chapter word count: 537
noir heart: forty
"What is it?"
Captain Jane Moors' reaction to the knocking at her frosted glass office door is overly snappish, she admits to herself, but it has been a long morning and it's only ten o'clock. Keeping control of a precinct of uniformed cops in addition to a whole unit of detectives is tough enough, but factor in the Ripper hunt, the mayor constantly badgering her for results - apparently, politicians are allergic to serial killers in their city - and then there's Detective Frost.
Add to that the customary mountain of paperwork plus several letters politely questioning her decision to keep Frost in the unit, and you have one tired, irritable and prickly police captain.
"It's Detective Southernisle, Captain." is the answer.
"Marvellous…" she mutters bitterly to herself as she slides her rectangular black, thin framed spectacles and tosses them onto her desk, before pinching the bridge of her nose to stave off another yawn - did Frost really have to demonstrate precisely how infectious they were?
Unfortunately, image is everything to Internal Affairs, so as she returns the spectacles to their former position, she relaxes into her high-backed office chair and sighs, "Send him in."
Not three seconds later, clad in a grey suit with a white shirt and green necktie, the auburn-haired Detective Hans Southernisle opens the door, flashing one of his winning-yet-completely-fake smiles - and still sporting those ridiculous sideburns, she notes.
"Captain Moors!" he greets her warmly, "it's a pleasure to see you again."
"Southernisle." she curtly acknowledges him.
Seemingly ignoring her taciturn manner, he proceeds to occupy the chair directly opposite her - without asking, of course. Respect is something that Jane values, and he is showing her none...although, the feeling is mutual.
"How is the hunt for the Ripper?" he asks politely, having settled comfortably into the chair. Her emerald eyes flash with impatience; small talk is not something she engages in.
"Do we have them in custody?" she snaps tersely.
"Well, no-"
"Then you know very well how it is." she mercilessly cuts him off, lacing her fingers together in front of her.
"Come now, Jane, there's-" he begins, but with a great deal of satisfaction she interrupts him once again.
"Firstly, you will address me as Captain Moors. My detectives call me Boss Lady, and my friends call me Jane. You are neither." she sternly berates him.
Annoyingly, the I.A. detective is unfazed by her scolding. "Duly noted, Captain Moors." he drawls, and the derisive tone is none too subtle.
"Secondly, I am very busy so if you would be so kind as to get to the point, I would appreciate it."
She notices how Hans' eyes momentarily darken, but he quickly masks them behind the clearing of his throat and a hasty smile. "Certainly. As I understand it, Detectives Hamada and Tomago are currently investigating a series of double homicides that have almost been forgotten thanks to the media's interest in the Ripper?"
"That's correct...why do you ask?" she enquires, narrowing her eyes slightly in suspicion.
Hans' smile widens. "I would respectfully suggest that you reassign them elsewhere, and give the case to Detectives Frost and Bunnymund."
oh hans, what are you up to...
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