crackling voice shouting “Douch e bag!” in the background. The county dispatcher cut all of the other radios out and sternly said, “All units on the zone check your microphones.”
The air was quiet after that, until a final, defiant click sounded.
“Seventeen-nine, are you trying to reach County?” the dispatcher said.
Aprille answered her, “No, County. I was checking my microphone like you asked.”
Reynaldo got out of the car and put on his hat. He made sure his tie was straight and bloused his uniform shirt to keep it from sagging over his gunbelt. He passed a group of juveniles on the corner and said, “Hello, everyone.”
The kids just looked at him. He kept walking. He opened the door to the dry cleaners and walked in, standing at the counter until an Asian woman came out from behind a rack of bagged clothing. “Hello there,” he said.
“Is something wrong, Officer?”
“No, I just wanted to stop in and make sure everything was okay.”
There was alarm in her eyes, “Why wouldn’t there be? Is something going on?”
“No, I was just doing a foot patrol.”
“Oh…I don’t think cops do them around here.”
Reynaldo nodded and waved his hand, “Have a nice day.” The woman leaned forward to watch him leave.
He walked into the post office where a long line of people stood behind a nylon barricade, all of them holding packages and envelopes. Reynaldo went around the side to where one of the postal clerks was talking to an angry looking customer. The customer immediately turned to Reynaldo and said, “Oh, so he called the freaking cops? Real nice. First you rip me off and now you’re trying to get me arrested.”
The postal clerk looked over at Reynaldo and said, “Nobody called anybody. I’ll be right with you in one moment, Officer.” He looked back at his computer and said, “Your package wasn’t delivered to Minneapolis until yesterday. It will arrive in California tomorrow.”
“Then why the hell did I pay so much money for overnight shipping?” The customer turned to Reynaldo and said, “Officer, these people stole my money! Can’t you do something?”
“I’m not sure, sir. I only came in to check on how everyone was doing.”
“Everyone is tired of waiting for this dude to stop holding up the line,” someone called out from the back.
“Hey, back off!” the customer said. “It was my granddaughter’s birthday yesterday and her gifts never arrived. Now these people are telling me it won’t get there until tomorrow.”
“Listen, what they did in Minneapolis is out of my control, but I’ll go get the Postmaster and you can file a complaint with him. Okay?” the clerk said.
“Fine!” The customer turned to Reynaldo and said, “Am I wrong here?”
“I don’t know, sir. I really don’t get involved with this.”
“Well I want you to stick around. I need a witness for this.”
Everyone was looking at him. Reynaldo felt sweat dripping down his back inside of his bullet proof vest. It was tight against his chest and he was having trouble taking a full breath. “Actually, sir…I have to get back to my car. Good luck with your package. Take care everyone.”
He went through the doors and hurried back toward his car. “County to Seventeen-ten. You still on foot in the shopping center?”
“Yes.”
“A woman from the dry cleaners is calling in a suspicious male dressed as a police officer who came into her store. Can you stop by and talk to her?”
Reynaldo was about to respond when Iolaus’s voice cut him out, “Disregard that. I’ll handle it. Seventeen-ten, wait for me around the side of the building.”
Reynaldo slumped into his patrol car and flung his hat across the seat. He picked up the microphone and said, “Understood, sir.”
***
Fifteen minutes later, Iolaus drove around the back of the shopping center and pulled up to Reynaldo’s car. “Did you
The air was quiet after that, until a final, defiant click sounded.
“Seventeen-nine, are you trying to reach County?” the dispatcher said.
Aprille answered her, “No, County. I was checking my microphone like you asked.”
Reynaldo got out of the car and put on his hat. He made sure his tie was straight and bloused his uniform shirt to keep it from sagging over his gunbelt. He passed a group of juveniles on the corner and said, “Hello, everyone.”
The kids just looked at him. He kept walking. He opened the door to the dry cleaners and walked in, standing at the counter until an Asian woman came out from behind a rack of bagged clothing. “Hello there,” he said.
“Is something wrong, Officer?”
“No, I just wanted to stop in and make sure everything was okay.”
There was alarm in her eyes, “Why wouldn’t there be? Is something going on?”
“No, I was just doing a foot patrol.”
“Oh…I don’t think cops do them around here.”
Reynaldo nodded and waved his hand, “Have a nice day.” The woman leaned forward to watch him leave.
He walked into the post office where a long line of people stood behind a nylon barricade, all of them holding packages and envelopes. Reynaldo went around the side to where one of the postal clerks was talking to an angry looking customer. The customer immediately turned to Reynaldo and said, “Oh, so he called the freaking cops? Real nice. First you rip me off and now you’re trying to get me arrested.”
The postal clerk looked over at Reynaldo and said, “Nobody called anybody. I’ll be right with you in one moment, Officer.” He looked back at his computer and said, “Your package wasn’t delivered to Minneapolis until yesterday. It will arrive in California tomorrow.”
“Then why the hell did I pay so much money for overnight shipping?” The customer turned to Reynaldo and said, “Officer, these people stole my money! Can’t you do something?”
“I’m not sure, sir. I only came in to check on how everyone was doing.”
“Everyone is tired of waiting for this dude to stop holding up the line,” someone called out from the back.
“Hey, back off!” the customer said. “It was my granddaughter’s birthday yesterday and her gifts never arrived. Now these people are telling me it won’t get there until tomorrow.”
“Listen, what they did in Minneapolis is out of my control, but I’ll go get the Postmaster and you can file a complaint with him. Okay?” the clerk said.
“Fine!” The customer turned to Reynaldo and said, “Am I wrong here?”
“I don’t know, sir. I really don’t get involved with this.”
“Well I want you to stick around. I need a witness for this.”
Everyone was looking at him. Reynaldo felt sweat dripping down his back inside of his bullet proof vest. It was tight against his chest and he was having trouble taking a full breath. “Actually, sir…I have to get back to my car. Good luck with your package. Take care everyone.”
He went through the doors and hurried back toward his car. “County to Seventeen-ten. You still on foot in the shopping center?”
“Yes.”
“A woman from the dry cleaners is calling in a suspicious male dressed as a police officer who came into her store. Can you stop by and talk to her?”
Reynaldo was about to respond when Iolaus’s voice cut him out, “Disregard that. I’ll handle it. Seventeen-ten, wait for me around the side of the building.”
Reynaldo slumped into his patrol car and flung his hat across the seat. He picked up the microphone and said, “Understood, sir.”
***
Fifteen minutes later, Iolaus drove around the back of the shopping center and pulled up to Reynaldo’s car. “Did you
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