The Interstellar Police Force, Book One: The Historic Mission by Raymond Klein (ebook reader 7 inch txt) 📕

waffle cone with sprinkles. He exited the parlor licking the cone and dribbling ice cream over his hand and down the front of his shirt. Things like this always put him in a good mood. He had a little skip in his step while he licked his ice cream cone like a five-year-old boy. He knew Chloe was waiting for him at her house and was hoping that she was in a good mood also.

Jeff and Genghis were slowly traveling along Sixth Street, where the retro gaslight-style electric streetlights illuminated the sidewalks. They were looking at everyone. The street was busy with people coming in and out of antique and consignment shops. The deli was crowded, and so was the ice cream shop. They slowly drove by these shops looking intently in every shop window hoping to catch a glimpse of Valda. Genghis looked half a block up the road and saw a short pudgy man jaywalking across the street. “Jeff! Fat ass at eleven o’clock.”

Jeff looked in the direction Genghis told him and stared for a few seconds. He wanted to be sure it was Colus Valda before they spent the time tracking and following. He noted how this fat man walked; it was the same gait he witnessed on the surveillance cameras. “That’s him!” Trent said. “That’s Valda!”

Jennifer said her goodbyes to Trisha and Pimples and watched them as they walked into the park toward the Compton Square district of Old Town. She never really thought about it before, but she was feeling a little sorry for them. Maybe it was because her own situation had changed so much since she'd been living with Jeff. As she started to walk away, she thought about how she really didn’t know Trisha and Pimples. She’d known them for sometime now, ever since she got off the bus so many years ago. But she really knew nothing about them. She stopped, turned toward the park, and watched as the two of them slowly vanished into a small fog bank that was coming off the park's lake. She didn’t even know their last names. She was, for once in her life, happy. And hoped that one day Trisha and Pimples would be too.

She thought how much she enjoyed pulling her weight around the apartment and was happy doing her share. She liked cooking because Jeff seemed to really appreciate it and she liked taking care of his Doberman. It was nice having a dog in her life again. She was even thinking of getting a legal job so she could help out with the bills.

Just then, she noticed a man coming out of the fog over a small rise in Grant Park. Her eyes grew big and her heart started pounding in her chest. He walked up onto the sidewalk and started toward her. She recognized him. It was the tall man she saw talking to the little fat guy at Ray’s. The guy Jeff was looking for.

Jeff Trent and Genghis Khan kept their distance. There were too many people on the street, so they couldn’t make the apprehension without drawing a lot of attention. Trent pulled the Thunderbird to the curb and let Colus walk a block further. Nothing was said between Trent and Genghis. They just observed. Valda didn’t know he was being followed. He was more concerned with finishing his ice cream cone. When Valda turned down Seventh Avenue, Jeff waited just for a few seconds to give him a little more of a lead, then looked over his shoulder and slowly pulled from the curb to follow.

The tall man got closer and it seemed that Jennifer was frozen where she stood. She knew how dangerous he was. As he walked past her he made eye contact and she could not stop staring. He gave her an odd look and said, “Good evening, Miss.” All Jennifer could muster was a weak “Hello.” She couldn’t take her eyes off of him and watched as he passed. He glanced over his shoulder and thought to himself, “What's with that kid? Probably high on goof-balls.” He drew his coat in tightly around himself to ward off the cold night and didn’t give the kid a second thought.

Jeff and Genghis turned left on Seventh Avenue. Colus Valda was half a block down, walking the sidewalk. He was almost finished with his ice cream cone. “Jeff?” Genghis said, while looking around, “This street is deserted!”

Jeff quickly looked around, then said, “Let’s go get him.” Trent smashed his foot on the accelerator. The 460 cubic inch replicated V-8 combustion engine lurched the Thunderbird forward. Colus Valda was startled and jumped back when the white vehicle roared past him, almost causing him to drop his ice cream. Trent slammed on the brakes and spun the wheel to the left, swinging the rear end of the cruiser around. The tires squealed as the Thunderbird came to a stop parallel to the curb facing Colus Valda, not twenty feet away from him. It happened so fast Colus just stood there gawking in the headlights of white vintage automobile as the IPF agent opened the door and stepped out.

Jennifer didn’t know what to do as she watched the bank robber walk further away from her. She wanted to call Jeff, but didn’t have a cell phone, and there were no pay phones in the area. “Oh, no! He’s getting away.” She stood there helpless. Then she decided the best thing to do was to follow him.

Jeff reached into his trench coat and retrieved his PK30A. Genghis jumped over the cruiser's door and walked over to Trent’s side. Valda just stared dumbfounded. “Colus Valda,” Trent called out. “I am an agent with the Interstellar Police Force. You are hereby ordered to stand down. You are . . .” Colus Valda dropped his ice cream cone, turned with a whimper and started running away the best he could. “Hey!” Trent wasn’t finished with the IPF