"Negative on the suspect vehicle, Sergeant."
"Nothing on our side either," another voice replied.
Carles glanced at Collis, silently asking for his take.
Collis wiped his mouth with a napkin, picked up the radio, and asked, "Any movement on the side streets?"
"Nothing, Sergeant."
"No unusual activity, boss."
"Same here."
"Maybe Night Angel's only just arrived in L.A. and hasn't made it here yet?" Collis suggested.
"Hard to say. Let's have the team stay sharp."
Collis nodded. "You all heard him — keep your eyes open. Don't overlook any suspicious vehicle or person."
"Copy."
In the car, Mark gave Felix a shrug and shifted into a more comfortable position. The two of them had it easy; the perimeter posts were the ones stuck out in the open.
"I'm hitting the restroom," Felix said, stepping out and walking into the café. After taking a leak, he washed his hands — and in the mirror caught sight of a white car rolling past the front entrance, the driver's window down.
He turned his head casually, but something caught his attention — the woman behind the wheel, an Asian, carried a bright red crime marker above her head.
A thought flickered in Felix's mind. Has anyone actually said Night Angel was a man?
No — no one had.
Still, the perimeter officers hadn't reported anything suspicious. Maybe he was overthinking it. In America, there was no shortage of criminals; a red marker didn't necessarily mean she was tied to this case.
He pushed aside the idea of running straight to Carles, and slipped out the café's back door.
He had only taken a few steps when the white Tesla pulled into the lot. The driver was the same woman — Chinese, early-to-mid thirties by the look of her.
Felix slid into the Corolla and tapped Mark's arm. "See that white Tesla? Something's off."
Mark sat up and looked.
They watched as the woman raised her phone, snapped a picture toward the café, then typed a quick message before waiting for a reply.
"You sure you're not just being paranoid? She looks like she's waiting for a date."
"Instinct. My gut says she's trouble."
And why wouldn't she be? No decent person walked around with a red crime marker. Even if she wasn't Night Angel, she was dirty.
"All units, be advised — Night Angel has arrived at Happy Sparrow Café. Sent a photo of the location, followed by 'Wya'. Confirm and apprehend immediately."
Felix and Mark locked eyes. "It's her."
Mark fired up the engine, dropped it into gear, and gunned it forward.
Felix grabbed the radio. "Carles, we've got her. White Tesla in the lot, Chinese female driver. Send backup now."
Mark nosed the Corolla in, pinning the Tesla's front bumper so it couldn't move.
Before the car even stopped rocking, Felix was out — badge in one hand, sidearm in the other. "Don't move! L.A. County Sheriff! Hands up!"
Mark came around the other side, gun and badge raised. "Follow our commands. No sudden moves."
The woman froze, speechless. From the back seat came two shrill cries: "Mommy! Mommy!"
Panic flashed across her face. She started to turn toward the children, but Felix barked, "Don't move! Don't make me shoot you. You understand?"
Carles and Collis rushed up, weapons trained on her.
"I've got her covered — get her out!" Carles called.
Felix yanked open the driver's door. "Unbuckle. Out. Now."
Jaw clenched, she complied.
"Mommy! Where are you going?"
Felix spun her toward the frame, cuffing her hands behind her back.
"Let my mom go! I'm calling the cops on you!" one of the kids wailed.
Her cheeks were wet now.
Mark stepped over and picked up her phone — a pink iPhone, screen still unlocked. One glance at the chat feed was enough. "It's her. Night Angel."
"You can't just look at my phone! I was only here to take my kids to the bathroom," she protested.
By then, other units were arriving — seven or eight patrol cars sealing every exit. The woman's face darkened in resignation.
"Get the kids out."
"Don't touch my children!" she screamed, thrashing against the cuffs.
Two deputies held her while others pulled the crying kids from the car — a boy of about four, and a toddler girl, barely two.
Carles leaned in to check the interior, then gave a cold laugh. "Take the kids to the bathroom with this stuff in the car?"
At his signal, an evidence tech began photographing the interior and removing items.
First out were several cases of White Claw Hard Seltzer and Twisted Tea.
Mark, seeing Felix's blank look, murmured, "Could be smuggling, counterfeit booze, tax evasion, or selling to minors. They'll have to check."
Next came the brown paper bags — nearly three hundred packages of large cannabis buds, over sixty containers of flavoured extracts, bags of pre-rolled joints, several bundles of butane hash oil, sandwich bags of psilocybin mushrooms, nicotine vapes, flavoured cigarettes, and fruit-flavoured alcohol.
"You could open a dispensary, lady," Carles said, clearly pleased. This haul would make the news.
She started to speak, but he waved her off.
"Not so fast. We haven't checked the trunk yet."
As expected, it was stuffed with more paper bags — each filled with plastic-wrapped cannabis products, edibles, seeds, and more mushrooms.
"All right, ma'am. You're coming with us. You're under investigation for possession, transport, and sale of narcotics. We'll be seeking warrants for your phone and residence. You have the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney. Do you understand?"
She said nothing. It didn't matter. They put her in the back of a patrol car and drove her away.
Her children would be placed under temporary care by social services. If she had family in the U.S. not tied to the case, they could apply to take custody.
Carles came over. "Good work, Felix. You and Mark caught what the outer perimeter missed. I'll make sure it's in my report."
"Thanks, Carles. Just doing our job."
Carles nodded and moved on to the next task.
Mark looked at Felix. "Didn't think you'd cuff a Chinese woman without blinking."
Felix shot him a look. "Doesn't matter if she's Chinese or not — if she's selling it, I'll arrest her without hesitation."