A/N This is a Christmas present story for my mother. I love you mom, and if it weren't for you I might not have started posting on this site. I remember back before I started posting on here, I was writing…back before I knew it existed. I fell in love with this site and you put the thought in my head that I should get an account and post…but I was scared to death! Look at me now 140plus stories! I'm not nearly as scared, and I love the support I get from you. Thank you so much, and Merry Christmas. Sorry this is late. But it's ok, cuz we celebrate Christmas a day late anyway, right? LOL ENJOY!
Shop With A Cop
Officer Pete Malloy and Officer Jim Reed stood at the front of the local Target store in Los Angeles California setting up the big box of cookies, and rows of water bottles and flavoring packets for refreshments for when the kids were done shopping. Yes today was Shop with a Cop! Malloy was in charge this year. He had a list of the kids that were coming, and he had a female officer by the name of Ashley Herman standing at the table checking kids in when they came, while the other officers would each be in line to take a kid shopping when they came.
Ed Wells was the first officer lined up for shopping. Malloy was hoping that the kids would like the officer they were paired with when they went shopping…shopping with Wells…that was an interesting thought.
Reed would shop with the next child, but at the moment he was busy setting up other things at the table. Since it was close to Christmas they were also giving out Santa hats to any kid that wanted one, and coloring books, crayons, and just regular kids books to read. Reed was busy setting all that up at the table. More officers started coming in.
"What would you like us to do, Pete?" asked Officer Haley Martin.
"Well right now there isn't anything to do, except wait for the kids. Reed has the table under control, and Ashley is taking care of signing them in. So just stand back there by Wells, and wait," Malloy instructed.
Haley nodded her head. Malloy was about to repeat himself, but he was thankful to find that most of the officers behind her were paying enough attention to him talking to her, that they knew what they were doing.
"We need to wear hats too, Pete," Reed said with a goofy grin on his face.
"Wipe that silly grin off your face, and I'll consider it," Pete replied.
"Oh come on, Pete. The kids will love it!" Ashley argued.
Malloy took an elf hat with ears, he put that on his head and smiled slightly. "You satisfied?" he asked.
They nodded.
oOoOo
Kids started pouring in like a sea of people. They had gotten very busy.
Malloy had his back turned talking to one officer explaining what they needed to do, since it was their first time. As he wasn't paying attention a man slipped in, his hands in his pockets. He was wearing a brown trench coat, black jeans, and a blue stocking cap. He walked past the table that clearly showed the place was swarming with cops. He cringed realizing he picked the wrong time to show up. He walked down an aisle, the aisle with Star Wars movies. That was what he was looking for…he had no money though. He grabbed the movies then turned to the man beside him. "I can't leave this store without paying for these…an alarm goes off every time. I need to get out, and I want these…" he was playing around with something in his pocket as he talked.
"Your point is?" the man asked.
Soon the man pulled a gun out. "Give me your money."
"You're crazy!" the man yelled.
"Shh! This place is swarming with pigs, you wanna get yourself killed?" the man with gun said lowering his voice.
"You're crazy!" the other man whisper yelled as he grabbed his wallet. He threw his money at him. "I hope your movies don't work," he muttered.
The man with the gun pointed it straight at the man that had just given him money.
"Hey man, I gave you want you wanted," he said raising his hands.
Just as that was going on, Officer Wells was walking by with a child. He saw the scene and knew he needed to do something, but he also knew the child needed to be protected. He was thankful that the child had his parents with him as well. "Go hide in the next aisle," he ordered in a low whisper.
"What? Why?" asked Marcus the little boy.
"There's a bad guy…" Wells said pointing straight ahead.
"OH NO WELLS HE'S GOT A GUN!" Marcus yelled.
"Shh!" Wells said his eyes growing wide.
The man with the gun turned and saw the officer, he shot a bullet then took off running. Wells used his body to shield the family from the bullet, and it barely missed him.
"Go after him, he stole my money!" the other man yelled.
Wells took off running, not even calling for back up, he did tell the family to stay put though. He chased the man straight to the front doors, where Malloy saw everything, he shook his head. Then he realized this man was armed.
The man stopped knowing he had nowhere else to run, there were cops at the door, and cops outside the door. He looked around desperately. Malloy and a few others pulled out their guns, since the man had his out and had shot at them a few times.
"Drop your weapon!" Malloy ordered.
Wells looked at him with this look of 'hey this is my guy!'
Pete just ignored it though. The guy realizing he had nothing left he could do just dropped the gun.
"Now you can take him," Pete said looking at Wells.
Wells put the handcuffs on the guy and took him out to a squad car.
oOoOo
Around six they had food brought to them from the local grocery store. Malloy went to the break room to get something to eat.
"Try the cranberries, they are delicious," Reed suggested.
"I don't like cranberries," Malloy replied not taking any cranberries.
Reed made a face at him. "Have you tried the cranberries?" he asked to the next officer that walked in.
"No…" they started to say.
"You should, they are good," he told them.
"What are you the cranberries salesman?" Officer Heather Johnson teased.
"He might as well be," Malloy replied sitting down to his plate which might I point out had no cranberries.
Other officers came in, and Reed would suggest the cranberries to them, but it was pretty evident that not many officers cared for cranberries.
"Why aren't you eating any cranberries?" Malloy asked noticing that.
"Well um…" Reed started.
"You don't even like the cranberries do you?" Mac asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I already ate my fair share," Reed said.
"And you want us to join you in eating some gross cranberries?" asked Haley.
"I am not a cranberry person," Reed admitted.
"Then don't force the cranberries on us," Malloy said as he was about to take a bite of his food they got a call over their radio. A fight in aisle four.
Malloy and Reed shared a look. "Let's go," they said.
They rushed to the aisle only to find a couple of women fighting over something that had already been placed in the other womans cart.
"Hey, ma'am I think she grabbed the item first," Malloy said.
"She stole it from me!" the other lady cried.
"I did not you liar!"
"Hey, cut it out," Reed said standing in between them.
"She took the last one too!" the other lady said getting ready to attack the woman. Reed kept in between them occasionally having to push them away from each other.
"What is it?" Malloy asked.
"A toaster," the lady said. "I found it first, then this jerk came along and tried to snatch it from my cart."
"I did not!"
"Hey hey, why don't we go order you another one?" Malloy suggested.
"Can we really do that here?" the lady asked.
"Yeah," Malloy replied nodding his head.
"Oh…" the lady said feeling dumb. Malloy led her to go find someone to talk to about ordering one.
"I'm sorry about all that mess, ma'am," Reed said.
oOoOo
The day was coming to an end, Malloy and the other officers were growing tired. It was down to the last few kids. They were almost out of cookies, and water. Soon a little girl and a little boy walked in.
"Hello, what are your names?" Ashley asked.
"Greg and Lisa Jackson," the boy said then smiled at his sister.
"All right, do you want to shop together, or separate?" Ashley asked.
"Together," Greg said.
Malloy smiled. "I'll take ya," he said.
They smiled then Greg showed them a plate they had brought. "We brought you guys a plate of cookies…thank you so much for all you do for us. We're excited about getting out boots, and coats," Lisa said as Greg handed them the plate. Their mother stood behind them with a smile on her face. It was heartwarming to her to see her seven year old children giving cookies and goodies to officers and thanking them for their work.
Malloy smiled. "You're welcome, guys," he said. He took the plate and handed it to Ashley. Soon Reed joined them.
"Mind if I join you guys too?" he asked.
"We can have TWO officers!?" Lisa asked excitedly. Malloy and Reed laughed.
"Sure, honey," Reed said.
Then they walked off with a cart and began to shop with the last two kids signed up for this.
The end