87: Chapter 87 Officer Monaghan Offers Assistance 87: Chapter 87 Officer Monaghan Offers Assistance During dinner, Emma Campbell had already adjusted her mindset.

The pretense outside had made her believe that she really was James Brown’s girlfriend, which had been blissful, but now she knew it was all one-sided, and James Brown still didn’t like her.

Heartbroken as she was, feeling a sense of loss, Emma harbored no resentment towards James Brown.

As long as she could do something for him, she felt very satisfied.

Sarah Grandy was young and claimed to like James Brown, but it was really more like an adoration.

James Brown was so formidable in a fight that it piqued the young girl’s curiosity, making her feel that a man like James Brown was not only powerful but also exuded an air of mystery and thus appeared handsome in every way.

After taking a few bites, Sarah Grandy suddenly exclaimed dramatically, “Uncle, your cooking is so delicious!

Oh my God, I can hardly imagine how bad my mom’s cooking must have been all these years.”

James Brown couldn’t help but laugh and said, “You’d better not let your mom hear that, or she’ll definitely kick you out of the house.”

“If she wants to kick me out, let her do it.

It’s not like she likes me anyway.

She yells at me all the time at home,” Sarah continued to eat nonchalantly.

“What about your dad?”

“My dad?” Sarah Grandy curled her lips, saying with a look of disdain, “He found a mistress, and then he abandoned my mom and me.

Now my mom has found another man, and she doesn’t care about me at all.”

James Brown looked at Emma Campbell.

Like Sarah, she came from a single-parent family.

However, although Emma was gentle, she had a certain tension in her bones.

She wanted to use her own efforts to change her destiny.

But Sarah Grandy was resigned to her fate, cynical.

Without proper guidance, there was a fear that she would soon stray down the wrong path.

“Uncle, if I run away from home, can I come live with you?” Sarah Grandy asked after gobbling down several mouthfuls, looking pitifully at James Brown.

James Brown wanted to refuse, but realizing that a rejection might lead the girl to do something reckless, he reluctantly nodded and said, “Then you can come over, but just so you know, you’re only allowed to sleep on the couch.”

Sarah Grandy pouted and complained, “You have a bed and still won’t let someone sleep in it, stingy.”

James Brown glared and said, “If you agree, I consent, but if you don’t, then go wherever you please.”

Sarah’s pout was so pronounced she could have hung a soy sauce bottle from it.

“Fine, I’ll sleep on the couch.

It’s not like I haven’t done it before.

No big deal.”

Emma Campbell quietly ate her meal.

It was the first time she had cooked with James Brown, and simply being able to sit at the same table and eat with him already made her feel so blissful she could faint.

Moreover, like Sarah, she liked James Brown even though the feelings were not reciprocated.

So, Emma felt a kinship with Sarah and now held no hostility towards her.

Instead, she just enjoyed her small piece of happiness.

After finishing their meal, Emma got up to clean up the dishes.

Knowing Emma wouldn’t let him help, James Brown let her be.

Just as he was about to sit back down on the couch, there was a knock at the door.

James Brown got up to answer it and saw Officer Monaghan at the door.

“Officer Monaghan, you’re not really here for an inspection, are you?” James Brown widened his eyes in disbelief.

Officer Monaghan pushed past James Brown and glanced inside, sighing with relief, but still said irritably, “You guessed right.

I need to keep an eye on someone like you.

I didn’t have anything to do this afternoon and thought I’d sit at your house for a while.

You don’t mind, do you?”

“Mind?

Please, I welcome you!

I welcome you wholeheartedly!” James Brown was enthusiastic as he ushered Officer Monaghan into the house.

With her around, he was saved – he had no idea what Sarah Grandy would pester him about next, and Officer Monaghan’s presence would stop Sarah for sure.

James Brown’s eagerness puzzled Officer Monaghan; she had thought her arrival would annoy him, not anticipating such a reaction.

“Please have a seat!” James Brown smiled warmly and led Officer Monaghan into the living room; he fetched water, brought fruit, all in an impressive display of fawning.

Officer Monaghan grew more vigilant, but seeing that Emma Campbell and Sarah Grandy were dressed properly and appeared not to have done anything improper, she let her guard down a bit and asked James Brown, “What’s with all the hospitality?”

“Having Officer Monaghan visit my home is an honor that makes it gleam.

I couldn’t even ask for such a favor, how could I be anything but polite?”

Officer Monaghan didn’t believe a word of it, but she genuinely couldn’t figure out what James Brown was up to.

Logically, with two young beauties in the house, he should have wanted her to leave immediately; maybe he was playing a game of reverse psychology?

The more she thought about it, the more likely it seemed.

Otherwise, there was no reason for James Brown to welcome her.

So, she played along with James Brown and said, “Given how courteous you are, I really should stay a bit longer.” She crossed her arms and watched James Brown, expecting him to be frustrated.

To her surprise, James Brown’s smile grew even broader and he appeared happier as he said, “Officer Monaghan, you can stay as long as you like, even spend the night here.

Oh, I don’t mean anything by it, I’ll just sleep on the couch.

Or I could go stay elsewhere.”

Sarah Grandy gave James a dirty look and huffily said, “Stinky uncle, there’s no need to beat around the bush.

I’ll leave in a bit.”

That was exactly what James Brown wanted.

He quickly replied, “Sarah, I won’t see you out then.

Come over again when you have time.

Look, Officer Monaghan still has business with me.”

Sarah Grandy stomped her foot in anger and snapped, “I said I’d leave later, not right away.”

“Leaving sooner or later doesn’t make much of a difference; there really isn’t anything fun here, and Officer Monaghan is here anyway.”

Sarah Grandy glared at Officer Monaghan and muttered, “Such an annoying cop.” Then she hopped over to James Brown, grabbed his arm, and said, “Uncle, then I’ll be going.

But who knows, someday I might just show up at night.

I want to see if a certain cop can keep hanging around your place all the time.”

James Brown’s face darkened instantly, saying, “I’m hardly ever home in the evenings.”

“Yeah right, I don’t believe that, goodbye Uncle.” After saying this, Sarah Grandy suddenly tiptoed and, with a smack, planted a kiss on James Brown’s face, giggling and skipping out as she changed her shoes.

James Brown felt a piercing glare fixed upon him and met Officer Monaghan’s stern look with a wry smile, saying, “Officer Monaghan, you saw it, I didn’t initiate that.”

Officer Monaghan snorted, “Had you not led her on, would she behave like that toward you?

Don’t play the innocent here; I see you as nothing but a heartbreaker.”

James Brown took out a cigarette and lit it, causing Officer Monaghan to immediately frown and say, “Don’t you know that second-hand smoke is harmful to your health?”

Leaning back on the couch and taking a leisurely drag, James Brown replied, “Officer Monaghan, it’d be wrong to smoke in a public place, but this is my house, isn’t it?

Whether I smoke or not isn’t really something for you to fuss over, right?”

Officer Monaghan sensed that James Brown’s attitude was markedly different from before and finally understood why he had been so amiable earlier; nonetheless, she was still somewhat disbelieving as she asked, “You wanted me to stay here just to make that girl leave?”

James Brown shook his head, “Officer Monaghan, you’re a cop; yet, your observational skills are lacking if you’re just now grasping my intention.”

Officer Monaghan scowled, not amused, “You think you’re that kind-hearted?”

“You can doubt whether I’m kind-hearted, but I truly have no interest in young girls like her.

Now, if it were a beauty like Officer Monaghan, I’d definitely be interested.” While talking, James Brown’s gaze swept unabashedly across Officer Monaghan’s face.

Officer Monaghan glared, barking, “Behave yourself.”

James Brown chuckled heartily, “Can’t I make a joke?

It’s the weekend, not a workday.

You’ve come to my house; I’m not treating you as a cop.

We can tease each other harmlessly, right?”

Although Officer Monaghan didn’t like people like James Brown, her impression of him shifted slightly when she acknowledged his rejection of Sarah Grandy, “I won’t interfere with your matters with Emma Campbell, but as for that girl, you best not lead her on.

It’s better to make things clear and cut off her hopes sooner rather than later.”

James Brown replied helplessly, “Officer Monaghan, it’s not that I haven’t made myself clear; I’ve explained very clearly.

If you don’t believe me, you can ask Sarah Grandy herself.

The problem is, that girl is really persistent, and since I can’t physically discipline her, I’ll need Officer Monaghan to intervene should she come back.”

Officer Monaghan nodded, “If that’s the case, call me, and I’ll definitely come.”

“Well, thanks a lot, Officer Monaghan.

You truly are a good cop.”

James Brown’s compliment made Officer Monaghan feel quite pleased inside; her biggest aspiration as an officer wasn’t to advance her career or make money, but to be a good cop.

Having served as an officer for six months, no one had praised her like this, and surprisingly, it was someone like James Brown who had done so first.

“Alright then, I’ll be heading off.

If there’s anything, you can just call me,” Officer Monaghan said, standing up.

James Brown followed suit, saying, “Sure, sure, I might need to trouble Officer Monaghan more in the future.”

“Don’t mention it; it’s part of my duty as a cop,” Officer Monaghan said nonchalantly, waving her hand before turning to leave James Brown’s house.

At this moment, Emma Campbell said to James Brown, “Big Brother Brown, Officer Monaghan is really nice.”

James Brown nodded, “Cops as dedicated as her are indeed rare.”

“So Big Brother Brown…

do you plan on pursuing her?”

Confronted with Emma Campbell’s expectant gaze, James Brown smiled slightly, “Your Big Brother Brown hasn’t thought about getting married so soon.

Whether she’s nice or not doesn’t concern me.”

“Then Big Brother Brown…

when do you plan to get married?” Emma Campbell asked nervously.

James Brown sighed, realizing this had again aroused Emma Campbell’s hopes for him.