Getting Away With It

Chapter 2: September 20, 2005: L

I get a class assignment that I have to do research for. I have to see what I can do about researching the career path I want. In my case I want to be like my mom she is a state officer for the state of Arizona.

She has an amazing career, she was an undercover officer for 6 years before she compromised her life and the investigation by falling in love with the target. My parents divorced after that and it put my mom into a great depression. I can't leave her, she needs me, as much as I need her.

She is now an investigator for white collar crime. They are thinking about getting her own office and possibly her first promotion in four years.

My friend volunteered to take me here. Officer Mendez is at the desk, "Laurie. You haven't come to visit for a quite while how's it going. Does that boy treat you well? Need me to run his plates or bring him in?"

"We're just friends Jose! But I came to see my mom."

"Well I still have to wand you and your purse is not allowed ."

"Yeah, yeah I know."

I get through without problem going through the bland tan and white walls. I get to the bullpen of desks and officers. There is a group surrounding my mom's desk spanning into two deals astound hers.

Private Malone lets me in and puts his finger to his lips. I take lighter steps and I go in the entrance of people to the Commissioner for the department speaking. "As you can see the car related to the shooting of or by Christopher Mendez in Chicago is related to Arizona by his car that as of yet have yet to yield to anything at all except stolen Arizona plates, on a VIN number that combines three cars together and a gun stolen out of Georgia. This is not a spree just a coincidence there are four other states involved in this let them take care of this. This case is of minimum priority. Dismissed."

Everyone just pushes past me trying to leave. I get all turned around and end up outside of the cubicle. I walk back in and the Commissioner walks in right after me, "Little Laurie, it has been a little while. Get busy with school and suddenly you can't visit you were here like every day during the summer. Now you disappear for a month from us. Come on. Really. But seriously you are a good girl visiting your mom at work. I'm going to get you something to eat before dinner, I don't think your mom will mind, hell there's cake in the office."

"I love food! Thank you." He walks away towards the break room with a smile.

My mom chimes in, "Laurie, I'm so glad to see you. Did you go home to see Princess and Rascal before you came to visit me?"

"No mom. I forgot. But I will clean up any mess they made I promise."

"Ok, well I'm glad to see you. Hopefully, you clean up before I get home."

"I came here for an important reason."

"Did you get suspended for fighting, again? What have I told you about your anger?"

"No mom. I had my teacher print this out, it's our assignment due in two weeks. I need to do research on the job I want. I want to be a police officer, I have since I was a little girl, you know this. The thrills and men in uniform. Mmmmm. Sounds awesome! So that case I walked in on, what's with that?"

"Mysterious happenstances in Chicago on a construction site. On paper, this guy was from New Mexico, with Arizona plates. Everything about it was just, off. Its minimum priority, if you want a case to actually tackle for your research you know I'm a desk jockey. So I won't have you going out with one of the guys in uniform you love so much, you're underage!"

"But mom!"

"No, I'm putting my foot down Laurie! I will see if Commissioner Halsted is willing to let you take this case and give you a temporary password to our systems, speak of the devil."

"Here you go Laurie, a piece of cake. Leslie, I'm sorry I could not bring you one as well, your daughter has the last piece and I had to get Jody away from it."

"Hahaha, that's okay. Oh since you're here my daughter wanted to take that case you wanted us to give minimum priority."

"That Chicago mess?"

"Yes." She hands him my assignment, "we all know she wants to be a cop or a vet but she keeps leaning to be a cop. Let's give her some experience."

He looks at me, "you won't be paid, possibly long hours, thankless if you fail: are you sure about this?"

I respond, "It would give me needed experience in doing this, I know it's not all shootings and chasing illegals."

"Go to school like normal I will make some calls about getting you temporary credentials but I can only do this if instead of an oral report in front of the class your teacher. Mrs. Koss must come here to our briefing room, sign a non-disclosure agreement because it is a real case with real people and real consequences. Leslie, go ahead and talk to her teacher tomorrow and find out if she is willing to do this for Little Laurie here." My mom raises her hand, "Go ahead Leslie."

"May I take a cruiser?"

"You may leave at lunch using your car to do it and take the time you need to get the answers we need that you cannot over the phone."

I interject, "If I'm going to take on a real case, I want to be off from school, make it my full-time job to be here."

"But we don't know what exactly will be here with this case, it could be a cold case within a week so many loose ends. This criminal whoever is ultimately responsible might have the impeccable intelligence or it could just be a hoax."

"Or I will break the case and catch whoever is responsible!"

"Leslie, go ahead and take an early day, take your daughter home."

"Thank you for the opportunity Robert."

"Laurie don't call me Robert. And I'm going to see what I can do, I cannot promise anything. Have a good night you two. I'll see you both in the office tomorrow around 3:30 pm."