The first few hours of patrol were relatively quiet.
Jack and Catherine handled several noise complaints, helped an elderly woman push her stalled car safely to the side of the road, and gave directions to a few lost tourists.
During each call, Catherine continued teaching Jack how to communicate with different people, observe small details that might signal danger, and complete basic patrol reports correctly.
Around ten in the morning, Trudy Platt’s voice came over the radio.
“Car 22, Car 22, respond.”
Catherine picked up the radio.
“Car 22, go ahead.”
“Possible armed robbery at a convenience store near South Avenue and 52nd Street.
Clerk describes the suspect as a white male in a dark hoodie, possibly armed with a knife.
Suspect fled into the west alley about two minutes ago.
No other units are immediately available.
You’re the closest.”
“Car 22 copies.
En route.”
Catherine lowered the radio and looked toward Jack.
“South Avenue and 52nd.
You know where it is?”
“I do.”
Jack immediately activated the lights and siren, turned the Crown Victoria around, and accelerated toward the location.
His heart rate increased slightly, but his hands remained steady as he moved through traffic and used the horn when necessary to clear the lane ahead.
“Stay alert,” Catherine said while checking her gear.
“The suspect has a knife and might be unstable.
Public safety comes first.
When we get there, I’ll secure the store and confirm what happened.
You check the alley entrance, but don’t go in alone.
Wait for me before pursuing.”
“Understood.”
With only a few blocks remaining, Jack could already see the convenience store ahead.
Seconds later, he pulled the patrol car to a stop near the entrance.
Catherine got out immediately, one hand close to her holster as she entered the store.
“Chicago Police!
Everybody stay where you are!”
Jack moved around the rear of the patrol car and looked toward the west side of the building.
A narrow alley ran between two brick structures, barely wide enough for two people to walk side by side.
Cardboard boxes and overflowing trash cans crowded the entrance, while the damp pavement gave off an unpleasant smell.
Jack drew his pistol and held it in a low-ready position as he approached.
Instead of rushing forward, he scanned the ground and walls.
Several fresh footprints were visible in the dirt and moisture, all leading deeper into the alley, and a wet dark-red smear marked the brick wall near the corner.
His radio crackled a moment later.
“Jack, store is secure,” Catherine said.
“Clerk has a minor cut on his hand.
Suspect took roughly two hundred dollars and several packs of cigarettes.
White male, dark hoodie, mask, folding knife.
He definitely went into the west alley.”
“Copy.
I’ve got fresh footprints and what looks like blood leading inward.
I’m holding the entrance.”
Jack listened carefully.
From deeper inside came the faint sound of hurried footsteps followed by a trash can being knocked over.
“I’m coming out.
Don’t move in alone,” Catherine said.
“Movement inside.
He’s still running.
Sounds like he’s getting farther away.”
Catherine came out of the store seconds later and joined Jack at the alley entrance.
“Show me.”
Jack indicated the footprints and blood smear.
“Fresh.
Same direction.
Heard something get knocked over farther in.”
Catherine quickly assessed the alley.
The far end connected to several rear passages behind an older residential block, but daylight still gave them decent visibility.
“Stay behind me and watch the corners.
If we find him, give commands first.
If he keeps the knife, don’t close the distance.”
The two officers entered together.
The light immediately became dimmer between the tall brick walls.
Damp air and the smell of garbage filled the narrow passage as they followed the footprints around several scattered trash cans.
Roughly thirty yards ahead, a metal can was still rolling slowly across the pavement.
“Police!
Stop!” Catherine shouted.
A man in a dark hoodie appeared briefly at the next junction.
He looked back, saw them, and immediately turned left.
“Go!”
Catherine took off first, with Jack close behind.
His breathing remained controlled as they rounded the corner and entered an even narrower dead-end alley.
The suspect had nowhere left to run.
Old furniture was piled near the back wall, and he was desperately trying to climb onto a broken sofa so he could get over the roughly eight-foot brick barrier behind it.
“Stop right there!” Catherine raised her pistol.
“Drop the weapon and get on the ground!”
Jack moved toward the side, positioning himself where the suspect couldn’t easily rush past them.
The man froze and looked back.
Only his eyes were visible above the mask, and they were filled with panic.
A folding knife remained clenched in his hand, with fresh blood still visible on the blade.
“I…
I didn’t mean to hurt anybody,” he said hoarsely.
“Put the knife down slowly,” Catherine ordered.
“Then raise your hands, turn around, and get on the ground.
Do it now.”
The suspect hesitated for several seconds before finally bending down and dropping the knife.
It struck the concrete with a sharp clatter, and he slowly lowered himself onto the pavement.
Jack moved in immediately.
He kicked the knife farther away, pressed the suspect down, and secured his wrists with handcuffs.
“Suspect in custody.
Weapon secured,” Catherine reported over the radio before beginning a quick search.
Jack picked up a dark backpack lying nearby and opened it.
Loose bills and several packs of cigarettes were clearly visible inside.
“Cash and merchandise are here.”
Catherine nodded and pulled the suspect upright.
“You’re under arrest for armed robbery and assault.
You have the right to remain silent…”
While Catherine read him his Miranda rights, Jack called for another unit and requested medical follow-up for the injured clerk.
Less than ten minutes after the initial dispatch, the chase had ended cleanly with the suspect in custody and the stolen property recovered.
By noon, most patrol officers had started looking for somewhere to eat and get a short break.
Catherine was no exception, and she had already planned to take Jack to one of her usual fast-food places when he surprised her by walking to the trunk of the Crown Victoria.
Jack pulled out two insulated lunch bags and placed them on the hood.
When he opened the first one, Catherine stopped and stared.
Inside were barbecue chicken, peppered steak strips, scrambled eggs with peppers and potatoes, a container of beef-and-vegetable soup, and seasoned rice.
“What the hell?” Catherine looked from the food to Jack.
“Don’t tell me you brought all of that just for yourself.
I was about to eat another miserable burger.”
Jack pointed toward the second insulated bag.
“Look before you start complaining.
That one is yours.”
Catherine’s eyes widened.
She immediately opened it and found another full portion of the same meal.
“Jack, you might actually be my favorite rookie.”
“I made it this morning,” Jack said as he handed her a fork.
“It’s our first real day working together.
Figured I should make a decent impression.”
Catherine tried the barbecue chicken first and nodded almost immediately.
“This is way better than anything I was planning to eat today.”
Despite her normally cool and distant appearance, Catherine clearly loved food.
She quickly moved on to the steak, then the eggs and potatoes, while Jack started eating his own lunch at a calmer pace.
Sunlight filtered through the nearby trees and shifted across the hood of the patrol car, which had temporarily become their dining table.
The peaceful lunch felt completely different from the alley pursuit only a short time earlier.
“I’m serious,” Catherine said after trying the soup.
“I’ve worked with several partners and trained plenty of rookies.
Some brought donuts, some brought sandwiches, but nobody has ever shown up with a full deluxe lunch like this.”
Jack shrugged.
“I like eating properly.
Hard to handle emergencies when you’re running on junk food.”
Catherine nodded before looking at him more carefully.
“Speaking of emergencies, your performance in that alley was unusually steady.
You spotted the footprints and blood, figured out the suspect’s direction, positioned yourself correctly during the chase, and handled the arrest cleanly.
That didn’t look like someone with only academy experience.”
Jack paused briefly before meeting her eyes.
“I worked hard at the academy and practiced a lot on my own.”
Catherine studied him for another second before accepting the answer.
“Fair enough.
When Platt dumped you on me, I thought I’d have to teach you everything from the beginning.
Looks like I got lucky.”
She finished another bite and smiled.
“Since you supplied the deluxe lunch, I’ll buy coffee this afternoon.
I know a place nearby strong enough to wake the dead.”
“Deal.”
Catherine wiped her mouth and became slightly more serious.
“Before that, we need to go back to the convenience store and get a supplemental statement from the clerk.
Then we’ll finish the arrest report.
I’ll walk you through everything, but judging from this morning, you’ll probably pick it up quickly.”
“Anything else I should prepare?”
“Just stay focused.”
Catherine stood and stretched while Jack packed the empty containers back into the insulated bags and returned them to the trunk.
When he closed it, the two exchanged a brief smile.
The trust built during the morning pursuit had become a little stronger over lunch.