Rookie Lady

I didn't expect that question. "Of course, I do. It's my home."

She nodded, and I could feel her gaze on my body. "It isn't my home yet. But I hope it will be soon."

"Haven't you already moved here?", I asked a bit confused.

"I have moved here. But it doesn't feel like home yet." She walked to the window and put both hands on the window sill. I had to look away, since her backside really stood out now.

"And how does a woman like you end up in a place like this?", I asked, still turning my back on her.

"You're funny." I heard her heels and suddenly she stood next to me again. "A woman like me, huh? I wonder what you're really saying..."

"I... I didn't mean to be impolite! Just... you're not... fitting in." It still was rude, but I was overwhelmed in that moment. She was something special. And I didn't think that because she was attractive. Many women are attractive. But she had something else. Something I'd never seen before. But I really didn't know what it was.

"That's true." She stood in front of me now, giving me a little smile. I was glad that she didn't get offended.

"Who are you?" Another question I asked without thinking.

"I'm Madame Eldur. That's how everyone calls me."

"We normally use first names here."

"Okay, Aiden." Her red lips twitched in a little smirk.

"Thinking about it, maybe it's not the best idea between us." What I really wanted to say was My wife would kill me if she knew that I get called Aiden by a woman like you.

"Oh my, I see who's wearing the pants at home. Not."

I got freaked out for a moment. It almost was like she read my mind. "Wh-what...?"

"You're avoiding looking at me, you're playing with your wedding band and now you're afraid to get called by your first name by a pretty lady. Means, your wife wears the pants."

I scratched my head. "Well... at least you're a good detective."

"Else I wouldn't be here." She crossed her arms. "I'm a woman. Some might not take me seriously and just think I've got a cute backside. But you're not like that. You're impressed by my conclusion. And I'm glad to have a partner like that."

I felt my cheeks getting hot. This woman really was special, and I didn't know how to deal with her yet. But I felt like we really could become a good team.

"I don't want to stand around, I want to help.", she said after a little break. "Show me the case you're working on."

I got surprised by that again, but nodded and sat down at my desk, putting out the files on the table. She stood next to me, way too close. It was making me nervous again. Though I did like the smell of her perfume. Rachel's perfumes always smelled like aggressive flowers. Hers was bittersweet.

I cleared my throat. "Yesterday we found a woman called Victoria Scott in the river. Her skull was fractured by a hammer or something like that. Because of the water it's a bit difficult to find out the exact time of death, but her husband stated that she went missing five days ago."

"And she couldn't just have hit her head on a rock while falling into the river?"

"It's possible, but unlikely. We don't have very high bridges and her skull got hit by full force."

"Any suspects?"

"Well, she was a wallflower. Didn't have many friends and all of them have got an alibi. Her husband doesn't have one, but I honestly doubt he did it. I mean, of course I'll focus on him, but I'll also look for other clues."