Subject: 98-APicturesWorth1000Words


Hi gang...  I've had this written on paper for a month or two,
but I finally decided to post it while I was on my holidays (I
got back less than an hour ago!)...  This is just being typed
straight in and is not beta'd, so any mistakes or typos are my
own...  Please bear with me on that...

Permission for Mel or Michael to archive, or any DP or T+Vpack
member...  Anyone else please ask.

Disclaimers: ...not mine ... wish they were ... will return to
tptb only slightly worse-for-wear ;)
=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=

A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words
by "Micki" Lynn McCormick
July 28/98
-------------------

        Tracy noticed Natalie blush as she and Nick approached
her at the scene where the coroner was already examining the
body.

        "Hi Trace... Nick."  Her blush deepened and Natalie was
squirming in discomfort.  Tracy wondered idly just what this new
development was about, but put it aside for now and focused on
beginning the investigation into the body before them.  Figuring
out her partner's relationship with the coroner would have to
wait.

        ****

        Later, while back at the precinct doing paperwork, Tracy
saw Natalie come in.

        "Hey Nat!"

        "Hi Trace."  Natalie held her hand up in a manner to
indicate she'd be back, then dissappeared into Reese's office
briefly.  On her return a few minutes later, she stopped by the
young detective's desk.  "Where's Nick?  Looks like he stuck you
with the paperwork again."  Natalie sat on the edge of Tracy's
desk.

        "He did.  He said something about photos and then he
left."

        "Really?"  Natalie suddenly looked relieved more than
anything else.  "They're finally ready?"

        Just then they both saw Nick enter the precinct.

        "Did you get them, Nick?"

        "Nat...."  Tracy watched her partner shift awkwardly.
"There was a mix-up, Nat.  We got some kids birthday party.  I...
I'm sorry."  He stepped toward Natalie and put his hand on her
shoulder.

        Natalie reddened.  "Do they know where they are?"

        "They send out for processing.  Probably got mixed up
with a batch of film from another place.  I gave them the photos
of the kids party back and they are looking for ours."

        "Oh God, Nick!  This wasn't supposed to happen.  I think
I'll die!"  Tracy watched the coroner bury her very red face
against Nick's shoulder momentarily, then pull away looking
angry.  "How could you let that happen!"  She slapped Nick's arm
hard, then continued, "You assured me --"  The doctor snapped her
mouth shut, suddenly realizing that Tracy and a few others nearby
were watching.  "Later Nick."  Natalie strode out of the office
in a hurry not wanting to talk to anyone.

        A moment later as things were starting to settle back
into routine, Nick looked up and Tracy following his gaze, saw
Natalie return, head down, being ushered back in by none other
than Tracy's father - Tracy's very upset father - who directed
her into one of the interogation rooms.  As he folloewed her in,
he stopped in the doorway and called loudly, "Reese!  Knight!  In
here please - NOW."

        Tracy was curious, so after her partner and the captain
had entered the room, she slipped into the observation room.  As
she locked the door behind her, she watched her father pull out a
package of photographs and set them on the table...  Curiousity
was killing her as she switched open the channel to listen.

        "pick up the pictures I took at my brother Sonny's
grandson's birthday party, and instead I get this... this....
PORNOGRAPHY!"  Tracy's mouth gaped as her father spat the word.
"When I called she told me to bring them back since Mr. Knight
had already reported the swithch.  That's when it registered who
this is."  He tapped the pile of photos.  "I want an explanat-"

        "RICHARD!"  Captain Reese cut the commissioner off.  "If
it's their own time we are not entitled to an explanation.  The
mix-up wasn't their doing - it's the fauly of the people doing
the processing.  Back Off!"

        The Commissioner turned his anger for the moment towards
the Captain.  "These people are high-profile civil servants, and
there is a certain decorum expected, which does NOT include the
the production and distribution of PORN!"

        Tracy watched in awe as Natalie stood up, tears trailing
down her very embarrassed red face.

        "Gentlemen!"  Once they were all looking at her, Natalie
turned a deeper shade of red than Tracy would have thought
possible without a bad sunburn, but spoke out.  "Sirs, the
Captain is right - we broke no laws  so what we do on our own
time is NOT anyone's damn business!"  She reashed out for the
photos and turned them face down before gathering them up as she
continued, "HOWEVER, since the Commissioner won't accept anything
other than the damn expanation to which he THINKS he's entitled,
here it is:  I think every person either Nick or I work with know
that we are friends.  Nick paints, and as his friend I agreed to
model for him.  When I went to do so, Nick was having a problem
with his heating system, and it was to God-damned cold to stay
that way as long as he would have needed.  So I asked Nick if he
knew any reputable photo shops and if so to please take photos to
work from so I could dress and keep from getting pnemonia.  I
made him promise me to destroy both the negatives and the
pictures as soon as his paintings were completed.  It's NOT
pornography, Commissioner, it's ART."

        Natalie gathered up the photos and slipped them into her
purse.  "Your photos are still at the shop, sir, but i'm taking
these now, and I am leaving, since I for one have work to do.
Nick, call them and let them know that we've got ours now from
Vetter.  Now that we've got them no one else sees them!  Good
night, gentlemen."

        As Natalie was heading for the door, Nick stood up.
"Nat?"

        "You can have them later, after work."

        ****

        When they arrived on the scene of a shooting a couple of
hours later, Nick and Nat seemed to be trying to avoid each
other.  While Nick went to question the witness, Tracy went over
to Natalie and the body.  After she'd gotten the info she needed
for the case, Tracy spoke quietly to the doctor.  "I went into
the observation room, Nat, curiousity, and I heard."  She saw
Natalie's face redden.  "I'm not saying this to embarrass you.  I
want you to know that I locked the door when I entered, so
although I heard, no one else will have, and i'm not going to
tell.  But here's a suggestion...  Next time you're posing for
Nick, borrow my camera.  It's a Polaroid."
_______
--end--
~~~~~~~
Thank-you for reading!  I hope you enjoyed this :)
  -Micki