SHIFT EXCHANGE

Chapter 16

It was just before midnight before Jake found the time to make into dispatch to drop off his vegetable tray. He reasoned that no one knew better how busy they'd been than the people who'd been taking the calls and shipping them out.

The screen was loaded with calls when he'd come on duty at 8 o'clock p.m. It seemed that the good residents of the county had imbibed a little too much during dinner and were now loose tongued and full of fight. His men had been running all over the county putting out spot fire domestic disputes.

The fire and medical people didn't have it any easier. He'd put his radio on scan so he could hear Kara ordering the fire trucks and ambulance off to reports of deep fried turkeys gone wrong, severe indigestion, and trauma evaluations requested by his men after their arrival.

If the chaotic world outside the communications center was any reflection on what was going on inside, he expected to be walking into a storm.

Jake parked his vehicle, grabbed the plastic bag of food, and walked toward the back door. He was immediately greeted by the savory smell of baking cheese and roasting turkey. His stomach growled in response. Mentally he counted back the hours since his sad ham and cheese sandwich lunch.

He placed his vegetable tray on the table beside several other bowls of snack type foods before walking through into the radio room.

"Happy Thanksgiving Sergeant Mahon!" Jake was greeted by a scruffy and tired looking Darren.

"Happy Thanksgiving to you! I think. Are you doing ok man?" Jake observed the dark circles under the other man's eyes and several days of beard growth on his youthful face.

"Ya. The baby got the flu so she's more fussy than normal. My wife and I are living like zombies this week. Thanks for asking though." Darren took a sip of his energy drink and returned to the missing person report he'd been entering. "It'll get better someday. I'm sure." He mumbled half heartedly.

"That's what they say." Jake clapped down on Darren's bony shoulder in reassurance and released. "Hang in there bud."

Lindy waived enthusiastically with the hand not holding a fork. Her mouth appeared to be full of pie. Jake smiled and returned the wave.

"Make yourself a plate and steal what little time you can sir." Anita pointed toward the kitchen. "Our fearless leader just got up for a minute and should be back any second." She winked at him.

"I'll do that then." He turned towards the kitchen and entered. Anita obviously knew something was up. How much she knew was unclear though.

There was a stack of paper plates and plastic ware on the counter. He picked up a plate and began to examine the contents of the covered dishes on the stove and in the oven. It all smelled delicious, like the Thanksgiving meals he remembered his mother preparing as a child.

His plate was getting heavy when he heard the side door open. Kara walked in with her eyes glued to the pages held within a large blue binder. She glanced up and came to a halt.

"Oh hey! You finally made it in." She looked beautiful as always and happy to see him.

He wished he could kiss her.

"I did. There are a lot of drunk, disgruntled parties out there, in case you didn't know." He licked the gravy he had just spilled off of his hand. He was definitely going to need a second plate for dessert and dinner roll. He took another plate and began to fill it.

"Do you need me to carry one of those for you?" She closed the binder and placed a plate on top of its cover.

"I appreciate it." He leaned in closer to her. "Just a little closer. One tiny kiss?"