It was snowing heavily when Inspector Lee stomped out of the all-night liquour shop, with two bottles of red wine in a plastic bag. Unlike Minsky and the rest of the force he wasn't much a beer drinker. No, he preferred the multiple layers of scent and taste that only a decent wine could provide. But he needed something to take the edge off, his encounter with the girl. Especially after he switched places with his partner in the interrogation room and she noticed nothing disturbing.

'Sure, she was bit weird looking; like someone who'd wandered off a Tim Burton set. But the girl didn't follow her (Minsky) with her eyes or anything'. In fact the girl resolutely ignored ignore Minsky. Head bent and stringy black hair covering her face.

"Go home Lee. get some rest. I'll take care of the paper work and bring you some take out later. I know it's been a tough week. Your wife being out of town this close to Christmas on a last minute assignment." Minsky elbowed him and walked back into the interrogation room.

The girl looked up again, while his partner was turned away. She stared straight at him again a and grinned. Dammit!
It was perfectly normal grin. Except that it didn't reach her yes.

Those icy blue eyes that should have shown so much, were empty. Not cold, not contemptuous, bereft of hope or sad. Just empty.