[b][color=9e0039][h1][center]Calvin Lovegrove[/center][/h1][/color][/b][color=9e0039][h2][center]Ossining General Hospital[/center][/h2][/color][color=9e0039][h2][center]Afternoon[/center][/h2][/color] [img]https://assets.hemmings.com/blog/wp-content/uploads//2013/09/Abilene1950s_02_1500.jpg[/img] [i]“What ever will you do without me?”[/i] Calvin blinked. “What?” Evelyn had reached from her hospital bed and straightened her husband’s tie. It killed her that it had become this difficult; she’d done this hundreds of times over the years, and now she could barely manage to find the concentration in her fingers to correctly align the fabric. She’d perfected this ritual so many times that even in this monotonous hospital room—where she would likely spend the remainder of her days—she found complete peace in doing so. Cal looked at his wife and stared into her bright blue orbs. His face said nothing at all – it was stuck a flat, resoundingly neutral expression. Unbeknownst to his wife, it was a perfect equilibrium of joy and complete sadness. It both uplifted and killed him to know that even in the home stretch, she’d still find herself upholding the mannerisms that had completed their happy life before today. Before all of this. Calvin took his wife’s hand and cupped them with his own. “I’m not going to have to do this without you. You’re going to be just fine.” Over the years, he’d become spectacular at manipulating the truth, but he felt an unusual regret about this particular lie. It was ovarian cancer. She had a few months to live, at best. “Don’t do that, hon. You’ve got your whole life ahead of you. You’ve got to start planning for where your journey will take you without me.” Cal’s hand balled up into a fist. “No. I won’t. There’s no need for it.” Evelyn took a deep breath and let go of Cal’s hand, letting her bodyweight sag into the plush hospital bed. After a moment of silence, Calvin spoke softly. “Hon, my vacation is up. I’ve got to go back to work.” Evelyn smiled at Calvin and touched his cheek. “Of course you do. You’re ambitious. Can’t keep you away from your superhero duties.” Calvin pursed his lips. Even in a moment as intimate and innocent as this, he’d always woven a web of lies. But he could not bear to tell his wife that he’d been given a six-month suspension without pay as punishment for embezzling N.Y.P.D funds. “I’ll come to see you as soon as they allow. They’ve been known for keeping me busy every hour of the day. I—“ “You don’t have to say that to me. I know how much you love your work.” “I’m going to go,” said Calvin as he fought the urge to break down in front of his wife. He planted a kiss on her forehead. “Go get ‘em.” [color=9e0039][h2][center]The Apartment of Danielle Raymonde[/center][/h2][/color][color=9e0039][h2][center]The Following Morning[/center][/h2][/color] [img]http://monovisions.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/vintage-black-and-white-photos-of-city-life-in-new-york-city-by-fred-stein-1940s-17-1040x440.jpg[/img] [i]“I think you’re losing your nerve.”[/i] Calvin rolled off Dani’s naked form and took an exasperated breath. “Am not.” He reached over to the end table and plopped a cigarette into his mouth before lighting it. “I’m going back to work tomorrow. Got a lot on my mind, is all.” Dani pulled up the blanket and covered herself before turning over to face Cal. “I know you’re going back to work. For the first time in half a year, you’re finally going to be of some use to me.” Calvin blew raspberries and shot Danielle a look of haughty derision. He leapt out of bed and slipped into his clothes. “Bullshit. You wouldn’t have a said to word to me these past six months if you were only motivated by our arrangement. I'm an unemployed man, yet here I am in your bed.” Danielle huffed. “Fair.” Calvin folded his arms. “What was the ‘arrangement’, anyway? It’s been so long—become so routine—that I’ve lost track of what the original terms were.” Dani smirked at the disgraced detective. “In exchange for the unrequited love of a mysterious multi-millionaire film icon, you’ve abused your shiny police credentials to cover my dirty tracks.” “When you put it that way, it sounds [i]terrible[/i], Dani. Glamorous, but terrible. Makes you sound delightful and makes me sound like a fink.” “Exactly. You're the dirty cop and I'm the fallen angel.” “Who’s been taking care of your shady business these past six months, baby? Got something to tell me?” asked Calvin as he played with the Dani’s strawberry blonde hair. “Me. How helpless do you think I am?” Calvin finished attaching his tie and tossed on his heinously expensive coat. “Very. You put up with [i]me[/i] to get it fixed.” He gazed at the woman in the bed and marveled at her face. She'd gotten to this stage of her career through sheer skill and cunning, but there was no denying that she had an unforgettably stunning face. Danielle turned onto her back and lit a cigarette. “Shit, the six months are already up?” “Time flies when you’re having fun.” [i]“Asshole.”[/i] [color=9e0039][h2][center]Central Police Station[/center][/h2][/color][color=9e0039][h2][center]Noon[/center][/h2][/color] [center][img]http://www.wichitaphotos.org/graphics/wsu_ms2002-12.72.1.1.jpg[/img][/center] [i]“Piece of shit shows up late on his first day back.”[/i] A group of patrolmen enjoyed a smoke break on the steps toward the police station as Calvin rolled up in his jarringly glamorous car. He rolled into the parking lot and hopped out of his black Delahaye 135 convertible. Calvin winked at the boys in blue standing next to the door. Despite the attire, hey were every bit as green as the last he’d seen them. He opened the door and took in the halls of the police station. Ah. Despite everything, it was good to be back. Cal bolted up the stairs and rushed to his office. Despite the break, they had never asked him to get his things. That was how simultaneously important yet unimportant he was to the force. He knew they’d come crawling back for him. Cal barely had time to sit in his office chair before the commissioner barged into the room. “Lovegrove.” “Sir,” he said sarcastically. “Can it with the attitude. You’re back on planet earth, kid.” Calvin stood from his chair and shook the commissioner’s hand. “Of course. It is good to be back. I’ve had the itch.” “Good. There’s been a murder.” “Then call one of those humps from homicide.” “It's one of our own, Cal. We’ve got a serial killer on our hands. A very, very smart one. This one requires more finesse than they’ve got to offer.” “Am I going to have a partner?” “We’ll see.” The commissioner handed Calvin a file. “Catch up, and then get your ass over to the crime scene. 1520 Thornton Avenue, Brooklyn.” [i][b]Brooklyn?[/b] Fuck. Raking into my gas money already.[/i] The commissioner shot Calvin one last glance as he was leaving the office. “Happy hunting.”