I have left my hair down and curled it. When the Female Police Officers of Chicago meet, those of us who still have long hair curl it and wear it down. I've been wondering how Hank would react to it since I sprayed it with finishing spray this morning.
I enjoy every moment of our meeting. It's always gives me a boost to be able to talk openly with the other female officers with no men around. Some cops avoid me, even here, because I'm still I.A. But it's encouraging for the most part. We meet in the Radisson. They offer us all a free night, and I'm using mine tonight. It's starting to clear out so I call Hank's personal phone. I get his voicemail.
"Hey. Call me. I have a good place to meet tonight."
I'm sure he will be able to hear the smile in my voice. I wait for the rest of the female officers to clear out before I head up to my room. I take my navy blue blazer off but leave the rest of my outfit the way it is. After 10 minutes I decide to watch TV while I wait. He is at work today so I'm giving him time to respond.
After an hour I debate calling him again, when my phone rings. Butterflies shoot through my stomach. I answer and say hello.
"Hey, it's me." It could only be one man on the other end of the line.
"Hi. Hey. So when do you get off work?"
He pauses. I've yet to learn to be in attack mode when he pauses.
"I'll probably be at the precinct until 11 tonight. It's been a long day. You'll be glad to know we made a big bust. Is where you want to meet close?"
The butterflies have fallen into a pit in my stomach.
"Actually I'm all the way across town. At the Radisson."
"Oh. Yeah... I know those rooms are expensive but I'm not gonna make it tonight. Are you already checked in?"
The butterflies have been eaten by the dragon that lies dormant in the deepest recesses of my soul.
"Yeah." I take a breath and try to cover up my disappointment. "It's not a big deal. I needed a night out. I may go take in a show and then come back and drink something out of the minibar."
"Alright. I'll call you later this week." I tell him goodnight and he hangs up.
I sit still for a moment on the bed. He knows I'm not going to see a show. All of the tickets for any show in the city would have sold out yesterday. I decide to eat ice cream while I take a bath. I drink everything that's in the minibar.
Voight stands in front of me, by the river. We are back where we started. The city would be pitch black if not for those of us burning the midnight oil.
"Why would you encourage Antonio to take over the unit when you've got a deal with me?" He asks, like I owe him an answer. Like we're friends.
"Listen, I've got a job to do. You weren't making any headway so I was hoping Dawson could be productive. But he is content to languish under you, don't worry." All of the softness is gone from my voice. There is no hesitating, I already knew what I was going to say, long before I got his call wanting to meet by the river.
"Speaking of Antonio," Voight's pauses are small, I've no room to cut him off. "He told me about his partner. About how he didn't deserve to be chased off the force. What was up with that?"
"Sean Patterson?" I try to decide what I want to say. He is determined to throw everything in my face and make me feel terrible. Every word is designed to cut me like a switchblade pulled from a gang banger's pocket.
"Sean Patterson was weak and that has nothing to do with me! He could have moved to a different state and became a cop again. He took the easy way out. You have to be strong to make it in this city! I had to show the captains in I.A. that I was serious about the rules and calling people out for breaking them."
"So you are a ladder climber."
"I'm a woman who wanted a career! So sue me! I had to prove that I could be tough, and I did."
"Enjoy your ivory tower." Hank turns to leave without another word.
I call Flint in the morning before I leave for work. They say that two weeks is plenty of time for them to find an office for me. To hell with Chicago. I tried to keep this city honest and all it did was break my heart.