Jordan, Courtney, and Paula

“Thanks a lot,” Jordan offered, tossing aside the latte that made Courtney late. 

“You’re welcome,” Courtney muttered, snipping on her beverage.

“Who brings lattes to a diner?”

“How was I supposed to know we were meeting here? You gave me an address, not a restaurant name.”

“Who accessories a stakeout with lattes?”

“So sorry. It’s only my second day.” She crossed her arms and looked out the window. Jordan glanced across the restaurant’s booths at their target: Paula Jackson, mother of Danielle Jackson who went missing three years prior.

“Also, who shows up to a stakeout late?” Jordan continued.

“Human beings who make mistakes!” Courtney threw up her hands. “We can’t all have fifty daily alarms like you.” 

“Good morning, ladies!” Their server stood at their table with pen and paper in hand. “Are you ready to order?”

“I’ll have a black coffee and two pieces of wheat toast,” Jordan replied.

“Alrighty. And you?” She turned to Courtney.

“Can I have an apple juice and a stack of chocolate chip pancakes with powdered sugar, whipped cream, and syrup?”

“Of course. And the syrup’s right there.” She pointed to the quintessential glass syrup dispenser with a silver metal lid and dried drips of sap.

Courtney cackled, and Jordan ducked. “Silly me! Thank you!”

“You’re welcome. I’ll have those drinks right out.” The server walked to the kitchen window.

“A few things,” Jordan started.

“Here we go,” Courtney rolled her eyes.

“First, don’t order too much food when following a suspect. Second, don’t be so loud. Third, cut the attitude. We’ve only known each other for a day.”

“Maybe you should learn to live a little,” Courtney mocked a whisper. “You know, when I joined this internet sleuthing team, I thought I was going to make some great friends and bring about some great justice. Well, surprise, surprise. The world let me down.”

“Mhmm,” Jordan hummed, staring at Paula.

“There should be another rule for following a suspect: don’t stare. It’s rude.”

Jordan scoffed and started fiddling with her phone.

“Here are your drinks, ladies.” The server placed their full cups on the table.

“Thank you,” they both replied.

Jordan returned to staring, as Courtney went in for a sip of juice. She exaggerated a smacking of her lips and an “Ahhh.” Before she could set down the glass, it slipped from her hands and spilled all over the table.

“Shit!” Jordan swore under her breath, still cognizant to not be too loud.

“I’m so sorry!” Courtney ripped out all the napkins she could from the dispenser and tried to create damps at the edges of the puddle. In the midst of the liquid madness, Jordan looked up to see Paula leave and open the door, ringing its bell.

“We gotta go,” Jordan said, throwing a twenty-dollar bill in the puddle and bolting.

Courtney gawked like a fish gasping for water. Her job just walked out the door, but the Girl Scout in her could never leave behind a mess like this.

Once outside, Jordan looked both ways to find Paula’s bleached blonde hair going northbound, bouncing along the sidewalk. Jordan pursued fifteen yards back. She strode with confidence, sure she would find something on her today. Jordan had been following this case since its original news report. She went to school with Danielle. They worked on the yearbook club together, never friends but always friendly. Since her disappearance, Jordan took it upon herself to find out what happened to the girl everyone seemingly liked.

“Jordan!” Courtney yelled for the whole street to hear. “Wait up!” She ran to her, and Jordan turned around before Paula could see her. “Wow,” the newbie huffed and puffed. “You got far without me.”

“It’s easier than you’d think,” Jordan added under her breath. “Is the suspect looking at us?” She asked with her back to Paula.

Courtney peered down the street, on her tippy toes. “No. She just turned down Center.”

“What?” Jordan spun around and took off. Courtney tried to follow, but her shoelace didn’t let her. She fell forward and used her arms to block her face. As she moaned and rolled onto her back, Jordan scoffed and ran back to her. “You okay?” She asked, standing over her when looking down the street.

“I should be, just some scratches,” Courtney replied, pushed herself up while wincing, and sighed at the marks on her hands.

“So you’re okay to move?”

“I guess.”

“Great, let’s go.” Jordan started down the street again. Courtney got onto her feet and followed her partner. She wasn’t limping, but she felt like she was. When she saw Jordan turn onto Center, she was ten yards behind. Then, she almost ran into her, when rounding the corner.

“Woah!” Courtney skidded to a halt. “What are you doing? Why aren’t you moving?”

Jordan stared across the street, gasping for words. “But…”

“What’s wrong?” Courtney lined up her eyes with Jordan’s. Once Jordan tracked the bus driving past them, Courtney knew they were done chasing today. Jordan’s shoulders slumped, and she didn’t move. She didn’t even flinch when Courtney patted her back.

“I’m sorry, Jordan,” the side kick started. “But I did find this.” Jordan looked over to find a notebook in Courtney’s hand.

“What is that?”

“I believe it is Paula’s journal.”

“Where did you find this?”

“Well,” Courtney started, playing around with the item. Like a cat hypnotized by a laser pointer, Jordan couldn’t look away from it. She didn’t blink once. “After you ran off and left me to clean up the spill all by myself --”

“Get to your point!”

“Before leaving the diner, I waltzed past Paula’s table before it was cleared and found this. I have no idea what’s inside.” She dangled it right in front of Jordan who snatched it before she could go cross-eyed. She began leafing through and scanning every page, like a squirrel high on Adderall.

“You’re welcome,” Courtney chimed in, nudging her partner’s shoulder.

“Thank you,” Jordan replied, giving Courtney reason to smile.