Moon- T. Bradford (engl. Version) [1]

Chapter twenty-seven

"Why is the appeal in the parking lot?" Nyla complained when she entered the parking lot together with Katie and Tim. "That was in the e-mail, among other things," Officer Bradford answered her question. "Do you read them all?" Questioned her. "I don't, but Katie does. Apparently, the rooms have to be retrofitted earthquake-proof," he explained to her. "And we sat inside there every day?"

"Everyone listens. Due to recent events, changes are being initiated throughout the department. Officer Bradford. Read the first one." the sergeant asked him. "Anyone who requests a copy of a police report brings the approval of a sergeant. The copies must be destroyed after use. Omissions will be disciplined." he read. And then Jackson should continue reading. "The students of the academy must report every little contact with colleagues in active service from now on." And lastly, Nolan should read. "For personal purposes, an official may not buy, have or own a mobile phone without giving the service the number."

"Do I have to teach my girlfriend about this?" Smitty asked with a grin and Katie shook her head.

"These innovations are necessary. Nick Armstrong's behavior has damaged our reputation and made our work more difficult. We have to prove to the community that we are still gone from their trust. And I know each of them will try to achieve exactly that. About the business: One of our new faces is Officer Doug Stanton. Where are they?" Grey explained. "Here, sir," a guy behind Katie spoke up. "Officer Statnton takes over the training of Officer WestAnd last but not least. We were asked to occupy the citizens' office in the fourth. Harper Nolan they do that," he ended. Tim and Katie quickly said goodbye to each other with a kiss before Camila and Katie set off. They wanted to look for Lucy's car while they didn't have a case.

"The guy is an ass," Angela complained while she was on the phone with the other two detectives. Angela wasn't there at all when the two drove along an orange car. It was Lucy's car. "Hey Ange...I'll call you back." Katie apologized briefly and hung up before they get out of the car.

"Someone is sitting in there," Camila noticed as they approached the car. "Stand still immediately! Hands over the head. Cross fingers," the brown-haired woman demanded and handcuffed the person. "I'm arresting you for car theft," she said. Of course she was a detective, but that didn't mean she couldn't do a bit of patrol service if the two didn't have a case. "You are wrong. I didn't steal it. The owner lent it to me. But I just didn't have any keys," replied the girl they had arrested. "It happens that the owner of this car is my friend," Katie explained to her. "He wasn't finished. What do they expect?" The girl defended herself. "He can't be closed," Camila now intered. "Now already."

"What? How did you get that?" Katie asked impressed. "I took off the door panel. That went quickly," she replied and Katie looked into the car. There was a blanket, a backpack and other things that didn't look like they were from Lucy. "Wait, do you live in there? How old are you?" She concluded now. "17" the girl answered.

"Where are your parents?" Camila wanted to know, who was still leaning a little further away on her own car. "dead." she got back in response.

The two detectives carefully searched the car together. Apparently, this girl had been living alone for a long time. "I'll take her to a youth home." Katie decided but the girl wanted to refuse, but Katie insisted. She wanted to help the girl in the long run and not just in the short term.

*******

The next morning, Harper and Nolan had asked Camila and Katie to help them with a case. And since they didn't have their own case to do, the two helped them.

"That's it. Here Hugo's cell phone had set the last signals, but I don't see anything," Nolan explained to the three women when they arrived and got out of the car. "Nolan. Do you see?? Over there. The laboratory gases destroy the vegetation near ventilation openings, so it must be there somewhere," said Camila, pointing to what she had seen. And with the help of the S.W.A.T. team, they should be able to open the door to the hut that was discovered.

"Listen to them. The gases in a damaged meth kitchen can kill you immediately. Even with this mask, they only have 30 seconds, maximum. As soon as they hear a bang, they run out of there immediately, on the spot. Understood?!." Nyla explained to him and pointed to the masks that each of them held in their hands when the S.W.A.T. team opened the door and everyone ran into the house with raised weapons.

Suddenly shots were fired, but they had to go on. So they returned the fire and kept running.

"Oh, thank God, your're here. They didn't want to let us go," said one of the men who stood in the room where the four are just in. "Where are the keys?" Katie wanted to know and looked at the men questioningly. "Above. On the wall," replied one when he was searched by Camila.

But the next moment you could smell the gas. "Nolan. We have to get out of here immediately. Let's go!" Katie demanded and freed the last of the men from his ankle cuff. But on the way out, she suddenly discovered a man lying on the floor, so she stopped. She couldn't leave him here. But the effects that the gas already had on her body did not make the whole thing easier for her. In front of her, she could see people falling to the ground and her vision became more and more unclear. The gas burned in her throat. She had to get out of here.

With all her strength, she dragged the last few meters outside alone, but unfortunately she had to leave the man she had found there to save her own life. Exhausted, she leaned herself with her hands on her thighs and gasped for fresh air.

****

"Tamara." Katie drew the young girl's attention when she stood next to an older-looking car, next to the library and waited for the girl. "How did you find me?" She asked Katie. "I checked the high schools to see where you are registered and then I was told that you were in the library until it closes," she replied and pushed herself off the car.

"You can take me back to the home, but of course I won't stay there," Tamara informed the older one. "I know. But a life on the street is not better. And you deserve more." Katie tried to cheer her up. "There's nothing left. That's all."

"No, no. You don't believe that. Otherwise you would have given up and dropped out of school. You hope that something better is waiting out there. You just need help to find it. So I listen, um.. I'll give you my brother's old car....." but Katie was interrupted. "What?"

"Only until you get back on your feet. I know he doesn't run so well anymore, because he's been standing around in the garage for ages and... I just couldn't give him away, because my brother loved this car.... And... and I'm sure he would think it's right that the car is used for a good cause," she explained to the young girls.

"Where is the catch?" She wanted to know and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "The social service is looking for a place to stay where you can live permanently. A place where you are safe. Until then, you will contact me regularly so that I know that you are well." Katie demanded and imitated Tamara's gesture. "So once a week?"

Shaking her head, Katie replied: "Once a day. The car is free. And I want you to take care of it. So daily or "no-deal" until you are off the street." and handed Tamara the car key, which gratefully accepted them.

"Thank you."