Sunflower

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Run and Hide

"Papa!" The little girl yelled jumping out of the 4Runner to meet her grandpa in the garage. 

"Hey, there kiddo. How are ya?" 

"Daddy got me lollipop at the gas station," She grinned holding the big lollipop up. 

"Oh did he now?" He said looking at Kaleo. 

"She gave me puppy dog eyes okay?" Kaleo whined walking inside. 

"What're you doing?" Kova asked. 

"I'm working on the Bronco you wanna help?" 

"Yeah!" She smiled. 

Harley got her a step ladder to be able to see over the top of the engine, "Okay right here, do you know what that is?" She shook her head, "This is the engine block." 

"Okay?"

"It's like the heart of the car," Harley tried to add alternatives to explain car parts to her. 

"Pop, does this car go fast?" She asked. 

He shook his head, "No not this one. But the Mustang..." He walked over opening the car door, "This will be yours someday Coco," Kova sat in the overly large seat putting her hands on the thin black steering wheel. 

"Stop moving Coco," My dad told me. 

"Sorry," I muttered rolling my eyes. Clara worked on getting the small pieces of gravel out of my hair. 

"Alright here comes the sting," She warned.

Placing the alcohol-soaked cotton pad on the back of my head I clenched my eyes close tight and, "Ow, Ow, Ow," I muttered. 

"Alright all done," She said happily, "If it wasn't for you're ponytail hitting the cement directly, we might be sitting in a hospital room." 

"Still hurt though." 

"I want every single one of those bastards charged," My dad sneered.

I shook my head a bit trying not to say anything, "They did all this and didn't even know you were a cop?" Reyes asked coming up behind me. 

"Not till I was walking back to the car." 

"That's... Wow. I'm sorry." 

"Not you fault Reyes," My dad laughed. 

After a quiet minute, Reyes spoke up, "I don't mean to bring up this right now but... Do you know when I'm going back to work? Or when Kogin is out of the hospital?" 

My dad looked up at his shaking his head, "I can see if I can get you an adjoining shift with me or Eddie. I don't want you back out there alone." 

Like school the department had cliques. My dad originally was with my grandpa granted they only worked together for about a year. Then he, Eddie, and Reeve's when he showed up. Then Kogin and then Reyes. They were kinda like the goody two shoe group. All four of them combined, you count the number of complaints filed against them on one hand. Where Reeves... You need 10 hands and ten feet. And he wears it like a trophy. 

"Dad, you sure you can go to work tomorrow?" Asher asked sitting down. 

My dad still unsure why everyone was asking him if he was okay answered regardless, "Will it make you three feel better if I keep you updated the whole time?" 

"Facetime when you get a chance," I added. 

He shook his head, "Alright deal-" 

"Breaking news tonight out of Seattle where 5 officers were gunned down in 4 different places. The department tonight calling it headhunting, some other people are calling it justice. One officer is confirmed dead and four others in critical condition."