Free Superbia 2 by Bernard Schaffer

much opportunity for you here.  We just hired a new officer, and there is a vacancy for Staff Sergeant.  The second-in-command of the entire department.  You see how that worked out for me, right?”
    Frank tried to focus.  He’d never heard Erinnyes like this.  “I don’t know that I would even want that job.”
    “You may not want it, but think about it this way.  If you don’t take it, who will?  Can you imagine someone like Jim Iolaus in the position?  He’s no friend of yours, by the way.”  Erinnyes let that sink in, then reached into the top drawer of his desk, “Even though you’ll be back on patrol, I still intend to make use of your investigative expertise.  I got you something.”
    Erinnyes slid a brand new phone across the desk toward Frank, who picked it up and said, “I already have a phone.”
    “But this is a departmental phone that I pay for, so you can get rid of the old one.  That’s extra money in your pocket.  You can use it for any personal business you want, there’s unlimited everything on it.  All I ask is that you answer it when I call.” 
    “Am I still on the drug task force?”
    “Of course!” Erinnyes said.  “You’re still keeping the office downstairs and doing the same excellent job that you’ve always done.  Listen, just take your lumps and keep moving forward.  You’ll be back in the saddle in no time.”
    “Yeah?”
    “I swear to God.”
    Frank smirked.  There was a flicker in the Chief’s eyes , something waiting behind the benevolent gleam, an alligator floating just beneath the surface of the dark, still water.  “Well, thanks then,” Frank said.  He shook the phone inside the box and said, “This thing is better than what I have now.”
    “Use it in good health, Frank.”
    ***
    Frank walked out of the Chief’s office with his new patrol schedule and headed for the roll call room.  Jim Iolaus was sitting with Aprille and Reynaldo, reading aloud from the policy book.  “This department will not tolerate sexual harassment of any kind.  At no time will any officer use their badge of office to incur favor from any member of the opposite gender.”
    “But same gender is okay, right?” Aprille said.  “You know, in case I want to take the old tongue boat to tuna town.”
    “That is sexual harassment, right there, what you just did,” Iolaus said.  He opened his notebook and jotted something down.  “I’m giving you a verbal reprimand.”
    “Who did I offend with that comment?  The other women sitting in here with me?” she said.
    “Knock it off, Officer Macariah.  Are we clear on the sexual harassment policy of this police department?”
    “Yes, sir,” Reynaldo said.
    “That includes Orientals for you, mister.”
    “Asians, you mean,” Aprille said.
    “Whatever.”
    Frank cleared his throat at the doorway and held up the new patrol schedule.  “I hate to interrupt this thrilling sociological discussion, but I just wanted to let you know that Reynaldo is working with me starting Monday night.”
    “ What are you talking about?  I’m losing him?” Iolaus said.
    “Apparently so.” 
    “And why the hell wasn’t I told this?”
    Frank looked at the phone sitting on the table next to Iolaus.  He held up his box and said, “Hey, the Chief gave you one of these too?  How do you like it?”
    Iolaus stared at Frank’s phone.  “I’d like you to leave now,” he said softly.  “I’m conducting training.”
    Aprille smacked Reynaldo in the arm and said, “You lucky shit!”
    Frank snapped his fingers and said, “Oh yeah, one more thing.  The Chief said I’m supposed to start parking my personal car in the spot next to his outside.  I know nobody’s there now, I just wanted to make sure you knew for the future.”
    Iolaus glared down at the page in front of him so intensely that it almost started to smoke.  The page rattled in his hands.  Frank stepped back through the doorway and winked at Aprille, who