Framed

Lieutenant French watched her carefully. Melinda was Chief Thornton's niece. She had taken the job as dispatcher in the homicide unit about a year ago. Prior to this assignment she served as a receptionist/secretary in the Assistant Chief's office. Everybody thought she got the assignments because of her relationship with the Chief, but she was competent and nobody made an issue of it. Melinda apparently planned to make her career in criminal justice. She was in the University of Texas' Criminal Justice bachelors program. She worked hours that permitted her to carry a full academic load. 

Melinda was of Irish descent. She had flaming red hair that she often wore at shoulder length. Frenchy liked it better in a pony tail out of the top, center of her head. When she wore it that way, it showed her long, cream-colored neck. She was wearing a pony tail today. She was relatively tall. Being very thin and athletic, her height was accentuated. Frenchy was sure she wore contact lens because the color of her eyes changed occasionally. Today they seemed a deep blue-green. 

He couldn't hear what she was saying, but he watched her communicate with patrol cars in various parts of the City. As she instructed the cars where to go, a small blinking red light on a huge map of the City began to pulse. There were perhaps ten or twelve pulsing lights this afternoon. Three of them were congregated in one small area indicating a significant problem of some sort. Frenchy used this situation as his excuse to talk with her. He slowly stood up and walked casually in her direction. As he walked up behind her, the smell of her perfume swirled into his nostrils. It wasn't his favorite scent, but being it was Melinda's, he loved it. Moving close to her right side, he asked quietly, "what's happening in the third precinct?" 

She quickly glanced in his direction and responded, "I'm not sure, Lieutenant, but Car 17 asked for back-up and two other cars responded. It's in a residential area, so it probably is a domestic dispute gone ugly or something." As she talked, another car in the far Western part of the City reported a routine traffic violation stop and requested information on the vehicle's license number. Melinda switched the call to the inquiries section. She handled the process with confidence and efficiency. Frenchy watched her thin fingers tap the various operating keys. She had fairly long finger nails, but they didn't interfere with activities. Frenchy thought, "damn, I'd like to have those finger nails sliding up and down the sides of my cock." He felt a tingling in the base of his penis as he watched Melinda work. 

After watching for a half minute, he asked, "what are they saying in the third precinct? Think they might want me out there?" 

Without turning in his direction, she said slowly, "they haven't said anything. It's been almost five minutes since the third car arrived, so if there was a serious problem, I'm sure they would have said something by now. I don't think they need you out there." 


"Ya, I suppose so." Frenchy wanted to keep the conversation going so that he could stay close to her. He pointed to the pulsing light attached to the car that had made the traffic stop. "Those guys get a response from Inquiry yet?" 

Nodding her head, yes, she said, "the car was clean. Sounded like it was an old couple on a morning drive. The officer stopped them because the man was driving erratically. Probably going to get off with a warning." 

There was a short break in the activity. Melinda raised the earphones off her right ear and stretched her arms above her head. She worked her fingers into tight fists and snapped them open a couple times. Noticing that Frenchy was still standing beside her, she said, "kinda busy this morning, but now things are slowing down." 

After glancing around to be sure nobody was close by, he asked in a low voice, "do you have any plans for dinner tonight?" 

She looked at him and a smile crept onto her lips. "Ya, I do have plans." She knew that Frenchy and Sam were not on good terms. She decided to give Frenchy a real jolt. She continued, "Sam and I are going out tonight to celebrate his new promotion." She watched Frenchy out of the corner of her eyes as he cringed. She could see his complexion redden significantly as his blood pressure rose. "I think he is going to take me to one of those ritzy night clubs and then we plan to take in a Rangers' game. Should be a nice evening." 

Frenchy moved back a half step. He breathed deeply and responded, "ya, that sounds like fun. Hope you two have a good time. Maybe some other time, huh?" 

"Ya, maybe," she replied in a light, flippant tone of voice. Hearing an incoming call, she quickly positioned the headset back on both ears and began working again. Frenchy fumed as he stepped away from her. "That son-of-a-bitch, that cock sucker," he said to himself. "He knows full well that I got this thing with Melinda and now I know he is rubbing this promotion thing into my face. I can't let him stomp all over this guy." He turned quickly and walked to his office. He closed the door forcefully, walked quickly to his chair, and flopped down heavily. 

Melinda glanced at Frenchy's office door. She chuckled inside. "He got exactly what he deserves. Sam and I aren't going out tonight or any other night, as much as I'd like to," she thought. "Frenchy is a slimy character and I know that Uncle Thornton wouldn't approve of me dating him. He kinda likes Sam, I think, but I can't get Sam interested in me. I don't know who he is dating now days." She repositioned her headset and responded to an incoming call. 

"Sam, the Chief is on line two," Liz said in the intercom. 

Without responding, Sam reached over and punched the blinking line button. "Good morning, Chief," he said in a firm, confident voice. This was the first time the Chief had called since Sam took the new assignment. 


"Good morning, Sam, how are things in homicide?" 

"Nothing to complain about, Chief. Just trying to settle into my new assignment. I don't think I've grasped the full extent of my responsibilities yet, but I guess that will come in time." 

Clearing his throat loudly, the Chief replied, "ya, it will, Sam. I can remember when I was a Captain. I was about your age. In those days, Dallas was quite a bit smaller and homicide and vice were in the same section. I didn't have a goddamn clue about how to handle the job, but I kept focused and things worked themselves out. You'll do just fine." 

"I appreciate your confidence, Chief. I know you interviewed other candidates for the position and I'm going to make certain that you don't regret your decision. I want the citizens of Dallas to think we are a professionally run, responsive law enforcement operation. I think I can do that. Now, Chief, what can I do for you? I know you didn't call just to shoot the breeze." 

Clearing his throat again, the Chief said, "no, I certainly didn't. Sam. The right and I guess easy thing would be to give you a few weeks to settle into the job. But, I can't do that. Nope, I have a couple problems that I need your help on. I'm going to see just how flexible and responsive you really are, Sam. You ready for some new challenges?" 

After hesitating for a few seconds, Sam said quietly, "well, sure, Chief, I'm always ready to do whatever it takes to make the polic