"Morning." Michelle smiled.
"Hey. Sorry i'm, like, invading your apartment."
"No, you're fine. Your dad will have you living with him next week, better enjoy your freedom."
"I'm gonna tell Al that you're talking trash about him." Toni said then laughed.
"No sex for you."
"Hold on, wait, I didn't mean that.."
Michelle laughed, watching as he came over to me, kissing all over my face. He went to check on Diego while I finished packing up everyone's lunch.
I was really that mom.. wow..
"The world doesn't work like that." Toni loudly voiced, entering the kitchen with Diego behind him.
"Why not?"
"Because you can't have something just because you want it."
"Henry's parents got it for him."
"This is our house, our family. We do what's best for us. I'm not paying for a video game bus to be parked out front for three hours."
"Okay."
"Okay" you give up, or "okay" you understand what I'm saying?"
"Okay," I give up." He grabbed the lunch from me, leaving the kitchen.
"What was that about?"
"Your phone's ringing."
I looked down at my vibrating phone, wiping my hands then answering.
"Is this Anastasia Moore?"
"Yes. Who's calling?"
"We're calling from Hill's Drive.. sorry to inform you but your mother has passed away."
I was silent for a minute before muttering an 'oh, ok' then ending the call. A small part of me was sad but mostly, I felt nothing.
"Come on, guys, let's go."
"Who was that?" Toni asked.
"Some bill collector."
-
"Family's Bill and Maureen Clifford. 14 year old daughter Carolyn. Offenders came in last night and ransacked the place. All three reported splitting headaches and dizziness."
"And they were home the whole time?"
"Wait til you see what they woke up to. Somehow the family slept through the entire robbery." Toni said.
"Huh."
"Father had a security camera system. Could be something."
"What's with the gas masks?" I asked.
"Get CFD down here."
"19.8% oxygen levels are lower than usual. That means that there's another type of gas in here." Casey said, examining the room.
"Offenders pumped gas in, knocked the family right out."
"They, uh, they ran tubing through here and circulated the gas through the ventilation system."
"Smart.." I commented.
We got our tasks, doing our own thing for the rest of the day. The belly made it hard for me to do any real work so surveillance and office work was my bestfriend.
"Jeez, baby." I lightly rubbed the bruising area on his face.
"I got a boxing session with Rico tonight. I don't know what I'll do." He sat at his desk, taking a deep breath.
"I can do it."
"You want me, to let my pregnant wife get in the ring with a rookie?"
"I told you she was a lunatic." Hank said, coming out of his office.
"What could go wrong?"
They both gave a 'what is wrong with you' look. I shrugged.
"No."
"Please. I'll tell him no body shots."
"That's what boxing is, Ana."
"Okay. How about I find someone to replace you and I just coach them through it?"
"I can do that myself."
"No. What you can do is rotate a hot and cold compress on your face." Hank laughed.
"I think she's got you beat, bro.."
-
I was on my way to the new victim's house. She was knocked out with gas and raped, too. We talked with her at the hospital but she discharged herself.
"Detective Moore." She smiled, opening the door.
"Hey, Tawny, is everything okay? Why did you leave the hospital?"
"The nurse said I could. Was I not supposed to?"
"It's all right. Whose house is this?"
"Crashing with a friend."
"Okay. Well, we have a lead, and I was hoping you could look at some photos for me."
"Of course. Come in."
We sat the the dining room table. I opened the folder, showing her some faces, hoping she could pick out the suspect.
"I remember he had darker hair than that."
"Take your time." She looked over the pictures again.
"That could be him."
A towel suddenly covered my mouth and nose. The arm came from behind, pressing the towel inside my mouth. Black dots blurred my vision before I blacked out.
Coming to, I took notice of the two guys and same girl in front of me. My hands and feet were tied, duct tape covered my mouth.
"Let's just put a bullet through her head get it over with."
"Killing a cop? That's suicide." She yelled.
"So is kidnapping one. Either way, we got to get out of here."
"Let's leave her. She chokes before somebody finds her, then c'est la vie." Tawny walked out of the room.
"I'm going to go pack up." One guy said.
"All right. I just need a minute." The other told him, stepping towards me as he unbuckled his belt.
"Are you serious?"
"Get out or watch. Up to you." He shook his head, shutting the door behind him as he left.
"Relax." He breathed on my neck, pressing the knife into my neck.
I screamed through the tape, feeling a sharp, piercing pain. The door burst open, slamming against the wall. Antonio aimed his gun at the man, focused..
"Drop the knife!"
"Walk out now!" He put the knife to the middle of my throat.
"Drop it."
"You want to see her neck sl-" a shot sounded, small blood droplets splattering everywhere.
"Spence and Tawny are here." I told him once he removed the tape.
"One offender down. Find the other two." Toni said in the radio.
"You okay? You hurt?"
"No. You're sexy when you're angry, you know that?"
"Is that right?"
"Yeah."
"That same attitude is what got you pregnant."
We met the others outside. I held the napkin to my neck, stopping the slow bleed.
"Spence met Tawny at rehab, Henley at UW. Started knocking over places for kicks. Extra drug money, that sort of thing."
"Hey!" I shouted. She turned my way before I punched her in the face.
"Hey, hey, come on." Toni grabbed me, pulling me away.
"You all right?" He asked.
"Yeah." I said, glaring at her.
"Promise me one thing? Never go in without backup again.. I can't lose either of you."
"You got it, Captain." He smirked, gripping my side then walking away with Jay.
"Hey, you know Mom died today.." I told Hank. He looked at me for a second then nodded.
"They called me first.."
"Because you're just so special."
"That warms my heart." He smiled.
"I'm out of here."
-
"Diego." I whispered.
"Come on, dude, I know you're not sleep." He continued to lie still.
I walked in, lifting up his pillow and taking out his lit up Nintendo Switch.
"Oh, come on."
"See, I knew it."
"Come on, Ana, I have school in the morning."
"You're lecturing me about you needing your sleep when you're playing a video game at two in the morning..
"Okay, what do you want?"
"Your dad wants to talk. I think he wants to apologize for not being here."
"I'm good."
Diego was made that Antonio wasn't at home for his birthday party. He'd gotten stuck at work but all Diego saw was his absent father.
"Dude, he's sorry."
"So?"
I walked out, closing the door behind me. Toni shrugged, asking me what he said.
"He doesn't want to talk."
He shook his head and walked right past me, going into his room.
"Dad!"
"Shut up and listen.. I'm sorry I didn't get the video game bus for your birthday."
"It's all right."
"No, I was trying to make a point, I guess. I don't even remember whatever it was, it doesn't matter."
Toni squeezed his arm, holding out forty dollars. Diego perked up, smiling and grabbing the money then laying back down.
"I had a fun time anyways."