Chapter 8

When she got to the office the next morning, Brenda called her father to obtain a little detail her mother had failed to mention, her flight information. Trying to find her way around her neighborhood, or to get back and forth to work, or to a crime scene was bad enough. Brenda had no intention of risking life and limb driving to the Los Angeles airport. Instead, she arranged for a car service to pick up her mother.

Afterwards, she sat at her desk and banged out a report that she was sure would please Will. She took out all heart-warming references to the dead girl and produced a generic report. She felt that Zoya deserved better but it was the only way to put the paperwork behind her.

Just as she had finished printing the report she looked up to see her mother entering the squad room, looking sweet and bewildered as usual. Brenda smiled. She did miss her family. With new report in hand she hurried from her office and grabbed her mother in a fierce hug. "Mama, how are you?"

Her mother hugged her back then released herself and straightened her suit. "Thank you for sending the car. I felt like a celebrity."

Brenda wasn't sure if her mother was being sarcastic so she decided to let the moment pass. "I wanted to come get you myself but I needed to finish this report." She looked around and introduced her mother to her staff.

"I trust you're all treating my daughter well."

They looked from one to the other and smiled sheepishly.

Sergeant Gabriel stepped forward. "Deputy Chief Johnson is a wonderful addition to our team."

"Aren't you a gentleman?" Mrs. Johnson said. "Your mother raised you well."

Gabriel smiled, ignoring the snickering from Provenza.

"Mama, I got to hand in this report." Brenda pointed to her office. "Why don't you go into my office and wait for me?"

Fifteen minutes later Brenda returned to her office to find her mother sitting at her desk as white as a sheet. Zoya's case file lay open on the desk, the graphic pictures of her bloody body on display. Brenda rushed to the desk and grabbed the folder. "Mama, what are you doing looking through this?"

"I wanted something to read while I waited."

Brenda looked around for where to put the folder. "Well, read a magazine for chrissakes!"

"Don't you dare take Christ's name in vain. Just because you spend your time dealing with the seedy side of life doesn't mean you have to forget your upbringing."

"I'm sorry, Mama."

Sergeant Gabriel came in and Brenda handed him the folder. "Can you please file that, Sergeant?"

Gabriel glanced at the tab and looked from Brenda to her mother. "Sure, um, would you like for us to order lunch for you and your mother?"

"I don't think I could eat a thing," Mrs. Johnson said. "Such horror, what happened to that girl. But, what's the saying? Live by the sword, die by the sword?"

"My mother took it upon herself to read Zoya's case file."

Her mother frowned. "You call her by her first name? Did you know her?"

"No, Mama, I didn't. Let's just drop it, why don't we. Let's get you to the house--"

Gabriel cleared his throat.

"Yes?" Brenda said to him.

"Can I speak to you a minute, Chief?" He moved into the hallway, out of earshot of Mrs. Johnson. Brenda followed him. "Chief, does she know you live in Zoya's house?"

"No, she does not and that's they way it's going to stay."

Gabriel raised an eyebrow but didn't pursue the issue.