Page 24 of Daddy's Protection
Mr. McConnell looked stunned that someone would dare speak to him that way. But based on the look in his eyes, even he, in his nearly infinite arrogance, wasn’t going to bow up to Isaiah.
Smart move, Cami thought.
Isaiah towered over the guy.
“I’m Judge Cyrus McConnell.”
“Judge?”
“Retired.”
Cami looked at Isaiah and saw his face light up in a grin.
“I remember you! You were forced out of office on bribery charges.”
McConnell’s back stiffened. “Unsubstantiated rumors. Started by opponents for political gains.”
Isaiah shrugged. “None of my business. But what is my business is why you’re talking to Cami so rudely.”
McConnell cleared his throat and shifted nervously on his feet. Cami was enjoying seeing the man sweat. He was the terror of the neighborhood. It was nice to see the tables turned.
He was a tad less haughty when he answered. “I just wanted to check in. There’s been lots of activity over here recently.”
“People have been coming over?” Isaiah asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Well, you all are here now. And there was stuff going on here the other night. Very late, too. It was causing a disturbance.”
Cami assumed he was talking about the night she’d called Isaiah after she’d seen the ghosts.
The judge confirmed that when he said, “I think it was you who came over in the dead of night. Stirring up the neighborhood and all that.”
Isaiah shook his head. “It wasn’t like I was loud. But I realize I might… have the wrong appearance… in your opinion.”
The judge stood up even straighter and looked flushed. “I wasn’t insinuating anything of the sort! Look… as captain of the homeowner’s association, I just want to make sure that everyone is fine and that the rules are being followed. That’s all.”
Isaiah stepped forward. The judge backed up.
“Well, rest assured, everything is fine here. We sure appreciate your concern.” Isaiah looked past him, toward the street. “As for that van, it’s parked against the curb. Not blocking anything. Trust me, we’re former cops. We know the law. You should, too.Judge.”
Cami watched as Mr. McConnell looked perplexed. A few seconds later, a light of recognition flashed in his eyes. “I remember you! You came to me for warrants a few times back when I sat on the Superior Court.”
“Yep,” Isaiah confirmed. “Right before you had to leave office.”
McConnell clearly didn’t like that remark, and Cami wondered if he was going to say anything about it. Thankfully—and probably wisely—he kept his mouth shut about it.
Instead, he turned his attention back to Cami. “Just, eh, see to it that all neighborhood covenants are followed.”
He turned and trotted away without another word.
“Goodness, he’s a real joy,” Iris said.
Cami laughed. “Just imagine what he would have done had we been wearing Little clothes. Then he really would have wondered what was going on over here.”
Everyone laughed at that.
“Yoohoo, Cami!”
Cami stepped further out onto the porch and looked to her right, where the next-door neighbor was standing in her own driveway, just on the other side of the row of trimmed hedges that separated the properties.
