Chapter 4
Dylan
There wasa beautiful stranger in my house. She had hate in her eyes I didn’t understand and words that didn’t quite register with mybrain.
“Who are you?” I kept asking the question, and I sure as shit didn’t understand heranswer.
“Sir, calm down.” Her hands were out, steady. “I’m a detective with theNYPD.”
“Why are you here?” I heard my voice speak, but I couldn’t tell you if the words really came out. She was telling me my wife was gone and my children had to ask her for help.That wasimpossible.
“Can I see your ID,sir?”
She wasn’t dressed like any detective I’d ever seen. She looked like she was about to dance around a pole and try to lap dance her way into my bankaccount.
“Can I see yours? You don’t look like much of a cop tome.”
I didn't even see her hands move, they were so fast, and a gold badge was in my face instantly. “Let me see your ID, now sir.” A pair of handcuffs were in her hands next.Shit.
Shit.There’s no way I wanted to end up in jail tonight. I didn’t even know what was goingon.
Addison was sleeping on the couch, snuggled under a blanket, oblivious to everything that was going on. Ben was safe in that crazy old pen Sheri got from hercousin.
"Yeah, yeah. Okay. Okay." I went to reach into my pocket, and the detective made some weird sound in the back of her throat stopping medead.
“Do you have any weapons on you,sir?”
“Of course not, no!” I shoved my hands high up in the air and snarled at her. “Go in my pocket and get out my ID. I swear, I live here. These are my kids. I don’t own anyweapons.”
“Do you have any needles or sharpobjects—”
“No, I swear. I’m telling you, I have nothing illegal onme."
She nodded her chin toward my pocket, and I slowly reached back down and pulled out my wallet. I handed it to her and realized for the first time since I came inside the house, I was on myknees.
“Shit, I’m…I’m going to get up slowly and sit on the couch, if that’s okay withyou.”
Her eyes were scanning my license—probably my shop ID, too. “You work at Vincent’s 24-HourGarage?”
“Yeah. I’m a mechanicthere.”
“I hate that place. They can’t even get an oil changeright.”
What?“I can change oil with my eyes closed, Detective. Now please explain to me what the hell is going on.” I slumped onto the couch cushions next to Addison. She didn’t evennotice.
The detective licked her lips and slipped her handcuffs back into her Batman utility belt handbag that slung over her chest. I hated to think about what the hell else she had stuffed in there dressed like that. Her attention quickly slid to Addison and Ben, flickering swiftly back tome.
"I just called thisin.”
“What?” My voice cracked as I stood back up, sounding as weak and distraught as I felt. “You can’t. God, no. They’re going to call Social Services on us, and they’re going to take away mykids.”
“You’d rather them alone here bythemselves?”
“I didn’t leave them alone. I left them with theirmother!”
I couldn’t hold back my anger.Who did she think she was? This was my house. These were my children. Did she really think I wanted them hurt or alone? I had gone to work to pay the damnbills.
“You had no right coming inside thishouse!”
