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Just endless, repetitious – clack, clop, clack clop, clack, clop – it felt almost like the gallop of a horse... a very grumpy horse at that.

Though I can’t really think of a valid reason why a horse would be this upset, but since we aren’t referring to horses at that moment... well, let’s just say you don’t have to be a prestigious detective gal to make a real good guess.

The finish strum of a guitar, the climatic crashing of cymbals, and suddenly from all around, the small booth erupted in roaring applause, cheers, and whistles resounding left and right, as a springy girl clad in blue took a bow, lit ablaze by the glow of the LCD right screen behind her.

“Thank you, thank you!” She declared breathlessly on the mic. “So who’s next in line now? Any volunteers?”

When I imagine a room full of officers, I picture a drab, boring office scene in my head. The ringing of a telephone in the background somewhere, the shuffle of papers, the jangle of loose handcuffs around someone’s waist, y’know, your typical local precinct near you.

It takes a more creative mind than I to ever picture beer and barbeque being toast and being shared, maracas and tambourine shaken and smacked. Generally just the total opposite of the picture I painted.

.....

So much laughter, so much chatter abuzz, beset by good vibes all around, even I couldn’t help but join in on the cheering, and as it gradually died away, as the opening notes to another song began to play, and as the mic was handed to one of the many other would-be singers fitted inside this room, I could still vaguely hear it... funnily enough keeping in time to beat of the music.

Clack, clop, clack, clop, clack clop...

Kinda groovy.

“Um, Mr. Actor, Sir...” a gentle tug at my sleeve whirled my gaze to the seat on my left, completely occupied by the girl in red. “Why is the detective staring at you funny?”

A harder tug to my right brought me facing before the other girl in green, “Yeah, kinda weird she’s doing that. Did ya say something to her? Did something to her? Which is it?”

Oh, guess I wasn’t the only that noticed the lone pair of hazel eyes directly across from me, even better, I wasn’t the only that could feel the murderous intent emanating from them.

Then suddenly, accidentally, we locked gazes, and Irene tore away in an instant, sipping her drink dripping with condensation, and instead diverting her attention to some guy’s rendition of ‘All I Want For Christmas’.

Never realized the song was supposed to be rapped.

“Hmm,” I began, watching Irene continue to thud her heels into the matting. “Absolutely no clue.”

Looking around, and with just a single glance, it was plenty clear this team-building exercise was just a flimsy front to mingle and flirt to one’s content.

The guy to girl ratio was just about even in a dozen – and everyone’s got this glint to their gazes, like on the hunt, on the prowl. The men, the women – did I mention the men? Yeah, the men especially.

I could feel the rising tension in the air, and though I can’t read minds, I can definitely sniff out intent, and judging by the distinct smell of testosterone in the air... there was not a single member of the XY chromosome here that did not at all pick up on that appetizing scent, so irresistibly sweet, alluring... every once in a while gravitating a wanting gaze towards her...

That prim and proper detective, sipping away in her little empty corner of the room all on her lonesome, like a tempting open invitation to try... if not for that wall, that invisible barrier, permeating a great intimidating feeling all around, dissuading any attempts.

But it was only a matter of time, someone’s gonna work up the courage eventually... take that empty spot just right beside her.

“You’re friends with the detective, right?” suddenly asked the girl in red.

I turned my stare away from that lonely little corner, nodding my head, “Yep, got our own nicknames for each other and everything.”

“Wowie!” whistled the girl in green, eyes sparkling in awe. “How’d ya even manage that? Hell, barely anyone even dares knock on her office door ‘sides from us! You ain’t afraid?”

“Well, you ain’t, aren’t you?” I remarked, nudging at them both. “So you both know that there isn’t really anything to be afraid about when it comes to her.”

“Well, duh, we both know that,” Green said, rolling her eyes. “But the question is...”

“How do you?” quietly finished red.

Before I could answer, the leader of the trio popped into view in all her blue glory, plopping herself between red and me, with absolutely no regard to personal space... especially mine in particular.

“Hold on, hold on, I want in on this conversation too,” She said, keenly looking around from left to right? “What’s happening, what are we talking about? And – oh, hold on! What’s that you got there with you?”

Then before I could react, the girl in green reached her hand out, digging into the bag I got between my lap, and pulled out the box of chocolate, raising it slowly before all three of their wide gazes.

“Ooo,” snickered blue, eyeing me up with a smile. “So that’s why you were at the candy shop before. You got a lucky someone in mind you’re thinking of giving this to?” She then tossed the box, landing perfect in red’s hands.

“A lucky friend?” quietly asked red, timidly flinging it across towards green.

“A lucky girlfriend?” accused miss green, inspecting it all around presumably for a note in sight.

“How about lucky me, huh?” I suggested, taking back the box and stashing it away once more from their prying gazes. “I’m allowed to like chocolate too, aren’t I?”

All three girls seemed satisfied, if albeit, a little suspicious about my explanation, and promptly left my chocolate bag well alone in its place.

Speaking of being left well alone, I wish I could say the same for myself – but over time, I noticed that Irene’s trio had invested a sort of curious interest in me... and it’s really no mystery as to why.

“So, so...” blue batted her eyes, her entire focus shifting away from the music and song. “What movie are you working on at the moment?”

“Do you do your own stunts?” the red asked, scooting closer.

“Do ya know Brad Pitt?!” squealed green, pulling roughly at my sleeve.

And there it was again. That silent stare lurking in that corner there, a subtle peek hidden between sips, between blinks... except not so subtle if I noticed it anyway.

Irene has been a total mute ever since we walked into the booth to the cheers and welcomes of everyone already present... and she’s maintained her vow of silence even now. But though she herself didn’t speak, the expression on her face was plenty talkative anyway.

Anger, annoyance, it was all there definitely... but somewhere among her foul mood, hid bits and pieces of something else... the tension in her stare when miss blue batted her eyes, the twitch in her lips every moment green would chortle and laugh, and the compulsive sipping she was doing as red would meekly tug at my sleeve.

What is that, what do you call that? Not professionalism, definitely.

“She’s doing it again,” muttered red, noticing it too.

“Right, yeah, something’s definitely up,” green said in agreement. “We ain’t doing nothing wrong to upset her, are we?”

The pack leader remained quiet for a long moment, taking the time to just observe and think, before turning back, wearing an almost knowing smile.

“Well, we definitely aren’t doing anything wrong here,” She said with certainty, raising a little impish towards me, and the bag between my legs. “Are you?”

Not bad for a rookie.

I just gave a small innocent smile. “I’d like to invoke my right to remain silent if that’s alright.”

At once, suddenly another explosion of cheers and applause as the guy on the mic finished off with a stylish pose.

I followed the crowd, clapping and whooping him on, and I guess the rush must have spurred a newfound confidence within him, because instead of going back to his usual spot, he opted to march in the complete total opposite directions, towards a peculiar, lonely little corner.

Well, well...

My ears tuned out everything else, the next song, the next person, and I watched... as this brave fellow plop himself right beside the detective, a friendly expression and a twinkle in his eyes.

“You’re Irene, right?” He began, putting his best smirk on display.

Irene lowered the glass from her lips, keeping her eyes forward, as she sternly muttered, “Detective...”

“Of course! But not right now, right? Right now you’re just Irene, and honestly, I think you’re better like this.”

She didn’t say anything, opting to just quietly tap a fingernail against the side of her drink.

The man cleared his throat, quickly recovering. “A-Anyway... detective. Do you... do you remember me?”

“Officer Schidmt.”

“Yeah, that’s right! Officer Schidmt, that’s me!” sputtered the man, eyes bolstered with a fiery glint. “I was with you, remember? One of the, uh, officers on scene... during the serial kidnappings? Remember? I helped you take notes.”

“Of course,” Irene said, letting out a long dull sigh. “How else did you think I remembered you?”

Wasn’t a compliment, clearly... but Schidmt seemed to have heard otherwise.

“Glad to hear it, but right now it’s just Niall if it’s all the same to you,” He said, then seeing an opportunity I didn’t catch, he edged himself closer towards her, nearly brushing shoulders. “You haven’t sung yet, I noticed. You sing much?”

“No.”

“Do you want to?”

“No.”

“Nervous, huh? I get it,” He chuckled. “How about in a duet? You can bounce off of me if you prefer that.”

“No.”

“I see, alright, that’s cool, too,” slowly, he stretched his arm over behind her. “Then, I guess we could just sit and talk if you – ”

“Excuse me, officer,” The table clattered, as Irene lowered her empty drink atop its surface. Without shifting her stare, she rose to her feet, clack, clop, clack, clop, until she reached the booth exit. “Restroom.”

Mr. Schidmt sat in place, frozen with quite the baffled expression... and even though I saw it coming myself, deep inside me, I couldn’t help but feel a little easing in my gut, a slight tension gradually releasing.

“Well, well,” muttered the blue, who apparently was observing the whole ordeal just as well, except her focus was entirely on me instead. “It seems the detective isn’t the only one who has that stare.”

Seriously, this girl’s a rookie?

“Excuse me,” I muttered, standing up as well. “Toilet.”