Chapter 196

Chapter 196
Ryan ’s POV
My name is Ryan Murphy.
I lied.
On May 22nd, 2010, the department assigned me and my partner a job to watch a serious offender.
This criminal, Derek Coleman, was suspected of fraud and murder. He was extremely cunning and had several records on file.
What made it even harder was that this criminal had an extremely high awareness of counter-surveillance and had escaped FBI raids several times. In this fraud case, Coleman was also quickly listed as one of the key suspects, and my partner and I were on watch day and night.
"Captain, want one?"
Officer Smith pulled out a pack of Davidoff from his jacket. He'd just joined the force and his salary wasn't high, but this kid was really into expensive cigarettes. He didn't smoke them himself and would often offer me one.
"Smith, how much is your monthly salary?"
I didn't take that cigarette. Instead, I pulled out Marlboro from my pocket.
"Five thousand two hundred dollars." Smith said. "Don't you know?"
"You just joined the force. Your income isn't high, yet you smoke such expensive cigarettes?" I picked one up and Smith quickly handed me the lighter.
"Captain, what are you talking about..." Smith quickly forced a smile. "Davidoff, how could I afford to smoke? Isn't this prepared for you..."
I shook my head helplessly. "We'll talk about anything else after finishing the case."
"Yes, yes, yes... Captain." Smith put the cigarette away. "I'm learning to handle cases from you, aren't I?"
To be honest, Smith was very smart and had good instincts. They said he was always at the top of his class during police academy. But I wondered how his parents raised him. At such a young age, he'd already learned all kinds of smooth-talking political skills.
"Captain, do you think we can catch that Coleman?"
"This..." I thought for a moment. "You care so much? The higher-ups told us to watch here. We just need to follow orders."
We parked the car across the street from Coleman's place and stared intently at the only entrance and exit.
This kind of surveillance was usually done in pairs, making it convenient for one of us to rest and switch shifts. But we had no idea how long we'd stay here. This unknown torture would unconsciously increase our craving for cigarettes.
"I should have brought a change of underwear if I'd known..." Smith said.
"What are you doing? You gonna change your underwear here, kid?"
"Ha ha!" Smith smiled carelessly. "Just kidding, Captain. Another one?"
We were smoking cigarettes one after another in this confined space. Since we didn't dare open the car window, the interior of the car was soon covered in thick smoke.
Smith would turn on the air conditioning from time to time to get some fresh air, otherwise it would be too stuffy. A whole day passed and neither of us closed our eyes.
I felt I could still handle it because I often stayed up late, but Smith was already drowsy.
"Take a rest for a while." I said. "I'll just keep watch by myself."
"Captain... will that work... You haven't rested yet. How could I go to sleep first..." Although he was trying to sound strong, his eyelids were already drooping.
"It doesn't matter. Go to sleep. I'll wake you tonight."
"Well, well... I'll just sleep for half an hour..."
Less than twenty seconds later, Smith's snoring began. It seemed the kid was exhausted.
After confirming he was fast asleep, I slowly took out my phone from my pocket and looked at the unread text messages.
Three of the four text messages were sent by my daughter.
"Dad, are you coming back for dinner tonight?"
"Dad, Mom said you went on a mission these two days. You should be careful and stay safe!"
"Dad, I have a picnic next Friday afternoon. Can you come back then?"
I frowned slightly, but still didn't reply to the messages.
After sending was completed, I opened the fourth unread text message.
That unfamiliar number merely sent three words: "Still waiting?"
I glanced at sleeping Smith beside me again, then moved my body to the other side and replied quickly, "Stop the damn nonsense. Hide it well."
After finishing all this, I put my phone in my pocket and slowly reclined my seat, ready to take a short nap as well.
The seats in the department's vehicles were electric and would gradually recline, preventing them from suddenly falling back like in previous vehicles and causing people to hurt their backs.
As for watching Coleman...
Stop kidding. With me around, he was impossible to show up.
I don't know how long it had been when I was suddenly awakened by violent shaking.
I quickly opened my eyes and found Smith looking at me nervously. "Captain! Why are you asleep too?!"
"Hmm?" I just woke up and was a bit dazed. It took me a long time to figure out exactly what had happened. "Oh... are you awake?"
"We're screwed! Captain, we're both asleep. What if Coleman shows up?"
"It's okay. He can't escape." I rubbed my eyes and returned the seat to its original position.
"Can't escape?"
"Oh... I mean I just dozed off. It shouldn't be such a coincidence..."
"Ah..." Smith still looked worried. He slapped his cheek hard. "I told you I shouldn't have slept. This is a disaster. I made a mistake on my first mission."
"It's okay, kid." I patted him on the shoulder. "If something goes wrong, I'll take responsibility."
Strangely enough, Smith was energetic from this moment on and didn't sleep for two consecutive days.
I dozed off several times in between, but every time I woke up, I could see Smith staring straight at the building opposite.
"Are you trying to kill yourself, kid?" I asked with some concern. "I'm awake now. Take a nap."
"No." Smith had very dark circles under his eyes and looked rather exhausted. "Captain, I won't rest this time no matter what. I have to wait until Coleman shows up."
Just then, the mobile phone in my pocket rang again.
I opened my phone and saw that Coleman had sent me a text message again.
I calmly turned my body to the side, wanting to see what he had sent. But Smith suddenly asked behind me, "Has there been an order from headquarters?"
"Oh, no." I smiled and, holding my phone in my hand, moved aside.
"Not headquarters? Who sent that?" He stared blankly at the mobile phone in my hand.
I knew that most people wouldn't ask such rude questions. Smith was now a bit confused due to long lack of sleep.
Seeing his condition, I immediately came up with an idea.
I reached into my pocket, moved the cigarettes from the cigarette pack into my pocket, then took out the empty cigarette pack and waved it in front of him.
"Smith, go buy a pack of cigarettes."
"Buy cigarettes? There's no convenience store nearby." He was stunned for a moment.
"But I don't have a single cigarette left." I put the cigarette pack and the mobile phone away. "If there are no cigarettes nearby, go to a farther place. If you stay up late for a long time, you can't do without cigarettes. And there's almost nothing to eat in the car. You go and buy some donuts and coffee."
He thought blankly for a while, then nodded. "Alright, Captain. I'll be right back."