Underdogs (boyxboy)

Chapter 24: The advantage

"You're the good girls and I'm the bad, bad girl."

☆

Jojo pulls back from the familiar interaction, choosing to take a step towards Chanelle's desk, leaving the taller female staring at the space where Jojo had once stood. She lowers her hand, smiling to herself, letting the detective win that small battle. "I guess you have changed." She turns to see Jojo staring at the small picture on her desk, framing the image of the Matheson family. 

"Like I said, this isn't a social call." Jojo picks up the image and examines it. 

"So what brings you here? What have I supposed to have done wrong now in the eyes of the law?" Chanelle folds her arms as her heels can be heard approaching the detective from behind. 

"Carlos. Where is he?" Jojo returns the picture frame to the desk as she turns to face Chanelle.

"How should I know? I'm not his keeper. He's a grown ass man." Chanelle heads around to her desk, returning to her seat. "Is that all detective? I have a meeting."

"There has been an incident. A gun involved…" Jojo stops in her tracks when she hears Chanelle laughing at the words. 

"And you think he's involved? You do know my kid brother right? He can't even piss straight into the toilet, let alone fire a gun." 

"I never said he fired a gun." Jojo does her best to hide the small victory she had over the other female. "But thank you for the suggestion." 

Chanelle pulls at the Newton's cradle on her desk, causing the balls to rhythmically tap out their tune. "Like I said, I have a meeting…."

"A taxi driver has gone missing. He reported the incident and now his sister has suddenly taken leave from her job." Jojo places her hands on the desk, shifting her weight as she looks down at Chanelle. "I saw your car that night at the scene. If you really are innocent and you know something. Tell me." 

Chanelle looks at Jojo and smiles. "You still want to see the good in me huh? We already agreed this years ago. "You're the good girl and I'm the bad bad girl. That's why we had to end it."

Jojo pulls back, looking away. Not wanting the conversation to turn back to their own turbulent past. "I'm thinking of taking a long break after I send you down. Maybe. St Ives. A beautiful place. Have you ever been?"

Chanelle laughs at Jojo's words. "You will never learn my dear. Money will always reside over justice. I have more money than you have honest police officers. You can't 'send me down' as you say, over hunches and coincidence."

Jojo heads for the door. She turns to look at Chanelle sat behind her desk as she was before she entered. "That was your last chance to help yourself." And with that, she leaves, to the sound of Chanelle's empty laughter, which soon falters.

She again pushes herself back in her chair, getting up and heading once again to the cabinet hosting the alcohol. She pours another glass and downs it in one, slamming the glass down on the surface with such force, a lesser crystal would have shattered. She places her hand on her chest, feeling the beat against her palm. Even now Jojo Kim made her heart pound, but the difference being that now, it was more with frustration and rage. Jojo has been the only one who knew her through and through. Her strengths, her weaknesses and because of that Jojo wasn't afraid. 

Chanelle stamps a foot as she hollers in rage, staring at the closed door. "Don't make me do this, because I will if I have to. I will kill you. That was also your last chance to save your life."

***

Jojo crosses the street and gets into the driver's seat of the car. Her mind was full of the encounter she had just had. Once again, the professional intention had become personal. She takes a cigarette from her coat pocket and lights up as she lets her head fall back against the headrest, only being reminded that she wasn't alone when she hears a cough from the man in the passenger seat. She turns her head to see Detective Wilder fanning the smoky air. "Oh sorry." She says as she winds down the window. 

"That's ok." He says, clearing his throat. "So, how did it go?" 

"I still only have my suspicions to go on." Jojo sighs as she exhales the smoke, this time in the direction of the window. "But there may be something." She looks at the detective, ready and waiting on her words. "That postcode… Chanelle was unphased when I mentioned the place. If she had a connection, she would have made a point of denying it." She looks at Detective Wilder. "Are you sure that was the last thing inputted into the taxi's navigation system?" 

"Confirmed by Ms Power herself." The detective says, with a nod. 

"So we may know something Ms Matheson doesn't." Jojo takes another drag. "Maybe that's where her brother is heading. But why? And why take another with him?" 

"You said yourself Chanelle is a force to be reckoned with. Maybe he wanted some of the spotlight, but it went wrong."

"Maybe." Jojo deduces. "But St Ives is hardly London is it?" She smiles to herself. "They were never alike."