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The Perk; Saturday Afternoon [ 09/05 ].

It would be rather interesting, really, to see what sort of questions Dinah had come up with to ask Daisy about law enforcement and the like, and she was actually feeling pretty excited to be able to try to answer them for the girl. It made Daisy feel somewhat less of a complete and total nerd to see shades of her own younger, justice-driven self in the bouncy blonde, and proud to take on a sort of mentor role towards her.

Even if it was probably just going to devolve into the two of them doing something that might easily be classified as 'fangirling for justice.'

Either way, Daisy hung back a little when she got there to wait for Dinah before getting her coffee. Might as well start off straight away by teaching the girl important lessons about coffee before they began. Coffee was very serious business.

[[ obviously, Daisy's meeting with Dinah in a thread, but post is open for all your coffee needs! ]]

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So was sleep, after a day like yesterday. Dinah was just glad she didn't oversleep this morning, and miss talking to Detective Constable Day about all the things she'd been wanting to ask. She waved madly to Daisy when she walked in the door, saying as she walked over, "Hi! Thanks so much for talking to me about this, Detective-Constable."

Daisy considered telling her that her name would do just fine on a Saturday, but they were going to be talking police things, so she wasn't going to think too much of it at all. She just smiled, glad to see that Dinah hadn't waved her arm right off, and said, "Anytime, Dinah. I figured I'd wait until you got here to get my coffee, so I can grab yours as well. And anything you want. First lesson is going to be that, outside a job, you get the really, really good stuff, because, on the job, the coffee is crap."

Dinah laughed, and said, "Okay, a mocha, please? Or maybe I should try it straight for once." She pulled out her notebook, with the questions she needed to ask in it, and said, "I should pay for coffee, since you're the one helping me out."

"No, you don't," said Daisy. "It's on me. It's the least I can do for someone genuinely interested in what I do. I'd offer to throw in a small black regular for you, too, but even just a cuppa here is good. No where near what station coffee would be, so it just wouldn't be the same."

Dinah grinned and sat down, feeling much more official, suddenly. "Sure. Thank you! Whatever you'd be drinking."

Well, Daisy just went ahead and got Dinah a mocha and stuck with her soy latte, and then came over to join her when the drinks were up. "Think of a lot of questions, did you?"

"Yes. Sooo many." Dinah smiled, and took a sip of her latte, then got more serious, flipping to her first page. "Okay. Do you think college is required to be a P.I.? A good one? Or do you think on-the-job training is more important?"

Start off with the one she'd be having fights with Barbara about, more than likely.

Daisy sipped as well as she thought. "On the job training is definitely important," she said. "You can learn things in a very different, often important way through it, but I think university can also be pretty valuable. I was studying at the University of London for a bit before I went to the Academy. Law and computers, mostly, which I then was able to use in my work. Any amount of knowledge and experience you can get is important, you know?"

"Hunh." Dinah frowned, thinking. "I guess that's true. So do you have a law degree? Or one in computers?" She rested her chin on her hand and admitted, "I'm not all that good at normal classrooms. Although maybe college is different from high school that way. What kind of computer stuff?"

"Well, I didn't finish," admitted Daisy, a bit sheepishly. "I went to university for a bit, but as soon as I took my entrance exams for the police force and got in, there was no stopping me. I've got to admit, I was in a bit of a good spot. Taking me on put some diversity into the force, as well as gave them someone who knew their way around computer crimes and fraud. So that's what I worked with, mostly. Keeping a watch on computer-related fraud and hacking and things like that."

Dinah grinned, cheered to hear Daisy admit she hadn't finished. "I guess I don't have to stick it out all the way, right? If I hate it, and something better opens up..." She tilted her head, looking interested. "So you'd know about public records, doing that kind of research? Because I know P.I.'s have to use them to track people, but I wasn't sure how much was allowed." Of course, she had Barbara for any of the cases where someone's life was at stake, but for work, where she'd have to show proof, well. "I don't even know where you'd start with that kind of thing."

"It really depends on what level of clearance you have," said Daisy. "Obviously, public records are just that. Public, and anyone can access them if they know how. Other records, you've got to work a bit for, but if you're in a case, usually you've got the legal strings to pull. A lot of what I did back in London was business fraud, so it was a matter of this company or that cooperating with the law to let us see their files or, in a pinch, securing warrants or subpoenas."

Dinah made a face, looking thoughtful. "I wouldn't be able to get those, if I'm not a police officer. So I'd just have to really know what I'm doing." She tilted her head. "Do you think you could show me, sometime? I don't mind research if it goes somewhere, if it's finding out something important." She looked at her list. "Also, how often have you gone on stakeouts?"

"I don't know about showing you," Daisy admitted. "That's something best learned when you're going to actually be a cop, Dinah, learning it properly. And I've done a lot of plainsclothes work, but I don't know if I'd call them stakeouts. They're probably not all that exciting, just a lot of talking to people and trying to get them to cooperate."

"Oh, that I'm okay at." Since she pretty much talked to every person at school ever and asked them a million questions about their home planet and answered any they had about "why are drugs illegal?" and "what's the big deal about kids fighting in wars?"

"Hmmm. Okay, so, do you think it's a good idea to carry a weapons if I become a P.I., or not?" she moved on to ask. "I've learned how to shoot in Gun Club here, but I don't know if it's something the police are usually okay with, or if I'd even really need one, with the kind of investigations I'm thinking of."

Daisy just sort of stared at a question like. "If you're a cop, you've always got a gun on any assignment at all," she said, carefully, making sure to emphasize the lawful and necessary elements of that in her tone. "But, whether or not you use it or when you use it is an entirely different matter all together..."

Dinah frowned, then her expression cleared. "Oh, I meant for private investigators. If I was investigating a crime, and was armed, even if I hadn't used it-- would they think I was more of a trouble-maker?" She paused, then admitted, "I'm not actually sure I could shoot someone who's human. I had to shoot a couple aliens during one of the invasions." She took a sip of her drink, looking away. "Didn't like it."

"I'm not too fond of it, either," said Daisy, "but sometimes you just have to do what you've got to do. If you're going into private investigation, I'd just recommend working with the police as closely as you can. Vigilantism has its...appeals," and, really, Daisy shifted a little in her seat as she breached that topic, "but the closer you are to staying within the bounds of the law, the better. But, then again, I'm not as familiar with the gun laws over here; they're a bit different than the ones in the UK."

Dinah nodded slowly, not looking away as that topic came up, then said, "There was a vigilante in New Gotham for a long time. He put a lot of criminals away. But he didn't kill anyone, and there's even rumors he was working with the police commissioner, because the force was so corrupt back then." She cleared her throat. "But yeah. A P.I. couldn't do that, not and keep their license, I don't think." She tilted her head, and had to ask, "When did you know you wanted to be a police officer?"

Now that was a question a bit easier to answer, and Daisy gave a faint grin. "For as long as I can remember, actually. Probably before I even knew what a police officer was. What interest do you have in P.I. work, Dinah?"

Dinah grinned at the idea of a wee tiny Daisy wanting to arrest people and stop crime, then took another sip of her drink, trying to think how to explain, then just dove in. "Missing persons. Runaways, or people who just-- get lost from their families, one way or another. Maybe cold cases, too. Stuff the police can't work on forever." She looked up, and folded her arms. "New Gotham has a really big runaway population. A lot of them get pulled into crime. It shouldn't happen like that, but it does."

"That's an excellent reason to go into it, Dinah," said Daisy, smiling over at the girl. "And I'm sure you'll do a wonderful job at it, too."

"Thanks," Dinah said, turning pink and smiling. "Do you like being a cop here, instead of in London? I mean. It's got to be way, way weirder." She always kind of wondered about adults who stayed here. Why they didn't run screaming, for one.

"It certainly is a bit odder," Daisy agreed, "and it's strange, because that strangeness makes it so exciting, but there's also a lot less work. Everyone's for the most part very good around here, which I'm grateful for, but I often feel like I could be serving better if I were stationed somewhere with actual crime to stop...if that makes any sense."

"Yeah, it does. At least to me," Dinah admitted. "I mean, that's why I'm going back to New Gotham, after I graduate. Totally aside from my family being there, there's stuff that has to be done." She tilted her head, thinking. "On the other hand, if there were no police here, I can see how this place could get way, way out of hand, or someone might decide they should take over." She toasted Daisy. "'They also serve...'"

With a small smile, Daisy lifted her cup to meet the toast. "I certainly hope so. But that is in part why I'm also working for Freelance. It gives twice the chance to catch something and take care of it."

"Oooo. That makes sense. Hey, what's the best case you've gotten to work here?" Dinah had to ask, wishing she could explain that she'd worked investigations back home herself.

"I'm afraid I actually can't tell you much about it, Dinah," said Daisy, apologetically. "But it was right when I got here, so I like to think of it as a good step forward in the right direction."

"Too bad. But ooo, cool!" Dinah beamed at her, pleased that Daisy at least had gotten to work on a case that had helped her career. "I was thinking... tell me if this sounds dumb?" she asked, feeling an attack of nerves, suddenly. "Um. There's a Missing Persons list for New Jersey, and Maryland..." She fidgeted with her cup. "I was thinking, that for practice, I could, maybe, at least on paper, try to figure out where some of them might be."

The attack of nerves was probably a way of telling Dinah that she probably already knew, subconsciously, that the question would earn a sternly disapproving look.

"Dinah, you know that sort of thing is much better left to professionals..."

Yeah, she did. Except she was! Sort of. When she had Barbara and Helena for back-up.

"I know, I know. I just... I'm ready to start training for this now, but there's still two more semesters of high school to get through." Dinah rested her chin on her hand, looking glum. "And all the other training too, I guess. But I can help! And I just wonder. I look at the website, and it says this 80-year-old grandfather just disappeared. Completely. No body. No one knows. His family still misses him." She sighed. "Someone should be able to do something."

Daisy's face twisted a little in sympathy and understanding. "Patience, young grasshopper," she said. "I can understand the desire to help, believe me. It's just that you're still a high school student; if there are people who have training aren't making any progress, then you could really get yourself involved in something that's well over your head. And, trust me, I know that there are kinks in the system and that, sometimes, the police can't help, because there's just so many other things or because it's not prioritized, or even that the people who really pull the strings just don't care. But that's why you've got to just be patient, get the training and the knowledge and the know-how, and then go and be the best bloody damn cop or private investigator or whatever you can be..."

Her frown deepened with concern. "Would you like me to see what I can do to look into it?"

"Could you?" Dinah asked, looking up, hopeful. "It's right in Baltimore. Hector Ramos. Last seen in June."

Way down where she wasn't looking at it, part of Dinah knew this was at least a little about Edward, disappearing and not getting to come back, even if they knew where he was. Helpless was not a fun feeling.

"And I know you're right." She sighed. "Just have to keep studying."

"Hold on," said Daisy, reaching for a napkin. "Let me get that down. If anything, it's something I could get Freelance involved. Proper avenues, and all that. But, yes, don't be impatient, Dinah. That's another valuable thing that too many people involved in law enforcement forgets."

"R, A, M, O, S," Dinah said, relaxing a little. "Near the waterfront district." She smiled, then looked rueful. "Patience with training, and patience with school, and sometimes I just want to jump out of my skin. How did you ever learn to deal with it?"

"A very healthy separation from work and recreation," said Daisy with a faint smile. "If I didn't have weekends, I'd go mad from the need to get justice served. Yoga helps, so does the occasional vodka and orange," and a really good tumble, but she wasn't about to add that one. "Picked up on the cooking to focus on a little something else, too."

"Hunh." Dinah slurped the last of her drink, thinking. "I have to meditate anyway, to work on my abilities. And I guess the flower shop is kind of relaxing. It's nothing to do with investigations, anyway. And flying with Karla." Maybe she'd want to do that tomorrow. "And Fight Club!"

Daisy almost wanted to ask about the flying, but changed her mind at the last minute. Instead, she laughed a little. "Yes, Fight Club is definitely on there for me, as well."

Dinah grinned at her. "Maybe we won't get paired up again soon, but I'm always up for a spar any weekend you are." She flipped her notebook shut, and smiled. "Thanks for talking with me. Do you have any suggestions for what I *can* do right now?"

Aside from go home to New Gotham and beat up muggers once a month.

"Anytime you want a spar, Dinah, I would love the chance," said Daisy, sincerely with a nod. "And I don't think I've got any other suggestions at the moment besides that whole patience thing. But if I think of anything else, I'll let you know."

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The Perk; Saturday Afternoon [ 09/05 ].

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