Andy didn't sleep well that night, the pressure of the next day weighing on her. Oliver had said he'd announce his pick in morning parade. At least It would be over soon, and she could move on, one way or the other. Sam had made breakfast and they ate over small talk, avoiding the elephant in the room. The drive in to work was much the same.
It hurt Sam to hold back the knowledge that Andy was going to get the post, when the not knowing was clearly affecting her that morning. On the other hand, he knew he'd hurt her more by revealing His and Oliver's plan. That was something she was better off never knowing and since nobody but the two best friends and Jarvis knew, Sam wasn't worried about her finding out. If she did down the road sometime, it would be too far in the past to matter anymore. He hoped.
As the whole platoon filed in for parade, detectives included with the pending announcement, the candidates up for the job all wished each other good luck and congratulated the retiring Sgt. Campbell on a fine career.
"Everybody, I know we're all anxious to hear who got the post. But first let me remind you all of the party tonight after shift at the Penny. Attendance is mandatory," Oliver swept his gaze across the whole room. "No special assignments today, as of now. So, everybody, do your usual patrols. Now, the moment you've all been waiting for. Let me first say that this was not an easy choice, there fine applications from great officers and I'm honored to serve with all of you. That being said, starting Monday, 15 Division's newest road sergeant will be … Andy McNally."
A round of applause swept through the room and those seated closest to Andy offered their personal congratulations. She turned to find Sam near the door. He smiled and winked at her."
Oliver picked up again, "Yes, congratulations McNally, we know you will do us all proud."
"Thank you, sir. And, thank you everybody." Andy could not control the emotions flooding through her. Joy, excitement, relief. All of it behind her best and brightest smile.
"Car assignments are on the board, McNally you are going to be with Campbell today for his last shift. Go easy on him, maybe you'll learn something," Oliver chested. Light chuckles sounded through the room. "Parade is dismissed. Serve, protect, and don't screw up." When the room was half-standing, Oliver added, "And, I'll see each and every one of you tonight."
Some of the other officers that weren't sitting near Andy at the announcement, like Gail and Chris, came over and personally congratulated her. When everybody else had filed out of the room, Andy found Sam still standing in the same place, sporting one of his signature grins.
"Well, well. Sergeant McNally. If it's all right with you I'll just stick to McNally. Easier, won't have to break a habit."
Andy gave a light laugh and wrapped herself around her husband for a brief moment. "I'm so relieved. I can't even begin…," she lost her words and hugged Sam again.
"Honey, I never doubted you for a minute."
Andy caught up with Campbell in the squad room and told him she'd be ready to go in a few more minutes. The she went up to Oliver's office and he motioned her in before she even knocked.
"What can I do for you. McNally?"
"I just wanted to thank you personally, sir. This is an honor."
"Yeah, well, you made the decision easy on me. That might be the first time you've ever made anything easy," Oliver jested her.
"What exactly was it that made me the pick? If I may ask, sir."
"You know, it was a little of this and a little of that. No one thing any more than the other, though that score didn't hurt." They both smiled. "Really McNally, it was just the combination of all the things, big and little, tangible and intangible. You have the score and the record, but you also have the personality and mentality. I think you have great potential in the role, and it was an easy selection. Congratulations McNally. Now, go learn something from Campbell and get both of ou to the party in one piece and on time."
"As soon as I can pry him away from the rest of the platoon congratulating him."
"They're just trying to avoid work," Oliver joked. "Tell them I said to save it for the party and to get to work. No, better yet, make it an order coming from you. Your very first."
"So, I'll be branded Sergeant Buzzkill before I even officially begin," Andy remarked sarcastically.
"Hey, we all have our roles." They both smiled again and Andy walked back down to the squad room. Campbell had broken from the crowds and was getting a cup of coffee for the road when Andy walked up to him."
"34 years of the same routine," he said without facing her. "Now it dawns on you that everything you do today, part of the routine, will be the last time. It's surreal. You might think that sounds extreme, it's just coffee or loading my weapon." He turned to her. "But I bet you, when you're in this position, you'll feel it to."
Andy didn't know what to respond to that with so she just asked, "What are you going to do now?", they had begun the walk out to the car, or rather truck. The sergeants got to drive the Tahoes. Today they were in 15S3.
"Me and the wife bought a place down in Florida so we spend the winter's down there. Lots of fishing and golfing."
"Beaches, warm weather…," Andy supplemented as they got in the SUV.
"Honestly, I don't know much beyond that, day-to day stuff. I'll figure it out as I go, probably."
Campbell grabbed the radio and reflected a moment. "Last time I'm ever gonna do this." He keyed the mic, "15 Sierra 3, we're 10-8."
"Roger 15 Sierra 3," dispatch came back.
The day was uneventful by cop standards. Andy observed Campbell's approach to handling situations. First of all, just because a call came over the radio didn't mean you responded right away, he had siad. If the call was an immediate situation or an emergency or in your vicinity that's different. But a run-of-the-mill call wasn't the responsibility of a sergeant. They needed to be available if they really were needed for backup or any sort of supervisory role and couldn't be caught up dealing with a couple of kids smoking marijuana in the park. "Let the patrol officers handle that and we stay ready," Campbell had told her.
Andy had never dodged a call in her life, even when it involved a hostile cat barricading its owner in a room. That was the biggest change in this role. She got to filter which calls she took and which ones she didn't. Oliver had tried to do that on her first day but dispatch called them specifically and they had no choice. Dispatch would only call her specifically now if another officer requested a sergeant. While it was a new concept, Andy could already tell she liked the freedom.
Before lunch, they responded to a call for them at a traffic stop. The officer who initiated the traffic stop suspected drugs to be in the car, but the driver denied him when he asked to search it. So he had also called a K-9 unit, which the was still waiting on when Andy and Campbell showed up. They were there purely to oversee the K-9 test and any subsequent search. Eventually the dog showed up and hit on the door panels in the back seat. The officer pried the panels off and discovered enough cocaine to arrest the guy on felony possession with intent to distribute. Andy and Campbell did nothing but observe and sign off as witness to the process.
They stopped for Lunch at his favorite place. A Jamaican jerk chicken food truck. The day was cool but not too bad so they ate sitting on the hood of their cruiser and traded stories. Andy didn't have the volume to match Campbell but he insisted she had the quality. Eventually they talked a bit about her father, who had been around when Campbell first came on. He was happy to her that he'd conquered his drinking and was making good with his life. A lot of ex-cops struggle with that.
After lunch, they pulled over a suspected drunk driver. They couldn't exactly ignore a guy swerving between lanes right in front of them so they lit him up. Thankfully he pulled over right away, to the best of his impaired ability. As soon as the driver rolled down his window and asked what the problem was, all suspicion went by the wayside. His breath was heavy with alcohol and there were two empty beer bottles in the passenger wheel well. He consented to the breathalyzer and was shocked when he blew a .14. He maintained that he had only drank two beers a few hours ago and was taking the bottles to a recycling center for the few cents he would get back. Regardless they had him transported back to 1 and booked with DUI. They got another officer to sit on the car until a tow truck got there and they hit the road again.
Nothing else happened and they returned back to 15 at end of shift to clock out.
"And so, the final chapter concludes," Campbell said as he got out of the car. It was nice spending the day with you Andy, riding alone day after day can get lonely at times."
"It was nice riding with you too, I hope to live up to your example."
"Ah, don't worry about that. I know after riding with you for one day that you'll do great. Don't put added pressure on yourself. It not necessary, Andy. You be the cop you are and the rest takes care of itself."
"Thanks, I'll remember that. See you at the Penny."
Andy walked up to Sam's desk but found it empty besides his leather jacket draped across the chair. She peeled a sticky note off his stack of them and scrawled a quick note.
'Hey Sam, I just got back, going to change out. Love Andy'.
She stuck the note on his monitor and went to the locker room. Most of the platoon was already out of uniform and Gail, Chloe, and the others all said they would see her at the Penny. She was back in street clothes a few minutes later and walked out of the locker room to find Sam, in his leather jacket, leaning by the doorway."
"Hey honey, did you see my note?"
"I did. That, paired with my superb detective abilities, led me to wait for you right here."
She smiled and punched him lightly in the abs. He bent done and kissed her before wrapping his arm around her shoulder and leading her out to the parking lot to the truck.
"I cleared it with Oliver," he said. "We'll make an appearance at the party and the necessary rounds and then we can sneak out and hit the road. We'll get into Niagara before it's too late that way. How does that sound?"
"That sounds perfect." She nuzzled in to him and felt as happy as ever.