hands. Immediately I noticed the extra flurry of activity and new faces in the office. What was going on? I found my way to my desk to find Sal there. He refused to meet my eyes and I knew something was up.
"Who are all these people Sal?"
"Better question would be, who's not here. Homeland Security and half a dozen or so other agencies, I even heard a guy mention that the CIA is involved!"
"In our case?" He looked down and mumbled something.
"Speak up Sal!" I said sharply.
"They took us off the case."
"They what?" I exclaimed loudly.
He just nodded.
I slammed my coffee cup down and headed for the captain's office. I burst through the door and he stood up, "Where have you been Lisa?"
"Chasing down a lead. What's this about being off the case?"
"It's true, you're off it. You're too personally involved and the case has stretched passed our jurisdiction. It's apparently become an international affair."
"I'm not giving this case up! I'm going to find Rafferty's killers and bring them to justice!"
"It's no longer a decision for you to make! Consider yourself temporarily relieved of duty! Turn in your badge."
I slammed it down on his desk and turned to leave, "And your gun."
I turned back, "They weren't aiming for Rafferty! They were aiming for me! Do you think it's smart for me to be on the streets without a gun you idiot!"
"You're in contempt Lisa! The only reason I don't lock you up is because of the friendship we've had over the years and the Lisa I know wouldn't be acting like this! Now put your gun down and go home and don't come back until I tell you to!"
I pulled my gun out of its holster and set it down on the desk. In a calmer tone the captain said, "I'm sorry about all this Lisa, but this is for your own good. You have to trust me as your friend when I tell you that."
"You know what they say captain, with friends like you, who needs enemies."
I closed the door behind me and went back to my desk. I pulled a bag out of a drawer and threw what stuff of mine there was worth keeping into it. There was little enough of it.
I opened the bottom drawer and saw the sketch book lying there. I grabbed it and stuffed it into the bag on impulse. I didn't need anyone drawing incorrect conclusions on top of everything else, not to mention the private nature of the sketches.
I slung the bag's strap over my shoulder, "Stay out of trouble Sal."