Mayhem

Grabbing the last steamy dish from the counter, Julie heads into the dining room. "Supper is ready," she announces, placing it on the table.

"It looks delicious, honey,"

"Yeah, delicious, mommy." Abby agrees, reaching for the mashed potatoes.

"We have to say grace first, Abby."

"I almost forgot." She sheepishly sets the bowl back down. They start to say grace when Jeff's cell rings."

"You know how I feel about phones at the table." Julie scolds. She's always been adamant about dinner being family time, where they catch up on everyone's day.

"Sorry, honey, it won't happen again. Jeff starts to turn it off when he recognizes the number on the screen. His hands begin to shake. He glances up to find Julie giving him the evil eye. I can't ignore Luigi. Jeff apologetically says. "Sorry, babe, but I have to take this." Springing from the table, he heads towards the back. "Hello?" He answers. Slipping into the kitchen, he turns on the light. "Another job already?" he whispers, glancing towards the door. "No, no, I'll do it. The bowling alley at eight." "Don't worry. I'll be there." He eyes the door again. "I know what'll happen if I don't."

***

Joe is researching a suspect at his desk, oblivious to what's happening around him.

Seeing an opportunity to even the score, his partner, Jerry, sneaks up behind him. "Whatcha doing there, Joe?" he asks.

Joe throws his hands in the air as he springs out of his seat. "

Jerry's rounded belly jiggles when he chuckles. His healthy eating habits died with his family.

"You would think that's funny." The sergeant sneers, plopping back down in his chair.

"It's nice to see you jump for a change." He laughs again. Joe always seems to be pulling one over on him. He claims it keeps the horror of the job from getting them down. "What case is making you so jumpy?" He asks, glancing at the screen.

"The Italian mafia sting. According to my research, Bambini has people from all over the world on his payroll. Many are top officials with a lot of power under their belt."

"I don't doubt it a bit." They've been trying to take down Bambini for over a year, but they're no closer now than when they first began. "The captain just told me the guy you're tailing had his car stolen in the Walmart parking lot a little over an hour ago."

"His detail didn't stop it?"

"He was busy following your suspect through the store. Said he overheard your man say he was meeting his dealer there. "

Joe runs his finger through his thinning, dark-chocolate, gray-streaked hair. "Did anyone see it happen?"

"Witnesses claim two white men pulled up in a black coupe and that a man approximately six foot three with sandy blond hair drove the stolen vehicle away. The second man, his driver, is a Hispanic male in his mid-to-late-thirties. "

"Did they give any specifics?"

"Only what I said." Jerry started on the force ten years ago, a detective for five. He switched careers from the military to the police force after his daughter's and wife's demise. They were bystanders in a gang-related shootout during a visit with her folks.

Joe throws his hands in the air. "The descriptions fit over half the men in town." He scratches his beard and adds, "Maybe the security footage will tell us more."

"It would if there was any."

"Walmart doesn't have cameras in their parking lot?"

"Lightning took them out. I'll search two-door coupes and narrow the list from there." Jerry pops a piece of candy in his mouth as he plops down in his chair. Rachel nags him about decreasing his candy intake, so he takes advantage of her absence every chance he gets.

"Keep me posted."

Jerry nods. "Copy that, sergeant."

Joe returns to his task. It's scary to think that one man can have so much power, he thinks, scanning through a list of men.

"Hey Joe," Rachel says.

He jumps again. "I wish you guys wouldn't sneak up on me."

His partner snickers. Noticing the deadly glare, Jerry stifles his humor as he turns away.

"That case has you spooked."

"I think Bambini has everyone who's anyone under his thumb." He taps the computer screen.

"We'll get him eventually, Joe, Bambini, and all his men. "

Joe rubs his weary eyes. "I hope so." Kicking back in his chair, he stretches and then asks, "So, how's your friend?"

"Turns out her husband came home and forgot to set the alarm. And the picture she found is a present from their neighbor. He claims he thought it would be a good addition to the family album she's working on."

"I wouldn't like my neighbors taking pictures of me."

"You don't have to worry about that, boss." Jerry snickers.

Joe knows a wisecrack is coming, but curiosity getting the better of him, he asks."And why is that?"

"Your neighbors wouldn't want to risk breaking their camera to take a picture of your ugly mug."

"Says the guy who hasn't had a date in months."

"How can I date when you work me like a dog?"

"Is that what you're telling yourself these days?" Joe laughs.

"Here we go again." Shaking her head, Rachel walks away.

"I don't see women lining up at your front door."

"Because I'm always here babysitting you."

"Me and a certain someone special to your heart." He glances at Rachel, whose busy chatting with a rookie a few desks away.

Joe shakes his head. "You're out of your cotton-picking mind, Jerry, thinking I'm in love with her."

"Denying the truth doesn't make it go away." Everyone on the squad knows he has feelings for her and her for him, but both are too stubborn to admit it.

Mumbling a few words, Joe returns to his work.

"What are you researching, Jerry?" Rachel questions, walking toward his desk.

"There was a carjacking at Walmart this afternoon. The witness said the crook got out of a black coupe, so I'm running a search, see what I can find."

"Are you having any luck?"

"I've found two, but neither owner fits our description."

"What if the thief borrowed their car?"

"Want to check them out?"

"Sure." Rachel has been on the force for six years, two years as a detective. Her career started after she helped Joe and Jerry solve the Berryville widow maker case. She first wanted to be a PI but switched her choice mid-way through.

***

Julie is washing the last dish when Abby runs into the room.

"Save me, Mommy, save me," she breathlessly begs, dodging behind her legs.

"What's going...?"

Rebecca storms through the door. "Give her back."

"I don't have your stupid doll, so there. " Abby sticks out her tongue.

"I saw you take her."

"Did not."

"Did too." Rebecca reaches around her mother. Abby dodges out of the way.

"You missed me. You missed me." The child chants.

Furious, Rebecca tries again.

"Wait, stop. What's going on?" Julie questions.

"She took my doll, and I want her back."

"Here, take your stupid toy, Becca. I didn't want to play with her anyhow." She holds it towards her sister. Rebecca reaches for it. Abby snatches it away, laughs, and says, "You have to catch me first." Running around the island, Abby races out the door.

"You give her back," Rebecca orders, chasing after her.

"Give your sister her doll, Abby."

"I've got it," Jeff yells from the other room.

Julie shakes her head and then sighs. "I doubt if those two will ever get along." She's putting the last dishes away when screams erupt from the adjoining room. "Now what." Throwing the dish towel on the cabinet, she races through the door. She finds her husband standing on the couch with the girls on either side.

"What's all the screaming about?"

"There's a spider in the house," Rebecca says, pointing toward the floor.

"A large ugly one with teeth," Abby adds, clinging onto her daddy.

"Oh, come on, you guys aren't scared of a little insect, are you?" She laughs. Picking up a newspaper, Julie swats and misses. She starts to try again when the bug charges toward her. Screaming, Julie jumps on a chair. "The thing tried to attack me."

"Me too," Jeff says, eyeing the hairy bug.

"What are we going to do now?" Rebecca asks.

"I think the man of the house should kill it," she hands the rolled-up newspaper to her husband.

Jeff pushes it away." I'm not getting down there with that demonic thing."

"Well, we can't stay up here all night."

"Maybe we could throw something at it," Rebecca suggests.

"Like what?"

"A shoe?"

Julie scans their feet. "No one is wearing any."

"Oh."

Julie glances at the spider and her family. We're being ridiculous. Shaking her head, she steps off her chair. Her feet barely reach the floor when she hears a loud commotion in the adjoining room.