Devil in the Details

Chapter Three

Evelyn straightened her belt and took a breath before she entered the police station. She knew which way to go because she had visited Floyd there so many times growing up. She had been there for her job interview as well. It was a small station, built for a small town. The building was made of beige concrete blocks and dropped ceilings. Fluorescent lights set the mood. There was a front office, complete with fake potted plants and a secretary's desk. The back was a large room filled with different desks instead of offices. Interrogation rooms lined the sides with a gym, a room for dispatch, a lounge, restrooms, and showers. The entire place smelled like a mixture of day old coffee and gun oil.

"Hello!" an older man greeted her as she opened the door. She smiled back and tried to remember his name. He had been there when she was young as well, always had a kind smile and a piece of candy for her when she'd come for visits. He was tall and thin, bending at the back a bit. Evelyn guessed he was close to - or past retirement. She had seen it before. Some cops couldn't let the job go.

"Arthur, right?" She asked, holding out a hand to shake. He took and laughed,

"That's right, I'm Arthur Cunningham. I was wondering if you'd remember me!" He clapped one hand on her shoulder and gestured forward with the other. "I used to keep some candy in my desk on the off chance you'd come by." Evelyn remembered the syrupy sweet strawberry candies he used to give her. Old people candy, she'd called it. She could see a jar of them on his desk. "I'll show you where to go."

"Of course." Evelyn replied, following him. Arthur was a sweet old man. Another officer stood nearby, leaning a hip on a desk. A sheriff's deputy typed away on a boxy, old computer. He had a grumpy look on his face, arms crossed across his broad chest. He was a big man, in his mid-forties, with a graying beard and stern, green eyes. Evelyn gave him a small smile, but he did not smile back. He seemed a little annoyed with her, though she'd never seen him before.

"Ignore him." Arthur said, waving his hand around, "he says his name is Nick, Nick Guff, but a bunch of us call him Oscar. You know, like Oscar the grouch?" He chuckled at his own joke and Evelyn gave him a small smile in return.

"Over here, Arthur!" Floyd's voice guided them toward his office in the back. He stood in the doorway, almost taking up the entire frame. Another man stood beside him and a woman in a long pencil skirt and matching jacket. Her blonde hair was pulled into a tight bun and her expression looked pained. Evelyn had to wonder if she was hot in that outfit, as there wasn't a lot of airflow in the station.

"Oh okay," Arthur murmured, "gotta be formal since the boss is here."

"Floyd?" Evelyn asked.

"Jane." Arthur replied, talking in hushed tones out of the corner of his mouth. "Really, a secretary for us, does all the filing, fills in for HR things for Floyd- Mayor's niece, you understand. She'll tattle on informalities though. Probably in here since you're the chief's family. Gotta snoop even though it's not her business." Evelyn made a small 'oh' shape with her mouth. She understood the warning. Jane might be trouble. She wondered what Jane had told on Arthur for.

"Evelyn," Floyd said, "this is Jane Seymour. You'll contact her if you need to schedule a day off, or need something like uniforms, that kind of thing." Jane stuck out a stiff arm and offered a firm handshake.

"Evelyn Waters." Evelyn said, introducing herself, "it's nice to meet you."

"Likewise." Jane replied, pursing her thin lips. "I also file anything and everything you have that's actual paperwork and not on the computer." Floyd nodded in a way that said 'that too'. Evelyn had the feeling she was being scrutinized. She looked over at Floyd, who rolled his eyes as soon as Jane looked away.