Chapter 1: Prelude To Disaster

Since the thugs and bad guys had to contend the same bitter conditions the cops did, they expected a slower than normal shift. Most bad guys didn’t want to be in the cold anymore than the cops did. A hardy few might use the cold to commit crimes as they thought the cops would be hunkered down for the night, out of the cold. This was the furthest thing on the minds of the young officers this night. They didn’t hang around long. It was just too cold to be out and since the heaters in the cars were always cranked up to the max, relief was right behind the glass.

Two of the officers were working together, and the third was going to be working with a new, rookie, officer. His job was too bring this officer along and teach him the proper policing methods that worked best on the street. Not the spit and polish crap taught in the academy, but training that he might actually use one day. He took this responsibility seriously. It was not the first time Russ Aiken had been given the responsibility to train a new officer. John Wesley Sykes, Jr. was the latest rookie to be teamed with Patrolman Aiken. He had worked with him only a short time and he was progressing along quite nicely. He was taking to his training out on the streets well. He thought that one day he would become a fine office er for the Memphis, Tennessee Police Dept.