Fallout
Chapter 12
The Journal of John Nolan
I feel like I'm in a twisted Ground Hog Day movie. First, I found out that Grace lied about seeking a divorce from her husband. Then I found out that Bailey is married and didn't bother to tell me. I'm trying to understand why. Her husband was in prison and is apparently some kind of psychopath. The thing is that I still love her, and she swears she loves me. But I haven't a clue how to move forward.
Before Bailey's unwilling revelation, she had a long conversation with Henry via computer. He gave me his blessing if I wanted to propose to her. He's on leave from school working for Ben. That involved a trip to Japan. He was supposed to be in LA before Christmas, but that may not work out. He traveled on Ben's plane.
Unfortunately, a flaw developed in the guidance software. Until it's patched, the plane's not safe to fly back. Apparently, the problem's popped up in other aircraft as well. I've seen some speculation in the media that it's the result of a cyber attack. But as far as I know, there's no reliable evidence of that. Still, some could surface anytime.
Ben offered to pick up the cost for a commercial flight for Henry. Unfortunately, by now, they're all full. Henry's on a standby list, but things aren't looking too hopeful. It's just as well that I'm working on Christmas. I can really use the distraction.
Of course, I'm hardly the only cop in a personal hell. Harper is fighting a custody battle for Lila. And with her history, Donovan has a lot of basis to attack her. The true victim in all of that is their daughter. She loves both her parents and is caught in the middle. But she's hardly unique in that respect. A lot of Henry's friends growing up went through something similar. That's one reason Sarah and I stayed together as long as we did. We thought it would make things easier for him. We were wrong, but Henry only told us that this year. Still, Nyla and Donovan have a very different situation. There's no way their fight won't be hard on that little girl.
More family problems. Tim and Genny are still dealing with their father's impending death. That Tim found out about his father's involvement in covering up a homicide hasn't made things any easier. I'm trying my best to limit complications with fixing up Tom Bradford's house. And, of course, Lucy is determined to be Tim's rock. But there's a limit to what she can do. Her nose is also still a little out of joint about Tim's relationship with Ashley.
And that's not the end of the angst at the division. Thorsen is still battling the public perception that he's a murderer, and Wesley is facing an ethical query by the bar association. Lopez is doing the best she can to support her husband. But considering that he got himself into hot water to save her and little Jackson, she must be working through a lot of guilt.
On the upside, Smitty is still on administrative leave. I don't have to deal with him. But that leaves the division a man down, two, if you count Jerry McGrady's retirement. Grey has been hoping to get someone transferred from the Hollywood Division to take Jerry's position. But so far, he hasn't had any luck.
So for the moment, Thorsen is working property. That serves two purposes. It fills a hole and keeps him away from the public eye. So, for now, I'm with Harper. But if Thorsen is going to finish his training, he'll have to be back with her soon. Other than the obscure details of filling out paperwork, he won't learn much in the lost and found.
Also, Nyla has to be actively training someone, to earn the boost in her salary. If she's going to win her custody battle, she'll need to show she has adequate means to support her daughter. She'll also have to show that she has coverage for Lila when she has overtime or emergency calls. Unless some long-lost relative shows up to take on the task, that will also take money – a lot of it. Next to Harper's problems, my situation with Bailey shouldn't seem so bad. I keep telling myself that.
Before taking the podium, Tim checks his uniform for bits of drywall dust. He hasn't seemed to be able to get it out of his hair, and it's been ending up everywhere. Ashley saw a bit on his neck that morning, and Lucy noticed a fleck on his eyebrow when he was on his way to the rollcall room. He doesn't understand how Nolan seems to avoid being covered in the stuff, but then the man's had 20 years of practice.
Tim raps for attention. "One piece of positive news. Hospitalizations for Flakka are on the downswing. Unfortunately, it comes paired with bad news. La Fiera's lieutenant, Abril Rodas, has taken the reins of the Guatemalan cartel. Under her leadership, it's absorbed Elijah Stone's former operations and is bringing in high-purity heroin from Guatemala. According to intelligence gathered by detective Lopez, Abril, aka Escaria, returned to Guatemala. But the cartel's sales in LA have not only risen to former levels, they've been increased by the acquisition of Stone's distribution outlets. We can expect more overdoses, especially from buyers used to dealing with Stone's more heavily cut product. The hospitals are already gearing up for the influx, but more likely than not, the LAPD will be the first responders. All of you will either carry Narcan on you at all times or be no more than seconds away from your supply.
"Now, as you may be aware, it looks like hackers are screwing with some forms of air travel. At last reporting, as far as the NTSB knows, the problems are restricted to specific private jets. However, many travelers are not taking any chances. That's led to an increase in vehicular traffic in and out of the city. And where there's an increase in traffic, there's an increase in accidents. So be prepared for that.
"Also, thefts from cars and porches continue to be on the rise. You'll be interacting with a lot of angry victims. Do your best to keep the temperature down and take your reports as quickly as possible.
"Officer Chen informs me that the breakroom contains Christmas cheer in the form of cookies and eggnog. The latter is of the non-alcoholic variety. However, I understand that it is easily spiked – when you're off duty. But now, get out there and keep this city and yourselves safe."
"How are you doing, Nolan?" Harper asks as they load their gear into the back of their shop.
"You mean about Bailey?" John asks. "I guess I'm still numb. And right now, I'd rather concentrate on the job than think about my private life. How about your battle with Donovan?"
"I'm with you about concentrating on the job. So I figure we should swing by the center. La Fiera had operations in that area before. And if Abril is trying to put them back in business, James and the neighborhood are going to need all the police presence they can get."
"With what's going on with your custody battle, should you be interacting with James right now?" Nolan questions.
"Probably not," Nyla admits. "Donovan has more than enough ammunition already, without claiming I'm using the job to see a boyfriend. If James is around the center, you talk to him. I'll check with the storeowners. And if we get called to a fire, you want me to work with Bailey?"
Nolan blows out a slow breath. "I guess I'll cross that bridge if we come to it."