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“The sister, I take it?” Gage asks.
My eyes harden, and I nod.
“I’ve picked up the guy a few times.”
“It’s her boyfriend.”
I draw in a steady breath and step out of the car. My anger heightens the closer we get. Roger is pacing in front of the house. Claudia flicks her cigarette onto the ground and lights another.
“What’s the problem here?” Gage asks.
Roger laughs coldly with bloodshot eyes when he sees me. “You’ve got to be shitting me! The boyfriend has arrived to play hero. What a fucking joke.”
“Not here to play hero.” I glower. “Only here to do my job.”
If I wasn’t in my uniform and on the clock, my answer would be different. We’re steps away, but Roger reeks of alcohol as if it’s a second skin. A public intoxication arrest might be in the works. Roger and Claudia not fleeing is odd. Most arrestee regulars avoid contact with us at all costs.
I’m grinding my teeth when I dart up Chloe’s porch stairs to be with her. “What is going on?”
She shakes her head in agitation. “This is so damn embarrassing,” she rasps out. “You, my neighbors—everyone in this godforsaken neighborhood is being treated to a front-row seat to my family drama.”
I nod in understanding but have to do my job at the same time. “Give me the details, so I can get this figured out for you.”
Claudia has the right to take her kids, and there isn’t a damn thing Chloe can do. In fact, I’d have to break her heart and let her take them from Chloe’s home.
“I want my goddamn children!” Claudia shouts before Chloe can answer me, and she signals to Chloe with a snarl. “That’s illegal, you know.” Her attention turns to me. “I’d like to report her for kidnapping.”
Jesus Christ.
Exactly what I was afraid of.
When I said I wanted less downtime, I wasn’t referring to dealing with Claudia’s crazy-ass antics.
Chloe tenses, and I can’t stop myself from stepping closer to her, my hips meeting hers.
I tip my head down to whisper in her ear, “She’s right.”
Chloe blows out a series of short breaths before shouting to Claudia, “You’ve been drinking. Our deal from day one has been I keep them when you’ve been drinking. I don’t trust you to make responsible decisions!”
“I had two beers!” Claudia screams. As much as I want to dispute it, she’s not displaying any signs of being overly-intoxicated. “I’m not drunk!”
“I’ll be right back,” Gage cuts in.
He knows the easiest solution to our problem. Everyone is quiet while he walks to the car and then comes back with a Breathalyzer test in his hand.
“Let’s make this easy, so we can all be on our way. If you’re under the legal limit, you’re good to go.” His gaze cuts to Chloe, and he delivers the news with apology. “And I’m sorry, but unless there’s a court order, she can take the children with her.”
Chloe clenches her fists when Gage tests Claudia first. We are silent as she blows into the tube and wait for her results.
Gage inspects the numbers. “She’s good,” he calls out.
Chloe curses under her breath. She’s so pissed. I wouldn’t be shocked if she marched down the stairs and fought Claudia.
“Told you I’m not drunk!” Claudia yells to her.
I drape my arm around Chloe’s waist in case she makes an attempt to charge Claudia.
“Not drunk doesn’t mean you haven’t been drinkingorthat the kids won’t be around your hotheaded boyfriend who tends to get angry after drinking too much,” Chloe screams back, all worries about neighbors listening be damned.
