Val's POV:
"So what do you do in arson?" Eddie asked.
"Well, if the firefighters on scene at a fire find any suspicious items such as chemicals, a time device, suspicious burn patterns, absence of valuables, forced entry, or low burning points with unidentifiable point of origin, arson is called and they have to return to the scene to investigate." I said explaining arson investigation as best as I could.
"You know you're hot when you talk about arson and things I don't completely understand, right?" He said.
"Eddie!" I yelled nudging his arm with my elbow.
"You know you love me." He muttered.
"Yes, I do." I said as we got out of my car and walked towards the house. Before I walked towards the steps, I grabbed a crowbar that was in my trunk to pry the door open.
"Should I ask why you have a crowbar in your trunk?" He said playfully.
"In case I see a house I want to rob." I said half annoyed because the answer was kinda obvious.
"Really?" Eddie asked dumbfounded.
"No dumbass, in case I am asked to help with or investigate an arson case." I said jokingly.
Eddie nodded and I pried the door open. We walked inside and I went upstairs while Eddie looked downstairs.
"What exactly are we looking for?!" Eddie yelled from the first floor.
"You'll know what is suspicious when you see it!" I yelled from my spot upstairs.
I walked into the master bathroom and instantly notice a something suspicious. I noticed a pattern of a burn that didn't have a significant start point that would make sense given it's a master bathroom. The firefighters on scene ruled out an electrical fire and there were no other significant fire hazards in the room that would line up.
"Eddie! You should see this!" I yelled.
He came up the stairs and joined me in the bathroom.
"What's up?" He asked.
"Notice the burn pattern. What do you see?" I asked waiting for him to notice.
"There are no other significant fire hazards in the room that would line up with that type of burn." He said following the burn trying to track it to its starting mark. "Did firefighters on scene rule out electrical fire?" He asked.
"Yeah. Trace the burn back towards an original starting point." I said.
"Over here. Is this a time device?" He asked holding up a small piece of technology with a plastic glove.
He stood up and met me half way.
"Yeah." I said. "Where did you find it?" I asked.
"Behind the wall. I took a picture of it before I moved it." He answered.
"Good." We should drop this off at arson. Then let's grab some lunch and come back to talk to some of the neighbors." I said.
"Can they get anything off of this?" Eddie asked.
"Not completely sure. It's pretty charred but they might be able to trace it back to where it was bought." I answered.
We left and drove to arson and handed the time device to forensics to see if they could get anything. They just said that they will call me when they know anything. Eddie and I drove to a small diner a couple blocks away and grabbed some food.
"So lieutenant huh?" Eddie asked as we sat down in a booth.
"Yeah." I said raising my eyebrows a bit because the initial shock has yet to set in.
"You deserve it Val. You've spent a decade on this job and it's just a shame that you didn't take the Lieutenants test sooner." He said reassuringly.
"I did. Last year." I said remembering the words Chief Dixon said back at station 19.
"Why didn't you get the spot." He asked now confused.
"I didn't even pass the test." I said obviously pissed. I actually would have if the Chief didn't tamper with my score because he had a grudge against me.
"How? You're one of the best firefighters I've met." He said also pissed.
"My chief back in Seattle, he was an asshole. I pissed him off by disobeying a direct order when he was in front of the Cameras, and when I took the exam, I knew I passed but he held a grudge so he tampered with my score. The thing that really pisses me off though is that I would have had the highest score and therefor, gotten the spot as Lieutenant." I said taking a sip of my water.
"How did the chief not get arrested?" He asked both shocked and also pissed.
"Get this, he used to be a cop. When he got the job, he had no fire experience. Twenty years ago, he pulled over the Mayor's son for drinking and driving and called the mayor instead of arresting the kid. Mayor owed him a favor which he cashed in. Now it's like he has diplomatic immunity." I explained.
"Is that one of the reasons you accepted the job offer here?" He asked.
"One of the reasons, yes. But at the same time, I wouldn't be here if that crap didn't happen."
"And then you and I would have never met and become a couple." Eddie said letting out a slight chuckle. He smiled at me until his face suddenly dropped when a woman walked in. I don't know how, but somehow I knew it was Shannon.
Eddie looked at me with pleading eyes that read 'what do we do?' and I just shrugged my shoulders. She approached the table.
"Hello Edmundo." She stated bluntly. "And you must be the woman screwing my husband." She said turning her head in my direction. I just simply sighed and leaned back in my side of the booth.
"Shannon, leave." Eddie said.
"Why. We should try to talk out of this divorce you know. And we should also discuss you not letting me see my own son." She looked at me with a fiery look as I took a sip of my water and looked out the window knowing, this was gonna be good.
"Val I'm sorry." Eddie said looking towards me. I returned with a smile and a nod.
"Why are you apologizing to her? You are the one screwing her while we are still married." I mean she had a point with that. Except for the fact she left and he moved on.
"Technically, you're the one who walked out on your marriage." I said to her.
"You don't get a say in this." She said coldly towards me.
"I do when you are interrupting our conversation about work." I said now definitely wanting to center myself in this. Not in a jealous way but a way to prove my point. Yeah, I can definitely be an arrogant ass sometimes.
"Work? A date is work?" She said with a devilish grin.
"It's a simple lunch in between us continuing on with our investigation. And we were kinda in the middle of talking about something with a case." I said gesturing for hr to walk away.
"Investigation? Aren't you firefighters?" She said in an annoying tone.
"Yes we are Shannon. We are working in arson for the day." Eddie said looking back at me.
"Whatever. We are not getting a divorce Edmundo. Christopher needs both his parents." She said.
"Well he has been doing just fine since you left. Plus I've moved on and so should you. The papers should be here soon. If you don't sign, it will just end up going to court and you will have to sign either way." Eddie said.
Luckily, forensics called me and I picked up.
on the phone
Me: This is Valynn Lopez.
Forensics: We found a serial number on the time device along with a couple other things. Could you come in.
Me: Of course. We will be there in twenty minutes. Thank you.
I said and Hung up.
"Eddie, that was arson. We should go." I said and he looked relieved.
"Oh no, we aren't done with this conversation." Shannon said.
"Apparently the conversation is done because a criminal is on the run right now so we have a job to do." I said as I walked out the door and Eddie followed. The entire time Shannon was yelling at us.
When we got in the car, Eddie spoke up.
"I'm sorry Val. I didn't know she was going to be there." Eddie said as I just burst out laughing.
"Why are you laughing?" Eddie asked.
"I'm sorry, I probably shouldn't be but I can't help myself right now. That was kinda hilarious if you ask me." I said in between laughs.
Eddie joined me in my pit of laughter.
Once we both armed down and caught our breaths, he continued.
"Yeah that was. We are over yet she still doesn't want to except it." He said.
"I don't want to tell you how to parent Christopher or anything but maybe you should let them see each other?" I said fiddling with my fingers.
"What do you mean?" He asked surprised I was on her side on this.
"I lost my parents. I eventually moved on and became okay when I lost them but I would still to this day, give anything to just see them for five more minutes. Just one more hug and goodbye. Maybe she chose to leave but it wouldn't be fair to Christopher if his mother could see him, but is not allowed to." I said.
"I don't know. What if she leaves again?" He asked acting more open towards the idea.
"Then she leaves. But at least Christopher got this five more minutes that I never did." I said sending him a small smile.
"I guess you're right. I'll talk to Christopher and see what he wants to do before I do anything. But Val?" He started.
"Yeah?" I asked.
"Shannon and I are done. I'm in love with you now and that's that." He said as our lips met.
"I love you Eddie." I said smiling.
"I love you too Val." He said.
I started the car and drove off back towards arson.