The rain was pouring down in thick sheets now and the cruisers windshield wipers were on high just to keep visibility. It was an awful night to be on patrol, and I had over three hours left on my shift. I was sitting shotgun as Sargent Conner was driving. We were driving down the interstate trying to find any accidents that might occur from the heavy downpour. I didn't like Sgt. Conner very much, he was a surly man who really didn't take any bull**** from anyone.
This was only the third time I had gone on a normal patrol since my training days. I was used to being called for specific jobs, like drug sniffing, or tracking. The captain had ordered that I get away from the dogs for a while, to see if could handle "real cop duties."
I hated it. The captain always made sure to put me with an officer who didn't like me. I was just going to grin and bear it until he put me back where my real training was. Besides, my real partner, Casey, was beginning to miss me.
At about 21:30, I noticed a pickup pulled over onto the shoulder of the road.
"Sargent, there's a pickup headed east, on the shoulder there, lights on, not moving. We checking this one out?"
"Affirmative. Be ready to radio that in if need be Summers."
"Yes sir."
Conner turned on the cruiser's lights and pulled over to the shoulder.
"Summers, you get out and check this one. I'll wait here."
Gritting my teeth, I responded, "Yes sir."
After donning a blue rain-Pancho over my uniform I exited the cruiser and walked over to the pickup. A Caucasian male, aged twenty-five to thirty, dark hair, about one-hundred and eighty pounds was pacing back and forth in front of the hood of the truck as I approached. He looked scared.
"Need any assistance sir?" I yelled over the din of the rain, my hand on my gun.
The man was soaked to the bone. He looked like he'd been walking out here for at least five minutes and with this kind of rain pouring down, that was all it took to get as wet as he was.
"I don't know about me but I think he does!" he yelled back and pointed in front of his truck.
I squinted and walked further forward, trying to keep an eye on the truck, the man and whatever he was pointing at. It was awful weather to be on patrol. The rays of the truck's headlights just caught the edge of two pairs of paws.
"I don't know what happened, I was just driving along and then there was this big animal in front of me, I could see his two eyes! I hit the breaks but then I didn't stop too well cause of the rain and I hit the poor fella."
I walked closer to the paws taking my hand off my gun. He was following me as he talked.
"I didn't want to hit em, I really didn't officer. I think I hurt him something bad. I hope he don't die."
I took out my flashlight and shone it where the headlights didn't reach.
"It's no dog officer. Dogs don't get that big I don't think."
He was right, it wasn't a dog, it was a wolf.
"I ain't never seen a wolf round here my whole damn life!"
Neither had I. Wolves around these parts were supposed to be extinct, or all migrated north because of the heavy urbanization. No one had seen a wolf around here in at least fifty years.
"So he's alive?" I turned to look at the man, he was shivering uncontrollably.
"Yes sir! But he wont let no one get near him. He starts snapping and growling something fierce. He can't move much I don't think."
"When did this happen?"
"Bout five, ten minutes ago maybe? I'm not real sure. Am I gonna get arrested for this?"
"No, it was accidental. Sir, you're going to get sick staying out in the rain without any kind of coat. Do you have one in your truck?"
"Yes sir, I do."
"Then get in your truck, put it on and at least dry off a bit."
He ran back to his truck and got in. I knew I was breaking procedure, but I trusted the man, from his voice you could tell he really did do it accidentally.
I walked no more than three feet from the animal, and tried to get a better look. It was a wolf alright, and a big one at that. I guessed that it weighed at least two-hundred pounds.
It was bleeding, from the side, nose and ear. It looked like the truck hit it dead on.
The rain was getting worse.
I took another step forward, and I started to hear a low growling.
It was still alive.
"Shhhh. It's ok, I'm here to help you."
The growling got louder. It was scared.
I crouched down and reached my hand out. The wolf turned its head to me and beared its teeth, growling all the while.
"I'm not going to hurt you. It's alright."
I reached my hand closer.
"Smell my hand. I'm a friend."
Straining it's wounded neck, the wolf flared it's bloody nostrils and caught a whiff of my scent.
"Friend..."
The wolf looked up at me, blood in one eye and whined. Then, in the flash of a second, he was growling and baring his teeth again.
"Summers! What the hell are you doing?"
Conner had gotten out of the cruiser.
I looked over my shoulder to see him looming over me, wearing another blue rain-Pancho, flashlight in hand.
"This animal is still alive sir!"
"Then kill it."
"What?!" I screamed.
"It's procedure! Put an end to this animal's suffering!"
"You cannot make that decision without the instruction of a Veterinary Surgeon, or expressed opinion of two reputable citizens!"
"I am the senior operating officer!" He pointed to his chest and yelled, "and that was an order Constable Summers!"
"You need the instruction of a Vet!" I shouted.
"I gave you all the instruction you need! That was an order! Now kill that animal!"
"Sir! This animal is capable of making a recovery!"I pointed back to the wolf.
"That is your opinion Officer Summers, if I wanted it, I would have asked for it. Destroy that animal, now."
"It is more than an opinion, Sir. It is required of every K-9 Officer to take a course in veterinary medicine!"
"Summers you are disobeying a direct order from a senior officer! I'll see you reprimanded for this!" Conner leaned forward and pointed his finger into my face.
"You're ignoring correct procedure at the cost of a life!" I pointed back.
"It's only an animal!" he pulled out his sidearm.
"An animal that can make a full recovery if brought to a vet!"
"I've had enough, move out of the way."
"No."
In the truck's headlights we two men stared eye to eye, both holding their ground. The rain continued to stream down. Small droplets fell from the brims of our hats.
A vehicle door opened, then shut. The truck driver had exited his vehicle.
"Is there something wrong officers?"
"Sir," Conner answered his eyes not leaving mine, "Would you say that this animal is suffering, and is not likely to make a recovery without further pain?"
The man walked closer.
"I, I can't say I'd know, Sir. Like I told the other officer there, I ain't never seen a wolf before. Why, I'm no Vet."
"Answer my question with a yes or no," Conner had grown impatient of this whole ordeal.
"I told you, Sir, I'm not Vet. It looks like it's in hurtin' I guess."
"You wanted an expressed opinion, Summers, you got it. Now, get out of my way."
I didn't budge.
"That is an order!"
I knew that the wolf could make it. I've seen police dogs take a full hit from a shotgun and survive. There was no doubt in my mind that this wolf could be healed.
I stepped back, Conner seemed pleased with me.
"Good, keep cooperating and I might just forget to mention this little incident to the captain."
I walked back further and stood in front of the wolf.
"You either let me bring this animal to a proper hospital, or you shoot a fellow officer."
Page Eight
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