“She said she used her key to get in, which set off the alarm.”
“Uh-huh.” His eyes are on Daisy. “May I speak to my daughter?”
“Sure.” I smile again. “Head on over.”And while you do that, I’ll look inside your vehicle.
With his back to me, I turn and peer down into his car. I look at the front seat first, then step back to check out the back seat. There it is. The hat in Dorian Buchanan’s back seat looks identical to the one in the video. A fedora like a man from the 1950s would wear. I guess it goes with the trench.
Reaching into my pocket, I grab my cell and step away from the other officers to call the captain. When he answers, I get right to the point. “We need a warrant. Fast.”
I listen as the captain asks me to keep the professor from entering his own home. Then he says, “Give me fifteen minutes. I’ll call you back.”
Stepping over to Daisy and her father, I hear him say, “The only way you’re getting your things back is if you’re living here.” He points at the door. “And by finishing what you’ve started.” He pauses. “Maybe I should press charges.”
“You wouldn’t.” Daisy sounds shocked.
“Try me.”
She must see me approach, because her eyes meet mine and she frowns. “Officer Golden, you remember myfather.”
“Of course.” I smile, but it’s only for show. “Do we have an issue here?”
“My dad won’t give me back my things unless I move home. Or else he’s going to press charges.”
“Well, now, that’s not exactly…”, Dorian Buchanan attempts to backtrack.
“So, you’d like her to move home or else you’re pressing charges for entering her own home? The one you want her to move back into? That doesn’t make sense. It sounds like you’reblackmailingher.” I emphasize the word because I want to see his reaction. It’s better than I expected.
Dorian rears his head back. “Blackmail?” He scoffs. “I’m not blackmailing my own daughter. How gauche.”
Gauche?That’s a word I haven’t heard in… well, ever. “I don’t know about that, but it sounds like you’re giving her no options.” I look at Daisy, then back at her father. The resemblance is uncanny. The two of them have the same dark hair and fair skin, but it’s their eyes that are really similar. They’re both a steel gray color. “Are you going to press charges, Dr. Buchanan? Because if you are, you’ll need to accompany me to the station to fill out the paperwork.”
It’s probably wrong, but I hope he presses charges. That’d give us ample time to obtain a search warrant.
With a sigh, Dorian Buchanan rubs a hand over his chin where a thin beard has begun to grow. Looking at his daughter, he says in a soft voice, “You need to move home, Daisy. For your own good.”
“For my own good?” She scoffs. “That’s rich. You think you know what’s good for me?” She looks at me, smiling. “I’ve got a place to stay. Right, Gage?” She glares at her father. “I’m fine where I am.”
I do my best not to smile at her statement. We don’t need it getting around that she’s staying with me. Not yet, anyway.
“What’re you talking about?” His steely gaze hits me.
He knows. But he doesn’t ask. Instead, he says, “Idoknow what’s good for you, Daisy. Better than anyone else.”
“Ha! That’s a joke,Dad.” Turning, Daisy starts to walk toward the house. “I’m getting my stuff.”
“No you’re not!” Dorian shouts and steps in front of her to block her path. “You’re forbidden from entering that door until you agree that staying here is the right thing to do.”
“No.” She raises her arms and shoves her father’s chest. “Fucking.” She does it again, which forces Dorian to take a step back to catch his balance. “Way.” She shoves him once again, and this time he can’t stop the momentum. He lands on his ass on the pavement.
“Daisy,” I say, approaching the pair. Placing my hand on her shoulder, I say softly, “Stop.”
Dr. Buchanan pushes himself to the side, then up on his knees until he’s standing. Pointing at his child, he shouts, “Forthat, I’m pressing charges.”
“Dr—”
“She assaulted me, and I’ve got about six witnesses.”
I look back at the other cops and the security company rep who just showed up. They’re all watching the scene. He’s right. He’s got six very reliable eyewitnesses.
