Teaser – Symbolically Carved

NOT EDITED

Chapter One

Friday: February 8, 2008

Freshly promoted from the LAPD’S Central Bureau’s Narcotics Unit, Dallas Silver found himself more than ready to join the homicide department. After spending the last week on leave to nurse an injured shoulder, he wanted to get back to the job. He needed to get back to the job.

A bit ironic, isn’t it? First you became a cop, did the whole vice and narcotics thing. But now you’re going to willingly choose stupidity and move to homicide?

Dallas chose to ignore the voice in his head. Ed–though Dallas tried not to call it that to it’s face, er… voice–fed on attention. The less he responded to Ed’s nagging, the longer he could live his peaceful, well-constructed web of lies.

Clearing his throat, Dallas walked into the station. Smoothing a hand over the buttons of his shirt, he drew in a calming breath. He held it for a moment, let it out, and made his way to the lieutenant’s office. He felt confident in his ability to win over the lieutenant with the same ease he had for winning over most people.

Dallas was well-practiced charmer, what with his half-smiles and slight Texan drawl. With the lieutenant, he had an extra benefit. Much like himself, Lieutenant Alec Fox was a black man.

He stopped at the open door to the office and gave a little knock. Alec lifted his head, a smile coming to his face as soon as his eyes landed on Dallas. Just like that, Dallas thought.

“Officer Silver. Hope you made the drive okay?”

“Oh, not too bad. You get used to driving with this damn sling on eventually.”

Alec chuckled. “Suppose I’ll take your word for it.” He pushed himself to his feet and rounded the desk. With Dallas’s right arm held to his chest by the sling, Alec didn’t even bother with an awkward attempt to shake his hand. Evenn Dallas could appreciate that. Instead, Alec laid a hand on his shoulder, just long enough to let it serve as a greeting. “You wanna see your desk first, or your partner?”

Dallas’s heart clenched. “Partner?”

“He’s a forensic tech. The chief and I agreed that you can work without another officer for now, but we’d still like someone else there to keep an eye on you.” Alec gestured to the door. “Walk with me?”

“Of course, sir.”

“He’s a bit of a rule breaker, but he’s… mellowed out in the last few years. When it comes right down to it, he’s one of our best employees. We normally have him partnered up with another forensic tech, but he’s unfortunately out of state for a little while. It’ll be the perfect time to transition you in as his partner. Shift buddy. Workplace friend. You can call it whatever makes you feel the most comfortable.

Dallas nodded. “Thank you for not partnering me with another officer, sir. It’s deeply appreciated.”

“You’re welcome. Like I said, we made a collective decision to wait until you felt ready for one.” Alec stopped just short of the lab and turned to face Dallas. “Losing a partner is far from easy, Dallas. You’ve passed your mental evaluation, but that doesn’t mean you don’t need help. It doesn’t mean you’re forbidden from seeking help. Okay?”

One corner of Dallas’s mouth lifted. “Of course, sir. If I need help… processing, I won’t hesitate to find that help.”

“Good.” Alec walked into the lab, and a moment later, Dallas followed. “Bo? I’d like you to meet that officer we talked about.”

A short blonde white man lifted his head. His blue eyes lifted to Alec’s face first, scanned over Dallas second. After closing the book before him on the table, he rose to his feet. “I see your right hand’s unavailable, so I’ll skip to introducing myself. I’m Bo Austen, forensics. As I’ve been told, you’re stuck with me for the next week or two.”

“Well, I didn’t use the word ‘stsuck’,” Alec said. “You’ll be partnered for the next week or so.”

Dallas smiled his signature half-smile. The blonde’s expression didn’t change. “I’m Dallas Silver, homicide officer.”

“Yes.”

Dallas couldn’t believe it. His charm had met its match with a short, beanpole-framed lab geek?

Alec cleared his throat. “Bo? How about you go on up and show Dallas his desk? Then you can both go get coffee at that diner you like. Sound good?”

“Okay.” Bo finally rounded the table, hands tucked behind his back. Dallas figured the purple flannel and dark jeans were supposed to soften his monotone answers and his general lack of expression, but they didn’t seem to be working well that morning. “I’ll wait at the top of the stairs for you,” Bo said quietly. Bowing his head, he walked out of the room.

Dallas cleared his throat, turning toward c. “Was it an accident that I was ‘partnered’ with someone who seems a bit… ditasteful of me?”

“Oh, he has no problem with you. I should’ve, umm, warned you better.” Alec shoved his hands into his pockets. “Bo’s not great with change. Both of the analysts he works with are temporarily on vacation, and the only cop he likes recently transferred to the West Bureau.”

“Only cop he likes?”

“Well… correction, only cop that’s always been kind to him. Bo’s a good kid, but he’s got too much brain in that head of his for most people to like him.”

“They hate him because he’s smart?”

“Adulthood hasn’t changed the bullies from school. It only changed the building the bullying takes place in.”

“He looked like he was just a kkid.”

“He is. Doesn’t make him off limits to dickish behavior.”

Dallas let out a breath. “All right. Thanks for the heads up. I’m… going to see fi I can help out a pattern-driven lab geek.”

“Thank you. Let me know if there are any issues. Otherwise, welcome to homicide, and good luck.”

Dallas offered a two-finger salute and walked out of the lab. As promised, the lab geek stood at the top of the stairs, waiting. “Thanks for waiting for me.”

“You’re welcome.” Bo took a step away from the wall and made his way to the officer desks. “This is your desk, Officer Silver.”

“Dallas is fine.”

Bo kept his gaze on the desk. “I struggle with addressing new people by their first name.”

“That’s fine. You okay with just calling me Silver?”

After a moment, Bo nodded. “Yes, I can manage that. Thank you.”

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A/N: I normally don’t post on weekends, but today is Dallas’s birthday! A couple days ago, we lost power for three hours during a storm, and since all of my devices were in need of a charge, I couldn’t work on any of my books. Instead, I opened up a notebook, lit a candle, and set to work on Dallas.

I don’t want you guys to get your hopes up just yet, but I’m hoping that this becomes a full book and a series, but we’ll see. I don’t plan to post it until I know it’ll reach completion status on the first book, but in the meantime, you can have the only part I’ve written so far.

I hope you enjoyed!

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