I reached the back door and stepped outside into the cold.
The sharp winter air hit my face like a reset.
I inhaled slowly, then again, until my chest stopped feeling tight.
I couldn’t control what Gavin did. I couldn’t force the law to move faster than evidence. I definitely couldn’t stop Collin from being ridiculous.
But I could say no. Clearly. Completely.
And I had.
When I went back inside, I wouldn’t apologize, nor would I pretend it was funny to make it easier for everyone else.
I would simply continue. The way I always had, except now I knew what it felt like to choose myself out loud.
Chapter Sixteen: Awkward
Ephram
I arrived at the animal shelter fifteen minutes early and immediately regretted it.
Not because I was late, or because I was unprepared. I had notes. I had the filming outline Lydia had sent me. I had checked the battery on my phone twice and wiped the lens with the corner of my sleeve before realizing that probably made it worse.
I regretted it because the shelter did not respect time, order, or personal space.
The front door opened directly into noise. Dogs barking in overlapping rhythms, a volunteer laughing while trying to untangle leashes, the unmistakable smell of disinfectant layered over something warmer and more alive. A cat darted across the hallway and disappeared into a room marked STAFF ONLY like it had a schedule of its own.
I stopped just inside the door and took a breath.
This was fine. This was manageable. I dealt with unpredictable environments for a living. The fact that none of them were wearing badges didn’t fundamentally change that.
A woman at the front desk smiled at me. “You must be the officer who is here to film the social media videos.”
I nodded. “Sergeant North.”
“Thank you for coming,” she said. “We are very excited for the help on social outreach.”
I smiled politely and immediately wondered if I looked like someone who could inspire excitement on camera.
She gestured toward a clipboard. “You can set up wherever you like. We usually recommend starting in the cat room. It’s a little quieter.”
Quieter was relative, but I appreciated the suggestion.
I moved toward the indicated hallway,to find the cat room. There were quite a few in cages, watching me or ignoring me. There were some empty cages, waiting for future inmates.
For a shelter that had just opened, there were certainly a lot of animals here.
I pulled my phone out and opened the notes again. Short clips with a friendly tone and no lecturing.
I read that last line twice.
This was not an arrest briefing. This was not a public safety announcement. This was supposed to be approachable. Human was the word my boss had used.
Humanwasharder to plan for because what exactly did that mean?
I looked around the cat room and paused, unsure where to stand. I set my phone on a small stand the shelter had provided and adjusted the angle. Too high, then too low. I stepped back, then forward again.
This would be easier with Lydia here. The thought was immediate and unwelcome in its accuracy.
