Arrival Overdue

Chapter 1
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"Where's Bosco, Lieu?" Faith asked as she rushed in from the locker room. She'd missed roll call and was hoping that her cheerful disposition might help him forget that fact.

"You're late, Yokas," he stated simply and then waited for an explanation.

"I know, Lieu. I'm sorry. Fred got stuck on the train and didn't get home in time. I have a back up plan for the future if it ever happens again," she explained, hoping that she could avoid any further disciplinary action.

"Alright. See that it doesn't happen again," he replied. "Boscorelli volunteered for some overtime and is transporting a prisoner down from Upstate," he reported to her.

"By himself?" she asked, knowing that usually that type of assignment was handled by two officers.

"No. Tom Hogan from the Detectives Office went with him. It's one of their collars anyway. You're with me until he gets back," he said looking at his watch. "You can show me the wonders of the streets again," he said jovially. "We're serving warrants this evening."

"Yes, Sir," she said, noticing the comical looks she was getting from Sullivan and Davis at the fact that she had to drive the Boss around.

"Davis, Sullivan. Aren't you supposed to be out on patrol," the Lieutenant said as if he had eyes in the back of his head.

"Yes, Sir," replied Sully. "On our way, Sir."

"Uh huh," Swersky replied. "Let's go, Yokas," he said as Faith returned after signing out her radio.

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Bosco, Hogan and their prisoner were riding in silence on their return from Albany. They picked up a prisoner that was wanted in relation to a felony hit and run with fatalities from last week, stemming from a raid on a drug operation. The thoughts were that this guy was kind of high up in the chain of command of this particular drug operation. The perp was picked up in Albany on a routine traffic stop and when the officer there ran his name and license through the computer it came back with a hit and he was advised that the City would extradite. Thus ended Samuel Mason's flee from justice.

Bosco looked at the prisoner sitting in the backseat of 55-David. Truth be told, Bosco didn't think this guy looked smart enough to be running a drug ring. He thought about what Faith would be saying when she found out he'd taken their unit with him. He knew that Faith wouldn't like the fact that she didn't have her usual unit for the night, but she wasn't the one driving all the way to Albany and back. He needed to have the car he was used to sitting in and driving.

"Man, I drank too much coffee," he heard Hogan say. "You gotta pull off at the next rest stop so I can take a pee."

"Hogan, you should've thought about that before you left home. Didn't your mother ever teach you that?" Bosco said, irritably. He just wanted to get back. It was getting dark and it was getting cold, despite the fact that spring had been around for about three weeks.

"Hey, Man. I gotta take a piss too," came a voice from the back.

"I don't believe anyone asked about your toilet habits," Bosco replied, giving Mason a dirty look via the rearview mirror.

"C'mon, Man. Have a heart," Mason whined. Bosco just threw him another dirty look. It was bad enough that they'd had to wait for an hour to start back because Mason wanted to see his attorney first. And that attorney looked a little suspicious to Bosco.

"Alright. I could use another cup of coffee anyway," Bosco said, looking over at Hogan and seeing the look of relief come across his face. He knew that Hogan was afraid of him. The Boss had just about said so when he told him to take it easy on the kid - that he was easily intimidated after hearing about Bosco's reputation. How the hell he'd made it to Detective by being intimidated was beyond Bosco's comprehension.

The next rest area was soon upon them and Bosco pulled off the Thruway and parked next to the building in a restricted parking area.

"You're gonna leave it here?" Hogan asked him.

"Yeah," Bosco replied simply.

"But it says 'no parking,'" he pointed out.

"That means for the average person. Besides, I'm not parking my car where somebody pulls in and some kid has to pee so bad he opens the door right into the side of my RMP. Now, let's get this done and get back on the road," he said, a slight shiver running down his back as he stepped into the night air from the warm patrol car.

He stood in line to get coffee while Hogan escorted the prisoner to the facilities. He gave Hogan a dirty look when he'd asked him to watch the prisoner while HE went in. "Whatever it takes to get the heck outta here," Bosco said, looking at his watch. "I should probably call the Lieutenant and let him know we got a late start back," he thought to himself. Then, he decided that by the time they were supposed to be back to the Precinct, they'd be back in radio range and he could advise them by the radio that they were detained.

"You're kiddin' me, right?" Bosco said as Hogan told him he wanted to get another cup of coffee. "Well, I'm not stoppin' again," he warned him.

"What about me? Aren't I supposed to get a meal?" Mason chimed in.

"You gotta be kiddin' me," Bosco said rolling his eyes. He looked over at Hogan who was giving him a look like he didn't know if he should get the guy something to eat or no. "Well, I'm not buyin' it!" he announced.

So, they ended up standing in line at the hamburger counter inside the rest area as little kids stared in wonder at the policeman with his handcuffed prisoner. One little girl tapped Bosco on the side of the leg. He looked down at her and had to admit that she was cute. And her mother was pretty cute too.

"Mr. Policeman? Is that a bad man?" the little girl asked as her mother came up and took her hand. "Now, don't bother the Officer, Jordan," she said, looking at Bosco and uneasily taking in the handcuffed man beside him.

"That's okay, Ma'am," Bosco said, not taking his hand off Mason's arm. And to the little girl he replied, "Yes, Jordan. This is a bad man and I'm taking him to put him in jail for what he did," he explained, squatting down next to the young girl.

"What did he do?" she asked him.

"Jordan!" her mother said in exasperation. "Don't be so nosy. The Police Officer is busy," she said, taking hold of the girl's hand again.

"It's okay. He had some dangerous things that looked like candy, but weren't. So, if anyone tries to give you anything and you don't know them, make sure that you don't take it without checking with your Mom first, okay?"

"Yes, Sir," said the girl and Bosco stood up. "What's your name?" she asked him suddenly.

"My name? My name is Officer Boscorelli," he told her and she tried to repeat it. "How about if you just call me Officer Bosco? Is that easier?" he said, moving up in the line as it moved along.

"What jail are you taking him to, Officer Bosco?" This time the question came from Jordan's mother and Bosco noticed that she wasn't wearing any wedding ring.

"Well, I'm taking him back to my Precinct. The 55th Precinct of the New York City Police Department, Ma'am," he answered.

"New York City? How exciting. I've only been there twice, but I've always wanted to go back," she told him.

"Well, if you ever get back there, just look me up at the 55th Precinct and I'll be happy to show you and you're your husband around," he told her.

"Oh, I'm not married," she said. "My name is Jennifer. Jennifer Tate," she offered.

"Nice to meet you Ms. Tate," Bosco said, shaking her extended hand. He noticed that Mason had his food and that it was time to go.

"Nice to meet you, Jordan and Ms. Tate. You have a safe trip okay?" Bosco said, patting the little girl on the head.

"Please, it's Jennifer. And I hope you don't mind if I take you up on your offer sometime," she said.

"Not at all. I'd like it," he said. "G'night," he told them as he escorted his prisoner back out to his RMP with Hogan following him like a puppy dog.
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TBC...