“Callie, I understand that this is a big deal to you and that you don’t want to hurt Nana’s feelings.” Callie shook her head. “And you don’t want to wear dresses.” Callie shook her head even harder. “But leaving the safety of your school without permission or without me or Nana is so much worse.” She looked at me confused. “You crossed a busy road. You could have been hit by a car.”
“I watched for the light.”
“Someone could have grabbed you, and then I would never see you again. You know that there are bad people in the world, they lie, steal, and hurt others. What would I do without you?”
“I’m sorry, Daddy.”
“This is worse than just saying sorry. There are a lot of people you have to say sorry to.”
“Like Nana?”
“Yes Nana.”
“And Sadie?”
And there it was. “Yes, and Deputy Lazar. Let’s go home, and you can start by apologizing to Nana.” Callie’s eyes filled with tears. “And be honest about the clothes, I will talk to her as well.”
“Promise?” Callie held up a pinkie, and I hooked it with mine.
“Promise, now get back into your booster and buckle up.”
With an index finger and thumb cupping my forehead, I squeezed my temples. I felt a little better understanding her reasoning, but it didn’t lesson the fear that seemed to still be coursing through me.
When I pulled into my driveway, I inwardly groaned and painted on a fake smile. “Look, your grammy and aunt are here.” I tried to get along with Deirdre’s mother Louise and her sister Sonya, but after Deirdre passed, the two of them had become vipers. I reminded myself that they were hurting just like I was, but somehow, they seemed to forget that I was Callie’s father and that Deirdre had been my wife, which meant that I held all the rights where Callie was concerned. Their constant game of passive-aggressive had kept me on edge for four years, but they were good to my daughter, so I tried to ignore it.
“Grammy, Aunt Sonya!” Callie screamed as she ran to them.
“Would you like to come inside?” I asked and waited for them to come into the garage before closing it. “Mom, we have visitors.”
“Don’t remind me.”
“Mom, they’re in the house.” I rolled my eyes. She had no love for them, and I had to say that they had made it mutual. “Can I get either of you a drink?”
“No,” Louise snapped. “We came because I got a phone call from Caroline’s school today.”
I made a mental note to talk with the school and have her removed from the emergency contact list. I allowed her to pick Callie up on Wednesday and spend a few hours, but they weren’t the main point of contact.
“Grammy, I met Sadie today.”
“Who is Sadie?” Sonya held up her nose, as if just saying the name reeked of something foul.
“She is a deputy. She bought me Skittles. She is so cool, and she rides a motorcycle. She found me and called Daddy and Nana.”
“Caroline, can you give your father and me a few moments to talk?” Louise directed her eyes to Sonya, who stood and held out her hand to Callie, and the two of them walked back to her bedroom. “I’m concerned. You work a lot of hours, maybe this is too much on your mother alone. I would like to get Caroline more often.”
“Louise, what happened today has nothing to do with my mother or your visitation. Callie was at school, which means somewhere they dropped the ball. So, don’t pretend as if my daughter is in some kind of neglectful situation, because you and I both know that is untrue. If you want to spend more time with her, all you have to do is ask.” For crying out loud, this woman really never did anything the easy way, did she?
“Well, I feel that I should get just as much time with Caroline as she does.” She pointed at my mother.
“Well, unless you move in here, that isn’t possible. I asked you if you would like to share and help but you said no, you reminded me that you’re her grandmother not her nanny.”
“Then I should get her on the weekends more.”
“No. I’m home on the weekends. I’d like to see my daughter. This is not a tit-for-tat. You are welcome to join us whenever we do things, I always let you know when Callie has soccer games or there is an event at her school. Those are normal grandparent activities.”
“I lost my daughter and now you are keeping my granddaughter away from me, too.”
I took several deep breaths because that was not at all what I was saying or doing. Callie loved Louise, and once upon a time, Louise was nothing like the bitter woman who stood in front of me. “No one is keeping Callie from you. You just can’t have her whenever you want. It isn’t convenient. I work full-time, so when I’m home, I want to spend time with my daughter. You can’t blame me for that. I’m trying here, I really am, but I need you to work with me and be reasonable.”
“What about Sonya? She wants Caroline some as well.”
“I’m sorry but she can see Callie when Callie is with you. Callie is here most days after school, you are always welcome to come by and visit her. Sonya is welcome to come as well.”
“Then why can’t she come to my house?”
I dragged one hand down my face, god, this was going on forever. “Because you let her eat whatever she wants. You don’t make her do her homework. And if she has soccer practice or is supposed to be at school for something you refuse to take her. It is too hard getting Callie up the next day after she’s been with you. It isn’t healthy.”
“I’m her grandmother, I’m supposed to be fun.”
Where was a hammer, anyone? Because seriously I needed to bang my fucking head. “Listen, Louise, I’m tired. So, this is the last time I’m going to say this. I’m not withholding her from you but I’m not allowing you to mess up her schedule either. You are her grandmother, you don’t live with us, so spending as much time with her as my mother does is not possible. My mother is going above and beyond and going out of her way to help my daughter and me.”
“And Deirdre’s.”
“Deirdre is dead.” Saying those words cut me, but it was true, and it was time Louise faced reality. “I don’t mean to be cruel, but she has been gone for four years and has no say. If you would like to keep things as they are, then I suggest you remember a very important element to all of this.”
“What’s that?”
“I’m the parent. When Deirdre passed, I became a single father. I have full custody. Ultimately, it is up to me to decide what is best for Callie, and that includes who does and doesn’t get to spend time with her and when or if her routine is disrupted. Please help me, don’t keep pressuring me. Deirdre wouldn’t want this. I need your help.”
“Deirdre’s birthday is coming up, are you still allowing me to get Caroline that day or are you going to remind me that you are the sole parent on that day as well?”
Ughhh. I clenched and unclenched my fingers. This constant bickering drove me crazy. I went out of my way to avoid it, and in the end, I generally gave in just to shut her up. That was probably my problem, since she was used to harping on me and knowing that I’d cave. “I always allow you to spend that day with Callie, I have no intention of changing that.”
Once Louise and Sonya left, I strolled back to Callie’s room and plopped down on the floor next to her dollhouse. “Hey, Callie girl.”
“Hi, Daddy. Did you know that Aunt Sonya can’t have any kids and that is why she loves me so much?”
“I hadn’t heard. Did you give Aunt Sonya a big hug?” Callie nodded. I felt sorry for Sonya and her husband, but they could always adopt. There were lots of children who needed homes.
“Do you know how much I love you?”
“Yes. I love you, too, Daddy.” I leaned over and set a piece of furniture up inside her dollhouse. “Don’t. It’s a barricade.”
“A what?”
“A barricade. Barbie wants to be a Navy Seal so she’s practicing just like G.I. Jane did. She has to jump over barricades and climb down walls to practice.”<
br />
I held up my hands. “Oh, sorry, my bad. Barbie is badass, huh?” Callie giggled. “Does Nana always make you wear dresses?”
“Always.”
“Do you really hate them?”
“Really, really hate them.”
“Your mom hated dresses, too, did you know that?” Callie shook her head. “Yep, she hated having to wear a dress even for our wedding. I told her to wear jeans, but Nana and Grammy threw fits. So, your mommy wanted to make them happy and agreed to wear a dress.”
“They are just clothes. If it makes someone happy, it’s okay.”
“But are you happy?” I couldn’t believe that I was having this talk with my six-year-old and she was sounding so insightful.
“Most of the time.”
Her answer hurt me. I knew it was better than most people could say, but Callie was my kid and I wanted her to be happy all of the time. She had already had a tough start by losing her mom at an early age. She didn’t need to deal with anything else. “I tell you what, I’ll talk with Nana and then you and I will make a date to go shopping. I always want you happy.”
I reached forward and pulled her into my lap. “I love you, Daddy.”
“I love you, Callie girl.”
6
Sadie
Standing in the Orange County Sheriff’s station was like a Red Bull energy drink for your senses; everything seemed to be amped up. Sniffers were on overdrive from the mix of scents. We had new carpet in some areas, a few walls had recently been repainted, there was always the smell of leather from uniforms, polish from fixtures, and sanitizers from the cleaning crew. Noises were louder, and yet you were able to define them more clearly, the beep of the metal detectors, the ringing from phones, and the chatter from people.
“Yo, Aiden, a penny for your thoughts, five bucks if they’re dirty,” Harley whispered when another deputy walked by.
“No. Stop, no, no, no,” Bridget’s voice continued to get higher.
“Baby, you couldn’t handle what I’m thinking,” Aiden retaliated.
“Will you stop, Harley? That’s my brother.” Bridget covered her ears. I cracked up laughing. “Can we go? I can’t take any more. Plus, tonight is my night. I get to choose what to do, remember? And if I don’t separate the two of them, I think I’m going to vomit.”
“Yes . . . and you need to remember that I’m coming along against my will.”
“It’s a movie, for god’s sake, I’m not asking you to sky dive.”
“Sky dive? I totally would do that. What you’re asking us to do is worse, you’re having us go to a movie theater to see a Disney movie.”
“It’s Aladdin, the live version.”
“You’re missing the point, Bridget. It is Disney, which means kids. I don’t do kids. Kids are snotty, bratty, and demanding.”
“You are not normal. How old are you? Don’t you have any maternal genes?”
“Sure, maternal like a spider . . . don’t they eat their young?”
“Freak. Okay, where are Kat and Piper?”
“We’re here.” I turned just as they came to a stop.
“Sorry,” Piper said. “Kat and I were going over some motorcycle skills, since she wants to interview for the motors opening.”
“Well, I’m ready so let’s go.” Bridget clapped her hands together.
We headed out the back and all piled into Bridget’s SUV, which was designed for five people, so we were more packed than piled. They probably assumed a few of the passengers would be children, not five grown-ass women.
“Are you ready for my news?” Bridget asked, practically bouncing.
“Don’t tell me, you’re getting married?” I asked.
“Really? I’d have to find a man first.”
“You’re pregnant?” Piper, the only other woman on the motor squad, guessed. Piper was sort of our matriarch, since she was the first female motorcycle deputy. Soon there would be four; I couldn’t believe it.
“Once again, I’d have to find a man,” Bridget reminded her.
“You’ve decided to give Aiden to me as a sacrificial offering? Solstice is coming up,” Harley announced unabashedly.
“Woman, if you are talking Wiccan shit, don’t be talking it around my ma or da. Good god, Jesus, Joseph, and Mary, nothing like giving an Irish Catholic a heart attack and having her bring out the rosary.” We all laughed because whenever Bridget got to talking about her family, her brogue seemed to come through, even though she claimed to have lost it when she was two.
“You just saved three hundred dollars on your car insurance by switching to GEICO?” Kat asked, which had us all laughing harder.
“The big news is . . . I just found out today that I got accepted into . . .” Bridget paused for dramatic effect. “The law enforcement academy and that Orange County is paying for it provided I still work part time.”
“Holy shit, that’s fabulous.” Since I was in the back seat, I reached forward and squeezed her shoulder.
“I can see it now, Bridget, the baddest of the McGuire deputies.” Piper fist pumped the air.
We all fist pumped in solidarity.
“I start in August. I know that it will be a year, and then I have two years minimum as a patrol deputy before I can even try out for motorcycle, but I don’t want to wait until I’m a deputy, I want to start learning to ride now. You’ve worked with all of them, and now Kat and Harley are interviewing, will you start working with me?”
“Of course,” Piper assured her. “If you want, we can call Leo to see if she knows of any used bikes in great shape.” Leo was our motorcycle mechanic, she opened a shop last year called Little Shop of Motors, and she usually had a few used ones around for sale. The best thing about Leo’s shop was that she catered to women, and since she was Harley certified, we could take our bikes there even for warranty work.
“Really? I’ve been saving up for one, so I would love it. I had been meaning to talk with you all about it.”
“I’m on it.”
“Does this mean I can be an Iron Orchid?” Bridget asked.
Piper let out a loud chuckle. “Of course. I think Sophie owes you anyway.” I knew who Piper was referring to—after all, Sophie was married to our sergeant.
“Hey, where’s my invitation to join?” I asked.
“Ahhh.” Piper blew me an air kiss. “You can ride whenever you want. Just let me know when.”
“I’ve met all of them, hell we’ve all hung out at Sixes together, but they’re married now. Maybe we need our own girl gang.”
“I totally agree. I like all of them, but we are different, we are us. And let’s be honest, that group is really bound together, because they’re all related to the Christakos family,” Kat explained. “I’m Greek, and I know for a fact that is one tight bond. Hello, my mom and Christine Christakos are good friends. But they’re all settled down and having babies. I’m ready for fun. I think we should be different.”
“Different how?”
“I don’t know. Just different. We are a different group. What do bikers call it?”
“Chapters?” I offered. “Most are based on cities, like in Sons of Anarchy, Redwood chapter,” Harley explained. Of course she would be the one to know this, she had an unhealthy obsession with Charlie Hunnam.
“Yeah, a chapter. Deputy chapter.” Kat pulled out her phone and began typing. “I’ve got notepad open, let’s brainstorm, things associated with deputies.”
“I’ll take cop categories for five hundred, Alex,” Harley said, and I stuck out my tongue at her. “Fine. How about a star or handcuffs?”
“Uniform, badge, or gun,” I said as Kat wrote, adding the word ‘power’ to the list as well.
“I like this idea. We could try to get together with the Orlando Police Department’s female motorcycle deputies,” Piper suggested.
“Badges, Iron Orchid Badges, people associate badges with law enforcement, I mean, come on, badge bunnies,” Bridget pointed out.
“Wait, d
on’t gangs sort of get upset when people copy them?” I asked.
Piper, Bridget, and Kat let out raucous laughter. “First, it isn’t that type of gang, second, if it were, there would be bigger problems if sheriffs wanted to join,” Piper stated, making me see how stupid my question had been.
“I guess I’m a gang member, then. Oh my god, I’m in a gang, I’m so excited.”
As Bridget fought her way through evening Orlando traffic, we talked and laughed. “So, Sadie, tell me about that BOLO. It came and went so fast that I didn’t get to hear the whole story,” Harley said.
“Oh, the most adorable little girl—”
“Whoa . . . what? The most adorable little shit?” Harley asked as she stuck a finger into one ear and wiggled it around.
“Ha ha. No, she really was cool. Like, badass cool. This kid was all about the movie G.I. Jane.”
“No shit?” Kat asked.
“No shit. Anyway, she ran away because she didn’t want to hurt her grandmother’s feelings.” I was telling them about her dress and backpack, but I couldn’t take my eyes off Harley, she kept shaking her head. “What the fuck, Harley?”
“I’m just trying to wrap my brain around you thinking a kid is cool and not the spawn of Satan. I know you do that volunteer shit and all, but I’ve never heard you actually talk about them.”
I flipped her off then continued. “Okay, this one still might be, but from the outside, she looks to be acceptable. And her dad—” I immediately stopped and changed subjects. “I got her to open up.”
“Oh, no you don’t.” Kat pointed at me. “What about her dad? Is he hot? Single?”
“Does he have a friend?” Piper asked.
“He’s hot. No idea, and no clue,” I said quickly, hoping those would suffice as answers. These were trained investigators, detectives, nosy sons of bitches, so I should have known better.
“Hot? How hot?” Harley tapped one finger against the side of her cheek. “Smoking, sizzling, or slap your baby sauce on me and call me done?”
Book'em Sadie (Iron Badges #1) Page 5