Fight Me(40)
“Yes. It’ll give me a chance to snoop around,” she says with a grin.
I help her out of the truck and head towards the backdoor. “Feel free to snoop around until your little heart is content while I run back to my room and change,” I say as I head towards the hall.
While I’m in my room changing, I hear her yell from the living room. “You have a beer sign in your living room.”
“Yeah, so? What’s your point?”
“You can’t have a beer sign in your living room. This isn’t a college dorm.”
“It’s a bachelor pad, darlin’. Same thing.”
“You might as well have a keg in the corner of your kitchen and plastic furniture in your living room.”
“That would be sweet,” I throw back to her down the hall, but honestly, that doesn’t hold any appeal to me anymore.
As I’m pulling my service pistol and badge out of the lock box in my nightstand, I hear Erin come in the room behind me. “So this is what your room looks like.”
“This is it,” I say as I turn towards her, placing my pistol in the holder and clip my badge onto my belt. I walk towards her and say, “I’d give you a tour of all the important parts like my bed, but then we wouldn’t have time for breakfast before I have to be at the station.”
“Too bad. I guess you’ll just have to give me a tour another time.”
“Deal. Come on, I’m starving. Let’s go to the diner.” I grab a hold of her small hand and lead her back out to the truck. As much as I’d love to stay and give her a very thorough tour of my bed, I know that would result in calling in sick to work. But damn if I can’t think of any better reason to call in sick than to be in bed all day with Erin. Maybe next time.
*****
Maddox and I are cruising towards my parent’s house that afternoon to grab some dinner. Sunday is family dinner night and while we work every other weekend, we still try to head out there and grab some of my mom’s home cooked food to-go. Plus, I always love seeing my niece for those few minutes before I have to head back out again. We’re heading down the familiar country road when a domestic call comes in. “Three Ten David, you copy?”
“Copy dispatch, go ahead.”
“Reports of a domestic dispute at Fourteen-Thirty River Bend Road. Caller reportedly has heard arguing all afternoon. Suspect has a history of domestic violence towards his wife. You copy?”
“Yeah, we copy. We’re not that far. We’re in route now.”
“Fourteen-Thirty? That’s Jim Handy’s place isn’t it?” Maddox asks.
“Yeah, I think so. I’m guessing he’s drinking again. Connie always had a hard time controlling him when he starts drinking whiskey.”
Maddox drives the car towards the Handy’s place. They live on the edge of town in a pretty scarcely populated location near the river. If the neighbors heard anything, it must have been pretty loud. The house is rundown and in desperate need of some TLC. There are two old cars parked in the front yard and a broken swing set on the side of the house near the driveway.
“Well, let’s go see what the Handy’s are up to this fine February afternoon,” Maddox says as he steps out of the squad car. I’m right behind him, approaching the front of the car when we hear the words that no one wants to hear, especially a cop.
“Stop right there, boys. You come any closer to this house and I’ll shoot you both where you stand.”
Shit. “Jim? It’s Officer Stevens. You have a gun in that house with you?” I ask, my right hand releasing the snap on my holster.
“Yeah, I gotta gun! This bitch hasn’t shut up all damn day about my drinking. I’m sick of her shit. This here gun is the only thing to make her shut up.”
I hear Maddox radio in our request for immediate back-up and report that a firearm is on the premise. Suspect is now armed, considered very dangerous, and has a hostage.
I stop walking but continue to engage Jim, trying to pinpoint his location on the property.
“We’re just here to talk to you, Jim. There’s no need to point guns or threaten anyone. Where is Connie?”
“She’s right here, crying her eyes out. If she doesn’t knock it off real quick, I’m gonna really give her something to cry about.”
Maddox slowly approaches my right side and whispers under his breath. “His speech sounds slurred. I’m pretty sure he’s in the front room by the door. Notice it’s open?”
“Yeah, I agree. How long until back-up arrives?”
“ETA ten minutes. Both of the other cars are on location at an accident on the other side of town.”