Page 13 of Saving Her Heart
I stare at the text. Jax is coming to the board meeting. The meeting where I'll probably lose my job. The meeting where I'll have to face my complete professional failure.
And for some reason, knowing he'll be there makes it slightly less terrible.
My phone rings. It's the plumber at Building 3, and from the panic in his voice, the situation is getting worse. I grab someone's flip-flops from the pool lost-and-found bucket and head for my car.
The board meeting is in four hours. My career is in shambles. There's a goat wearing a fascinator somewhere in town.
But all I can think about is the way Jax's hand felt on my waist when he caught me.
I really need to review rule number three.
Chapter 4
Jax
The station is quieter than usual for a Sunday afternoon, which gives me too much time to think about this morning's chaos. I've written up the report—all fifteen pages of it—documenting every violation, every piece of property damage, and every witness statement. Captain Ramirez laughed for ten solid minutes when I got to the part about Gertie wearing a fascinator.
Now I'm staring at Kendall's file. Not the incident report—her actual file. The one that shows three years of exemplary property management, zero complaints, except from Valerie, and multiple commendations from the board for increasing property values and resident satisfaction.
"That's borderline stalking, you know."
I look up to find Declan leaning against my desk, coffee in hand.
"It's research," I say, closing the file. "For the case."
"Right. The case." He takes a sip of coffee. "The case where a goat committed minor property damage that any decent insurance policy will cover."
"There were multiple ordinance violations."
"Were there? Or was there an elderly woman with dementia who needs help?"
Before I can answer, the front desk sergeant calls out, "Masterson! You've got a visitor. Says it's urgent."
Valerie Thornfield storms into the station like she owns it, her heels clicking aggressively against the linoleum. She's changed since this morning—now wearing what can only be described as her battle outfit… severe black suit, pearl necklace that probably costs more than my monthly salary, and an expression that could sour milk.
"Officer Masterson," she announces loudly enough for the entire station to hear, "I'm here to file formal harassment charges against Kendall Greene."
"Harassment?" I stand up, keeping my voice level. "On what grounds?"
"She deliberately allowed that animal to assault me. Twice."
"Ma'am, Ms. Greene didn't 'allow' anything. She was trying to contain the situation."
"She's responsible for that building. Everything that happens there is her fault." Valerie pulls out a thick folder with papers. "I have documentation of her failures going back months. Late responses to my complaints. Dismissive attitudes. And now, assault by goat."
"That's not how assault charges work?—"
"Furthermore," she continues, steamrolling over me, "I want to get a restraining order. That woman is clearly unstable and poses a threat to my safety."
Declan coughs to cover what sounds suspiciously like a laugh.
"Ma'am," I say, pinching the bridge of my nose, "you can't file harassment charges because a tenant's goat knocked you over. And you definitely can't get a restraining order against someone who lives and works in the same building as you."
"Then what can you do?" she demands. "That woman needs to be held accountable!"
"We've documented the incident. Code enforcement is handling the violations. Animal control has the goat. The system is working."
Valerie's face turns an interesting shade of red. "The system is protecting her, you mean. Just like you were this morning."
