Second Time Around

Associations

*Officer Newman POV*

I couldn't get the words Katrina had said out of my mind after I left her. To only be 18, she was honestly wise beyond her years. This poor girl honestly thought she was destined to be alone forever because everyone she had ever truly loved had been taken from her in one way or another.

Then, when she called me about what her coworker had told her, I felt it deep within me to help her and make sure she stayed safe. I told her that I would meet her for her dinner with Mr. Darnell and the three of us would figure something out to make sure she was alright until she left for college.

There was another worry. How to keep her safe once she left for college. Did this Greg jerkoff know where she was going to college? Hell, did her own mother know where she was going? Either way, we needed to come up with some kind of game plan.

I pulled my squad car into the Olive Garden, and radioed into dispatch that I was taking a dinner break. I saw that Katrina was already there, so I went inside to find her. Luckily, her and her guardian were still waiting by the door for me.

I shook Mr. Darnell's hand, and introduced myself to him again. He asked me to call him Charlie, and I in turn told him he could call me Amber.

The hostess led us to our table, and took our drink orders. While we glanced at the menu, nothing was said about the state of Kat's current events. However, once we placed our order, I had to get the conversation started.

I kept my voice low, because Pineville was small enough that Greg's people could be anywhere at any time.

"Kat, did your coworker say for sure that Greg would retaliate?" I asked her. She shook her head and said that Gail only told her that he had people on the outside that could if he wanted to do so. She then said that Gail kept hinting that if it was her, she would watch her back and maybe even get the hell out of town.

Gail was correct in what she said. I did some research on Mr. Gregory Nolan, and his record is long and dangerous. When he was arrested, it wasn't for petty crimes, it was for huge felonies. Why he hadn't faced life in prison before was beyond me.

"OK, I'm just going to level with you. I think there is a lot of truth in what Gail has said. I believe that you could be in a lot of danger if you stayed in Pineville. The longer you stay with Charlie, the more danger he is in too. I worry about him once you're gone as well. Does anyone other than us know where you are going to college?" I asked.

She thought hard for a moment before listing off whom all knew. "Um, well, obviously the three of us, but also Seth, his dad, my boss at the diner, Ms. Millet, and my mom," she replied. s**t. The boss and the mom knowing where she was going could cause issues. Everyone else, I was pretty certain, wouldn't rat her out.

"Damn, how trustworthy is your boss? Are they known to gossip with your coworkers?" I asked. She immediately shook her head and said, "Oh god no. Frank is a total asshole who barely talks to any of us unless it's work-related. The only reason I told him was because he teased me about going to a community college, and I wanted him to know that this girl wasn't staying in this shithole town."

I had to laugh at her candidness, and Charlie found himself chuckling at her too. "She sure does have a mouth on her doesn't she, Amber?" he laughed. I agreed with him, and I started to see why she loved that old man so much.

"Charlie, are you worried about your safety?" I asked him. A s**t eating grin spread across his face and he replied, "Miss Amber, I fear no man, or woman for that matter. I have a pistol that stays loaded and by my side whenever I'm at home. My neighborhood isn't what you call the best in Pineville, Kentucky. If someone wants to break in and try to cause me harm, they will eat that bullet in the chamber."

Kat nudged him and reminded him that he was talking to a police officer. I laughed and told her that he had every right to defend himself against intruders. He then stated it was registered, and he had his permit to carry it. I then joked and told her that he had his bases covered, and I would never allow him to be arrested for defending himself and his home.

The waitress finally brought out our food, and as we ate our salad and pasta, I got to know them better. It's a shame that it took some kind of crazy mess to bring the three of us together, but I was thankful that it did.

We finished our dinner, and went our separate ways. Something Kat said to me at dinner struck up a curiosity in me, and I couldn't help but want to investigate.

We got on the subject of Seth, and she said that he had been doing well up until that morning when he had gotten into a fight with another inmate. She explained that Seth wasn't one to instigate fights, but if he was attacked he would defend himself. It made me wonder if Greg had someone on the inside of the prison targeting Seth. If that was the case, I would need to speak to his case manager at the prison.

I pulled into the precinct, and went to my desk. I picked up the phone and called the prison. I explained who I was, and why I was calling. The guard who had answered the phone was the same female officer who had helped Kat that night.

She answered all my questions as honestly as she could, and gave me whatever information she was legally allowed without a warrant. Thankfully, the name of the inmate who fought with Seth was freely given.

Hunter McCormick. I pulled out my laptop, and logged into our system. I entered Hunter's name into our database and I instantly got a hit. Another one who has spent his life in and out of prison since the age of 19. Reading through his history, something jumped out at me.

In 2017, he was arrested in connection to a series of robberies being carried out by a local biker club called PineBox Devils. The same club that Gregory Nolan belonged to.

Too much of a coincidence if you ask me. I printed out a copy of his dossier, and placed it in my briefcase. I turned my weapon in for the night, and clocked out to go home.

As I was pulling out of the parking lot, my phone rang. When I answered, a frantic Katrina was at the other end.

I asked her to calm down, and to tell me what happened. She was crying uncontrollably, but somehow I managed to calm her down.

She took a few deep breaths, and then said, "Amber, Charlie's house was broken into while we were gone. They ransacked the place, but it doesn't look like they took anything. They did leave something behind though. They left a note stabbed to the wooden door frame that says, 'Stop looking for trouble, or trouble will come looking for you'."