Eames sat in the kitchen of her parents' home, looking over her coffee cup at her dad, who sat across the table from her. John Eames was a retired cop and he'd seen it all…well, maybe not all of it, but a majority of it. Somehow she doubted he had ever seen the like of a cop like Bobby Goren.
"I really don't know what to make of him, Dad."
"It's only been a few weeks, honey. Give him a chance."
"I'm trying, but I feel like a spare tire, just along for the ride but not making any contribution to the trip."
"Have you told your partner that?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"I'm not quite sure how to approach him."
"You're not afraid of him, are you?" He doubted she was; his scrappy little daughter was not afraid of anything. She never had been.
"No, Dad. I'm not afraid of him. Have you heard anything about him?"
"Some. But the rumors are a mixed batch so it's hard to decide what's true and what's not."
"I guess the rumors that concern me most are the ones about his stability."
John nodded. "I've heard those. But, honey, he has a clean record, and he's a brilliant cop. Maybe he doesn't follow the book, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Do you like him, Alex?"
She nodded. "I think so. He seems like a decent guy."
"Do you like being his partner?"
"So far, it's not horrible. But I've just worked the tail end of a manslaughter case and a robbery with him. Neither was too taxing."
"Trust me, Alex. You can't believe everything you hear. Judge him for yourself. Don't let others do it for you. Whatever he is, he's bright and dedicated. Give him a chance to earn your trust, and do what you have to in order to earn his. This is an excellent opportunity for you."
"An opportunity for what?"
He smiled. "An opportunity to work with a brilliant, unconventional cop. You could learn a lot from Goren. He'll teach you to think outside the box, if you let him. And I'll bet you can teach him a thing or two."
She laughed. "Like what?"
"You'd be surprised. Give him a chance."