Maddox scanned the house: second floor window, curtains drawn, no movement visible. "Anyone tried talking to him?"
"Officer Monroe went to the door and identified herself, and the kid told her to leave. Hasn't said anything since."
“He says he’s armed?”
"No confirmation. But the father insists the guns are accessible if he wanted them."
Maddox looked at Zeus, then back at the house. "Let me try. Zeus is good with scared people. Sometimes a dog is less threatening than a uniform."
Julia nodded. "Your call. We've got the exits covered. If he comes out the window, we'll see him."
Maddox approached the father, keeping her voice low and even. "Sir, I'm Officer Maddox Shaw, K-9 unit. Can you tell me about your son? What's his name?"
"Connor." The man's voice cracked. "He's sixteen. He's a good kid, he just— School's been hard, and today something happened. He won't tell us what. He came home, went straight upstairs, and locked the door." He looked at Zeus then back at her. "You're not going to hurt him, are you? The dog?—"
"Zeus is trained for de-escalation, not aggression" Maddox said. "I want to talk to Connor and make sure he's safe. Can you tell me the layout? Where's his room?"
"Top of the stairs, second door on the right. The rifles are in our room, down the hall. I don't know if he went in there."
"Okay. I'm going to go up and try to talk to him. You stay here with the other officers."
The mother grabbed her arm. "Please don't hurt him. He's just scared."
Maddox met her eyes. "I know. I'll do everything I can."
A sedan pulled up behind the patrol cars. Jade stepped out, already moving toward the scene with her bag over one shoulder. Their eyes met briefly before Captain Scott directed Jade toward the parents and Maddox turned toward the house.
She could hear Jade's voice behind her, calm and steady, asking the parents to tell her about Connor. Good. They needed that support while Maddox handled what was happening upstairs.
She moved toward the house, Zeus at her heel. The front door stood open, another officer inside maintaining a visual onthe staircase. Maddox nodded to him and started up, each step measured and quiet.
The hallway at the top was narrow with family photos lining the walls: Connor as a kid, gap-toothed and smiling; Connor in a basketball uniform; Connor with his parents at what looked like a celebration ceremony.
A happy kid with a normal life…until he wasn’t.
She stopped outside the second door on the right, still closed. She pressed her ear close but heard nothing beyond the blood rushing in her own head. She forced her breathing to slow.
Professional. Stay professional.
Maddox knocked, not hard, just firm enough to be heard. "Connor? My name's Maddox Shaw. I'm a cop, but I'm not here to force you out. I just want to make sure you're okay." She paused. "I have my dog with me. His name's Zeus. Can I bring him in? He's good company when things feel like too much."
She was met with silence for a few beats while she waited. Then she heard a faint "go away."
"I hear you. But your parents are scared. They called because they love you, not because they want you in trouble." She kept her voice steady even as something tightened in her throat. "How about this, I'll send Zeus in first. Just him. He's not going to hurt you. You can pet him or just let him sit there, whatever you need."
Connor didn't answer. Maddox counted her heartbeats. Fifteen. Twenty. Thirty.
Then the lock clicked, and the door opened a crack.
Maddox put her hand on Zeus's head, grounding herself in the solid warmth of him. "Okay, buddy, easy."
She gave him the release command, and Zeus pushed through the door, moving with tender gentleness. Maddox heard the creak of floorboards, the rustle of fabric, then Connor's voice, thick and shaky. "Hey. Hey, it's okay."
He was talking to Zeus, not her. That was fine. Maddox stayed in the hallway, regulating her breathing while she gave time for Zeus to work and Connor space to decide if she was allowed in his space.
"You can come in," Connor said finally. " But just you."
She pushed the door open slowly, keeping her hands visible and unthreatening. Connor sat on the floor by his bed, Zeus beside him, the dog's head resting on the kid's knee. Her eyes swept the room but didn’t find any weapons visible, just a scared sixteen year old with red-rimmed eyes and shaking hands buried in Zeus's fur.
