As Evil As Ignorance

AEAI 3 - That's All I Got.

The next day brings Monday morning. I have to drag myself out of bed for work. Don't get me wrong, I love my job, but waking up at the ass crack of dawn is not ideal. I've never been a morning person and I don't think that will ever change. I just love sleeping.

A shower and four coffees later, I'm walking into the office and plopping down at my desk; my home away from home. In the last few weeks, I think I've spent more time here than my bed. This is where my partner and I do most of our work.

Everyone thinks this job is glitz and glamour. They think it's all solving crime and putting bad guys away, but in reality there's a lot more to it. There's paperwork involved with every single thing you do. Not to mention the research we have to do; reading and lunderstanding these people's lives before we can find out who killed them.

But, arriving in the morning before a new case always feels like a fresh start. Except that it's no time before Duke (one of the other homicide detectives that seems to have a bit of a vendetta against me) is sitting on the corner of my desk and picking up the picture I have of Brie, Nikki, and me. He does this all the time. And every time he does, it makes me want to punch him in the throat.

"Hey, Ashton," he puts on his condescending smile and looks down at me. "Did you set me up with that foxy sister of yours yet?"

"Get off my desk, Duke," I warn him trying not to get angry.

He holds up the picture to look at it better, "She is quite a piece of work; and rich because of daddies' money. I could really be a stay at home husband, you know? I would do anything if it came out of those lips."

"Last time I'm telling you, Duke," I look straight into his eyes. "Put the picture down and get off my desk before I make sure no one finds your body."

"Oh I think someone's acting out because they don't have a mommy," he juts his lower lip out at me, but smiles again a second later. "Then again, I guess with two dads one of the has to be-"

Standing straight up, I slam my hands against the flat surface of my desk. The sound reverberates through the room and everyone stops talking except me, "I'm not about to deal with your bullshit today. Get the f-"

"Ashton, Duke, my office now," Captain Walsh's voice shouts through the room. Duke puts the picture down and hops off my desk, casually strolling to the only real office in this place. As soon as we make it inside the door, Captain starts in on us, "What do you think you're doing out there?"

"I was just complimenting Ashton's family," Duke feigns innocence.

I shake my head and roll my eyes, but otherwise stay quiet. I'm the youngest detective on the force right now and I'm the newsest detective. It's rare to be able to become a detective after only a couple years on the police force, but I took some college classes while I was off duty. I got myself a degree in criminal justice and then applied for an opening in homicide. Lucky for me, they needed someone.

"I don't understand this ongoing feud between the two of you, but you need to just stay away from each other," Captain looks between us once and then stares at Duke. "And I know I've told you before that we keep his family out of this department. He has a hard enough time with the media outside of work to be bringing that shit in here."

"Why does he get special treatment, Captain? No one cares if we talk about my family," Duke never knows when to shut up. It's one of the things I hate most about him.

"Your family isn't publically mocked every day. You're family isn't on the television for everything they do, good or bad. And you, Detective Duke, are not followed around town just because of your genetics. Now, both of you leave my office and if I see you again, you're suspended."