Chapter 34
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Once the cameras were installed, the painting finished, and the new window in place, it was mid-afternoon and everyone was exhausted. Suzie had left earlier to meet her kids from school. Connor, Sonja, and Derek took a few moments to take stock.
Sonja said, “It looks like we’re set to open tomorrow morning. Thank you for all your work. I know you both had other plans for the day, and I appreciate your help.”
“There’s nothing to thank me for, lass. I have a stake in the success of this place, too, after all,” Connor replied.
“Yeah, but our deal does not include you painting and installing security cameras, and I heard you canceling client meetings.” Sonja wanted him to know how much she appreciated the stubborn Scotsman.
“Nothing urgent was involved. Everything is taken care of. Consider it part of the service. I’m going home to Suzie. You two have a good rest of your day.” Connor left with a wave of his hand and no chance for more talk.
“Don’t thank me, babygirl,” Derek said before she could start. “I consider myself responsible. I know you don’t, but that doesn’t change anything. And the city could do without me for one day. I need to see if I can get through to Jackson before it gets any later. Care to join me in the office?”
“Sure. I want to know what’s going on, too.”
They went into the office where Derek took the desk for the call, miraculously getting through to Jackson right away. “Let me put you on speaker, Jackson. Sonja’s here, and it will be easier if we don’t have to go through this more than once.”
Between the two of them, they caught Jackson up on the day’s events and the situation with the restaurant reviews. Derek finished with the report on the rock from Paula Stone. “The note on the rock was in thick orange and red crayons. It said, ‘Stay away from my Daddy’ followed by multiple exclamation points. I think Angie saw Krystal through the window and thought it was Sonja, and that’s why she got hit.”
“That’s some trail of damage. I think we can get a temporary restraining order today if I can catch Judge Edinger before he leaves.” They heard Jackson shuffling papers over the phone line. “Hang on while I call him on the other line.”
To the sound of hold music, Sonja said, “Will it really be that easy now?”
“I hope so, but Angie will still have a chance to challenge the order in court, and it doesn’t get her prosecuted for the damage she’s done,” Derek replied.
“Anything is better than nothing at this point,” Sonja said.
Jackson came back on the line. “Can you two get down to the courthouse right away? Judge Edinger can see us in half an hour. I’ll call Paula and see if she can bring the police reports.”
“Great, we’ll be right there,” Derek said.
Jackson gave them directions to the judge’s chambers and ended the call.
Derek and Sonja arrived first but were joined by Jackson and Paula within moments of each other. The judge’s clerk welcomed them and showed them into Judge Edinger’s office.
“Good to see you, Jackson. What have you brought me today?” the judge asked.
Jackson introduced the others and explained the situation, Paula contributed the police reports, and the judge asked a few questions of Sonja and Derek.
“Why is this woman after you, Ms. Madden?”
Derek answered, “She stalked me for over a year after I broke up with her in St. Louis, Your Honor. She’s the reason I moved back to Kansas City. You put her on a psych hold about a week before Thanksgiving after she freaked out at my office. That’s when she made her first threats against Sonja.”
“I could have sworn she was supposed to go back to St. Louis after that. Do you have a copy of that order?” he asked Jackson, before shuffling through the papers on his cluttered desk. “Oh, here it is, don’t worry about it. Yes, her lawyer swore she would be leaving Kansas City as soon as she was released. Do you have any evidence she’s still here?”
“Not directly, Your Honor,” Paula said. “But after today’s events, we’ve got an APB out on her. The note is almost a confession.”
“Why does she call you Daddy, Mr. Kiriakis?” the judge asked.
“Um, well, she has a kink about pretending she’s a little girl and her boyfriend is her Daddy.” Derek tried to be as straightforward as possible, but sharing with vanillas, even a judge, was somewhat challenging.
“Hmm,” was the judge’s only response.
“All right. You have your restraining order. I’ve ordered her to stay at least five hundred feet away from both of you and your café. I think that’s far enough that she won’t be able to throw anything at you.”
Sonja tried to chuckle, but it was more of a huff that came out. “Yes, Your Honor. I hope that’s far enough, too.”
“I suggest you each carry copies and keep one at your café along with her picture, so she doesn’t manage to sneak in when you’re not looking. Don’t let your guard down,” the judge concluded.
“We won’t, Your Honor. As a result of this morning, we’ve put up security cameras. I hope that will be enough to discourage her,” Derek said.
“Good man. As soon as she’s served, we’ll get the formal hearing on the books.” With that said, the judge turned back to his papers, and they filed out.