Episode 42 The Last Patrol (part 2/3) (Patreon)

Jack Routh

“Honey, I’ll prepare a heavy breakfast by the time you get home.” His wife spoke up as soon as he entered her office. He moved around her desk, leaned forward, and gave Zoe a quick kiss and a hug.

“It’s my last shift tonight.” He could tell his wife was not sleeping well since he started his last week of patrol, which unfortunately fell on the night shift. Zoe was more clingy than usual in bed, and she claimed she slept better when she knew he was just there beside her at night.  

“Good.” Zoe nodded. “I’ll try to stay up later tonight and wait for you. That way, we can both sleep together until noon.”

“That’s not healthy.” He ran his hand over her still flat belly.

“I’ll take short naps.” His wife promised. “Besides, I wanted to catch up on some of our equipment.”

He gave a faint smile when Zoe used the word equipment since he knew it was her code for firearms. Who knew his wife was a total gun nut? Every week, he would find a package in their shared office that his wife picked up from John Martin’s shooting range that usually contained a firearm, ammunition, fancy sights, attachments, and other accessories.

She would then spread out her builds, as she liked to call them, on the floor while watching a crime documentary, cleaning, applying lubricant, and organizing their growing armory. She would then head to Martin’s range on the weekends to calibrate them properly before storing the rifles in the armory, while their self-defense handguns were put back at the hidden gun safes in their bedroom and kitchen.

He headed out alone once more, and a few minutes into patrol, he was contacted by Lucy and Nolan. The two have been pulling night shift duty for two weeks now to allow the new rookies some time to acclimate before being assigned the more dangerous night shift.

“What do you think it will be this time, Jack?” Lucy Chen’s voice blared out on the radio using a frequency only they used.

“I’m betting a spat in parking spaces.” Nolan quickly joined in.

With their assigned patrol routes being close together, he often encountered his two academy batch mates throughout the week, often serving as additional backup when dealing with difficult civilians.

He must have responded to dozens and dozens of noise complaints throughout the entire week, and it only got exciting the other night during an armed robbery incident.

“Based on the pattern from the past few days, it’s highly likely that we’ll be called in for noise complaints from a neighbor.” He replied to Lucy’s question.

“I hate those.” He could hear Lucy groan through the speakers, and he had to agree. Most of the time, the incidents could have been easily solved without involving them if only the neighbors had better manners.

But no, apparently knocking politely on a door and asking a neighbor to lower the volume of their speakers was beneath most of them. He even responded to a call because a neighbor felt jealous of not being invited to a backyard party and decided to ruin it for everyone else.

That grumpy woman received a stern warning from him, but he was sure the woman would do it again, since based on her records, she was already flagged for making numerous calls to the station from kids being noisy outside her street, playing, or a ball landing on her lawn by accident. She always claimed she would file a complaint, but she never followed through with her threats.

On his second shift, his prediction came true.

 “All units, we have received reports of noise disturbance at Mariposa and Wilshire Boulevard.” His radio blared out.

He was on Wilshire and knew that the area had a large commercial building under renovation. It was just at the end of his route.

“7-L-07, responding.” He radioed in, turned on the lights to his shop, and stepped on the accelerator. He safely passed by a few red lights, as cars pulled to the side to let him pass through.

A minute later, he arrived at the reported area, and even through the closed windows, he could hear a loud, bass-heavy sound through massive speakers. He even recognized the music playing, since he first performed that song with Lucy.

It looked like there was a full-blown party happening on the rooftop of the six-story building that was under renovation. Several cars were parked along the road, even though he knew this area had no businesses open this late since it was mostly a church and a few foreign consulates with a private university just across the road.

“Dispatch, I’m going to need backup.” He called in. “It looks like an illegal party on the rooftop of the Equitable Building that’s under renovation.”

“Understood, 7-L-07.” The female dispatch officer calmly replied. “Sending additional units to your location.”

It was barely a minute later, as he stood at the corner, when he heard sirens from arriving police vehicles. It looked like the noise attracted the people on the rooftop since he noticed the music was suddenly cut off. Teenagers and college students started streaming out of the entrances, but they were cut off by arriving units. A scuffle broke out as a helicopter unit arrived on the scene and bathed the immediate area with its powerful search light.

More units finally arrived, and they all stationed themselves at the entrance of the building and the surrounding perimeter. Some were able to escape, but those who reeked of alcohol and were too uncoordinated to run were detained and made to sit at the curb as more and more police vehicles arrived on the scene.

 He headed to the other side, looking for any stragglers or students hiding in the bushes.

He heard a sound of creaking metal and looked up to follow the noise, only to see a figure ten feet above him hanging by a rusty fire escape ladder by their hands. He heard a yelp and quickly rushed to catch the figure before they could hit the ground.

He barely grunted as the figure landed in his outstretched arms, telling him whoever this was barely weighed a hundred pounds and was definitely female, judging from her hair and body shape.

Big brown eyes with heavy eyeliner stared up at him with surprise and shock, and he stood staring at the somewhat familiar face. He was pretty sure he had seen her before and suddenly remembered the real estate agent who was showing him pictures of his family. The man even proclaimed that his eldest daughter was a big fan of his music. What was her name again?

“Haley Dunphy?” He asked. He immediately felt the girl stiffen in his arms, and he gently put her down.

“Please, I didn’t do anything wrong.” The girl pleaded. It looked like she was still shocked from her fall, and her breath reeked of alcohol.

“You were trespassing and attended an illegal party.” He replied. “Can you walk?”

“Yes.” The girl replied, and after taking a few steps stumbled. She nearly fell to the ground if it weren’t for him, and he held her steady and escorted her out of the alley.

“A straggler?” Lucy asked when she noticed him.

“She nearly broke her neck climbing down the fire escape.” He replied as he kept an arm on the girl’s shoulder to prevent her from swaying. She kept pleading about her innocence, which they all ignored, and explained how he found the girl.

“You’re lucky Officer Routh caught you.” Lucy leaned down to talk to the girl, trying to keep her at ease.

“And I know her parents.” He added. “This is going to be an awkward call.”

“Please, don’t tell my parents.” The girl gasped.

“I’m afraid it’s procedure.” He glanced at Phil Dunphy’s daughter and checked his watch. It was nearing 3 am in the morning, and he hoped the man would pick up the call so that his daughter wouldn’t have to spend the rest of the night in detention.

 This latest call certainly beat out all of his other cases combined, judging by the dozens of young men and women that they had caught trespassing. The paperwork alone would be a nightmare to deal with.

Philip Humphrey Bernard “Phil” Dunphy

He woke up in excitement again and decided to get a glass of water. The next day, he would be closing one of his biggest sales yet, and even better, his client paid above the asking price and in full as long as the paperwork was dealt with as soon as possible.

He was able to accomplish it, of course. He wasn’t the realtor of the year in Southern California and pulled some strings to finish a sale in mere days that would normally take weeks.

He couldn’t believe he landed such a famous and rich client. The best part was that the man was very down-to-earth and easy to talk to. He climbed back to the bed and back down beside his beautiful wife and started dreaming of the possibilities with his commission.

He was so excited! Maybe he could buy that new magician’s kit with the fancy tuxedo with impeccable craftsmanship. There were so many hidden pockets that would be perfect for his next magical trick. The best part was that it looked normal, like something he could wear to a fancy event or an expensive date. Claire would be totally blown away.

His phone suddenly rang, and his eyebrows shot up when he recognized the name. Jack Routh.

His heart started beating faster. Why did the man call him at this hour? Was he having second thoughts? That was normal for first-time buyers, but he knew the man was wealthy. He started wondering how to appease the man when Claire complained about the noise.

“Hello? Mister Routh? How can I help you?”

“It’s Officer Routh right now, Mister Dunphy.” His latest client replied. “I’m sorry for waking you up at this time, but I figure you wouldn’t want your daughter to spend the night in jail.”

All thoughts about the upcoming sale and his commission vanished, and it was instantly replaced by extreme worry.

“What happened to Haley?” He asked, not bothering to whisper this time. He felt movement in their bed but ignored it. His baby girl was in trouble.

“She got arrested for trespassing and getting drunk. She’s at the Mid-Wilshire station right now.” 

“Is she safe?” He asked.

“She’s fine, Phil,” Routh answered, using his first name as a way to put him at ease. He appreciated that. “She’s just a little tipsy right now, but you need to bail her out.”

“Right. Bail.”

“She got lucky. Some of her friends are being charged with resisting and assaulting a police officer when we broke up their illegal party. I figured I’d call you right now so you can pick her up right away, ahead of the other parents.”

“I appreciate that.” He replied. “Thank you, Officer Routh. Do I need to bring a lawyer?”

“Just Jack will do. If you feel like you need to. See you soon.”

“See you, and thank you.”

The call cut off, and when he turned around, he spotted Claire already standing up and putting on clothes.

“I eavesdropped.” His wife explained. Her face was strangely calm, but he could tell Claire was angry. “Go get dressed. I’m going to call Mitchell.”

The drive to Mid-Wilshire station was eerie, but perhaps it was due to the unnatural silence in the vehicle. There was basically no traffic, too, and they arrived at their destination in record time.

They all rushed to the visitor area, where they were assisted by the officer behind the desk. Claire attempted to question the police actions regarding the arrest, but the duty officer didn’t seem affected by his wife’s feistiness.

“Ma’am, your daughter is fortunate to be alive. Look for yourself.” The man scoffed and then clicked on a few buttons on his mouse and turned the monitor so that they could see the screen.

The video image was sharp enough, and it showed the body cam footage of the arresting officer. It looked like he was walking through the narrow alley between buildings when he stopped and looked up.

His breath hitched when he spotted the unmistakable figure of Haley dangling by a rusted fire escape ladder, several feet from the ground. Her fingers slipped, and he felt Claire’s nails dig into his arm as he felt like his heart was about to burst from his chest. He sighed in relief when the officer showed incredible reflexes and strength, catching his baby girl safely in his arms.

He was stunned. Jack Routh did not share that part of his encounter with Haley.

“She is so grounded,” Claire muttered and finally retreated, unable to find an argument with the evidence that was just presented to her.

“She could have broken her neck at that height.” Mitchell ran a hand through his face in relief. “And the reports say her blood toxicity level is above the legal limit.”

They were asked to wait, and he spent the time trying to calm Claire, who was now muttering under her breath as she paced in front of him. It seemed like his wife had finally reached her breaking point.

Trust was broken, and he knew his wife was hurting since she was the one who supported the idea of Haley moving out of the house.

They allowed their eldest her freedom, trusting her to do the right thing now that she was in college. They listened to her promises and arguments about moving into a dorm, despite the easy commute to their house. Haley said she needed the space to breathe, to start anew, and despite their tight finances, they managed to budget for Haley’s rent and daily expenses.

Now they find out she was arrested for trespassing and apparently drunk, according to Jack Routh.

Mitchell stumbled through the process as Haley’s attorney and appeared half an hour later, looking satisfied. Behind him, Haley finally emerged, her hair and makeup a mess, and wearing an outfit he had never seen her wear before. She still appeared tipsy as she slightly swayed when she walked.

“Haley!” Claire rushed to their daughter and immediately checked her for injuries. He moved closer and immediately smelled the stink of spoiled beer and cigarette smoke. His daughter reeked.

“I’m fine, Mom.” Their girl tried to break free from the hold, but it was futile since he engulfed her in his own hug from the other side.

“You are so grounded!” Claire pulled Haley closer. He understood what his wife was feeling; they nearly lost their daughter.

“You’re lucky the arresting officer is very understanding,” Mitchell noted as he reviewed the papers once more.

“Have you talked to the arresting officer?” He hadn’t told his brother-in-law yet about who truly owned the Nest Charity foundation. According to Mitchell, the interview with Jack’s lawyer had gone well, and he had just accepted the job offer and was about to meet the foundation’s patron next weekend when he formally joined the organization.

Mitchell loved the idea of the foundation’s goal of supporting struggling students and out-of-school youth, giving them a stable nest before they were let go to make it on their own once they graduated. He was highly impressed with the charity organization and was eager to meet the mysterious owners.

Jack Routh finally arrived, carrying a folder in one hand. He found it amusing that his daughter finally succumbed to exhaustion and was now snoring softly, using her uncle’s shoulder as a headrest. Too bad for his baby girl since she was a big fan of his music, but maybe that was an appropriate punishment for the stunt she had just pulled.

“Mister Dunphy.” Routh handed the folder to him. He opened it and winced at the amount Mitchell had just paid for the bail. 900 dollars was a big amount.

“You should see the amount Miss Dunphy’s friends have to pay to be set free.” Routh had seemingly noticed the grimace on his face. “It would run into the thousands of dollars for evading arrest and assaulting a police officer on top of trespassing. I pity the parents who have to shell out that amount without any warning.”

Thousands of dollars? He immediately felt better and realized that the 900 dollars he had to pay Mitchell wasn’t so bad after all. He now felt lighter as he realized things could have gotten much, much worse.

“Thank you for saving Haley’s life.” He gripped the man’s hand in a firm handshake.

“You’re welcome.” Routh nodded. “I’ll see you this weekend?”

“This weekend?” Claire looked confused, and he felt her give him a questioning look.

“Claire, don’t you remember this man?” He stepped back and placed an arm over his wife’s shoulder. “You even showed our Halloween decorations to him and his wife.”

“You…” Claire’s eyes widened in surprise. Behind him, trying to watch over a snoozing Haley on the bench, Mitch suddenly became as still as a statue.

“Jack Routh” Mitchell started breathing heavily as he sat on the chair. “You’re Sugar!”

He looked around and breathed a sigh of relief since they were the only ones at the receiving area, since it was so early in the morning. He winced when Mitchell abruptly stood, causing Haley to slump down the bench and hit her head on the metal surface. She grumbled at her new position, seemingly unbothered, and continued to snore.

As the sky grew brighter with the morning sun, he reflected back on the eventful early morning incident that involved Haley. They had brought her back to her dorm, where Claire took care of her as well as cleaned up the filthy room.

Mitchell was still in a daze when he learned who owned the charity foundation he was planning to work for, and wasted no time calling Cam as soon as Jack Routh headed back inside the station.

Claire spent the rest of the morning grumbling, folding clothes strewn across the floor while he happily sat on one of the desks, eating a plate of takeout waffles drizzled in syrup.

“Maybe this isn’t such a good idea.” Claire shifted closer to him while she sat at the foot of Haley’s bed and took a bite of a waffle he had cut up for her. “She’s not ready for this.”

“I agree.” He replied after a moment. He had seen the test papers with very low marks scattered on the desk. They even received an envelope from the School administration that was addressed to Haley for a disciplinary hearing.

His eldest was in a world of trouble when she finally woke up.

Zoe Andersen Routh

She smiled when she heard the key being inserted into their door and quickly hurried to the kitchen to retrieve the bacon and eggs she had prepared for her husband.

“Tough night?” She asked as soon as she saw Jack’s appearance. He looked tired, not physically but in the way that only cops knew when they dealt with tons of paperwork.

“Worse,” Jack grumbled and slumped down on the couch. “This last patrol gave a surprise gift at the end.”

“Here.” She placed the large plate of bacon and a few eggs with toast and the utensils, and started to feed him a single piece of bacon crisp. Jack seemed to have perked up and started to chew and then quickly started to eat, seemingly energized.

He didn’t even complain at all that some of the bacon was a bit burned, and the eggs weren’t runny like he preferred. She might have overcooked them, but she didn’t hear any comment from her husband, which was good.

She allowed Jack to have breakfast in peace and relished her own cup of coffee. Her Obstetrician told her she could only have one normal-sized cup of coffee per day, and she relished every sip.

“So what happened?” She asked once she noticed Jack’s plate was empty.

“It was a simple call from dispatch about noise disturbance.” Her husband explained. “As soon as I arrived, I noticed loud music coming from the building that’s under construction just across Angeles College.”

“I can see where this is going.” She replied. She had seen her fair share of underground parties in Dartmouth. “Let me guess, a bunch of college kids were having a party in there?”

“And more,” Jack revealed. “It was pure luck that no one got injured. There was a bunch of dangerous tools and flammable equipment inside. Some had the stupid idea to wrestle with the responding backup. Nolan got an elbow. Then there’s the property damage, underage drinking, and of course, drugs.”

“I’m assuming the building owners are pressing charges then?” She asked.

“They’re mad, so everyone we arrested is charged with trespassing, and a few with destruction of property and assault on a police officer. One drunk jumped over an officer in a stairwell, and they both crashed to the ground and suffered injuries.”

She winced when she heard the last part. She can only imagine the paperwork for Jack since he was the first officer on the scene.

“There’s more. I caught Phil Dunphy’s daughter trying to escape through a fire escape from the back.” Jack continued speaking, a wry smile on his face. “I have to admit she’s resourceful; she’s the only one who thought of escaping through that way. Unfortunately for her, the fire escape was in the process of being disassembled, and I found her hanging off the last ladder. She could have broken her neck if I didn’t catch her.”

“Is she fine?” She asked.

“Yeah, just drunk,” Jack answered. “I made sure she was the first one to be bailed out by her parents.”

Hearing the real estate agent’s name made her glance in the direction of the property they were about to acquire. She didn’t know if it was just her pregnancy, but she felt like a mother eagle, preparing twig after twig as she built up a nest for her baby. There was this drive within her to prepare, and the results in their home spoke of that urge she was feeling.

The nursery room was completed, and the crib she had set up in their main bedroom was already there, waiting. Her baby’s clothes were stocked on dedicated shelves, as well as sterilization equipment for the milk bottles. She was barely two months into her pregnancy, but she felt something slowly changing within her.

And it wasn’t just her. Jack was focused on the security of their home, upgrading locks, and installing new cameras. She had even seen him browsing online about special custom-ordered metal doors disguised as wood.

He had even moved his collection of toys, gadgets, and weapons that were scattered throughout the house to their shared office. It was cramped in there now, and she knew he planned to move some of them to their new property.

She was looking forward to it. They had both decided to take up the two rooms of the top floor and use them as offices, while the remaining space on the ground floor was dedicated to the foundation, mainly Camille’s office and the few personnel she had hired. With a separate staircase already built on the second floor leading directly to the backyard, it was perfect. The only thing missing was the passage between the two properties, but she knew Jack would address that soon. She had seen him looking at the various jackhammers and sledgehammers online.

“By the way, I’m coming with you when you head to UCLA on Monday.”

“What for?” Her husband asked.

“Sydney wanted to give me some books on exercises suited for pregnant women.” She explained. She knew the woman was an expert in yoga and various forms of exercise. The other woman even revealed to her in private that she was an expert in tantric yoga, specifically neotantra, involving sex as part of the exercise.

She wondered how she and Jack would make that work if they tied that on their own. That also made her think about Nigel, Sydney’s assistant. Those two were unusually close… perhaps they practiced it together?

 “Are you looking forward to becoming a student once more?”

“I am.” Jack nodded as he shifted closer to her. She wasn’t a little bit surprised when his hands made their way to cup her breasts. She was wearing a thin camisole that showed off her nipples. Her breasts were growing, and she often woke up feeling her nipples hard.  “It’s nice to take a slower pace once in a while.”

She allowed her husband to have his fill. She still couldn’t understand men and their fascination with breasts.

“Do they hurt?” Jack asked. She felt old air caress her exposed nipple when her husband pulled the neckline down, allowing her right breast to pop free.

“No. But they feel swollen.” She stopped speaking when Jack started sucking her nipple and groaned as her arousal grew. Maybe they could have one round before sleeping until noon.

Jack Routh

No one could see the smile on his face thanks to the helmet he was wearing, but he couldn’t help it as he weaved through the very light traffic of L.A.’s streets, thanks to how late it was. Riding his bike once more felt exhilarating and refreshing. Nothing truly could replace this feeling.

He arrived at one of the still open groceries despite the late hour and quickly headed to the produce aisle, eyes swiveling, looking for specific ingredients. He sighed in relief when he spotted the mangoes and picked four ripe ones, making sure they weren’t bruised. He was about to head to the cereals when he bumped into someone he didn’t expect.

Wesley Evers looked haggard, sleepy, with messy hair, wearing just a hoodie and jogging pants. He carried a basket in his hand, filled with peanut butter, Jell-O sweets, and a bag of Oreos. He knew Wesley didn’t have a sweet tooth, and that only meant one thing.

“Let me guess?” He grinned as Wesley finally recognized him.  “Angela?”

“When she’s craving for something, she doesn’t care what time it is.” Wesley shrugged. “You too?”

“I simply followed the Captain’s orders, and she suddenly woke me up and said she’s craving mangoes and cream.” Zoe could be very insistent, too.

Since they were both halfway through their groceries, they decided to shop together, comparing notes about the behavior of their respective pregnant partners.

“Got it, avoid Angela when she’s watching cat videos.” He replied after Wesley shared the story of the feisty Latina sobbing her heart out after falling down a rabbit hole of videos of abandoned kittens.

“It took me a whole night to convince her that now was not the right time to adopt a litter of kittens.” Wesley sighed in relief. “What about you? How’s Zoe handling her pregnancy?”

“Well, she’s emotional too, but with... puppies.” He explained. He didn’t elaborate that it was a different type of puppy and continued walking down the grocery aisle, the image of Zoe tenderly cleaning her newly purchased Hush Puppy Glock 19 with love and care.

With the groceries secured, they both rushed home, Wesley giving him a wave.

Monday morning arrived, and this time he used his wife’s car as Zoe sat on the passenger seat eating some sort of dried fruit. He watched the traffic conditions, mentally calculating the journey to the university and what was the most optimal route to take since he would be going to this area regularly for the next year.

The university had already sent him his credentials, and he was looking forward to using the faculty parking.

“What entrance are we using?” Zoe asked when he ignored the entrance they used when they first visited Sydney’s office.

“The one by Westwood Plaza,” He replied. “That way, we wouldn’t have to walk that far like last time.”

“So this will be three times a week?”

“Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.” He answered. “I’ll teach in the morning and take classes in the afternoon.”

“What’s the policy of sit-ins?” He didn’t have to glance at his wife to know she was smiling.

“Feel free.” He shrugged. “Why, though?”

“I missed your lectures,” Zoe admitted. “Besides, I never got the chance to see you in an actual classroom environment before, when you were at the community college.”

It was a quick walk to Bunche Hall, where Sydney’s office was located. There were more students on the campus grounds than the last time he visited, and they had to weave past rushing students heading to their classes.

Sydney cheerfully greeted them when he opened the door. He spotted an additional desk opposite Nigel’s and realized this would be his office too. Nice.

“I haven’t put your name yet on the door,” Sydney explained. “Ready for the quarter?”

“I need to review the syllabus.” He explained. “But I’ll be ready by next week.”

“It’s just a basic history class, HIST 1As…” His colleague explained, “..Especially formed for student athletes, but I’ve been told one could be a problem. Do you think you’re up for it?”

“Jocks?” He asked. He had an idea on how to tackle that issue if it proved problematic.

“You’re teaching two classes, one after the other,” Sydney added. “Professor Cunningham is looking forward to seeing you in the graduate program.”

“Where’s Nigel?” Zoe asked.

“He’s showing around a visiting professor from Columbia University,” Sydney replied. “Want to see the books?”

“Of course!”

“I even have some video for instruction. Do you want to see it?”

“Please.” His wife turned to him. “Jack, can you give us some privacy?”

“What for?” It was just video exercises, right?

“Some of them are of a delicate nature.” He knew better than to ask when he saw Sydney avoiding his gaze. He simply nodded and left, telling his wife to text him if they were done with their business.

He used the opportunity to explore his old campus. He spotted renovations in some of the sports buildings and realized they would be used for the upcoming Olympic Games. Walking around, he was happy that his usual food haunts at North Campus were still there, and he enjoyed a quick snack of grilled cheese sandwiches and made sure to buy extra for Zoe.

When he returned to Bunche Hall, he found Nigel had arrived, sweating heavily as if he had participated in a marathon.

“We had a long walk.” Nigel defended himself when Sydney pointed out the sweat stains on his shirt. “The man was really thorough.”

Meanwhile, his wife seemed to have something on her mind. Her cheeks were flushed, and he caught her eyeing him from head to toe several times. What did she and Sydney even talk about?