Chapter 5
The conference room door was already open when Maddox arrived, voices drifting into the hallway. She paused just outside, adjusting her utility belt and buying her three seconds to prepare.
It’d only been two hours since therapy, sitting across from Jade in that converted office answering questions she didn’t want to answer and feeling things she didn’t want to feel.
And now this.
She took a steadying breath, then stepped inside.
Captain Julia Scott sat at the head of the table reviewing notes, and four other officers were scattered around: Thorne, Martinez, Sutton, and someone from admin whose name Maddox could never remember.
And there, on the far side near the windows, sat Jade.
Of course she was here.
Maddox inhaled sharply again and took the seat furthest from her, calling it strategic positioning, like approaching a scene. Assess the room, control the angles, keep your back covered.
Jade glanced up and offered a small nod, like they hadn’t just spent an hour dissecting Maddox’s week in excruciating detail. Maddox returned the gesture and focused on Julia.
“Alright, let’s get started.” Julia closed her folder, scanning the table. “Thanks for making time. I know everyone’s juggling shifts, but this work matters.”
It was Julia’s usual opening. Maddox had been to three of these meetings now, just enough to know the rhythm but not yet feel comfortable.
But despite the buzzwords that made Maddox want to roll her eyes, Julia ran a good meeting.
No wasted time, no performative concern, just practical problem-solving with people who actually rolled up their sleeves to get the work done.
“Quick updates first,” Julia continued. “Peer support training is scheduled for next month. We’ve got eight officers signed up, which is solid.” She glanced at Jade. “The post-incident protocol revisions, how’s that coming?”
Jade leaned forward, her hands folded on the table. “Almost done. I’m incorporating feedback from the last session and should have a draft for you by Friday.”
“Good.” Julia scribbled a note. “Thorne, family support resources?”
Riley nodded. “The printed materials are in. I’ll distribute them at the next shift briefing.”
The meeting moved efficiently through agenda items. Maddox half-listened, tracking the conversation enough to stay oriented but not enough to engage. She’d learned this particular skill in the military, being there but not really there.
Jade contributed throughout, her input devoid of the therapy-speak and soft language Maddox associated with counselors. Hers were practical suggestions grounded in research and framed in a way the officers understood. Maddox noticed despite herself, despite wanting to.
“Last item,” Julia said, flipping a page. “Community outreach. We’ve had multiple requests from elementary schools for K-9 demonstrations. It’s good PR, good for the kids, and honestly, good for us. But I want to add something to the standard format.”
Maddox’s attention sharpened. K-9 demos were her territory.
Julia continued, “I’m proposing we pair an officer with wellness staff for a more holistic approach so it’s not just ‘here’s how police dogs work,’ but ‘here’s how we keep everyone safe, including ourselves.
’” She looked directly at Maddox. “Safety and emotional intelligence together that’s age-appropriate and integrated naturally. ”
Maddox’s shoulders instinctively tensed. She could see exactly where this was going, and she didn’t like it one bit.
“Shaw, you and Zeus are the obvious choice for demonstrations. You’re good with kids, and Zeus is solid in those environments.
” Julia’s tone was casual, but her eye contact was firm.
“And Jade has experience with developmental psychology and trauma-informed education. It makes sense to send you both.”
Yep, there it was.
Maddox kept her face neutral. “I can handle demonstrations solo. I’ve been doing them for three years.”
“I know.” Julia didn’t back down. “And they’re effective. This isn’t about you being not good enough but about showing kids the full picture that officer competence and emotional wellness aren’t separate things. It’s all connected.”
Across the table, Jade spoke quietly. “I’m happy to support however it’s helpful. If Officer Shaw prefers to maintain her current format, I can provide materials for teachers to use separately.”
She was offering her an out and giving space for Maddox to refuse without looking uncooperative, which somehow made it worse. Because now if Maddox said no, it would be obvious she was avoiding Jade specifically, and everyone at this table would know it.
Julia waited and stared at her, patient but expectant. Maddox felt the trap closing, not malicious but just inevitable, the kind of corner you backed yourself into by being too resistant.
“Fine,” she said. “We’ll coordinate.”
“Great.” Julia made another note, already moving on. “First one’s scheduled for next Tuesday at Riverside Elementary with second and third graders. I’ll send you both the details.”
The meeting continued, other officers discussing logistics Maddox barely tracked. Her mind was already working through the problem of how to minimize Jade’s involvement and how to get through a school demonstration without Jade there observing her the way she observed everything.
Twenty minutes later, Julia adjourned the meeting. Officers stood and gathered their belongings as conversations fragmented into smaller exchanges. Maddox was on her feet immediately, moving toward the door.
“Shaw.” Julia’s voice stopped her. “Quick word?”
Maddox turned back. The room had mostly cleared, and it was just Julia still at the table and Jade gathering her things near the window.
Julia kept her voice low. “I know you hate this, but you’re good with kids and Jade’s approach works. The feedback from her sessions has been solid.” She paused. “Just…give it a chance. You might be surprised.”
Maddox held Julia’s gaze for a beat then nodded, a non-committal motion without enthusiasm. She left before Jade could corner her in the hallway.
The spring evening was visible through the precinct windows—longer daylight now, the season turning despite the dampness that clung to the morning air. Maddox desperately wanted to be outside, away from stifling conference rooms, forced collaboration, and most of all, Jade Kessler.
She headed for the K-9 building where Zeus was waiting for her, where things made sense and nobody asked her how she felt about any of it. Her phone buzzed before she reached the exit, and she dug it out of her pocket.
Jade: Thursday 3pm work for a planning meeting? My office or wherever you prefer.
Maddox stared at the screen before typing back a curt response.
Maddox: Your office. I’ll bring Zeus.
The response came back quickly.
Jade: Perfect. See you then.
Maddox pocketed her phone and pushed through the door into the cool evening air. Two days. She had two days to figure out how to get through this without letting Jade see any more than she already had.
Zeus would help. He always did.
Thursday arrived faster than Maddox wanted.
She stood outside Jade’s office at 2:58 p.m., Zeus at her heel, telling herself this was just logistics. Coordinate the demo, establish parameters, get out—thirty minutes tops. Zeus looked up at her, ears forward, reading her tension like he always did.
“Behave,” she muttered, more to herself than him.
She knocked once and pushed the door open without waiting for an answer.
Jade looked up from her desk, her expression warm. “Hey, come in.” She gestured to the chairs. “Zeus can make himself comfortable.”
Maddox walked to the same chair she’d taken during therapy sessions and sat in the same rigid position with her knees together and hands flat on her thighs. Zeus circled the small office once, methodically checking corners and exits before settling at Maddox’s feet with a soft huff.
“He’s very thorough,” Jade said, a slight smile in her voice.
“He’s trained to be.”
Jade picked up her notepad and settled into her own chair, tucking one leg beneath her. “So, Riverside Elementary, second and third graders, forty-five minutes.” She glanced at her notes. “What does your standard demo look like?”
Maddox relaxed slightly, being able to talk about work. “Obedience commands first. It shows them Zeus responds to verbal and hand signals. Then a search demonstration where I hide an object beforehand and Zeus finds it and alerts. Finally, a Q&A session. Kids always have questions.”
“What do they usually ask?”
“What he eats, where he sleeps, if he’s ever scared.” Maddox’s mouth twitched. “Whether he bites the bad guys.”
Jade’s smile widened. “And what do you tell them?”
“That Zeus only acts on command and he’s trained to protect, not harm. His job is to keep people safe, including me.” Maddox shifted in her chair. “They understand better when they see him work in action instead of relying on words.”
“Makes sense.” Jade made a note. “I was thinking we could weave in some emotional context naturally. Nothing heavy, just a discussion about safety feelings, asking for help when you’re scared, that kind of thing.”
Maddox’s shoulders tensed again. “They’re seven and eight. They want to see the dog work, not sit in a feelings circle.”
“I’m not suggesting a feelings circle.” Jade’s tone stayed frustratingly even.
“More like…when you explain Zeus’s protective stance, we can talk about how feeling scared is normal and useful.
When you demonstrate teamwork between you and Zeus, we can mention that everyone needs their team sometimes, even police officers. ”
“That’s therapy talk.”
“It’s life talk.” Jade leaned forward. “Kids that age are just starting to understand that adults have feelings too. Seeing a police officer model health emotional awareness? That matters more than you think.”