Captain Andersen stood at a podium in front of everyone, delivering a statement to the press.
"At 11:15 this morning, the LAPD engaged in a pursuit of number one on the FBI's most wanted list. All departmental resources were brought to bear on this dangerous fugitive, including our most decorated officer, Kaydence Patton." she said with a smile.
———flashback———
Bishop, a helicopter and a couple of patrol cars are chasing someone who is running through the hills.
West comes driving along in a golf cart decorated as a patrol car, with a young girl dressed as a police officer. The girl, Kaydence patton, jumps out of the cart and runs up to the suspect, who has been cornered and who was actually just john in street clothes.
"On your knees, dirt bag. Hands behind your back." she said and Nolan drops to his knees as Kaydence gets handcuffs from West.
"Dirt bag?" Nolan whispered to West. Kaydence snaps the cuffs on and kicks Nolan in the leg.
Kaydence leads Nolan into the precinct in handcuffs and hands him over to Grey, to much applause and cheering.
"On behalf of Make-A-Wish, the City of Los Angeles, and the LAPD, we hereby thank Honorary Police Officer Kaydence Patton."
Andersen said making everyone clap and cheer again.
——————————————————
i sat at my table in the briefing room, by myself as usual scrolling on my phone. i had gotten more texts from Diane and Trey. i was thinking about what Matt said and maybe i should tell Grey or at least him again.
i looked behind me seeing him talking to someone else with a smile. he looked at me and smiled wider. my eyes widen from being caught looking. i smiled back and quickly turned away as Grey waked in.
"All right, grab your seats. A special day here at Mid-Wilshire. In fact, we're gonna start off by playing a game I like to call "What is a patrol officer's least favorite assignment?" Officer Lopez, why don't you get us started." he spoke from his podium.
"Easy. Guarding a dead body." she said getting a few laughs.
"Solid one. Officer Bradford?" he gestured to Tim.
"Canvassing in the rain." he said getting some hums of agreement.
"Bishop."
"Driving the drunk wagon. It's just nasty." she said.
"Without a doubt. And yet, for me, the absolute worst is the VIP ride along." he said as he walked back to the front writing "vip ride along." on the white bored.
"Why? That sounds like fun." Nolan asked. i sighed as i heard that.
"Officer Bishop, would you like to inform your Boot why the ride along tops my list?" Grey asked.
"Because if anything happens to your VIP, it's your ass. So, you take the lowest of low-risk calls. It makes a 12-hour shift feel twice as long." she said.
"Plus, you're trapped in a car all day with an entitled prima donna coated in body spray." Tim said.
"Officer Nolan, you want to take a guess why we're playing this game?" Grey asked as he stood in front of Nolan, Jackson and Lucy's table.
"Because you're giving me the VIP ride along?" Nolan asked.
"No." Grey said.
"Really?" Nolan asked.
"No. You absolutely got the ride along. He's waiting in the Captain's office for you now."
Grey said making everyone laugh.
"Sir, is it too late to ask for a sick day?" Bishop asked.
"Yes, it is." Grey said.
—————————————————-
"S-Sorry. The battery was dead, so they had to find us another shop, and then I had to put gas in it. But we're ready to roll now, so -" i trailed off explaining why it took so long to get us ready to leave.
"You know, when I was a rookie, I got here two hours before roll call to get the best shop from motor pool, re-wash it, and load the gear." he said.
"Is this the cop version of walking five miles in the snow?" i smiled.
"This isn't story time, Boot. I'm reminding you how easy you have it."
"Understood, sir. Thank you for all your support."
"Officer Bradford, Sergeant Grey wants to see you in his office." a man said as he walked over to us.
"Get the shop set up. I'll be right back." Tim said and walked off. i nodded and walked to the shop.
————-with Tim and Grey————-
"Come in." Grey said as Tim knocked on the door-way.
Tim walked in and Grey shuts the door.
"That's not a good sign." Tim said.
"No, it's not. Look, there's no easy way to say this. I was just notified that detectives made a drug bust. I recognized the suspect's name. It's your wife." Grey said.
"What's the charge?" Tim asked.
"Possession with intent to sell." Grey stated.
"They're bringing her in?" Tim asked.
"Yeah. I don't know all the details yet, but I wanted to warn you. So, obviously, this is a complicated situation, but know that the department has your back. Whatever you need, just ask, okay?" Grey said.
"Yes, sir." Tim said.
—————————————————-
i was walking around to station looking for Tim since he'd been awhile when i saw him sitting in the briefing room alone.
"Hey, what's, uh what's going on? What did Grey want? Are we going out?" i asked. he looked up at me with this...dazed look on his face.
i noticed his attention went from me to behind me. i turned around seeing other officers escorting Isabel into the precinct. Tim stands up and stands in the doorway. As they pass by Grey's office he steps out.
"Detectives. After you drop off, can you come back and see me? Thanks." i heard Grey say.
———with Grey and Tim———
"Hey." Grey said as two detectives walked into his office.
"You have an issue with our arrest?" detective Vestri asked as he shut the door behind him.
"No, just looking for more details on this one." Grey said.
"We assisted on a DEA task force, tracking a heroin distribution network. They flagged a car known to make drops for them. We pulled over the suspect and found four grams, individually wrapped, which means intent to sell." detective wolfe stated.
"Isabel isn't a dealer." Tim said.
"How do you know?" Vestri asked.
"Officer Bradford and Isabel were rookies together." Grey said.
"So she's a cop?" wolfe asked.
"Was. Undercover narcotics. Another division. Been off the job for a year." Tim said.
"You used to date." Vestri stated.
"She's my wife." Tim said.
"Well, I'm sorry to hear that. Fact of the matter is she's in pretty deep with some heavy dealers. Being arrested with that kind of weight, she's looking at one to three in county." wolfe said.
"I know that, but she doesn't even own a car. You bother to check the registration?" Tim asked.
"Doesn't matter. She was the one driving." wolfe said.
"Look, this is not something that we can make go away even if we wanted to. Your wife's gonna need a lawyer. And your officer needs to figure out where he stands. Is he a cop or a suspect's husband?" Vestri asked as he turned to Grey.
"Thank you." Grey said as they walked out.
"He's right. Listen, why don't you take a personal day, all right? Make some phone calls." Grey said as Tim now stood in front of him.
"It's not necessary." Tim said.
"They need to process her. Then they're gonna wait for her lawyer to show up, and then they're gonna sweat her in interrogation. You won't get a chance to talk to her for hours. So if you don't take a day, that means you're going back on the street. You have a problem with that?" Grey said.
"No, sir." Tim said.
"Okay. Go back to work." Grey said.
—————————————————
"Isn't public urination usually a citation?" i asked Tim as we walked a suspect in to the booking room.
"You need to brush up on your California Penal Code. Section 314. Indecent exposure is a misdemeanor subject to six months in jail." Tim stated as the door buzzed unlocked.
"Hmm. Indecent exposure requires an offended party." i said.
"Plenty of offended families living in the apartment building across that alley." Tim said.
"Mm. Respectfully, sir, that'll never stick." i said.
"It doesn't matter. Start processing." tim said.
"Hey. Do you want me to give you a shout if I see the detectives?" i asked.
"Yeah." he turned to the Holding officer. "Open cell three for me."
he enters the cell where Isabel is sitting.
———Tim and Isabel———
"I screwed up." Isabel said.
"You think? How bad is it?" Tim said.
"It's a solid arrest." she said.
"Who's Carson Holland? The car you were driving is registered to him. Is he your boyfriend?" Tim asked.
"Sometimes." she said.
"Okay, you have to tell them the drugs belong to him."
"We both know it won't matter. I was in possession. Isn't there something you can do?" she said.
"What?! They won't drop the charge. It's connected to a DEA case. This is real, Isabel." he said.
"It's gonna get worse. Because tomorrow, they're gonna have a warrant to search my apartment." she said.
"What will they find?" he asked.
"Carson stashed a kilo of heroin in my heating unit."
"Are you -" he dropped his tone to a whisper "are you that far gone? Why would you let him do that?"
"All right, I will not be able to plea out of this. So, i-if I go to jail, they're gonna find out I was a cop, and I'll be dead. Please, baby. Go - Go to my place. I need you. If you help me, it'll be different, all right? I'll go to rehab. For real this time."
"You're just saying that." Tim said.
"No, no, this is different. I ca- I can be different. Please help me. Okay? Please." she begged.
———with Tim at isabel's apartment———
Tim sneaks up to the door of Isabel's apartment, picks the lock, and lets himself inside, closing the door quietly. He turns on the lights and looks around, turns on a lamp and sees a picture frame with a photo of him and Isabel.
He picks it up and looks at it for a moment, then puts it back on the counter where he found it. He kneels down in front of the heating unit and pries the lower part of the cover off, then sighs as he pulls out a hefty brick of what must be heroin.
he walks back to his car and is about to get in when he sees y/n getting out of her car nearby.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
"No, what are you doing here?" she said as Tim now stood in front of her.
"Look, you're out of your depth on this." he said.
"Look, I've been riding with you for two months. You project the rogue cop thing, but you are always on the right side of the law." she said.
"If you came all the way over here to psychoanalyze me, you wasted your time." he scoffed.
"No, I-I came here to remind you that you'll regret helping her. Because it's not gonna change her. But it'll sure as hell change you." she pushed.
he just turns away and gets in his car.
————————————————
the next morning:
i was was signing out me and Tim's equipment when the silence was getting to me. neither of us had spoke at all. "Sir, last night -" i said before he cut me off.
"Didn't happen. That clear?" he asked. i nodded and Grey walked up to us or- more rather Tim.
"Hey, I got some bad news." Grey said.
"Can't be worse than yesterday." Tim said.
"See, I'm afraid it can. Detectives executed a search warrant on your wife's apartment this morning. They found a kilo hidden in the heating unit. She's with her lawyer now. I'm sorry, Tim." Grey said and put his hand and Tim's shoulder, walking away. he must've put it back.
"You did the right thing." i told him.
"Not for Isabel." he said and walked away.
———————————————
i walked into my house with a sigh. i walked to my room and changed into some shorts and a short sleeve crop top.
i walked back downstairs and sat on the couch looking through netflix and deciding to rewatch "the dirt"
i love mötley crüe and a movie about it is even better. i took a sip of my coffee and got comfortable on the couch.