Ty
“Cardinal rule, Kell and Ty. The least amount of noise we make, the better,” Duke told them, picking right up after Quick had finished reading the charges on their current bounty, Memphis West. “Moving with precision is how we get in and out of public places fast. The goal is not to be seen. Or we’re moving so fast, there’s not time to get us on film. These days, everyone is quick to pull out their cell phones and start recording. I don’t need press for my business and ain’t none of us trying to be movie stars.”
They were sitting outside a KFC on Old National Highway. Their skip was about to report in for his five o’clock shift. Ford was able to get a hit on their system with the guy’s social when he’d completed tax forms. Brian was up the block waiting in the transport truck, Ford was parked across the street in case the kid bolted, while Dana was in the restaurant, in case he tried to run inside.
“He’s a nonviolent and he’s what we call a worm,” Quick said, checking his yellow and black salt gun.
“A worm?” Ty asked.
“Yeah. Memphis only weighs a hundred and ten pounds, and he’s whip-thin. Very flexible. He’ll wiggle and squirm all the way to the ground when securing him.” Duke chuckled in his raspy bass.
“Why do ya’ll bond habitual offenders? Isn’t it obvious they’re not gonna show for court if they didn’t before?” Kell asked.
Ty was thinking the exact same thing.
“Repeats are usually small bonds. Five hundred to a couple grand at most. We usually wait until the court takes action against them and they turn themselves in so we don’t waste the manpower going after them. But we’ve decided to use these backlogged cases as training tools. These bonds are so low priority that the skips have gotten comfortable. This fool has actually got a damn job. A working, tax-paying fugitive. Unbelievable. He has a bench warrant, for shit’s sake.” Duke balked.
“The turnaround in fast food is too high these days for them to do background checks on everyone, so Memphis most likely lied on his application. Regardless, it was stupid.” Quick pointed at a young guy getting off the MARTA. He was bundled up in a dark green winter coat and his red Colonel’s chicken work hat pulled down to his brows. He was puffing cool air as he double-timed past the other riders getting off. He was trying to be on time for his shift. Only he was going to be a lot later than he thought.
“There’s people standing around. Usually it’d only be one of us to pick up a skip like this but since we got everybody, we’re gonna demonstrate how we would secure a violent skip,” Duke told them. “Observe.”
Ty checked his watch then cut his eyes over to Kell at the exact same time he looked at him. The corner of his mouth was turned up. Ty wondered what he was amused about. It didn’t matter. He got lost again watching the blues, greens and golds in Kell’s irises whenever his mood elevated.
“You should be watching the team… not me,” Kell said casually, staring out of the window as Duke and Quick approached from the front, with Dana coming through the front door at the precise time their skip reached for the handle. Brian turned into the driveway, preventing their bounty from turning left.
Damn. Caught slipping, Ty turned to pay attention.
Duke was holding the warrant in his hand. “Let’s go Memphis. Time to check in, don’t you think?”
Their skip was twenty-three according to his file, but he didn’t appear any older than sixteen. His chest heaved like he was about to start… no scratch that… Memphis’ started bawling like he’d just heard devastating news. Dana came up behind him with a set of wire cuffs and that was when the show began.
“Please, please! I got a job now. I’m not shoplifting anymore, I swear. I haven’t in forever!” Memphis begged. “Just let me work, Duke, and I can pay you back.”
“I’ve bonded you out three times, Memph, and you’ve only showed for court once.” Duke shook his head and motioned for Dana to secure him. “Do your ninety days in County and you’ll be done with it all. No debts owed.”
“Nooooo,” Memphis groveled with tears and snot streaming down his face. “I can’t go back. Pleeeeeeez.”
What man gets down on his knees and begs at another man’s feet? Ty grimaced.
As soon as Dana touched their skip’s shoulder, Memphis buckled into a heap of blubbering ridiculousness right there on the sidewalk. An Asian couple were getting out of their car until they saw what was going on. Three teens on skateboards and one on a bike, skidded to a stop in the parking lot, excitingly pointing and going for their cells. It really didn’t take long—only seconds—before there were spectators.
When Dana hooked Memphis under his armpits, he threw his hands straight up in the air and slithered back down Dana’s front and wrapped his narrow arms around his ankles, making Dana stumble and windmill comically to avoid stepping on the small man with his steel-toe boots. Ty looked back at Ford to find him cracking up in his truck.
The teens were laughing loudly while aiming their cameras at their skip, who was now rolling across the freezing asphalt. He was literally rolling like he was on fire. Duke had to hop over him to keep from getting hit in the legs.
A worm. Ty got it.
“They’re taking him to jail, or something! Oh snap! They ain’t even real cops, man, and they’re arresting him.” The kid on the bike said loud enough to make more people stop to see what the commotion was about. “Maybe they’re body snatchers.”
“Streaming live now.” Kell murmured. “They better get him up.”
“Agreed.”
“What would you do if it was me and you picking up this guy and he drops in the street like that.” Kell chuckled. His voice was low, soothing in the dim truck.
“I’d do what Quick’s doing right now and get the hell out of there.” Quick cursed then leaned down to scoop the guy up into a fireman’s hold and hurriedly, but carefully, put him into the back of the transport truck. Memphis’ screams got louder as he banged on the inside bars.
Damn. You’d think Brian was taking him to serve a life sentence at Pelican Bay.
Duke said a few words to the two KFC managers who’d come outside. He showed them the eleven-month-old warrant—that was public record—by way of explanation and said something else Ty couldn’t hear, then turned and walked away from their disappointed faces. When their bosses were in the truck, Ty checked his watch. Six and half minutes, and it was over.
Kell grabbed Memphis’ file from the front seat and began scanning more of the documents. “He was stealing things like diapers, formula, one time he stole a pack of chicken breasts and a can of green beans. Who gets ninety days for that? None of it was over fifty bucks. That guy was probably really trying to get his life back together. He’s working a legit job. Doing the right thing. He said he wasn’t shoplifting anymore,” Kell said more to himself.
Ty reached across the seat and lightly brushed his fingertips across the back of Kell’s hand. It was a touch to ease him. His partner closed his eyes and exhaled, leaving his hand under Ty’s comfort. He could already see Kell’s heart was made of gold. While the rest of the hardened hunters only saw Memphis as a bounty, and Ty only saw him as a sniveling man-child, Kell saw something deeper than any of them. He somehow saw goodness in Memphis.
Maybe it was the things Kell had lived through that made him see people, see life, differently. Ty didn’t know what those things were, but he desperately wanted to. Wanted to know how Kell could have such empathy for a man he’d seen for less than seven minutes. He wanted to know how Kell could stir such powerful emotions within him, and so soon.
“Memphis signed then breached a contract, Kellam. Maybe he is trying harder, and he’ll be able to continue on his righteous path after he’s fulfilled his prior obligations.” Quick looked at Kell with understanding eyes, “He has time to serve first. It’s not our place to acquit or determine who should or shouldn’t have to go back to jail. The judge already decided that by revoking the bond. We carry out the judge’s orders.”
“Can you handle that?” Duke turned to Kell. “I know all about your compassion, Kellam. Can you be impartial? Because each one of these offenders will have a sob story, each one more depressing than the last. Some are even telling the truth.”
“He does have heart. He wouldn’t’ve been my student for so many years otherwise, Duke. He may exhibit a lot of compassion, but he will not disobey. He will follow orders. Always,” Quick said before Kell could answer.
“I can handle it,” Kell answered for himself.
Ty smiled and caressed his hand once more. It’d felt so nice the first time, so he did it again.