Strong Hate (A Thin Line #1)

by R. D. Berg

  “I just need your signature on a few forms, and then we'll head out.” I scoot the two waivers she has to sign across the table and place a pen down as well. “Read them over, it's all standard protocol.”

  “Okay.” She takes a seat in my chair and begins to read diligently, but doesn't hold up our night. She signs and then stands.

  “Let's do this thing. Do I get a deputy badge?” She points at her chest.

  “No.”

  “A gun?” I shake my head. “A baton?” Again, I say no. “A flashlight? Even mall cops have flashlights.”

  “You get me, that's it.”

  “You’re not the first on my list of weapons, but you'll do. Just keep your gun in your pants till the third date, Officer Strong. Underneath this badass shell,” She makes a show of her waving her hand down her body, “I'm still a lady.”

  “Noted.” When we're friendly like this, my smile never seems to falter.

  Finn’s already out on the road. Since I had to bring Lundyn to the office, I didn't leave with him. So I'm anxious to be within range of him if there's any need for backup.

  Officer Montrouge stalks over to my desk, “You need to get your partner in check, Strong.” Oh, his first name? Trey. The same one who Finn took his sister out… Yeah.

  “You handle your shit with him.” I pat him on the back and grin. “Besides, you and I both know Finn talks a lot of noise.”

  “What happened?” Lundyn asks with clasped hands.

  “Finn happened to his little sister.”

  “Oh.” Her nose scrunches up in an ‘oh, shit’ way while her brows rise.

  “Yeah,” Trey says firmly. “I know his actions aren't you, but just let him know that we're going to have words.”

  “As long as there are no fists involved.” Lundyn holds up her pointer finger and smiles at her comment. “I'm very protective over my friends.” She shrugs.

  “And who are you?” Treys curious eyes bounce between us.

  “Deputy Lundyn Spence.” They shake hands and Trey eyes me skeptically.

  “She's riding along today and demands a title it seems.”

  “Well, well, Strong has never brought a girl to work. It's a pleasure, Lundyn. You two have fun.” Then he walks off.

  We don't talk about Trey’s last comment and make our way back to my vehicle.

  My squad car is equipped with the technology that will read plates without me having to do anything, so as we drive, my computer speaks reporting plates aloud.

  “I thought Finn was your partner?” Lundyn glances over at me.

  “He is. We just don’t ride together. He has his own car.”

  “Have you always wanted to be a cop?”

  “No. At first, I wanted to be a probation officer. Finn applied for LPD, and I figured I’d give it a shot, too. Work alongside my best friend.”

  “That’s cool. Did you make the right choice?”

  “For sure. I was meant to be a cop. I just didn’t know it yet. Once we were signed on with the police department, we received a sign on bonus, and I used it to help put a down payment on my house. Nothing says security like being a cop and owning your own home.” I glance over at Lundyn quickly before darting my eyes back on the road. “What about you Lundyn?” I ask honestly and then tease her, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

  “I’d love to write.” Her voice is dreamy like it’s a far off possibility.

  “You for sure have storytelling abilities.” A warm hearty laugh filters through me at the thought of all the tales she’s woven in our past.

  “Guilty.” Her sweet, joy-filled laughter bursts from her before she holds up a hand and says, “Wait, I probably shouldn't say that in a squad car.”

  Pulling off to the side of the road and securing a safe location, I set up to clock speeders. “What do you want to write about?”

  “I’d love to write for a magazine, blog, or heck, even a Vlog.” Lundyn’s whole demeanor perks up at the mention of her passion. Her face is eager and bright.

  “What’s a Vlog?” I can feel my eyebrows scrunching together.

  “It’s basically just a video blog. Instead of typing it, I’d just say it.”

  “Interesting. You should start a YouTube channel and your own Vlog. Never know what could come from it.”

  “Maybe.” A blush trickles down her neck as a shy smile reaches her eyes.

  Finn’s voice comes over the radio. “10-54.”

  “What does that mean? Was that Finn?” Lundyn asks.

  “Yeah, there’s livestock in the road.”

  “Only in this town.” She shakes her head.

  “It doesn’t happen as often as you’d think.” I chuckle as Finn tells us over the radio that the owner is herding them off the road.

  Her gaze scrutinizes me after a few minutes of silence. “You’re different in uniform.”

  “I guess you could say that.”

  “I just did. You don’t smile as much.” I don't like her analyzing me so much.

  “It’s a serious job, Lundy.”

  “I like it better when you call me Blue,” she whispers under her breath.

  “Why’s that?”

  “Because no one else but you calls me that.”

  “Okay, Blue.” This ride along isn’t turning out the way I thought it would, but maybe, it’ll end better than it started. I am different in uniform because it’s a matter of life and death. I hope she can see me, Maverick Strong, for who I am.

  Cop.

  Man.

  Lover.

  Ok, I must admit that his choice for our date was unusual, but I am actually having a good time. And getting to call myself Deputy Spence is a major bonus— so official. He treated me to a free hot dog and drink at RaceTrac— you know one of the perks of the job, and to get the real experience. To be honest, I was shocked by his interest in my dream to become a writer. It’s one that I have always put on the back burner, but after talking with Maverick, I’m more motivated than ever to pursue it.

  “So, Officer Strong, what’s the funniest call you have had to take?” I have my phone pointed at him as I record his answer. Since he didn’t quite understand what a Vlog was, I told him he would be my first interviewee for my show I didn’t even know I had. He agreed as long as the title music wasn’t going to be the theme song from Cops. We are parked on the side of the highway with nothing but the quiet darkness blanketing us.

  I watch him through my phone as he taps his finger against his lips in concentration before snickering to himself, and then turning to me. His eyes dance with unspoken excitement. “Miss Spence, I would have to say the funniest thing was when two guys paid for a blowjob and then the sex worker wanted hers in return.” He pauses, and if I am not mistaken, he’s blushing.

  “Ok, what’s so funny about that?” I ask confused.

  He clears his throat. “Yeah, well when they went to return the favor they were met with a six-inch dong.” He manages to spit out before he leans over in a fit of laughter. I find myself liking his odd sputtering laugh. It’s contagious, and soon both of our laughs fill the car. I like our laughs when they’re mixed together, it sounds warm and hearty as if they were meant for each other.

  He finally catches his breath, wiping the tears from the corners of his eyes that spilled out. “I swear, Finn and I barely held it together that night. Can you believe they actually thought they could press charges?”

  “You’ve got to be kidding me,” I ask astonished.

  “Nope, but that was until we made them aware that they too, had committed a crime.”

  “They are officially in the running as the world’s dumbest criminals.” Our laughs latch on to each other, dancing around the space of the car before they decrescendo.

  He smiles one last time before diverting his attention out into the darkness. A pregnant pause develops between us. It‘s comfortable as we both lose ourselves in our thoughts.

  It’s not long though before he slices through the silence,
with words as sharp as a machete. “I went after you last year, Lundyn,” he declares into the window, causing it to fog up a bit from his breath.

  My head whips around so quickly I feel the veins stretch out. “Wh-what?” I manage to sputter out. He turns his attention to me, his eyes glowing in the light provided by the moon creeping in the front windshield of his SUV. Suddenly my breathing is coming in small inaudible gasps. My heart, yeah it’s about to plunge head first out of my chest cavity.

  A nervous laugh escapes him as his eyes drift downward, and then back up before settling on mine. He rubs the back of his neck with his hand. “The day you left for Virginia, I came over to your apartment to try and convince you to stay, but you had already left.”

  His words collide with my brain sparking an avalanche of feelings and questions. “Why? I mean, I thought you hated me? Why would you try and convince me to stay?”

  “Ahhhh.” If he keeps rubbing the back of his neck, he won’t have any skin left on it. “Because I wanted you Lundy, I have always wanted you. When I finally realized I had these feelings for you, it was too late, you were already gone.”

  I don’t know what to say or do. I mean I should be doing something with my hands or fidget uncomfortably or something. “But I left because of you, Maverick.” This admission leaves a bad taste in my mouth, and I regret it as soon as the words leave my lips. I guess this is what opening up feels like.

  I seriously wish we had more light so I could gauge his reaction. “You did?”

  “Yeah.”

  Silence.

  My mind is screaming at me to tell him why, but my pride keeps trying to smother the plea. Just get it off your chest Lundyn, you’ve waited for this moment. I begin to nibble on my lower lip and tap my foot. I gaze straight ahead, noticing two yellow orbs bouncing in the distance. “It was too hard Maverick. Harlow had her career and Jacob, Mom ran off and married Richard…” The two orbs grow bigger as the approaching car is a few feet ahead of us. “And when I finally made myself vulnerable, you shoot me down without a second thought, Mav.” Even after a year, the sting of his rejection still hurts. “Then two days later when you brought that woman around, it literally crushed me.” My voice quivers and the burning sensation erupts in my throat I swallow it down quickly. “I’ve never felt so alone in my life Maverick, it hurt.”

  I turn to face him just as the approaching car headlights illuminates our faces. His eyes are soft and sympathetic, and a boyish innocence washes over his face. He reaches out, taking my hand in his and rubs it with the pad of his thumb, suddenly it’s hot in here, and I curse myself for wearing chiffon. A lone tear breaks free and travels down my face. He reaches over and catches it with his index finger before it reaches my trembling chin.

  “You’re not alone, Lundy. Not anymore.” I don’t know how he manages it with his uniform and computer system in the way, but his lips meet mine. The kiss is soft and filled with promise. A promise that I am not alone anymore.

  Our breaths are heavy, and dance with each other as our foreheads remain merged after our kiss. “Wow, we deal with the heavy stuff on a first date,” he jokes.

  “Tell me about it.” I agree while we both settle back in our seats. Our hands remain intertwined. Another set of headlights appear, but these are approaching at much faster speed.

  “Shit, put your seatbelt on.” Maverick harshly instructs as we are rocked from the force of the other car passing. My hand grabs the belt, and I yank it into place. Maverick, turns on the engine and sirens, then turns the squad car around speeding off after the car.

  My palm flattens against the roof of the car as I am jostled side to side. “Holy shit.”

  Maverick grabs the radio from the dash. “10-76, perp clocked at 97 mph, going southbound on Highway 75.”

  “What does that mean?”

  He doesn’t take his eyes off the road and doesn’t alter his stone-like expression. Maverick is obviously in his element. “In route.” His tone is clipped, but I don’t take offense to it.

  I chance a glance at the odometer and my eyes nearly bulge - we’re going almost 105 mph.

  “10-60.” Finn’s voice announces over the static of the radio.

  “10-4.” Maverick replies. He doesn’t wait for me to ask. “Finn’s in the area, and I just told him okay.”

  “10-4, Officer Strong,” I reply and give a salute. He manages to crack a millimeter of a smile. The “perp” as he puts it, pulls over after a couple of minutes. Maverick hastily throws the car in park as a cloud of dust engulfs the outside the car. My adrenaline is in overdrive as I carefully watch each of his moves.

  “This is 408, I need you to run plates.” A crackling noise is heard as the dispatcher responds. “Texas, BDH - 3465.” Maverick rattles off. Another crackling noise and the dispatcher answers back advising that the car’s owner doesn’t have any outstanding warrants, and has insurance coverage.

  “10-4,” Maverick replies before replacing the radio back in its place.

  I am scared, like legitimately knee shaking scared. What if the person has a gun, what if they are unhinged and attack Maverick? I stare in utter disbelief as he exits the car and instructs me to stay put. Like I was going anywhere. Right now, I think I could win the world record for breath holding because I don’t think I have taken one since we started the chase. My eyes are glued to Maverick as he cautiously approaches the car. The sound of gravel crunching grows louder, and the light from car headlights fills the car. I don’t bother turning around because I assume it’s Finn. Finn walks past me and settles himself on the passenger side of the perps car where he beams a flashlight into the car. I guess he doesn’t find anything,= because he leaves to stand by the hood of our car.

  Maverick walks back to the car with a few documents in hand. The smell of burnt rubber fills the car as he opens the door and plops down.

  “Gotta run DL’s, Blue.” I nod my understanding.

  After a few moments, the driver’s side door of the stopped car opens and out steps a lady barely able to stand who is stark fucking naked except for a pair of fire red heels. “What the…” I say in awe. My mouth is hanging open, and I’m not able to finish my sentence.

  I hear Finn yell, “Get back in the car,” as he makes his way to her. She throws her head back in a fit of drunken laughter, thrusts her hands in the air and twirls.

  “Oh my God,” I say just before a giggle bubbles out.

  Maverick meets Finn where they eventually cuff her, but not before she tries to kiss Maverick. Yeah, this shit isn’t funny anymore, I will punch a bitch, drunk or not. They both look exasperated when they finally manage to find a jacket in her car to throw over her naked body and secure her in the back of the squad car.

  Finn pats Maverick on the back. “She’s all yours mate.” He says trying to suppress his laughter. He then bends down peeking his head into the car. “Hey Lundy, hope you enjoyed the show.”

  My nose is scrunched up from the putrid smell of alcohol and vomit. “Can’t wait for the sequel.”

  “The sequel to what?” Miss Streaker asks from the back seat. Her hair looks like it might have been in some sort of style and that’s when it clicks. I know this lady from the salon, this was Maverick’s Swipe Right matchup Avery. I whip around quickly. Out of all the fucking people in the world to drive under the influence, we had to find her.

  Maverick finally gets back in the car, and I’m as still as a statue. The only thing that moves are my eyes as they dart to Maverick.

  “You all right Blue?”

  “Dandy,” I squeak out, staring straight ahead.

  “We have to take her in for booking.” He jabs his thumb toward the drunk girl in the cage in the back.

  “Cool.”

  “Usually, I would’ve allowed them to call someone to come and get them because I don’t want to do all the paperwork, but she’s too far gone.”

  “Gotcha.” I tuck my lips between my teeth and blow out my cheeks. He regards me for a moment before starti
ng the car and heading toward the station.

  We drive in silence for about five minutes until Miss Streaker slices through the silence. “Hey, hot pantssss, how ‘bout you remove these han-tuffs and take me in the back seath.”

  Oh, this drunk ass bitch.

  “How about he not.” I retort, hoping she will shut the fuck up.

  “Are you his freak-then keeper or sumpin? Do you know who you’re ta-thin too?” she drunkenly slurs.

  I mock sniff the air. “From the smell of it, a dirty skank.”

  “Ignore her Lundyn,” Maverick sternly instructs.

  I cross my hands over my chest and shrink myself into the seat.

  “Lundyn? Where have I heard that name before?” She asks more to herself before she starts a horrendously inaudible chorus of London Bridge is Falling Down.

  “For fuck’s sake. How do you put up with this shit, Maverick?”

  He goes to answer but is cut off. “Mav-vick, as in Swith Right Mav-vick?

  Really? This lush can’t remember that being naked is illegal but can remember a Swipe Right name. Just my fucking luck. What do I do? I need this mission aborted if she lets it slip that I’m the one who falsely tipped her off about Maverick… then, fuck.

  Maverick looks at me quizzically. I shrug my shoulders playing dumb like I did when my mom caught me peeking in the Christmas presents when I was younger.

  “Yea-th!” she yells. I jump.

  “Mav-vick the cop who had a sexxxxxxxxx change two years ago.” And just like that…shit just got real.

  We are all jolted forward as Maverick slams on the breaks. A small yelp escapes me as I am thrust back into the hard leather of my seat. “What the hell are you talking about?” Maverick growls to the caged tattle tell in the back seat.

  She giggles and throws her head back. My eyes silently plead for her to seriously shut the fuck up as they lock with her inebriated ones through the cage that separates us. Apparently, the nit wit doesn’t get my message. “Well, you” the octave of the last word sharply rising then falling, “were supposed to go on a date with me until I,” her chest makes a hollow thud sound when she harshly jabs her finger into it, “was alerted that you were a woman. I mean I have nothing against transgender people, it’s just that it’s not my cup,” she pops the ‘p’ likes it’s a piece of gum, “of tea to date one.” Suddenly, her words aren’t as slurred.