The Martini's

VIVIANA

“Viviana, I want you and Emmy to take over this case. It’s a peculiar one,” said Captain. I and Emmy exchanged confused looks. Was he doing this? For sure! The last time he handed Emmy a case, she messed up so bad that Captain had to apologize. She punched the criminal right in front of the media. Stubborn girl, and easily pissed.

“Don’t give me that expression. Viviana, make sure you handle the media. I have some trust issues with this girl.” Captain handed me the file. I glanced. It was a drug case. Not again. The last time I got involved in a drug case, Miracle got agitated. I couldn’t afford that again.

It’s been a month since Miracle and Emmy made a tour in the city forests. We had been busy. Emma was in a learning mode. To my bad, I was her mentor. What a fate!

Emma took the lead and stepped out of Captain’s office. She was excited. Thrilled, to be precise. Her eyes beamed. I bet adrenaline was making her insane. If I had extra words in my dictionary to explain her gestures, I would have. For sure.

“I can’t believe Captain still has the guts to hand me over a drug case after that mess,” Emma said and arranged some files over her desk. She preferred it neat and clean. A computer, a coffee cup, a cookie pack, a little bag with God knows what, and some case files. That’s it. She imitated me in this. I used to keep my desk like that. You are her mentor, Viv. I reminded myself.

“Where are we going?” I questioned. I needed to prepare some stuff for the investigation. Emma investigated the file.

“Silver City.”

I left the Precinct. We had to hire a cab. A police jeep would not be a good one. Emma was all set with the case file and high spirits. Excited. As always. And fashionable, as always. She tucked her blonde hair in a high ponytail. She put on black jeans paired with a dark maroon crop top and black boots. Not to mention that light cherry lipstick. I must appreciate her fashion sense.

Emma scanned me. Her look screamed like are-you-serious-Viv? Her eyes landed over my shirt: a white one paired with a blue denim jacket. Finally, she blurted out.

“Are you serious? You paired such a good shirt and jacket with that lame rag in your legs?” Her words hit like a sword. Bitch.

“I have not volunteered to seduce those Mafia men,” I reminded her. Her dress screamed seduction.

“Neither did I. But Viv, this…?” Emma scanned my pants again. Her face was looking disoriented. She made it appear like that. Intentionally. I rolled my eyes. The way she said those words, the cab driver peeked at me from his rectangular rear-view mirror. I wanted to smack his head.

“Do you have any suggestions?” I was forced to say this. I couldn’t tolerate Emma’s for my choice of pants. Not to mention the cab driver’s occasional bizarre peaks.

Emma squealed as if I had granted her most desired wish. Well, I just did. She always hoped to poke into my wardrobe. Today was her chance. Emma quickly fetched a cloth from her little bag. I wondered how she stuffed that thing!

“Here,” She gestured me to take the cloth, “Wear this.” Like seriously! She just offered me a piece of cloth. No, a tiny piece to replace my long pants. What a partner I got!

I hesitated, but she shoved it into my hands. A skirt! Great. It was a plaid gray circle skirt. It would barely cover my thighs. I looked at Emma with hope, but she didn’t heed. The cab driver happened to understand. He exited the cab. Did he just give me the desired privacy! A gentleman.

I had no choice but to step into that tiny fabric. Once done, we headed for the Silver City. I shuffled the case file on our way. Emma was such a messy girl. She crumbled some of the pages. I sighed.

We were out of the club that read ‘Martini’s.’ Surprise washed down my spine. I had been here before. When? Oh yes, a year ago. I worked on a murder case. Emma stepped out and paid the cab driver. I followed carrying the bag and shoving the case file into its rear pocket.

“Miss, it looks great on you.” The cab driver praised me just when I walked out. I gave him a look. Then, A smile, a professional one and reflected my police badge. He looked away and drove off. Perfect.

“He was just praising you, Viv,” Emma said entering the club saying my name as Veave, and not Viv. I ignored her. We could discuss that later. Emma grabbed a glass of wine and handed me one. She was such an actress. I thought. But she gulped the glass. I followed the wine move down her throat. She recorded the look I had in my eyes.

“What? I am being a girl. A naïve girl, Viv. We can’t risk exposure.” She said with a slurp. How I wished Emmy to take over! Hash.

My eyes found the prey. The man we had been looking for, Marcus Cole, the drug dealer. I had to arrest him red-handed. Evidence. Police and law, both demand evidence. Emma followed my gaze. Then, she smiled.

“Isn’t it so soon?” She said, or asked, I wasn’t certain. She did express her words with a bizarre emotion. I found myself in a tight position to not correctly attach the punctuation marks at the end of her sentence. Well, I assumed it to be a question.

“No. It isn’t.” I answered. I wanted to step a bead and grab Marcus, beat the shit out of him, and get done with this job. This plaid skirt exposed enough of my thighs. It was getting hard to bear those lascivious stares. Scumbags.

Emma sensed my thoughts and stepped ahead. I tried to stop her, to grab her wrist. We couldn’t afford any risks. Captain warned. But this girl never cared.

Emma swayed her hips. Those movements got highlighted. Thanks to her tight jeans and crop top. ‘She would get in trouble,’ Miracle said out of the blue. I hummed. Emma sat next to Marcus sipping her wine. This girl! She had already downed two glasses. The last thing I wanted was to drag boozy Emma. It riled up my nerves.

Marcus spared her a look. A lustful one. I was alert, ready to launch an attack. Miracle was thrilled, excited, and much more. Emma passed that drunkard a smile. He reciprocated. His hand rubbed Emma's thigh. What the hell was she doing! We didn’t decide.

Emma made a careless face. She would boast this for days. Marcus leaned closer to her ear, said something, and Emma smiled. It wasn’t a smile. A suppressed, naïve-girl type giggle. That bastard got it as a hint. Emma looked over her shoulder. Her gray eyes signaled me. Don’t worry girl, I am here.

Marcus took out a packet from what I concluded in his right pocket of the gray coat. His Rolex reflected the lights above his head over the bar counter. Marcus forwarded the packet to Emma. Cocaine! Yes, it looked like. Emma didn’t take it. I was relieved. She was sober. Yet.

Marcus tried a second time. ‘Emmy is getting pissed. Emma should hurry.’ Miracle suggested. Miracle mind-linked with Emmy. Emma's wolf was touch-sensitive and she was fooling out. Marcus appeared agitated. Emma giggled and took the packet but not in her hands. In her clutch.

At last. I kept the wine glass over the bar counter. I never sipped it. One of us was needed sober. I took out handcuffs from the back of my shirt tucked in my waistband. It was hard to sneak in with these. Marcus was about to touch Emma. His hand stopped action when mine came into play.

I handcuffed him. “What the fuck!” He swore with those wide-brown eyes. He scanned me. No lust. Good boy. Emma stood with her clutch.

“You are under arrest for illegal sale and purchase of drugs,” I confirmed. My voice was soft. A whisper. There were more Mafia men. I wasn’t going to fight everyone. Marcus glared at me. I was going to knock him out when I heard Miracle squeal,

“MATE”

Oh, Shit!