The next morning I woke up and got ready quickly. Today I had an investigation. I put on my coat and walked out the door. Today I wanted to get there earlier than my boss so I would be able to look at the files quickly before we left. I quickly walked past the coffee shops, the people, the stands, I stared at the sidewalk as I walked. I crossed the road and finally I was here. As I approached the door I saw something near the door. It was probably 7:00 am, but next to the door sat the same girl I saw last time. When she noticed me she jumped up. 

“Mister detective you’re here!” She started jumping up and down excited. She was wearing a blue dress with a matching blue bow that held some of her hair in a braid while the rest was loose. At least that probably meant she found her way back home.

“Why are you here kid? Shouldn’t you be home?” It was too early for her to be out. Where were her parents? I had so many questions.

“Mommy said to go to my friend's house because people were coming over! So I decided to come visit you instead!” She was still jumping up and down as she spoke.

“You should go to your friend's house then kid. You don’t want to worry your mother.” I crouched down to get to her height.

She pouted. “But I don’t want to! I wanna investigate with mister detective!” She then clasped her hands together. “Please mister detective, I'll go to my friends house after we investigate for a bit pleaseee!”

I sighed and patted the girl on the head as I got up. “Fine then, but only since I doubt your friend is even awake right now.” She jumped up and down cheering as I unlocked the door. I held the door open for her as she ran in. I then followed behind her. I told her to sit down for a bit as I waited for my boss. I had to use my computer to play cartoons for her so she could sit still. At 8:00 am my boss finally walked in holding two coffees and a bag. 

“I brought coffee and-” He stopped when he opened my door and saw the girl. “Mister Elliot, may I talk to you outside?” I sighed and walked outside with him. The little girl stayed sitting down watching the cartoons on my computer. My boss sighed and put the coffee and bag down. “Why’s the girl here again Elliot?”

“She was outside the door when I got here so I just let her in. She wouldn’t leave but she did say if I let her stay for a bit she’ll go to her friend's house after.” I replied to my boss.

“Fine, she can stay for a bit but once we go to investigate the house she needs to go home.” He took his coffee and picked up the bag and handed it to me. “I got you a donut by the way, I brought an extra too for you later but just give it to the kid alright.” He then walked away and into his office.

I walked back into my office and sat next to the girl. “You want a donut kid? I said opening the bag.

She looked away from the computer. “Sure! Did mister boss give you them?” She was talking about Aiko wasn’t she?

“Yea, he got one for you. He also said you can stay here until I have to do something alright. When I gotta go you gotta go home too alright.” I handed her a donut and took a sip of my coffee.

“Aw but I wanted to work with you, mister detective!” She started eating her donut even though she sounded sad. 

“It’s too dangerous for you to be there alright. Sorry kid but rules are rules.” I went on my phone and texted my boss. I asked him what time the investigation would be. After a few minutes he replied saying we would start heading over at 9:15. It was 8:10 by now so there was only an hour and five minutes left before my investigation, and before the kid had to go.

“I wanna see some detective stuff! Like super secret files!” She started using the mouse on my computer and clicked out of the cartoons.

“Wait kid I don’t want you to do something by accident-” I grabbed her hand and raised it so she couldn’t use the mouse. 

“But I wanna see the super secret files!!” She whined as she tried reaching for the mouse. Eventually she gave up and let me put cartoons on for her again. 

After a few minutes my boss came into my office holding his phone. The girl looked sad. It seemed like it was time for her to go. 

My boss sighed. “Kid, you gotta stay here for the investigation.” Huh? I thought she was leaving though.

“Aik- I mean boss, didn’t you say we had to send the kid home?” My boss motioned me to come outside the room. I looked at the kid as I told her. “Stay here for a bit , I'll be right back.” She was sad but just nodded as I walked out the room shutting the door behind me.

He seemed pretty serious which was really uncommon. “I found out where the kid lived. However, it’s the same place we’re investigating.”

“The same place?? You mean the house where there was a domestic violence charge?” Somehow, I wasn’t that surprised. Somehow I always got myself into stuff like this. It still worried me though. At least the papers said the kid was never harmed right? But still to grow up in a hostile home is never good.

My boss sighed. “Sadly yes, don’t say a word to the kid. Lie if you have to. We have to go soon though so hurry up.” I nodded as I walked back into the room. The little girl was kicking her feet sitting in my office chair watching cartoons on my computer still. Her eyes lit up again when she saw me.

“So! When are we going!” She ran over to me jumping. I didn’t want to break her heart but I had to.

I crouched down to her level again. “Hey kid, sorry but the investigation got canceled. If you want I can drop you off at your friends house so you guys can play though, do you know where it is?” 

Her smile immediately dropped, but she didn’t whine at all. “Ok mister detective, It’s close to here so let’s go now then.” You could see how heartbroken she was. It hurt my heart a bit even though I barely knew her. I guess I had a soft spot for kids. She collected her things before she opened the door while I followed her. Aiko was outside waiting for us.

He turned to the little girl, he was holding something in his hand. “What’s your name kid? I have something for you,” He crouched down to her level.

She looked down still sad from the news, “My name's Dorothy mister boss.”

He took her hand and handed her a junior detective badge. “Well junior detective Dorothy, we’ll be seeing you again soon right?” He smiled at her as she lit up again. She jumped up and down and hugged my boss before showing me the badge.

“Look, mister detective! I’m a detective too now!” She gleamed with an excited voice as she showed the badge. 

I smiled, “I see, so will you be joining us next investigation Junior detective?” She giggled and nodded her head.

“Let’s go to my friend's house now! I want to show him the badge!” She started skipping as me and my boss followed her. We talked a few times along the way but it was mostly Dorothy skipping along the sidewalk happily with her brand new junior detective badge. It took us a while before she finally stopped in front of a house and walked up the steps to the door. Before she knocked she turned to us and waved “Bye Mister detective, bye mister boss!” We both waved back at her as she knocked on the door. A woman opened the door and greeted her. She had short white hair with the bottom of it being blue, behind her you could see a little boy with dark blue curly hair. As soon as Dorothy went inside of the house we both continued to walk to the investigation site.