Chapter 8:The Fallout

Elena’s POV

I stood stiffly at his desk, my hands clenchedbehind my back, as my boss, Colonel Howard,paced in front of me, his face an alarming shadeof red.

“You—” He jabbed a finger in my direction. “—had me send my men into a fucking club,expecting to catch an illegal deal in progress,and you know what we found?” He pauseddramatically, eyes blazing.

"Nothing."

I swallowed it down. "Sir, I-

"Nothing!"

he roared and coughed. "Empty-handed. No drug, no gun. No jaywalker either!"

I bent my head still lower and gripped tighter the back of my wrist. "And do you know what may have happened?"

His voice dropped into it ominously. "I may have lost good officers tonight. Women and men who depend on me to make the right decisions. But no, I had to take a childlike initiative." He spat the term out. "I pursed my lips. "Sir, I was positive--". "So you were?

" He raised his hands in frustration and jeered. "Well, excuse me, Captain Monroe, I didn't realize that we had a psychic on our payroll!" A couple of snickers were heard from the other desks.

My cheek burned excruciatingly, but I kept my face as unconcerned as possible. "I got there just in time," I forced out belligerently.

"I saw them, Colonel. The men, the briefcase- I just-" He crossed his arms, anticipating. I took slow breaths. "I couldn't hear them." The room was quiet. Colonel Howard pinched the bridge of his nose, inhaled, then exhaled slowly.

"Let me understand this," and then he asked with feigning peacefulness, "You eavesdropped on men talking and assumed.they were exchanging nuclear launch codes? I winced and replied, "No, sir.

I followed up on the tip-

"That tip." He sneered, repeating it, "That led us to absolutely nothing."

I gulped hard. "I'm not going to report something I can't corroborate," he blew loudly. "How generous of you, then increasing the velocity." "You know how this reflects upon me. How this reflects upon my unit?" I gazed down.

"You don't answer back to me, Monroe," he snapped. "And I'm warning you--" He poked his finger in my direction again. "If your father weren't a prominent official, I'd have tossed you on your butt."

I winced at that.

"Now leave me alone," he growled. "And if I catch you chasing ghost leads one more time, you won't have to worry about being fired. You'd hope I had."

I nodded, turned on my heel and left the room without a word.

With my head held high and also when leaving Colonel Howard's office, my heart was still racing in my chest. I could feel his words hanging on me, but I would not allow them to get to me.

As soon as I reached the main bullpen, the tension was blown away.

"Monroe!" bellowed Officer Grant behind his desk, then grinned at me; his surprised grinning face made those around him laugh. "Still alive?"

"Not even," I sighed rolling my eyes.

He grinned, "Howard ate you up?"

"Spit you out too."

"Yeah, well, at least you didn't wet your pants." Rookie Jenkins there nearly had a stroke the last time he got pulled in.

Jenkins was darn near having strokes there. I can hear you, you know," Jenkins hollered from behind his desk, eliciting a round of laughter

I smiled and proceeded down the corridor. Officers I'd worked with last year nodded or greeted me as I went by.

"Monroe."

"Monroe, you all right?"

"Elena, do you want a drink after that?"

I grinned at Micheal. "Tempting, but I think I'll be fine."

I didn't get the respect that was coming to me due to my father. No more. They were respecting me now because I never gave up. Because I earned my respect. Because I never let fear keep me from anything, even when it should have.

When I finally reached my desk, I breathed slowly, shaking off the last remnants of tension.

And then the phone rang.

I peeked to see; I smiled at my dad before I grasped it.

"Pumpkin!" His warm, honey-flavored voice was suddenly in my ear. "Miss me yet?"

I pushed back in my chair. "Not even a little."

He pretended to be shocked. "You wound me."

I snorted. "You've been gone for just a few days, Dad. Don't get dramatic."

"You're saying that now, but I'll bet the station's already in pieces without me."

I grinned. "Oh, sure. Total bedlam. People are crying in the hallways. Colonel Howard's started pulling his hair out."

My dad chuckled, a rich deep sound. "Good old Howard. Same headache?"

"Oh, the worst ever."

"That bad, huh?"

I let out a sigh. "He chewed me up one today."

"Uh-huh?" His voice became serious. "What happened?"

I hesitated. Did not want to tell him everything; did not want him to worry about me while he was off somewhere miles away on a case.

"Nothing serious," I lied. "Just a bad lead. He's upset because it was my call."

Silence.

"Pumpkin."

I winced. "Yeah?"

"You're a terrible liar."

I groaned. "Dad."

"No, no, don't 'Dad' me. What happened?"

I sighed and scratched my hair. "Thought I had something—a setup at this club in the city. Saw them; I know I did, but I couldn't catch what they were talking about. And since there was nothing tangible, the whole thing collapsed on me."

Silence again. Then softly, "You okay?"

I swallowed. "Yeah. Just mad."

"Atta girl." His voice was warm again. "I taught you better than to remain stuck on losses. You take the hit, you learn from it, and you move the hell on." Sighing softly, "You did always say that." "That's right." There was a moment of silence. Then he added, "But if Howard gives you too much shit, remind him who trained half the guys in that damn station."

"I'll remind him the next time he's yelling at me," I laughed.

"Good. And hey-"

"Yeah?"

"You're getting any more advice, don't let that son of a bitch scare you off. You're a great cop, Elena. Trust your gut."

My heart tightened. "Thanks, Dad."

"Anytime, Pumpkin."

I leaned back and closed my eyes. Some days I was more in control.

I felt better. I always did after talking to him.

Then, as if sensing I needed a mood change, headded, “Now, tell me the important stuff. DidJenkins embarrass himself yet?”

I grinned. “Oh, it was tragic.”

My father laughed again, and for a moment, allthe frustration from earlier disappeared.