Free Irritable by Joanne Locker Page A

as he left,
so he removed the cord from the stereo and headed for the front door to let
himself outside.
    "Just
what are you doing?" she moved to block his exit from the room, her hands on
her hips as she glared at him. Her red hair was practically standing on
end, and he was reminded of Pebbles Flintstone as he saw the way her hair
bobbed on top of her head. Her green eyes were full of fury, and her
cheeks stained red with anger. "You are NOT stealing the electrical cord
to my stereo!"
    "I'll
return it in the morning, once you've had time to calm down and realize you're
lucky I didn't write you a citation." Cleve was doing his best to stay
'professional'.
    "If
you take that cord out of my home, I will call the cops and have you arrested
for stealing! I'll take it to the top person if I have to! I'll see
you behind bars!" she threatened.
    "Go
right ahead. I'll be in my office at seven o'clock sharp." Cleve
reached out and put his hands on her waist and moved her aside once more.
He headed for the front door, and then turned around and said quietly, his dark
eyes full of promise, "Do not make the mistake of pushing me further tonight,
Miss. I pride myself on my self-control, but if you deliberately start
making any more racket over here, I'll come back and turn you over my knee and
give you the spanking you're begging for!" Her mouth dropped open in
shock and he closed the door behind him and went back to his condo. In
less than five minutes, Cleve was sound asleep.
    *****
    Kelsey
was not in a good mood and it showed. People moved out of her way as the
redhead marched down the sidewalk and stopped in front of the Police
Station. She had a scowl on her face and was determined to deal with her
new neighbor in a manner he wouldn't soon forget. He'd threatened her
person and he stole the power cord from her stereo. Kelsey wasn't used to
anyone standing up to her, but more than that, she was going to prove to the
man that he could not threaten her and get away with it. There were laws
against claiming to be a cop, too, and she was positive the real cops wouldn't
be pleased to know a bully like him was claiming to be a part of their
department.
    She
marched to the desk and said, "I want to see the person in charge."
    "Chief
Blankenship..?" the uniformed man questioned, looking her up and down.
    "If
Chief Blankenship is the person in charge, then, yes, that is the one I wish to
speak to."
    "Take
the elevator up to the third floor. Officer Lucia will assist you; I
don't know the Chief's schedule today, but you might need to make an
appointment and come back if he's busy."
    Kelsey's
green eyes flashed angrily. "I will not be put off. I have a busy
schedule, too, and my time is just as valuable as his! He will see me and
that is final! I pay the taxes that pay his salary!"
    "Well,
Miss, you're wasting your time standing here sassing at me. Go and talk
to Officer Lucia, and she'll help you if she can." The man was completely
unperturbed by her rude behavior.
    "And
you can't call your Chief on the telephone and see if he is in?" Kelsey
demanded in exasperation, her irritability making her voice sharp.
    "No,
Miss. That isn't my job. Now please move on; there are other people
waiting their turn." The look in his eyes told her he wasn't going to try
and placate her.
    "Thanks
for nothing at all!" Kelsey snapped at the man, and then stomped toward the
elevator.
    "I
sure would love to see that little gal pull that sassy attitude on the Chief,"
he muttered under his breath as he watched her walk toward the elevator.
She slapped the up button as hard as possible, and then tapped her toe
impatiently while she waited for the elevator, completely oblivious that people
were staring at her and shaking their heads in disapproval. Deciding that
the irritable woman was the Chief's problem, the officer turned his attention
to the next person.
    Kelsey
glared at the two detectives who entered the elevator at the second floor and
rode up with her. They