Chapter 1: Try Everything

Who is the sadist who created the damn alarm clock ?!

That was my first ever thought this morning.

I was in the middle of a rather bizarre dream when my alarm clock went off. Without opening my eyes, I fumbled with my hand on the dresser to turn it off. A sound of something crashind and probably breaking tells me that I dropped it.

So much the better, it won't bother me anymore in the morning...

I get up lazily, rubbing my eyes and yawning. A quick glance at the mirror makes me pause and notice the awful state of my blonde hair.

Why is there so many knots...

With furrowed eyebrows, I go straight to the bathroom to take a shower, brush my teeth and fix the nest I have for hair. After getting out, I put on my police uniform, go downstairs to get my keys and get out of the house. I don't bother making myself a coffee today, maybe I will have time to grab a Starbucks.

So... I did not. There was too much traffic, I should have guessed, stupid me. Waiting to get to the cafe would have made me late and I hate that. I know with my position I can afford a bit of liberties but I guess the perfectionist in me strongly disagree with that. So I find myself parking in front of the police station, coffee-less and very suspicious of a start of a bad Monday.

What Mondays start well anyway...

Once there, I greet Cassy, our sweet receptionist, with a wave and a warm smile that she give back to me bashfully. I, for a long time, thought she was too shy to be the first face anyone would see entering the station but she proved herself being a real breeze of fresh air among all these brutes and straight faced people. I take alone the elevator to my floor and enter my office. I slump in my chair and sigh as the reality of the last few days comes back to me.

My supervisor, Chief of Police Mr. Johnson, will be retiring soon. I'd like to have his position, so to test me, he's decided to have me solve a horribly difficult case.

I know this is not the usual procedure and that he can only recommend me to the higher ups. But this is how our relationship is. He has been my mentor and father figure since I stepped into the police station for the first time. He taught me everything I know now, things you don't learn at the police school. It's always been like that between us, he gives me hard cases just to test me and I do everything I can to solve them. But this time, it seems like I ran out of luck.

I am stuck...

The murderer is too much of a professional, I can't believe this is his first murder.

No clues, no suspects...

This is without a doubt, the most important investigation of my career and I can't fuck it up... As I sighed for the umpteenth time, my door suddenly bursted open. I only know one person with the audacity to do this.

"Kate, how many more times do I have to remind you to knock before you enter ?"

Kate Morgan is a few years younger than me. When I met her, I was supposed to form her, and after that we've remained good friends. Unfortunately, in a few days she's going to be transferred to Las Vegas. She is nice but a little too nosy for my taste.

"I'm here to give you a tip, so stop complaining." she rolls her blue, almost grey eyes at me.

Like almost everyone in the station, she knew I was struggling with a case. 

"Give me a tip ?" I raise my eyebrows.

She sat down in front of me and simply gave me a folded piece of paper. Looking like a cat who got the cream and making me weary because she was never up to good with that face. Curious nonetheless, I unfolded it and read :

What ?! Is she serious right now ?

"You're not serious, are you ? What do you want me to do with this ?"

"If you contact him, he'll probably help you." She shrugs her shoulders.

"What ? You want me to hire a private investigator to solve this case ? H-how did you get his number anyway ?"

"Well, I met him during a case and he said he wanted to see me again... But, that's not important. Are you gonna do it or not ?"

"Of course I won't ! You know I disapprove of detective methods..."

"At this point, I think this is your last hope." She says awfully blunt.

"It's a matter of dignity, Kate."

"Your dignity? You lost that a long time ago, Judy..."

"I didn't- I didn't mean it that way !"

I blush as I shout this at her.

That girl never minces her words...

She tends to say everything she thinks and I have to admit that's what I like about her. But sometimes it can be very embarrassing in public.

"Look, you don't have to do this, but tell me you'll think about it." a smile still on her lips after laughing at my embarrassment.

She tugs out a black elastic band from her a wrist to tie her black hair into its usual ponytail.

"Okay, I'll think about it... But I'm not promising anything, alright ?"

"Thanks, you're the best !"

She winked at me before leaving my office as loudly as she came. I look at the paper for a moment, thoughtful, before coming to my senses and folding it back. I throw it in my drawer and turn on my computer to look at the investigation file for clues that I might have missed.

Deep down, I know there are none...

When break time comes, I jump out of my chair and leave the office that I was starting to find stuffy. I walk out of the police station and head to my favorite coffee shop, The Coffee Latte. Since it was rush hour, the street was crowded. This made it difficult for me to get around since I am horribly short.

No need to point out that my height is my biggest insecurity.

If it wasn't for my uniform, I would have been mistaken for a high school student, or at worst, a middle schooler... Yes it happened before.

While I was still mulling about the injustice I received in the past, I bumped into someone and ended up with my butt on the ground. People gasped around me while trying to avoid me as they passed. I realize, mortified, the other one didn't bulge an inch... He leaned toward me and gave me a hand that I grasped to get up. When I faced him, I freezed upon seeing his face. A shiver ran through my body. He had fiery red hair and olive green eyes that I couldn't take my eyes off of. I suddenly had the impression that we were alone in this street and that time had stopped.

There was this sense of déjà vu, yet I had no memory of seeing him before...

The warmth of his hand seemed to spread over the rest of my body. It was the first time I felt like that.

"Are you okay ?"

His deep voice brought me out of my contemplation.

"I'm- Yeah, I'm fine."

"Good, with your size you'd better be more careful."

I was not expecting that...

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Doesn't he have anything else to say ?

My shock of a minute ago had completely evaporated. My eyebrows furrowed, I said to him:

"And you, you'd better apologize."

"You're the one who wasn't looking where you were going, I have no reason to do so."

What's with handsome men and having a shitty personality ?

I gaped at him, at loss for words then I noticed that he had a rather suspicious black briefcase.

"What's in that ?" I asked gaze fixed on it.

"And why should I tell you ?" He looked amused.

"Maybe because I'm a cop ?" I gestured to my uniform.

"Oh ? Are you ? Right..."

"I'm serious !" I felt like a petulant child as I stomped my foot, which was not helping my case. I know he was doing this on purpose just to piss me off, and i was even more knowing it worked.

"Of course and I'm Ed Sheeran."

I was seriously considering ripping that smug smile off his face when my phone buzzed in my pocket. I tugged it out and when I saw that it was Mr. Johnson, I picked up immediately.

"Hello ?"

"Harper ? Can you come into my office right away ? I'd like to talk to you."

"Okay, I'll be right over..."

No coffee this time either i guess. I can't wait for this day to be over.

I hang up and put the phone back before saying to "Ed Sheeran"

"Next time we meet, you won't escape me."

"I look forward to it... Officer." he answers me with a pleasant smile

I give him a dark look before walking back to the station. I head towards Mr.Johnson's office which is right next to mine. I knocked on the door and when I got permission to enter, I went inside.

"Harper, please sit down."

I sat down on the chair in front of his desk, a little nervous. What if he asks me to let go the case because I wasn't fast enough ? After a moment of silence, Mr. Johnson spoke.

"Harper, how is your investigation going ?"

"Uh... It's going very well, don't worry." I lied even though he was probably aware like everyone else that I was struggling.

"Good, because something came up and my retirement day has been moved up. Which means it's a week away."

"In only a week ? I didn't think you would leave us so soon..."

"It's unfortunate for me too... But I would like to leave as soon as possible. These 30 years of loyal service have been more than tiring."

"I understand and I am happy for you, even we are all going to terribly miss you, Mr. Johnson. Is that all you have to say to me ?"

"No, the actual reason why I called you here was I'm going to head out sooner today because I have some important matters to attend to. Could you please look over some files for me ?"

Even though I already had my more than fair share piling up on my desk I said :

"Of course, i can. You can send them to me."

"Thank you, Harper. You are a life-saver." He smiled at me. "You may leave now."

I got up from my chair and left the office after having given him a smile. It is, returned in mine, that my emotions explode of a single blow. Anger, frustration, nervousness... I bite my lower lip to prevent me from cracking.

Damn it... Just one week to solve this case!

I sit down in my chair and open the drawer with a determined look. Kate is right, this is my last hope.

This is my chance to realize my dream and i cannot fuck it up. I should be willing to try everything I can, not backing away over some shady detective.

What do I have to lose anyway ?

I unfold the paper and pick up the landline phone to dial the number. It rings for a moment before I hear on the other end:

"Hello ?"

"Uh... A-are you Nick Wilde ?" I stammer despite my pep-talk.

"Yes, that's me. What can I do for you ?"

"This is Judy Harper, Deputy Chief of Police, New York City, and I'd like to speak with you. Is that possible by tomorrow ? I would like to... borrow your services."

There was a silence like he was pondering on my words before he answered.

"Okay. Where do you want to meet ?"

"At the Coffee Latte, is that okay ?"

"See you tomorrow then, Lieutenant Harper."

He hangs up immediately.

I... did it !

I breathe a sigh of relief and then turn my computer back on to deal with administrative files for the rest of the day.

By 9:00 p.m., I had arrived home. Finally, even if my investigation wasn't progressing, my days were no less full. After showering and wearing a tank top and shorts, I head downstairs to the living room and order a pizza. My cooking skills are not exactly commendable ( it often ends in disaster ) and I am too tired to even attempt at anything. When the delivery man rings a few minutes later, I go to open the door and get my pizza after paying. I eat it in front of some random movie i come across while going through the channels before going to bed. I'm a little apprehensive about tomorrow. Will this Nick Wilde agree to help me ? I hope so, otherwise I could say goodbye to my dream.

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