Page 95 of Yolo

I was pulling into her assigned parking spot—even though she didn’t drive—when I caught a flash of movement coming out of the front door.

I immediately reached for my phone and called it in.

“This is Garrett,” I said to the dispatcher who answered. “I need a unit to 3354 Duncan Road. I have a trespasser.”

Ruben shot his head toward me, then whipped it back around to see what I was seeing.

I knew the moment he caught Joseph’s form, too.

His back stiffened, and his chest puffed out as he drew in a deep breath.

“I thought he had a restraining order?” Ruben rasped.

“Not yet,” I admitted. “I’d thought he got the fucking point and would stay away. Apparently not.”

I got out of the car and headed in the direction of where Joseph was talking on his phone.

“No, I haven’t seen her,” I heard him saying as he stared down the street in the opposite direction of where we were coming. “I’ve been here for two days now. I’m on the same floor as her, for Christ’s sake. I think she’s actually with that guy.”

There was a long pause and then, “Moving in here cost us a fuckin’ fortune. I had to pay off every person in the city. The judge won’t sign the restraining order if it comes down to that, and the trespassing charge will be forgotten the moment that I get to the station if I’m arrested.”

“No.” Joseph paused as he saw a cop coming up the street. “Hold on. There’s a cop here.” He hesitated. “No, I don’t know why they’re here. I haven’t seen either one of them today. And the day front desk guy was moved to nights because we paid that other guy to quit. He hasn’t seen me. He’s the only one that would know that I’m here right now and shouldn’t be.”

Of course he’d made someone quit.

That was the least that I’d expected from a man like Joseph Harris.

The cop car pulled up, and Officer Assman—yes, that was literally his last name—got out.

He took a look at me standing behind Joseph who still had his phone pressed to his ear, then to Joseph, finally stopping on Ruben who had his phone out as well.

I looked over at him and saw the red record symbol on his screen.

Hopefully he’d gotten it all.

I couldn’t wait to find out which judge he’d paid off.

There were a few that I could do without seeing when I had to go to court.

“Joseph Harris?” Assman asked.

“Yes,” he said as he pulled the phone from his face. “What are you here for?”

“I’m here to place you under arrest for violating a no-trespassing order.” Assman took out his cuffs. “You have the right to remain silent. You…”

Assman read Joseph his rights all the while I could hear screaming from the other end of the phone.

When Joseph was turned around to be placed into the car, he finally looked up and saw me.

His situational awareness definitely needed some work.

His eyes narrowed as he said, “I live here now!”

“You do,” I nodded. “But she lived here first.”

“I’ll never stop. I have enough money to make this hard,” he snarled.

He was right.

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