2. First Case Together

                                    

                                          
The grocery store was a mess. Windows smashed, products on the floor, till broken into. Jake and I  ducked under the police tape stretched across where the door should be and carefully picked our way through the mess, making our way deeper into the shop. The place was a mess, though I suppose you'd expect that, the place had been robbed after all. 
                          
I look down and notice some material snagged on a shelf corner. Jake is looking for the store owner so I put a disposable glove on and bag the evidence and take it over to him. 
"Hey where do we put evidence?" 
He turns to look at me. "You found something already? Look at you go!" He laughs and points to some other detectives on the other side of the store. "They're collecting evidence so you can just take it to them, they'll take it to the lab for analysis when they've finished up in here." I nod and take the evidence over to them. 
                          
One of the other detectives looks at me and frowns a little. 
"I haven't seen you around here before, are you new?" 
I smile shyly and nod. "Yeah I just got promoted actually, this is my first proper case."
They laugh. "And yet you're already doing a better job than us at collecting evidence." 
"I just happened to notice it and thought I'd better collect it." 
                          
"Y/N!" I hear Jake shouting me. I turn to look at him, he's found the store owner so I rush over to join him. Jake introduces me to the owner, Mr. Clarke, and begins asking questions. I take detailed notes. The shop was broken into last night after 9pm when the shop was shut. He had no idea who had done it and there wasn't really any competition around here. 
                          
Once Jake has finished his questions, we check the CCTV. The shop had been broken into at 10.37pm by two tall men wearing black clothes. I zoom in on their faces and print the picture. 
"Should we ask around and see if anyone saw anything?" 
"Good idea, we can print another and the others can run it through the system just in case we have any record of them." I nod and go over to the exit, ducking under the tape to leave.
                          
There's a street to the left and right. 
"Which shall we start on?" Jake asks as he also ducks under the tape.
"It'd be faster if we split up." I suggest and then turn to look at him. 
"Are you sure?" He frowns slightly. 
"Yep, I'm sure I'm capable of knocking on people's doors and asking if they've seen anything." 
"Alright, alright." He laughs. "You take the right then, and call me if you need anything, okay?" 
I nod "okay, I will." I smile and take off to the street in the right. 
                          
I work my way down the street, so far no one has seen anything or recognised the men. I sigh and knock on the next door. An elderly lady answers the door.
"Good afternoon, ma'am. Do you recognize these two men by any chance?" I smile and show her the picture. 
"Oh yes! In fact, they live next door. Lovely men, they sometimes help with work I need doing in the house." 
"Do you notice anything... Missing after they've left?" 
She looks thoughtful for a moment. "Now you mention it, my pearl necklace did go missing... Why do you ask?" 
"They robbed the grocery store just down the road." The woman looks shocked so I nod. "Thank you, you've been a big help, enjoy the rest of your day!" The woman smiles and closes the door. 
                          
I quickly dial Jake's number, it rings twice before he picks up. 
"Y/N? You good?" 
I can tell he sounds worried, I roll my eyes. "I'm fine, a lady told me they live next door to her. 28 Pine Lane."
"Alright, I'm coming straight away." 
                          
I hear the door of the perps house open and I sneak a glance, it's him! 
"I've just spotted him, I'm gonna have to get him." I quickly hang up and run towards the perp. "NYPD FREEZE!" I yell as I run towards him. He stops in surprise to look at me and then sets off at full pelt. 
Jake calls me again and sounds out of breath. "What's going on? I'm running here!" 
I can't help but laugh a little. "He set off at the run, I'm chasing him down Pine Lane." I put my phone on speaker and stuff it into my pocket.
"I'll try cut him off at the other end." I finally catch up to the perp and manage to grab his arm and handcuff him. "You are under arrest on suspicion of burglary. You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence."
                          
Jake rounds the corner just as I'm finishing. He's holding the other perp. 
"Found him trying to escape on the top street." 
I nod. "Let's get them back to the precinct." We walk back to the precinct in silence and put them in the interrogation room. Jake insist I watch from the other side of the glass, we argue for a bit but eventually I agree. We have plenty of evidence and they confess pretty quick.
Jake comes out of the confession room grinning and hi fives me. "Woo! Our first case solved together!" 
I grin. "Feels good to solve a real case!"
                          
Jake starts on the paperwork and remembering the woman who tipped us off, I go to search the house. I manage to find a pearl necklace pretty quickly, surprisingly they hadn't sold it already. I take it back to the lady next door, who was extremely pleased. This was definitely my favourite part of the job. 
                          
When I return to the precinct, I hear Captain Holt and Jake arguing in the break room. 
"Peralta! You let her go off on her own already?!"
"She was perfectly capable! She caught one of the perps all on her own you know!" 
"I specifically ordered you to supervise her!" 
I sigh and enter the room. "Sorry, I couldn't help but overhear..." 
Captain Holt looks at me in shock. "Y/N, you... Wasn't supposed to hear that."
"I figured. I just wanted to say that Jake was very reluctant to let me go off on my own, I just thought it would be faster, I'm sorry." 
"Don't apologize, detective. Great work today, by the way, especially as it's your first case."
"Thank you, captain." 
He nods and leaves the room leaving me and Jake on our own.
"I'm sorry I got you in trouble, you could have just said you was under a direct order..."
Jake sighs. "You don't need to apologize, I made the decision."
"I know but-"
"No buts." 
"Title of your sex tape!" We both burst out laughing, and all tension is relieved.