious. It was… it was pretty bad. And I admit it's not a memory that I enjoy having stuck in my brain. But I just get on with things. That's… how I cope. It's how a lot of cops cope."
"But some of them like to talk it out, too. I just wasn't sure what type you were."
"Yeah, well, we haven't exactly been partners for long. Two years from now we'll know all this shit back to front."
"Right."
"I appreciate the gesture though, I really do."
"Got it."
"It's nice to see you making the effort."
"Uh-huh."
"Honestly though, I lived through No Man's Land, I'll get through this."
"Alright, I got it! God, I was just trying to be friendly…"
"Aww… beneath that annoying exterior beats a heart of gold…"
"Okay, now I'm just getting pissed..."
***
"Sorry for taking so long, Atkins wanted a chat. So, what are we going to here?" Detective Montoya dropped herself into the passenger seat next to her partner and slammed the door.
Allen started up the car. "Straight homicide. Neighbour found the door slightly open and when she went inside, she found the guy's corpse lying on the bed with multiple stab wounds. Local police are in, they say he looks like he's been there since at least yesterday."
"Oh wonderful. Just enough time to start that vomit inducing smell."
He raised an eyebrow. "Uh, yeah. It's not a good neighbourhood and the apartment's pretty squalid, could be a gang thing…"
"They ID the guy?"
"They're searching the apartment but they haven't found anything with a name on it so far. The neighbour was no help. She'd seen him around once or twice, even talked to him, but she didn't actually know the guy. She thinks that he didn't stay there regularly."
"Illegal immigrant?"
"Could be. The neighbour said the guy talked with a mild accent, though she didn't know where he was from."
"That's the problem nowadays. No one gets to know their neighbours."
"Do you know yours?"
"Kathy Heyson, hairdresser, on one side. Michael Johns, schoolteacher, and family on the other."
"Impressive." He paused, not sure how to proceed. "So, are you… You're okay?"
"Okay? Why wouldn't I be?"
"How about because you got the envious job of seeing the aftermath of the arson murders while I had my day off?"
"You're worried about me seeing bodies? That's a little ironic considering where you're taking me now, Allen."
He scowled. "I'm not worried about you seeing bodies Montoya. I'm just… Look, they're saying this is one of the worst ones they've seen for years. You know what that means? We're talking about Gotham City here! And I saw some of the photos. Hell, I'm not being condescending, I'd be feeling pretty queasy too…"
"Hey, calm down! Look… I'm sorry. That came out wrong, and I know you were being serious. It was… it was pretty bad. And I admit it's not a memory that I enjoy having stuck in my brain. But I just get on with things. That's… how I cope. It's how a lot of cops cope."
"But some of them like to talk it out, too. I just wasn't sure what type you were."
"Yeah, well, we haven't exactly been partners for long. Two years from now we'll know all this shit back to front."
"Right."
"I appreciate the gesture though, I really do."
"Got it."
"It's nice to see you making the effort."
"Uh-huh."
"Honestly though, I lived through No Man's Land, I'll get through this."
"Alright, I got it! God, I was just trying to be friendly…"
"Aww… beneath that annoying exterior beats a heart of gold…"
"Okay, now I'm just getting pissed..."
***