Book'em Sadie (Iron Badges #1)

by Danielle Norman

  The cashier looked at me, and I smiled trying to give her my sweetest, most innocent look. She rang me up but didn’t say a fucking word. “Damnit.” I turned and glared at Harley who was sticking out her tongue at me.

  Harley sashayed forward. I say sashayed, because the bitch was cocky; she believed wholeheartedly that she had this in the bag. “Can you tell me how much these are? There wasn’t a price.” Harley held up a large box of Magnum Bareskin condoms.

  Debbie scanned them, “Fifteen dollars and ninety-seven cents.”

  “Ahh, that’s too much, can you put those back for me?”

  “Sure, no problem.” The cashier tossed them under her counter into a bin.

  “These will have to do then.” Harley handed over a roll of Saran Wrap and a thing of Scotch tape.

  The cashier looked at the items then looked at Harley then looked back at the four of us. I had to give her credit; she’d been a great sport so far. “Are you fucking kidding me?” Debbie asked in a low whisper.

  And we all cracked up laughing.

  “Boom told you I would win.” Harley held out her right hand. “Thank you very much.”

  “Yeah, we see the game all the time, but yours was the most original.”

  I threw my hands up in the air, “Great, the girl’s ego is ten sizes too big already,” I said as we left Walmart.

  “Aww, we know.” Piper wrapped me in a bear hug. “Now stop worrying about shit before it happens.”

  “Yeah, concentrate on getting hot doctor into your bed first,” Harley said, giving me a wink.

  11

  Ryan

  “Hi, Mr. Cameron, I’m Dr. Montgomery, what brings you in to the hospital today?” This was probably the fortieth time I’d said that phrase just inserting different names today, and I still had eight more hours to go. The stool squeaked as I took a seat and rolled it over to sit next to him. Mr. Cameron didn’t answer me as he moved the sheet that was covering his left ankle and let me see for myself. “Ouch.” I rolled back and pinched and pumped my hand under the sanitizer machine to get a squirt before moving back so I could get a closer look. “Does it hurt when I do this?”

  “Fuck. Yes it does.”

  “Can you tell me how this happened?”

  “I was standing on the kitchen counter so I could change a light bulb. When I jumped off like I’ve done a million times, my ankle decided not to hold me up.”

  I pressed lightly, trying to feel for any bone fractures that might be pressing against the skin. Thankfully, I didn’t feel any. “Okay, I’m going to have your nurse come in and get some ice on your ankle and I’ll order an X-ray. Once we get those results back, we’ll have a better idea of how to proceed.” I stepped out of the room and passed my notes off to the charge nurse. “Let’s get an ice pack going on patient in room seven, and order radiology up for an X-ray of his left ankle focusing on the lateral.”

  “Will do, Dr. Montgomery.”

  “I’ll be in my office, come and get me after we get the results.” I headed down the hall, ready to lean back in my chair for a few seconds and close my eyes. But before I could do that, I had to check emails since, when I was on duty, that was where all non-emergency calls were sent to in text form.

  I quickly replied to one after another then deleted the spam. But one particular email that stood out, this one wasn’t a call that had been transcribed. This was a regular old email, sent to my hospital email address.

  Ryan,

  I am concerned about your utter lack of respect for the fact that I am Caroline’s grandmother, my daughter is her mother. My other daughter is her aunt. You work ungodly hours and have no time for your own child, not to mention, that she is a girl, and girls need their mothers.

  I believe that Caroline running away the other day was a cry for help, and one that you are clearly ignoring.

  Do you realize that Sonya could be a stay-at-home mom for Caroline? She and Martin just found out they can’t have children, and them taking over primary care of Caroline would be a godsend. It would take pressure off you as well. Martin has a great job and can provide anything Caroline needs. She would want for absolutely nothing.

  Think about this, Ryan, you are doing no favors for your daughter trying to raise her. In fact, you are hurting her. You are depriving her from being in a loving family.

  Don’t be so selfish, I beg you to do what is right for once.

  Louise Hazelton, Caroline’s GRANDMOTHER

  I read and reread the email. What the fuck? I couldn’t be reading this right. I tried to read it again. Did this woman want me to give my daughter to another couple? I was a single dad because my wife died, not by choice. I wasn’t on drugs, we weren’t homeless, I wasn’t wanted for any crimes, and my only offense was that her daughter died, leaving me a widower with a child.

  I picked up the phone to call her and tell her exactly where she could shove her idea, but I stopped myself. I started typing, but again, I stopped myself. Then it came to me, the answer . . . the perfect answer, the solution for not just me but for Callie.

  I headed out of my office and to the chief of staff’s.

  “Hello, sir, do you have a moment? I need to speak with you.”

  “Sure, Ryan, come on in.” I walked in and took a seat opposite of him. Unlike my office, his was huge with windows lining an entire wall, making the place look full of hope. “What’s on your mind?”

  “You know that my wife passed away a few years ago, and that I have a daughter, right?” He did and I knew it, but I wanted that to be the first foot I put forward. When he nodded, I continued. “Callie needs me right now. It’s hard to explain . . .” That was when the words from one of Callie’s movies came to mind, something that small critter in Lilo and Stitch said. “Our family is little and broken. It may just be the two of us, but I owe it to her to put her first right now.”

  “I agree. Your daughter should come first and has been through enough in her short life. What can I do to help?”

  “Well, as you know, we’re overstaffed at the moment, so I’d like to decrease my hours. I can come in early, but I would like to be off so that I can pick her up from school. I totally understand that if a major catastrophe hits, that may not be possible on a particular day, so I will keep someone available for those kinds of situations. But for the most part, I’d like to be off at two thirty. I can still be here at six in the morning, this would leave my commitment to the hospital at forty hours a week if I did it Monday through Friday. We can reevaluate my salary if need be. I’m good with any of it as long as my daughter has the support she needs.”

  “I don’t think that’s an unreasonable request, but can you give me a few days? Let me talk with the board and then I’ll get back with you.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  “Ryan?”

  “Yes?”

  “Doctors Lahey and Truchellet are here, why don’t you go home? You look exhausted.”

  “Overwhelmed. I think the word is overwhelmed. Thanks, Art.”

  “I’ll call you as soon as I’m able to speak with the board.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Have a seat, Mom.”

  “Is Callie okay?”

  “Callie is fine. I just need someone to talk to.”

  “Come into the living room.” My mom grabbed my hand. As long as I lived, I would never forget the feel of her hands. They were smooth, and her palms were shiny and felt like silk when she touched me. She sat on the sofa and pulled me down next to her, never once letting go of my hand. I felt like a kid again. “What’s on your mind?”

  “Louise sent me an . . . interesting email.”

  “What did she say?”

  I pulled out my phone, scrolled to the message, and then read the entire thing to my mom. For a few moments, I was worried that my mom was going to have a heart attack. “In other words, she wants me to give my daughter to Sonya. What is wrong with that woman?”

  “I’m going to kill her, you know that, ri
ght? I’m going to tighten those damn pearls around her neck until she can’t breathe. How dare she? What is wrong with her? Who thinks of stuff like this? At first, I tried to make excuses for her, like she was lashing out because she was grieving. I couldn’t fathom the feeling, the loss, and what she was going through. But this . . . this is just cruelty. No more excuses for that woman. She is just vile, delusional, and cruel.”

  “Is Callie unhappy with me?”

  “Ry, don’t do this. Callie loves you so much. She is six and is really getting out for the first time. I’ve always been with her if you haven’t. Now she’s with other kids and is seeing that there are other types of families. She’s going to continue exploring, and she’ll discover that there are some families with boys that only have moms, some with no parents, some with both. She’s just trying to take everything in, and on top of that, kids are curious. She’s probably had to share that her mommy is in heaven.” My mom reached up and placed her hand on my cheek. “I love you. You are a wonderful man and an even better father. Don’t let that bitter woman make you doubt yourself for one second.”

  “I talked with Art, the chief of staff today.”

  “About what?”

  “To see if I could cut back on my hours. I’d still go in early, but I want to get off in time to pick her up from school.”

  “She would love that.”

  “I mean . . . there still might be times when something happens and I can’t make it, but for the most part, I would be around her full-time. It would also mean that I probably will take a hit on my salary.”

  “Does that really matter?”

  “No. We’re fine.”

  “I still have the money Dad left me when he passed. We can use that and pay off the house, which will lessen your burden.”

  “No, Mom. Dad left that for you. He didn’t want you to have to ever worry about anything.”

  “I don’t worry. I have a house, and it’s paid for. I freeload off my son, if you haven’t heard.” She gave me a wink and I smiled.

  “It isn’t freeloading. I’d be lost without you, and so would Callie.”

  “Right, you would be.” She winked. “Now, do you want to tell me what is going on with this deputy Callie can’t stop talking about?”

  I glanced down at my watch. “Wow, would you look at that, it’s time for me to go get Callie.”

  “Nice avoidance tactic.”

  “Thanks, Mom.”

  “Anytime.”

  I changed into jeans and a T-shirt before heading back out to my car to go pick up my daughter. When I pulled into the parent pick-up line, I spotted a motorcycle deputy, so I made the second rash decision of the day and decided to park.

  “Hey there, Deputy Lazar.”

  “Doctor Montgomery, I don’t usually see you at pick-up.”

  “Trying to surprise Callie. I wanted to thank you again for agreeing to come to career day for Callie. She thinks the world of you and what you do.”

  “I’m kind of looking forward to spending the day with her.”

  I felt like I was back in college, it had been ten years since I’d asked a girl out. My throat was dry, I took several deep swallows as I tried to formulate the words, but my chance had passed.

  “Daddy. Daddy!” Callie came barreling down the sidewalk toward where I stood. I held out my arms to pick her up.

  “You shocked to see me?”

  Callie nodded. “Yep,” she said before turning her grin on Sadie. “I made you something, Sadie.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Well, I see where I rank.” Callie giggled as she handed a paper to Sadie.

  “What is it? Is that me?” Callie nodded. It showed a distorted stick on two large circles with what I’m assuming was yellow hair. “Is that a mini me?”

  “Noooo, that’s silly.”

  “Of course, I don’t have yellow hair. But you do. So, is that you as a motorcycle deputy?”

  “Yep. Since you are coming to school on Friday our teacher read ‘Officer Buckle and Gloria’ to the class. Then we got to draw a picture of a police officer, so I drew you and me.”

  “I loved that book when I was in school.”

  “Why don’t I remember this book?” I asked.

  “It probably came out in the early nineties.”

  “Maybe I just missed it? We’ll have to find it so you can read it to me, Callie, okay?”

  “Okay, Daddy.”

  “Well, let’s let Sadie get back to her job. It was nice seeing you again.”

  “You, too. I’ll see you on Friday.”

  Callie reached up and gave Sadie a hug. “Maybe . . .” I paused in what I wanted to say. God, I wanted to flirt, but it didn’t feel natural. I was rusty.

  “Maybe what?” Sadie’s face brightened, and her lips curved up. I wondered what her lips would taste like.

  “Sorry, never mind. Have a nice afternoon.” I led Callie off, but not without turning around and looking at Sadie. Yep, she was still watching me. “I have a surprise,” I said to my daughter.

  “For me?”

  “Yep.”

  “What?”

  “You’ll just have to wait and see.” I made sure that Callie was buckled into her booster seat before starting my car. It only took about fifteen minutes to get to the Klub, and just as many attempts to try and talk myself out of turning around and going home.

  “Where are we, Daddy?”

  “Kidz Klub.”

  “Is Sadie here?”

  “I don’t think so, we just left her at your school.”

  “Oh. But I wanted to come when she was here.”

  “You aren’t going to stay today. I just thought we’d go in and look around. Make sure that you liked it.”

  I held on to Callie’s hand much tighter than she was holding on to mine as we walked through the door. “Hello there, I’m Lizzy Kunis, I’m the director at Kidz Klub, and who are you?”

  “I’m Ryan Montgomery, this is Callie.”

  “Hello, Callie, it is so nice to meet you.” I glanced down at Callie, shocked that she didn’t seem as excited as she had just a few moments ago. “Why don’t I show Callie into the playroom so she can meet some of the other wonderful children? That way, you and I can get to know each other better.” Her choice of words seemed weird to me, but hey, whatever.

  “No. I want to stay with my daddy. I’ll wait for Sadie.”

  “We don’t have any children named Sadie, I’m sorry,” Lizzy explained.

  “She means Deputy Lazar.”

  “Oh, you know Sadie Lazar.”

  “She’s my best friend,” Callie added.

  “Well, she doesn’t work here, she only comes by every now and then.”

  “Oh, I thought that she volunteered here every week.”

  “Oh no, not that often. Why don’t I take you to go meet some of the girls your age?” Lizzy held out one hand, but Callie recoiled.

  “Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea, I’m sorry to have wasted your time.”

  Lizzy held my information packet in her hands and glanced down at it. “Mr. Montgomery, you’re a doctor, so you more than most know that children can’t be coddled.”

  “I’m not into coddling, but I’m also not into traumatizing. Clearly, she isn’t comfortable here, so we’ll try again at another time.” I held on to Callie’s hand and left, making a mental note to talk with Sadie.

  12

  Sadie

  They’re going to eat me alive.

  A shiver ran down my spine at the mere thought of being surrounded by twenty-five kids. Okay, Callie was going to be one of them, which seemed to make the whole scenario palatable. Kids in small groups I could handle but a large group . . . ummm, what would you call that? I’d call that a No Thank You.

  I headed into the main office and checked in before heading to Callie’s class. When I got there, I stood outside and took several deep breaths while I tried to steel my nerves before knocking.

  “Sadie,” Callie called from insid
e, and I couldn’t help but smile as she swung open the door. “You’re here.”

  “Of course I am, I told you I would be, didn’t I?”

  “Come on.” Callie tugged my hand and pulled me inside.

  “Hi, I’m Miss Ashley.”

  “Of course you are,” I mumbled, taking in the sheer chaos that was the classroom.

  “Excuse me?”

  “I’m sorry. All I meant was that of course your name is Miss Ashley, it just seems to fit. Has anyone ever told you that you look like Miss Honey from Matilda?”

  She smiled. “I get that all the time.”

  I was so out of my depth here. I took a step back and tried not to focus on all the little faces staring at me. My eyes stopped on one particular face, a big face, in the back of the room. His eyes held a glint of amusement, and his mouth was curved into a slight smirk. Why was Ryan here and looking at me when Pollyanna was standing next to me?

  Miss Ashley clapped her hands, once then twice in a rhythm. Then all the students stopped what they were doing and finished the beat with three swift claps. Not another word was said. “Thank you, now that I have your attention, Callie has invited a special guest to be with us today. Callie, would you like to come up and introduce your guest?”

  Callie walked up wearing her plastic sheriff’s badge that Bridget had given her pinned to her shirt and came to a stop next to me. “This is Deputy Lazar, she rides a motorcycle and carries a gun and has handcuffs. She helps people and kids. She is tough, really tough . . .”

  My eyes locked with Ryan’s, but a second later, I had to look away because the heat radiating along my body was intense.

  Callie was still working on my introduction. “She finds bad people and takes them to jail.”

  “Okay, Callie, why don’t we let Deputy Lazar take it from here,” Miss Ashley cut in, which I was thankful for.

  “Thank you, Callie, for my wonderful introduction, you made me sound like Wonder Woman. As Callie mentioned, my name is Deputy Lazar, and I’m part of a police unit known as motors, we all ride motorcycles. How many of you have seen a movie with a police officer in it?” I waited for the kids to raise their hands and nod. “Were they driving a car?” Once again, they nodded, and some said yes. “Did they catch any criminals and put them into the back seat?”