Tearful Farewell

The moon casts its glow across the dark starless skies. Night creatures cry in the distance alerting the others of the danger nearby. Two squad cars zip down the hill in front of her. A second darts out from the road on her right. While a third makes their way down the rugged dirt path on her left. She glances in the rearview to find several more speeding down the hill behind her. I've gotten as far as I can, she thinks, easing to a stop in the center of the road. 

 A parcel of wolves howl in the near distance, as a cloud drifts across the moon. The spooky surroundings puts the sergeants already frayed nerves on edge. She suddenly recalls the hours she spent traveling down the deserted path as the pack cries again. The reality of it all hits her. I could've been eaten alive. She shivers, picturing the horrid outcome in her mind.

The cruisers stop, a short distance away. Officers spring from their car, guns in hand. 

The sergeant reaches for the door, then imagines what she would do if a perp tries to escape. She glances at the angry men again. I need to wait it out until Joe gets here, she thinks as the officers slowly ease their way towards her car. Please help me Joe, and please make it quick. she prays.

***

Joe reaches the station steps to find his former colleague bolting through the door. Racing up to meet him, he breathlessly says, "I need to talk to you. It's about my wife."

 "I can't right now, Joe, have a situation out on Miller Road. A perp stole one of our squad cars and is trying to flee."

"The perpetrator your men are after is my wife, sir."

With a confused expression on his face, the captain shakes head and says, "Come again?"

 "Rachel took a squad car trying to escape." 

The captain waves his hands through the air as he yells, "Why did she do that?" 

"I don't have all the details, just that Rachel claims your officer picked her up and took her back per her kidnappers request, leading her to believe they are in on it together. Which would explain how he knew police procedure and what our next move would be."

"My men would never help a criminal."

"Then why did he take her to his house knowing she's being held against her will?" Seeing the perplexed look on his friend's face, Joe shifts his weight and adds, "I don't have time to argue with you about this. Just please ask your men to stand down before someone gets hurt." 

***

Two officers on the right side of the car, and two on the left. A few more are coming up from behind. This is it, Rachel thinks, raising her hands in the air. 

"Keep your hands up where we can see them and no sudden movements, understand?" An officer barks. Rachel nods as she lifts them higher.

One of the officers opens the driver's door. A second reaches in and jerks her out. The driver door closes as an officer slams her body against the car. Cuffing her hands behind her, the officer spins her around. "Do you have your ID?"

"I don't have it with me, but I'm Rachel Bower, sergeant of the Berryville PD. My badge number is…"

"So, because you're a sergeant, you think you have the right to come into our town, assault one of our own, kill a man and steal a car?" 

"It's not like that, it's not I was..."

"Seems that way to me."

"The man I killed kidnapped me, and your officer was helping him out."

"Officer Simms doing something illegal, yeah I hardly doubt that." 

"I'm telling you the truth. Ask anyone on the Berryville police force and they'll tell you that I was kidnapped while searching for two missing girls."

"Save it for the judge." He grabs a hold of her arm and leads her to his car.

***

The captain glances up from his phone, smiles at Joe and says, "My men apprehended the perp without incident. They're bringing her to the station now."

"Oh, thank god. What about the kidnapper?"

"He's dead. COD is a head wound from his fall."

"The officer?"

"They're bringing him in for questioning."

"I should be the one to integrate him, since the kidnapping happened in my city." 

"You're too close to this, Joe."

"And you're not, seeing he's one of your own?"

"I've been on the force longer than you, giving me seniority." 

"Yeah, well I've been a captain longer, Lucas."

"He resides in my city, not yours."

Realizing the pissing contest is about to get out of hand, Kirk steps closer, clears his throat and says, "We'll do it boss, pointing between him and Jerry."

"I'll agree to that only if I'm there with you."

"Agreed," Joe says, shaking the man's hand.

***

Rachel opens the apartment door to find a welcome home banner hanging across the front room wall. Colorful balloons are taped on either side.

"Welcome home," her family yells as she steps inside.

"You didn't have to do all this for me."

"Your daughter insisted that we throw you a party, and you know how persistent she can be."

Rachel glances over at her husband, chuckles and says, "She gets it from her dad."

"Hope everyone is wearing boots because it's sure getting deep in here." The detective chuckles.

"I missed you too, Jerr."

"Mommy," Lulu cries, waddling her chubby down the hall. Jeanie said she's the spitting image of Rachel when she was little with her thick brown hair, and chocolate eyes.

Bending down, Rachel scoops her up and gives her a kiss."

"I missed you mommy."

"I missed you too, sweetheart." Rachel says, hugging the child again. She glances around and asks. "Where's your bubba?"

"He tried to stay up, sis, he did, but didn't quite make it." Becca points to the sofa.

She looks over to find her handsome little boy snuggled up on the couch. 

"I big girl stay up. Bubba not, him baby." 

"You're getting bigger and bigger by the minute," Rachel says.

"I be free next week." Lulu says, struggling to hold up three chubby fingers.

You're growing up way too fast. Rachel thinks.

Squirming out of her arms, Lulu runs over to her brother and shakes him. "Mommy home, Mommy home, she sings, tugging on the child's arm.

"Leave me alone, Lulu." he grumbles, pulling his blanket over his head." 

"Mommy home, mommy home."

Raising up she glances over to see his mama talking to everyone. "Mama, he says, running towards her.

Bending down she gives him a hug. "I sure missed you, little man."

"I made you something." He darts to his room, comes back a few minutes later with a piece of paper in his hand."

Rachel sees a man and woman with two children, a boy and a girl playing in the park. 

"I even included my baby brother, see?" He says pointing to the woman's rounded stomach.

"We don't know if your mom is having a boy yet, son." Joe says ruffling the child's hair.

"I asked Santa for a baby brother last Christmas, remember." He first said he was going to ask for a dog, but decided on a baby brother instead.

Joe laughs, winks at Rachel and says,. "That you did." 

Rachel's phone rings. Taking it from her pocket, she answered it. "Sergeant Bower."

"You killed the wrong one, pipsqueak." The call disconnects.

Rachel's face pales as she falls to the chair.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?"

"That was my stalker and he just said I killed the wrong one."

"Maybe it was a prank?"

"He called me pipsqueak, Joe."

***,

A few weeks later, the sergeant arrives at the station to find a letter addressed to her lying on her desk. She glances around, and sees she's the first one to arrive. Who could've put it here? She questions. Plopping down in her chair she inspects it. Recognizing the handwriting she opens it at reads

Dear Pipsqueak

I do hope this letter finds you well, and that you were able to fully recover from your latest encounter. I'm truly sorry for having been there for you to protect you the way I have in the past. Just know I had no part in any of his plans and that I'm pleased that justice was served. The officer was sentenced to ten years and lost his shield. The kidnapper was pronounced dead at the scene.

I am saddened to say that my work here has come to an end. Please don't grieve over my departure, my lovely angel. I'd hate to think that I caused a single tear to come to your beautiful brown eyes. Just know that I may no longer live in the city where you reside, but I'm never too far away, always ready to protect you should the need ever arise.

 Your Mystery Lover.