Chapter 03 –
Meeting the friends
After Benton
had showed Stine around the Consulate, there really wasn't that much
to show, and he'd talked briefly with his sister who was on duty
still a week before Benton re-entered his position, he took Stine
downtown to the 27th precinct. The sounds were so familiar
to him and Diefenbaker who had come with him knew his way into the
bullpen. Fraser greeted several people on the way in, all with the
same politeness and 'Thank you kindly' on his return. The first
person Benton saw was the last person he wanted to meet, the Civilian
Aid Francesca Vecchio. She flew up from her chair and threw herself
at him “Finally, welcome back Benton” she kissed his cheek. It
was obvious to Benton that her brother hadn't told his sister about
the news. “Thank you kindly Francesca” he said and freed himself
from her. Everyone came up to him before he had a chance to say
something so as Lt Welsh came out of his office and too welcomed him
back Benton took Stine's hand for the big announcement “Thank you
kindly everyone, it's nice to be back. I would like you all to meet
someone very special to me” he paused. He looked around and pointed
at “Ray Vecchio, Stan Kowalski, detectives Huey and Louis, Lt
Welsh, Civilian Aid Francesca Vecchio” he introduced them “This
is my wife Stine” Almost everyone dropped their chins in amazement.
Ray and Stan were the ones who first came up to greet her “Welcome
to Chicago Stine, sorry we disturbed you last night” Ray said “We
simply didn't know Fraser had gotten married when he was away” Stan
added. “You knew?!” Francesca almost threw herself at her brother
who were prepared for this caught her by the arms before she could
hit him. Not before long the buzz went around the station and
everyone who knew Benton came to talk to him and meet Stine. It took
them the best of two hours or so before they could leave and go back
home, but not before they went by the store where of course everyone
knew who Fraser was, not only because of his red suit, but because of
his politeness, it had been the same in the neighborhood back in
Copenhagen. It was an understatement that everyone was pleased to
hear they were married and Stine felt welcome at once.
When they
came back to the apartment they put away the groceries and Fraser
opened the window, he didn't really like to be inside, but being
inside had some perks he thought and pulled Stine close for a kiss
“Do you know what we've not done yet” he said with his lips to
hers and a naughty glimpse in his eyes as he steered her towards the
bed. “Haven't we?” Stine teased “Not in America” Benton said
and kissed her again.
The next
morning Stine called the Danish Consulate on her cellphone to confirm
that she had arrived in Chicago and was coming in for work the next
day. She also checked that she'd be free the next Saturday for the
party Margret was throwing them. As she hung up the phone she felt
Benton's arms around her waist “Why don't you come back to bed”
he nibbled on her neck “We don't have to be anywhere today” he
said. After finally getting up around 11 Benton and Stine went
outside for a walk in the nice late spring weather. They sat down at
a café and shared lunch before they decided to go home for some more
private activities. Diefenbaker who had been with them curled up on
his blanket in front of the fireplace.
Diefenbaker and Ben walked Stine to the
Danish Consulate the next morning and when steered their way towards
the 27th precinct. On his way Benton managed to walk three older
women over the street, let a smaller group of children pat and cuddle
Diefenbaker and open a few doors for people who were on their way in
or out of the shops. This was how he was brought up and later trained
to do. At the police station he walked straight over to Ray and
Stan's shared desk. As Ray Vecchio had returned to the precinct Stan
has re assumed his given name, much to avoid the questions. Although
sometimes he still answered when people called for Ray it had been
his name for about two years. "No wife?" Stan asked "She
started work today" Benton said with pride in his voice. "Hey
there Benny" Ray said and patted him on the shoulder as he came
out of the lieutenant's office "Hi Ray" Ben answered.
"Thought you'd still be honey-mooning" Ray teased his
friend and Ben for once had a quick answer "No. Wife's at work"
"That means you can come along with us" he said and pulled
on his trench coat as Stan got up to get ready to leave "Where
are we going?" he asked "Welsh just got a call in. Murder
down by the docks" Ray scratched Diefenbaker behind his ears
"You wanna come" he asked the wolf. Within a few minutes
the all got into Ray's green Buick '72. Benton was a bit surprised on
how well the two detectives came along, they had been like cats and
dogs when he had left for Copenhagen. As usual he looked around his
own way and not like the Americans, together they then went back to
the station. The murdered man was a known criminal and Ray and Stan
weren't that bothered about him being dead, although Stan didn't look
forward to the visit at the morgue, there were something about the
dead bodies that made him uncomfortable. The coroner showed them the
results and to his normal routine Benton dipped his finger and tasted
on some stuff “No!!!” Both Ray and Stan said at the same time
“And you'll...” Ray didn't finish what he thought to say and Stan
left the room. “What?” Benton turned around to look at his friend
“It's disgusting, is what it is” he just shook his head “Well I
can tell you that he probably was killed at a place with a lot of
petrol around” Benton said. “The old gas station we drove passed”
Stan called from outside the doors “Let's go” Ray said and they
all left the morgue.
After a long day with a lot of new
impressions and routines to get into Stine came back to the empty
apartment. She opened the fridge to see what she could make for
dinner just as her cellphone rang and she answered with her name “Hi”
she heard the warmth of her husband's voice “Hi yourself, have you
bought yourself a phone?” she knew he didn't like these modern
devices, well he didn't even have a land-line in the apartment “No,
this is Ray Vecchio's” Benton said “So, you're out with Ray?”
She asked a bit disappointed, she had thought they'd spend the
evening together, but again Ben hadn't met his friends for a long
time so if he wanted to go out with them it was ok with her. “As a
matter of fact I'm with both Ray and Stan, we're on our way back to
the precinct now” he had told Stine how he on his time off from the
Consulate sometimes helped the Chicago PD out. “So you will be back
soon?” Stine tried to get an answer “As a matter of fact...”
Ben started “Ray got an invitation from his mother for us to come
for dinner” he paused “Are you up for it?” he didn't get an
answer straight away and was just to say that they didn't have to go
when Stine agreed “Let me know the address and I'll meet you there”
she said. “Or we'll pick you up, we should be there in a minute and
half” “But I need to change” she tried and protest, but heard
from the car that the guys were going straight from work.
Disclaimer/Copyright
2013 and forward: I don't own anything from the series Due South,
it's just borrowed for your entertainment. This is my story though
and I feel I own that.
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