police force and one in 82
APPREHENSION
the sheriffs department and all the others were rougher in both appearance and mannerism. Her fellow cops always questioned her decision to be on the force. Sometimes she wasn't sure. She'd always wanted to make a difference, but being an officer wouldn't have been it.
Allowing her co-workers their moment of joviality, her mind drifted to her life eight years ago. By the end of her senior year in high school, she felt like a bird without a nest. Needing to get away from home and take care of herself, she grabbed the first opportunity that came her way. The Atlanta police department had collaborated with a community college to provide an associate's degree in criminal justice as long as the eligible candidates agreed to attend the academy and promise two years to any of the high crime rate departments. After three years working the inner city of Atlanta, she found out Claremont County had an opening and put in for a transfer.
She'd been content in this town for a year, until Robert returned.
Focusing once again on Brantley, she stepped toward his desk. "Ha! Your humor makes me laugh to the point I could vomit." She rubbed her stomach. "Is that your lunch box there?"
Leaning towards it she pretended to get sick.
Snatching his Spiderman container away from her reach, he growled, "Stop playing around people's food, Danielle."
Shimmying her shoulders, she said, "Oh, it's Danielle now.
Watch it, Mark. I might think you're sweet on me."
Danielle and the rest of the day team laughed as Mark's face started to match his hair color.
"Don't give her a hard time, Brantley," the chief barked, his words rough and gravelly from years of smoking. "She might keep herself model pretty, but she'll be the one to squeeze into a bathroom window to save your big ass. If someone ever found a way to hold you hostage." Chief Dennison walked up, causing the room to fall silent and the onlookers to begin fumbling around their desk to look busy.
Brantley grumbled, but kept his mouth shut.
Danielle hid her smile behind her hand.
83
YVETTE HINES
"Glad to see you're well rested, Smith." Chief Dennison moved in front of her, his massive shoulder, almost as wide as Brantley's, blocked her view of everyone else behind him.
"Thanks, Chief, for allowing me to come in a few hours late. It was just what I needed." She was glad he didn't know she'd spent her free hours having sex on the course instead of in her bed. For a moment, she wondered if he would've been pissed about how she used her time, but pushed it aside. Even if she had been caught, feeling Robert inside of her was always worth it.
"Is the moon still orbitin' earth?"
"What?" Danielle cleared her throat. "Sir? I'm sorry I didn't hear you."
"That was evident." His eyes squinted as he viewed her. "I said, the two men are bein' transported to Tallahassee tonight. I want you, Brantley and Willis to take'm down. You up to it?"
She was supposed to meet with Robert tonight, but for the first time Chief Dennison seemed to be recognizing her existence. Since the day she showed up for work, she'd known the department hadn't been expecting her. Danni Smith, as she'd been called at her last unit, a decorated officer in Atlanta must not have appeared to be a black woman on paper. "Yes, sir."
"Good. I'll let you all know what time. I'm waitin' on word from the other end." Turning, he started to head back to his office, then stopped. "By the way, Smith, you stepped up last night into a situation that could have turned deadly." He eyed her petite frame as if assessing her worth as a cop with new eyes.
"Good work."
"Thanks, sir." She watched him walk away. Sitting down in her rolling chair, she didn't attempt to hide the bold smile on her face. Someone whistle softly, and turning her head, Danielle glanced at Mandy Franklin, the other female cop.
Mandy licked her finger and made a mark in the air.
Nodding, Danielle let the other woman know she
APPREHENSION
the sheriffs department and all the others were rougher in both appearance and mannerism. Her fellow cops always questioned her decision to be on the force. Sometimes she wasn't sure. She'd always wanted to make a difference, but being an officer wouldn't have been it.
Allowing her co-workers their moment of joviality, her mind drifted to her life eight years ago. By the end of her senior year in high school, she felt like a bird without a nest. Needing to get away from home and take care of herself, she grabbed the first opportunity that came her way. The Atlanta police department had collaborated with a community college to provide an associate's degree in criminal justice as long as the eligible candidates agreed to attend the academy and promise two years to any of the high crime rate departments. After three years working the inner city of Atlanta, she found out Claremont County had an opening and put in for a transfer.
She'd been content in this town for a year, until Robert returned.
Focusing once again on Brantley, she stepped toward his desk. "Ha! Your humor makes me laugh to the point I could vomit." She rubbed her stomach. "Is that your lunch box there?"
Leaning towards it she pretended to get sick.
Snatching his Spiderman container away from her reach, he growled, "Stop playing around people's food, Danielle."
Shimmying her shoulders, she said, "Oh, it's Danielle now.
Watch it, Mark. I might think you're sweet on me."
Danielle and the rest of the day team laughed as Mark's face started to match his hair color.
"Don't give her a hard time, Brantley," the chief barked, his words rough and gravelly from years of smoking. "She might keep herself model pretty, but she'll be the one to squeeze into a bathroom window to save your big ass. If someone ever found a way to hold you hostage." Chief Dennison walked up, causing the room to fall silent and the onlookers to begin fumbling around their desk to look busy.
Brantley grumbled, but kept his mouth shut.
Danielle hid her smile behind her hand.
83
YVETTE HINES
"Glad to see you're well rested, Smith." Chief Dennison moved in front of her, his massive shoulder, almost as wide as Brantley's, blocked her view of everyone else behind him.
"Thanks, Chief, for allowing me to come in a few hours late. It was just what I needed." She was glad he didn't know she'd spent her free hours having sex on the course instead of in her bed. For a moment, she wondered if he would've been pissed about how she used her time, but pushed it aside. Even if she had been caught, feeling Robert inside of her was always worth it.
"Is the moon still orbitin' earth?"
"What?" Danielle cleared her throat. "Sir? I'm sorry I didn't hear you."
"That was evident." His eyes squinted as he viewed her. "I said, the two men are bein' transported to Tallahassee tonight. I want you, Brantley and Willis to take'm down. You up to it?"
She was supposed to meet with Robert tonight, but for the first time Chief Dennison seemed to be recognizing her existence. Since the day she showed up for work, she'd known the department hadn't been expecting her. Danni Smith, as she'd been called at her last unit, a decorated officer in Atlanta must not have appeared to be a black woman on paper. "Yes, sir."
"Good. I'll let you all know what time. I'm waitin' on word from the other end." Turning, he started to head back to his office, then stopped. "By the way, Smith, you stepped up last night into a situation that could have turned deadly." He eyed her petite frame as if assessing her worth as a cop with new eyes.
"Good work."
"Thanks, sir." She watched him walk away. Sitting down in her rolling chair, she didn't attempt to hide the bold smile on her face. Someone whistle softly, and turning her head, Danielle glanced at Mandy Franklin, the other female cop.
Mandy licked her finger and made a mark in the air.
Nodding, Danielle let the other woman know she
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