Page 13 of Room for Three

And yet…

A sleek black Audi rolls through a stop sign right in front of me. It’s just the distraction I need. I happily flip on my lights and go after the rule breaker.

When I get back home, I’m going to have to lay down some rules of my own with Travis and Savvy. She can’t wear that shit in front of us. It’s playing with fire.

If you tell them, though, you’re admitting you have no control around her…

Disgust at myself makes me want to puke up the excessive amount of coffee I’ve consumed today. The Audi slows to a stop on the shoulder of the road, finally pulling me out of my head so I can do my damn job.

Before I get out, I run the plates, and I’m surprised to see I recognize the name. Owen Monahan. The man whom, with his wife, Leah, took Savannah for themselves when she needed us most.

What’s he doing on our side of town?

I climb out of the Explorer and make my way over to his vehicle. He only rolls down his window after I bang my knuckles on it.

“Is there a problem, officer?”

The cool disdain in his voice irritates me. I may not be rich like him, but I have a respectable job. I’m important to this community.

Does your community know you’ve been lusting after sweet, young Savvy?

I grit my teeth long enough to keep my expression free of shame. When it’s passed, I ask for his license and registration. He sighs heavily as though his breaking the law is somehow my fault.

“You know what a stop sign means?” I ask, inspecting his license and memorizing his address in case I need it for later. “It means stop.”

Someone laughs from within the vehicle. I bend down so I can have a look. A young teenage girl, maybe fifteen or sixteen, dressed in a school uniform grins my way.

“You must be Addison.”

Her eyes widen comically. “How do you know that?”

I’m pretty sure he recognizes me from Savvy’s guardianship hearing, but he doesn’t help his daughter out.

“If I’m getting a ticket, go ahead and issue it to me so I can be on my way. Time is money, officer.” He smirks at me. “At least in my line of work it is. I suppose you get paid the same no matter what.”

What a prick.

“Seriously, though,” Addison asks. “How do you know me?”

“Savvy,” I say in a bland tone that doesn’t match my racing heart. “Sit tight. This will only take a minute, Mr. Monahan.”

He grunts as I walk back to my vehicle. A quick check of his record shows he’s squeaky clean. I’d assumed he’d have to be in order to be a foster parent. Because I can be a dick too, I take my time typing up his ticket.

When I return, he’s impatiently drumming his thumb on the steering wheel while texting on his phone with his other thumb.

“Daddy said you’re the cop guy, Cole, that Savvy went to live with. I didn’t even get to say goodbye,” Addison says, pouting. “Here’s my number. Tell her to text me.”

I take the scribbled number on notebook paper and stuff it into my pocket. I’m not keen on Savvy still having contact with these people, but Addison was her friend. I won’t take that from her.

“Make sure you fully stop next time,” I say gruffly as I hand back over his identification, documentation, and one-hundred-ninety-five-dollar ticket. Not that it’ll make a dent in his finances. It’s the fact of the matter.

He drives off without another word, kicking gravel up and a dust cloud around me. I’m tempted to follow him, pull him over again, and give him a ticket for reckless driving.

It’s his lucky day, though.

I’m feeling generous.

By the time I get home later, after a long day of work and a couple hours at the shooting range with Rick, my boss, and his buddy, Brandt, I’m beat and ready for bed. Travis’s truck isn’t here and neither is Savvy. I’ve missed a few texts from an unknown number.

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