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“You left the scene, and you ignored me, so you’re absolutely being arrested today. You’ll be able to call one of your kids to come bail you out in a little while.”
“How exciting,” someone whispers as they hold up their phone, clearly videoing this whole thing. “Martha Wilburn is being arrested.”
“I’m staying right here.”
And with that, she simply sits on the floor. I’ve never seen an old woman, who has to walk with a walker, be suddenly so…limber.
“I need backup,” I say into the radio on my shoulder. “Resisting arrest.”
Mrs. Wilburn, the sweet old lady, leans over and bites my fucking leg.
“And assaulting an officer. Holy shit.”
It’s been a shitty day. One call after another, all petty crap, but it’s keeping me busy, and the time is going fast. I have just enough time carved out to deliver a sandwich to Summer, and I’m headed there now, when I get another call.
“Shoplifting,” I hear through the radio, “at Pocket Full of Polly. Three underage males are inside the business.”
“Copy,” I reply with a sigh. “ETA two minutes.”
It ends up being thirty seconds, since I’m almost to the flower shop, which is just a block down from Summer’s place. Polly owns a dress shop, full of frilly, girly things.
What are three boys doing shoplifting in there?
“Hello, Chase,” Polly says when I walk through the door. “Thanks for coming. I caught this young man shoving a bracelet into his pocket.”
“It’s a present for my mom. I was gonna pay,” the kid says with a scowl.
“Uh-huh,” Polly says, rolling her eyes.
I shift my gaze between the three boys. I’ve seen them all in town plenty, and they’ve been in trouble before. If Bitterroot Valley had a gang, this would be it.
“What the hell, guys?”
“She’s overreacting,” the middle one says with a sneer.
“Steal from my store, and I’ll have your ass,” Polly counters. “I want to press charges.”
“Shit,” the middle one whispers mournfully.
“That’s your right.” I nod, eyeing Jake Hunter, the one who isn’t saying anything. “What did you do?”
“He’s the only one who didn’t do anything,” Polly says. “I’m not pressing charges against him.”
“Great, I’ll just go,” Jake says and moves to make his escape, but I catch him by the shirt.
“Stop. You’ll stay, or I’ll find something to arrest you for.”
It takes me fifteen minutes to take Polly’s statement, and I call to have another officer come take the two boys to jail so I can give Jake my undivided attention.
“Thanks, Chase,” Polly says with a wave as I escort Jake outside.
“Come on, let’s have a seat.”
“She said I didn’t do anything,” he insists. “I just want to go home. Or away from here, anyway.”
“Humor me.” I point to the park bench, and Jake drops down onto it, looking at me with dark eyes full of attitude. “What the hell are you doing hanging out with those kids?”
“They’re my friends.”
