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After my stint in the Marines, I managed to carve out a niche for myself, living a life free of regrets. Miriana's been my rock through thick and thin, and truth be told, I wouldn't be standing here without her. She kept me in the game when I felt like giving up, and I'll be forever grateful. This woman's a force to be reckoned with, and having her by my side is a gift. I knew she was one of a kind when I first laid eyes on her at a university seminar. Boy, it felt like a bolt out of the blue.
Now, I'm stuck in the office, listening to the DA give me a hard time over every little thing. Her grating voice drills into my skull as she rehashes the same old issues. I'm tired of grunting out one-word responses, so I just nod, my mind wandering to the surprise I've got lined up for Miri. Our jobs don't leave much room for proper vacations, so we've learned to enjoy the small getaways, the weekend respites. That's exactly what I've planned for us this weekend: a break from our busy lives.
After an hour of a mind-numbing meeting, the DA finally clears out and I get back to lining up the various patrols and shifts.
Rey appears in the doorway. “Chief, could you step into the conference room?”
What now? I stand up, follow him, and as I open the door to the conference room, a shower of confetti rains down.
“Happy birthday!” The squad's unified cheer brings a smile to my face.
They've tried to save my day with cupcakes— such a pleasant surprise.
“You shouldn't have.” I grin, puffing out the candles./ “But I sure do appreciate it.” I could use a sugar hit.
The ringing phone sends Anthony dashing to the desk just as the squad starts to dig in.
“Code 10-65 from Golden Smith!” Anthony bellows, leaving us all dumbfounded. Are you kidding me? Armed robbery? Sweet Jesus, what else can be thrown at us today?
I issue the order for our patrols to gear up as I overhear someone speak. “It's a crying shame this town used to be safe,” a newcomer remarks with a snide tone. I've always fooled myself into believing our city was tranquil, but clearly, there's still some bad apples.
I hastily map out our plan on the familiar streets as sirens wail in the background. Just what we needed today. “Arrived on site. Surround the building and secure all civilians. Barricade the center and...” My commands trail off as I spot two boys emerging from a window.
“Copy that.”
Rey and I disembark and draw our weapons, “Hands in the air! This is Scarsdale PD.”
The boys bolt and the chase begins.
“Suspects are on foot at 12th and Milton.” Rey updates the team as they vault over a fence.
“Go around.” I pursue them and wind up in Oliver's backyard, where he's probably enjoying his usual siesta. Khan, his dog, greets me with a wagging tail and a piece of fabric in his jaws. I can't help but smile. “I owe you a bone, buddy,” I promise him as I hop over the hedge. Turning the corner, we find ourselves on Westlane, a bustling thoroughfare lined with schools and parks. “Where the hell is the security on Westlane?” I halt as one of the boys brandishes a gun. Fuck!
“Drop the weapon now!” I order, gripping my own. Out of the corner of my eye, I see bystanders freeze but Rey has them covered from his position. The kid swivels the gun sideways and disengages the safety. “Don't play games, drop the gun.” His hand trembles, and although the crowd is now safe and the boys surrounded, the one with the gun refuses to surrender. A helicopter buzzes overhead, momentarily distracting him. We seize the opportunity and open fire amidst the screams of the onlookers. His shot goes wide, striking the car beside me, while mine finds its mark in his leg. He crumples to the ground and his friend follows suit.
My attention is drawn to a pair of idiots filming the entire scene as if it were an action movie. Irritated, I snatch their phones. “These will be needed as evidence.” Some people need to learn some decency. If anything had gone wrong, we'd naturally be the scapegoats.
“Dude, it's new,” one whines, but I hand him off to Ross without further explanation.
Ever since the former chief's dismissal and arrest for corruption, I've been promoted, but I often sense that people believe the entire department was in on his dirty deeds. If they were right, none of my teammates ever mentioned it. My promotion stirred up quite a controversy. We relocated to Scarsdale just over six years ago, and I never sought a career. All I wanted was to purge the town of corruption and ensure its safety for my family. We had been successful, making our district one of the most reputable and safe. Or at least, it was until today.
I glance upward and sigh before heading back to the car. Passing by Franky's Treats, a local pet store, I pause. I turn back and purchase a bone for Khan. I'm a man of my word. I return to Oliver's place, hop the hedge again, and squat down to pet Khan. “Good boy.” I stroll out of the yard and around the perimeter before heading back to the police station.
I can't help but feel like this day's stretching on forever. Stepping into the station, the phones are ringing off the hook and poor Agatha looks like she's about to lose it. Word travels fast around here; we even had news choppers buzzing overhead during the whole chase.
And just when you think things can't get any more complicated, with non-stop calls from headquarters, as soon as I hand one of the perps over to the fellas, I see Miriana making a beeline for me.
“Kyle.” she stops right in front of me, her eyes filled with worry as she gives me a once-over, her hands checking my arms, chest, and neck.
“I'm alright, baby,” I assure her, pulling her into a comforting hug. I can't help but feel a pang of guilt knowing how swamped she is with patients, and if she's here, she must've cut a session short for my sake.
“Everyone else’s okay?” she moves away from our hug to scan the room, looking for any missing face. A few of the rookies take their sweet time passing by us, their gazes lingering on her a little too long for my liking, but I draw her attention back to me.
“Yeah, sweetheart, we're all in one piece.”
“Well then, I'll leave you to it.” Her voice is laced with relief. I pull her closer to me and kiss the top of her head.
I flash her a smile and a wink as I walk her out. “Catch you later,” I murmur, she nods and returns a quick peck before dashing off to her car. I can't help but chuckle seeing her car parked sideways in front of the entrance. She was way more worried than she let on. God, I love this woman.
