Page 83 of The Boss and the Adoption Mess
“Honestly? I’d be happy if Catherine worried about Rosie. But that’s probably not the case.” He gives me a sad smile and answers the call.
Yeah… I’d be happy too if her mother truly cared. I can see in his eyes how much he wishes she did. After all, Catherine is Rosie’s mom. And you only get one mother. She’s irreplaceable.
Chapter 20
Gabriel
Just when things were going so well. Nope—fate’s not cutting me a break. I pick up the call.
"Hey, good to hear from you." I keep my tone friendly. I want to stay on her good side. After all, she let Rosie come to Italy with us, and that’s such an amazing experience for the little one.
"Good evening. Am I speaking with Mr. Kensington?" An unfamiliar man’s voice comes through, older-sounding. Definitely not what I expected.
"Yes, that’s me," I say, still confused.
"My name is Arthur Broone, Westminster Police Station. I’m calling to let you know your sister, Catherine Kensington, is in our custody. She was heavily under the influence of alcohol and drugs, and there was an altercation with one of our officers. We wanted to ensure a family member was informed of the situation."
Well, I’m speechless.
In the background I hear muffled voices, phones ringing, the kind of noise you only hear in a police station. So, this isn’t a joke.
"Thank you for calling. I take it my sister’s in no condition to talk to me herself at the moment?"
"She has a blood alcohol level of 3.2 percent and also took other substances we haven’t identified yet. Some people with her said it might be heroin or cocaine. She’s being examined by our doctor right now."
I take a slow breath. "Thank you for dealing with her. I’m sorry she caused trouble for one of your officers." I pause, steadying myself. "What happens now? I’m in Italy at the moment, but I’ll be back in London tomorrow." I glance at Kim, who’s watching me nervously.
"Once she sobers up enough for questioning, she’ll go before a judge. Because of the assault on an officer, she can be held up to sixty hours…"
"She actually assaulted him?"
"That’s right."
I need to sit down. Kim comes over and holds my hand, which helps a little.
"At the moment, we can’t say if bail will be an option. The hearing is set for Monday at 11:00 AM. If you’d like to attend, I can give you the address."
"Yes, please. Let me grab a pen." Kim immediately stands up and hurries out of the bedroom.
"Would it be possible for me to call my sister at the station on Saturday? I should probably get in touch with my lawyer so he can meet with her."
"Of course."
The rest of the call is a blur. It doesn’t feel real, but it is. I jot down the station’s address, names, direct numbers—everything I’ll need.
When I finally hang up, I look at Kimberley, and something inside me finally eases.
"This is it. This is exactly what I needed."
"An arrest to take away Catherine’s custody rights," Kimberley finishes my thought.
"Alcohol. Drugs. Assaulting an officer. She’ll be locked up for up to sixty hours, and since she attacked and injured a cop, bail’s not likely. Once Child Services hears about this…"
"It’s perfect timing."
"Couldn’t be better."
"Couldn't have worked out better." I can’t help a grin. At the same time, I’m relieved immensely. It's not just a weight, but a whole mountain lifted from my heart and shoulders. "I need to call my lawyer. He should go to the station and get a first impression."
