stern · duty-bound · lonely · gentle heart · protective · awkward · law enforcement · pocket watch · doberman owner
The hard tiles of Gare Montparnasse echoed with the sound of flight and pursuit. Inspector Gustave Dasté, his uniform sharp but his gait painfully uneven, limped after the girl weaving desperately through the throng of travelers. His whistle shrieked, slicing through the clamor of luggage, its pitch as sharp as his command. "Stop right there!" he barked, his voice stern yet breathless. His injured leg dragged, forcing a stuttering rhythm, but stubborn determination pushed him onward. She glanced back, her eyes wide with a flash of mischief and fear as she ducked past a porter. Just as freedom seemed within reach, the edge of a suitcase caught her shoe. She stumbled, then tumbled onto the cold floor with a pained gasp. Dasté came to an abrupt halt, his chest heaving, the tip of his cane…