The night was unusually hot for Northern California. Even in the air-conditioned cruiser, heat radiating up from the black asphalt left ripples in the distant headlights. Fortunately, the heat had not brought its usual companion: people acting crazy. Indeed, the night was especially quiet on the latter part of the last shift (according to briefing) and was approaching downright boring two hours into the graveyard shift. That suited Belltamo just fine.
Bell, as most people called her, had had a rough day before late night shift at work. The sink drain had broken while she was replacing the garbage disposal (She had managed to repair both.); the cat had gone into labor (and, by now, had either delivered kittens or 'meowed' her furry little head off); a call from an old friend brought news of an illness but she had no way to go visit in Montana on her current budget; and, she'd made an off-duty arrest at the local convenience store. The last had really topped off her day.
Some jerk had not only picked her favorite store to hit, he'd hit it just as Bell was coming in for aspirin. Nobody had tipped off the guy when she entered the store (Everyone around knew she was a Highway Patrol officer.) and she had the time to casually draw her weapon and wait for 'Bozo' to start to leave. He had his revolver down and uncocked when she'd wrecked his day. The city police arrived about 20 seconds later and she had been treated like a hero. It pays that the 'local girl done good' was well liked. And, her report would save local cops plenty paperwork. By the time she had gotten to her shift, two complete shifts of troopers had heard about the arrest and had placed a great big banner over her locker and balloons all around. She felt wonderful; for a 7th month rookie to be treated so well was almost unheard of. Bell was all smiles until well into her shift and then the exhaustion hit. She had missed hours of sleep to complete the arrest paperwork. Now, restlessness threatened to make the night endless! Her territory stretched for hundreds of miles through the rural northern valley and tonight's heat was not helping at all. She was about to call in for a rest break when an incoming call stopped her.
"All units within the vicinity of Petterten see the late model Dodge Stealth, bright red, unknown California plates, believed to be headed north towards Petterten. Suspect is white male..."
Bell checked the road markers and noted that she was less than 15 miles east of Petterten. She radioed dispatch to advise she'd be close soon. But she noticed the 'moving darkness' of an approaching car driven at night without headlights in no more than a few seconds. She watched the 'phantom's' approach with growing concern: dispatch had been right except the car was moving very fast.
It was too late to make a 'blind U' to get in position to pursue without being seen (or hit!) first, so Bell waited for the car to pass her (Yes, it was a red Stealth.), and she 'lit the tree' by turning on the red lights and the siren. After a high speed U-turn, she radioed dispatch exact positions of the suspect's car and her cruiser and that she was currently in pursuit. She also started Lamaze. The controlled breathing and relaxation exercise was what she had used to stay calm and steady while training in the academy with cars and weapons. Her trainers and the other rookies never saw her flinch or shake once. If they knew that she was pretending she was having a baby, they would have died laughing. But, Belltamo was known as "The Rock" throughout training and in her first few months on the streets.
That training brought her closer to the Stealth rapidly, although he certainly knew she was coming now. He began to take bigger risks in passing other traffic on this 4-lane stretch of highway. Two near crashes and Bell decided to turn off the pursuit lights and drop back, letting him think she'd broken off the pursuit. Now, she looked much like any other car in his rear view mirror.
Then, using cars that she'd let pass her, she 'slid' forward once again, all the while gaining ground although pursuit like this was extremely dangerous to people not paying attention.
'OK friend, this is where you and I get acquainted,' she thought. He'd slowed to around 80 miles per hour when she rocketed past him, slipped in front and re-lit 'the tree', which put a bright yellow light in his face while she slowed the cruiser slightly and brought its rear into contact with the Stealth's front bumper. Then, Bell braked hard and slouched in her seat, bringing both cars to a smoky, screeching halt. She was out of hers (on the passenger side, just in case) with her weapon drawn for a second time tonight when the suspect, a teenage boy, jumped out of the Dodge screaming, "Don't shoot me! Please, don't shoot me!"
Bell had him arrested, cuffed, and secured in the back of her cruiser in less than 2 minutes. Moments later, CHP, local police and sheriffs were everywhere. And, also for the second time that night, Bell found herself surrounded by law enforcement patting her on the back. She slowly gravitated towards her fellow 'CHiPS' and tried to melt into the sea of uniforms.
"Great job." The speaker was another CHP officer that was much like the rest except that this one was also a woman. Tall (around 5'10," Bell guessed), of medium build and with flowing brown hair just a bit too long for regulation, she had the easy manner of a veteran cop and the smile of an unjaded long-timer. Her tag said that she was G. Stanton.
"Thanks, but it wasn't much," Bell muttered.
"Not much, my ass. It's one thing to see a cop take on something like this alone but it's a serious trip to see a rookie do it. And, bottom line, there are only four of us women in Northern California. We need to make a good showing like this to piss off the 'old school' men's club."
With genuine gratitude, Bell offered her hand and said, "Thank you. I'm..."
."..Belltamo, Lisa. But, everyone calls you 'Bell'. I know: the rest of the women on duty have been following your progress and you are already something of a minor legend. No woman has gotten through the academy like you did, with guts, compassion, and nerves of steel. We were very proud of you."
"Well, to tell you the truth," Bell said quietly and to just Stanton, "I had a secret weapon. Lamaze."
G. Stanton looked at Bell and both started to laugh. The cops close by looked puzzled, but a CHP sergeant looked their way and started towards them.
"Shit!" Stanton breathed without moving her mouth, "I never see Grey in the field and he caught us laughing. Stay calm and quiet."
