The black Camaro pulled up to the curb across from the house the agency rented for the OPS team on Floyd Street. Their intel showed the Kaczynski crime family out of New York expanding operations from Tennessee and Kentucky into Mississippi and Louisiana through the ports on the river. OPS was called into arrest and/or neutralize the targets and seize and hold the goods. U.S Marshalls would take over from there, the grunt work belonged to them. The two women squinted out the window trying to see past the rain on the outside and the condensation inside. Frankie rubbed the windshield off with her hands while Marty used her sleeve, neither of which helped a bit.

'Looks ok I guess' Frankie thought rolling her eyes 'In the dark'. There were two stories, a large porch, big... couldn't see much else. 'Kinda pointless sending us out here now' She sighed, wrapping her arms around herself to warm up. The early November days were still somewhat warm, but the nights were damp and cool in Mississippi, the kind that sets right in your bones. 'Really, what is the point being here now?' Marty looked over at her as if picking up on the vibe and threw one foot up on the dash while sliding down into the passenger side seat.

"Why are we even here?" Marty asked, a fed-up tone in her voice. Frankie could see the bags under her eyes when she turned and the streetlight above the car illuminated her face. Her eyes always looked tired. "It's pouring and dark, what are we looking at? I mean they couldn't have sent us here in the daytime?"

"I don't know" Frankie said, wondering the same thing "It makes no sense. How are we supposed to look inside the house to wire it if we can't go in the actual house...it's so stupid..." Marty nodded and pursed her lips in annoyance before shoving Frankie's shoulder.

"Frank" Marty pointed "Car."

Headlights shot through the back tinted window and both of them snapped their heads around watching the lights come closer and pull up behind them. It was driving way to slow to be a local.

"Great, cops. Okay real quick - we got in town late and wanted to see the house we'll be renting. We drove up from Jackson...why are we renting? God why are we even here?" Frankie drew a complete blank.

Marty's eyes dashed around the car "I don't remember either. Just to see if we like it?" Marty shrugged. "Will have to do now." It was weak but whatever, as long as the cops got an answer instead of a stammer they'll leave it alone – she hoped.

There were three taps from the end of a flashlight on the driver side window and Frankie opened it halfway, deliberately. Another cop walked around to the passenger side and shown one through the rain drops at Marty.

"Evening Ma'am. I'm Lieutenant Jamison, that there is Sargent Corbin - everything alright?" A deep, manly voice with the slickest southern drawl asked. The sound made the tiny hairs on the back of Frankie's neck stand up, and she bit her lip a little. She could only see the bottom part of his features from the hood of the raincoat, but was quite taken back by the full, pouty lips such a deep, resonant voice was exiting from.

"Yes officer. We were just looking at the house, we may be renting it." Pointing to it across the street.

"In the dark?" His tone was sarcastic. "License and registration please"

Frankie handed the documents to him and sat back in the seat with her arms crossed, waiting. 'Francesca Paige' Lonnie read in his mind 'From Jackson, born March 21...'She doesn't sound like she's from Jackson' He looked both her and her license up and down before giving them to Luann for verification after she had Marty's as well.

"We just got into town. We headed here after work and thought we'd just see what we could see." 'See what we could see..?' she thought. 'Brutal. What the hell was that?'

Marty leaned up from the passenger side. "We wanted to see the street at night." "Neither of us want to be renting here if there's a lot of activity around when the sun goes down, if you get my meaning." She looked at Frankie wide eyed.

"Yes Ma'am I do." Luann returned and shook her head at Lonnie. "Looks like everything is in order. Where are you staying in the meantime?"

"Heart of Sparta motel"

"Good. You heading there now" It wasn't a question; it was an order.

"Sure are" Frankie drew a deep breath, knowing this cop was only half buying the B.S. her and Marty were shoveling his way. 'As long as we can drive away without them heading in the same direction it's all good.'

"Y'all have a good night then" Lonnie nodded and walked back to the cruiser, wondering how dumb they thought he was. But there was nothing notable to keep them. It was late, and he was done for today.

"Luann" Lonnie began as he clipped in the seatbelt "did that plate come back with anything?"

"No sir, clean"

He sighed as she pulled the car out and turned around going back the way they came. He knew something was off but was too tired and to wet to give it a lot of attention right now. He rubbed his eyes, thinking about the girl driving the car. For the brief time he was questioning her, he couldn't help but notice how big her eyes were – big and shiny, even in the dark. 'Francesca – kinda rolls off the tongue' he thought in passing. He'd never seen either of them in Sparta before tonight. 'Later' he thought to himself 'I'll follow up tomorrow'. He was beat and very relieved when Luann finally pulled in at headquarters. He was meeting the boys at Bubba's to watch the game; he had been looking forward to it all week.

                              __________________________________________________

Frankie drove the Camaro up Floyd Street and headed south on Magnolia. She spotted an entrance on a small side street and turned in to it. It was bumpy and overgrown; not really a driveway but more of a path made from cars constantly driving over it. She parked underneath some heavy brush, thinking this was as good a place as any to leave the car.

"What's the plan?" Marty yawned.

"We walk it."

The two headed back toward Floyd Street through the brush. The girls were able to clearly see houses thanks to the streetlights. They discreetly crossed the street in the shadows and crouched down behind two trees as a car drove passed, then ran to the back of the house. Each went around separate sides to the front corners. The porch light was out, no cars were on the road. They hopped the railing, and both slid on the wet, decaying boards. After gaining their footing they tip-toed to the front door.

"You see anyone?" Frankie asked pulling a large hair pin from her dark wet hair.

"No. You picking the lock with that? So old school" Marty smirked.

"Already done."

"What else you got in your hair" They giggled and quietly slipped inside.

                                     __________________________________________

Across the street, Mrs. Maybell Parsons put down the binoculars on the white lacey tablecloth of her antique table and picked up the phone. Feeling quite proud of herself for being such an astute observer; the self-proclaimed one-woman neighborhood watch committee. No, she wasn't nosey, it was just someone had to keep an eye out, and why not her? Lord knows things must be kept in check around here. She closed the drapes tightly and dialed.

"Sparta Police Department Parker Williams speaking."

(In the heat of the night is a 1990's remake of the classic 1967 TV show of the same name.

This is an original fiction based off the 1990s episodes. The show ran from 1988-1995.)