Chapter Text
Lassiter and Juilet walked out of the integration room not even five minutes later.
Juliet couldn't quite hide the amused smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
"He confessed to everything," she said, closing the interrogation room door behind her. "He also asked for an ice pack for that body slam you gave him."
Kat let out a slow breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "To everything?”
“Congrats La, you just caught your first murderer.” Lassiter replied, his expression remaining as hard as ever but his lip upturned just a little.
“Thanks… wait first?” she said a little concerned as Lassiter and Juilet walked away.
Shawn spoke up after the two detectives left. “You officially solved your first case!”
“Yeah…” she was proud of herself, this was her first murder case, ever actually. Usually she dealt with stolen cars, and drunk drivers back at her old precinct, it was a small town after all.
For a comfortable moment, the three of them simply stood in the bullpen while officers hurried past carrying files and evidence boxes.
Then Shawn snapped his fingers.
"Oh! We should celebrate. We were thinking about grabbing dinner after work."
Gus raised an eyebrow. "We were?"
"We are now." Shawn smiled. "You've had... what... three days in Santa Barbara? So come hang out with us."
Kat blinked.
The invitation caught her completely off guard.
She thought about saying yes but then realized what day it was. Thursday. “I Can't. I have to get back to my motel, I have a visitor coming tomorrow.”
Shawn's smile didn't disappear.
"A visitor?" he echoed, his curiosity immediately kicking into overdrive. "Friend? Family? Ooh, former rival detective seeking vengeance?"
Kat smiled. “My best friend.”
Shawn's eyebrows shot up.
"Best friend?" he repeated. "Well, now I have questions."
"You always have questions," Gus said.
"Its my second my best quality, after my hair.”
“It is fantastic.” Gus agreed
"Her name's Gold," Kat said, slinging her messenger bag over her shoulder. "She's flying in tomorrow. She's helping me apartment hunt."
Shawn tilted his head. "Gold."
"Yes."
"As in... the precious metal?”
“Its a nickname.”
"What a shame. I was hoping she had a sibling named Silver. Maybe Bronze if your parents were feeling competitive.”
Kat smiled despite herself. "Anyway," she said, "I should get going."
She turned toward the exit.
__________________________________
The motel room was just as bland as she'd left it.
Kat tossed her keys onto the desk before collapsing backward onto the bed.
Her shoulder protested immediately.
"...Ow."
Maybe tackling a fleeing murder suspect onto asphalt hadn't been her smartest decision.
She rubbed the sore muscle with one hand while staring at the cracked motel ceiling.
Her phone buzzed.
Gold texted.
Gold: Please tell me you didn't forget I'm coming tomorrow
Funneh: I didn't forget
Gold: Good
Gold: Also PLEASE tell me you've made at least one friend
Funneh smiled to herself. Her thumbs hovered over the keyboard. She typed.
Funneh: Maybe.
Funneh: They're weird.
Almost immediately, the typing bubble appeared.
Gold: Weird how?
Funneh thought for a moment. Then answered honestly.
Funneh: One of them claims he's psychic.
Gold:😂
Gold: Please tell me you're joking.
Funneh: I wish.
Gold: Remember when Meghan tried the whole ‘psychic’ thing on us 😂😂😂
Funneh: He's weirder than Meghan
Gold: impossible.
__________________________________
The next morning arrived far earlier than Kat would have liked.
The motel alarm screamed at 6:15.
She slapped at it until the noise stopped before letting out a long groan. “Top 5 worst things ever invented.” She grumbled to herself.
She was tired but still excited so she dragged herself out of bed, changed into a black T-shirt, a light blue plaid flannel, jeans, and grey sneakers, and drove toward the Santa Barbara Airport.
__________________________________
The Santa Barbara Airport was already crowded by the time Gold wheeled her many suitcases through baggage claim.
She looked exactly like five days ago when she was transferred.
Wavy warm Brown with blonde highlighted hair falling over one shoulder, oversized sunglasses perched on her head, a yellow sun dress, and somehow managing to make dragging three overstuffed suitcases look easy.
She scanned the waiting crowd.
Then spotted Kat.
"FUNNEH!”
Kat barely had time to react before Gold launched herself into a hug.
"Oof—"
Gold squeezed tighter.
"I missed you!"
"I can tell," Kat laughed, nearly losing her balance. "You can let go now.”
Gold stepped back looking at her. “This is what you're wearing?”
Kat's brows furrowed. “Whats wrong with my outfit?” She said looking down at herself
“You look like you're about to ride a tractor.”
“Ha Ha.” Kat said looking up at her unamused.
__________________________________
Twenty minutes later.
Kat was somehow managing to fit three enormous suitcases into the trunk of her rental sedan.
“Gold what could possibly be so important in here that you needed three suitcases” she said getting frustrated as she used all her strength to close the trunk.
“I packed light."
Kat stopped struggling with the trunk just long enough to stare at her. "...Light? You brought more luggage than I own.”
Gold waved a dismissive hand. "Maybe if you had a better car you wouldn't need to squish everything in.”
“Its a rental.” She said sassing her
After one final shove, the trunk finally clicked shut. "There."
Gold clapped happily. "I knew it'd fit."
Kat muttered something under her breath that Gold wisely chose not to ask about.
__________________________________
Gold voice filled the car the entire drive back to Kat's motel.
"...and then the florist accidentally delivered twelve bouquets to the courthouse instead of City Hall."
"..."
"...and your old apartment building finally replaced the washing machines."
"..."
"...and I saw Evan a couple days ago."
That got Kat's attention. "You did?”
Gold nodded.
"He asked how you were doing."
Kat kept her eyes on the road.
"...What did you tell him?”
“That you were still single.”
Kat's face flared red behind the wheel. “Gold!”
"What?" Gold asked innocently, adjusting the sunglasses resting on top of her head. "It's true.”
“I can't believe you actually said that to him.” She said already so embarrassed just picturing the interaction.
When they got to the Sea Breeze Motel it somehow looked worse then she remembered with Gold staring at it.
Gold stared at the place as Kat started to leave the car to get her luggage. “...Funneh.”
“Yeah?” Kat said, trying to act unbothered.
“You actually have been staying here?” Gold said a mix of disgust and concern in her voice.
“It isn't that bad,” she grabbed Gold's suitcases from the trunk “it's cheap and it's a lot nicer on the inside.” She said, trying to make Gold feel better about her predicament.
Gold looked up at the faded neon SEA BREEZE MOTEL sign as she got out of Kat's rental.
"...Funneh."
"I know."
"No, I don't think you do."
Gold slowly turned toward her. "I've seen abandoned gas stations with more curb appeal."
Kat sighed as she wrestled another suitcase onto the luggage cart. "It's only temporary."
"It better be.”
__________________________________
The inside of the motel room looked exactly as Gold had expected. Small. Dim. Clean enough to avoid being condemned.
“This is what you call nice? This is terrible, and you certainly didn't do anything to help this place either.” She said disgustedly as she continued to look around.
“You complain about my outfit, my car, and now my motel room? What did you expect Gold? I just got here not even a week ago on a cops salary.” She was starting to get annoyed at Gold's nagging
“Well, excuse me for not wanting you to live in a room that probably has roachs,” she prodded her. “You're so lucky I am here to help you get an apartment, or you would have stayed holed up here for another month.” She said not very pleased with Kat's self care.
Kat rolled her eyes. “Uh-huh,” she said not amused “well the faster we find me an apartment the faster you don't have to worry.”