Second Banana

SECOND BANANA

It’s really hard being the second banana.

You know, where they tell you how great your best friend is, even though the two of you do everything together—cuz you’re partners.

Ray really is amazing. He’s the best. He deserves the recognition and platitudes. Honest.

*****

“Unit K-9—Dispatch. 10-76 reported at 2459 Keeler Street. Suspect is a male, dark clothing. Code 2. Advise when 10-23.”

“10-4. Code 2. Unit K-9 is 10-17.”

Ray looked at me. “Looks like we’ve got ourselves a prowler.”

I kinda like prowler calls. The sneaking around. Knowing that we know the prowler is there, but the prowler doesn’t know we’re there. The element of surprise is powerful.

We were code 2—no lights or sirens at the location. That didn’t mean we couldn’t use them right now. Ray flipped the switches, and off we went, speeding towards our quarry. A couple of blocks from Keeler Street, Ray pulled over and turned the unit off. We got out, and locked ‘er up tight—you’d be surprised at the number of people who try to steal a police vehicle. It’s like candy, and they can’t help themselves.

Ray radioed in we were two blocks north of the address, and approaching on foot. Then he turned down the radio squawk and headed in. The house at 2459 Keeler was pretty nice. Probably four bedrooms, a couple of baths. It looked empty—no lights, just a front porch light that was probably on a timer.

Keeping to the shadows, we snuck up on the house, circling around through the open side gate. In the back yard there was a patio with some nice, high-end furniture on it. We saw it immediately. The sliding glass doors had been smashed. We walked up carefully and quietly—no crunching glass to give us away! The slider was standing open. We looked inside, watching for the erratic movement of a flashlight. Nothing. Ray stepped to the side to avoid the broken glass. I did the same. We slowly crept deeper into the house, through the kitchen, dining room, and were heading for the family room when we heard it. A floorboard creaking above us.

Ray motioned me to go ahead. I took the stairs two at a time, Ray right behind me. I stopped at the top landing, listening. Down the hall, last room on the right, I heard it. Someone was in there—I could hear rustling and things being thrown on the ground. I padded forward, Ray behind me, his hand on his holster. Then we heard them—voices. There were at least two intruders, not the one that dispatch had reported. That changed things.

“Who told you this guy had money in his drawers? There’s nothing here!” Suspect Number One—male, didn’t sound particularly old, but he sounded really pissed. The guy in charge Anger is dangerous.

“My mom cleans his house. I heard her tell my aunt that the guy has money stashed all over the house. Doesn’t trust banks.” Suspect Number Two—male, his voice cracking, also young definitely subordinate.

“We better find some cash, or I’m gonna kick your ass. You’ll owe me, big time.”

“No way!” Suspect Two whined. “You said if I did this with you, then we’re even. You never said anything about making a score.”

I heard a couple of steps. “If there’s nothing here, you’re a dead man!”

“Let go!” I could hear some tussling. “I told you what I know. That was the deal!” “Oof,” and the sound of a punch. That was enough—time to breech.

I went in first.

“What the fuck!” screamed Suspect One. “You never said anything about a dog!”

I growled, showing my very impressive teeth.

Then Ray came through the door. “Police! Hands above your head! Don’t move or I’ll release the dog!”

Like I was on a leash. Bah.

“Jett, hold!” I continued to growl. I’m pretty sure the moonlight glinted off my very impressive teeth, because the Suspect Two complied immediately, dropping his flashlight and raising his hands. The other guy—Suspect One—not so much. He scanned left then right, and lunged by me. I looked at Ray. I could have taken a chunk out of him as he jumped by, but I hadn’t been given the command.

“Jett, get him!” commanded Ray. I bolted after Suspect One. Dogs are a lot faster than humans. Even humans who are trying to flee. He was about three stairs down when I launched myself at him knocking him down from behind. He fell forward, face-first. I surfed his back down to the main floor. Then I bit down on his arm and shook it. He howled in pain.

“Get him off me! He’s killing me! Get him off!” screamed Suspect One.

Ray was right behind me, pushing Suspect Two in front of him down the stairs, speed cuffs secured behind his back.

“Jett, hold!”

I stopped biting and shaking his arm, and backed up two steps, continuing my terrifying growl. (I can be very terrifying.)

Ray slapped another pair of speed cuffs on Suspect One and radioed in for backup and transport. Because I’m a very special officer, the entire back of the Police SUV has been retrofitted for me with A/C, bed, water, food. Everything a police dog could want. No dirty perps in my unit!

While we were waiting for the transport unit, the bad guys let us know how unhappy they were. Well, Suspect Two was crying that his mom was going to kill him. But Suspect One was losing his bananas. “He bit me! He’s a monster! He should be put down!”

“She,” said Ray.

The guy looked confused. “What?”

Ray scratched me head. “Jett. She’s a female.”

“Whatever. She’s a monster!” He glared at me. “She probably has rabies. I’m going to sue your ass off, and have her put down. She’s a menace.”

Sure, I’m the menace. I’m pretty sure I didn’t smash a door and I wasn’t found rifling through the homeowner’s belongings. But, yeah, I’m the problem.

When the transport unit arrived, and the perps were taken away, Ray pulled out my ball, and we played a bit of fetch before getting in the unit and heading back to the station, where reams of paperwork awaited us—well, awaited Ray. I could take a nap.

When we walked in all the cops in the station were congratulating Ray.

“Hey, man, good bust!’ someone yelled.

“Good job on the B and E,” yelled another.

“A two-fer! Two perps for the price of one!” laughed another.

Sergeant Oliver same out of her office. “Good work, Ray. A solid bust.”

“Thanks, Sarge.”

That’s all. I looked at Ray. I don’t remember him stopping the perp by jumping on his back and detaining him. I’d done a good job tonight, too!

*****

Ray had brushed me really, really well. Ray gives a darn-good brushing. I knew that he wanted me to look good today, I just didn’t know why. He’d even washed my harness and vest. And, ironed his patrol uniform. We were going to look amazing.

*****

“Unit K-9—Dispatch. 10-65 reported at 3597 Ingram Road, shots fired. Weller’s Convenience. Respond 10-39. Suspect is male, blond and blue, wearing a blue COVID mask, blue jeans, a black and red checked shirt, sneakers.. Last seen running west down the back alley parallel to Ingram.”

“10-4. Code 2. Unit K-9 is 10-17 to the alley, west end.”

Ray looked serious. I know that he hates armed robberies. I know he hates guns, especially when in the hands of a skittish robber who is probably looking for money for his drug habit. Tweakers are the worst! I could feel my heart pounding. I could hear Ray’s heart pounding.

We pulled into the alley, lights flashing. And, there he was running towards us. Before we could stop, he pivoted and started running the other way.

Ray stopped the unit, jumped out, ran to the back, and opened the door. I was ready. Before he sent me out, he checked my vest, made sure it was on tight. He’s like that—safety first. He let me out and pointed “Jett, Get him! And be careful!”

And I was off. Like I said, humans are really slow runners. It was only a few yards before I caught up to him. He had the gun in his hand. Danger! I lunged for the gun hand, and down he went, the gun clattering away. Ray was right behind me, a little winded.

“Jett, … Good … job!” he huffed.

After he’d hooked the guy up, and secured him to the handcuff loop on the unit, I trotted over to the gun and barked. Ray looked at me. “Is that his gun, girl?”

I barked again.

He looked shaken. “Good girl, Jett!.” He scruffled my ears.

Ahh, good times.

Back at the station, Ray got all the kudos. He deserved them, I guess. It wasn’t like he apprehended an armed suspect on his own. Sigh.

*****

We went out to the unit. I looked at it. Ray had washed it. Usually, we just run it through the police car wash. But it looked like Ray had washed it by hand. It looked great. Ray opened the back hatch, and I jumped in. All my nose marks were gone and I could see out the windows again. The inside smelled great—well, human great. Personally, I don’t mind a bit of dog funk, but hey, you do you. And he’d vacuumed the inside. All my hair balls were all gone!

I wagged and yipped. Nice!

“For my favourite girl!”

*****

“Unit K-9—Dispatch. 10-65, Weller’s Falls. Report directly to onsite Sergeant, south parking lot.”

“10-4. Code 2. Unit K-9 is 10-17.” Ray looked at me through the rearview mirror. “I hope it’s not a kid.”

It was a kid. In fact it was two kids—a nine year old girl and a ten year old girl. Their families were having a picnic, and the girls wanted to find flowers for their mothers. That was three hours ago. The family had searched for them to no avail. Search and rescue was on the way, but for right now, Ray and I were it.

Ray got two scent articles—the girls’s jackets, and put them in separate bags. Then he brought them to me. He opened up one of the bags for me to smell. I inhaled deeply.

“Jett, find them!”

We started walking in small circles radiating out from where the girls had last been seen. We hadn’t gone more than a few steps when I found the scent. Ray had me on my long search and rescue leash (mostly, I think, so that he can keep up with me), and I lead him through the woods, trying really hard not to tangle the lead up in the underbrush. There was a faint game trail that the girls had followed. For the most part, they’d stayed on it. I loped along, Ray running behind me. We came to a fork in the trail. I waited for Ray, then headed right The scent was still very strong, so they had been here recently. I continued forward, picked up my pace—fast enough to find them, but not so fast that Ray would be winded.

Then I smelled the other scent. Not little girl. Animal. Then I heard the noise. A chuffing sound.

Bear.

That was not good. I’d heard that sound before, when we were training, and we’d booked it out of there. But we couldn’t leave now—there were two missing girls we had to find.

I stood there, searching the woods for the bear. If I could hear it, it could hear us. Ray caught up, puffing quietly.

“What is it, Jett?”

I looked towards the sound, then back at Ray, then back at the sound.

“Is there something out there, girl?”

I looked back and forth again. Ray stood stock-still, listening. Then he heard it, too.

“Damn!” He looked at me. He whispered, “A bear.”

I couldn’t answer, but my hackles rose.

The bear was just up ahead, out of sight. We could go around, but I might lose the scent. We needed to frighten the bear. I would probably run away, unless it was guarding a food cache. I did not want to think about what—or who—the food cache might be.

We crept forward. We saw her about the same time as she saw us. She reared up on her hind legs and roared.

At that same moment, I heard one of the girls cry. It was coming from off the trail, to the left. I turned to Ray, who had his hand on his weapon, staring hard at the huge black bear.

I slowly backed up until I was beside Ray, never taking my eyes off the bear. I gently pushed him left, off the trail. He moved sideways, still watching the bear. Then he heard the cries, too. He looked me, then at the bear, who had dropped down to all fours and was feinting forwards and backwards. We kept shuffling left, until the bear disappeared from view behind some trees.

Ray leaned down, and whispered, “Jett, find them!”

This time I moved slowly. The cries were very close.

We found them, in a steep-sided depression that was too deep and too steep for them to climb out of. We looked down over the side. One of the little girls—Lyla— was crying, the other little girl—Jess—was laying on the ground, unmoving, her eyes closed.

“Hey, there,” said Ray. “We found you!” He smiled that winning smile, and squatted at the lip of the depression. “My name’s Ray. I’m a police officer.” He looked at me. “That’s Jett, my partner. Can we come down and help you?”

The little girl sniffled, and nodded her head. I jumped right in, Ray had a harder time, and slid down on his butt.

The little girl, Lyla, told Ray that she and Jess had been looking for flowers, and had gotten lost. They were trying to find their way back, when they fell in the hole, and couldn’t get out. Jess had hit her head, and wouldn’t say anything.

“Is Jess dead,” Lyla asked Ray in a quiet voice.

Ray touched Jess’s neck. “No, she’s not dead. But she’s hurt.” He tried to smile. “I’m going to call for help, and they’re going to get Jess to a doctor.” Ray rose to his feet, and started to climb out of the depression.

“Don’t leave us!” cried Layla.

Ray came back down and squatted in front of Lyla. “Jett’s here. She’ll stay with you.” He smiled. “I’m just going to be up top so that they other helpers can find us.”

I nuzzled Layla. She put her arm around me and watched Ray make his way slowly out of the hole. (I could have jumped out. Just saying.)

I heard him call in that we’d found the girls, that Jess was unconscious. Needed medical. He also warned of the bear in the area.

I had on my search vest, which is equipped with a tracking beacon, so Search and Rescue found us directly. Apparently the bear had high-tailed it out of the area once everyone started invading her domain.

Jess was loaded into the helicopter using a litter basket, and flown to the children’s hospital. We walked out of the forest with Ray carrying Layla. When we got down to the parking lot, Layla’s parents were there. There was hugging, and crying, more hugging and more crying. They hugged Ray and thanked him for finding their little girl. There was press there, and they took pictures of us walking out of the forest, Ray heroically carrying Layla. Very dramatic. Very front page of the paper dramatic, with Ray’s name, and me listed as his canine partner. Sigh.

*****

We didn’t drive to the station like we usually do. I hadn’t heard anything on the radio, so we weren’t on a call. I didn’t know where we were going, so I had a nap. When we stopped, I stood up and stretched. Ray came around the back of the unit and opened the door. He leashed me up with my off-duty leash. I jumped out.

“There he is!” someone yelled. I heard the click of cameras. Ray is such a superstar! There were a swack of people standing around clapping.

“Her,” said Ray. “Jett’s a female.”

Me?

Then I saw it—a giant banner of … me. In my kevlar vest, standing beside the unit.

I heard my name. “Welcome, Jett, Purina’s Animal of the Year Recipient! For bravery, valour and heroism. For fearlessly chasing and capturing suspects, finding children, and running into burning buildings.”

Oh yeah, I’d forgotten about the fire. My coat got singed, but I got everybody out. All good

The crowd broke into raucous applause, with whistles and shouts. All for me! I barked happily.

Apparently, I was a big deal, not just the second banana!