Some vulgar language
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I took the bag of uniforms and things that had arrived into an empty men's bathroom and began to dress myself in one set of the uniforms that was in it. As I opened up the bag with my claws, I found that it was packed full. While there was only one belt and one winter jacket, there were enough pairs of pants and shirts that I could go a full week before I would need to put them through the laundry. That was a relief to me, as I was certain that the schedule I would have would be busy.
Dressing was fairly easy. My transformation had reduced a lot of my dexterity, but not all of it. I got everything on without difficulty and then fitted the belt around my waist. The belt was fitted with a standard ammunition pouch for a policeman and a holstered side-arm. It also had two handcuffs and the keys for them in a separate pouch. As I finished dressing, my curiosity got the better of me and I looked at the side arm. It was labeled as a Smith and Wesson, but the grip and area around the trigger was enlarged to accommodate my now larger fingers. I guessed it was to prevent me from firing off a round by accident.
I put it back in the holster, collected the other uniforms in the bag and made my way out. Officer Howard was waiting in the hallway for me.
"I haven't kept you waiting, have I?" I asked nervously.
"No, just checking," Officer Howard nodded, "it looks like everything fits."
"It does," I nodded, "it itches a little... but I suppose that's unavoidable, sir."
Officer Howard nodded.
"I have to ask, about the side arm," I then spoke, "did you send in a specialized order?"
"I can't have you accidentally shooting yourself or someone else," Officer Howard answered, "and to be honest, every officer will need a sidearm. One would hope that you'll never have to use it, but so long as crooks abuse the second amendment, you'll need it."
"You're...?" I asked, confused.
"No, I'm very much in favor of the right to keep and bare arms," Officer Howard answered, "the price for it armed criminals, which is the risk every officer takes. Though for the most part, we don't have gun fights. More often then not, we're able to talk the "bad guy" into giving up. The OK Coral died with the Old West and the FBI killed the gangsters of the thirties. I'd tend to think that most gun owners are responsible with what they own."
I slowly nodded. There were some things that I differed in opinion on, but it wasn't my place to argue with my boss, and for the most part I had never advocated taking away someone's firearm if they were responsible with it. And I also knew the risks I was taking.
"I'm sure," I nodded, "I'd best get going. Officer Barnes is waiting."
"It'll be standard patrol," Officer Howard said to me as I walked out, "you shouldn't have too much going on."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Officer Barnes was waiting outside the station with his car, as he said he would.
"You expect to have to change over the course of the day?" He joked as I approached, still carrying the bag with the extra uniforms in it.
"No," I responded, "but you don't have a locker room, so I had thought we could drop this off at my cabin real quick... unless there's an emergency."
"Not at the moment," Officer Barnes commented, "and I'm sure we can make one side trip. You're out there on the edge of York's property, aren't you?"
"Yes, up in the hills," I nodded, "a nice quiet spot where we can enjoy nature, Molly and I... where we hope to raise cubs eventually."
"Is she?"
"Not at present," I answered as I opened the back door and climbed in.
Because of my size, I had to lay across the back seat of the car and had my tail pulled up toward me. My feet hung off toward the front edge of the seat and my legs were tucked up under me. It gave me some irritation from the uniform, but it was unavoidable.
"You know I'm a bit of a family man," Officer Barnes commented as he got into the front seat and began driving toward Bandhavgarh Cabin, "it's a wonderful thing."
"I'm sure, but Molly only just got married," I answered, "it'd be too soon for us to be starting a family."
Officer Barnes nodded. We had no problems or calls as we made out way out to the cabin. Once we arrived, Officer Barnes opened the door to allow me to climb out. I quickly pulled my house keys out of the pocket in the uniform's pants and tossed the extra uniforms and the improvised clothing that Molly and my mother had made on the living room couch. I then quietly returned to the car.
"You got a nice place, how much did Mr. York charge you for it?" Officer Barnes asked.
"He actually gave it to us, for not following Beauregard, despite our offers to pay for the house," I told him, "we'll try to arrange some reimbursement for the garage when that can be finished."
"A very generous man," Officer Barnes commented, "although his story is tragic... no sons, and his daughter moved on..."
"Is that really tragic?" I wondered.
"It is when one of our oldest families passes on with no heir," Officer Barnes sighed, "Beauregard will probably end up buying the land..."
"Not if Molly and I have anything to say about it," I growled.
"What would you do with the ranch?" Officer Barnes asked as we began to drive back into town.
"A hunting preserve for us," I answered, "Let the deer and elk take over the ranch land and provide Molly and I with game to hunt."
"Open land solely for hunting?" Officer Barnes inquired.
"Within the specific hunting seasons," I answered, "and to insure that Molly and I aren't buying ALL of the meat on the supermarket shelves."
"Isn't hunting supposed to be for food?" Officer Barnes commented.
"That it is," I nodded.
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The day ultimately went by fairly quietly. The department was responsible for Columbia Falls and the area immediately around it, though I also learned that once we went beyond the city limits, the Columbia Falls PD would not have primary jurisdiction and would have to allow state troopers or highway patrolmen to make the actual arrest.
The only "action" that we had in the morning were a couple of people speeding, but they didn't run. It was merely the task of pulling them over and giving them the ticket, unless they it was determined to let the person off with a warning. Officer Barnes handled this, as it was easier for him to get out and do it, rather then opening the door for me.
We eventually settled into the same drive in where I had met Dave.
"You hungry?" Officer Barnes asked.
"A little," I answered, "I'll probably have a little something..."
I began digging for my wallet.
"No, it'll be my treat," Officer Barnes answered, "I can wait until you start to draw your salary. Make up for the curve-balls that have been thrown at you."
"Thanks, I guess," I spoke, "though, I'll only take three hamburger patties. No bun or anything else."
"Just the patties?"
"Anything else would make me sick," I told him.
"Typically its grass that cats and dogs eat to make themselves throw up," Officer Barnes commented.
I sighed, knowing that a lot of this was repetitive to me, but then, not everyone knew everything about our lives.
"I'm largely going by what Molly learned by trial and error when she was first transformed," I told him, "and tigers are exclusively carnivorous."
Officer Barnes only responded with a couple of laughs.
"I know, I'm just giving you a hard time," he gave a short laugh, "you take it fairly well..."
"Gee, thanks," I commented.
+++++++++++++++++++
The afternoon was fairly quiet as well, but getting into the late afternoon we got a call about some fight in a city park.
"Can they see any weapons?" Officer Barnes asked into the radio.
"No," the dispatch officer answered.
"How many are there?" I asked from the back seat, Officer Barnes nodded and repeated the question.
"It looks like two or three going after from what she says," the dispatch officer replied, "You two are the closest units... er... unit."
"Don't worry, we got it," Officer Barnes answered.
And we were the closest unit. We arrived at the park to find that the entire group appeared to be in their teens. Two held onto the apparent victim, while the third delivered body blows to him. Officer Barnes was quick to get out and open the back door, and I followed him.
"Hit on Sally will you!" the teen throwing the punches growled at the victim.
"Alright, knock it off!" Officer Barnes ordered as load as he could, making all of them look in our direction.
"Shit, it's the cops!" one of the two holding onto an arm gasped and bolted, with the one throwing punches following him.
The other one holding on an arm tried to run away, but the victim had plenty of fight in him, and he turned and tackled the one trying to hold him down.
"I got these two," Officer Barnes answered, "You get the other two."
I nodded and took off after the two that were running. Neither teen was real fast, and to a certain extent the snow slowed them down a little as the boots they were wearing for the snow weren't built for running. And even if they were, their strides weren't long enough to get away. Even on two legs I was easily faster then they were. I caught both by the back of their jackets and came to a complete stop. Being yanked back sent both teens onto their rears.
"Now, boys," I said calmly, "will you come quietly, or do I need to cuff you?"
"Don't eat me!" one screamed.
"You're in no danger of being eaten, now will you come quietly?" I asked again.
"Sure, just don't eat me!" both of them stammered. Both of them looked winded.
Both of them walked slowly in front of me, while I kept a paw on a shoulder, to make sure they didn't get the idea to bolt again. I got them both back to Officer Barnes who had pulled the other two apart and had them panting at each other, with Officer Barnes between them.
"Good, you're all here," Officer Barnes grunted, "now, I don't suppose you'd like to explain why you four decided to have a public fight?"
"The little jerk deserved it!" the first growled, "he made a lewd pass at Sally!"
"All I did was ask her to a dance you moron, and I didn't want the fight, they jumped me!" the victim yelled back.
"She wasn't your girlfriend as..."
"Watch your language," I gave a low growl.
"She ain't your girlfriend," the first teen repeated, cutting out the attempted expletive.
"So she has to go with you?" the victim retorted.
"She IS my girlfriend," the first answered, "you had no right..."
"So all of this was over the winter formal?" Officer Barnes asked.
"Yeah."
"Winter formal?" I wondered.
All of them gave a strange look.
"Officer Wayne only just moved here," Officer Barnes answered, "Our high school has a winter formal in late January or early February. Gives the teens a social gathering event besides the holidays and prom, and it would appear that our victim her got enamored with the wrong girl..."
"You got that right!" the first teen sneered.
"So you and your buddies decided to jump him for it?" I asked.
"We only intended to tell him to leave Sally alone," the second teen answered, "he actually started the fight."
"What am I supposed to do when the three of you surround me and cuss at me after she turned me down," the victim answered.
"You had no right to ask Sally in the first place!" the first teen answered.
"And none of you have the right to be brawling in public," Officer Barnes commented, and then pointed to three teens that had been beating the victim, "the three of you will receive official citation for starting the fight."
I began working on the ticket slips. Thankfully my transformation didn't kill my penmanship.
"You can either pay the fine, or we'll see you in juvenile court, and I guarantee you, that your Community Service will be going on during the Winter Formal," Officer Barnes answered.
"Dude, I ain't got the money for this!" the third teen gasped.
"You should have thought of that BEFORE you got into this," Officer Barnes commented, "we'll see you in court. Now get going!"
"Are you sure we should just let them go?" I asked as the three teens moved away.
"Arrest them for a small fight like this?" Officer Barnes asked, "over a girl? They'd make bail before we could even shut the doors. I know who they are and where they live. All they've done today warrants a fine or an appearance in juvenile court, which will assign them community service that we will control. And if they don't appear to either, we can go from there. You did well, George."
I could only shrug as we turned to the victim, who appeared to only just be standing.
"You need a ride home, son?" Officer Barnes asked.
"Or a clinic?" I added.
"I'll be fine, officers," the victim answered, and began to trudge in the other way.
"Okay then... I'd advise you stay clear of those three for awhile," Officer Barnes advised, "they may try again when they think we aren't looking."
"Sure, thanks."
I sighed as Officer Barnes and I made our way back to the car.
"You did well, George," Officer Barnes answered, "I know this seems trivial, but not every crime is big... and most of the big crime out here is the meth-labs, which aren't used this time of year."
"I know," I commented, "I just thought we could do more."