On her second day on the beat Penelope walked into the squad room ready to face the day. As usual Brin Longmire was holding court at the front of the room. She was certain it was him that had put the baggie of shit in her squad car. What he said next confirmed it.

“Peeyooo! Does anyone else suddenly smell shit?” Brin looked directly at Penelope and then looked around his clan, seeking their approval.

“Maybe you should check your dick Longmire, rumour has it that you like to stick it up the assess of pretty girly-boys,” Penelope was not averse to deriding herself if the price was worth it.

The room burst out laughing, the crowd remembered when Brin had projected the porno of him fucking Penelope in the ass on the big screen at the front of the squad room.

He looked at Penelope vehemently and she gave him the finger in reply. She was through being intimidated by him. Brin looked ready to climb over everyone to get to the back of the room and get at Penelope but she showed him no fear. The tension was dissolved when the duty Sargent came in and called the roll. Penelope was one of the first out of the squad room wanting to get the exterior inspection of their squad car completed before Randy arrived.

Brin caught up with her in the corridor and pushed her against the wall and then into the janitor’s closet.

“You think you’re fucking smart don’t you, you fucking tranny cunt!” he held her tight and hissed into her face.

“That’s an oxymoron Brin, trannies don’t have cunts,” Penelope sighed, she was over his boorishness.

“You calling me a moron Bishop!” he gripped her upper arm even harder.

“Hey if the shit fits,” Penelope grinned sarcastically.

The sting of the blow to her face was so sharp that she couldn’t speak and she was knocked sideways, her hat falling to the floor.

“How does that shit fit Bishop?” Brin said through gritted teeth, breathing very hard.

Penelope could not reply if she wanted to, she was breathless and shaky on her feet. She was no whimp and could defend herself but the blow had caught her by surprise. Instead she bent down and picked up her hat and brushed the dust off it.

“I thought so, you snivelling cunt!” Brin slipped out the door.

Penelope took a beat to get her breath back and then followed him out to the parking lot but went over to her ride; squad car 417 where Sargent Randy Cody was waiting impatiently.

As she got closer he saw the mark on her face.

“You wanna play with the big boys Bishop you gotta learn to play hard,” was all Randy said.

“He ain’t a big boy by any means Sargent, haven’t you heard? And I’d kick his ass in a fair fight!” Penelope began to inspect the vehicle.

Randy couldn’t help but granting her some grudging respect. She didn’t cry, she didn’t run to the workplace discrimination and behaviour officer, she gave back what she took when it came to being insulted and he bet she could fight pretty good too. He was soon to find out.

Randy didn’t show Penelope any favours. She was made to do all the mundane jobs, write up traffic tickets, fetch coffee, write their post patrol report, he even made her pick up his dry cleaning and get his lunch. His favourite saying was ‘stay in the car Bishop’.

He’d be on the street talking to pimps, prostitutes, felons, witnesses and informers and she’d be stuck in the car. After a week she’d had enough.

They pulled up in a backstreet where a prostitute had reported an assault.

“Stay in the car Bishop,” Randy said as they pulled up.

“Fuck that Sarge! How the fuck I am I supposed to learn how to police if you won’t let me accompany you. Besides the book says that officers on patrol are to always work in pairs and back each other up,” Penelope fumed.

“That so Bishop? Which book? This book?” Penelope had a copy of the rules and procedures for Balwyn City Patrol Officers with her and she read it in the car whenever she wasn’t playing ‘run go-fetch’ for Randy.

“Yes; this book,” Penelope waived it at him angrily.

“Which book?” Randy snatched it from her hand and threw it in the trashcan beside him.

Penelope threw the door open and strode up to him, her face red.

“About time you showed some balls Bishop, I wondered when you going to start acting like a real police officer,” Randy grinned at her.

It had been a test. Randy had been treating her like a flunky to see how long she would put up with it before she finally showed real gumption.

“One step behind Bishop and watch and learn,” Randy said and turned towards the wall where four prostitutes were lined up, advertising their wears.

They wore heavy makeup, had big hair and wore ‘fuck-me’ pumps, fishnet stockings and black sheer nylons, miniskirts and hotpants and their breasts were popping our of there blouses.

“Hey Randy, you still lookin’ fine,” a tall black attractive women smiled at Penelope’s partner.

Her white teeth were emphasised by her red lipstick.

‘Even the hookers in Balwyn were up-market and well presented’ Penelope thought.

She also thought that Randy was way too familiar with the hookers as they all gathered around him flirting.

“Who’s that lollypop you bought with you today sugar?” the black hooker pointed a long, red-painted fingernail in her direction.

“That’s probationary police officer Penelope Bishop,” Randy smiled at the hooker.

The hooker walked over to Penelope and looked her up and down.

“You too pretty to be police, you come work for me sugar and you make plenty of hooch,” she teased.

“I’m Felicity, but you know that’s just my street name,” Felicity offered her hand.

Penelope was confused. Should she shake hand’s with this prostitute?

She offered her hand anyway and Felicity surprised her by kissing the back of it. Then she stared at Penelope; scrutinising her face.

“Are you Charlie Bishop’s little girl?” Felicity beamed.

Penelope was stuck for words.

“She’s Charlie Bishop’s daughter, but she isn’t the cop that he was. Yet,” Randy interjected.

Penelope silently thanked him for the ‘yet’.

“So tell me about this john who beat up one of your posse?” Randy started the interview.

He motioned for Penelope to step closer so should could watch and learn.

Felicity called over one of her girls and explained how she had gone back to the ‘no-tell hotel’ that they regularly used and the john had refused to pay and roughed the girl up. She was sporting a black eye and a thick lip.

“Can’t she speak for herself?” Penelope asked and was given the evil-eye by both Randy and Felicity.

Randy finished the interview and got a description of the john and the john’s vehicle and then they walked back to the car, Penelope following one step behind and to the side.

Randy turned on Penelope looking quite angry.

“I told you to keep your mouth shut Bishop. These girls all work for Felicity and she speaks on their behalf, none of them talk to police unless she says so. It’s taken me years to work Felicity into becoming an informer for me and you try to fuck that up by opening your gape,” Randy was very angry with her and she felt a little stupid.

“You open that mouth to say ‘yes Sargent’ or to swallow your boyfriend’s cock! Got it!” he growled at her and Penelope nodded.

They got in the car and you could cut the air with a knife.

Finally.

“I was out of line what I said about… you know, the swallowing thing. But keep your mouth shut in future,” Randy offered his version of an apology.

“I don’t have a boyfriend,” Penelope replied and immediately regretted saying it.

It was inconsequential and inappropriate and only served to make them both feel more uncomfortable.

“Let’s go find this john, I have an idea where he might be,” Randy cleared the air.

They pulled into the carpark of a seedy bar and grill and spotted a car that fitted the description of the john’s, it was the same make, model and colour. Randy killed the engine and got out while Penelope stayed put.

“Come on Bishop, you gonna sit in the car daydreaming or you wanna do some policework,” Randy knocked on her window.

They went inside the bar which was dark and smelled of stale beer, a bank of smoke hung from the ceiling. The man they were looking for was sitting at the end of the bar nursing a drink. He looked up balefully at the police officers and then lowered his head.

“Stay near the door Bishop,” Randy said out the side of mouth.

Penelope was disappointed, she wanted to see how Randy went about questioning the man.

As Randy approached the suspect, the man leapt from his seat, over a table and ran for the door. Penelope instinctively tackled him, putting him face down and forced his hands behind his back. She knelt with one knee in his back, panting as the adrenaline surged through her body. She reached for her cuffs and then looked up at Randy who was smiling.

“I knew he was going to be a runner. You made your first collar today Bishop. Cuff him and mirandise him,” Randy walked over to bar to get a coke and left her to it.

And so Randy and Penelope formed a tenuous partnership, he still used her to run go-fetch and she had to do all the paperwork but she was learning from him. What worried her was that every now and then Randy would insist that she stay in the car while he went into a house, warehouse or a bar for a private meeting. He was secretive about his purpose and often came back carrying an envelope, a package, or a suitcase, which he threw in the trunk with no explanation. Penelope had developed a grudging respect for Randy which was threatened by the fact that she thought he was dirty.

They went to the indoor range to requalify on their weapons, it was the first time Penelope had been back to the academy since she had graduated. The asshole instructor who had constantly pressed his erection against her whilst adjusting her stance was there but as she was no longer a cadet and in the company of Sargent Cody he stayed away.

“Jesus Bishop, you didn’t tell me you knew how to shoot,” Randy took off his safety glasses and checked her paper target.

Penelope took the compliment.

“You shoot as good if not better than your father and he shot competition,” Randy added.

Penelope choked a little when Randy mentioned her father and he noticed. He put a hand on her shoulder.

“You should try out for the team,” he squeezed her shoulder.

“Yeah, cause the assholes in Police Plaza are gonna let their pet tranny shoot competition,” she shrugged off Randy’s hand.

They also worked out in the gym together three days a week after their shift. Penelope was a big strong girl and Randy couldn’t help but checking her out because she usually dressed in spandex leggings and sports top which accentuated the curves of her body, her tight ass, her pert breasts and those long legs. Being an inquisitive man and knowing that she was trans, he couldn’t help but wonder how she got such a smooth crotch, just like a woman’s.

She caught him looking one day and he blushed and she smiled. They were pressing weights and she was spotting him. She leaned down and whispered in his ear.

“It’s called a gaff Sargent, haven't you ever watched Rue Paul’s Drag Race?” her sweet breath in his ear made Randy uncomfortable and he blushed a shade redder.

Penelope and Molly Harper continued to cruise the bars and every now and again they would hook up. Penelope still had a sex drive to attend to. They went out one night to a cowboy bar which had a half-decent rockabilly band. Molly knew the girl singer and the drummer and after their set they came over to join her and Penelope.

The drummer was skinny and had too many tattoos but he had those badboy good looks about him that turned Penelope on after a few Jack and Cokes. He attraction was helped along by the fact that he was wearing extremely tight pants and it was obvious by the bulge at his crotch that he was well endowed. Molly and the singer were getting down so Penelope was left to talking to the drummer, she nearly spat out her drink when introduced himself as Phillip Collins. She couldn’t help but tease him. She started a string of drummer jokes.

“Why do guitarists put drumsticks on the dash of their car? So they can park in the handicapped spot.”

“How is a drum solo like a sneeze? You know it's coming, but there's nothing you can do about it.”

“What's the first thing a drummer says when he moves to LA? Would you like fries with that, sir?”

“Why are you so intent on insulting me?” Phil was taking the ribbing well.

He had an infectious smile and confidence in his handsomeness.

“I’m just kidding,” Penelope snuggled up to him and let him put his arm around her.

She bit his ear and then whispered.

“Has Molly told you that I’m trans?”

“She told me she had a best girlfriend who is absolutely stunning and is trans so I figured you must be her,” Phil tightened his grip around her waist.

“Ok, cool. You wanna come outside and mess around?” Penelope squeezed his growing erection through his jeans and was pleased with what she felt.

“You don’t fuck around do you?” Phil smiled at her.

“Life’s too short,” Penelope extracted herself from him and arose.

Phil followed her; Molly and the singer were too busy pawing at each other to notice.

They walked out the back door into the parking lot which was lit by orange fluorescent lighting on long poles. It made the car park look eerie but there were plenty of customers outside drinking, smoking joints, or necking. One or two of the SUVs in the carpark were rocking on their axles and Penelope grinned at Phil who smiled back at her.

Penelope wore a black leather miniskirt six inches above her my knees, flesh coloured control-top pantyhose, black four-inch heels, and a leopard print blouse that clung to her body. Penelope had dressed to go hunting and was without bra and panties, which was why she was wearing control-top pantyhose. She had already attracted whistles from some of the bar patrons.

"You look really sexy you know Penelope," Phil whispered, as his eyes ranged over her body.

Penelope turned and strode towards the back of the lot where it was darker. Phil caught up with her and they walked side by my side holding hands. She was well aware that the men in the carpark were giving her legs, ass, and bouncing breasts more than a second glance.

They entered the gloom and Penelope stopped and pulled Phil to her and kissed him. She drove her tongue into his mouth and squeezed his burgeoning erection.

"Show me your ass," he gasped into her mouth.

“Jeez, you said I was forward,” Penelope laughed.

She led him over to a low rock wall at the back of the bar where they were alone and no one could see them. They kissed some more and Penelope was becoming as horny as Phil was.

“You wanna come back to my place?” she gasped into his mouth.

"Pull your skirt up. I want to see your ass," he whispered in her ear.

"Can't you wait until we get home?" she asked, and then felt quite ridiculous for saying it.

"No it can't wait. I can see that you’re not wearing a bra and I wonder if you have also foregone panties," Phil smirked.

Penelope looked around and seeing that the coast was clear she pulled the hem of her skirt up very slowly. Phil watched as the shimmering dark bands of Penelope’s control top pantyhose appeared, he gulped as her pubic mound came into view under the dark flesh-toned nylon.

"Oh that's brilliant," Phil gasped.

"Open your legs so I can touch you," he mumbled.

"No!" Penelope gasped, still holding my hem up her thighs.

"You are the one who went braless and panty-less and insisted we come outside to fool around. I didn't tell you to do that so open your legs please."

She did as she was told and took a deep trembling breath, and heard her heels scrape across the hard ground. She sighed as she felt Phil's hand on her nylon clad thigh.

"Of yes!" she groaned, as he slowly moved his hand up her leg.

She felt it lightly trail between her trembling legs.

"I can't believe how fucking sexy you are," he mumbled.

He leaned in and kissed her and Penelope reached down and began to unzip him. He gasped into her mouth as his erection sprang free and she began to stroke it with featherlight strokes.

“I still haven’t seen your ass,” Phil smiled wickedly, the kiss broken.

“I’ll show it to you soon enough, first I want to do this,” Penelope knelt down on the cold hard ground.

The gravel bit into her knees and holed her pantyhose but she didn’t care, she was transfixed by the long sleek cock, inches from her face. She leaned forward and took it into her mouth. Phil gasped and put his hands either side of her face and looked down in the gloom to see her pretty face and watch those slut-red lipstick lips sliding up and down on his engorged cock.

“Careful darling or you’re gonna get a mouthful,” Phil chuckled.

Her lips worked his shaft while she used the tip of her tongue on his fraenulum, bringing him close and then backing off.

“Oh you teasing slut!” Phil groaned as he humped her face.

She bought him close to release so many times that Phil’s knees were shaking and he was begging for Penelope to finish him.

“Come on honey let me come,” Phil pleaded.

Penelope spat out his cock.

“I thought you wanted to see my ass,” she grinned up at him, teasing him.

She grunted as she got to her feet.

“Well? What do you think?” she bent over the low wall and lifted her skirt once again exposing the lustrous bands of her control-tops.

Phil had been teased for too long; he’d had enough.

“I think this,” he grunted as he leaned in behind her.

Phil ripped out the gusset of her pantyhose and slammed his cock into her anus. Penelope was clean and pre-lubricated, fully intending to have sex tonight to sate her desires.

She grunted through smiling lips as Phil’s long, sleek cock slammed into her tight ass and his pubis pushed against her buttocks. She reached behind and pulled him hard against her and wriggled her buttocks, she used her internal muscles to squeeze his phallus and then slowly began to push back and withdraw, fucking Phil as he held onto her thighs.

“Oh you sexy bitch that is so good!” Phil groaned.

Penelope had not gaffed and she freed her penis from the confines of her pantyhose. She stroked her own cock as she fucked Phil, bent over the wall, her heels apart, holding Phil against her with one hand as she writhed and ground against him, stroking her dripping penis. She was close to climax and so was Phil.

Phil pulled her against him and howled as he released himself deep inside her. Penelope felt his seed flood her anus and the engorged meat of his cock spasm as Phil ejaculated which invoked her own orgasm. She stroked herself as she wriggled her buttocks, and her spend splashed on the gravelled ground, her issue dribbled onto her high heels and finally on her ripped nylons as her climax began to subside.

Phil gripped her tightly and thrust himself in and out of her tight passage as the last of his secretions seeped between her buttocks, darkening the coffee-coloured bands of her control tops. He pulled out and spun her around before Penelope could even pull down her skirt. He kissed her and embraced her and she kissed him back, both of them were becoming erect again.

“Oh honey I can feel you getting hard again,” Penelope reached between their bodies and gripped his engorged manhood.

“You too,” Phil gasped as he took Penelope’s erection in his grasp.

“I really wanna fuck you again but let’s do it on a nice soft bed,” he smiled.

She nodded her compliance and began to straightened her clothing while Phil pulled up his pants and zipped up.

They made it halfway home before Penelope began to fellate him as he drove, which meant pulling into a layby for another fuck. Penelope was glad to find him gone from her bed the next morning, her ass was sore and her cock red raw from fucking all night. She wanted a one night stand and she got one. Phil’s band were on the road and wouldn’t be back for another month or two which was how long she needed for her ass to recover she joked to Molly on the phone.

Randy continued to train and mentor Penelope and she becoming street smart, together they made a few good busts and legitimate arrests but she still had her doubts about him. He continued to attend assignations while she had to remain in the car and he refused to tell her what he was doing during those absences.

One day Randy left her in the car and slipped into an apparently abandoned warehouse. Randy was rolling a suitcase that he had taken out of the trunk of the cruiser and seemed a little nervous which was unlike him. Penelope sat there fuming as usual but then she saw a man approach carrying a backpack in one hand and a gun in the other. The man went into warehouse.

This did not bode well and Penelope was very concerned.

“Fuck it!” she hissed as got out of the cruiser and closed the door.

She approached the warehouse and stood with her back against the wall outside the entrance. She heard harsh voices echoing in the warehouse and the hairs on the back of her neck prickled. The harsh voices suddenly became angry shouting and Penelope was in two minds as to whether or not to enter the warehouse and back up her partner.

The decision was made for her when the report of a pistol echoed through the door.

Penelope drew her weapon and entered the warehouse and scanned the room through a cloud of dust-motes. Randy was lying on the floor about twenty feet from her and the man was standing over him pointing his pistol at Randy’s face, his finger was on the trigger.

“Say goodnight copper,” the man grinned and his finger tightened on the trigger.

Penelope didn’t hesitate she assumed the Weaver stance and aimed quickly and shot the man through the head.

The man fell down next to Randy and she raced over to check on them both. The stranger was dead and Randy had been shot through the upper arm and was bleeding badly. The backpack lay beside Randy and it was open. It contained a large amount of cash. The suitcase was open too and it was filled with large calibre pistols and small calibre automatic rifles.

“Jesus Bishop; you sure know how to make an entrance,” Randy croaked, he was pale and his eyes weren’t properly focussed.

“Help me up,” Randy held out his uninjured hand.

“Sargent stay down and I’ll administer first aid and call for backup,” Penelope knew the procedure.

“Fuck that Bishop. If you’re caught here you’re in as much shit as I am. Help me up then go back to the car,” Randy grunted through the pain.

Penelope grudgingly helped him to his feet.

“Look away Bishop,” Randy said.

Penelope didn’t. She watched Randy put his pistol against the gunshot wound in the stranger’s head and pull the trigger twice, totally obliterating the fatal wound she had inflicted.

“Ok Bishop. I shot the guy in self defence after he shot me. Go back to the car and call for backup and hit the panic button on your PR,” Randy fell to his knees, the puddle of blood at his feet was growing bigger.

Penelope hit the red ‘panic button’ which sent an instantaneous ‘officer down and needs assistance’ report back to Police Plaza and all nearby units and also alerted the nearest hospital to send an ambulance. The inbuilt GPS tracker pinpointed their position.

Randy fell to the floor and blacked out. Penelope began first aid as she heard the distant wail of sirens.

“Fuck going back to the cruiser,” she grunted as she tore open Randy’s shirt to get to his wound.

It was a through and through but the bullet had blown out the flesh on the back of his arm and it was bleeding heavily. Penelope made a pad out of her handkerchief and pressed it on the wound and tied it off, she looked at the cache of guns and money and was worried for her partner.

She was kneeling over Randy tending his wound when backup arrived.

Randy Cody awoke to find Chief Daniel Balfour standing next to his bed. The door to his hospital room was closed.

“Well that nearly went south Randy. Lucky you stashed the guns and money before backup arrived, smart thing to do,” the Chief said.

Randy was still groggy but he joined the dots. He was certainly alert enough to be conscious that the Chief was more worried about the gun deal going bad and coming back on him than he was about Randy's close call with death.

“Where’s Bishop?” Randy pushed himself up and tried to look through the window set in the door.

Daniel Balfour chuckled deep down.

“Well you inadvertently did us a big favour there Sargent Cody. Police Officer Penelope Bishop is currently back in the evidence room on half-pay awaiting a tribunal and dismissal. She’s going to be charged with a bunch of offences including failing to back up her partner and cowardice.”

“I’d like to also charge it with impersonating a woman and impersonating a police officer,” the Chief joked.

“Anyway, we throw the tranny under the bus and we all walk away clean,” the Chief wiped his hands together.

“Fuck that!” Randy kicked off the covers and got out of bed.

Someone had put a fresh uniform in the wardrobe and Randy had a good idea who it was. He took off the sling and put his bandaged arm through the sleeve of his shirt.

“Where the fuck do you think you’re going Randy?” Chief Balfour growled.

“Just remember what I know Danny. Don’t get in my way,” Randy pulled on his pants and sat down heavily to put on his shoes.

“You just remember what happened to the last police officer who tried to blackmail me,” the Chief glared at Randy.

“What do you mean by that Danny?” Randy snapped his head around to meet the Chief’s glare.

“Jesus!” Chief Balfour sighed heavily and left the room, slamming the door behind him.

Just before rollcall Randy Cody banged on the perspex window of the evidence room and both Penelope Bishop and Tony Abbot looked up, Tony had a breakfast burrito in his hand.

“Whatcha doin’ slacking off in there Bishop?” Randy called through the window.

“Well you know Sargent Cody; I’m racking and stacking important evidence,” Penelope said dryly.

“Well fuck that. Get your ass out here and start doing some real policework,” Randy replied just as dryly.

“Who authorised her transfer Cody?” Tony Abbot said around a mouthful of burrito.

“Eat another hoagie Abbot, you fat fuck,” Randy sneered.

Penelope came out the door and couldn’t contain her grin. She fell in one pace to the side and behind her partner as he had taught her to do.

“Get your ass up here beside me Bishop,” Randy waved with his good hand.

Penelope actually skipped as she caught up to him and Randy saw her do it.

“Don’t ever do that again,” Randy growled, but she caught his smile.

“The guns and money?” Randy said out the corner of his mouth.

“In the trunk of my car, in my garage” Penelope murmured, aware of the sensitivity of the situation.

“Good girl,” was all Randy said.

In actual fact Penelope Bishop had saved both his, the Chief’s, and who knows who else’s asses. It would be difficult to explain the large amount of cash and the illegal weapons at the crime scene if they had been found by the backup teams or the crime scene investigators.

“Wait here,” Randy said curtly outside of the briefing room where rollcall was about to take place.

Randy stepped inside and closed the door behind him, Penelope peered through the glass. He walked to the front of the room where Brin Longmire sat holding court with the white Anglos.

“Hey man! Good to see…” Brin Longmire started to get up to shake Randy Cody’s good hand.

Randy wound up and unleashed a haymaker right to Brin Longmire’s jaw. Brin fell to the floor like a chaff-bag.

“Anybody here got anything else they wanna say or do to my partner? If you do you go through me first!” he looked vehemently around the room waiting for a challenge.

Most of the police officers were too stunned to respond, the remainder looked incredulously at each other.

“Get this asshole to the nurse’s station,” he poked Brin Longmire with his toe.

He came out of rollcall and Penelope was leaning against the wall staring at the floor. She fell in beside him and said nothing. He took the keys for the cruiser from his belt and tossed them to her.

“You’re driving Bishop. They won’t let me drive with my bum wing,” he said straightforwardly.

“Thanks Sarge,” Penelope smiled.

“This don’t mean we’re taking long hot showers together or anything Bishop,” he actually cracked a grin.

“Gee, I’m disappointed Sarge. Can we at least pull them out in the men’s room to which one of us is bigger?” Penelope said cheekily.

“Jesus Bishop!” Randy blushed.

“Also I’m still wearing my skirt and heels, I’m out of uniform for patrol duties,” Penelope stopped next to the cruiser.

“Maybe I wanna get an eyeful of those gams Bishop, you ever think I might just want to check out your ass?” Randy countered, obviously joking.

“You can get changed at your place while we pick up those guns and cash,” he said seriously.

The truth was that Randy Cody averted his eyes whenever she got in and out of the car or her skirt hiked up accidentally. He behaved like a true gentleman.

Penelope desperately wanted to bring up the subject of the guns and the cash but she didn’t think the confines of the police car was the right place to do so.

“I’m gonna call in 10-42,” Randy tapped the tablet.

Ten codes had been redundant in the Balwyn PD for some time, but the old timers still used the jargon. 10-42 meant they were off duty and usually indicated the officer was taking a meal break.

“Jesus Bishop you live around here?” Randy commented when Penelope turned into her street.

She just nodded and then Randy suddenly realised why. He once again had to admire her, most of the cops lived in nice subsidised apartments in the better suburbs of the city but Penelope had to put with living in a dump. He knew why and he felt a little ashamed, he had been as intolerant as the rest of the Department when Penelope was recruited.

“My place is a dump but at least it has an underground carpark, I’ve been bussing to work since you got shot. I figured having a trunk full of guns and money at Police Plaza was only asking for trouble,” she turned to look at Randy and he blushed.

They parked the cruiser alongside her little Honda which was parked tail to the wall and transferred the suitcase and backpack into the trunk of the cruiser. Neither said a word, but they were both aware that what Randy left unsaid was gnawing at Penelope.

“You coming up while I get changed? You can make the coffee for a change,” she smiled at him.

“Don’t get lippy Bishop,” Randy said tersely, but he couldn’t suppress his grin.

They were uncomfortably close in the small elevator and Randy could smell her perfume and she his aftershave and that virile manliness that he sometimes exuded when he had been working hard.

She let him in, apologising in advance for the state of her apartment even though there was no need. The place was a dump but she had done her best to cheer it up with smart furniture and accessories; it was spotlessly clean and smelled of soap and something recently baked.

Sitting on one of the shelves was the piece of polished wood with the huge gold-gilded penis-shaped dildo mounted on it.

Randy walked over to the object and studied it.

“Care to explain Bishop?” he said, still staring at the object.

“It’s an inside joke Sarge, you had to be there,” she blushed.

“I’ll make coffee so you have something to drink while I change,” Penelope went over the kitchenette.

Randy took her elbow and turned her towards her bedroom.

“I’ll make the coffee Bishop, just get yourself in your street uniform pronto,” Randy replied.

“There are some muffins in the tin on the counter,” Penelope called over her shoulder.

Penelope left the door ajar and dropped her handbag and duty belt on the bed and then sat down on it and kicked off her heels. She rubbed her feet for a while and then stood up and dropped her skirt and took off her blouse. She put them on hangers and hung them in the closet and took down her blues. She noticed a snag in her nylons and decided to leave on the grey, fifteen denier, sheer-to-the-waist pantyhose rather than change them for the heavier black pantyhose that she normally wore under her uniform pants.

She laid out her blues on the bed and padded over to the vanity to put up her hair. She was halfway through putting her hair in a bun when Randy came through the door holding two cups of steaming coffee.

“Jesus Bishop, I thought you’d be decent by now,” Randy blushed but couldn’t help staring.

Penelope was tall and well built with a slim waist, small breasts and ample but tight buttocks. She was wearing a black lace bra and black Vintage Lace Spanx with her grey, sheer-to-the-waist pantyhose over them; they accentuated her long legs. She had full makeup because she had been on office duty, and her blonde hair hung in disarray which only made her look sexier. Her full red lips looked inviting.

Randy just stood there holding the coffee unsure what to say, but he couldn’t take his eyes off her.

Penelope stepped forward, uncomfortably close, and took her coffee from him but she did not step back.

“Thanks Sarge,” her voice was sultry.

“Sure, Bishop,” Randy swallowed.

She leaned in closer, her lips nearly touching his; he breathed in her perfume and the wonderful femininity of her.

She closed her lids over those piercing green eyes in anticipation.

Randy opened his lips slightly and leaned into her and then his PR sprang to life. Penelope was so close that she could hear the transmission from his earpiece. She instinctively stepped back and Randy made a show of putting a finger on his earpiece and turned on his heels.

“Hurry up Bishop, we don’t have all day,” he said brusquely as he walked out of her bedroom.

Penelope dressed and came out of the bedroom with her coffee half drunk. She had put up her hair and toned down her makeup but she still looked good. She was carrying her hat and duty belt in her other hand, her purse was slung over her shoulder.

Randy had his back to her. He was studying her crime wall. His eyes followed the strings of coloured wool joining the notes, statements, pamphlets, pictures, crime reports and articles cut from newspapers and magazines. He studied her notes.

He turned around, looking guilty. She put her duty belt, hat and handbag on the counter and stood beside him and sipped her coffee.

“What do you think?” she took another sip of coffee.

“Jesus Bishop,” Randy whispered in awe.

“You keep saying that Sarge, but you got anything else for me? You wanna tell me about the guns and the money? You wanna tell me about the ridiculously low crime rate and high clean up rate in Balwyn? You wanna tell me where the mysterious donations into True Blue come from? You wanna tell me what my father was doing behind Morganson’s Hardware and how was he connected to a bag of rubies?” Penelope stood close to him and looked him in the eyes.

“You’re steering into dangerous waters here Bishop. You seem to have a lot figured out, but there will be no happy ending for you, even if you find out who killed your father,” Randy looked at her seriously.

She stepped into him, once again her face was inches from his. She engaged him with her deep green eyes in which Randy saw hurt, but also hope and integrity.

“Jesus Bishop, I know I owe you one but you could get us both killed. Do you know that?” he couldn’t look away from her.

She just continued to stare at him until he could take it no longer.

“Come here Bishop, sit down,” he took her cup from her led her to the couch.

“First off I don’t know who killed your father or why, but I can confirm that he was on the board of True Blue. He was concerned that someone or some people were siphoning off funds,” Randy began.

“Second of all it seems that you have figured out the link to the low crime rate and high clean up rate and the anonymous donations to True Blue. The cops and the organised crime bosses in this town are in cahoots. The crime bosses pay protection money to the cops and also give up those criminals not on their payroll. The vig is payed into True Blue because the donations are easier to hide than cash handouts to individual police officers,” Randy pulled out a pack of Marlborough’s and looked at her questioningly.

Penelope nodded and dragged an antique marble ashtray across the table and took a cigarette without one being offered. She didn’t smoke in her apartment but this conversation was devastating and she needed a smoke. Randy lit her cigarette then his own and continued.

“As far as the rubies go, I can only guess it was a pay off. Bank transfers can be traced even though the crime bosses put the money through shell companies, and dealing in cash can risky. If they pay off in gemstones, the stones can be laundered overseas and the money transferred into True Blue from reputable companies,” Randy tapped ash from his cigarette into the ashtray.

“But why hasn’t anyone found out about this? I’ve been working for the PD for nearly a year and now and even I figured out that the pension fund was being supplemented by dubious means,” Penelope looked earnestly at Randy.

“Who wants to know Bishop? The Chief and the Mayor are dirty. The State Attorney General is also likely on the take and the State Legislators and the Governor are proud of the city’s crime statistics. Why fuck with that?” Randy shook his head.

“What about IAD?” she asked incredulously.

Randy huffed.

“Internal Affairs? What Internal Affairs? Those jag-offs are still police and get their benefits from True Blue just like everyone else,” Randy sighed.

“Ok, what about the guns and the money and all the times I saw you deliver or collect shit while we were out on the beat?” she put her hand on his knee for emphasis.

Randy hung his head and mumbled his reply.

“I’m as dirty as the rest of them Bishop. We not only take pay-offs from organised crime gangs, we trade with them. We sell them drugs and weapons taken from crime scenes, all sorts of shit,” Randy confessed.

“But I worked in Evidence for four months and did a lot of digging but I never found a trace of evidence being taken illegally from the evidence room,” Penelope countered.

“Because that shit never made it into Evidence Bishop! It’s easy to make things disappear from a crime scene, you did it yourself,” he raised his head and looked at her earnestly.

“But I did that to help you Randy,” she looked at him with concern.

“Why?” Randy searched her eyes.

“You’re my partner, that’s why,” she replied.

“Bullshit! I treated you like shit,” he countered.

“I learned so much from you regardless, you mentored me,” she tighten her grip on his knee.

“Bullshit,” Randy put his hand on her wrist.

A single tear ran down Penelope’s face.

“Don’t make me say it; I know you think I’m a freak,” she whispered.

Randy's hand flew to her face and she flinched, expecting a blow.

Instead he wiped away the tear and caressed her cheek.

“You’re a million times better than most of us Bishop,” he continued to stroke her cheek.

“And?” her eyes brimmed with tears.

“And. You are beautiful,” Randy leaned and kissed her.

They kissed close-mouthed, Randy’s hand still on her cheek. She raised her hand to his cheek and caressed the fine stubble. She opened her mouth just a little as did he and the tips of their tongues met.

Once again his PR went off.

They broke the kiss.

“Shithouse mouse! Every time!” Penelope whined but she was smiling.

“Come on Bishop; we got a call,” Randy cleared his throat.

“Can you at least call me Penelope?” she said as she rose and reached for her duty belt.

“Not when we’re on duty Bishop,” he replied brusquely.

She put on her hat and put her purse over her shoulder and led the way.

She jumped when Randy slapped her on the ass.

“But we’ll see about it when we are off duty,” he grinned and she smiled along with him.

She led the way down the corridor.

“Goddamit Bishop I told you never to do that again,” he growled when she deliberately skipped a pace.

To be continued.