leaning on the handrail, his swollen ankles and veiny legs visible between his white tube socks and tan bathrobe. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to pick you up, boss.”
“Did I ask you to take me in today?”
“No, I just figured.”
“Who’s watching the other two if you’re here?”
“They’re in the station with orders not to leave.” Iolaus followed Erinnyes into his sitting room and said, “I’ve got them reviewing policies until I get back. My radio’s on. I’ll know if anything comes out.”
“I made you their supervisor so that things like this don’t happen, Jim.”
“Look, I’m sorry, sir. Since I’m here, do you need a ride, or are you good?”
The phone rang in the kitchen. Erinnyes leaned forward to listen when his wife picked it up. “It’s the surgeon, Chief. Do you want me to tell him you’ll call him back?” she said.
“No, I’ll be right there. We need to get this taken care of.”
“Are you okay? What’s wrong?” Iolaus said.
Erinnyes pushed him toward the door, “Get back to town and make sure those two idiots haven’t burned the station down to the ground.”
“Okay,” Iolaus said. He took off his hat and headed for the car. “Something’s wrong w/ the Chief,” he typed into his phone. “He needs an operation or something.”
“Oh yeah? Is he going to be okay?” his wife replied.
“Not sure. I hope so.”
“Well, if he isn’t, I guess you’ll just have to take over then.”
“Ha ha. Guess so ! Do you know his wife calls him Chief?”
“Weird.”
“I know, right?”
He put the SUV into reverse and started to back down the driveway when he realized that Erinnyes was looking at him through the window. Iolaus lifted his hand to wave, but then the window was empty.
***
Both officers were sitting in the roll call room when he returned, reading the Use of Departmental Computers policy (All computers and electronic devices are the property of the police department. All activity can be monitored.) and Uniform Policy. Aprille pointed to the section marked Female Officers and said, “At least I’m allowed to wear ‘nude nylons.’ Jealous?”
Iolaus drew a circle in the air with his finger and said, “All right, time to hit the street. You two follow me.” He told them to follow him over to his police car and opened his door. “Do you both see what that is?”
“I do, sir,” Reynaldo said. “The lightbar controls.”
“Do you see it, Office r Macariah?”
“Are you serious right now?”
“I asked you a question.”
“I see it because you’re pointing at it and Reynaldo just announced what it is.”
“It is the controls for your vehicle’s emergency lights. It is also the thing you will not be touching unless I give you clear, express permission to do so. You will not go over the speed limit to respond to a call. You will not use your siren. You will not activate your overhead lights. Am I clear?”
“Very clear, sir,” Reynaldo said.
“So we’re not going hot to any calls. No matter what?” Aprille said.
“That’s correct. Unless I give you permission.”
Aprille shrugged, “Okay. If you say so.”
“Now you’re getting it.”
***
Reynaldo Francisco drove through the shopping center, stopping his car to let every person on the sidewalk cross in front of him. “Hello, how are you?” he said. He smiled even when they did not respond.
He listened to the other police officers on the zone calling out traffic stops and responding to calls. So far, they’d had nothing. Reynaldo parked his car in a parking space and unhooked his police microphone. “Seventeen-ten to seventeen-seven, come in please.”
His radio crackled with Iolaus’s voice, “Go ahead.”
“I’d like to do a foot patrol at the shopping center if that’s all right with you.”
“Permission is granted.”
A chorus of clicks erupted on the radio with a
“I came to pick you up, boss.”
“Did I ask you to take me in today?”
“No, I just figured.”
“Who’s watching the other two if you’re here?”
“They’re in the station with orders not to leave.” Iolaus followed Erinnyes into his sitting room and said, “I’ve got them reviewing policies until I get back. My radio’s on. I’ll know if anything comes out.”
“I made you their supervisor so that things like this don’t happen, Jim.”
“Look, I’m sorry, sir. Since I’m here, do you need a ride, or are you good?”
The phone rang in the kitchen. Erinnyes leaned forward to listen when his wife picked it up. “It’s the surgeon, Chief. Do you want me to tell him you’ll call him back?” she said.
“No, I’ll be right there. We need to get this taken care of.”
“Are you okay? What’s wrong?” Iolaus said.
Erinnyes pushed him toward the door, “Get back to town and make sure those two idiots haven’t burned the station down to the ground.”
“Okay,” Iolaus said. He took off his hat and headed for the car. “Something’s wrong w/ the Chief,” he typed into his phone. “He needs an operation or something.”
“Oh yeah? Is he going to be okay?” his wife replied.
“Not sure. I hope so.”
“Well, if he isn’t, I guess you’ll just have to take over then.”
“Ha ha. Guess so ! Do you know his wife calls him Chief?”
“Weird.”
“I know, right?”
He put the SUV into reverse and started to back down the driveway when he realized that Erinnyes was looking at him through the window. Iolaus lifted his hand to wave, but then the window was empty.
***
Both officers were sitting in the roll call room when he returned, reading the Use of Departmental Computers policy (All computers and electronic devices are the property of the police department. All activity can be monitored.) and Uniform Policy. Aprille pointed to the section marked Female Officers and said, “At least I’m allowed to wear ‘nude nylons.’ Jealous?”
Iolaus drew a circle in the air with his finger and said, “All right, time to hit the street. You two follow me.” He told them to follow him over to his police car and opened his door. “Do you both see what that is?”
“I do, sir,” Reynaldo said. “The lightbar controls.”
“Do you see it, Office r Macariah?”
“Are you serious right now?”
“I asked you a question.”
“I see it because you’re pointing at it and Reynaldo just announced what it is.”
“It is the controls for your vehicle’s emergency lights. It is also the thing you will not be touching unless I give you clear, express permission to do so. You will not go over the speed limit to respond to a call. You will not use your siren. You will not activate your overhead lights. Am I clear?”
“Very clear, sir,” Reynaldo said.
“So we’re not going hot to any calls. No matter what?” Aprille said.
“That’s correct. Unless I give you permission.”
Aprille shrugged, “Okay. If you say so.”
“Now you’re getting it.”
***
Reynaldo Francisco drove through the shopping center, stopping his car to let every person on the sidewalk cross in front of him. “Hello, how are you?” he said. He smiled even when they did not respond.
He listened to the other police officers on the zone calling out traffic stops and responding to calls. So far, they’d had nothing. Reynaldo parked his car in a parking space and unhooked his police microphone. “Seventeen-ten to seventeen-seven, come in please.”
His radio crackled with Iolaus’s voice, “Go ahead.”
“I’d like to do a foot patrol at the shopping center if that’s all right with you.”
“Permission is granted.”
A chorus of clicks erupted on the radio with a
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