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When I decided to have a new partner challenge here at Under the Influence I let people have free range but thought most would be about Eddie Green/Jordan. This wasn't exactly what I had in mind, but it's a very pleasant surprise! Heidi's managed to get Eddie out of the picture completely with this one!
Van Buren put down the phone and stared at it for a moment or two. Eventually, she got up and called Briscoe into her office.
'Your new partner isn't coming, Lennie.'
'Sorry?'
'Eddie Jordan was wounded in a shoot-out. He'll probably end up on a desk job.'
'The last day of his old assignment? What a deal.' Briscoe paused for a moment, and then got down to brass tacks. 'So what happens now - I go partnerless and get chained to a desk myself?'
'Nope. Another detective was in line for a transfer somewhere in this area - Les Summers. Starts tomorrow. You've only got one more day to get your paperwork up to date, Lennie,' Van Buren finished with a smile.
'No problem.'
The boat sped under the bridge, churning up the water. Les looked out over the bow as the boat passed the Opera House, scanning the water for any sign of the body that had been reported.
'They said it was up by Mrs Macquarie's Chair, Les. There's no need to start looking around here,' Mick called from behind the wheel.
'Never hurt to try,' Les replied.
The boat rounded the point, and Les saw the body in the water. 'It's caught in the rocks below the Chair, Mick.'
'Copy!' He steered the boat in as close as he could.
Les leaned over to look at the body. 'Oh, God.'
'Les?'
'Get the Homicide unit down here. The victim's name is Jennifer Summers. It's my sister.'
At the start of shift the next morning, Lennie was back at the 27 and raring to go. Partnerless for weeks, he had been farmed out to other pairs to do legwork they were all too willing to pass on to him. Frustrated, he had complained to Van Buren, and had been told to catch up on reports for his trouble. Finally he would be back on the streets, working his own cases. As soon as this new partner of his showed up. He poured himself a cup of coffee and surveyed the squadroom. No - he knew everyone here. And in with Van Buren he could see the back of some woman's head. Probably a victim L.T. was trying to calm down. Van Buren's office door opened, and the woman came out, heading straight for him.
She stuck out a hand. 'Leonard Briscoe?' she had an accent he couldn't quite place, 'Leslie Summers.'
His new partner? She looked young enough to be his daughter, and far too fragile to be a cop. He shook her hand. 'Lennie. Pleased to meet you.'
'Les. No, you're not.'
The shocks were coming thick and fast today. 'Sorry?'
'You're not that pleased to meet me. Never mind, you'll get over it.'
'So, where'd you transfer from?'
'The Bronx. Before that, water police.' She was sounding open, but being cagey. He was about to probe further, when Van Buren appeared at his side.
'Introductions over? Good. We've got a homicide call at the park. Welcome to the 27, Les.'
'Thanks.' Les grabbed the call slip from Van Buren and headed out the door. Lennie had no choice but to put down his coffee cup and follow.
After the trial was over, Les had moved in with her brother and sister-in-law. In the Bronx. United States of America. She'd had enough and to spare of Sydney, and her family understood that. But New York City? After everything they'd been through, New York didn't seem the place to go for a break from it all.
But Les didn't want a break from it all. She wanted to get back into work, and the NYPD let her out on the beat after minimal refresher courses at the academy.
With her experience with the Water Police, the Bronx precinct captain soon had her working with the homicide detectives. Strangely, she found it easier to handle doing the investigations than finding and reporting the bodies.
Her brother and sister-in-law stopped worrying about her, and she found a place on her own. She got a promotion to Detective, and joined the Bronx homicide unit full-time. And then she heard about a couple of openings in the Manhattan precincts.
'Thanks, mate.' Les finished talking to the scene examiner and headed back to where Briscoe stood, nursing a cup of coffee he'd bought from a vendor. She'd swear the man was a caffeine addict.
'I've worked it out.' he greeted her.
'What?'
'Your accent. Irish, right?'
'Not even close.' But a common mistake. She'd keep him guessing. 'So, what does this look like to you?'
'A homicide.'
'Funny.'
'Standard New York park mugging gone wrong. Guy threatens the Vic with a knife, and finds that he's got to actually use it to get anything.'
'Or she.'
Lennie just looked at her. Poor bloke was probably overwhelmed. Just like the guys over in the Bronx. Why did she stay with these Yanks? 'You're assuming that the perp is a bloke. Could just as easily be a woman.'
'Great, an opinionated ultra-feminist for a partner.'
'Nothing wrong with that. Who knows, if you're a chauvinist, we'll balance out nicely.'
'Stranger things have happened.' That's why she stayed here. Because stranger things had happened, and she never wanted to be back on the Harbour chasing drunks and bagging corpses again.
'So, you've got a theory on this.' She tried desperately to keep her mind on the case - keep it from slipping back to Sydney. 'Any leads?'
'Two. Firstly, I know your accent.'
'Let's hear it.'
'You're an Aussie.'
'Took you long enough. Second lead?'
'Actually, it's not much yet. The M.E. has some forensics, and we'll have to wait for some lab results. I think it's back to the squadroom for now.'
'Sounds good. I haven't organised my desk yet.'
'I suppose it is your desk now.'
'You got that right.' As they got into the car, Les on the driver's side, Lennie looked over at her.
'You said Water Police. Hudson?'
'No, Harbour.' Why let the guy have it easy?
'Sydney Harbour?' Damn, he was quick, on this at least. 'So, why the USA?'
'Don't you lot keep telling us that this is the land of the free? I thought I'd check out the freedom.'
'Don't believe everything you see on TV.'
'I've been here for over ten years, Briscoe. Even I've figured that out by now.'
'Something wrong with this grand old land of ours?'
'Not so as you could notice, except for the racial, social and gender inequality, the idiocy of some of your laws, the hypocrisy of your justice system…'
'Hey - I'll bet that Australia's got a lot wrong with it, too.'
'Sure does - but you asked about the States. I'm just giving you what you wanted.'
Lennie laughed. 'Les, you're domineering, opinionated, a woman, and Australian to boot. But I think we'll actually get along alright.'
'Lennie, I don't have the time for this touchy-feeley philosophical stuff. We've got a murder to investigate.'