Refined By His Fire

  Chapter Fourteen

  One morning with their day shift, Adrian’s phone rings while he and Barry prepare to start the day.

  Adrian takes out his cell phone and frowns slightly, but his face lights up when he sees who is calling.

  “Ryan! What a surprise! How are you, buddy?”

  “I’m doing great thanks. Thought I might surprise you. Turn around.”

  Adrian turns around, stares, disconnects and goes to where Ryan is standing. They greet each other with a hug, leaving some of the members and most of the public staring.

  “You have made my day.” Adrian smiles.

  “I miss you, man. How has the cricket tour been?”

  “We had lots of fun. It’s been nice. Had a great tour. We’re just wondering when we will see you again.”

  “Sorry, buddy. That will never happen.”

  Ryan looks sad, but to Adrian’s relief, Barry emerges from the safe with some equipment.

  “Hey, old man. Thought I heard ye talking to someone. Hi, Ryan! Great seeing you again!”

  “So, how have you been keeping, Barry? Still not hitched yet?”

  Barry smiles.

  “No. That will take a while. Too young for that. I’m like only turning 23 in six months time. Enough time for stuff like that. How’s the tour been?”

  “It was nice, but I wish that you can persuade Adrian to come back. It’s a huge void in the side and in the sport.”

  “Sorry, laddie, ye know Adrian. He is a Parker. Bloody stubborn once he has put his mind on something.”

  Adrian clears his throat and Barry chuckles.

  “Ryan, I’d love to spend time with you, but I’m working today, buddy.”

  “I was wondering if I could persuade your dad to allow me to work with you guys for the day.”

  Adrian sighs.

  “Phew. Um . . . that’s a sticky toffee. I don’t know if he will approve of that. You’ll have to sign indemnity forms also.”

  “Don’t mind in doing so.”

  Adrian frowns slightly in thought.

  “Barry, please take the equipment to the car. I’m just going to see my dad, hear what he says. Ryan, please come with me.”

  They walk onto Henry’s office.

  “I’ve always had this idea to work with you. Want to see what real police work is about.”

  Adrian smiles.

  “Hope you won’t be too disappointed. Not sure if my dad will approve.”

  Adrian knock on Henry’s door and Henry looks up from his newspaper.

  “Good gracious. Morning, Ryan! What brings you here?”

  “Hi, Henry. Actually, I have a request.”

  Henry frowns.

  “Does it involve Adrian? Morning, my son.”

  “Morning, Dad. Um . . . actually, yes, it does. Ryan surprised me. I didn’t know that he was here. He asked me if he can work with us for the day.”

  Henry pulls on his pipe, looks over the rim of his glasses at Adrian.

  “I don’t know, my boy. It’s dangerous out there. What gave you this idea, Ryan?”

  Ryan smiles.

  “Well, Adrian always told me lots of stories of crime scenes and I always read so many negative things in the media about the police. I want to see what a day in a policeman’s life is like.”

  “I don’t mind. It’s just a very dangerous request. Anything can happen. I’ve lost count of how many policemen we lost here in the Western Cape alone. Not just that, I don’t know how you will react to a gruesome scene. Adrian can’t come back to drop you off every time a serious complaint comes through. And I can’t issue you with a firearm. Only a bulletproof.”

  Ryan smiles.

  “Well, I see chance for it.”

  “You scared of speed? For Adrian is not shy to push his vehicle to the limit if need arises. I still have to sort out a tiff I have with him about a handbrake turn he made at 140 km/h.”

  Henry winks at Adrian and Adrian blushes.

  “It was necessary, Dad.”

  “No, not according to my books. You should have known which road to take in the first place.” he tries to sound very strict.

  “Yes, sir.” Adrian whispers self consciously.

  “Just get the indemnity form and bring it to me to sign. But Ryan, if anything happens, no one is accountable. Understood?”

  “Perfectly. Thanks, Henry.”

  “Thanks, Dad.”

  “It’s okay. Just take care of him, okay? Look after yourselves.”

  Adrian smiles and they leave Henry’s office before completing the form that Henry must sign so that their day can start.

  Adrian looks for the cleanest bulletproof he could find and gives it to Ryan, but he giggles when Ryan complains about the weight of it.

  “How are you supposed to work in this?”

  “It’s okay. You get used to it. Problems start in the summer. It’s very hot with the bulletproof, so hot that when we come to the station, we take it off just to cool down a bit.”

  Adrian kennels Nero in the dog cage in the vehicle and laughs heartily when Nero makes his dissatisfaction known about the passenger in the vehicle.

  “What’s the matter with him?” Ryan asks.

  “Not used to a second crew. Normally the suspect sits there and believe me, they behave.”

  Ryan laughs before getting inside and Nero growls at the back.

  “Hey, boy. What’s up?”

  Nero barks furiously.

  “Nero! That’s enough, okay? Calm down.” Adrian scolds him.

  Barry takes the log book and writes in it while Adrian books them on air before Adrian and Barry buckles up and they make their way to the garage for the usual coffee rendevous.

  “That’s a first to see policemen wearing seatbelts.” Ryan says amused.

  “Hey, buddy. How am I supposed to enforce the law if I don’t follow it myself? Please buckle up in the back. Would you like some hot chocolate or coffee?”

  “Coffee sounds great.”

  Ryan takes out his wallet, but Adrian laughs.

  “You can put that away. The garage owner gives us free coffee or hot chocolate.”

  “That’s great. It’s important that the community does something back for the police. You guys work hard.”

  The day starts off with two housebreaking complaints before a complaint of a fire comes through.

  “Okay, buddy. Fire in progress. Strap yourself in and hold on.”

  Barry pushes a couple of buttons on a machine in the cubby hole of the vehicle and the deafening sound of sirens tear through the car. Ryan stares at Adrian driving at 160 km/h as if he was driving on a Sunday cruise. He never thought Adrian was capable of driving so fast, yet so cautious at the same time.

  Closing in on the scene, Adrian slows down considerably before stopping next to Golf Romeo 10.

  “Hi Okkie. You okay here?”

  “Yes, thanks. The cleaning lady took the burning washing machine out of the house. The carpet caught fire, but it wasn’t that serious. The lady that phoned us told the station that the house is burning down.”

  “Who was that?”

  “Mrs Bothma.”

  Adrian rolls his eyes.

  “And I know exactly why. She realised we are tired of her false complaints. My dad said he is still going to arrest her for her false alarms.”

  Lieutenant October laughs.

  “Sorry for creating unnecessary excitement.”

  “You rogue! You could have contacted me but it is okay. It gave my friend a bit of excitement.”

  Lieutenant October frowns.

  “Who is that?” he curiously walks closer, stares wide-eyed.

  “I would like it if you sign in my pocketbook, but I don’t think my logistical officer would appreciate that.

  Good gracious, Parker! You could have told me you are friends with Ryan Nielsen!”

  Adrian laughs.

  “Okkie, you are becoming very old. Don’t you remember when I came to the station
to look for my dad? You were a Warrant Officer and this very man brought me to the station. He was my teacher and we were team mates in the cricket. He means a lot to me.”

  Ryan opens the door, smiles.

  “You must be getting old. I still remember your face.” Ryan says.

  “Yeah well, I’m more than forty and out.”

  “And you are still a Lieutenant?” Ryan asks shocked.

  “That’s the Police for you. But I’ve been here at Grabouw for twenty years. I don’t think I want to work anywhere else.”

  “Well, Okkie, let me see if I can get a chase or two. Ryan wants to experience real police work.”

  “The only way how you will achieve that is with an armed robbery in progress complaint.”

  “Very funny, Okkie. Last thing I want. I have an intense fear for armed robberies after Barry’s ordeal.”

  “Don’t worry. We have had a couple since then and you have handled them very professionally.”

  “Not armed robberies in progress. See you later.”

  Adrian gets back into the car and they continue with their patrols.

  “Golf Romeo 6 to Romeo.”

  “Romeo, proceed.” Adrian answers.

  “Golf Romeo 6, I have a complaint of drinking in public in an open piece of veld on the corner of Somerset Road and Strand Street. The complainant says there is a large group of people drinking and making noise. Your reference number will be 220576, I repeat 220576. Did you copy?”

  “Copied, Romeo. I’ll go and have a look.”

  “Thanks, Golf Romeo 6. I wanted to tell you a time ago that it is great to have you back again. Always a friendly, hardworking policeman.”

  Adrian laughs shyly.

  “Thanks, Romeo.”

  “Romeo, Golf Romeo 10, I agree with you.”

  “Sierra Whisky, hear hear!

  Adrian laughs softly, embarrassed, overwhelmed.

  “Oh guys . . . thanks . . .”

  They drive onto the complaint, but the info was not entirely correct. There are about 30 people and they are very drunk and also very arrogant.

  Adrian and Barry get out.

  “Good day.” Adrian greets them.

  “Who says you can sit here and drink in public?”

  One of them swears Adrian.

  “Oh bugger off, stupid policeman!”

  Adrian steps closer, calmly takes the bottle of liquor from the man that swore him and throws the bottle to pieces on the ground.

  The man gets up and pulls a knife out and Adrian lightening fast pulls his firearm, pointing the suspect.

  “Put away that knife immediately! All of you, leave! We received a complaint of drinking in public and you all know it’s against the law to drink in public!”

  “And just where are we supposed to drink?” another one gets up and Ryan starts to become very uneasy. This is a volatile situation and Adrian and Barry is totally outnumbered . . .

  “I’m saying again, go home. Leave!”

  “You don’t understand! We were chased from our owners’ property and now you tell us we can’t drink here either, stupid policeman!”

  Adrian loses his temper when the one man threatens him again with the knife. With what seems one motion he holsters his firearm, takes out his tonfa and clubbers the knife out of the man’s hand.

  “Open the kennel, Barry!” Adrian says angrily.

  Barry opens the door and the kennel and Nero jumps out.

  “Take them, Nero! Take them!”

  The crowd of people screams hysterically as they disperse and after a while, Adrian calls Nero back.

  Ryan gets out.

  “You really got me worried there for a while. They were very hostile.”

  Adrian smiles.

  “Nothing we can’t handle. I have lots to work with. Besides, what a stupid fool comes to a gun fight with a knife?”

  Ryan shakes his head.

  “You are hopelessly too brave.”

  Just after eleven that morning, they received the complaint that Adrian feared the most. A group of six men is at the ABSA bank, all of them positively armed and they are still inside the bank.

  Adrian pushes the car to the limits.

  “Ryan, listen to me. Whatever you do, stay in the car, okay? Don’t come to see where we are and if we are okay. If the dispatcher calls on the radio, our call sign is Golf Romeo 6. They are Romeo. Try to help them if they need something.”

  “Do they know our location?”

  “Yes! Please, stay in the car!”

  Adrian and Barry jump out and rush to the bank where the other police back up, including Henry, arrived. It is then when gunfire breaks out and the suspects get into their getaway car.

  Adrian and Barry run toward Golf Romeo 6, get inside and give a chase.

  “Ryan! Buddy, take cover where you can! They might shoot at us, okay? Hold on! Romeo, Romeo! Golf Romeo 6, urgent!”

  “Send, Golf Romeo 6!”

  “Romeo! I’m in pursuit of the suspects’ car. White Audi A6! Can I proceed with registration?”

  “Proceed!”

  “Charlie Yankee 74468! I repeat, Charlie Yankee 74468! But there are only four African males inside and there were six African males in the bank! I don’t know if the other two are keeping hostages at the bank or if they are behind us!”

  “Copied! I see you are on the N2 direction Cape Town according to the location system!”

  “Positive! I need the chopper! I need the chopper!”

  “Chopper, chopper, Romeo.”

  “Romeo, send for Chopper!”

  “Chopper, stand by for Golf Romeo 6!”

  “Chopper, chopper, Golf Romeo 6!” Adrian calls urgently.

  “Send for Chopper!”

  “I need back up! I need back up! I’m on the N2, direction Cape Town!”

  “Golf Romeo 6, ETA is five mikes! Five mikes!”

  “Waiting anxiously, Chopper!”

  “Golf Romeo 6, Sierra Whisky 10! Where are you?”

  “November 2! November 2! Approaching Somerset West! ETA 2 mikes! 2 mikes!” Adrian shouts.

  “I’m there! I’m there!”

  One of the suspects leans out of the back window and opens fire in Adrian and Barry’s direction with a R5 rifle.

  “Oh, God! Help us!” Adrian screams.

  “Shoot for the tires, Barry!”

  Barry aims for the tires, but he has to pull back when they shoot in his direction. The sound of the R5 projectile hitting the blue lights explodes in Adrian and Barry’s ears.

  “Oh, Jesus, please protect us! Please cover us with Your Holy Blood! Don’t let us die like this!” Barry prays aloud.

  Upon entry in the town, Sierra Whisky 10 attempts to block the suspects’ car, but they ram the bakkie out of the way and shoots at the police van.

  “Sierra Whisky! Sierra Whisky! Are you okay?” Adrian shouts on the mike.

  “Positive Parker! Get him! Get him!”

  Barry bravely leans out of the window again and aims again for the Audi’s tires, but another R5 projectile explodes, blowing out the headlight on Barry’s side.

  “Today we’re going Home, old man!” Barry says anxiously.

  Then, as out of nowhere, the Squirrel helicopter appears.

  Ryan hears another gun shot, but he can’t determine where it comes from because neither the suspects nor Adrian nor Barry is shooting and the next moment, the Audi flips over and rolls.

  The helicopter descents and hovers above the car.

  Adrian brings the car to a screeching halt and they get out, rushing toward the suspects and pointing them with their firearms. Only two of them, very hurt, manage to crawl out of the car.

  “Get down! Get down!” Adrian says angrily.

  “Put your hands on your head and your face to the ground! Don’t let me wait!”

  Barry cuffs them with his pair of cuffs and Adrian’s pair and the policemen in the chopper get out, except the pilot.

  “No,” they say
as they check on the other two suspects in the car.

  “They have left this world for good. Good gracious Parker! You can drive like a maniac!”

  “Bastards! I am worried though, they were six, not four.”

  “We’ll go and have a look. It is the ABSA bank in Main Road in Grabouw, isn’t it?”

  “That’s the one. Thanks guys. We’ll manage from here. There is back-up coming and at least Sierra Whisky 4 is also here.”

  After a long while, Adrian and Barry return to the car.

  “Hi, buddy. Are you okay?” Adrian asks Ryan.

  Ryan smiles bravely, but he is clearly shaken.

  “Do you still want to finish the shift with us?”

  “Yes, if I’m not in the way.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. You’re not. I don’t know about you, but I really need a very strong cup of coffee now.”

  A couple of days later on their first rest day, Adrian’s ringing cell phone rouses him. Adrian groggily opens his eyes and answers his phone before it rouses Barry too.

  “Hello, Adrian speaking.” He tries to hide the sleepy huskiness in his voice, but does not succeed to do so. He only has had three hours sleep so far and forgot to switch off his phone.

  “Hey, buddy. I’m sorry. Did I wake you?”

  “Yeah, Ryan, you did.” Adrian yawns.

  “What’s up?”

  “Well, I’m all alone for a couple of days and I was wondering if you and Barry would like to come to Simon’s Town. Do some fishing?”

  Adrian smiles.

  “Yeah, it sounds great. I’ll ask him. I’ll call you at about three ‘o clock, but now I really need to sleep.” Adrian yawns again.

  “We were terribly busy last night and I came from my last night shift this morning.”

  “I’m sorry, buddy. I’ll wait for your call.”

  “Okay, chow.”

  Adrian stretches, put his phone on the table after switching it off.

  “Who was that, old man?” Barry asks groggily.

  “It was Ryan. I’ll tell you what he said. I’m wasted.”

  Adrian turns on his side and it is not very long before the two tired policemen’s soft snoring sound in the bedroom.

  Just after five that same afternoon, Adrian parks his car at Ryan’s expensive home in the equal expensive suburb of Simon’s Town. He gets out and is greeted by Ryan’s trusted Staffie, but then a young Rottweiler approaches him too, not very friendly and ready to attack.

  “Get down!” Adrian says sharply and the Rottweiler immediately obeys.

  Ryan steps out and stares amazed at the picture.

  “Hey, buddy! How are you?”

  “Doing great, thanks. Where did you get this great watch dog?”

  “Last year before we went to the Windies tour. The Staffie is getting old and I don’t like it not having a decent watch dog while I’m away. He is not a friendly Rottie at all, actually too vicious to my liking. But it doesn’t appear as if that bothers you.”

  Adrian smiles.

  “I’m not scared of any dog. Sometimes I think I must become a dog unit policeman. Gives me very good excuse to work with René.”

  Ryan laughs heartily.

  “Yeah, I was waiting for that one!”

  Adrian blushes shyly and takes out his bag.

  “That’s something of you I’ll never understand.” Ryan says.

  “No matter where you go, you barely pack anything. Hope you have enough warm things. It can become quite chilly here at night.”

  They step inside the house and Adrian stares wide-eyed.

  “Good grief, Ryan! This place is beautiful! Look at the view!”

  “Pity Barry couldn’t come.” Ryan says.

  Adrian laughs.

  “If you give him any spare second, he will spend it with Gisela.”

  “He sounds very happy.”

  “He is very happy, but Gisela’s father is a doctor and he was never fond of the thought of Gisela dating a policeman. He gives Barry a very hard time and it is very unfair. It is clear that they are crazy about each other.”

  “And her mom?”

  “From what I’ve heard, she is a doll.”

  Very early that next morning, Adrian rouses as soon as he becomes aware of the strong aroma of the coffee in a mug next to him. He opens his eyes and looks into Ryan’s smiling face.

  “What time is it?”

  “It’s about four in the morning. Hi, buddy.”

  “Morning.” Adrian yawns tiresomely.

  “Good gracious. Why waking me so early?

  “We’re going fishing, buddy. Come, dress warmly. There is some more coffee in the kitchen with rusks and I have made a flask to take to the beach.”

  Adrian smiles.

  “This best be worth it.” he teases Ryan.

  After some time, they stop on the beach and starts preparing the fishing tackle.

  Adrian stretches and breathes deep.

  “Do you know how much I need this?”

  “Yes, I know. I saw it when I visited you the other day. Please don’t get me wrong, but I’m glad it’s only you and me. I can’t recall if you ever visited me here in Simon’s Town.”

  “I haven’t. Our lives are so rushed. It’s a crime.”

  “Yeah.”

  It’s quiet for a second or two.

  “I looked at you yesterday and the other day at Grabouw. You became old. Very suddenly. You don’t look thirty something, but that innocence, that youth, is gone from your eyes.”

  Adrian sighs.

  “When my dad refused to sign my application four years ago and when he said that he was going to regret it, I thought that he was just simply overprotective. If I could have made another choice, if I could have my youth over, I would have never joined the Police. If I think of all the pain, all the hurt I have been exposed to in this last four years, it is scary beyond compare. So many times, I’ve lost count of it, that I was so scared. And then, I have to forget my feelings and be brave. Like the other day. You won’t believe how scared I was . . . and . . . it’s a common belief amongst the public and the police members that you may not be a scared policeman. You must be brave, at all times.” Adrian sighs and closes his eyes.

  “What makes me angry and frustrated is the lack of discipline, the disrespect, the incompetence. I’ve been a policeman for four years and a one stripe student who came out of College, comes and tells me he won’t do things according to the correct way, he’ll do it his way. The other day, one of the students almost shot someone in the charge office because he was cleaning his gun in the charge office. My dad was furious. He told the people again to make their weapons safe in the courtyard area, not in the charge office. He was labeled a racist, an apartheids-era cop.”

  “Well, maybe he must leave them, let them shoot themselves because they don’t want to listen.”

  “That’s not a risk we are willing to take. Everyone is important, special to my dad and the station management.”

  “Did you ever consider resigning?”

  “No, I can’t.”

  Adrian looks sad.

  “Not in this difficult times. And the thing is . . . being a policeman is in my blood. It’s all I ever knew. The Police is so broken. They need Christians to help them find their way, to help them in their time of need.”

  “It’s just, I’m so worried about you. I always knew that you have a dangerous job, but after the other day, my concern for you is greater. I fret over you.”

  “You don’t have to.”

  Ryan pours them coffee and they stand in silence, just enjoying each other’s company.

  Adrian’s face lights up.

  “Look there, Ryan. Isn’t it pretty?”

  Ryan looks at the beautiful sunrise, the sun teasing the sky, turning it into a beautiful palette of pastels of soft orange, purple and blue.

  “Look! Look! That’s awesome!”

  Ryan smiles at Adrian’s excitement over the playing dolphins.
/>
  “There are lots of them! Look! Look at them jump! You see it?”

  Adrian looks at Ryan.

  “It’s as if you organized this. It’s really awesome.”

  “Well, I hope it makes you feel better, buddy. That’s all that is important.”

  “The only thing that needs to happen now, is pulling out a big kabeljou. Just to round everything off.”