Chapter 2: Law Enforcers
Location: Sunset Valley police Station.
Time: 1:50
Maggie sat behind the receptionist’s desk with the coffee mug in her hands, relaxing in her chair. She brought the coffee mug closer to her mouth. The smell of the fresh coffee was bliss to her. Maggie took a sip with her eyes shut. It went down well. Her eyes opened and were greeted to the same sight as before: an empty reception hall.
No trouble tonight then. I guess they are behaving themselves.
She placed the coffee mug on the table. She opened the side drawer and reached for a chocolate bar. She unwrapped it and greedily stared at the brown guilty pleasure for a minute. It was like that nothing else mattered to her for that minute; it was just her and the sweet delicacy that she was holding in her hands. She brought the bar closer to her mouth. Her lips opened. Her tongue wanted to feel the layer of caramel encased in thick chocolate. Her heart rate increased. It was like she found her true love. Her heart raced faster.
The romantic moment was interrupted by the tune of the phone in front of her. A scream escaped her throat. Her heart was still racing. Strangely for a 25 year old, she nearly had a heart attack at the sound of the phone going off. She felt as if someone had just walked in on her about to make love. She glanced around, embarrassed. Good thing she was all by herself. She took in a deep breath.
The phone kept on ringing. In her hand, there was the joy and pleasure she had been craving for the last 3 months. She had been on a diet, resisting her junk food habits.
This better be good, she thought.
She took a deep breath and answered the phone.
‘Sunset Valley Police station,’ Maggie greeted.
She tried to contain her anger. But she could not when she heard what the other side had to say.
‘Maggie, they threw me out. I landed on my butt.’
Maggie recognised the man over the phone. It was a local named Keith. And she had a slight idea as to what could have had happened.
‘Yeah, try not to throw up on the bar counter.’
‘How the…hic…heck did you know?’ Keith could barely talk.
‘Cause that’s what happened last week. And the week before, Keith.’
Maggie sighed.
‘Sam will be doing rounds in a bit. I’ll ask her to come down and see if you are bleeding or something.’
‘I’m in front of the…hic…bar, near the payphone’, Keith said. ‘You tell her to…hic…to bring some of…’
Maggie hung up before Keith could finish his sentence. Her attention moved towards the chocolate bar again. She grabbed it and brought it close to her mouth.
‘Hey, I thought you were on a diet,’ a voice startled Maggie, nearly throwing her off her chair.
Maggie took her eyes off from her chocolate bar and greeted Deputy Samantha Anderson who stood at the reception desk in front of her. Everyone called her Sam.
Sam was everything Maggie wanted to be. She was 5’2 where Sam stood tall at 5’6. She looked like a geek with freckles and glasses whereas Sam looked like a model with even when she was in her police uniform and wore no make-up. Maggie had a round figure with auburn hair as opposed to Sam who had a slim figure, blonde hair and blue eyes. Considering they were both of the same age, she knew Sam had more chances of getting laid.
‘I am sure one candy will do me no harm,’ Maggie replied.
Sam chuckled as Maggie finally tasted the chocolate bliss.
‘So who was on the phone?’ Sam asked.
Maggie chewed and gulped the chocolate down.
‘It was Keith’.
‘Let me guess, out of the bar, on his butt.’
Maggie nodded. It was always like this. Sunset Valley was a peaceful town and these were the kind of calls Maggie was used to receiving. If it was not Keith, then it was someone ringing because young teenagers were creating a ruckus. Or it was some couple fighting in the middle of the night, waking the neighbourhood up in the process. Shoplifting and other crimes happened here and there but nothing major.
‘So where is the boss?’ Maggie asked.
‘I insisted on doing the night shift. George needs some time off,’ Sam replied.
While they were talking, the phone rang.
‘If it is Keith again,’ Maggie blasted, ‘I’m gonna give him a piece of my mind.’
‘C’mon, he is harmless.’ Sam joked. ‘I think he’s got a crush on you.’
‘I am sure I can do better than the local drunkard.’
Maggie reached for the receiver and answered.
‘Sunset Valley police department. How may I help you?’
Sam grinned. She thought it would be Keith saying the same thing again.
‘I think I better go and pick...’
‘Tom? What happened? Slow down…,’
Maggie’s words stopped Sam halfway through her sentence.
Tom was freaking out on the end of the line. He was so loud that even Sam could hear him over the receiver.
‘SHE IS DEAD. I SAW IT. SHE WAS IN HER A