kintsugi — KEVIN ATWATER x OC [FLUFFRUARY]
A/N: Alright I said I’m gonna do it so I finally sat myself down and I’m attempting to write Nai and Kev’s story—which I hinted at awhile ago in my Dante x oc series. So here goes nothing! Will it be as long? Hard to say but I can always plan to keep it short then end up continuing…it all depends on my motivation and if anyone is rocking with it tbh. Also writing this somewhat different? We’ll see how well that works out lol. + THE LATEST EPISODE?!!! Idk how to fully feel about it since this franchise doesn’t handle THAT subject matter right at all but ?!!!!!!
Synopsis: Two years into marriage, Naima and Kevin Atwater are learning that love doesn’t rupture silently. Between long hours and new dangers that threaten their union, they face the imperfections together and fill them with gold.
S/N: haven’t really found a FC I like yet so you’re open to imagine whoever. Also pronouncing MC’s name like: NAI-EE-MA. + added OC for story purposes & will probably contain more (think pablo schreiber’s: ray merrimen persona for this) & minor modern crossover with sinners because why the hell not?
PROMPT IS FROM HERE [from Fluff/Romantic/ Domestic] & I’m using: 443. “If you keep looking at me like that, I’m gonna kiss you."
<- you don’t necessarily have to read my killing me/slippin’ series but if you want minor context on Nai + Kev & Malika + Dante then here you go.
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14 feb: Missed dinner w/ Naima at new sky tower restaurant, The Street Limestone that opened late last summer.
17 feb: Kevin attempts to make things right by pulling up on his wife at her place of business, Kinfolk center.
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Kevin stops completely in his tracks after only taking a few steps down the narrow yet toasty russet-orange painted hallway. His brown eyes pick up on his wife, in the doorway where she normally holds her sessions, gently smiling up at a particular 6’5 man.
And that man is grinning a little too hard for Kevin’s liking.
What makes matters worse, the dude brings Kevin’s wife into his chest, her hand does the thing, where she rubs people’s back as they embrace briefly before they start to bid their farewells and Kevin is definitely on the move—snapping out of it—ready to break that up.
Kevin clears his throat just as Donnie Sloss turns, not completely but picks up on his arrival. Donnie’s hazel eyes widen while he meets Kevin’s doe shaped hues.
“Atwater.” Donnie greets before turning to say over his shoulder at the 5’7 woman, “Always good to see you, Nai.” He grins at her before flicking his gaze back to Kevin’s, “Excuse me.”
The 6’2 man continues to stand there for a second longer, then steps to the side, holding his arm out to let Donnie pass.
A twitch of a smirk appears by the corner of the bearded man’s mouth, huffing to himself while he starts to make his exit, previously holding Kevin’s stare, until he fully carries on down the hallway.
And Kevin can’t help but to watch the man, making sure he was far out of sight then turns back to his wife who has her arms crossed.
“What?” He questions, tone light but her husband’s lifted shoulders give away his defense.
Naima Atwater spins right on her heels, entering back into her room, but at least she left the door open and didn’t hit him with a door slam like Erykah Badu.
When Kevin walks into her space, he’s met with the scent of patchouli and amber. The room always holds a usual earthy vibe she set up for herself here.
Naima plops down at her desk, picking up her oval shaped lens to place onto her face, then her burgundy glossed nails tap along the baby pink desktop computer, eyes focused on the screen opposed to the tension.
Kevin stands patiently, hands clasping in front of him as his eyes drink her in. Her shoulders centered. Dressed in red-orange athletic wear, coarse brushed out hair pulled up into a pony, framing her shoulders, held back by a thick white headband, and tiny coils sprung from her sideburns.
She inhales, clicking away on her mouse before peeking over at her husband, “…is there something I can help you with, Mr. Atwater?”
“Yeah actually, I can’t get a hello, Mrs. Atwater?”
Naima stretches a smile over her lips, although slightly sarcastic, being referred to as such, she breaks her iritated stare from her screen to peer over at her husband, “Hi, Kevin. What do you need?”
“Wow, okay.” Kevin nods his head, lips pushed out and steps closer to her desk, taking it upon himself to plop down in the emerald green suede chair across from her, slouching down and rubbing at his jaw in thought, “How much longer are we gonna keep this up?”
She leans her elbows along the desk, the custom gold Soulaan necklace that she splurged on from Malika’s family’s jewelry business, shined bright against her vibrant work attire, swinging from side to side as she now gave him her full attention. Most of her jewelry was small in the winter, occasionally a necklace if she wasn’t wearing a scarf, flower stud in her right nostril, and the most important—thee salt and pepper diamond marquise wedding ring.
At least she didn’t take that off.
Kevin honestly wouldn’t have blamed her if she did but he’d definitely have something to say about it.
Naima blinks at him, glancing off to the side like it’s not a big deal when they both know it is.
“Keep what up? It’s a regular Tuesday.”
“Don’t give me that.” Kevin fires back, “You know exactly what I’m getting at. The tiptoeing around each other, the vague check-ins through text, you won’t even let me cuddle you—and that’s always a thing no matter what time I get in. This ain’t right.”
Her shoulders raise, “Those are all valid points, Mr. Atwater and I hear you but that’s just the way things are right now.”
Kevin shakes his head, “Not uh. Not us. We’re better than this.”
“So I can’t feel things that deserve to be felt?” Naima places a finger into her chest, “I’m not human?”
Kevin pauses. Then he sits up straight, “I didn’t say all that. You have every right to be upset with me. And I get it. I do. But having his ass up in here? That’s feelin’ a little like you’re trying to get your lick back.”
Naima’s head immediately goes back, then her hands intertwine together and she sits up straighter in her chair too. Her tongue goes over her teeth behind her lips as she takes in her husband’s words. She knows exactly how Kevin feels about Donnie Sloss—an old friend of hers—and how Kevin has the right to feel the way that he does too.
Yet to be accused of trying to get even?
Was not it.
“Donnie maybe a divorced man but I’m not a divorced woman.” Naima states, “I also won’t let him be a client of mine out of respect for you. Of us. I wouldn’t do that. Not over this. He came here because he was picking up something from Annie’s side and stopped to say hey to me before going to work.”
Kevin scoffs at that, “You really expect me to believe he just came up in here to see Annie and not you?”
Annie Moore’s work when it came to Kinfolk, the shared physical/massage therapy center with his wife, was more on the holistic side of things.
Kevin found it hard to believe that a guy like Donnie was stepping through here for a sound bowl purchase from Annie.
“We don’t need to worry about what Donnie is thinking. I don’t want him. He’s not my man, you are.” Naima replies back, “And sometimes I wish you acted more like it.”
Kevin sharply inhales at that.
He’s aware that’s a shot. Aware that he screwed up on one of the main days Naima always went all out on. Always stated that she valued Valentine’s Day back when they were just dating then seriously dating…and getting to love on her people was real important to her, she even put together love baskets for those closest to her, so of course she wanted to spend love day with her husband.
“Look,” Kevin exhales, glancing down at his hands, his own black gold wedding band seemed to cling to his skin tighter, before gazing back at the woman that sat across from him, “I’m real sorry about standing you up at that lavish restaurant—
Naima interjects, “The Street Limestone.”
He nods, “Yeah. That place. I know you made those plans months in advance to match it up perfectly for Valentine’s Day and I dropped the ball on that. I hate that I made you feel like I chose my job over our marriage especially when that’s not the truth. I love you so damn much and I got caught up. I’m sorry.”
Naima sighs, “It’s gonna happen. I’ve seen it happen myself growing up and I’m now experiencing it. I know what I signed up for and I’m not saying it’s your fault…it’s just…did you hesitate at all when you had to put us to the side or—
A frown digs in between Kevin’s brows, the distance is already there but the pull to be closer is strong on his part. He hurt his woman’s feelings and it hurt his heart because he was the cause of it. A lengthy yet stressful case was consuming so much of his time, he couldn’t talk about it with her but she knew it was rough whenever she looked at him or felt his energy—no matter when he climbed in next to her.
Thank God it was over.
“Course I did.” Kevin answers, “I called as soon as I knew it was gonna be overtime—but it was already later than I thought. Imani said she ran into you at the theaters.”
Naima laughs at the mention of his fairly new colleague, “Same row as me and everything. I thought you sent her to do damage control for standing me up. Then I thought that’s a choice since I don’t even know her like that. The girl’s a closed book. Which is her business.”
Kevin tilts his head to the side, “You think I knew what movie you were gonna see? I tried to check the bank account to see which of the theaters you were at but you decided to be petty and pay with cash.”
“How do you know that?”
Kevin smirks, “I know my wife.”
Naima sucks her teeth followed by a roll of her eyes.
Kevin laughs, resting his arm along the desk to reach out towards her folded arm. She shifts back but there’s a hint of teasing in her eyes that lets Kevin know her guard is slipping—just a little bit.
He aims to lower it completely.
“And…I’d like to make those eyes roll in another way at this surprise getaway spot I booked for us this weekend.”
It’s Naima’s turn to frown now.
“Huh?”
Kevin’s chin lifts towards her baby pink desktop, “Damn. You blocked me from your emails too? That’s cold.”
Naima’s lips move to the side, lightly patting a finger against her scalp. Muttering to herself, honestly trying to think, “Did I?”
“Oh…so you Urkel now?” Kevin jokes.
She shushes him as she scoots back over to check her emails. Kevin sits back, letting her do her thing, her eyes scanning the screen and listening to her mumble to herself.
She squeals—what she thinks is internally—then composes herself. Doing breathing exercises that Kevin liked to make fun of.
That cat’s out of the bag.
Kevin booked the mountain resort Naima’s been talking about for a while. It was the same resort Pearline Hankins, the twenty-something receptionist that worked here at Kinfolk and went way back with both Annie and Naima, celebrated her twenty-fifth birthday at. Naima was one of the few invited but she was down with a really bad cold the weekend of Pearline’s birthday celebration in September. It also didn’t help that it felt like everyone was rubbing it in Nai’s face afterwards so…Kevin took it upon himself to find some availability.
Naima clears her throat, eyes meeting Kevin’s, “You play dirty.”
“What you mean?” Kevin fights back a grin, “I didn’t do a thang.”
“Oh yeah right!” Naima scowls, “You did your big one with this and you know it too! Was this booked before or after you ditched me at dinner?”
She spins her finger around at him, like it’s a flashlight, like he’s the one in an interrogation room down at twenty-one right now.
Kevin sighs, “See…we gotta agree right now that you don’t hold that over my head for forever.”
“…I can try.” She mumbles with her chin up in the air, “You didn’t answer my question though.”
“Before.” Kevin admits, “Like back when you decided to pick the restaurant over staying at the tiny house resort idea. Good choice cause I didn’t want to come home from vacay with my back all messed up. I’m still young and I’m kinda glad you didn’t set me up like that.” He wisecracked before continuing, “I know you like to do all the planning for V-day but I always like to have a plan-b so.” He shrugs, oh so causally.
Naima can’t help but to shake her head at the man across from her, then decides to push the chair back. She makes her way over to him, plopping down in his lap, hand curling across his shoulders.
“…you are truly something else, Kevin Lamar Atwater.”
Kevin looks at her from underneath his lashes, “Still love me, tho?”
“Never stopped.” Her reply is instant, then he sees that glint in her eye before she starts up again, “Even when—
“Aht.” His finger goes up to her lips, “I’m so sorry and I promise to do better the next time a big case like this tries to take over a big part of my life.”
Naima’s hand playfully goes to her chest at the mention of her being a big part of his life.
His free hand squeezes against her hip, licking his lips and chuckles at her theatrics.
“Good,” Naima says against his finger before nipping it out of the way, “…and I’m sorry for giving you the silent treatment for days instead of just the twenty-four hours.”
“Just the twenty-fours?” Kevin echoes with a raise of his brows.
She nods, almost wanting to laugh at the incredulous expression on his face, “I gotta process things in my own time, you know? That was supposed to be a special day. You’re lucky you didn’t date me at twenty-three cause old Nai? Would have cut you off completely after cussing you out. But I’m a wife, I’m grown. I’m in control of my emotions. I can be better too.”
Kevin can believe that.
He already heard the stories from Nai herself and friends how reckless she was in her early twenties.
Look at her now.
Stubborn but not reckless.
“I…appreciate the honesty, Mrs. Atwater.” Kevin tells her, moving his hand up to intertwine with his other, holding her closer to him, “So…you forgive me?”
Nai smirks at him, leaning her sideways body further into his chest that their foreheads are just brushing each others, “Are you trying to make up with me just so you can get a kiss? You think I’m that easy?”
Kevin lightly shakes his head, “Nah. You’ve never been that but you and I both know you miss these luscious lips of mine…they’re waitin’ too.”
“Oh, bye!” Naima laughs as he bumps his forehead against hers.
She grips his face, squishing his cheeks together before steering his lips right to hers. Instantly Kevin shifts against her, his hands tightening at her hip as he breaths her in, a sigh escaping him just at the touch of Nai’s lips.
Nai pulls back with a pop, a smile on her face as Kevin’s eyes flutter open just in time with a harsh knock hitting her door.
Naima turns first to a pregnant Annie who leans against the door.
“You two are aware that this is a place of business—not a cathouse?” Annie’s usual Cajun accent is as thick as ever, stern but Nai picks up on her friend’s underlying teasing easily.
Nai scoffs.
Kevin pinches at his mouth, turning to the dark skinned beauty dressed in yellow behind them, “i know you didn’t equate us kissin’ to a brothel.”
“And so what if I did, 5-0?” Annie strolls into the room, a natural bounce in her step mixed with a waddle now as she moves to stand before her two friends. Her eyes flick between the two, watching the adoration in Naima’s eyes as she peeks at Kevin who stares at Annie, “…I see you two are done beefing. Scarin’ my clients away and everything.”
Kevin snorts, “Nah. That’s Smoke’s job.”
Annie rolls her eyes at the mention of her husband’s brooding yet straight-forward ways.
“Anyway.” Annie runs a hand over the swell of her growing belly, “Grace said she’ll fill in while you’re away.”
Grace Chow was a friend and wife of Smoke’s close friend, Bo Chow. Both her and Bo owned two grocery store chains in Chicago that originated down in their hometown of Clarksdale, Mississippi. Occasionally Kinfolk would run specials and Grace had her license for acupuncture and chiropractic therapy so part-time she’d come in to do those treatments for extra income.
“Hold up.” Nai sits up on Kevin’s lap, “You knew about the getaway before me?”
Annie nods, “Duh. We gotta business to run and sure I can do it myself for a couple of days but…I don’t want to so it all worked out. Now, be happy instead of bein’ pissy.”
Nai turns her eyes into slits, “I’ll remember that on your birthday, bitch.”
Annie laughs.
Nai turns back to Kevin who watches the normal exchange between the two women. “This weekend we were supposed to have Mak and her bestie over though?”
Kevin was Mak’s uncle long before Nai was her auntie but it only became a right of passage to be included in that. Nai kept it real with the girl from the moment they met, which Mak respected. Nai wanted to earn the right to call Makayla her Niecy-Pooh (although she biologically had two nieces already out in Iceland—of all places) so she put in the work bonding with Mak. Nai was pretty solid with kids since she had her big kid moments herself.
Kevin simply shrugs his shoulders, “Kim and Adam understand. Basically said it was their gift to us this time around. Mak will be aight and before you ask—I told her she can hold onto Tino while we’re away.”
Naima gasps at the mention of her papillon, Tino-Turner Bassett, “TT,” being left behind. “My baby. You want me to leave our baby while we go on staycation? You booked the Airbnb with no children allowed? Do you hear this man, Annie?”
Annie blinks her round eyes at her friend, shaking her head. Raising her hands, silently telling her to leave her outta this. She was not a pet person at all and Kevin knew not to ask her or Smoke to look after their dog.
Kevin grips her chin, “Babe. That goofy—I mean,” he corrects himself as Naima quickly glares at him, “Listen. I promise you, He’ll be alright for like four days. You know he’ll be in good hands. And you’ve been away from him for longer haven’t you?”
TT was an emotional support animal for Nai before Kevin came into the picture. She had him for the longest time in her mid-twenties when she found out her US Marshall uncle was really her biological father just before she tragically watched him get killed.
That’s a whole another lore for another day!
“Uh no? He’s like my third hip.”
Kevin huffs to himself, “I’ve seen that masterpiece of a body countless of times and I definitely don’t remember that.”
Nai laughs, smacking his chest while Annie groans.
“Hello!? Still in the room here!”
It’s like the two didn’t hear her with Kevin kissing all over Naima’s face, who’s giggling like a school-girl and Annie takes that as her cue to exit until Kevin calls out to her.
“Alright, alright. Annie you don’t gotta go nowhere. We’ll save all that for the vacation,” Kevin smirks as Naima winks at him before he announces, “I gotta get back to the district anyway. I just wanted to drop that little information off cause I couldn’t deal with this funk any longer.”
Annie cackles, “I know that’s right. You men fold the minute your wives breathe wrong in your direction.”
“Happy wife, happy life.” Kevin bites down on his bottom lip with a laugh as he moves to stand, hand still gripping onto Naima’s waist, “I’ll see you at home?”
Naima answers him with a slow peck.
“Alright then,” Kevin bounces his shoulders like he’s got a new surge of energy before turning back to Annie, “You’re carrying little man well, Annie.” He compliments, making her smile back at him, lightly squeezing his hand, “You ladies enjoy the rest of the day, I’m gonna go and have a word with Pearline on my way out—make sure she keeps the strays out this lovely establishment.”
Annie snorts while Naima sends him a warning stare, knowing that was a jab at Donnie.
They didn’t need to go backwards.
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Friday came along quick—thankfully and Nai’s anticipation for the staycation with her man was the only motivation she needed to power through the rest of the week.
It almost pained Kevin to leave his car behind for this trip but the charger was not built for snow like Nai’s telluride is. It was best to be safe so they could have a good time.
Witnoque Mountain Resort was about three and a half hours away. The couple left mid-afternoon, both of their half-days at work went a little over but Kevin had Naima’s car with the plans to scoop her up from work and hit the road from there. He planned this out smoothly, car was packed up with their luggage last night, dropped TT off at Kim and Adam’s also last night, drove Nai to work the next morning, got the gas and clocked into work himself.
No set backs.
They were going.
Nai couldn’t help but to crack a joke with the sunset behind them as soon as a poet-like powerhouse’s voice filled the car on shuffle, “Uh oh. Looks like we’re really going up the mountain to save this marriage. Since Jilly from Philly is about to steal my man.”
Kevin snorted from the driver’s side picking up on the film reference quickly and on the fact that Nai knew of his number one celebrity crush—his wife didn’t blame him one bit y’all!
One of Kevin’s hands rested at the top of the steering wheel as he looked over at his wife laughing to herself while her thumb rolled up her phone screen. With his right elbow resting along the console, he held his palm out flat, “Ain’t nothing to save over here. Just locking in the right way.”
He catches her stare at his words, his dedication to her.
To them.
“If you keep looking at me like that, I’m gonna kiss you." Naima notifies with an exhale, freeing her hand to place right into Kevin’s awaiting palm.
Kevin chuckles, squeezing her smaller hand in his before bringing them up so that he can place a kiss on the knuckle that held her ring, “Girl, you ain't said nothing but a word. I’ll pull over as soon as we get up and over this mountain. Try me.”
“Look at the officer trying to make us catch a case for public indecency.” Naima gasps, “Have you no shame?!”
Kevin smiles—that smile where his teeth bite over his bottom lip, “Not when it comes to you.”
“Aw stink.” Naima cooed, “You can think about it but that’s it. We don’t need no mountain lions trying to have us for dinner just because we decided to get freaky in the backseat.”
“At least they’d have some entertainment beforehand.”
“Now, Kevin!”
“What?” Kevin puffs out a laugh, peeking over at the disbelief on her face, “…I’m just kiddin’.”
“Uh huh.” Naima points around her phone towards the windowshield as Alicia Keys’, “Diary,” faded in through the speakers, “Eyes on the road, Mr.”
“Copy that, Mrs. Atwater.” Kevin sends her a wink.
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The road narrows the further up the mountain they go, snow dusted pine trees crowding in like quiet witnesses. Back in Chicago they had the chance to get over the latest snow storm, whereas this mountain setting was like the couple stepped right back into a winter wonderland.
Kevin eases the telluride down the lengthy property, passing multiple spread out cabins. He pulls up to the end, foot on the break as the headlights shine over the oddly shaped but modernized cabin. To the left sits one identical to the one they would be residing in but it appeared very dark and vacant.
Naima leans forward before Kevin cuts the headlights.
“It’s not the same log cabin vibe as what Pearline and the girls had but—
Naima shushed him, her hand smacking against his shoulder, “Not uh. It’s perfect just the way it is.”
“Yeah?” Kevin quizzes.
Naima nods before grinning at him, “And we got a waterfront view?”
“Yup.” Kevin answers, “But it’s definitely frozen over for the season.”
Naima shrugs, “Then we go ice skating.”
“No the hell we not.” Is Kevin’s immediate reply making Naima throw her head back in laughter, “I’ve got some things planned for us but trying to use the backwaters river view as a skating rink isn’t on the itinerary.”
Naima tilts her head to the side, humor still in her tone, “…we’ll see.”
“We’ll see?” Kevin echoes, leaning on the car door as he looks his wife upside her head, “No. You gon’ see.”
Naima snickers at the protectiveness radiating out from her husband before pushing the passenger side door open. She didn’t have any intentions of skating on the frozen-over waters, although she was nice on skates, she didn’t bring them with her or knew where they were.
Giving Kevin a heart attack was not on the agenda.
Not in that way at least.
She has to be patient standing on the porch of the cabin while Kevin collected the bags and you can only guess who the over-packer happened to be. He didn’t have her waiting long in the cold, or rather it didn’t feel that way with her analyzing the exterior.
Night lights in the ground that lit up the pathway to the house, green garland wrapped along the banister of the mini porch, a heart shaped wreath with fairy lights on the door, and just when she was tempted to peek through the windows, Kevin appears at the padlock to type the code in.
“You ready?” Kevin asks as soon as he hears the door unlock.
Naima beams at him, “Always.”
“Alright then.” Kevin pushes the door open for Naima to do the honors first.
He’s right behind her, pulling the bags in after them.
The studio’s floor is decorated with rose petals leading to the bed that’s tucked in the back. The dual sided fireplace sits towards the middle of the home, already lit, electric yet the space feels just as warm. The kitchenette sits to the right as soon as you step in, the high top table contains a bottle of Prosecco on ice, more faux roses also sit in a vase on the table, since Nai’s allergic to all types of flowers, and a chalkboard sits on the counter by the sink that reads: Happy Valentines Day in pink chalk.
“How’d I do so far?” Kevin questions, closing the door behind him as Nai continues touring the place.
On the bed sits a heart shaped charcuterie board full of goods, behind the curtain she spots the hot tub on the deck, steamed up and ready to go, there’s a bathtub on the other side of the fireplace, curtains closed in that area, a massage chair nearby, a full length mirror in between the walkway that leads to the ajar bathroom, and back towards the bed area sits a large cabinet where a record player sits on top filled with vinyls, games, and any other trinkets.
“Pictures don’t do it justice.” Naima comments as she sighs, looking back at Kevin who stands, eyes shifting all over the space, the cop in him not fully turned off before softening as they settle back on her.
Kevin nods silently agreeing.
He pulls out his phone from his jacket pocket, “Alright, i guess for the rest of the evening we just have a night in? Get into that board over there, find us a movie? Play some games? Whatever you wanna do, I’m cool with. Tomorrow? We got breakfast at—
Kevin is stopped short once Nai enters his space.
“Honey, we just got here.”
“I know. I just thought you wanna—
Her hands go up and under his jacket, peeling him out of it, cutting his words short. Her hands are back at his collarbones, fingers gliding back to his chest.
“No schedules tonight,” she whispers, “Just two loving people enjoying each other’s company. If that’s alright?”
Kevin licks his full lips, “More than.”
“Yeah?”
“Mhm.” Naima trails her hand down his abdomen, hooking a finger through his belt loop before tugging him to her.
Kevin bites down on his bottom lip as he peers down at his wife, “Well…what do you have in mind then, huh?”
“I think…you should take me out of this jacket…and everything else.”
“Damn. It’s almost like you read my mind.” Kevin is smug as he sneaks his own hands underneath her jacket.
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20 feb - 10:55pm: Burgess, Torres, and Imani are potentially at a crime scene. Burgess decides to take the call after walking TT, leaving her quiet home.
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The warehouse is frigid yet smells of hot iron.
Dante hangs up the phone, turning back to his team.
“No answer?” Imani pries, arms crossed as she lightly shifts from one foot to the other.
Dante shakes his head. “Nope. Neither of them.”
Kim looks up from her spot, hovered over the photos that lay across the hood of a squad car, “They just got out there. The service is probably crap. We’ll just table this until it’s something solid.”
Imani adds, “They should have their guard up. I mean…doesn’t the wife—Naima—know this Donnie guy?”
Kim almost gives her the side eye but flicks her stare to Dante who holds it, “We don’t even know what this is yet. Could be nothing. Could be a coincidence.”
“I don’t believe in coincidences.” Imani admits, “Not in this field. Guys a supposed mechanic, recently divorced, ex-wife is kinda well known being the face of news reporting. She’s now apparently missing, and we find a trail of blood, bricks of coke, some pills, and whatever else that’s secretly stored in this owned warehouse by Donnie who also has a record. Are we forgetting that?”
Dante hears her perspective clearly and knows that Imani’s always eager to tackle a case.
“I had a record and turned myself around.” Dante offers, “I’m with Kim. Until we question Donnie…we can’t fully jump on whatever this is yet.”
Imani scoffs, “Yeah sure, whatever. But that’s the thing, we haven’t even found the guy yet to bring him in. Red flag. He has a history of stalking according to filed reports from said ex-wife, assault with a deadly weapon, attempted robbery, and he’s been in possession of narcotics before. Funny enough, no Oxy found here. I’m also surprised his ass isn’t still locked up. And I wouldn’t take Naima as someone who’d want to be around a guy like him anyway.”
Dante and Kim share a look.
Imani raises a brow, “What?”
Kim exhales, “…Lets just see what more we can dig up so we can bring something concrete before Voight gets here.”
“And the Atwater’s.” Imani pressed, “If Naima is as close to Sloss as you’re saying then she could help.”
Dante blinks, “Yeah…definitely but it seems like you’re trying to connect her for the wrong reasons.”
Imani shrugs, “…we’ve all got a past right?”
With that being said Kim and Dante watch Imani walk off, back to the forensics crew.
They watch her for a moment.
“…You know we can’t sit on this.” Dante speaks first.
Kim nods, “Yeah, unfortunately we can’t. It’s too close. I just hate that we’re about to ruin their reset vacation.”
She meets Dante’s green hues, sending him a lopsided smile before slamming the laptop shut.
°•*⁀➷ *·˚ ༘ ➳ ♡ ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ *·˚ ༘ ➳ ♡ ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ *
-> PART TWO!
