I walk into the police station to be greeted by the sheriff. The man was like a second father to me. Right now I owed him a lot, because he hired me on as a detective right out of college. I had come to him wanting to return home. I had expected to get a job as a beat cop at most, but he saw potential in me.

Today was my first day, but I was oddly calm. I let a smile slip on my face as I approached him.

"You nervous?" Sheriff Porter asked as I walk up to him.

"I have been preparing for this day for four years. I don't doubt my abilities, sheriff."

"You always were a cocky kid," he chuckles as he straightens off the desk where he had been perched. "First you meet your partner, though you may already know him."

There was a good chance since we lived in such a small town. Most towns in Idaho are small, even the bigger ones.

I followed the sheriff as he weaved around a couple of desks. Once we were as far back as we could go he made a left. Then stopped at a desk where a man snoozed away.

"ANDREW!" Sheriff yelled causing the man to jolt awake. "Son, you have a house, I imagine you would sleep more comfortable if you ever went home to it."

"Whatever you say, Mark," he says rolling his head back.

"Don't call me that, I am your boss," he grumbles.

"Look sheriff, is there a reason you woke me up."

"I was getting to that," he grumbles again, annoyed. "I want you to meet your new partner, detective Dakota West."

"Partner!?" He scoffs, shooting out of his chair at the announcement. "Is this some kind of punishment or a prank? Mark, in the years since you gave me this job, I have never had a partner."

"Don't be dramatic, I am just trying to lessen your burden. Your 28 Andrew, you need to have a life. Someone else came to me, with the same degree you have. They needed a job, and frankly I thought you could use a partner."

Andrews eyes finally landed on me, the icy color gave me shivers. He seemed to be looking me over, which made me glad I wore one of my better pants suits. "I guess," he sighed, "if anything, it would be nice to have someone to talk to."

I watched as he scrubbed the stubble on his chin. The man looked like a wreck, but he was in good shape and he will need to stay that way.

He seemed to notice that I was examining him in return. "I know, I look like a mess right now. It's just that, I got this new case, so I pulled an all nighter."

"Could you use some fresh eyes?" I ask approaching his desk.

"It couldn't hurt," he said gathering all the papers on his desk.

"Well, I will leave you two to it," Sheriff excused himself.

Andrew handed me the file, "before I forget, I am Detective Baker. I would prefer if you call me Andrew when we aren't talking to others though."

"Well, you can call me anything you want, unless you are being a ass about it."

He gives me a , and I confess to myself that we will probably make a great team.

I sit on the edge of the desk, and open the file. I am greeted by the image of a girl surrounded in blood. Brunette, green eyes wide open, young, probably around twenty three. She in every physical way looked just like me. Only her throat was slit, three stab wounds also were on her stomach.

"When did you get this case?" I ask, as I close the file.

"She was found at ten pm last night," he sighs. "Her name was Rose Gravel, and she just graduated from college. She was looking for a job, and moved to start over according to her mother. She wanted the small town life, but didn't want to completely get away from the city."

"Sounds like she chose the perfect state, just at the wrong time. Did she buy that house, or was she renting."

"Renting, her parents signed with her since they were going to support her until she got her job."

"Are her parents here?" I begin to pace deep in thought.

"They are on their way from Seattle, should be arriving shortly. But I did talk to them both on the phone."

"Take me to the crime scene," I head for the door.

He follows, and runs ahead to open it. He leads me to a black camaro, and I try not to roll my eyes.

"Don't you even act like it is typical for me to have a car like this. I don't have much joy with a job like mine. My car is my baby, because it is where I spend a good amount of time."

"What year is it?" I ask, since I don't know a lot about cars.

"2016," he says with a smug smile on his face. "It took me a long time to save up the money. What do you drive?"

I point a little further down the parking lot. My bright yellow buggy sits looking like a ray of sunshine.

He breaks into a fit of laughter as soon as he sees it. "What on earth would make you want to drive that?"

"I am surrounded by a lot of death, so I need something nice."

He smiles, "you know, I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship."

"You wish," I tease, climbing into his car with a smile on my face.

"Who knew having a partner could be so much fun?"

"We aren't going to be like partners on TV."

"What do you mean?" He says glancing at me before starting the car.

"We aren't going to hook up," I squint at him.

"Damn, I could really use a good fuck."

Upon arriving at the house the first thing i notice is the yellow police tape. Behind it is a old blue painted cottage tucked tightly inbetween its neighbors. It wasn't in the best neighborhood but it wasn't known for a lot of violence. At least it hadn't been until the twenty-three year old girl was found murdered.

"Who found her?" I asked, suddenly realizing the missing knowlege.

"The little old lady next store saw her through her window."

I nodded, took a deep breath and exited the car. The warm summer air swallowed me in it's uncomfortable grip. It wasn't bad as some of the other places I used to visit in the summer but it was enough to remove the jacket of my suit.

I tossed it in Andrews car before closing the door.

"Dakota?" Andrew called across the car causing me to catch his attention. He lightly tossed me gloves from over the car.

I caught them without problem and slipped on the uncomfortable blue latex. "I would assume fingerprints were already dusted and the body already examined."

"No fingerprints but hers have been found yet, and her only injury was her slit throat."

"He either cleaned up or was prepared," I sighed.

"There was no evidence of anyone cleaning but her." He opened the front door and led me to the kitchen. "She had been cleaning the dishes during her attack."

"Do you think she saw him?" I stared at the blood stain.

"Unlikely," he fiddled with his tie, "there as no fight."

"Yet," I said glancing around quickly, "there is no signs of anyone breaking in. She must of let them in, or had known them."

"She just moved here," he sounded shocked, "how could she meet someone she trusts enough to let in."

"Probably someone who didn't look like a threat," I moved out to the living room.

She had almost no furniture, but a couch was there. Only two things sat on the couch, a blanket and a laptop.

I opened the silver laptop and was greeted by a picture of Rose with her arm drapped across an older looking version of herself. I frowned having hoped there wasn't a password.

"Do you have anyone who could hack into this?"

"Our best bet would be Elbert Stillmen, he is the nerd of our force." He pulls out his phone, "I can ask him to meet us here."

"Thanks," I head up some stairs in hopes to find her room. I find it littered in clothes, all formal and sexy.

"Andrew?" I call loudly so that he can hear me.

"One second!" He shouts back before I hear his footsteps on the stairs. When he arrives he says into his phone, "thanks man."

"Look at the clothes," I say when I have his full attention.

"She was planning to go on a date?" He looked confused.

"Didn't you guys check the entire house last night?"

"I didn't get the chance with all those people here. This house is a little small to have a lot of people in."

I nod just as a voice calls up to us. We head down to be greeted by a tall man. He lacked any muscle and was thin, but not unhealthly so. He had blond hair that was a little shaggy. His eyes were a bright gray tucked behind black glasses. He wore a blue and green flannel shirt under a black blazer. He had black slacks, with a black belt, and black formal shoes. He was extreamly handsome with his nerdy look perfected.

"Elbert," Andrew greeted him warmly, "good to see you. This is Detective West, she is my new partner."

He flashed me a extreamly charming smile and offered me his hand. "You can call me Bert, I am the tech guy."

"You can call me Dakota," I shake his hand.

"So," he said glancing around, "what have you got for me Drew?"

"Drew?" I turn toward my partner and tic my tounge. "How come I have to call you Andrew if you go by Drew?"

"I just met you this morning," he says defensively.

I roll my eyes before motioning for Bert to follow me. I showed him the computer and watched him put on his own gloves.

He tried the basic password checks that people always seemed to use. "Looks like i'll have to actually hack it," he sighed. "Can you guys give me a few days?" He pulls out a large evidence bag.

"Sure," Drew says as he stares out at the setting sun. "I got a call from Rose's parents earlier, by the way. They asked to wait to talk to us tomorrow. Her mother was having a hard time after seeing their daughter. I think it's best if we all get some rest."

I nodded my head, and turned my attention back to Bert. "It was wonderful meeting you," I offered a soft smile.

"May I see your phone?" He stands before me.

I hand him my phone and watch as he enters his number.

"Really, Bert?" Drew scoffs and shakes his head before leaving the house.

"I promise it's not like that," he lets me know. "Though you're really pretty, and I wouldn't mind getting to know you better."

"Thanks," I say with a widdening smile, "you're not so bad yourself."

We said our goodbyes, and I went to meet Andrew by his car. "You done flirting with my Tech guy?" He glares.

"He flirted with me first," I pointed out with a cocky smile. I removed my gloves before getting in his car.

He followed me in and threw me a quick look. "Do you want me to take you to your car?"

"My apartments closer," I rattle off my adress as I check my phone.

I have three missed calls from my mother and a couple of texts. I sigh heavily before hitting my speed dial and was instantly greeted by my mothers warm voice.

"Hi, baby," she said with an overbearing enthusiasm, "How was your first day?"