Street overheard everything about the earpiece and he knew that he had to do something now. He thought about it feverishly and when Champ licked his ear, he had an idea. He picked up his phone and dialed Chris's number, at the same time getting out of the car and lowering the windows a tiny bit.
"Hello?" Went a confused sounding Chris on it, Clark could be heard in the background complaining that she had answered.
"Hello Miss Alonso, Jonathan Smith here. I'm urging you to come home, otherwise I'm informing Animal Control because your dog has been barking around here for hours and I'm afraid he's about to have a heart attack." Street wasn't sure if that was a legal fit, but he didn't care at that moment and with his disguised voice, Clakr would definitely not recognize him. He gave Champ the command to bark, over and over. Chris had to grin inwardly and she was very relieved to hear Street's voice on the other end of the line. She had turned on the speaker phone so Clark could hear everything, too.
"Oh God, Mr. Smith I'm terribly sorry about this. Please don't do anything, I'll be right home." Chris played along and Clark's expression immediately turned angry.
"Ok Miss Alonso, but if this happens again I will do something. I've got my eye on you." And Street had already hung up. "That was quite a performance." He grinned and hoped that Chris could tear herself away.
"Chris, you're not serious, are you? Always this stupid mutt. He's ruined our evening a few times now." Clark didn't really like Champ and he made that clear again with this statement.
"Don't talk about him in such a derogatory way, he's my partner and part of my life, you have to accept that. He's probably not well or he needs to get out." Chris was pleased, everything was going perfectly and she and Street had actually managed to glare Clark.
"We'll talk on the phone." She gave him a fleeting kiss on the cheek and left the apartment.
Street parked around the corner again and by the time Chris arrived at the car she saw him grinning. Chris sat down in the passenger seat and was greeted by Champ.
"That was brilliant Chris. We just make a good team." Street held his hand out to her and she chimed in with a grin.
"Yes we are, but that Animal Control thing was pretty over the top." Chris had to laugh and shook his head.
"Ah what, I'm just a prudent neighbor and like I said, I'm keeping an eye on you." Street winked at her and they both started laughing.
The next morning was the moment of truth. Late into the night, Chris and Street were still sitting on the evidence, sorting through everything so they could deliver satisfactory results to their bosses. They knew they would be in a lot of trouble, too. The two met at the HQ parking lot to go over everything again.
"Good morning Street. Coffee?" Chris held out a coffee mug to him.
"Morning Chris, you must be psychic. That's what I need right now, I'm dead tired after tonight." Street leaned down Champ and patted his head in greeting.
"I don't feel any different. I'm so scared Street. We're going to get in real trouble right now. You realize that, right? I hope we don't get suspended." Uncertainty and concern resonated in Chris's voice.
"It's not going to be that bad Chris. We're providing top evidence here that Clark is involved with the Cali Cartel and doing criminal business. Come on now. Let's get into the struggle." Street tried to talk motivationally to Chris to ease her worries a bit.
Once inside, they knocked on Chris' boss' door. '
"Yes, come in." came from the opposite side.
"Good morning boss, do you have a moment for us? We need to talk to you urgently." Inquired Chris cautiously.
"Hello Chris, hello Street, sure, come on in. What can I do for you?"
They both looked at each other briefly, neither knowing how to begin. Street took heart and launched into it.
"Chief, Chris and I have a folder here full of evidence that Clark Thompson is involved in criminal business with the Cali Cartel." He paused and waited for his supervisor's reaction. The chief looked at the folder very carefully and had to swallow hard from time to time. His eyes widened again and again, only to narrow again into small slits shortly afterwards. There was silence and neither Chris nor Street dared to say anything. When the chief finished, he folded the folder shut and laid it on the table.
"Interesting and shocking at the same time. How the hell did you get this evidence?" He looked at the two cops and in his gaze you could see disbelief and anger. Now the time had come and Chris and Street had to come clean and tell him everything. Chris took another deep breath and started to talk.
Chris talked fast, very fast, to get everything over with. She told from the beginning to the smallest details. Her boss listened intently and the points Chris listed all sounded logical to him.
"Yeah, and that's how it all went now. Chief, I know we acted on our own against the rules, but we just wanted to be sure it really was Clark and we hadn't made a mistake after all." Chris exhaled deeply and looked at her fingers.
"Chief, we're really sorry and we can understand if you're upset and disappointed. We understand the consequences." Street added, glancing briefly at Chris. Their boss looked at them both silently. From Chris to Street and back again.
"Well." He said quietly and slowly. "You really broke the rules. You put some on the line without your supervisor's permission. It could have all backfired, I hope you realize that." He turned to Chris. "From you of all people Chris, I wouldn't have expected that."
"I'm sorry chief." Chris could barely manage more than a whisper. She was really afraid of being terminated.
"Actually, I'd have to put you both on patrol as punishment and have you clean all the weapons in storage, but, well, I also have to say that I was impressed with your action." He paused and took another look at the folder. Chris and Street looked at each other in wonder.
"Chris, Street, that was good work and I'm not punishing you. But, nothing like this can ever happen again, do you understand?" He looked at the two seriously.
"Never again boss, I promise." Said the two in chorus, looking at each other and having to grin.
"Good, then we've got that settled. Now how did you envision taking down Thompson? Don't tell me you hadn't thought about that." Her boss was grinning now, too, and was eagerly awaiting an answer from Chris and Street.
"We actually have an idea." Started Street, and Chris gestured for him to continue. "I'll contact Gilberto as Ryan Parker and tell him I have some new material. We need to make sure Clark finds out about it, but that should be easy since we have Chris to tell him everything. I'll arrange a meeting place with Gilberto, preferably at the port in Wilmington, we know that's where they prefer to do business. Clark will agree with Gilberto that he can be part of the deal too, after all there is a lot of money involved. Well, and then, we can strike. What do you say chief?" Street and Chris were eager for his opinion.
"That sounds good, that's what we'll do. I'll round everybody up and we'll make a plan." He stood up, walked outside and the two followed him.
The morning before the big meeting had come and the team had until 5:00 p.m. off to recover again and get a clear head. Chris used the time to jog with Champ on the beach. She had her earpods on and listened to loud music, which she always did when she was tense. To "Eye of the tiger" by Survivor she ran as if her life was at stake. Champ didn't mind this immense speed, he ran with her and was happy. After a few meters, Chris looked beside him and stopped abruptly.
"Champ? Hey, where are you?" Chris looked around, but there was no sign of the dog. She whistled and waited a moment, but nothing. "That´s weird, normally he always listens to the whistle. Champ?" She called out again. Already a little angry, she jogged a little further, maybe he had just been chasing a seagull and she hadn't noticed.
Street was also jogging when he heard a bark through his earpods. He frowned slightly, still thinking that the barking sounded familiar, but it couldn't be. He shook his head and kept walking. Suddenly he felt something wet on his hand and he was startled for a moment. When he looked down at himself, he immediately had a big grin on his lips. Champ.
"Hey big boy, what are you doing here?" He petted him extensively and looked around for Chris, but he didn't see her anywhere. "Did you run away from her you mistress?" He had to admit that Champ had grown very fond of him and he was really attached to this dog. "Come on, let's go find Chris." He jogged off and Champ happily followed him. After a few meters, he saw a petite woman's silhouette with black hair. He waved at her and quickened his pace a bit.
Chris had also recognized Street and especially her dog. When the two reached each other they stood facing each other breathing heavily and both smiling.
"Hey, your dog isn't very well behaved." Street joked. Chris tilted her head and grimaced.
"Yeah I know. He met some guy a few months ago who spoils him rotten." Now they both had to laugh and considering the evening was going to be terrible, they both realized how good the relaxed atmosphere did them. They decided to finish their jogging round now as a threesome and all had their fun.
