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“You’re protecting yourself man, at least be honest about that. Lila is a strong little girl and she’ll be able to handle it, whatever happens. She needs a mother, unless you plan to become better at doing makeup. And ponytails.”
I looked back at Lila, happily playing arcade games, her blond ponytail hanging crookedly to one side. It had been four years, and still, I was no better at doing her hair than on day one.
Maybe Oliver had a point.
Tara
“And what do we do when we see someone breaking the law?” Even though it was the butt crack of dawn on a Saturday morning, I had a big smile on my face as I posed the question to the group of ten and unders who showed up for FOTS, a future officers training session. It was an outreach program Xander started for kids at risk of becoming lifelong criminals, but he’d sold it to the town on the basis of kids interested in a career in law enforcement.
“Tell an adult!” Ten year old Casey Brown wanted to wear the uniform more than anything.
“Arrest them!” Lila Jacobs had an interest in the business of policing, but I doubted she really knew what she wanted since she was only eight.
I couldn’t help the smile that blossomed at Lila’s words. The girl definitely had a spark about her. “And how would you arrest a grown man?”
“Easy, my dad will help. Or Uncle Oliver. Or Uncle Rafe, he’s big and tough, pretty much a superhero.” Lila certainly thought a lot of the men in her life, and I couldn’t fault her. They were all pretty good guys.
“All right, well tell an adult is the more reasonable answer to avoid conflict. Or danger.”
“Film them breaking the law, and then call the cops and collect the reward money.” Todd Williams had turned twelve last weekend, but due to his on-again, off-again relationship with petty crime, Xander refused to let him level up. “Duh.”
Wherever the kid ended up, he would be an asset. I just hoped he chose to work for our team. “All right future officers, let’s check out your attention to detail. This is the most important skill you’ll learn and it will help you for the rest of your life. Follow me.”
Lila was at my side in an instant, as she had been for the past hour. “You mean like remembering lots of stuff? I have a good memory. Daddy says my memory is like an elephant.” How her little legs kept up with my stride as I led them to a room filled with mundane, everyday items I have no idea.
“Not just remembering, but noticing small details and things that seem out of place.”
“Like that ash on the clean table?” Lila turned her nose up in disgust. “Smoking is gross.”
“Exactly like that,” I told her with a smile, more than a little impressed. “But let everyone figure it out for themselves, okay?”
Lila nodded, her crooked ponytail bobbing haphazardly. “Oops, sorry Officer Beechum.”
“It’s no problem, Lila.” She smiled and ran off, her pink and purple notepad with the glittery cupcake on the front clutched in her hand as she wrote notes on all she observed. Casey, of course, had a plain black notepad and a half-pencil, probably because she saw it on Law & Order or some other crime show. Todd looked bored, but his crisp blue eyes took in everything. “Okay, are we all done?”
“Yes, Officer Beechum.”
I smiled at the group of youngsters. This was one of the most rewarding parts of the job, reaching out to the kids in the community. It was even worth getting up early and teaching two back to back sessions, every other Saturday.
It worked for me, because unlike some of my other fellow officers, I hadn’t dated much since my ex. Okay I hadn’t dated at all, which meant no late Friday nights. Few weekend plans that couldn’t be canceled or postponed. Pretty much because I had no life, which Gretchen and the girls at Time for Love were determined to change. My phone had buzzed no less than a dozen times this morning, Eva’s way of reminding me that I’d better get my butt into the office today or she’d hunt me down.
I was an officer of the law, not easily threatened, but I knew Eva would see it through, so while the kids finished up their notes, I sent a thumbs up to confirm.
Might as well get it over with. “Who wants to go first?”
Lila and Casey were the only two who volunteered and I let them go first, pointing out all the things that stuck out to them and why. It was a fun activity that took advantage of their abundance of energy, but I hoped it gave them a greater awareness that would keep them safe while out in public. It was all you could hope for from kids this young, no matter how much promise they showed.
