Long Beach, California
Wednesday, 12:42 A.M.
Tim Mulrooney gripped the steering wheel of his unmarked Crown Vic as his excitement overcame his anxiety. The Belmont Shore area of Long Beach was the high-rent district—known as “The Shore” to the locals–a refuge of sunshine, bikinis, and trendy eateries. He couldn"t help wondering what in the hell he was doing in beautiful Belmont Shore at 12:42 A.M. on a Wednesday morning chasing down a Code 187.
Mulrooney forced himself to relax and enjoy the welcome change of scenery. He liked his job, although lately the depravity he so often encountered had been burning a hole in his gut. In recent months he had found himself struggling with both self-doubt and a growing inability to dissociate from the horrors which were part of his daily routine. Mu
