Knock Knock..

BZZZ BZZZ BZZZ B-   

  -one eye closed, Ava Rangiheuea tapped her phone to silence the incessant alarm sounds that blared from it. She took note of the time on her screen - 6:01 - before unceremoniously clunking the device on the wooden side-table.  

She allowed her head to collapse back onto the flat pillow, her caramel skin warm beneath the light-blue cotton layers. She loved the tranquil energy of the mornings.  It was quiet; the usually reliable Auckland traffic having not yet reached its peak hustle.

Time to get up. 

With one quick movement she slipped out of bed. Grabbing the edges of her duvet, she flicked it through the air, straightening it with one big whoooosh before it fell neatly into place. 

“Rrrmmmm” came a low grizzle from her feet,  her cat requesting his breakfast with an affectionate brush of his body against her ankle. “Okay meowm” she reassured, scooping him up to form a cuddle with the soft ball of ginger fur. 

Making her way through the kitchen she yanked open the fridge door, its white beam highlighting all of the neatly organised meal preparations. 

Ava took out a container with purple edges, displaying roast chicken through its little plastic windows. She placed the bowl down which he rushed to, greedily.

Get your butt into gear woman! She thought.

Within 16 minutes, she had showered, (including a quick shave to her armpits) - starched her police uniform before dressing, applying some light lippy afterward. She swiftly tied her damp and slightly tangled black curls into a tight bun at the nape of her neck. Her lounge-room now offered the potent smell of starch along with her soft musky perfume. 

Shoes on and laces tied, Ava called out “See ya later baby!”- a redundant gesture as the cat was nowhere to be seen, undoubtedly, off to find a good nap spot (now that he was fed and watered).  Ava snatched a banana from the fruit-bowl to take with her and started toward the front door. She was two steps away when - 

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK- someone knocked strong and loud. 

Probably bloody Garry, she thought.   

Garry was her work partner, a kind-hearted lad in his early 20s - a good decade younger than her. He reminded her of one of those dopey dogs, loveable but a lot of hard work. 

Garry often rocked up on her doorstep of a morning unannounced, asking to scab a lift to work.  

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK. Knuckles rapped determinedly. 

She reached for the front door, “YEAH ALRIGHT Garry you unorganised son of a bit- “  

The words fell from her throat as she opened the door. 

Standing there, were three police officers. She was surprised to see her partner Garry amongst them. He stood as support behind Senior Constable Lopez and their Sergeant, Birks. Garry was dressed and ready, his eyes locked on the space behind her. Her stomach tightened. It was extremely unlikely for a Senior Constable to come unscheduled to an officer’s home, let alone a Sergeant. And Garry was here as supporting officer? Something's off. 

Looking straight into her eyes, Lopez spoke. “Good Morning Officer Rangi, there is an urgent matter involving you down at the main precinct. Please accompany us to the car.” Ava searched her face for any hint of what was going on. The Sergeants eyes gave away no clues, neutral to the point that the woman was stony like a carved statue. Sergeants’ were well versed in detaching emotionally from work, so this display of neutrality suggested that she was clearly on the job - a truth that stiffened the ball in Ava’s stomach. 

“What is this about Sir? I’m due to clock on at 0700 hours and I- “ 

“-that is of no concern right now Rangiheuea”, Sgt. Birks interjected. “You are not expected for your 7am start today. Now again, please come with us.”  

Ava failed to mask her desperation, “Sir, please tell me what is going on!”  

The three men exchanged glances. “I tollllldyaaa…” Gary mumbled under his breath. 

Sgt. Birks sighed. “Ava Rangiheuea, you are under arrest for the murder of Todd Barr…” 

He slipped the cold metal cuffs she knew all too well around her slender wrists.   

“You have the right to remain silent. You have the right to speak with a lawyer without delay and in private before deciding whether to answer any questions…” Ava felt like she had been hit with a mallet, then a truck. What? Todd was dead? Was this even real? Had she slipped in the kitchen and smacked herself out cold?  Was she in a weird, dreamy concussion? 

Todd was a narcissistic wanker she had dated half a decade ago. The relationship went from passionate to toxic in a matter of months. She dated him for about 2 years on and off before finally finding the courage to leave his narcissistic ass for good. She hadn’t heard or spoken to him since.  

She did see him once, out at a club, a year to the day she had broken up with him. She remembered the date because it was her birthday and she couldn’t help feeling that he would always be in the background, waiting to pounce on all her good moments. 

Sgt. Birks continued reading her rights, his words blurred into one monotonous tone as Ava’s mind whirled. She must have looked like a standing zombie, face blank, her awareness far from what was happening. 

What the hell? Todd... apparently Murdered? Evidence said she did it? Nothing made sense. It was obvious someone had set her up. 

But who? And to what motive?  

Ava usually felt generally liked. Did people hate her secretly? Who would want to frame her? 

She turned to Birks and pleaded, “Sergeant please, I need to know more, what evidence do you have?” 

“Everything will be made clear down at the precinct, we will be there soon.” His response emotionless, offered her no relief. 

Blinking her eyes back to reality she looked up to discover that they had driven several blocks from her house already and were almost at the station. Her station. The same station she had arrived at 7am every morning for the past 9 or so years. And today, she would arrive in handcuffs.  

Sudden anger started to swell in her chest. She needed to find out who set her up. She needed revenge.  

Hands cuffed at her front; the three officers walked her from the car to the main glass doors. None of them even looked at her, their silence like a cold blade slicing reality as she knew it.  

The automatic doors slid open, and Ava was smacked by the scene that lay before her.  

The front room looked like someone had vomited a full craft store over it. The entire ceiling was hidden behind a tacky spread of coloured balloons and cheap streamers. 

 A large, shiny blue banner read 

CONGRATULATIONS AVA - 

A DECADE OF SERVICE  

Garry spun around to face her with a massive grin on his face and cried “GOTCHYAAA RANGI!!!!” with such urgency that some of his saliva landed on her face. Ava cried out in frustrated relief “You FU-CKING Sadist!” Using her still-cuffed arms as a baton, she whacked him repeatedly over the head. 

Sgt. Birks walked over, mouth cracked in a half smile and uncuffed her.  

“Sorry to do that do you Rangiheuea“, he chortled.  “It seems an old man can be talked into anything these days” he added, passing her a small translucent cup filled with sparkling wine. 

“Anyway, we are lucky to have someone of your talent in this precinct, first decade down. Here’s to several more!” raising his cup to the room. A few people sound cheers and raise their cups in response. 

Still shaken, Ava took a big gulp of wine, which helped to settle her nerves a little.  She turned to Garry and smacked him again, this time with a cheeky smile on her lips. 

“You absolute motherfucker! I feel like I’ve run a marathon that was so intense! I legitimately thought I could spend the rest of my days inside a jail cell. And Todd Barr? What and why the hell? He’s not actually dead, is he?”  

Garry smirked.  

“We had to think of a reason that seemed believable to get you in, we knew you wouldn’t go for it otherwise.  But Nah, old mate Todd’s alive sorry to say. We just thought you might like to imagine he wasn’t” he winked at her, sculling down the remainder of his cup.