1
CATO
Nicholas ‘Nick’ Cato sealed the evidence bag that contained three large bricks of heroin from a search warrant, conducted by he and his team. Though the team hadn’t come up empty-handed, Nick was pissed at his snitch. Three bricks equaled a good bust, but not nearly as good as the twenty bricks his informant had assured him.
He didn't like taking his team into situations without the proper intel. The snitch had also told him there were only four offenders inside the west sidewalk up. Again, his information had been inaccurate. When the team hit the door and entered the house, they encountered eight armed men, most of whom placed their weapons on the floor when instructed.
But there was alwaysone.
The homeowner and main target, Raphael Mendoza, decided to shoot it out. Most gang-banging drug dealers had guns, but very few knew how to shoot. Raphael was easily neutralized after a bullet hit his shoulder.
“Yo, Sarge, Cap wants to see you!” Dave, one of his team members, shouted from down the hall.
“Yeah, okay!”
Nick dropped the bag on a table with the rest of the evidence and headed down the hall to the captain’s office.
Captain Elizabeth Curry, Nick’s friend and supervisor, sat at her cluttered desk, staring at what looked like a scheduling sheet. She was an attractive black woman in her mid-forties. Nick had met her fifteen years ago when he’d entered the police academy.
At the time, she was Officer Curry, and one of the academy’s instructors. She taught Police Procedures. Nick had shamelessly flirted with her, but she’d constantly shut him down. Elizabeth was happily married and had paid his flirtations no attention.
Eventually, Nick graduated and was sent out to work the streets while Elizabeth remained at the academy. Years later, after she was promoted to sergeant, they crossed paths again. She had been reassigned to the 11thdistrict where Nick was working as a beat officer. There, they became good friends. Nick had also developed a friendship with Keith, Elizabeth’s husband, who subsequently introduced Nick to Vera, who eventually became his wife.
Nick tapped on her open door, prompting the captain to look up.
“You rang?” he asked as he entered her office.
“Yeah. I see your entire team dropped slips for Saturday night.”
“Yes, ma’am. We need the night off for Barry’s bachelor party.”
Elizabeth peered at Nick over her reading glasses. “That creates a manpower issue for my unit.”
Nick walked over to the chair in front of her desk and sat down. He leaned in, linking his hands in a prayer-like gesture.
“Come on, Cap. The man’s gettin’ married.”
She leaned back in her chair and slid her reading glasses off her nose. She tossed them on the desk and narrowed her eyes at Nick. “Don't you flash those baby blues at me, Nicholas Cato. They don't move me like they do them other women. When you want something from me, you expect me to comply. But when I ask you to do something that’s not a direct order, you basically ignore me.”
“Cap, that’s not true,” Nick argued with a grin. “I’d doanythingfor you.”
“You want Saturday off? You gotta give me something in return.”
“Done. What you need?”
When she opened her desk drawer and pulled out a slip of paper, Nick feared he’d agreed too soon. She hesitated for a few seconds before sliding it over. Nick took the sheet. With hesitation, he looked down at the paper.
Sheol Clinic
Dr. S. Thantos, Ph. D
Clinical Psychologist
Nick lookedup at his friend, ready to dispute, but she cut him off.
“You want your team to get Saturday off? You got it. This is my condition. Take it or leave it, Sergeant Cato.”
Nick exhaled a frustrated breath and stood. He stuffed the paper in his pocket and turned to leave. Over and over again, he’d told the captain he was fine and he didn't need help dealing with his personal issues, but she wouldn't listen.
