Rookie Resolve

Chapter 13

"Carson stashed a kilo of heroin in my heating unit."

Bradford was wide-eyed at his wife's words, wanting to yell, but knowing better whispered, "Are you that far gone?"

"If I go to jail, they're gonna find out I was a cop, and I'll be dead. Please baby. G-go to my place, and help me. Baby, I need you. It will be different this time, I'll go to rehab, and we can be together again, for real this time." Isabel pleaded, her voice cracking, shoulders hunched.

"You're just saying that." He let out a shaky sigh, his mind knowing not to believe her words, but his heart tugging at the possibility of getting back his wife.

"No, no, this is different. I ca-can be different. Please help me."

Bradford kneeled in front of the heating unit, and lo and behold, a hefty brick of what he assumed to be heroin. He pinched his nose, trying to process everything.

As he walked back to his car, a familiar voice caught his attention.

"Well, aren't you just a shining beacon of moral integrity?" Bradford could see his rookie leaning on her motorcycle.

"What are you doing here?"

"No," Ember kicked off her ride and marched toward the man, jabbing her finger into his chest, "what are you doing here?"

"You're out of your depth here, Boot. Go home, there's nothing here for you."

Ember put her hands in the praying mantis position and speaks calmly, "I've never wanted anything more right now, than to just grab your face," she reached out her hands and placed them on the sides of his face, Bradford not understanding what she was doing, "bring it close," she leaned his face closer to hers, and the man couldn't help but notice the little freckles littered around her nose and cheeks, and how her grey eyes shimmered to a lighter shade of blue, and how uncomfortable the way his heart was racing. He needed her to finish her sentence.

"And do what?" he almost pleaded with her, almost completely forgetting why the two were in the street to begin with.

"And..." Ember trailed her fingers toward his neck, able to feel his pulse racing, "and kneel your nose so hard, it breaks. As a congratulations on your impressive display of questionable ethics." she lets go of him, and rubs her face, exasperated with everything, but continued, "Look, regardless of you trying to project this rogue cop thing, you've always been on the right side of the law. Do you really want to risk everything just for the miniscule chance of fixing your marriage?"

Bradford was furious at Ember's audacity, he moved toward her and Ember was taken aback with his pace and took a step back till she felt his car on the back of her leg, Bradford looming over her.

"How dare you?" he snapped, "Acting all high and mighty, while being the bigger hypocrite between the two of us. Talking about minding our personal lives, and yet here you are being intrusive, nosy, and an outright busybody."

"Because you're being a dimwitted imbecile!" Ember's face turning red, eyes appearing intense and nostrils flaring, but she composed herself swiftly, knowing a screaming match wasn't going to help either of them.

"Listen," She took a deep breath, "you will regret helping Isabel. This isn't gonna change her, but it will most certainly change you." Ember appealed to him, practically begging him not to take this path in life, but felt the disappointment sinking in when Bradford just turned away from her and got into his car. Ember walked back to her motorcycle and bemoaned as she saw him driving away.

The next day, Ember sought out Bradford to sort out the mess she believed she had just made worse. The minute she spots him, Ember beelines to his side.