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“I’m going to tell my sister about police misconduct—Brutality! Abuse of power!—or somethin’. We’ll sue the city. Probably find lots of reasons actually. You are so goin’ to get it, dude. You really are. As soon as my big sister gets here. She’ll rip you a new one, and I am so goin’ to watch. She really doesn’t like guy cops or nothin’.”
Haldyn wasn’t going to miss this show at all. “I’ll just sit here and wait until your sister gets here, then. Ensure there is no more…misconduct.”
“I kinda like the idea of havin’ a woman around, just in case. You know…since he’s probably a perv and all,” Hope said, shooting Haldyn a wide-eyed innocent look.
“I have this handled.” Miguel glared at Haldyn next.
She just sent him as mild an expression as she could. It took everything she had to keep from laughing like a lunatic and blowing Hope’s little game.
“I’m sure you have far more important things to do right now than help me babysit this kid. Like run an entire forensics department.”
No, Haldyn wasn’t going anywhere. This was just too good to pass up. “I’m actually waiting to talk to one of my second shifters. If one happens to wander in off the streets anyway. I have a hole to cover tonight, since I’m pulling someone to work the vault, after this morning. Starting in about an hour. I was on my way to call her, but I’m sure it can wait.”
Hope nodded slightly. She’d cover the shift. No call necessary. Haldyn had expected as much—Hope had said her family could use the money a few days ago for her nephew’s tuition or something.
The sound of someone saying Miguel’s name off to the left had Haldyn looking toward the wall of offices.
Oh boy.
Now the fun would begin.
Haldyn moved so she could see all the players better. Waited. Watched.
Haldyn studied Hope for a moment. With the chocolate-brown hair in two braids and the grunge band T-shirt, ripped overalls, and battered tennis shoes, Hope Coleson could pass for a teenager far too easily.
Something Hope had complained about to Haldyn before.
“What on earth is going on here now?” Heather stood there, a floored expression on her face. “You know what? I am not so sure I want to know. I just don’t think I even want to know tonight. I’m sure this completely defies explanation.”
“Heather, if you need something, I’ll be free in a moment or so,” Miguel said. He still hadn’t put it together, apparently.
“Dude, newsflash, man! Did you miss the memo? Like here’s my sister now. And she looks really, really mad. I told you she’d be mad, man. You are so goin’ to get it!” Hope crowed. Loudly. She kicked the desk hard next, sending the helmet clattering off the top, then settled the chair on the floor with a large crack that had heads turning in their direction.
Every head that hadn’t been watching before.
Like, most of Major Crimes—who were just now coming out of the conference room behind Heather. Haldyn’s eyes met Jarrod’s, then looked away. She wasn’t ready to deal with him just yet. Not yet.
“Get him! Police misconduct! Brutality! I’m cuffed to a chair! You gotta get me out of here! Spring me from the joint! Please! This super big scary dude threatened to send me to juvie, Heather! Rescue me, big sister! Save me from kid jail now! Please don’t send me to kid jail!”
Almost at the top of her lungs.
Heather stared. Everyone stared. The entire bullpen went silent.
Haldyn just stayed where she was, and waited.
This was going to be a scene she never forgot.
Heather covered her face with one hand.
Apparently, Heather wasn’t as thrilled with her role in this little drama as her little sister. “Oh, hell, Hope. Not again. What have you done this time?”
“Me? Me? This dude is the one who did it. Not me, I swear. I’m innocent, Heath, and he’s going to throw me in the kid slammer! He said that’s where rotten brats like me belong! Kid jail. Kid jail. Kid jail!” Hope said very loudly. Hope sent her sister a desperate look—an exaggeratedly desperate look. Haldyn saw Jarrod elbow Dom and snicker. Yes, this was a show no one was going to forget. Dom, Murdoch, Jarrod, Daniel, Lila, Charlie—they all just stood there. Watching. “He said I belong in the jail for kids. Save me from juvenile hall, Heather. Please! You gotta save me! You’re my big sister! You promised to always take care of me! No matter what! Remember? I don’t want to go to kid jail! Don’t let this dude send me to kid jail!”
27
Heather’s baby sister was handcuffed to a chair—in the middle of everything. In iconic Hope style, she was slouched and wiggly and just being Hope. Horrible Hope.
Loudly, being Horrible Hope.
