“I meant we’re in a good place. It ended easily…which is still a little crazy to me. It’s weird. I won’t lie. This roommates thing is going to take some getting used to.”
“You’re still living with her?”
“Yeah. What was I supposed to do? Go to a hotel? I couldn’t just move out.”
“That’s nuts.”
“We’ve been living like roommates for a while now, we’re just not sleeping in the same room anymore. Not much else has changed, really. That’s a pretty big sign that we did the right thing.”
“I’d say so,” Elisa exhaled deeply. “I can’t say that I’m completely surprised. After our last conversation, I had a feeling you were heading down this road. What about Berkley? Where are things with her?”
“Over too.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. She ended it before all of this. She has no idea. She won’t return my calls.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Thanks.”
“It’s probably best right now anyway. You just got out of a long relationship and technically, you’re still in it to some degree since you’re living under the same roof.”
“Yeah.”
“Do you want me to tell mom and dad?”
“No. I’ll do it. It’s been five days and I’m just now telling you. It feels like it hasn’t sunk in yet.”
“Give it some time, and give yourselves some space. I’m sure Olivia feels the same way.”
“It’s funny you’re talking about Olivia and I’m thinking about Berkley. I can’t get her off my mind. Not seeing her hurts so much worse than ending things with Olivia. That’s shitty in a way. I never meant to step out on her. I couldn’t help being drawn to Berkley like a moth to a flame. I’ve never felt chemistry like that with anyone else, and I probably never will again.”
“Randi, you’re in love with her, whether or not you want to admit it,” her sister said sympathetically.
“I have a feeling it’s a little too late for all of that.”
“Work on you. That’s most important. When the time is right, if it’s meant to be, you’ll be brought back together.”
“When did you become so philosophical?” Randi laughed quietly.
“I spend too much time with mom and dad.”
Randi laughed again. “Maybe I should come home and do some Yoga with mom.”
Elisa chuckled. “It might help clear your chakra or cleanse your palate…or something like that.”
“On that note, I’m getting out of bed. Thanks for talking to me. I miss you.”
“I miss you, too. Good luck at the game tonight.”
*
Berkley stood in the back of the roll call room with her hands resting on her utility belt, listening intently as the longwinded lieutenant went on and on.
“Someone stuff a sock in his mouth,” Garrett whispered.
Berkley bumped shoulders with him.
“One final note, welcome back Senior Patrol Officer Crawford. It looks like you’re all healed up. I don’t suppose you’ll be jumping on your kid’s trampoline any time soon,” the lieutenant said with a big grin.
“Nope,” he replied.
“Alright, everyone. Be safe.”
All of the officers began to disperse when he walked from the front of the room with his thin notebook. “Ward,” he called, catching up to her.
“Oh hell,” Garrett said. “I’m out of here. Catch me on the radio when you’re rolling.”
“Yes, sir,” Berkley said, turning to face the lieutenant as Garrett disappeared.
“You are relieved of duty at the soccer stadium since Crawford is back. Thank you for filling in.”
“Sure. No problem,” she replied.
As she walked away, heading towards her patrol car, Berkley felt a dull ache in her chest. Randi had called her twice during the week, both of which she’d sent to voicemail, but no message was left. She knew if she heard her voice or saw her face, they would be right back where they were a week ago, too tangled in each other to care about the consequences. The sadness of knowing she wasn’t going to purposely see Randi anymore, cut her deeper than she thought it would, but the idea of not being forced to see her, was almost like a weight lifting off of her shoulders. No matter how she looked at it, it was a double-edged sword.
As soon as she got into her patrol car, Berkley noticed a message on the computer screen.
What did he want now?
She laughed and typed: No more soccer stadium duty since Crawford is back.
That’s great. Now, you won’t have to see Randi and you can do real police work. It’s a win/win.
Something like that, she replied. Leaving HQ. I’ll call you later. As she closed the messenger box, she pushed the thoughts of Randi from her mind and went into work mode.
39
Randi sat on the bench in the locker room, lacing up her cleats. She ignored the conversations going on around her, and the thoughts racing through her head. She had a job to do, and the team needed her focused.
“Hey, Rojas,” Sasha called. “Where’s Berkley? The dude she replaced is back.”
Randi shrugged and said, “No idea.”
“Why do I feel like you just lied?” Carrie mumbled.
“Not now,” Randi mouthed.
“Let’s go, girls. We have work to do!” Olivia yelled, bringing everyone in for her captain’s speech. “We only have three games left in the regular season. Richey FC is sitting in third place. We need to stay in the top four if we want to play in the postseason games for the championship. Who is with me?”
Everyone started cheering.
“Let’s go kick some ass!” Olivia shouted, leading them into the tunnel to line up with New Jersey for the traditional walk out onto the field.
The nearly sold-out crowd thundered with cheers for their favorite players as they were introduced. Once the national anthem ended, the players headed out to their positions and waited for the referee to blow her whistle, starting the game.
Randi’s heart rate skyrocketed from the burst of adrenaline. She was itching to go hard and let go of everything. She’d planned to leave it all on the field…hoping for those ninety minutes she forgot about everything going on in her life.
At the sound of the whistle, Carrie kicked the ball back to Randi and play began.
*
“South 5—245 in progress at Ol’ Red’s Bar, 1021 Maple Street,” the dispatcher radioed, indicating an assault with a deadly weapon.
Berkley was only five miles away. She flipped the lights and sirens on in her car and cut a u-turn in the middle of the intersection. “327—responding,” she said into the mic attached to her computer as she navigated the traffic at a high rate of speed.
“414—responding,” Garrett radioed as well.
Berkley sped into the parking lot and slammed her car into park. She checked the computer screen for updated information and found out a woman had hit a man with a pool cue, busted a beer bottle on the table and was threatening to cut anyone who came close to her.
“Damn idiot,” she muttered, getting out of her car. She drew her gun as she moved towards the door. There was no metal detector, so she had no proof that no one inside was carrying a gun. She took a few deep breathes to even out her heart rate. Seeing Garrett’s car pull in behind hers helped calm her nerves.
“The hillbillies are at it again,” he said, stepping up next to her.
“Right.” She grinned. “I’ll lead. You pull the door and come behind me on my left side.”
“10-4,” he said, grabbing the door.
*
Jorja passed the ball up to Randi, who dribbled around her defender and crossed it to Carrie. The defender on her side of the field came out of nowhere, stealing the ball and sending it to the opposite side of the field to a midfielder who took off with it up the middle. Randi’s lungs burned as she sprinted, chasing after her. She couldn�
��t quite get to the ball, but she slid anyhow, tackling the player and sending her tumbling to the ground.
“Fuck you!” the girl said, getting in Randi’s face when she got up.
The ref had blown the whistle, calling a foul on Randi.
“You’ve been coming at me all night!” Randi growled back at her.
“If you weren’t so slow, I wouldn’t be stealing the ball from you,” the player taunted.
“Bring it on, bitch!”
“If I hear either of you cussing at the other one more time, I’m going to yellow card the both of you!” the ref yelled.
Randi rolled her eyes and backed up for the player to take her direct kick, which Olivia caught easily. Everyone repositioned as Olivia drop-kicked the ball to midfield. Jorja jumped up, heading it even further. Randi ran through the box and stretched out as far as she could, catching the tip of her cleat on the ball as it came down. It felt like slow motion as she watched the ball sail past the keeper and into the back of the net as her body slammed hard into the ground. The crowd roared with cheers and the team ran over to celebrate with Randi, who was still lying on the ground.
“I’m fine,” she said, taking an extra second to get up.
“Listen, we have twenty minutes left. We’re up one to nothing. We just need to hold them off,” Jorja said.
“No, we need to get another goal!” Randi yelled. “This is our house!”
Everyone cheered as they went back to their positions to restart play.
*
“Richey PD!” Berkley yelled, rushing in through the open door. “Hands in the air!”
Garrett ran in behind her and flanked her left side. Together, they scanned the crowd of twenty or so people sitting at various tables, on barstools, and standing around the pool table. That’s where she spotted the woman with the broken bottle.
“Put the bottle down!” Berkley yelled, concentrating on her while Garrett watched for any movement from the rest of the patrons.
“Get out of here!” the woman slurred.
“I’m not going to ask nicely again. Put it down!”
She waved the bottle around, howling like a wild animal as she stumbled.
“What the hell is she on?” Garrett said.
“Nothing. She’s drunk out of her mind and trying to kill me!” one guy replied.
“You screwed that whore in our bed! You’re damn right I’m going to kill you!” the woman screamed, lunging towards him.
Berkley had already holstered her handgun once Garrett had the rest of the patrons safely behind them. She quickly fired a shot with her taser gun, catching the wild woman in her side. She flopped on the ground, screaming and writhing in pain. Berkley rushed over and kicked the broken bottle out of arms reach. The woman bucked around, trying to get her hands on Berkley, as she fought to get her hands in the cuffs.
Garrett dove on her, grabbing her flailing arms.
“That bitch shot me!” the woman screamed. “Get off of me!”
As soon as she was secure in the cuffs, Berkley searched her, and then pulled her back to sit on her butt. “Don’t move. You’re under arrest for assault.”
“I didn’t assault no one!” she screamed. “You shot me! I’m dying!”
“That was a taser lead, not a bullet. You’re not dying.” Berkley shook her head, grabbing her radio. “327—one in custody, request EMS.” She needed EMS to remove the taser leads that were stuck in her skin. She could do it, but she preferred for the fire department to do it in case they needed to transport the person.
“Copy—327. EMS en route.”
“Are you okay?” Garrett asked the guy whom she’d hit with the pool cue. He was apparently the same guy she was trying to cut with the bottle.
“Yeah, man.” He shook his head. “She’s my old lady. I don’t want to press charges.”
“You don’t have to. The state is doing it for you.”
“Damn it, Trisha! See what you did? You’re probably going to jail for a while this time,” he growled at her.
“You did this! I told you to stay away from Pam!”
“I didn’t do anything with her!”
“Listen, it’s best if you step outside with me. I’ll take your statement. There’s no need to instigate this any further. She’s under arrest and will be going to jail once EMS removes the taser leads.”
“Man, she’s my wife. I hate seeing this.”
“Here’s an idea, stop drinking.”
“I’ve only had one. I came out after work with my buddy. She showed up here already drunk and acting crazy. She thinks I’m having an affair with a chick in our trailer park. I swear I’m not.”
“It’s none of my business whether you are or not,” Garrett replied as the ambulance pulled up.
Dena got out with her medical bag and walked over to the two of them. “What’s up?” she asked.
“He has a small cut on the side of his head, but the woman inside needs her taser leads removed. Berkley has her.”
“Mags, he needs a gauze pad. I’ll go deal with the taser leads,” she said, heading into the bar.
Most of the patrons had left, leaving the place wide open. The smell of stale beer and cigarettes stung her nose as Dena walked inside. Berkley was in the back near the pool tables. Tiny shards of glass were on the floor a few feet away from where an angry redhead sat with her hands cuffed behind her back.
“How are you?” Dena asked.
“Wonderful,” Berkley laughed. “This is Trisha and she has two taser leads in her left side,” she added, pulling the woman to her feet.
“That bitch shot me! I’m dying!”
“First of all, you’re not dying. It’s an electrical current and it’s long gone. Second, that bitch is my best friend, so let’s be a little nicer,” Dena said as she began assessing the situation.
“Go to hell!”
Dena looked at Berkley and rolled her eyes. “Looks like they’re in there pretty good,” she said, grabbing a pair of medical pliers. “This might sting a little,” she added, plucking the leads out.
“Ouch! You’re hurting me, bitch!” the woman screamed.
“All done. You want us to transport her?”
“If her vitals are fine, she’s going down to central booking.”
Dena nodded and checked the woman’s blood pressure and pulse rate. “She’s good to go.”
“Wonderful,” Berkley said, grabbing the mic clipped to her shoulder. “327—10-16,” she radioed, requesting a prisoner pick up.
“Copy—327.”
“Let’s go,” Berkley said, grabbing the woman by the arm, leading her out of the bar. “Your ride will be here shortly.”
“How are you, really?” Dena asked once Berkley had the woman sitting on the curb near Garrett. Her husband had already left.
“I’m fine. Life goes on, right?”
“Uh-huh. Have you seen her?”
“Nope. I’m not working the soccer stadium anymore, as of tonight, and I’ve avoided The Grind all week.”
“Have you thought about talking to her?”
“No. There’s nothing more to say. Besides, I checked her social media account. She and Olivia are still sharing pictures and cute comments.”
“I’m sorry, babe.”
“No sorry needed. Life goes on.” Berkley said with a shrug. “Here’s your ride!” she called to the woman on the curb.
“How’s it going?” Maggie asked, walking over.
“Good. You?”
“Same shit, different day,” Maggie laughed. “It’s good to see you.”
“Yeah, you too.”
“We’re out of here,” Dena said. “Call me when you get off shift. Let’s get breakfast or something. I know you guys are headed to the gym, but maybe before.”
“Sounds good,” Berkley replied.
“I second that. I’m down for breakfast,” Maggie agreed.
Garrett walked over
after stuffing the angry woman into the back of the patrol car that had just arrived. “What are we doing?” he asked as the ambulance drove away.
“Apparently, going to breakfast,” Berkley said.
“Sweet.”
*
Randi dribbled the ball past the midfielder she’d been tangling with all night, avoiding her slide tackle with a spin move that sent her in the opposite direction as the girl slid out of bounds. Then, she kicked the ball towards the box, putting just enough bend on it for Carrie to get to it. She took a shot with one touch and the ball went right through the keeper’s hands for another goal.
The team rushed to Carrie, fist-pumping and cheering. They were already a minute into their two minutes of stoppage. Everyone lined back up to restart play. The ref blew the whistle, ending the game as soon as Randi kicked it back to Jorja.
“Yes!” Randi shouted, as the entire team gathered in a circle.
“Hell yeah, ladies!” Olivia said, hugging everyone. “Great game,” she said to Randi, avoiding hugging her.
“Thanks, you, too.” Randi smiled.
“Three more points in the house!” Carrie exclaimed.
The cheering fans gathered along the first row, waiting for autographs as the team began their cool-down stretches. Once they were finished, they walked around, signing jersey’s and taking selfies.
“This is what it’s all about,” Randi said to Carrie, who was walking around with her. Olivia had started in the other direction with Sasha and Jorja. A few other team members were also going around, greeting fans.
“What got into you? You were a badass tonight. I was sure you and Andrea Wilson were going to throw down at midfield.”
Randi laughed. “I would’ve kicked her ass.”
“No doubt.” Carrie smiled.
“She kept pulling my jersey and tripping me. I’d finally had enough, so I sent her ass to the ground.”
Carrie chuckled. “You should’ve been carded for that.”
“She backed off, didn’t she?”
Carrie grinned and shook her head.
Playing the Game Page 23
