Chapter 7 - The Badge at the Door
The word police dropped into the room like a lead weight.
Arthur scrambled to his feet, his hands shaking violently as he clutched the back of the settee for balance. “The police? What have you done now, Laura? Have you filed criminal charges against your own family?”
“I haven't filed anything, Arthur,” I snapped back, my mind racing as I crossed the parlor and took the cordless handset from Mrs. Gable’s outstretched hand.
I pressed the phone to my ear, my voice steady. “This is Laura Hayes. Who’s calling?”
“Mrs. Hayes, this is Detective Harris with the Boston Police Department, precinct four,” a low, authoritative voice came through the receiver. “I’m calling regarding an incident reported thirty minutes ago at the residential property on Maple Street—Unit 4B.”
My grip on the handset tightened. “That’s my family’s address. What happened?”
“We received a frantic call from a resident named Karla Hayes alleging an illegal lockout, property conversion, and harassment,” the detective said smoothly. “When our patrol unit arrived on the scene to investigate, they discovered a rather volatile situation. Your mother attempted to physically bar our officers from entering, and upon running a routine title check on the property registry, we found a discrepancy that requires your immediate presence down at the precinct.”
A sharp, humorless chuckle escaped my lips. Karla had actually called the police on her own landlord, assuming the badge would automatically side with her family’s entitlement.
“Detective, there is no illegal lockout,” I said clearly, ensuring Arthur could hear every word. “I am the sole registered deed holder and legal owner of Unit 4B. The occupants were served a standard seventy-two-hour notice of default following a breach of tenancy terms. If my sister is claiming property conversion, she’s welcome to explain to a magistrate why she’s residing in a home financed entirely by my credit.”
There was a brief pause on the other end of the line. When Detective Harris spoke again, the professional amusement in his tone was unmistakable.
May you like
“Ah. So you hold the primary title. That certainly alters the scope of Mrs. Hayes’ complaint.” The detective sighed softly. “Look, Mrs. Hayes—the senior one—is currently threatening to chain herself to the front porch railing unless we arrest whoever changed the locks. Can you come down to the precinct office within the hour to clear this up with the desk sergeant?”
“I’ll be there,” I said, clicking the disconnect button before he could reply.
