GTS Investigation: An Open and Shut Case

1: An Open Case

     It is his first day as a detective, having been promoted after being a beat cop for three years, and Gabriel already has a case which the lieutenant wants him to handle. It isn't exactly a high profile case, but it is a case that does not have him walking the streets. He has a smile on his face, enjoying the perks of his new position. He longer has to wear a uniform, choosing instead to wear a white shirt and pinstriped coat, his tie loose around his neck, and a pair of faded blue trousers. His revolver is holstered in his shoulder rig, believing that keeping it in view allows others to trust him more easily. Running his fingers through his short blonde hair then through his goatee, he goes over the case in his head once again.

A woman named Ashley had called the precinct earlier this morning, sounding pretty distressed and specifically asking for a detective to come to her home and help her. The only odd thing about the call was that there were severely tones at the end, indicating she ended up hitting several numbers on her keypad. A groan if frustration on her end followed by some muttering indicated that this act was clearly an accident. Climbing into his mustang, he backs out from his parking space and proceeds to head for Ashley's residence.

He knows who Ashley is, having seen her several times a week while he would walk his old route. He has found it odd that he hasn't seen the woman in the past couple of days. He does wonder if her trouble is in relation to her not being seen around town. He does miss seeing her. Her long, brunette hair is always done up in a thick braid which almost reaches her angles. He would always see her in elegant evening gowns as she would walk through town. The only thing about her that he would admit that is odd about her is that she walks everywhere barefoot. This unconventional choice has led to a couple if problems between her and private businesses who are strict with the who no shirt, no shoes, no service policy. He has handled these disputes, often saying that she has every right to enter the establishment barefoot if she chooses to, there is no real law against it.

One would expect a woman with such an odd habit to have feet that are dirty, rough, or callused. The couple of times he has seen her with her feet propped up he could see no signs of such things. Sure her soles would have slight hints of dirt on them, it is natural. He can attribute the pristine condition of her feet to the pedicures she receives twice a week at the nail salon. Though, he has noticed that her feet are large for a woman her height. She is one of the few women he has met where he has to look down at her; most are either eye level with him or taller. He wouldn't doubt if her feet were at least the same size as his. He couldn't care less about something as trivial as a woman's shoe size, so what if she has big feet?

From the moment his brown eyes met with her green eyes, he saw her as the most beautiful in existence. He often fantasizes about asking her out, taking her on a perfect date and winning her heart. He feels that a woman like her is way out of his league. Instead he admires her beauty from a distance hoping that one day he will either be brave or desperate enough to ask her out. Working on a case that involves helping her he can't help but feel like a knight who is rushing to the aid of a fair maiden who is in distress. He may be a bit delusional here, but he is hoping that after he helps Ashley with whatever her problem is that she will repay him by going out on a date with him.

The drive is a relatively short one, leaving the town and entering a neighborhood which is relatively close by. The neighborhood is nice and has the typical look of suburban living. Soon he finds himself approaching a nice two-story home that has a trellis in the walkway. In front of the porch is a flower garden, the flowers in full bloom as if to show off their vibrant colors. Parking out front, he steps out of the car as he continues to look at the home, admiring it. One day he does hope to live in a house like this one, with a loving wife to return home to.