The Academy: Detective Stories - Part II

Chapter 1. A Diamond Mystery

The tall windows of the observation tower opened a spectacular view of the night capital. Jackie leaned on a windowsill and breathed in the fragrant summer air. Middle Lake city never sleeps. Even when the lights in the windows went off, the trade street started living its life. Various nightclubs and pubs were lit up with the magnificent glow of the night plants, attracting people looking for a cure for boredom. They flew to this light like moths without knowing how harsh this night might end. That's why they were watching them - the guardians on duty.

The silver line of sunrise touched the horizon, meaning that the duty was about to end. The capital was quiet tonight, but still, something might happen. And then, she would rush for help.

"Jackie, you can have a seat." The man's voice said from behind.

She turned to the room. Walter Mills, the guardian who pulled her out when she was drowning in a lake and the one who brought her to the Guardian House this spring. As Jackie learned later, Walter was a detective who held some investigations in the city. He was the only man who agreed to take her under his wing for mentoring. He was kind to Jackie, sometimes even too kind.

Now he carried two steaming cups of coffee in his hands. He put the cups on a small table and sat on a chair. His blue eyes looked at her with curiosity.

Jackie took a coffee cup. This drink was too warm for the end of July.

"Your first night duty is almost over," he said.

She glanced at the windows with disappointment. "I thought it would be more fun."

He chuckled. "That's why I like working with cadets. The duty for you is still an adventure."

Jackie sat on a chair beside him and put her coffee cup on a table. "Is it bad? To wish crime to happen?"

"Not at all." He laughed. "I was the same when I came here, obsessed with investigations. But I was too clumsy and too pushy. That's why experienced guardians rarely give this job to rookies."

"But you gave it to me."

"Yes, because I trust you, Jackie. And I hope you'll remember that."

She mustered a smile. This was a game they played, as she called it. From her very first days, Walter trained her. He patiently answered all her silly questions, and sometimes he took her to the crime scenes. They signed an agreement on her first day at work to make their work easier, so Jackie wasn't officially allowed to read his thoughts. However, she didn't need to read him to understand that his core interest was investigating what was hidden under her uniform.

Jackie unbuttoned her collar and let the cool morning air touch her neck. Walter was right – she wanted to improve as a guardian, and she let him think his plan worked. The longer this game lasted, the longer she could keep practicing here.

"So, our duty will be over soon," he said. "We can have breakfast somewhere in the city. I know a good restaurant nearby."

Jackie touched the cup rim with her fingertips and gently removed a steam condensate. "We still have time. Something might happen any moment."

Walter kept piercing her with his gleaming blue eyes. "I think that nothing would really happen."

Jackie flinched. "Maybe it will. You know the saying, the longer the expectation, the sweeter the taste of victory."

He narrowed his eyes. "Right. But some expectations lead to nowhere."

"That's true." She nodded. "All I wanted tonight was to get an interesting case, and here I am - sitting and doing nothing."