Lay it on the Line : Prodigal book one

Chapter Ten

Chapter 10

JJ parked this K-9 unit on the frontage road off the highway behind deputy Jackson's unit. Leaving the unit engine running, the officer slowly exited the driver's seat. The units were always running and rarely turned off in case the deputies had to hop in and haul it to another location. They didn't even turn it off when they were filling up at the gas station most times. Sometimes under the hood would get so hot, some guys would heat up their supper or even cook. All you had to do was wrap up something in aluminum foil and cook it close to the engine.

JJ walked around to the back door to grab Sasquatch's leash. "Come on then buddy" He grabbed the leash, opened the door all the way, and watched the dog happily sniffing the tall grass after hopping out. Jackson rounded the corner and made his way towards JJ. Jackson was a little bit shorter, but he was built stocky with dark skin. The dog perked up his head and ears as he watched Jackson walk towards them. The radio broke the silence and both deputies reached and lowered the volume. Being out in the country now, the radio's echoed loudly over the chirping insects.

"I'm guessing you had to go help out Sean again?" Jackson asked as he walked over and stood in front of JJ. Jackson lifted his duty belt up and adjusted it a bit as JJ just shook his head in disappointment. It was an annoyance having to carry the duty belt. The belts would slip out of place every now and then from the weight they carried, but the items on them were necessary.

"Of course! Sean cannot do anything right." Sasquatch sniffed a bit and then sat beside JJ panting. Jackson let out a small chuckle, knowing how much Sean, was a screw up.

" I always have to help him out, be it at work or at home. It can get to be annoying...mama held his hand and sha-shaed or babied him too much growing up" JJ admitted with a laugh.

"I figured as much, being one of us always has to go help him out. Why did he want to do this job again?" Jackson asked.

"I have no Idea. Me and you have been doing this for what... some four-five years now? He followed along because it is the only place he could be up my butt was here. Monkey see monkey do" JJ teased his brother. The two officers laughed knowing it was the truth. Sean was always one step behind JJ.

"Oh, well... Anyways, I got a call about a guy possibly running around back here in the cane field. Tried to break into that guy's house." Jackson pointed to the house up the road a bit. JJ Glanced towards the house then the field.

"Alright, let's go. Sasquatch has been ready for action" JJ gave a command in Dutch to Sasquatch and the dog began to sniff the ground and pull JJ. Jackson followed behind JJ keeping his eyes open.

As the two officers made their way down the narrow rows of the cane field, they struck up a small conversation. Jackson and JJ both graduated the academy together and both had recently made their fifth-year anniversary together, Sean, however only started a year ago. Sean was often a screw up and the butt of most of their jokes. He failed the academy twice and was stuck in the jail for four years. It wasn't until a new sheriff came to office did he get another chance to go to the academy.

"What did Sean do this time?" Jackson asked. JJ turned slightly to give Jackson a 'guess 'look. "He needed help getting an old drunk man under control." JJ held Sasquatches leash tight around his wrist as the dog lead them forward.

"You still dating that chick, Becky? That's her name, right? The one you met when we went for drinks after the academy?" Jackson asked as the two trampled through the high sugar cane rows. Sasquatch lead the way through the darkness, followed by JJ and Jackson. The green leaves from the tall stalks of sugar slapped the two in the face as they made their way in deeper into the field.