Wild Man (Dream Man #2)(106)

“Yeah, it was her,” another random customer unnecessarily confirmed. “And she did all this in front of little kids.” Then she added further unnecessary detail, “Kids in mermaid outfits.”

“And she put her hand on one and not in a nice way,” another random customer added.

“From what I could tell, he was her son but still. That ain’t right.” Then he went on to mutter,

“Though, he wasn’t in a mermaid outfit.”

“You come into a bakery thinkin’ to get a good cookie or a purple cupcake with sprinkles,” another random customer piped up. “Then, all of a sudden, some uppity chick storms in droppin’ the f-bomb and the b-bomb. I mean, what is up with that? ”

Clearly this was enough evidence for them for, after receiving these reports, one of the officers opened the front door and, eyes on Olivia, he requested, “Ma’am can you come with me?”

Her jaw set, her chin lifted and her eyes narrowed but otherwise she didn’t move. This was surprising evidence that she was stubborn and stupid as well as manipulative and a screaming bitch.

I had not been in trouble with the law, as in ever, except, of course, when Damian dragged me into his business but I was an innocent swept up in that, so I didn’t really have any experience with dealing with police officers. But still, I was smart enough to know when a cop asked you to do something, he did it politely or even if he didn’t, you should probably do it.

I found in short order I was not in error and I knew this when the officer explained things further. “If you’re waitin’ for Detective Lucas, he’s tied up and we can’t have you disturbin’

this establishment so you got two choices. You can come outside and talk to us or we can take you to our squad car, take you to the Station and you can explain things there. But you should know, the second option, you’ll be cuffed mostly because you’ll be arrested. Which way we gonna go?”

Olivia sucked in an audible breath.

Then she bent, snatched up her abundance of glossy Cherry Creek North shopping bags, stomped to and through the door.

The minute her feet moved over the threshold, the entire bakery erupted into loud cheers.

I bit my lip to bite back my smile and looked at a smiling like a madwoman Laura. Then her phone rang as one of the officers followed Olivia and the other one came to me.

“I’m Officer Petri,” he told me.

“Tess O’Hara,” I told him. “I, um…” I swung an arm toward the big sign confirming my next statement, “own this place.”

He nodded, his lips twitching then he said, “I know. I know Slim so I know who you are.

What I gotta know now is what you want us to do here, Ms. O’Hara.”

I opened my mouth to tell him I just wanted Olivia gone but suddenly Laura was there, arm extended, phone in hand.

I looked to her and she said, “Slim.”

Great.

I nodded, smiled a “give me a minute” smile at the officer, took the phone, pulled in a calming breath, put it to my ear and greeted with a soft, “Hey.”

“Make a complaint,” he growled at the same time he managed a new feat and that was filling the atmosphere with abrasive anger and he wasn’t even there.

“Honey,” I said quietly.

“Make a complaint, Tess. I want this shit on record.”

Oh. Right. That would probably be good for the cause.

“Okay,” I agreed.

“Too pissed right now to discuss this, we’ll talk about it later.”

Goodie. Something not to look forward to.

“Okay,” I repeated.

“Later, babe,” then he was gone which meant he was pissed, very pissed but I didn’t need that confirmed. I was pretty sure a layer of skin had been sanded off my ear from just having a twenty second conversation with him on the phone.

I snapped the phone shut, handed it to Laura and said to Officer Petri. “I’d like to make a complaint.”

“Dig it,” Laura muttered happily under her breath.

“It okay I talk to some of your customers?” Officer Petri asked and it wasn’t, I didn’t like that at all but they’d witnessed Olivia being Olivia, they showed they didn’t mind speaking up and their statements might help Brock get his sons with him and safe from anymore of these nightmares.

Therefore I said, “Yes.”

He nodded then told me, “I’ll come to you last, gotta get to ‘em before I lose ‘em.”

I nodded.

He moved.

I looked to Laura.

“Happy days,” she whispered gleefully. “That bitch is finally gonna get what’s coming to her.”

Indeed.

“I need to go see Joey and Rex,” I told her and her eyes slid to the swinging doors and they weren’t dancing anymore when they slid back to me.

“Yeah,” she replied. “Send Kalie or Kellie out to look after the girls and I’ll help.”

I nodded, whispered, “Thanks,” then moved.

I hit the back room and found with the boys that there were no tears but there was fear.

Luckily, we were in a bakery and surrounded by baked goods.

And baked goods soothed a lot of ragged emotions.

It was a Band-Aid.

But it worked in a pinch.