SHIFT EXCHANGE

Chapter 7

Kara steeled herself. She would not look up when he walked in. She would be cool as a cucumber, fully engrossed in her duties. Her hand shot out lightening quick to grab the phone beside her as it began to ring. She let out a grateful breath for the needed distraction. 

The back door opened and closed. Thick boots clunked through the kitchen. The heavy wooden door into the communications center swung open and Sergeant Mahon waltzed through with a flat gray computer in his arms.

"Hello dispatchers!" Sgt. Mahon greeted with a wave. He was bundled for the weather with a dark beanie pulled low over his ears. Only dark blue eyes and brows peeked out from beneath the edge.

Anita, Darin and Lindy waved or greeted him pleasantly. Kara gave a weak smile and wave before returning her hands to the keyboard to record the rest of the caller's complaint. She felt a mild wave of irritation as her heartbeat sped up against her will.

"Ok ma'am I understand your frustration. I've put in a call for service and I'll have the watch commander call you as soon as he is available to do so," She risked a glance up at the watch commander in question. He speared her with a dark look, obviously having pieced together the call would be for him. "Thank you ma'am, I can't give you a time frame, but I assure you I have put in the call for service and you will be contacted."

She glanced up again. Jake was now shaking his head and mouthing the word "no". Kara had to turn her back to him to keep from snorting into laughter.

"You too ma'am. Goodnight." Kara hung up the phone and turned back around. "No making funny faces when I'm on the phone!" She exclaimed and threw her hands up in the air.

Anita burst into a fit of giggles. "I saw your face. You almost bit it, and on an angry one too!"

Jake was laughing along with Anita and the others although he understood he didn't have the full story.

Darin pulled himself together and decided to enlighten their guest. "Kara can take on the angriest mothers, the most down trodden suicidal, the panicked of the panicked, but she cannot handle when people make faces at her. She loses it and starts laughing. So she made the rule, no making faces while she's on the phone."

"Oh really, it's a rule huh?" Mahon swung around to look at Kara who was now blushing beet red. "Sounds like a challenge to me." He lifted his eyebrow in a mischievous smirk.

 "No. It is not a laughing matter," She pointed a warning finger at him. "You however, need to call Miss Evelyn Millard and explain to her why your deputy gave her sweet nephew Milton a ticket for speeding. Milton assures her he was not speeding and it was simply a case of profiling because he is young and attractive."

Jake rolled his eyes. "I'll call her after coffee. I assume the Keurig and cups are in the break room somewhere?" He gestured over his shoulder back the way he'd entered.

"Yeah. I need to get up too so I can show you. Anita can I get up?" Darin stood  and stretched his back.

"I got them." Anita reached over and turned up Darin's channel to assure she would hear any traffic while he was up.

Both of the men left the room.

Kara took a breath and focused on her screen. She was glad to have Lindy as her partner tonight. The quiet girl hunkered down behind her screen. Kara's back was to Anita so her friend couldn't see her face.

Headlights flashed across the cameras. A black and white sedan idled at the gate. Kara hit the button and watched as the gate slid open. A quick glance at her map showed the visit to be the city department watch commander. Now she had both Sergeants paying a visit.