"Have fun guys!" Jay said as he left the station with his partner Mo the next day. He found it rather funny that Steve and Kate would be in close proximity in their patrol car for the next twelve hours with their prickly partnership.
Steve and Kate didn't find it quite as funny. This was going to be the shift from hell. Without discussion, Steve headed for the driver's side of the car.
"You sure you should be driving?" Kate said. "You could still be over the limit," she explained referencing the large amount of alcohol she had seen Steve consume the previous evening.
Steve didn't grace her catty comment with an answer. He just glared at her as he unlocked the car and got in. Not even out of the police station and the nagging had started. Kate got in beside him before slamming her door shut rather forcefully. A strange satisfaction taking hold when she saw Steve grimace at the loud sound.
"Head hurting is it?" she asked. Steve didn't reply. "Serves you right,". Kate was still very pissed off at him for his behaviour.
They spent the first couple of hours in silence as Steve drove their patrol car around before parking up somewhere on the local high street as they had a coffee break. Bought separately as neither was yet at the stage of buying for the other.
Kate had done a lot of thinking in bed the previous night about the situation with Steve and how to try and remedy it whilst they were in contact. She had made a decision about what she was going to do. It was now or never she thought. She delved in to her trouser pocket and found her key ring. Steve watched as she carefully pulled off a small bright coloured USB stick before offering it to Steve. She had been carrying it around in the hope she might see Steve again. "My final report on Sergeant Danny Waldron and the surrounding events," she said. "If you wanted to read it,".
"No thanks," Steve replied. "I couldn't really give a shit,".
"But-" Kate said.
"But nothing, Kate!" Steve interrupted her. "I was accused of things I didn't do at AC-12. Made to feel like a criminal, and when I tried to defend myself, no one believed me. Not even my best friend. Do you know how that feels?". Kate didn't know how to reply. "Do you?" He pressed her. Kate finally shook her head. "So we have nothing to talk about," he concluded and silence reigned again.
"Well just in case you change your mind," Kate said before placing the USB in a plastic depression on the console between the two front seats of the car. She wasn't going to give up on Steve just yet.
"You're wasting your time," Steve advised her.
Silence again as they each drank their refreshments. Kate amused herself by watching members of the public going about their daily lives on the high street. In the wing mirror of the car she spotted a man walking a big British Bulldog. The dog looked intent on taking a piss on the police car's back wheel until it caught sight of Kate glaring at him and ambled on to the next car before raising it's hind leg.
"Did you know Lizzie?" Kate asked eventually.
"Is that why you're here?" Steve guessed. Kate neither confirmed or denied. "Why are you investigating a suicide?" He pondered out loud. "Unless it wasn't suicide and you're questioning suspects. Well I'll save you a lot of work. I worked with PC Littmann for one shift. She seemed really nice. At the end we invited her to the pub but she declined. I was informed of her death the next day,".
Silence again whilst Kate absorbed what Steve had revealed. She believed him and was thankful that she would not have to investigate Steve any further. He was obviously still very upset about what had happened at AC-12 and she hadn't been looking forward to destroying what remnants there were of their partnership for good.
"All units," squawked their two way radios on their stab vests, interrupting their tense conversation, "reported attempted robbery in Greenson's Industrial Park at the Motorcycle Warehouse,".
"Control this is 261," Kate said as Steve started the car and set off for the stated location with his siren and lights going "we are five minutes away,".
"Roger, 261," came the static reply. "890 and 405 also en route. Reports of a gun being used,".
Two police cars had arrived on the scene by the time Steve and Kate got to the Industrial Park. Four thieves were currently trying to make a get away on three stolen motorbikes and the attending police were trying to prevent them succeeding with the use of a stinger device to pop their tyres.
Steve ran off immediately in to the thick of the action leaving Kate on the periphery. She heard another bike before she saw it on the edge of her vision. Another youth had stolen a fourth bike. Seeing the trouble his friends were in he decided to ride off in the opposite direction and Kate gave chase.
The rider had chosen the wrong direction however and ended up in a blind ending alley. He was going to have to turn around and drive back past Kate to make his escape. Seeing the bike turn around, Kate stopped running, unsure of what was about to happen. The rider looked her straight in the eye before revving the bike and accelerating.
Kate knew then what was happening. He was heading straight for her. She turned and started to run back to the car and the other police officers. The sound of the motorbike getting closer behind her as she did so.