Chapter Text
3 years ago
“Ms. Tipnaree, do you know why we called you in today?” an icy voice asks, the low volume carrying in the quiet interrogation room. The small woman leaning against the wall doesn’t look up from the file she is reading, continuing to slowly flip pages as though she has all the time in the world.
Namtan shifts uncomfortably in the hard metal chair. She bites down on the quip about to leave her lips about how her butt had fallen asleep, exercising immense restraint and instead answering the question.
“I was told to come pick up the reward money. The one for helping solve the pet store robbery? I called in a tip about that last week? Charlene at the front desk is so sweet; did you know her grandmother raised ducks? Maybe I’ll get a duck, they seem like fun animals.”
Namtan pauses, noting the lack of amusement on the detective’s face. Her eyes flit down to the plastic ID badge clipped to the detective’s belt loop. Head Detective L. Pattranite Limpatyakorn. “So, Detective Pattranite,” Namtan rests her chin on her hand, propped up on the table. “I’m guessing there’s something more than the reward money, hmm? Otherwise I would be upstairs exchanging peanut butter cookie recipes with Charlene and instead,” she gestures dramatically to her surroundings, “I’m in a cement box being observed through a one-way mirror.” Namtan smiles winningly at where she assumes other detectives are watching, sending a wink.
Detective Pattranite snaps the folder closed and approaches the table with slow steps. “Ms. Tipnaree. Your charm will get you nowhere.”
“You think I’m charming? Detective, flirting on the job? And to think I’d heard you were the tough one.”
BAM
The detective slams her hands down on the table, causing Namtan’s casual demeanor to crack. “I assure you, this is no joking matter. You were asked to come in because of the…tip. But the chances of you walking out with a reward are getting slimmer by the minute.”
Namtan’s brow furrows, slowly realizing what the detective is implying.
Shit.
She relaxes her features into an unconcerned expression as her mind whirls.
“I gotta admit, Detective, I had a late night last night and I think my brain isn’t working as well as usual. I’m a bit confused—what am I doing here?”
Detective Pattanite’s eyes narrow, leaning forward over the table, encroaching into Namtan’s space. “Don’t play dumb. It’s unbecoming.” She sighs, a flicker of exhaustion passing over her face. She flips back open the folder, sliding several photos paperclipped to police reports across the table towards Namtan.
“Ms. Tipnaree, do you recognize these images and cases?”
Namtan leans towards the images before replying.
“That one is the laundromat from the drive-by shooting in May, that’s the gas station that was robbed a few weeks ago, and that’s the pet store that was robbed last week. Why?”
“You called in tips regarding all of these cases.”
Namtan blinks up at the detective. “Yes, I did.”
“And you collected rewards for all of them.”
“Yes,” Namtan replies. “Well, actually, I still haven’t gotten the check for the pet store yet. I’m thinking of getting a new TV with the money. What kind of TV do you have, Detective?”
Detective Pattranite ignores the question. “How did you come to have information regarding all of those cases, Ms. Tipnaree?”
“I watched the news.”
“You watched the news.”
Namtan nods, a smile appearing at the corner of her lips. “I watch the news every night and noticed some things that I thought might be helpful. Turns out I was right.”
The detective’s brows furrow, confusion flashing through her eyes before being replaced by a steely conviction. “Ms. Tipnaree, do you expect me to believe that you essentially solved three separate cases by watching the news and happening to notice the key pieces in all of those cases?”
“It’s your choice if you believe it or not. It’s the truth.” Namtan leans back in her chair, crossing her arms loosely over her chest.
//
“You told the police WHAT?” View paces furiously across her office, hands in her hair as she stares disbelievingly at Namtan.
“That I was psychic and they hired me to consult on a case.”
View collapses into her desk chair. “Why would you say that? Oh my god, you’ve lost your mind. That’s it. That has to be it. You’ve lost your mind.” She pops up and rushes over, taking Namtan’s face in her hands. “Are you sick? You might have a brain tumor, we need to get you an MRI and a blood panel and –”
“VIEW! I am not sick,” Namtan pries View’s hands from her head and taking a step back out of her grasp. She grins, the excitement of the day still keeping her adrenaline high. “They thought I was in on some of those cases I called in tips for because there’s ‘no way someone like you could find details to solve the case just through watching the news,’” she drops her voice in a mocking imitation of the detective.
“And you told them you were psychic?” View asks, incredulous.
“Yup.”
“...and they believed you?”
Namtan pauses, considering her words. “Kinda. Detective Pattranite does not like me, and I don’t think she would believe anything I said. But the chief seemed to buy it after I did a little showmanship stuff, made some observations about the other officers, told them where to find evidence on a guy in the holding cell.” She shrugs a shoulder. “Whatever, it worked. Then she asked me to consult on a case because they ‘need a miracle’ or something.”
View eyes Namtan cautiously. “And you’re their miracle?”
Namtan smirks. “Guess so. You ready to be my partner in solving crime?”