Raising an eyebrow at Kelly, Tyler smirked through the tears. "Really?"

"I like it, too. It makes you look younger."

"Yeah, well, I get called 'Sir' all the time, so I look like a guy, too, I guess."

"Well they're just not looking then, 'cause with those," Kelly said pointing to Tyler's generous breast, "you do not look like a 'Sir', trust me."

"Jealous, huh?" Tyler kidded her friend.

Laying her head back on Kelly's shoulder, she let out a big sigh and relaxed. She thought about Jill and her mom and said a silent prayer for them. Tyler knew they would never be far from her thoughts and she was grateful she had the time she did with them. More time with Jill would have been nice, though. Tears rolled down her cheek, but this time she just let them come, silently. Kelly's strong arms wrapped around Tyler and pulled her close. Kelly was a great friend and she would never be able to repay that friendship, no matter what Tyler did. Kelly had stood by as Tyler tried to self-destruct and she always picked up the pieces. A gentle reprimand always followed, but she let Tyler work out her grief in her own way. And for that, Tyler was thankful.

"So what happened with Ca.s.sie, Tyler?"

"I told you, I changed the rules on her and she wasn't happy." Tyler pulled back to look at Kelly and explained further. "I told her I wasn't interested in a quickie and she got p.i.s.sed. She tried to convince me that I really wanted it." She pulled her robe open and pointed to the bite mark. "When I said I didn't play like that anymore, she slapped me and walked off. End of story." Tyler threw her hands up and shrugged.

"Well, you know that's battery, at a minimum."

"I'm not pressing charges, Kell."

"Fortunately, you don't have to; we saw and heard the whole thing."

"I know, but can't you just let it go? Ca.s.sie's not a bad gal; she just knows what she wants and goes after it."

"It's out of my hands."

"Kelly."

"I'll see what I can do. If she doesn't have any priors, the Judge will probably go easy on her. But I can't promise anything, okay?"

"Okay. So, tell me what else Ashley said about my haircut." Tyler smiled at Kelly, hoping she would be forthcoming.

Chapter Fifteen.

Ashley pulled her pants on and tucked her t-shirt in. She knew she wasn't the slim, waif-like female some people preferred for a girlfriend, but she could hold her own in a fist fight if she had to and that counted for something in her world. She liked her curvy figure and while her uniform hung with razor sharp creases, the bulk of the vest just wasn't appealing. She hated it because it made her look like a linebacker and it took time to get used to the bulkiness of the vest.

"Well, it isn't a fashion show out there and I'm no fashion model," she whispered to her reflection. Pulling her red hair back into a bun she pinned the few strays that had made their way loose.

"I wonder what kind of woman Tyler's attracted to?" Ashley let out a sigh as she realized for about the umpteenth time that morning her thoughts had wandered back to Tyler. Last night was somewhat of an eye opener for Ashley as she watched how Tyler had handled the conflict with Ca.s.sie. A big strapping butch like Tyler, whose ego seemed to outshine everything else about her, had a hidden soft spot. Then, listening to Kelly talk about how Tyler hated confrontation.

Reaching for her shirt she slipped the short sleeve, navy blue uniform on and b.u.t.toned it. The color made her look more paler than she really was. Even if she were promoted to an upper rank, the color of the uniform wouldn't change until she was much, much higher. Ashley looked at her reflection in the mirror, admiring her uniform.

"Detective is starting to sound more and more appealing, if just for the change in wardrobe," she said chuckling. She had finished her four hundred hours of rookie duty. Two years and she was suddenly ready to give up the glamorous life of patrol for the opportunity to wear civilian clothes. Well, maybe not yet. She knew she had to pay her dues, but knew that professional exams were just around the corner. She was hopeful she would do well enough to put another stripe on her uniform.

Her green eyes sparkled as she pinned on her silver badge. She remembered the day she graduated from the academy. While her mom didn't agree with her decision to become a police officer, she never stopped Ashley from pursuing her dreams. Their conversation about the police force had been strained at best.

"Explain to me why you need to be a police officer, Honey," Ashley's mom asked quietly.

"I don't need to become a police officer. I want to become a police officer, Mom," Ashley said resolutely.

"I don't understand, Honey. You're college educated and your grandfather has left you a sizable inheritance. You don't have to work, so why are you?"

Ashley remembered her mom's gentle voice, pushing ever so slightly for her to reconsider her decision.

"Mom, I'm not a trust fund baby. I refuse to act like some dilettante, who has nothing better to do than spend her daddy's money." Ashley had said the last part with a sickening sweet accent. "Besides, I like working. It keeps my mind active, and you know what they say about wasting it?"

"No Dear. What do they say?"

"Use it or lose it. I don't feel like losing mine yet."

The vibration of her cell phone pulled Ashley from the memory, but not before Ashley laughed from the recall. She still remembered the perplexed look her mother gave her before she dismissed Ashley. Looking down at the number on the phone, Ashley flinched.

"How the f.u.c.k did she get my number?" Ashley wondered, tossing the phone on the counter. A minute later the phone vibrated again alerting Ashley that she had a message. Panicking, she quickly went to voice mail and deleted the message without even listening to it. She didn't know how Leslie had gotten her new number, but she sure as h.e.l.l wasn't going to confirm it by answering the phone. Once again Ashley's phone went off, this time alerting her that someone left a text message. Ashley's hands shook as she reached for her phone. Her heart raced as she closed her eyes and wished that it was anyone other than Leslie. She hadn't heard from Leslie in months, so why now? Looking down, Ashley's throat tightened as she read the message: Hey Babe. I knew you wouldn't pick up the phone. Let's get together and talk. Love ya Leslie.

A chill ran down Ashley's body. Nothing good ever came from contact with Leslie and she wasn't about to respond to this message either.

"f.u.c.k," Ashley said, walking into her bedroom.

Ashley's body started to shake and she threw the phone at the wall breaking it into tiny pieces. She could feel cold sweat start to take over her body, her chest tighten and her knees start to buckle. Sitting on the bed, she put her head between her knees and took slow, deep breaths. She tried to calm herself down and think about something else. A pair of smiling brown eyes popped into her head, making her jerk. Tyler. Of all the things and all the people she could think about, Tyler was what popped into her head?

Suddenly, her house phone rang. Panicked, she slowly walked over but was too afraid to look at the caller ID, so she let it go to voice mail.

"Hey Ash, it's Kelly. Gosh I was hoping I could catch you before-"

"Hey, Kell. Sorry. I was getting ready for work and I didn't hear the phone. What's up?" Ashley felt a rush of relief wash through her. At least Leslie didn't have her home phone number.

"Hey, is everything okay? You sound like you just ran a marathon, Girl."

"Yeah, yeah everything's fine. I just ran across the house to get the phone. What's going on?"

"I just wanted to give you a heads up that you're going to be riding on your own today. Robbie's home sick and it's my turn to stay home with him. I called Sergeant Owens and told him. He said you were probably good to ride by yourself. Besides it's a Tuesday and nothing happens during the day on Tuesdays." Ashley could hear Kelly saying something to someone in the background. "Oh, wait Honey; put your hand over your mouth. Hey Ash, I gotta go. Robbie's getting sick again. Call me later." The line went dead.

"Sure, no problem, Kell," Ashley said into the dead receiver.

It was going to be one of those days, so she needed to focus and be ready. Unfocused led to mistakes, and in her line of work mistakes could mean disaster. Closing her eyes, she tried to clear her mind and think about her job, the people who needed her, and those who didn't know they needed her, yet. Leslie was a nuisance but she could handle a nuisance easily enough. If she didn't engage Leslie, she wouldn't be an issue, period.

Ashley put her Batman belt, as some called it, on the bed and went through the dual magazine pouches to make sure the clips were loaded and ready. She checked her two sets of handcuffs and made sure all the other equipment was checked and ready. Strapping her utility belt on, she went to the cabinet that she kept her gun box in, unlocked it, and loaded a clip into her gun. Taking another deep breath, she slid the automatic into her holster and snapped the hook closed. Looking at her reflection again in the mirror, she saw a determined stare looking back at her. She wasn't about to let Leslie get to her, ever again. Making her way to her vehicle, she waved at her neighbor, a pet.i.te older woman who had told her how much she appreciated having a 'cop' in the neighborhood.

"Morning, Mrs. Reilly," Ashley said, waving again.

"Morning, Ashley. Stay safe out there, okay?"

"You got it. Have a good one."

"You, too."

With that, she was off to work and another day sitting behind the wheel on patrol.

Just as Kelly had said, Ashley's Sergeant had informed her she would be on patrol by herself. She knew it would eventually happen. Lots of the officers did patrol by themselves during the day. But with a city the size of hers, it wasn't standard protocol. With more gangs moving into new neighborhoods, it was becoming dicier to have a single officer on their own when they patrolled. Part of Ashley's patrol was the neighborhood she grew up in. With its affluence, she was sure the Chief got more than one call if someone didn't see a police officer at least twice a day. Driving through the old neighborhood gave her a feeling of melancholy. Her childhood was fun, carefree, and anxiety ridden. The fun, carefree part included all the things kids do when growing up. The anxiety came when she realized she had a crush on her best friend, Mary.

She carried that crush around as she watched Mary have boyfriend after boyfriend. Ashley never had the guts to tell her how she felt. How was she supposed to do that? Lesbian wasn't even a word in her vocabulary at the time and she didn't know girls could feel like that. Mary didn't know it, but she would set the model by which all other women would be compared. Mary's dark hair, brown eyes, and tan skin would be the ideal by which Ashley would be attracted to other women. Smiling, Ashley wondered what had happened to Mary. They had stopped being friends in high school, not because they had a falling out, but because their lives had taken different paths. Mary was probably married to a successful financial advisor, with two point five kids, a membership at the country club, and driving a kid hauler to soccer, dance cla.s.s, and whatever parents do with younglings.

"Patrol Six?" Ashley's radio pulled her back to reality.

"Patrol Six," Ashley said into the mic on her left shoulder.

"Can you check out a report of a suspicious person at 1132 South Laurel?"

"Do you have a description?

"Negative. RP was on a cell phone and hung up before I could get one." RP was the reporting party. "They did say they would meet the officer on the street. The RP was female if that helps."

"Okay, I'm in route."

Ashley turned her cruiser around. A suspicious person was unusual and most times it ended up being a homeless person sleeping in the comfort of the bushes or sitting in front of someone's business. Business owners had businesses to run and a vagrant sitting in front usually ran off customers who didn't want to deal with them. Pulling into a s.p.a.ce in front of the four-story building, Ashley looked around for the RP, but didn't see anything. In fact, she didn't see anything out of the ordinary at all.

"Dispatch, show me at the location. I don't see anyone suspicious so I'm going to go try and find the RP. Location is Bank of Meridian," Ashley said into the mic. Opening the door, she looked around and still couldn't see anyone. Raising her hand to shield the sun out of her eyes, she heard what she thought was a firecracker go off and then a searing pain shot through her right arm pit. Twisting to her right, she heard another shot and her mic exploded on her shoulder. Ashley felt herself take another shot to her chest which sent her backwards with such force her head hit the pavement and knocked her out.

Chapter Sixteen.

Tyler stood next to the crew cab of the fire truck adjusting her turnout bottoms. The call had come from dispatch as an officer down with a possible medical situation and hostages. Every police officer in the city was on scene.

"What do we have, Captain?" Tyler asked, tossing her ball cap on the seat and putting her helmet on.

"We got an officer down, hostages and injuries, but we can't get to the injured officer because of the shooter or shooters."

"Do we know how many are injured?" Tyler walked with Captain Russo closer to the scene. Ducking down, they both peered over the sedan and looked over at a police cruiser riddled with bullet holes.

Captain Russo tossed his head in the direction of the cruiser and said, "See that cruiser? On the other side is an officer lying on the ground. We don't know how badly injured they are. They haven't seen movement for a few minutes now. So they're not sure if she's dead or if she's playing dead to avoid being shot again."

"She? Who she?" Tyler bent down and looked under their cruiser to see if she could make out who the officer was. It didn't matter. There were only a few females on the force and Tyler knew two of them, Kelly and Ashley. She felt herself get lightheaded and start to sway as she sat back down on her heels. Tyler broke out in a cold sweat and felt her heart start to race. She had been here before and it had ended badly. The memories started flooding her mind as she took a deep breath.

"Hey, you alright? Maybe you need to go back to the rig and wait this one out, Tyler." Captain Russo eyed Tyler cautiously. "I don't need to worry about you, too."

"I'm good." But Tyler didn't sound good. Her voice quivered with despair as she tried looking under the cruiser again. The body hadn't moved and Tyler couldn't see any blood. "Why hasn't someone gone over there and helped her?"

Fear was starting to grip Tyler's heart as she continued to watch the still body. Whoever was over there was alone, scared, and might be dying, while someone decided what to do. At least she had been able to hold Jill while she lay dying. Her stomach started to revolt and she felt bile rise up, starting to gag her. Swallowing hard, she tried to maintain her composure while she waited for an answer.

"Every time they make a move towards her, someone starts shooting. So we wait until SWAT gets here."

"She doesn't have time for us to wait, Captain. She could be dying right now while we wait for a plan."

"We wait, Tyler." Captain Russo's words were a silent command to stand down until they had other options.

"f.u.c.k. Well, have they at least tried to radio her?"

"Yeah, but they don't get any response. They have two other officers in the building somewhere and no one is communicating. They think the shooters have scanners, so everyone's on radio silence until they can come up with a plan."

The incident had only been going on for ten minutes but it felt like a lifetime to Tyler.

"So, you never said. Do they know who's down over there?"

Captain Russo shook his head. "They have an idea, but they aren't willing to speculate yet."

Tyler looked at the cruiser again and noticed it was Kelly's car and she was partnered with Ashley. So that meant it was one of them, but which one? Looking up again, she noticed the door was open; whoever was down had probably taken cover behind the door. The way the cruiser was positioned gave the shooters access to the fallen officer. Extracting her from her current position was impossible without someone getting hurt. Looking around the closed off street, Tyler noticed it was littered with police cars and a few civilian vehicles. The sun was directly over them so that would offer no help. Hiding in the few shadows wouldn't offer any cover and she was almost certain that the officer would be dead by the time it did.

Getting up, Tyler walked over to the paramedic that had gone out with them on the motorcycles earlier in the week.

"Mike, we can't let that officer die out there. We just can't." The fear in Tyler's voice made the paramedic take notice.

"Tyler, we can't do anything until they give us the all clear sign." He didn't look up from rearranging the supplies in his kit.

"Mike, I think I can get in and out quick, but I need your help to do it."

The paramedic now looked up at Tyler and shook his head. "Tyler, we can't."

"I can't sit back and watch another officer die, Mike. You can help me or you can walk away and let me do what needs to be done. But I refuse to see another officer die on my watch." Tyler pleaded, waiting for Mike's answer. She wouldn't be surprised if he walked away. Her plan had risks, but hadn't the downed officer put her life at risk going into a no win situation? "She's out there on the other side of that car and I'm not going to let her die like Jill did. So you can help or get the h.e.l.l out of the way."

Tyler took off her turnout coat and tossed it into the ambulance. It would weigh her down if she did what she wanted. Looking at the paramedic, she waited for his answer.

"You're going to probably get us fired, you know." Mike closed the kit and pushed it into the ambulance. "Tell me what your plan is first and then I'll decide."

Tyler and Mike huddled as they went over all the possibilities of Tyler's plan. It was definitely a risk, but the way Tyler explained it she would be taking the bulk of the risk. If it went off as planned, it would get the officer out of harm's way and open up an opportunity for the police to end the situation. Tyler was used to putting herself in difficult situations, but the paramedic was just that, a paramedic. He had been hired on as a paramedic and wasn't one of those who had been taken from the firefighter ranks and trained as a paramedic. His fear was palpable and Tyler could feel it.

"Look, just trust me on this. It will work. But if anything goes wrong, you just get the officer and the bus out of there. I can handle myself."

Tyler had taken fire before so the idea of being shot at didn't scare her. She felt the adrenaline surge through her body as the plan started taking shape.

"Maybe we should tell Captain Russo what we're going to do, just in case anything happens."

"Nope, he'll just tell us to wait. I'm not waiting, not this time." Tyler jumped into the ambulance and asked over her shoulder, "You coming? Or am I doing this myself?"

"I'm coming. You can't do this yourself." Mike strapped everything down and closed the back doors on the ambulance behind them.