Josie walked into the break room when she heard the burglary call for A27.
Bender jumped to his feet. “Let’s go,” he yelled.
They abandoned their food on the table, then galloped down the stairs.
Lolo, who’d just exited the locker room, was in front of them. She keyed her mic, “17A27, roger. Responding from the station.”
The last sentence was for any units who might be closer to the shopping center.
Lolo pressed the button again. “17A27, is there an air ship available?”
The trio burst into the parking lot to see other officers and even a few detectives sprinting to their vehicles. Everybody wanted to catch the Mall Mobsters.
She and Bender threw themselves into their black and white. He burned rubber as they tore away from the station toward the shopping complex.
“Stay off the air and type the RTO that we’re en route to the 459 call.”
She didn’t say anything and began typing as the dispatcher broadcast again.
“17A27, and all responding units to the 459 suspects there now, be advised there are approximately thirty to forty suspects. They’re grabbing merchandise and fleeing through the west doors of the Flair department store.”
“Air 11, we have a four-minute ETA from Wilshire Division.”
“All units responding, Air 11 has a four-minute ETA.”
“17XL5, I’m Code 6 at the mall.”
“That’s Dolby Sinclair, the print car,” Bender said. “Great cop, till the department ruined him. Bet he’d like to catch a couple of these assholes.”
Her heart pummeled the inside of her chest as she tried to clear intersections for her partner.
Although they weren’t authorized to go Code 3—utilizing their lights and siren, Bender rolled up to the traffic signals, stopped, then flipped on the lights and sirens. As soon as traffic stopped and the area was clear, they’d speed through. He’d shut them down again and proceed as fast as they could while maintaining safety.
“17XL5, approximately ten vehicles west side of Flair. Suspects are running out of the store. Requesting backup.”
Bender and Josie were behind Lolo and Hoppy, who were flying up the hill going unauthorized Code 3 to the mall using the center turning lane to pass civilian traffic.
“Air 11, we’re one minute out.”