Chapter Twenty-Three
Kate was up early the next morning. She wanted to go for a run to burn off that pizza they had last night. She had plenty of time to kill for the moment so she might as well get a run in. She looked in at Megan and saw her peacefully sleeping so she put on the jogging suit and headed out the door.
The weather was changing and the air was a little crisper these mornings. Summer was slipping away like a thief in the night. Kate knew there would be a time in a couple of months when it would be hard to run, unless she invested in some snow shoes. She didn’t think she would make much progress running in those shoes.
She was running at top speed for the moment at least. She liked to go all out at first and then do her cool down on the later part of the run. Her civilian pistol was a lot heavier than her department issue and it was a little uncomfortable while running, and it also made a tell tale bulge in her jacket. She was too recognizable at the moment for anyone to attack. Her photo had been plastered across the front page as the woman who put three bullets in the head of her partner’s shooter.
She was a celebrity of sorts, with everyone but the department. People stopped her on the street to congratulate her on getting the guy. She had received invitations from gun clubs to come speak on safety and marksmanship. She even had a few people who asked for her autograph. Even out running brought her close to those who congratulated her on getting the “bad guy”. Why didn’t she see him as a bad guy? She could identify with the turmoil he was going through after being in a war. She couldn’t help but wonder if things would have been different if he had gotten the help he needed.
Megan was up when Kate got in from her run. Megan saw her and said, “You got a phone call while you were running. It was the captain and he wanted you to call him this morning.”
Kate said, “Crap, what do they want now, a polygraph?”
Megan asked, “Would you take one?”
Kate replied, “Sure, I’ve got nothing to hide. I did what had to be done under the circumstances.”
Kate picked up her phone and pushed the captain’s number on her contact list. She didn’t know what to expect and was apprehensive about making the call. When the captain answered, Kate said, “Captain, this is Kate, you wanted to talk to me?”
The captain answered, “Yes, Kate, Internal Affairs has concluded their investigation.”
Kate had a lump in her throat the size of New Hampshire and was sweating bullets and not because of the run. Her palms were so sweaty she almost dropped her phone. She asked, “What did they decide?”
The captain answered, “They cleared you of any inappropriate actions, your weapon is here in my office. It should be lighter than that civilian thing I know you carry. So you can come in when you are ready and we will work on getting you another partner.”
Kate said, “I don’t need a partner, I am perfectly capable of working the cases by myself.”
The captain said, “Kate, I don’t want you out there alone, especially now. There are gang members that would be a big deal if they could take you out now that you have celebrity status.”
Kate had been listening to her phone on speaker but Megan was close by and listening so she switched off the speaker and put it to her ear.
Kate said, “Okay I will be in this morning. If I have to have a partner, I want to be able to choose who it will be.”
The captain said, “Okay, you can pick from whoever is available.” The captain hung up and Kate hung up her end.
Megan said, “Maybe you can pick out a sexy young single stud who will be very grateful for being given a chance.”
Kate replied, “This isn’t a porno. This is real life and I want someone who would do for me what I did for Sean.”
Kate made a quick breakfast of scrambled eggs with bacon bits and toast. After she and Megan ate their breakfast, she went in to take a shower. Megan had already showered and was almost dressed.
Kate was anxious to get to work and for the first time in a while she had a reason. Megan looked through her phone while Kate finished getting ready. This would be a school day for the first time in a while and Megan was driving herself. Megan actually left the house first; there were friends there she hadn’t seen in a while.
The captain was waiting for her as soon as Kate walked through the front door. He offered her a hug and gave her a warm welcome. They walked together back to his office.
The captain said, “I had HR send me folders on potential candidates for consideration. These are all patrol officers with experience and who have passed the detective test.”
Kate replied, “Captain, you know I don’t give a crap about that test. It doesn’t tell me anything. It doesn’t tell me how someone would react under pressure.”
The captain stopped trying to do a sales job and just handed Kate the small stack of folders. Kate started going through them and then she laid them all out on top of the captain’s desk.
Kate asked, “Do we know their marital status?”
The captain replied, “Kate, it is illegal to ask them that question, why would you want to know.”
Kate replied, “I have found that this job is tough on families. Stress at home can make for poor decisions out in the field. I need a steady, clear head beside me.”
Kate looked at each folder closely and read the listed experiences. Kate didn’t mind if the candidate had some college but she wasn’t impressed by it either. It showed they could study and when looking over evidence that was an important trait. She selected three folders from the stack and said, “I want to talk to these.”
The candidates were contacted and asked to come in for an interview and the captain gave Kate complete control over the entire event.
Kate was allowed to interview each candidate in a conference room just down the hall from her office. Mainly because her office wasn’t really an office, it was a series of desks enclosed within dividers. When each candidate arrived, they were taken to the conference room and Kate was notified and she went down to talk with them.
The first candidate was John Fellows. His biggest attribute. According to the background check Kate had prepared, it was that he was divorced. He was thirty eight, not so old that rigor mortis had set in but old enough to have some experience.
Kate introduced herself and began asking questions. The candidate acknowledged that he knew exactly who she was and then he told her what a good shot she was. Kate peeled back the exterior to discover this candidate was a bit arrogant and also was a chauvinist. She thought he would always resent working for a woman. After the interview Kate thanked him for coming in but was so glad to see him go.
The next candidate was younger and not as experienced but Kate thought she could teach anyone. He was all of twenty-eight. She had told the captain that if they went drinking, she would have to buy beer for him. He seemed to be intelligent but he sounded like a little boy. He never got his “man voice” and Kate was afraid when they interviewed people they wouldn’t take him seriously. She thanked him but knew he wasn’t the one. She said they would be convening a panel to discuss candidates in the near future.
They contacted Kate when the next candidate arrived. She slowly walked down the hallway. The enthusiasm she had felt in the beginning had all but faded away. Kate entered the conference room and the woman behind the table introduced herself as Cindy Stevens. She was blonde, thirty four, and was in great shape. It was evident she worked out and Kate liked that she was former military.
Kate discovered she had served in battle and the two women talked about how hard that was with most of their peers being men. Kate liked the woman and they talked for a long time.
Cindy said, “I know who you are, I have done my research and I know I can learn so much from you. I would really love a chance to do that.”
Kate said, “To be honest, you are the best candidate I have talked to. I am not supposed to ask but are you married?”
Cindy replied, “The only husband I have in my life is an ex.”
Kate responded, “Another thing we have in common.”
Kate thanked the woman and asked her to stay seated for a few minutes while she went to talk to the captain.
Kate told the captain, “We can drag this thing out forever but I can tell you, I have my new partner sitting in the conference room right now. All I have to do is tell her.”
The captain replied, “I told you to pick whomever you want. I knew you wouldn’t like anyone we picked, so go tell her. You have a new partner.”
Kate informed Cindy and the partnership was set.