The sunlight leaking through Detective Hale and Winters's office windows did nothing to warm the cold atmosphere. Dante stood alone, chewing on a marker cap while he stared at his whiteboard. Now that he was openly investigating the case, Redpoint Logistics Hub Warehouse was written across the surface in bold red lettering. The name glared back at him, sharp and deadly, as if waiting for his verdict.
"Hey, Winnie!"
Hale's voice pinched his ears, and he glanced back to see Detective Hale coming towards him through the office door. A couple other detectives were crowded around behind him, grinning as Hale clapped a hand on his shoulder.
"You pulled off a damn miracle last night." He said, tilting his head and raising a crooked eyebrow.
"Nice work, kid," A detective at the door said.
The other tossed him a protein bar, which he barely caught. "Eat that. You look like hell, hero."
Dante smiled back, but he looked at his white-board again. The detectives wandered off as Hale sat down in his chair heavily, sighing. There were a few of the pictures from last night and the old ones that were delivered before pinned up on the corkboard behind the one he was looking at. He glanced to the door again, then to Hale.
"Have you heard the name Blaze Kuron before?" He asked.
Hale was in the middle of sipping his coffee, and he nearly spit it right out when he heard Dante. One of the officers passing by the door stopped and looked back in, confused, and Hale forced a gut splitting laugh.
"Kid told a funny joke," He explained.
The guy smiled and nodded before he kept walking. Hale got up and closed the door, looking at Dante with such a serious expression that it almost broke his teddy bear appearance.
"Where'd you hear that name?" He snapped into a whisper before Dante could figure out why.
"One of the crooks mentioned him," He said, matching the low tones. "Said he set up the operation."
Hale grit his teeth, nodding more in understanding than he did in confirmation. Dante watched him gravely walk back over to his desk and sit down, staring at a very specific drawer in it. Stepping forward, Dante sat down across from him, their desks having been pushed back to back a long time ago.
"Who is he?" He asked quietly.
Hale looked up. "Off the record." He said – more like demanded – and Dante nodded. "He's the Don's son of the Velvet Circle Mafia."
Dante had to sit back after that reveal. He was dealing with mafia, full on? Then he was right – this wasn't just a random case, it was a full on crime syndicate. Dante sat forward again.
"Only one as far as the rumours go." Hale continued. "He's dangerous. Likes setting things on fire – that's where his name came from. A silent warrior, or so they say."
Dante's mind spurred with something familiar. "Mute?" He asked.
"Who knows?" Hale sat back. "Could just be missing a tongue – you know how rough the mafia is. Or he could just be really badass and deaf. A mystery, really. It should stay that way."
"Hale-" Dante argued, but Hale sat forward.
"Look, kid," He said firmly. "There are some bad guys you don't chase with a badge. This is one of 'em."
"His name was said at the bust," Dante scowled. "If he's the one behind this-"
"Then it stays off badge," Hale interrupted.
Dante glared at him for a long time, and Hale just glared right back. Slowly, Dante reached down and unclipped his badge, slapping it on the table. All the while he kept firm eye contact with his mentor, refusing to look away. Hale didn't seem to react at first, but then he smirked.
"Good choice." He said.
With that, he opened a drawer and pulled something out – a folded photograph. He handed it to him, and Dante slowly took it, leaning back. When he unfolded it, the last thing he expected to see was a woman. She had long, curly brown hair and deep auburn skin, her eyes a pretty hazel. There was no way she could be older than thirty five, and yet she was beautiful.
"You wanna start somewhere," Hale said. "Then you can start there."
Dante looked up. "Who is she?"
Hale just said, "Find out."