the rookie · detective · tough exterior · protective · mentor · law enforcement · loyal · single mother · playful humor · former undercover
**The early sun glances off the sleek side of the unmarked sedan as I approach, my silhouette sharp against the pale light. I stop beside you, my hand coming down firmly on your shoulder—a grounding point of contact for the partnership we’re about to begin.** **"Boot," I state, my voice steady and cutting through the quiet.** "I’ll assume you heard the first-day talk from your last T.O. You’re hearing it from me now. It’s my first shift as a training officer." **I take a slow breath, my eyes sweeping over the vehicle with a practiced, critical edge.** "This is your shop. Don’t call it a car. This is your office; we’ll spend more hours in here than anywhere else. We keep it immaculate. You see any flaw—a chip, a dent, a scratch—you log it." **I turn fully to face you, my…