Into the Spotlight

Pilot (3)

"Brenna!" Jamie called. He stood two feet away from her bed, hands poised, ready to rip the blankets away from the sleeping teen's body if she didn't wake up in the next three seconds.

It was Jamie's first day on the job and he didn't want to be late. JoJo had school. She'd only been allowed to skip because of the ceremony. If she continued to sleep, she was going to be late, which was going to make him late.

She didn't budge. Jamie mentally counted to three, barely noticing his niece's fingers tightening around the covers. Only this wasn't the first time he'd had to wake her like this. He held his position, glancing at the foot of the bed. As silently as possible, he moved from her side to her feet.

JoJo screamed as the cold air hit her bare legs and arms like an ice bath. She thrashed about, trying to get back under the covers, falling off the bed in the process. The action made her learn the covers had been thrown over her head.

Running feet echoed through the hall, stopping at the open curtain to see JoJo glaring up at Jamie from the floor. He was in his uniform, ready to go. And the kid was still in bed. The only reason he stayed was to get her off to school.

"Three G's. Now," he said, throwing his thumb over his shoulder. He may have dealt with this in the past, but he couldn't believe she was still doing it. "If I'm late on my first day because you don't get along Syd, you can forget staying over at Meghan's next week."

"Bu-"

"No buts. Syd's been trying to wake you for the last half hour, and I know you heard her the first three times. Even I gave you ten minutes before doing this. Now get up. Get dressed. And get going. Your detail will be here in ten minutes."

"Grandpa never did this," JoJo mumbled as she climbed to her feet.

"Maybe not with you. He certainly did with us. And we didn't have a driver like you do. We had shoes and a sidewalk if we missed the bus," Jamie replied with his in my day voice coming through. "Pops won't be home until late so you're going to Grandpa's office after school."

"Thought I was spending the weekend here?"

"You are. But if last month proved anything, you still need supervising. I'm beginning to wonder if Meghan's more your conscience than you are hers."

JoJo rolled her eyes and faked a laugh. She opened her closet. It was the only part of her room that still had a door. Her school uniform had been hung there the night before.

That was one of the only good things about going to this school in her opinion. She didn't have to wonder what she was going to wear.

"I thought you'd have eight-hour tours."

"How are you a cop's kid and still not understand our tours can be extended at any time?"

"Well... to answer the first part... when a mommy and a daddy get together-"

Jamie left the room as quickly as he could. Yes, he knew all about what his niece was referring to... that didn't mean he liked knowing she understood the subject matter. And it was the result JoJo was after so she could change into her school clothes.

~*B*B~*B*B~

"Come on, Abigail," JoJo whined to the detective who was her grandfather's assistant and her current guardian.

"That's Detective to you, JoJo... And there is absolutely no way in hell I am going to convince the commissioner to let you leave this floor. Besides, that's not his decision to make."

Not his decision? "What are you talking about? He's my grandfather. I live in his house," the teen reminded.

"Did your uncle sign any documents that changed custody?"