Page 22 of Daddy, Sir

“Definitely, sir. Will you return today?”

“Yes. We’ll be back in a couple hours.”

“I’ll hold on to it for you for a while. Good luck.”

“Thank you,” Jack called back over his shoulder as he chased behind her.

“That’s him,” Tatiana said, pointing out the windshield at a handcuffed man sitting on the curb with two patrolmen standing close.

Jack parked and helped Tatiana out of the car. When she could wheel across the parking lot, he walked at her side.

“Tatiana! That’s her, officers. My girlfriend.”

“Is that right, Miss?” The officer looked at her suspiciously.

“No. I’m not his girlfriend. He’s harassed me for two years. I just moved here to get away from him when he found me the last time,” Tatiana told them bluntly.

“Come on, baby. Don’t be like that. You know you’re glad to see me,” the seated man called.

“Do not address him,” Jack said in a low voice as he moved to block Tatiana from her ex-boyfriend’s view.

“I filed reports for break-ins in Kansas City and Cincinnati against Thomas Kennedy. Those should still be on record, right? I need help. I’ve lost everything trying to keep one step ahead of him. Something is wrong with him.”

“He’s been very cooperative…” the cop began.

“Screw you, Tatiana. Won’t you even look at me? I’m going to talk to you whether or not you want me to. You can’t keep me away, bitch.”

“Well, that changed quickly,” one police officer said after exchanging looks with his partner. “You filed reports in Kansas City?”

“Yes, and in Cincinnati. They wouldn’t let me in Chicago,” Tatiana told him.

He nodded and returned to the police car.

Tatiana knew he would check out the story. She felt so cold. Her body shook with fright. Her life had finally started down a good path. She looked down at the knee walker then up at Jack.

“How am I going to run now? I can’t even drive.”

Jack wrapped his arm around her. “You’re not going anywhere, Tati. This stops now.”

Thundering steps made them both look up. Thomas had somehow gotten to his feet and pelted toward them. Jack didn’t hesitate. He stepped forward into the man’s path and felled him with one solid blow.

Thomas rocked back and dropped to his butt with a thud. His eyes skittered around wildly, as if he couldn’t focus.

Spooked, Tatiana wheeled backward and almost fell from her knee walker. Jack wrapped an arm around her to stabilize her. “Are you okay, Tati?”

“I need to get away from him. He’s never going to stop.”

“Sorry, sir. I’ve never seen someone rocket to their feet like that. I’ll get him in the patrol car,” the officer said, shaking his head.

Jack ignored the officer. “Stay here,” he told Tatiana sternly.

Taking two steps forward, he towered over the man who still swayed as he sat on his butt. “This ends today. I know four hundred and twenty-one ways to kill someone. I will be glad to demonstrate them all. She’s mine.”

“Got confirmation that Thomas Kennedy has a long series of restraining orders against him. Thanks to the stolen ID he provided to us, he’ll go to jail tonight while we investigate if he has any other charges against him,” the officer said, returning from the car.

The two officers hauled the dazed, handcuffed man up to his feet. One walked him to the patrol car as the other pulled out a card to hand to Jack.

“Four hundred and twenty-one ways, huh? Special forces?” the officer guessed.

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