Red and Blue hearts (Ari Levinson)

Part 5: Footprints

*the next day*

Ari's POV

As the noise of the shift change surrounds me I still hear clearly the sound of three cars pulling in the firehouse's driveway one right after the other. I don't see the Captain around, so I take it upon myself to go explain to them that they cannot park there. And when the truck isn't blocking my vision I spot a white van and two police cars.

Hailey gets off of the first one, two other officers get off the second one and a third guy that I don't recognize gets out of the van. They all go towards the back except Hailey who comes straight to me.

"Captain." I greet her.

"Lieutenant." She answers.

"How can I help you ?"

"I need you to call your squad and your Captain please."

"Well how can I say no to your pretty face ?" I say before pushing the button on my radio. "A shift I need everyone down here." I hear a positive response before pushing the button again. "Captain Levin, the police is here."

"I'll be right there Lieutenant." Ethan answers.

Everyone starts to show up. The squad is pretty confused by the police's presence. But apparently Ethan was expecting it. Hailey hands him a paper and waits for him to read it.

"What's that ?" I ask my Captain.

"It's a warrant." He says without looking at me. Still reading the paper. "Do your job Captain." He says, this time looking at Hailey.

"You didn't need a warrant, we would have cooperated." I tell her.

"Legally it's the city's gear and equipment, if I want this evidence to stand in trial I need the warrant." She says before motioning for her team to start getting the equipment ready. "Like I told you yesterday I just need the footprints."

"Alright. Squad ! Line up !" I say.

"So you lied, we're actually suspects." Rachel says.

"No, I need them to prove to a jury that you were all where you were supposed to be and to make sure that there's no other footprints, because if there is it could be the arsonist's footprints." She explains.

"What if they were wearing the same type of boots we were ?" I ask, curious.

"We could still tell it wasn't one of you." She answers.

"How ?" I'm genuinely curious.

"Because your boot's soles deform accordingly to the way you walk and the way you spray your weight on your feet."

"That's weird and impressive at the same time." I say.

"I'm gonna need each of you to come with me one after the other and sign a paper saying we did in fact use your boots and not someone else's. Captain, do you mind if we start with you ?" She says.

Ethan follows her, I'm next and then the rest of the squad. It doesn't take them long to get done and get everything packed. Ethan goes back to his office and everyone starts to move towards the locker room, but I follow Hailey to the cars.

"When am I seeing you again ?" I ask with a wink.

"I don't know, I have to go get this processed and when it's done hopefully all of your team will be in the clear. So until the hearing before the grand jury I doubt I'll need anything else. Either way, I have your number, so I'll be in touch." She says seriously.

"So we're not working together anymore ?" I say with a sad tone.

"I don't think so." She says matching my tone.