CHAPTER 3
Even in few meters away, Gail already recognizes the familiar voice talking to one of the officers and made her heart smile that shifted easily on her lips.
"Doc what do we have here?" Traci asked as they approach the crime scene.
"Caucasian male, in his mid 40's. He acquired 5 visible stab wounds-two shallow and the rest are way deeper. I need to examine the body more in the lab for any other possible internal damages." the professional voice echoed across the space of the small vacated property.
Gail reached the exact spot of the crime scene.
"Do you know how long he has been dead?" Traci asked behind the doctor.
"Approximately 45 hours" she stood up and turned to Traci. Holly realized that Gail was there and she sent a quick but warm sideward smile to the officer that just came in. Gail smiled back "Good day doctor"
It was only yesterday that they have been to the science fair Holly was talking about. Gail had reacted violently on this stating that she wouldn't want to bore herself to death by going to the said event, when Holly asked if she wants to go.
"Fine, fine. Don't go then, I won't force you. It would just really be nice to go with someone" Holly said on the other line of the phone sounding sad.
"Where are your nerdy friends?" Gail asked teasingly.
"They will be going to another science thing and on a different event" she said dryly.
"Ahh.. But don't you guys have this saying 'Nerds that geek together, stay together'?"
"I'm a much smarter nerd that unfortunately, they can't handle the level of geekyness I can go through with" the woman on the other line replied with a lighter tone now.
"Oh, then I am already dead even just now" Gail said laughing.
"Hhmp, fine Peck. I told you don't come if you don't want to" Holly tried to stifle her disappointment.
"I don't get why people don't love science" she added.
"I don't get why people do"
Holly sighed.
"You'll see, you'll eventually fall in love with it"
Gail paused and absorbed the words fall in love. She maybe is starting to fall in love but not with something but with someone-in just less than two weeks. She is doomed. She thought.
"That's okay Gail. I just wondered if you want to. See you when I see you then?" Gail was suddenly aware of the other voice once again.
"Okay Holly. Sorry." She said softly.
"No worries" and the dial tone was all that was left ringing in her ear.
Holly cursed the rain when she finally arrived at the science fair venue. She left her umbrella at home and now she is half wet because of the rain.
Just great. She muttered to herself.
"Hey" the voice made her jump. She turned around and saw the pair of beautiful blue eyes smiling at her, with its owner doing the same thing.
"Gail? What? Why? How the…"
"I suddenly realized that being with my two egghead housemates would kill me as well. If that happens, there won't be a chance of survival where as if it happens with you, at least you are a doctor-even if you're a dead doctor, you might be able to revive me so I went for the lesser evil." Gail proudly said, grinning.
Holly wasn't able to contain the joy she felt and ignored the slight dead-doctor comment (she might have actually squealed just a tiny bit under her breath) and hugged Gail tightly.
"Wow, thanks for coming!"
"Feed me though okay nerd?" Gail commanded.
"Anything you want officer"
Okay, she won't really admit it- even to herself, but it turns out that the science fair is not at all that bad. They have looked on some booths that really actually interests her. Or maybe it is just because of how the beautiful brunette babbles words about it. It was really good to see Holly so enthusiastic about something. She then realized that Holly could actually convince anyone (whatever it is she wants to convince about) into something that she thinks is really amazing. Well, she was being convinced right now. Damn that Stewart, Gail actually feels she was in fact falling in love with science- OR MAYBE IT WAS JUST BECAUSE OF HOLLY.
Both of them eventually felt hungry and tired and left the event. Holly got Gail some glowsticks and hung them on Gails neck.
"Why such a classy gift doctor" Gail's smile was acompanied by her mockery.
"Of course, only for my favorite officer" Holly said bowing and curtsying.
Laughter bursts out from both women as they made their way for a meal.
"Hey, let's play a little game I invented." Holly peered through the menu she was studying even after they have given their orders. It wasn't that busy inside the cafe. It has this rustic feel that Holly really loved. She likes the atmosphere and she promised Gail she'd take her one day and finally, here they are.
"So now you are not only a doctor and a nerd, but you are also an inventor? Wow, surprise surprise Dr. Nerdy inventor Stewart" Gail lifted her eyebrow with a grin.
"Yeah, aren't you lucky huh? The game is called The truth is..." she continued.
"Oh here we go" Gail exasperates.
"Shhss Peck, pay attention" Holly said calmly.
Gail propped both her hands below her chin with an exaggerated expression of 'paying attention'.
Holly ignored her and brought her face to face with Gail and they are just inches away from each other.
"So we play a round of 'rock,papers, scissors', then who ever loses will tell a truth about them" she stared Gail down. She thinks she'll never get tired of those beautiful eyes.
"Ready?" Holly asked.
"Wait, how will you know if the person tells the truth or not?" a question for a question was given by Gail.
"Well that's the thing, you would just need to trust the person to tell the truth, and the one telling the truth should be mature enough to follow the mechanics"
Gail thought about it.
"Okay... Let's do this"
They went for the first round.
Holly lost.
Gail cheered, very pleased of herself.
"Hhmm, the truth is... I'm a Taurus." Holly said after figuring out what to reveal.
"'That's the best you've got?"
"Hey, Taurians are very clever, sentimental, loyal to the core and passionate in bed" she couldn't help herself wink.
After the words were out, Gail, with a quick brain reflex imagined what would be like to be in bed with this woman.
She is freaking in front of you! a voice scolded her.
Gail bit her lip to prevent the embarassed smile escape her lips as Holly couldn't know what she just did.
"I don't believe it" she said hastly to cover her. She might be a little red though, dammit.
"You don't believe what Gail?" asked Holly.
"Everything that you've said. Well, the first three I have been finding that out. But the last, errr, no"
Holly's arms flew open, questioning the person sitting in front of her.
"It won't be a fact for me if I have not proven it." she answered Holly's gesture.
Holly nodded.
"Fair enough, so if you want to prove it you are most welcome to"
Gail sat still, biting her lip even more. She thought of different ways to interpret what Holly said, though really, it only meant one thing. This teasing is doing things to Gail and she knew Holly knew.
"Next round" the brunette handed her fist in front of them smiling wildy.
They did another round. Holly won this time.
"Yes!" she exclaimed.
Gail pouted, trying to think.
"The truth is I'm a scorpion"
Holly snorted. "Boring.."
"No, scorpions are determined, fearless, complex and... amorous, especially in bed" she left the last phrase with a tad bit of emphasis.
Holly side-smiled as the way she always does.
"Well, I guess being the scientific nerd that I am, I would need to prove that as well-the last part I mean."
Holly knew that Gail would not let on without a fight. She is trying to match her flirtatious hints and she is more than happy to battle with it. Although imagining the blonde with her in bed did some churning in her insides.
"Here is your Carbonara, and Creamy bacon spaghetti ladies."
The waitress interrupted their small game with their food.
Gail was so willing to hug this lady as a thanks for breaking the really really strong tension building between her and Holly. Thank geez they are in a public place. Who knows what might happen if they werren't.
They devoured the succulent matter on their plates. Holly wondered if they were really hungry for food or hungry for something else. She should stop being naughty before she can even lose control.
They enjoyed dinner with more chitchats about Gail's stories being in the police force. Some of them made Holly flinch and some of them just made her burst into laughter. It is good to hear more of the world of officer Peck.
"Hey let's play another round of your game nerd." Gail gave a very enthusiastic invitation.
"Sure"
And Holly lost again.
"Hah!" Gail blasted.
"Hmm..." Holly digs up of anything she can think.
"Enough of the signs crap give me something more" the officer commanded.
"Okay. I love photography." Holly paused as she tied her statement together. She doesn't really want to blabber.
"I love how you can capture a moment in time, coz you know, you can never go back to them again. And because of photographs, you can have that memory keepsake. I like it as an art form as well. I wish to have a wall of my place dedicated to all photos of anything and anyone." So much so for not blabbering.
"Ahuh, so how come I didn't see any photo wall at your place?" Gail asked.
"I actually haven't done photography since I was 11. I stopped then."
Gail was confused. "huh? Why?"
"I don't know, time, life got in the way. All I did was..."
"Geek out?" Gail finished.
Holly smiled. "If you put it that way."
"So, you love photography but hadn't done anything about it? I think you should start to. And nowadays you can just do it through your phone." Gail had a sip of her drink.
"I would want to, but I don't have time."
"Bullshit, you had time for this science fair"
annoyance crawled in Gail's voice.
A crooked smile came from the brunettte.
"And I want a legit camera like you know, how professionals do it." Holly added.
Gail shook her head.
"I'm just saying Holly, if you want to do photography, do it." Gail said softly.
"I don't... I don't even have a camera." confessed Holly.
"Why the hell don't you have a camera when you said you want to do it with a legit camera?" the blonde, perplexed in the ridiculousness of the doctor's statement.
Holly just shrugged.
"You're hopeless" Gaill let out a chuckle.
"Maybe, so yeah. There goes one truth about me. Another round?"
It bothers Gail how affected she was with the new information she learned about Holly. The woman basically stays with dead bodies all the time, she guess she wanted her to do something different, but she'll let it go for now.
"Go"
Another round and Holly loses again.
"Damn I'm good at this!" Gail clapped her hands mocking Holly.
Holly then, instead of pulling words out of her head stared at Gail. She took time appreciating the way her almost white-gold hair just sits perfectly behind her shoulders with some strands nestling in front of her. She took in her deep blue eyes that at the moment have a streak of warmth. She traced Gail's perfectly shaped face with her eyes then she decided to end on her lips. She leaned forward.
"The truth is... I really want to ask you out on a date- like a date date. Will you go out with me?" she said and asked almost whispering.
Traci clears her throat and coughs.
She snaps her fingers a couple of times.
"Peck, I said I'd like you to get statements from the residents. They might have witnessed something. Cover the west side coz Diaz has the east. The north and south are already covered, their statements taken." Traci faced Gail blocking her from any reason she was not paying attention.
"On it." Gail replied not making obvious that she was a bit distracted by the other woman standing next to them.
"Dr. Stewart, please come with me. I need to talk to you about a couple of more things about the victim."
"Sure detective." she turned her gaze to Traci.
When Gail didn't move and stood there for a couple of seconds Traci stared her down.
"Peck, what are you waiting for? Scoot." Traci offered,waving her hand, trying to sound bossy but Gail detected a sign of teasing.
Gail smiled gleefully, turned her back to them and strode over to where she needed to go, while she fought the urge to look back.
Traci shook her head and gave her attention to Holly. Holly, at the same time snapped her head back to Traci, pretending she wasn't just watching Gail's back as she walked away.
"Peck is looking more chirpy nowadays. I wonder what has gotten into her."
Holly pretended she didn't care and shrugged.
"At the station awhile ago, she was laughing to herself." Traci added.
Holly let out a slight laugh. She's happy to hear that about Gail.
"Oh well, must be someone special. Whoever that person is, I'll give that person a hug" Traci lit up at Holly.
With the way Traci looked at her, it almost seems like she knew who to give the hug to.
Holly shrugged again.
"So about the body detective..." she decided to bring them back to work or else she would just be in limbo because of a certain blonde.
"Sure doctor. This way."