Page 11 of Trigger

“What the hell is going on?” Chief Bibb yelled, making the crowddisperse in an instant. He stomped into the kitchenette, shifting his angrygaze from the asshole behind me to Shelly and then to me.

“A woman was found dead in her flat on Sycamore Street,” hegrowled, staring us down. “Are you going to just stand there, or, God forbid,do something about it?”

I opened my mouth to reply when he bellowed.

“Carter, Thorsen, move your asses! Now!”

“On it.” The deep voice behind me said, sounding unimpressed.

“No.”

I wasn’t aware I spoke until the chief's eyes narroweddangerously.

“Come again?”

I walked up to him, speaking in a low voice so only he could hearme.

“Chief, please. Anyone but him. Give me Shelly. Or Bruce, or evenAdam. Just not him.”

“Let me be clear, Carter,” Chief Bibb said with feigned patience.“Imagine there’s glue between you two.”

The bastard behind me choked with laughter, making my ears burn.

“Or a magnet,” Chief Bibb explained further. “Where one goes, theother one follows. Or a set of dominoes. If one falls, the other one falls,too. Bottom line, I don’t want to see one of you take a shit without the otherone present. Comprende?”

“Yes, Chief,” I muttered as a low chuckle behind me made my hairstand on end.

Then I remembered my car broke down, and I left it at the shop. Itmeant I would have to ride with the nutcase behind me dressed in orange cargopants and a T-shirt three times too small.

Somebody, please shoot me. Now.

Anything was better than this.

Thorsen

Imagine there's glue between you two.

I wouldgladly glue myself tothatbody, but I suspected that my grumpy partnerfelt differently. The homicidal rage in his eyes wasn’t exactly inconspicuous,even if it made him look hotter than a spoon at a crack house.Sexualtension, much?

No. Don’t go there.

Not after I embarrassed myself that day in the locker room when Iforgot how to speak in his presence. It was unacceptable, and I was ready totake speech exercises to prevent it from happening again. I also jerked off inthe morning, just in case. I doubted he could inspire another boner, being amagnanimous douche and all, but still I came so hard I almost broke the sink.You should never lean on it if you weigh more than two hundred pounds, nomatter how wobbly your knees get. Lesson learned!

Still, I was determined to break the ice one way or the other,starting with a peace offering.

“Want one?”

He looked at the pack of gum in my hand as if it were syphilis ina syringe and turned his head toward the car window.

Okaaay then.

I tossed a piece of gum into my mouth and started the car,navigating through the crowded parking lot.

“So, is it just me, or are you like this with everyone?” I askedhim, turning left into the main street. “Please, do share. The suspense iskilling me.”

He didn’t reply, not that I expected him to, so I kept talking.

“Believe it or not, people usually like me. Old folks, kids,puppies… I would also mention women, but I’m not the one to brag.”

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