Molly's Cop by Joannie Kay Page B

not yell when he was upset; no, he spanked! She wanted to confront him and tell him that he had no right to even think about spanking her, but Lloyd came running inside, and it was obvious from his expression that the story was already on the news.
    "Kat!" he called, and then he was holding his wife and squeezing her tightly, tears leaking from beneath his eyelids. "Are you all right, darling?" he asked emotionally.
    "I'm fine. I wasn't in any danger, Lloyd. Oh, don't you dare make me cry!" she whispered as she wiped tears from his face. "I'll tell you all about it, I promise, but right now I just want to go home. I'm parked across the street."
    "We'll get your car home, Kat. You aren't driving right now," Michael said firmly, every inch the police officer. "Lloyd, will you drop Molly off at the house...? I have to go in and do the paperwork."
    "I'd be happy to take Molly home," the other man replied.
    "Molly, I'll be there as soon as I can, and you can just prepare yourself for a damned good spanking. I told you to stay down under that table! You endangered yourself!"
    "I couldn't let that awful man shoot Mr. Bridges, Michael!"
    "I wouldn't have allowed that to happen."
    "No, you would have stepped in front of the gun and been shot yourself!" she accused heatedly. "We are going to fight about this, Mister!" she warned, much to Kat's amusement.
    "That is Mister Lieutenant, little girl!" Michael retorted and didn't stop to think how ridiculous it sounded until people turned to look at him in amusement. His sister was nearly rolling on the floor she was laughing so hard! "Trust you to take her side!" he growled at Kat.
    "She is my sister now," Kathleen proudly declared, linking her arm through Molly's. "Let's go, Molly."
    "My handbag is upstairs in my office. I need my cell phone just in case the home calls about Gramma," she quickly explained before Michael could tell her she didn't need the bag.
    "I've already brought down your bag, Molly," Drake informed her. "Now you go on home and have a cup of tea. If you need to talk, you have my numbers." To her absolute shock, he leaned down and kissed her cheek. "Thank you for being so brave, Molly. I will never be able to repay you."
    She gave him a smile, but her eyes were too blurry with tears to see. "You had no clue what was going on, no chance to protect yourself... I couldn't do nothing."
    A few moments later she was seated in the back seat of Lloyd's comfortable car, listening as Kat told him she couldn't sit still and it was all his fault! To her surprise he pulled the car over to the curb, stopped it, and then pulled Kat into his arms to kiss her. "I love you, Kat."
    "I know you do, and I love you, Lloyd."
    He smiled and then they drove to the O'Keefe house. Lloyd and Kathleen came inside with Molly to make explanations, and quickly learned that Mary had heard enough news to be worried sick about the situation. She had tried calling, but all the lines were busy at the law firm, and Molly wasn't answering her cell phone. Neither was Michael, and even though the reporters claimed no one was injured, Mary was worried about them, positive the off duty officer was her son. Seamus arrived, and the story was repeated for his benefit, even as Mary served him his lunch. She insisted on fixing food for all of them, and Kathleen gave Lloyd a pleading look, which he seemed to understand. He said he wanted to get Kat home and have some time alone with her before the kids came home from school and daycare. That bit of information made Mary smile in approval, and she bid them good bye.
    "Is my boy mad at you?" Seamus asked bluntly.
    "Yes, and I don't know why he should be!" Molly answered, indignation in her voice.
    "You disobeyed him, first and foremost," Seamus told her. "He tried his best to keep you safe, and you disobeyed him. You didn't stay put; you moved so you could watch what was happening so Kathleen could tell the dispatcher. Then, as if that wasn't already enough to earn you a