Kobe rested on Brigitte's lap, while in his office, Shawn updated his client on his investigation. However, she was so worried about his injuries and carefully checked his head advising him to go to see a doctor, but Shawn with his stubbornness refused to do it. Hospitals and doctors were another of his phobias.
On the other hand, Brigitte was discontented with the slow progress of the investigation.
“So there´s nothing yet.”
“I´m planning to go to the shelter and ask there for clues.”
“You won’t find anything there. I went by myself, and they knew nothing.”
“Don´t forget I´m an investigator, I can see things you don´t.”
She sighed to relieve her despair.
“I wanted Christmas to be perfect.”
“There´s still time.”
“Look at you, you still haven´t even started and you already look like a mess.”
“That´s my job.”
“That´s not your job. Your job is to look good and make bad guys fear you.”
“This is not a movie, Brigitte.”
“You need to change your style.”
“My style? What´s wrong with my style?”
“You got any.” -She exclaimed with straight sincerity.
“Well, I´m not here to look pretty.”
“That´s why people mistaken you by a burglar. You look like a thug. Let´s do something, let´s go and find you some decent outfit that could make you look like a private eye.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Come on, let´s do it. Is on me.”
“I don´t think is necessary.”
She grabbed her arm and took him in front of a mirror. Reflected on it next to that beautiful deity he just looks like a tramp.
“You think anybody is going to esteem you looking like that?”
“Next to you, anyone would look like a tramp.”
“Stop saying bullshit. We´re going downtown to make you look like a decent person.”
Brigitte literally forced Shawn to accompany her to the center of the city, drawing him into the crowd that strolled through all the Christmas decorations that flooded the streets, accompanied by the music of Christmas carols.
They went through countless clothing stores where the girl could not find the style that really fit the detective's personality. The shop assistants took them for a well-matched couple, and after denying it the first few times, they finally decided to let themselves be carried away by the farce, claiming that she was a young Broadway playwright, and he was an honest policeman on his honeymoon in New York City.
“We should stop lying.” -He told her after leaving one of the stores.
“Ain´t it funny?” -She exclaimed erasing that sad expression that has always accompanied her since they had met.
He limited himself to smiling, hiding how his heart was beginning to feel more than he could afford. However, it was impossible not to feel enchanted by that enchanting gracious lady.
Finally, they entered a shop where she seemed to have a moment of illumination. One of the male mannequins was wearing a smart outfit of black trousers and a dark blue jacket.
“That´s it!” -She exclaimed. “That´s your outfit!”
Shawn walked over to the mannequin, looking at it carefully. He liked what he saw and could imagine himself wearing those clothes.
“You like it?” -She asked.
“I do, but it must be expensive.”
“I told you not to worry, is on me.”
“I can´t do that.”
“Stop thinking too much. Try it!”
Shawn entered one of the fitting rooms putting on the outfit. Before coming out he looked at himself in the mirror and felt that he was shining in a light that until then had been off. However, he was doubting whether it was the outfit or was her what was making him shine that way. He sighed and came out to show Briggitte how he looked with those clothes she had chosen.
The way she looked at him made him feel pampered.
"Your boyfriend looks great in that outfit." -One of the sales assistants told her.
"Yes, he does! We'll take it." -She exclaimed, handing her credit card to the sales assistant.
Together, they approached a mirror in the store, seeing the reflection together. That would be an image that would remain engraved in his memory forever.
After that, Shawn treated her to dinner in a restaurant near there. Sitting in front of him, Shawn observed how her joyful expression had changed again into a sad one. He felt bad thinking that after all, the only reason they were sharing that lovely evening was because she was missing another guy.
“Are you okay, Brigitte?”
“Yeah, is just, that it makes me feel bad to be having fun while I don´t know what could happen to Rodney.”
“I promised you that I will find out what happened to him and I´ll do it.”
“But how?” -Asked heartlessly.
“Maybe he witnessed a crime, and someone silenced him.”
She rushed to reject that idea.
“Don´t say that! I reject to believe that he´s dead.”
“It could be a possibility. He probably left the dog with you because he was afraid something could happen to him, and let´s face it, no main on his senses would leave someone like you behind.
Immersed in her despair, she was unable to grasp that hint that revealed the feelings that were beginning to blossom in the detective's heart.
“No! He´s not dead! I can feel him!”
“Tomorrow I´ll go to the shelter to question the people there.”
“My dad always says, that when you´re looking for something, the answers are always hidden in the most insignificant things.”
“Your dad was a wise man. What he does for a living?”
“He is the owner of vineyards in the south of France.”
“I see.”
“Rodney and I, we were planning to visit France this summer.”
“How you guys met?”
“He came to the university to give a conference about animal trafficking… A classmate told me I should attend to earn some credits, and when I saw him, I knew he was the one.”
“Love at first sight.”
“Yeah, it was for both of us. After the conference I had the chance to speak with him for a while, one thing took to the other, and sooner that I could realize I was at his place making him breakfast.”
“Lucky guy.” -Shawn sighed to himself. “I can only promise you one thing, I´ll find out the truth behind this matter.” -He left himself go making a promise that he didn´t know if he could fulfill while holding her hands over the table.
“I got all my trust on you.” -She told him, holding his hand while staring at his eyes. Shawn could see that there was only sincerity in her. He knew he didn´t want to disappoint her, even though he had to risk his life, he was going to find out that truth, though deep inside he preferred never to find that guy and stay by her side forever.
Her phone disrupted that magic moment between them. She didn´t expect any call and after answering, she seemed concerned.
“What happened? My room? When? Oh, my god! Are you serious? I´m on my way!”
“Someone broke into my apartment.” -She told him with concern after hanging up the phone.
“Are you serious?”
“I got to go.”
“I´ll go with you.”
They arrived at her room and found everything in disarray. It was obvious that they were looking for something, and it had to be related to Rodney's disappearance.
Unfortunately for him, Clinton had already made his way to the scene of the crime. He looked at Shawn with his usual expression of contempt, taking the opportunity to make him look ridiculous in front of Brigitte.
“You again?”
“Cut the crap, Clinton. What happened here?”
“Do I have any obligation to inform you about police investigations?”
“She´s my client, I want to know if you found something important.”
“Go back home, Shawn.”
She stepped forward, standing up for Shawn in front of the nasty cop.
“Shawn is helping me, so stop look down at him.”
“Miss, with all the respect he´s interfering in a police matter.”
“Can you tell us what you found out?” -Shawn insisted while the policeman continued look down on him.
“Can I speak with the lady? In private.”
Shawn was beginning to feel annoyed by the contempt he was being subjected to by the arrogant policeman, to which Brigitte interceded by asking Shawn to wait outside.
“Shawn, can you wait outside?”
Shawn obeyed without complaint, but not before exchanging reproachful glances with Clinton, who smiled maliciously proud of belittling him.
“Miss, how much are you paying that fool to play to be a detective?”
“Can you please focus on what happened here and tell me what happened?”
“Well, I think is obvious that some burglar got into the room looking for something.”
“Looking for something?”
“Maybe that guy who you reported his disappearance was looking for something.”
“Rodney?! Hell no!!”
“There´s nothing he shared with you that could be of value for him? Something that could incriminate him in something illegal.”
“You´re only saying nonsense. Rodney has nothing to do with it.”
“Maybe that detective created this chaos to create a non-existing case so you could keep paying his fee.”
“That´s total bullshit.”
“You missed something?”
“I had no time to check yet, but I realize they didn´t take nothing valuable.”
“This kind of strange, don´t you think?”
“I think is related with Rodney.” -She said.
“They did the same on her apartment.”
“Who are they?”
“I have no idea. Is your job to find out.”
“With all due respect, Miss, but we cannot start an investigation based on your imaginary assumptions.”
That unpleasant answer ended the girl's patience, who began to dismiss the policeman for not considering him helpful.
“If you´ll excuse me, I have to organize all this mess.”
“Don´t get me wrong, lady. I asked everyone around and nobody saw a damn thing. It could even be a prank of another jealous student.”
The girl, ignoring the presence of the policeman, began to clean up that mess.
“Whatever you say.”
“Well, if you need us, you know where to find us.”
“Goodbye.”
The policeman left the room, crossing paths with Shawn on the way out.
“Make yourself a favor, kid. Give her back her cash.” -The police man arrogantly advised him.
“That´s none of your business.”
“Neither yours.” -He sentenced before walking away.
Worried, Shawn entered the room to help Brigitte clean up the mess.
“I don´t understand. They take nothing. I have some money in the drawer that they didn´t even touch. My expensive Mac, my ipad. They touched nothing.”
“Is obvious that they were looking for something else. Something that belonged to Rodney and they thought it could be in your hands.”
“But what? He never mentioned anything. He didn´t mention that he was in trouble.”
“When was the last time you saw each other.”
“We were taking a walk with Kobe, and he suddenly told me something important came out and leave in a hurry letting Kobe with me.”
“Is not sage for you to stay here. Pack your things, you´re coming to my place.”
“Your place?”
“Whoever broke into your room is the same who broke into Rodney´s apartment. There´s a big risk that you could be kidnapped.”
“But I don´t want to leave.”
“We got no choice. You got to trust me.”
That night, Brigitte packed her bags and moved into Shawn's office with her. He gave her his bed that she shared with Kobe, while he made himself some blankets on the floor, sleeping in the corner he had reserved for the dog.
“I´m feeling terrible that you have to be sleeping on the floor because of me.” -She lamented from the bed hugging Kobe
“Don´t worry, if someone comes here looking for you, I´ll be able to protect you.”
“You´re a good guy.” -She praised him. “Not like that cop. Can´t stand him.”
“We had our issues in the past.”
“I can tell that he doesn´t like you.”
“I worked for him many years ago. We caught a guy from a hint that I had, allowing the real culprit. He never forgave me for that stain on his record.”
“Everybody makes mistakes.”
“Regular people mistakes doesn´t ruin someone else´s life.”
“Don´t be hard on yourself.”
“Don´t worry, I got over.”
“Whatever happened, Shawn, there´s something I want you to know, I´m so glad having met you.”
Brigitte fell asleep after uttering those sweet words, Shawn stood up and went over to cover the girl. She was sleeping peacefully, curled up with the also sleeping dog of her deceased lover. That vision seemed to him worthy of having been captured by the most skilled of artists on a canvas that would deserve to achieve immortality. He allowed himself the luxury of gently caressing her face and then, from the depths of her dreams, she pronounced some words that brought him back to reality:
“Rodney, please come back.”
Shawn smiled, embarrassed at his audacity to think that this would have some sign of a future for him. There was nothing more momentary in his life than that vision, which, no matter how much he wished for it, would never last forever. He returned to his improvised bed on the floor, and racking his brains over how he would proceed the next morning to find that guy, he fell asleep.
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