Free Private Oz by James Patterson

bodyguard, Hemi.
    “I’ve come to see Johnny,” Micky smiled.
    “Ah … right … Hi … I’m, I’m Darlene, Darlene Cooper. Johnny, ah, Johnny isn’t here. I’m on my own. He’ll be back soon, though.”
    “That’s cool. So, Darlene Cooper …” Micky indicated he would like to come in.
    “Sorry!” she giggled, and a wisp of blonde hair fell across her face as she held the door open.
    “So what do you do here then?” Micky asked as they entered reception.
    “Forensics.” She was calming down now.
    “Wow! Really? That’s cool. I love CSI . Do you watch that show?”
    “Not really,” Darlene replied. “I see enough bits and pieces ofdead people during the day.”
    Micky stared at her, then shook his head slowly and grinned. “That is just the most insane job, Darlene!”
    “Really? Well, being a rock star’s pretty awesome!”
    “If you say so.”
    There was an uncomfortable silence. Hemi stood next to Micky like a lump of rock. He only moved when it was absolutely necessary and his blank expression never changed.
    “Er, coffee?” Darlene offered.
    “No thanks. Tell you what though. I’d love to see your lab. You do have a lab, right?”
    Darlene looked surprised. “Yeah, sure. Along here.”
    “Oh man! This is really something!” Micky exclaimed as he entered the room behind her. Hemi had stayed back at reception. “You know, my parents always wanted me to become a doctor or a scientist, something like that,” he went on. “I got stung by the rock ’n’ roll bug, but I always regret not going to college or anything. I love science … don’t know much … but.” He laughed.
    Darlene was barely able to conceal her surprise. She couldn’t take in what a normal guy Micky Stevens was. No, he wasn’t just a normal guy, he was humble, in awe of her work of all things!
    “It’s never too late.” She felt stupid as soon as she said it.
    “You reckon?” Micky chuckled. “Yeah I can see it now.” He put a hand up indicating newspaper headlines. “ROCK STAR BECOMES FORENSICS EXPERT.” So, Darlene, what do all these things do, then?”
    “God, that would take a while to explain.”
    “What you working on?”
    “Now? Oh, I’m investigating a kidnap and murder.”
    “Wow!”
    “We have some security camera images of the suspects, but they’re really not good. I can’t make anything out.”
    “So what can you do about it?”
    Darlene led him over to a flat screen. “I’m trying to enhance them with some new software I have.”
    Micky gazed around the room. “Looks pretty top-end stuff.”
    “Yeah, it is,” she replied proudly. “State-of-the-art. But these stills are just too degraded.”
    “I can help,” Micky said.
    Darlene lowered herself into a chair in front of the monitor. “You can?” She couldn’t keep the skepticism from her voice.
    “Yeah, well not me personally, but I know a really great computer guy. A genius in fact.”
    Before Darlene could reply, Micky cut across her. “No, listen. The guy’s amazing. This stuff –” he swept a hand around the room – “is cool, don’t get me wrong, but in the recording studio I use some really hi-tech gear too, and my buddy … well, he works for me actually … is the biz .”
    Darlene took a deep breath and put up her hands. “Well great, Micky. I’d appreciate any help I can get. What’s your colleague’s name?”
    “Software Sam. I’ll send him over.”
    There was a sound from the doorway. Hemi was filling almost the entire space. Darlene and Micky could just see Johnny trying to get a view of the room over the Maori’s shoulder.
    Micky came out of the lab and shook hands with Johnny. “Good to see you again, dude. So what’s new?”
    Johnny nodded to Darlene who smiled back as if to say, “We’re done here.”
    But Micky hadn’t finished. He turned back and gave her a peck on the cheek. “Thanks for showing me this,” he said and waved at the room. “Fantastic! I’ll get in touch with Sam