Page 56 of Tanner

Miles frowned. “TJ—”

“Now.”

Miles frowned but got to his feet and followed him through. Once the door was shut, TJ turned to face him. “This about Tanner?”

Miles was quiet for a second, then nodded. “Partly.”

TJ waited.

Miles rubbed a hand over his jaw. “He took Savannah to daycare intake. They asked for paperwork.”

TJ’s expression changed. “And he doesn’t have it.”

“No.”

TJ exhaled slowly and leaned back against the desk. “That’s a problem.”

Miles nodded. “Yeah.”

“Daycare, school, doctors. Sooner or later one of them is going to push.”

“I know.”

TJ folded his arms. “And if there’s no paperwork, all it takes is one report.”

Miles looked at the floor for a second. “He’s raising her, TJ. He’s doing everything right. But legally he’s exposed.”

TJ looked at him steadily. “We knew this when he came back.”

Miles pushed a hand through his hair and leaned forward, forearms braced on his knees. “She’s clean. Fed. He knows what she needs before she asks half the time. He’s been doing it every day for years.”

TJ didn’t interrupt.

“He’s not neglecting her,” Miles went on. “He loves and cares for her. She’s his sister. He wouldn’t have run if he didn’t. He’s just got nothing legal backing him up.”

TJ looked down at the floor for a second, then back at Miles. “That’s enough for CPS to get involved and as officers we should contact them.” TJ exhaled. “But I watched him at the BBQ and saw how attentive he is to her and how much she loves him. I also saw how he watches people.”

“Yeah.”

“And if he thinks anybody’s coming too close, he’ll run again.”

Miles met his eyes. “That’s what I’m trying to avoid.”

Miles had already seen what happened when it came to Savannah. Tanner tightened up straight away. He watched doors, windows, people, always ready to move if he had to. If Miles brought up the paperwork and didn’t handle it carefully, Tanner would take it as a threat.

“You going to mention this to him?” TJ asked.

“I need to,” Miles said. “But I have to approach it the right way.”

TJ nodded slowly. “You do.”

“If I come at him with what could happen, all he’s going to hear is reports and Savannah being taken away.”

“And he’ll shut down.”

“Or disappear again.”

TJ drummed his fingers against the desk. “Then don’t make it about what he’s doing wrong.”