Page 48 of The Captain's Little Girl

Tex jumped out of his truck and strolled forward menacingly. “Dude. What are you doing cruising past this street over and over?”

“This is a public street. I can go anywhere I want,” Zimmerman bellowed, keeping both men in view.

“Go inside,” Mark ordered. His tone brooked no rebellion. Cricket scrambled inside as he stalked across the lawn. She stood inside the door to watch.

Sam met him at the curb. “I’ve called the military police. They’ll be here in a minute. Tex helped me box him in when Hope noticed him driving in loops around the block in front of our houses.”

Mark stepped around him. Holding Zimmerman’s gaze, he allowed him to see his barely restrained anger. He stalked forward, every fiber of his body bristling at the jackass’s pursuit of Cricket. This would end today.

“This will be the last time that you come within five miles of my girl.”

“You don’t own the streets, old man,” Zimmerman scoffed.

Mark shook his head and laughed. This young man had so much to learn. “I do not. I do, however, know Commander McIntosh and at this point in your military career he owns everything you even think about doing. I know that you’re hanging on to your position here by your fingernails, that this isn’t you’re first time fixating on a woman who doesn’t return your interest, and that when the MPs get here, they are going to escort you to sit in a cage until your commander releases you.”

“He won’t take your word for anything.”

“Let’s see.” Mark pulled his phone from his pocket and selected a number already programmed. After a few seconds, he greeted the man on the other side of the line.

“Hi, Gary. This is Mark Cunningham. I’ve got Zimmerman here in front of my house. The MPs are arriving. My men boxed him in after he’d cruised around this block…” Mark looked up to check with Sam.

“Eight times after Hope noticed him,” Sam provided.

“Over eight times,” Mark informed the man’s superior officer.

“Hey! I was just lost! I didn’t do anything,” Zimmerman yelled, trying to defend himself.

Mark didn’t react; he simply listened for a few seconds. “Thank you, Gary.”

Almost on cue, uniformed soldiers appeared and stepped out of their cars. As they approached, Mark, Sam, and Tex held their military IDs for their perusal. When Zimmerman moved to jump into his car to retrieve his, one MP told him to remain where he was.

When the military police asked what was going on, Mark replied calmly as Zimmerman shouted angrily about the men inventing wild stories about him. “This man is stalking my girlfriend. He’s harassing her at work. Today, my teammates saw him circling the block eight times and put an end to it.”

Mark watched the men exchange looks that clearly relegated this matter as a domestic issue.

“Commander Gary McIntosh would like you to call him. I have his number if you don’t.”

One man stepped away and talked on his phone. Zimmerman subjected the other to a continual angry tirade, obviously believing a strong offense was the best defense. Mark knew his military career would be short and unsuccessful.

When the man ended the call, he returned and exchanged a look with his partner. “Zimmerman, we have orders to take you in. Come with us, please.”

“What? Just because he outranks me doesn’t make him right. It just makes him old,” the young man protested.

“No, it makes him battle tough and skilled beyond anything I could hope to reach. Captain Cunningham would not be a man I would choose to tangle with,” the MP informed him with a nod at Mark as they secured him for the transport.

“We’ll take his car to the front gate and park it there,” Tex volunteered, gesturing at the vehicle still running in the middle of the street.

“Don’t let them take my car!” Zimmerman protested as the MP assisted him into their vehicle.

“Thank you. No need to leave it clogging up your neighborhood.”

Within a few minutes, the MP noted everyone’s name and departed with their still complaining passenger. With a look back to make sure Cricket was still following his directions and remaining inside, Mark walked forward to shake Tex’s and Sam’s hands.

“Thanks, guys. Tell Hope I owe her the biggest sundae ever for noticing him.”

“We’ll take care of the car. It looks like your little girl could use some reassurance,” Tex noted.

“Not the beginning to her first physical with Doniphan that I’d planned,” Mark answered with a shake of his head. “Cookout tonight here. My Little wants burgers.”

“I’ll spread the word,” Sam promised.

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