A killer place to make friends
The Valley-Chapter 2
THE VALLEY CHAPTER 2
15X-27 turned on to Lankershim Boulevard.
Willie Bond steered, focusing on the cars ahead of them and cursing her fate. She had been partnered with Andy Mossier for the first time since she had transferred in from Rampart Division.
Mossier was well liked amongst most of his fellow officers. A big, slightly husky 28 year old officer who was always quick with a laugh or encouraging word. He was basically a nice guy, which made Bond feel bad about disliking him.
Since they had begun their watch he had not stopped talking. Mainly about the latest science fiction T.V. show or superhero movie.
“ Of course, I think the new Hulk movie was better than the one before it.” he said.” Did you ever see it? “
“ No.” she sighed.
“ Aw, you should have! It was pretty good. I took my nephews to see it when it came out. You got any nephews or nieces? “
“ I'm an only child.” she replied.
“ Not me. I have three brothers and a sister. I'm the second after my brother Randy.”
Bond shuddered at the prospect of there being more like Mossier from wherever he had come from, which incidentally was Burbank as he had already told her three times since roll call.
“ You ever been to Ribs U.S.A. Before? It's over on Olive in Burbank. Great ribs.“
“ Nope. Never been.”
They rolled to a stop at a red light.
“ Oh they have great food. Especially the pulled pork.”
“ I don't dig on swine, man.” Bond laughed to herself.
Mossier shot her a confused look.
“ You don't? “
She looked at him sideways.
“ Pulp Fiction? “ she offered.” You know, Samuel Jackson? Travolta? I don't dig on swine. A pig is a filthy animal? That's a great scene.”
He stared at her blankly.
“ Never saw it.”
“ How the hell can you have seen every Star Trek movie...twice, but never seen Pulp Fiction? I mean, it's like one of the best movies ever.”
“ Sorry. I'll have to add it to my Netflix.”
Bond sighed as she slipped the sunglasses from on top of her head and tossed them on the dash. The sun had begun to set behind them. It was going to be a long watch.
“ So...um...” Mossier searched for something to say. He could tell that she wasn't too fond of him.” What's it like working in Rampart? “
“ Busy.” she didn't look at him as she drove.” I transferred to The Valley because I thought I might get a little break. I figure also, if I work a few different divisions, my jacket'll look good when I move up.”
He nodded as he watched the streets pass his window.
“ Don't you think it's kind of stupid, how the Brass want us to call them “areas”now instead of “divisions”? “
“ I know! “ she laughed.” What kind of bullshit is that? Because “divisions” sounds too militaristic, they said? I guess they figured that all the young coppers like us would buy into it, but we still call 'em that anyway. P.C. garbage.”
Mossier exhaled a bit.
“ You know something funny? Every time I ride with a female partner, I get nervous. Not because I think you can't do the job, it's just that...I don't know, I feel like I'm on a date.”
She laughed wildly.
“ Yeah? Well, don't get any ideas, Mossier, I'll break your arm before you touch me.”
She continued to laugh, which caused her to snort.
“ You snorted.” he chuckled.
They were interrupted by the radio.
“ 15X27, 15X27 handle an unknown trouble, 11620 Hatteras. 911 hang up, woman was screaming on call back, then disconnected. Code 3, incident 4523 and R.D. 1526.”
“ 15X27, roger.” he replied, still laughing as he keyed the microphone.
He hit the light bar and siren.
“ Seriously, though,” she said as she accelerated.” I'll break your arm.”
XXXXXX
Chuy Pena sat on the front porch of his grandma’s bungalow. It was a mild night and a gentle breeze lazily scattered the usual litter along the street. A jet roared low overhead as it headed for a landing at the Burbank (now Bob Hope) Airport.
He emptied the orange dust at the bottom of the cheese curl bag into his mouth then tossed it onto the lawn.
His homie “ Bucky”, owing his nickname to his huge overbite, limped his way across the street towards the house.
“ Bucky, why you Crip walkin’, eh? “ Chuy called, licking his orange fingertips.
“ Screw you, Chuy.” Bucky said as he stood in front of him.” Brutha’s got a limp and all of a sudden he Crip walkin’? Damn LAPD did this shit to me. “
“ Cops jumped your ass? “
“ Might as well have. Shit. Night before last, me and Lil’ Dawg was jackin’ some hubcaps over by that liquor store with the big clown on top. You know it? “
“ Everybody know that shit, fool.”
“ True dat. So anyways, cops roll around the corner, start shining they light on us and we straight booked it. I ran down an alley and tripped over a freakin' trashcan. Almost broke my goddamn leg.”
Chuy leaned against the wood railing as he laughed.
“ Oh man. What happened to Lil’ Dawg? “
“ They caught his ass.” Bucky said as he sat down beside him.
“ He gonna snitch? “
“ Naw. Lil’ Dawg ain’t tellin’ off shit. He better not.”
“ You up for some shit tonight, ese? “ Chuy asked standing up and kicking a can across the lawn.
“ Like what? If we smokin’ out, that’s shit’s on you ‘cause I am one broke ass negro.”
“ No man. I got a score for us.”
“ We gonna jack some scrap iron again? “
“ No man. Somethin’ big, homie. Your boy still got that tow truck? “
“ Yeah. He got it. Do freelance jobs here and there.”
“ Right on, man ” Chuy laughed.” We gonna get paid tonight.”
XXXXXX
Mossier cut the siren as they stopped in the street before a small one story house with an adobe roof.
He placed them Code-6 with the dispatcher as he and Bond crossed the lawn with their guns drawn.
Bond stood to the left of the door, holding her pistol to her side and knocked three times. The door opened slightly as she knocked.
“ Los Angeles Police Department! “
“ Oh God! Help me! Please! “ a woman shrieked from inside.
The officers stepped inside with their weapons trained before them.
A young black woman sat in the middle of the living room floor, cradling a small naked girl in her arms.
“ Help her! Please...” the woman sobbed.
“ What happened to her ma'am? “ Bond asked, dropping to her knees as her partner radioed for a rescue ambulance.
“ She...she was in the bath...” the woman cried.” I...closed my eyes just for a minute...”
Bond lifted the girl from her mother's trembling arms and placed her on the carpet. She was ice cold and her lips were dark blue. She had been dead for some time.
Bond shook her head as she felt for a carotid pulse. She looked back over her shoulder at Mossier.
“ I'm...I'm sorry, ma'am. She's gone.” Mossier sighed.
“ No! NO!!! “ the woman howled.” Please! Please! Can't...can't you do that CPR or...or something? Please! She's all I have!!! “
Bond stood up, running a hand through her auburn hair.
“ I'm very sorry.” she said quietly.” I'm sorry.”
“ Noooooo! “, the woman wailed, rocking back and forth with her head in her hands.
Mossier crouched beside the distraught woman, searching for something to say. She collapsed in his arms.
He looked up at Bond who took a step back, then stared down at her wet hands.
XXXXXX
After the paramedics and a sergeant had arrived, Mossier stepped outside onto the lawn. He searched the front yard for his partner, then eventually saw her standing beside the house in the shadows.
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
“ You all right, partner? “ he asked.
“ Yeah.” she sniffed, wiping her eyes with the palms of her hands.” It's just...kids, ya know? “
“ Yeah.” he nodded.
She looked out at the flashing lights of their patrol car. They made her eyes sparkle red and blue.
She exhaled and wiped her nose.
“ That stupid woman.” she whispered.” You don't...you don't leave your kid alone in the bath. You just don't.”
“ You're right. ” he pointed to the house with his metal clipboard.” I'm gonna go in and get her statement.”
“ I'll do it.”
“ No, it's cool. I'll do it. I've always had a knack for paperwork.”
“ Thanks.” she sniffed.
As he turned to leave, she waved him back.
“ Hey, Mossier. I don't usually get emotional like this, you know? It's just...”
He nodded and made a zipping motion across his mouth. He wasn't telling anyone.
To Be Continued...
15X-27 turned on to Lankershim Boulevard.
Willie Bond steered, focusing on the cars ahead of them and cursing her fate. She had been partnered with Andy Mossier for the first time since she had transferred in from Rampart Division.
Mossier was well liked amongst most of his fellow officers. A big, slightly husky 28 year old officer who was always quick with a laugh or encouraging word. He was basically a nice guy, which made Bond feel bad about disliking him.
Since they had begun their watch he had not stopped talking. Mainly about the latest science fiction T.V. show or superhero movie.
“ Of course, I think the new Hulk movie was better than the one before it.” he said.” Did you ever see it? “
“ No.” she sighed.
“ Aw, you should have! It was pretty good. I took my nephews to see it when it came out. You got any nephews or nieces? “
“ I'm an only child.” she replied.
“ Not me. I have three brothers and a sister. I'm the second after my brother Randy.”
Bond shuddered at the prospect of there being more like Mossier from wherever he had come from, which incidentally was Burbank as he had already told her three times since roll call.
“ You ever been to Ribs U.S.A. Before? It's over on Olive in Burbank. Great ribs.“
“ Nope. Never been.”
They rolled to a stop at a red light.
“ Oh they have great food. Especially the pulled pork.”
“ I don't dig on swine, man.” Bond laughed to herself.
Mossier shot her a confused look.
“ You don't? “
She looked at him sideways.
“ Pulp Fiction? “ she offered.” You know, Samuel Jackson? Travolta? I don't dig on swine. A pig is a filthy animal? That's a great scene.”
He stared at her blankly.
“ Never saw it.”
“ How the hell can you have seen every Star Trek movie...twice, but never seen Pulp Fiction? I mean, it's like one of the best movies ever.”
“ Sorry. I'll have to add it to my Netflix.”
Bond sighed as she slipped the sunglasses from on top of her head and tossed them on the dash. The sun had begun to set behind them. It was going to be a long watch.
“ So...um...” Mossier searched for something to say. He could tell that she wasn't too fond of him.” What's it like working in Rampart? “
“ Busy.” she didn't look at him as she drove.” I transferred to The Valley because I thought I might get a little break. I figure also, if I work a few different divisions, my jacket'll look good when I move up.”
He nodded as he watched the streets pass his window.
“ Don't you think it's kind of stupid, how the Brass want us to call them “areas”now instead of “divisions”? “
“ I know! “ she laughed.” What kind of bullshit is that? Because “divisions” sounds too militaristic, they said? I guess they figured that all the young coppers like us would buy into it, but we still call 'em that anyway. P.C. garbage.”
Mossier exhaled a bit.
“ You know something funny? Every time I ride with a female partner, I get nervous. Not because I think you can't do the job, it's just that...I don't know, I feel like I'm on a date.”
She laughed wildly.
“ Yeah? Well, don't get any ideas, Mossier, I'll break your arm before you touch me.”
She continued to laugh, which caused her to snort.
“ You snorted.” he chuckled.
They were interrupted by the radio.
“ 15X27, 15X27 handle an unknown trouble, 11620 Hatteras. 911 hang up, woman was screaming on call back, then disconnected. Code 3, incident 4523 and R.D. 1526.”
“ 15X27, roger.” he replied, still laughing as he keyed the microphone.
He hit the light bar and siren.
“ Seriously, though,” she said as she accelerated.” I'll break your arm.”
XXXXXX
Chuy Pena sat on the front porch of his grandma’s bungalow. It was a mild night and a gentle breeze lazily scattered the usual litter along the street. A jet roared low overhead as it headed for a landing at the Burbank (now Bob Hope) Airport.
He emptied the orange dust at the bottom of the cheese curl bag into his mouth then tossed it onto the lawn.
His homie “ Bucky”, owing his nickname to his huge overbite, limped his way across the street towards the house.
“ Bucky, why you Crip walkin’, eh? “ Chuy called, licking his orange fingertips.
“ Screw you, Chuy.” Bucky said as he stood in front of him.” Brutha’s got a limp and all of a sudden he Crip walkin’? Damn LAPD did this shit to me. “
“ Cops jumped your ass? “
“ Might as well have. Shit. Night before last, me and Lil’ Dawg was jackin’ some hubcaps over by that liquor store with the big clown on top. You know it? “
“ Everybody know that shit, fool.”
“ True dat. So anyways, cops roll around the corner, start shining they light on us and we straight booked it. I ran down an alley and tripped over a freakin' trashcan. Almost broke my goddamn leg.”
Chuy leaned against the wood railing as he laughed.
“ Oh man. What happened to Lil’ Dawg? “
“ They caught his ass.” Bucky said as he sat down beside him.
“ He gonna snitch? “
“ Naw. Lil’ Dawg ain’t tellin’ off shit. He better not.”
“ You up for some shit tonight, ese? “ Chuy asked standing up and kicking a can across the lawn.
“ Like what? If we smokin’ out, that’s shit’s on you ‘cause I am one broke ass negro.”
“ No man. I got a score for us.”
“ We gonna jack some scrap iron again? “
“ No man. Somethin’ big, homie. Your boy still got that tow truck? “
“ Yeah. He got it. Do freelance jobs here and there.”
“ Right on, man ” Chuy laughed.” We gonna get paid tonight.”
XXXXXX
Mossier cut the siren as they stopped in the street before a small one story house with an adobe roof.
He placed them Code-6 with the dispatcher as he and Bond crossed the lawn with their guns drawn.
Bond stood to the left of the door, holding her pistol to her side and knocked three times. The door opened slightly as she knocked.
“ Los Angeles Police Department! “
“ Oh God! Help me! Please! “ a woman shrieked from inside.
The officers stepped inside with their weapons trained before them.
A young black woman sat in the middle of the living room floor, cradling a small naked girl in her arms.
“ Help her! Please...” the woman sobbed.
“ What happened to her ma'am? “ Bond asked, dropping to her knees as her partner radioed for a rescue ambulance.
“ She...she was in the bath...” the woman cried.” I...closed my eyes just for a minute...”
Bond lifted the girl from her mother's trembling arms and placed her on the carpet. She was ice cold and her lips were dark blue. She had been dead for some time.
Bond shook her head as she felt for a carotid pulse. She looked back over her shoulder at Mossier.
“ I'm...I'm sorry, ma'am. She's gone.” Mossier sighed.
“ No! NO!!! “ the woman howled.” Please! Please! Can't...can't you do that CPR or...or something? Please! She's all I have!!! “
Bond stood up, running a hand through her auburn hair.
“ I'm very sorry.” she said quietly.” I'm sorry.”
“ Noooooo! “, the woman wailed, rocking back and forth with her head in her hands.
Mossier crouched beside the distraught woman, searching for something to say. She collapsed in his arms.
He looked up at Bond who took a step back, then stared down at her wet hands.
XXXXXX
After the paramedics and a sergeant had arrived, Mossier stepped outside onto the lawn. He searched the front yard for his partner, then eventually saw her standing beside the house in the shadows.
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
“ You all right, partner? “ he asked.
“ Yeah.” she sniffed, wiping her eyes with the palms of her hands.” It's just...kids, ya know? “
“ Yeah.” he nodded.
She looked out at the flashing lights of their patrol car. They made her eyes sparkle red and blue.
She exhaled and wiped her nose.
“ That stupid woman.” she whispered.” You don't...you don't leave your kid alone in the bath. You just don't.”
“ You're right. ” he pointed to the house with his metal clipboard.” I'm gonna go in and get her statement.”
“ I'll do it.”
“ No, it's cool. I'll do it. I've always had a knack for paperwork.”
“ Thanks.” she sniffed.
As he turned to leave, she waved him back.
“ Hey, Mossier. I don't usually get emotional like this, you know? It's just...”
He nodded and made a zipping motion across his mouth. He wasn't telling anyone.
To Be Continued...
Add a Comment
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Comment by William Bushman on April 17, 2009 at 6:59pm - Thanks a lot and I can very well say the same thing about your work as well!!!
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Comment by J. F. Juzwik on April 17, 2009 at 3:33pm - This is a terrific read. I completed it on fictionpress, and recommend this to everyone. One warning though: reading this one all the way through will only leave you wanting more! Keep them coming, Bill.
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Comment by William Bushman on April 15, 2009 at 6:06pm
- Thanks, Joyce! I already have the entire story completed on fictionpress.com if you'd like to read it. I'm just posting the chapters here one at a time.
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Comment by J. F. Juzwik on April 15, 2009 at 3:54pm
- Thanks for getting this up so soon. There's no way I'm going to wait long for future installments--I'm enjoying this too much! This is great, like a chapter play. This one is good too. Getting to know more of the characters, getting a glimpse of some of the horror they see every day. Thanks for sharing this story.
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