Trooper Station, Monday

[not-an-answer.livejournal.com]

Having just got back into town, Renee didn't look like she'd gotten much sleep. Or any at all, really.

"No, don't put me on hold--!" She slammed the phone down on the desk a few times in frustration. "Idiots."

Sighing, she lifted the phone to listen to the soft jazz. It didn't calm her down. She picked slightly at the cast, wondering if she should get to the clinic to see about getting this taken care of a little faster.

Comments

[pieandcoffee.livejournal.com]

Dale was watching Renee carefully from his desk as though he was trying to read her.

"What's going on Detective?"

[not-an-answer.livejournal.com]

She glanced up from the phone, looking away quickly. "Had a little accident back in Gotham over the weekend."

[pieandcoffee.livejournal.com]

Dale watched her carefully. "Really," he said evenly. "Why did you go back there?"

[not-an-answer.livejournal.com]

"Satisfying some curiosity," She replied curtly, jabbing a button on the phone and listening again.

[pieandcoffee.livejournal.com]

Dale stood up and walked over to Renee's desk. "Who are you trying to contact?"

[not-an-answer.livejournal.com]

She sighed. "Gotham Chamber of Commerce. Giving me the run around."

[pieandcoffee.livejournal.com]

Dale nodded. "What are you trying to find out?" he asked. "Maybe I can help."

[not-an-answer.livejournal.com]

Eying him warily, Renee said nothing for a long time as the robotic voice on the other end of the phone droned on.

"The owners of a certain address." A beat. "Renters, actually."

[pieandcoffee.livejournal.com]

"Try the county auditor's website," Dale suggested. "Any property, commercial or domestic has to be noted there. And you don't have to wait on hold."

[neverfaithful.livejournal.com]

Faith hovered in Dale's doorway, trying to seem casual. Kinda failing. She nodded. "Hey."

[pieandcoffee.livejournal.com]

"Miss Lehane," Dale said turning his attention away from his paperwork. "What can I do for you today?"

[neverfaithful.livejournal.com]

"Just ... bored, wandered by, thought I'd say hi." She lifted a shoulder again. "Hi."

[pieandcoffee.livejournal.com]

"Hi, indeed," Dale said straightening his jacket. "Is there something wrong?"

[neverfaithful.livejournal.com]

"Nah," she shrugged. "Just, you know. Nothing to do, or whatever. Kinda restless. Not sleeping good. Whatever you wanna call it."

[pieandcoffee.livejournal.com]

Dale looked carefully at Faith. "Does this have anything to do with what we talked about last week?"

[neverfaithful.livejournal.com]

"Might," she admitted, fidgeting with the edges of her jacket. "Bad stuff when I do dream, so not that sad about missin' it."

[pieandcoffee.livejournal.com]

Dale gestured for her to sit down. "Dreams can be our way of our subconscious trying to tell us something. Why don't you tell me a bit about them."

[neverfaithful.livejournal.com]

Faith didn't sleep much, either. And Dale said she could stop in, right?

Hadn't occurred to her that he might not be there, that he didn't live at the trooper station; if he wasn't, she'd make an excuse and turn around and go home, that was all.

She stared at Renee's cast. "... You okay?"

[not-an-answer.livejournal.com]

Renee looked away, not meeting her eyes.

"It's not as bad as it looked." Ignore the bruises and split lip.

[neverfaithful.livejournal.com]

"The fuck happened?" Faith asked. "This don't seem like the kinda town where people mess with cops."

[not-an-answer.livejournal.com]

"Took a trip home over the weekend." Again, with the not meeting her eyes. "Ran into our friend without a face."

[neverfaithful.livejournal.com]

Faith folded her arms. "The fuckin' note."

It wasn't a question.

[not-an-answer.livejournal.com]

Renee nodded anyway. Why didn't she have a response to Faith? Not like it was a big deal if she upset the other woman or anything.

Right?

[neverfaithful.livejournal.com]

"No back-up?" Faith asked. Wasn't quite the question she meant. Close enough.

[not-an-answer.livejournal.com]

"Wasn't expecting to need any," Renee said, not thinking into it.