Chapter 14
Darren
Macie and I have been stealing glances back and forth at each other since we got out of bed, and started making breakfast. If Nicole can tell there's tension between us, my daughter isn't saying anything, and she's usually sensitive to vibes.
I'm running slightly behind, getting ready for work, but I always make it a point to make sure I have breakfast with my daughter.
I'm putting her bowl of cereal down in front of her, when my phone rings.
Dread bubbles up in the pit of my stomach as I hear my mom's ring tone.
She's calling instead of knocking on the door, which can't be good. "Hello?" I answer. "You're on speaker."
"Hey," she speaks, coughing.
"Oh Mom, are you okay?"
"I've got bronchitis. Your dad took me to the ER last night. I had to get a breathing treatment," she says in between fits of coughing. "I'm so sorry, but I won't be able to watch Nic today."
I close my eyes, wondering what the fuck I'm going to do. Ella has class today. But this is my mom and she's always done everything she can to help me. "It's okay, take care of yourself."
"I'm running a fever, otherwise I would push through..."
"I can watch her."
I hear what Macie's saying, but I don't actually believe it. If my mom is surprised she's still there, she doesn't let it show.
"Oh Macie, that's so sweet of you," she says. "I'm sure Nic would love that."
Which is true. Nic's grown close to Macie in the last few days that she's been staying here. It's made me happy, but at the same time weary. What happens when Macie decides to go back home, and both of us have to learn to live without her? It's going to be beyond difficult.
"We'll figure it out, Mom. You just get better okay? Love you."
We hang up and I look over at Macie. "Are you sure? I can take the day off. I have enough personal time."
"It's fine," she insists. "Besides you're allowing me to stay here, I'm eating your food, and making a dent in your couch until I'm allowed to go back to work.
The least I can do is help take some of the pressure off of you.
Nicole's a good kid. We'll have fun, won't we?
" She smiles, looking over at my daughter.
"Yeah," she answers, kicking her feet.
"If you don't mind..."
"I don't." She leans over, kissing me. "After the morning we've had, I feel like I can do anything."
Her whisper runs straight through my body, down to my cock, and I'm wondering if maybe I should call in.
We could put Nic's nap time to good use.
But I'm a mature, responsible adult, so I do what anyone else would.
I pull her into the kiss, deepening it, eat my breakfast, and then go get dressed, while wishing I had a few hours at minimum to take care of my hard on.
"You're going to be riding with a new officer today. He just got out of the academy, and this is his first shift. Show him the ropes, Kepler. You've got a long line of law enforcement in your family, and I expect you're a good fit for him."
I haven't had a dedicated partner in a while, so I'm excited to meet this recruit.
"Van, come on in here," Director Drake yells into the hallway.
A kid walks in behind Director Drake, and I mean that in the literal sense.
He's got that fresh-faced look recruits always have before the job wears it off of them.
In fact I had it when I left the academy.
You lose it too quickly, but you can get it back once you find the part of the job you love.
His shoulders are too stiff in his new uniform, his boots are so clean they're practically squeaking against the tile floor.
"Officer Kepler, this is Van Whitaker." Drake claps him on the shoulder. "As I said, he’s fresh out of the academy, first shift is today."
"Nice to meet you, sir." Van sticks his hand out, and I shake it, noting the firm grip. He definitely wants to make a good impression.
"My name is Darren, people call my family members by their last names in this business.
We're partners today, I’m not your boss.
" I look him over, guessing early twenties, probably straight out of college before he decided to do something with his life that had nothing to do with the degree he got.
Been there, done that. "You ever do any ride-alongs before the academy? "
"No, sir. This is my first time in an actual patrol car."
Drake gives me a look that says good luck, then heads back toward his office, leaving me with a recruit who's never sat in a squad car outside of training exercises.
It's not the worst thing in the world. New recruits tend to learn fast when they've got someone willing to show them instead of barking orders and expecting them to read minds.
"Alright, let's get you settled." I lead him out toward the patrol truck assigned to me. "Here's the thing you need to understand before we do anything else. Everything they taught you in the academy matters, but it's not going to prepare you for half of what actually happens out here."
"That's what everyone keeps telling me."
"Because it's true." I slide behind the wheel, and he climbs in beside me, buckling up like he's still half expecting someone to grade him on it.
"You'll learn most of what you need on the job.
Every call's different. Every person's different.
The academy gives you the rules, but the street teaches you how to actually use them. "
"So what am I supposed to do today?"
"All you gotta do is watch. Ask questions when you've got them.
Don't freeze up if something happens, because hesitation gets people hurt faster than making the wrong call does.
" I pull out of the lot, heading toward the main road that cuts through town.
"Laurel Springs isn't exactly a crime hotspot, but we still get our share of calls. Even with Fish & Wildlife."
Van nods along seeming to actually listen as I talk. That’s rare, and I give him points for it.
We spend the first hour running through basic patrol, me pointing out landmarks, explaining the route I like to take.
“Nine times out of ten,” I tell him. “I find someone back at this boat dock doing something they shouldn’t be.
Five times I’ve caught people fucking, so be prepared when we turn the corner. ”
He laughs. “See that a lot?”
“More than you’d think.”
"What's that?" He points toward the water as we come around the bend near the dock I was talking about, and I follow his finger to where a group of teenagers are gathered near the boat launch, coolers scattered around them.
"That," I say, slowing the truck, "is a truancy problem in progress."
"It's the middle of the day."
"Exactly." I pull into the gravel lot and put the truck in park. "School's in session right now, which means every single one of those kids should be sitting in a classroom instead of drinking on the dock. Come on, let's go handle this."
Van follows my lead as we approach the group, and I watch the kids scatter into panic mode the second they spot our uniforms, a few of them fumbling to hide beer cans behind their backs like that's somehow going to fix the situation.
"Afternoon." I keep my tone easy, not trying to scare them worse than they already are, though a little fear probably wouldn't hurt any of them right now. "Anyone want to tell me why you're not in class?"
I’m met with complete silence. A skinny kid with a backwards cap looks anywhere but at me, and a girl next to him is holding a can so obviously behind her leg that it might as well be sitting in plain sight.
"I'm going to need everyone to dump out whatever's in those cans and coolers." I gesture toward the water. "Right now."
There's some grumbling, but they do it, one by one pouring beer into the grass while Van watches with an amused expression. I remember that feeling from my own rookie days, not quite sure whether you're supposed to be the hard-ass or the understanding one.
"How old are you?" I ask the kid in the backwards cap once the last can hits empty.
"Seventeen."
"You do realize that's not old enough to be drinking, right? Doesn't matter how old you feel." I pull out my notepad, more for effect than anything else, since I already know how this is going to play out. "I need names and phone numbers for your parents. All of you."
The complaints get louder, a chorus of come on, man and do you have to call them rising up from the group, but I've never been the type of officer to look the other way just because a bunch of teenagers think consequences don't apply to them.
"Yeah, I do have to call them. You know what would've been easier? Being in class like you're supposed to be." I start collecting information, one kid at a time, while Van takes notes on his own pad, clearly picking up more from watching me handle it than he would from any textbook.
"This is what happens when you skip school to drink at a public dock in the middle of a Tuesday. Someone finds out, and it's usually us."
Once I've got everyone's information, Van and I split the calls between us, standing off to the side while I dial the first number.
The parent on the other end goes through the expected stages, shock first, followed quick by anger, and finally an apology directed at me for their kid's behavior that I don't really need but appreciate anyway.
"Ma'am, he's fine, just needs a ride home and probably a conversation about better decisions.
" I glance over at the kid, who's staring at his shoes like they've suddenly become the most interesting thing in the world.
"We're not filing charges, but I'd recommend having a serious talk with him before he does something that does end up on his record. "
By the time Van and I finish working through the group, we've got five sets of parents on their way to collect embarrassed, sobered-up teenagers, and a stretch of grass littered with empty cans that a couple of the kids are picking up under my direction, since littering on top of underage drinking isn't exactly a good look either.
"That was different than I expected," Van says once we're back in the truck, watching the first parent's car pull into the lot.
"How so?" It’s always interesting to see how other officers think of what you do.
"I figured you'd cite them or something. You know, make an example of them."
We watch as the last of the kids’ parents get there, and collect their wayward son.
"Sometimes I do. It really depends on the kid, depends on the situation.
" I pull back onto the main road, leaving the dock behind us in the rearview.
"These kids weren't causing trouble beyond being where they shouldn't be.
Scaring them straight and getting their parents involved does more good than slapping them with a fine most of their families can't afford anyway.
You'll learn when it's worth pushing harder and when a warning does the job. "
"Makes sense."
We finish out the rest of the shift running through non-emergent calls and driving all along the back roads of Laurel Springs.
Van handles himself well for a first day, asking the right questions, staying quiet when he needs to, and by the time we're pulling back into the station lot, I'm convinced Drake made a decent call pairing him with me.
"Same time tomorrow?" Van asks as we head inside to clock out.
"Same time tomorrow." I clap him on the shoulder the same way Drake did earlier. "You did good today, kid. Don't let the quiet days fool you though. Laurel Springs isn't always this calm."
"Noted."
I finish up my paperwork faster than usual, eager to get out of the station and back to my house, back to the two people waiting on me there.
It's been a long day, but knowing Macie's got Nicole entertained, probably elbow-deep in some kind of craft project or building blanket forts in the living room, makes the drive home feel shorter than it actually is.
By the time I pull into my driveway, the porch light's already on, and I can see movement through the front window, the shadow is short, which means Nicole's probably still riding whatever sugar high she talked Macie into letting her have.
I sit in my truck for a second longer than necessary, just taking in the sight of my own house looking lived-in and warm in a way it hasn't in longer than I want to admit.
Then I head inside, ready for whatever chaos and comfort is waiting for me on the other side of that door.