A Beautiful Smile

It was her first day on the job, fresh out of the academy. She reported to the Cleveland Police Department's fourth district to meet her field training officer and begin the next phase of her life.

She walked into the roll call room and looked around. There was only one other female officer there. Heads turned. She smiled at no one in particular and took a seat. The Officer in Charge walked into the room. He was talking to what Allie thought was one of the best-looking men she had ever seen. He was exotic. She knew he was of Latinx descent. His smile was intoxicating. She had a thing for a beautiful smile. She didn't turn her head to look at him. Being a Marine had taught her how to look at people with peripheral vision. She could be looking the other way but still be looking directly at you. She knew when to have her head on a swivel and when to be discreet.

"Yeah, well then, you should seek some help. Hearing voices is not normal. Even if it is Lindsey Lohan, Nick." He slapped the man on the back and laughed.

"Yeah, and I'll pick up your prescription for that little itching issue you have," Nick replied. "It's the least you can do. You're the one that gave it to me."

He gave him a kissy face.

She loved the way his laugh sounded. It occurred to her that the seat next to her was the

only empty one in the room.

Maybe he will stand up against the wall. There were already half a dozen guys doing so, she thought.

"Alvarez!"

He went over to the guy Allie later learned was Dominic Pistone. He leaned into him, planting his hand on the wall. She watched as Pistone whispered something to him. Alvarez slightly turned his head and looked at her. Their eyes locked, and she froze. He smiled at her. He said something to Pistone, turned, and walked to the empty seat beside her.

"Please don't sit by me. Please don't sit by me. Please don't sit by me," Allie murmured. "Is this seat taken?" he asked. He pulled the chair out; the legs made a loud dragging sound that echoed through the room. He hitched up his duty belt and sat down. He was a big man-about 6'3, maybe 220 pounds. He smelled amazing. He scooted closer to her.

"It is now," she said under her breath.

"Are you new here or a transfer?" he asked. She looked over at him.

"I guess you can say both," she replied.

"Oh, really? Where are you coming from?" "

The Marine Corps."

His eyes opened wide, and he had a surprised and impressed expression. "Really? Nice." He nodded his head. "Military Police?"

"Yes. Six years," she said.

He put his hand out. "Welcome to the fourth. I'm Alex Alvarez." Allie shook his hand.

"Alexsandra, but everyone calls me Allie."

"Wow. Alex and Allie. Sounds like it could be a 1980's sitcom. So, is today your first day, Alexsandra?" he asked.

"Allie."

"Sorry, Allie," he corrected himself. "Hell of a grip you got there."

"Sorry. I do tend to overcompensate. It is my first day. I am just waiting to be assigned my FTO," she said, looking around the room.

"Well, I hope you get a good one." Alex looked around. "Some of these guys are vultures. If you're lucky, maybe you'll get..." His sentence was interrupted.

"Alright, everyone, settle down," Nick said. "First thing is we have a new sister in blue. Officer Alexsandra Kingston, stand up, say hello, and give everyone a wave."

Allie stood up. She stood in attention. Alex whispered out of the corner of his mouth. "At ease, Marine." She looked down at him. He was right. She loosened up... a little.

"Nice to meet everybody. I'm Alexsandra Kingston; feel free to call me Allie, USMC MP, retired. I'm a military brat. I grew up on a dozen different military bases all over the world. I think I have stood up and introduced myself to the class well over a dozen times. I am happy to be here, as Cleveland is the only place I have ever really liked enough to stay. It seems to be where all the best-looking cops live," she smiled.

The cops in the room smiled, and there were a few little laughs. Even Nick let out a little laugh. Allie sat down. "We are honored to have you at the fourth, and thank you for your service. I'm Sergeant Nick Hughes. A word of advice. Do not fuck with this woman. "Trust me, I promise it will not end well," Nick said.

Allie wasn't sure if she should be thankful for the endorsement or not.

"Nice intro, Kingston," Alex said.

"Always start a conversation with a compliment," Allie replied as she looked down and started playing with her fingers.

"That's an excellent life lesson. Look at that! Beautiful, smart, and kickass." He gave her a little wink and a smile, and she felt a flutter in her stomach.

"Are you nervous or something?" he asked. "No. Why would you think that?"

"What you're doing with your hands. My little sister used to do something like that when something was bothering her," he said. "Or when she was nervous. Are you nervous? Do I make you nervous?"

"Well, you're very observant, but I am fine," she said.

"You, Marine, are a horrible liar. I hope you were never interrogated."

"Another story for another day, Alvarez," she said.

"Okay, now that we have covered that, take out your books, and let's get this show on the road," Nick said. Everyone went into their breast pockets and pulled out a small black leather-cased notebook.

Allie just sat there. Alex went into his pocket and pulled out two of them. He handed one to her."I like to give these to all of my rookies." He smiled. "Oh shit," she said.

Allie smiled, dropped her head, and slowly shook it. "You knew this the entire time? What am I saying? Of course, you did."

"Well, when you're told you've been assigned a rookie, you walk into roll call, and there is only one person you've never seen before.?I think it's safe to assume that's your rookie. Unfortunately, all they told me was a last name, so I had yet to learn you were a female retired Marine." A smoking hot female retired Marine.

"Why? Do you have an issue working with a woman?" she asked.

"A woman? No." A drop-dead gorgeous woman? Yes. A woman who I can't help but picture naked? Yes.

"Then what is the issue? Do you have an issue working with a woman who could easily kill you with a sharp crayon?"

"I have heard how much you Marines love your crayons," he said and smiled again.

Allie was embarrassed by how it made her feel. She hadn't felt that jolt in her chest for anyone since her last relationship ended over three years ago. She had yet to date again. Hell, she hadn't even let herself feel since then.

He handed her a pen. "Not sure how things work when you're an MP, but here we have roll call before every shift. The OIC will run down anything passed along from the last shift and any assignments. It might be anything from working at a school zone traffic light to serving a warrant. So, take notes," he said.

Nick shuffled some papers and then gave the rundown. "Third shift sent down a report of vandalism to businesses on the east bank of the flats. It looks like tagging from KTP."

"KTP?" Allie whispered to Alex.

"Local gang. K-T-P. Kill- the- Police. Every district has an issue with them. They stay in the city, but Cleveland is eighty-two and a half square miles, so it's not like they are doing society a favor by staying within the city limits. We estimate membership is around 200 members. They recruit once a year. It's an army of fine, upstanding citizens. We have logged members as young as 11 and as old as 54. They don't get much older because they tend to die young. The most interesting part is that it's run by a woman called Kali," he explained.

"Kali? The Hindu goddess of death and chaos? Damn. That is a big name to live up to."

"Wow. How do you know that?"

"I am a major fan of mythology and religious studies. My favorite is Greek. I have a lot of unnecessary knowledge in my head. There is a lot of downtime in the military. I read a lot, drank a lot, and played a lot of cards."

"I can't wait to learn a little from you," Alex said.

"Trust me, you may want to tie me up and throw me in the trunk by the end of my probation."

I know I would like to tie you up but not throw you in my trunk.

Hughes continued, "A few busted-out windows. The gang unit thinks it is a lure. They want officers to respond to set up a possible ambush. We were told that this is recruitment season. As most of you know, the initiation for membership is to assault an officer with as much bodily harm as possible, as close to death as they can get. The more serious the injuries, the higher and faster you move up in rank."

"That sounds like the military. I came out of boot camp with the rank of Lance Corporal," she said to Alex.

"We have a lot of topics of conversation, don't we, Kingston? I am looking forward to working with you."

Hughes finished the roll call and excused the officers to start their shift. "Alvarez."

"Yeah, what is it, Sarge?" He handed Alex an arrest warrant.

"I want you to show Kingston how we serve warrants. We've tried to serve this one three times. He's slipped our fingers over and over. Welcome to Cleveland Police, Kingston." They went to leave the room. "Oh, Kingston," Nick said. "Davis wants to talk to you about joining the SWAT after you pass your solo."

"When I find out who that is, I definitely will," she replied.

*************************************************************************************

She stopped in the locker room before meeting up with Alex to set up the shop. She had forgotten how heavy a duty belt was and needed to grab a couple more keepers from her locker. She heard three female officers talking about him.

"She's beautiful. Have you seen her?" A short-haired blonde asked.

"I saw her in roll call. She's a beauty." the one named Gilly said.

"So, who wants to bet how long it will take for him to move in on her?" the redhead officer asked.

"Normally, he waits until training is over before he starts to lay it on thick."

"Think she'll put in for a transfer?" the blonde officer asked.

"If she's straight, yes. Like, hasn't anyone noticed that the majority of females who work here are lesbians? He drives the straight ones out like St. Patrick in Ireland." Gilly said.

"I'll give it one week after her solo," said the redhead.

"Fuck that, I say the day she passes her solo, he will take her out for a celebratory drink, and that's when he'll make his move," said the redhead.

"I bet he won't wait till she's even done."

"Really, Gilly?" the blonde asked.

"Hey, we don't call him the Jugador for nothing," Gilly said.

After the three of them walked out, Allie went to meet up with Alex.

**************************************************************************

"Good to go?" he asked.

"Yeah. I needed more keepers. I forgot how heavy these belts get when all your equipment is on them."

It doesn't help that your waist is as big as my thigh. And I would love to be in between yours.

Allie followed Alex. They signed out their shop, shotguns, Axon body cams, and portable radios.

"Follow me," he said, jerking his head. He handed her the shotguns. "You are responsible for your shop. It's not a car, cruiser, or black-and-white; it's a shop. We call it the shop because of the number on the vehicle. When you take the vehicle in for maintenance, they will ask you for your shop number. Soon, officers just started calling them their shop, and it's where we do our business."

"You will be assigned one, normally, unless it's in the shop—no pun intended. You will share it with two other teams," he explained.

"Will I be assigned to a partner? How does that work?"

"Usually, you will be assigned to someone who has lost a partner, hopefully to retirement. You will be assigned to someone with at least five years of experience. You will not be assigned to someone who ranks. So, no Sergeants, Lieutenants, Captains, or Detectives. We have corporals in this department; you can be assigned one to partner with."

"You must walk your shop before every shift. Look for scratches, dents, or any kind of marks. Look in the wheel wells, kick the tires." He opened the back doors. "Always check for any items that may have been left behind by either a ShopMate or anyone who had been transported for any reason." "Always CYA," he said.

"Cover Your Ass. Got it," Allie said.

They got into the shop. "For your training, we share a shop with officers Fancher and Porter; they are on permanent midnights, which, if you request, you will be put on. There are no permanent firsts or seconds. It's a good shift if you have school-age kids or absolutely no life. Speaking of no life, the other two we share with are Davis and Kernc. It's spelled weirdly, but it's pronounced Kerns."

"Should I be writing this down?" she asked.

"That's up to you," he said, looking at her. Damn, you are so beautiful.

"Fancher, Davis, Porter, Kernc, pronounced Kerns. I think I got it."

"Read me that arrest warrant. What is this guy wanted for?"

Allie looked over the warrant. "Says here he jumped bail and failed to appear in court for a domestic violence charge. It says here he dislocated her arm and broke her jaw. Jesus Christ, how did this guy even get bonded out?"

"You would be surprised. What's the guy's name?" he asked. "Christian Brighton, 26, white male, 5'11, 174 pounds. The last known was 1884 MLK Drive."

"I would really like to get this guy. He's been dodging us for a long time. So, what did you do when you were an MP? Anything specific?"

"I arrested a lot of drunk Marines. I dealt with a lot of domestic violence cases. We patrolled the on-base housing. I was deployed a few times. We aren't just police; we are Marines first. I made it to the Special Investigations Division. My goal is to become a detective here. I want to stay on patrol for as little time as possible."

"So, you're a corporal, and I'm a corporal. We have so much in common."

She laughed at him. "No. You're a corporal, and I am a Gunnery Sergeant," she said. "We have very little in common."

"You're right because actually, I am a corporal, and you are a rookie," he said with a smile.

"Touche."

"Did you have a partner, or were you with whoever was on shift?" he asked. "I had a partner when I first started. Then it was a rotation of people."

"Did you get along?"

"With whom?" she asked.

"Your partner."

"Yes. We did. A little too well, actually."

"What does that mean?"

"It means time for another question," she said.

"O...K... How long were you in?" he asked.

"Twelve years."

"Were you a cop the entire twelve years?" "

"It was four as an MP, two as a DI, and six as a PIG."

"So, were you a cop again?" he asked.

"No."Okay, I'm slightly confused."

"Alvarez, are we going to talk about my military career the entire time I am a probie?" she sounded annoyed.

"I guess not. Has anyone ever told you that you are like a beautiful ray of sunshine?" he asked.

"No."

"I understand why."

"Has anyone ever called you Jugador?" she asked.

"Ah, someone knows Spanish."

"Someone also knows French, German, Arabic, Hebrew, and Latin too," she said.

"Holy shit."

"I am also fluent in smartass, insults, and sarcasm."

"Oh, this should be such a pleasant experience. And no, I have never been called Jugador," he said indignantly.

She looked out the window. "Not that you know of, apparently," she mumbled.

"Did you say something?"

"No. I was reciting some of the city ordinance codes."

"Why don't we swing by Brighton's LKA? Then we need coffee. Strong coffee," he said.

"So, what brought you to Cleveland? Why did you lay roots here?"

"I don't have roots. I have a lease."

"Is it long-term or short-term?"

"Well, it's not month to month," she said.

"Do you have a boyfriend or a husband waiting for you at home?"

"Nope. Not even a cat. I'm not particularly good when it comes to commitment."

"Not even to a cat? Are you afraid of commitment?" he asked.

"What's your cat's name?" she asked.

"I don't have a cat. Or a girlfriend or wife."

"Why is that? Are you afraid of commitment?"

"I am not good with relationships."

"Relationships or commitment?" she asked.

"A little bit of both, I guess." "

You just always want to have your options open?"

"I do enjoy options," he said.

"I bet you do," she mumbled.

"What was that?"

"I said, Yeah, yeah, me too."

She looked at him. He was really handsome, with a strong jawline. He looked like he had just stepped out of an Abercrombie and Fitch ad. She noticed a tattoo on his right bicep. "Nice ink," she said.

"Thanks. I tend to forget it's there sometimes."

"What is it?" she asked.

"Just a leftover souvenir from my days in college."

"Where did you go to school?"

"University of Tennessee in Knoxville," he said.

"Criminal Justice?"

"No, business marketing and management."

"You're joking?" she asked.

"No, dead serious."

"And you're a cop?" she asked with a laugh.

"And I'm proud of it," he said.

"Why did you become a cop and not use your degree?"

"Too much stress in that world."

"So, you became a cop for less stress?"

"Yep," he said.

"What is with the tattoo?" she asked.

"I lost bet."

"You lost a bet and had to get a tattoo? What would happen if you won?"

"If I won, I would get a date with my best friend's sister. I had a crush on her for what felt like forever. Don't worry, she agreed. He just never let any of his friends within ten feet of her." he said.

"Obviously, you lost. And had to get..." She lifted his short sleeve. She looked at it closer. "Oh my God! Is that a teddy bear wearing a thong?" she said with a laugh.

He smiled, and he was visually embarrassed. "Yes, it is. That is a teddy bear in an orange thong."

"I think it is kind of adorable."

"How about your life story?" he asked.

"Oh no. You are not getting off that easy! First, you have to tell me what the bet was."

"Maybe after your training is over."

"Now, how about you, Kingston?"

"Alright. My life story? I was a daughter of a Marine who became a Marine, and now I'm a cop." "

Do you have any ink?" he asked.

"Wouldn't you like to know," she said. She smiled coyly.

"Yes. That is why I asked."

"I might have one."

"Where is it?" he asked.

"Nowhere you'll ever see it," she said with a smile.

"Really? I do love a challenge," he said, smiling back. "Can I get a hint?"

"Like I said, you'll never see it," she teased.

God, she is beautiful. He smiled.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing."

"It must be something."

"I was thinking if a date with you were on the line, I would..."

"You would what?" she asked.

"You know what? I am going to keep it to myself right now. It is wildly inappropriate. I don't want to sit through a seminar on sexual harassment in the workplace."

"I like wildly inappropriate things. You have no idea how many wildly inappropriate things I have witnessed and been a part of. Let's wait till my training is over. You never know; I might be game. Get some tequila in me, and I would love a little wildly inappropriate," she said, curling the corner of her mouth.

"If that is an offer to have a drink with you, I accept."

"That was in no way an invitation to join me for anything. I like to drink alone. I don't get myself in trouble when I drink alone," Allie said.

"Are we there yet?"

"We are a block away."

Thank God. I really don't want to continue this conversation.