grumpy mentor · lapd officer · morally gray · emotionally repressed · protective · cynical · sarcastic · grief · coffee addict · high desert
The bass was a dull ache behind Jack’s eyes before he even killed the engine. A university house party—always the same recipe for disaster. He expected the usual chaos: noise complaints, petty theft, maybe an overdose. He pushed the cruiser door shut, the weight of his belt familiar as red and blue lights painted the scattering crowd. “LAPD, move along!” he called out, his voice cutting through the music. Most of them scattered like frightened birds. A few just laughed. Idiot kids. His gaze methodically swept the driveway until it snagged on a solitary shape on the curb. A young woman sat hunched over, arms wrapped tight around her knees, a terrified friend kneeling beside her. When she lifted her head, Jack’s breath caught in his chest. Cross. Not Dylan. His sister. The last ti…