Cocky Corporal - April Canavan Page 0,3

racing heart, and I did.

The bailiff said something to the judge about my ticket. I assumed it was the details of what happened, but I couldn't quite focus on him. I was too busy recovering from the mini panic attack that had taken over.

"Ms. Townsend."

I looked up to see the judge staring down at me dispassionately. "You're here to contest your parking ticket."

"N-no, Your Honor." I swallowed. "I was in the wrong. I just hoped that I could explain what the circumstances were of the incident to you."

From behind me, there was a snort. "Pretty girls always get out of tickets." I didn't have to turn around to know who it was coming from. Cole. The man next to Soraya. Even when I got angry at the fact that he thought I was trying to get out of a ticket, which I was, he had no right to assume I was using my looks to do so.

"You parked illegally in an ambulance bay," Judge Carter said disapprovingly. "What possible reason could you have for doing that?"

Sandpaper. My throat was coated in sandpaper, and there was nothing for me to drink to make it better. I swallowed, grimacing at the way it burnt, but I had to tell him.

"My sister," I croaked. "My sister was in a car accident, and at the time that it happened, I was in Boston for a conference. See, I'm a teacher, and every year we have to take continuing education. This year, I was lucky that it was there. It was only three hours away. Instead of the usual ten it would have taken to get here from Maine. They needed us here, at the hospital with her." I broke down right then. Saying the words out loud for the first time and to a roomful of strangers, at that.

"Go on." Judge Carter's voice had changed, but I couldn't see the expression on his face through my tears.

"I didn't make it in time." Sobbing, I kept going. "I thought I would make it in time. But I … I didn't. And I parked there because I needed to get inside, to try and make it in time."

I didn't want to say the words. I couldn't say the words. Just like I couldn't save Cassie, and I couldn't stop the tears from flowing down my face in what had to be the most embarrassing situation ever.

A small tap on my shoulder had me whipping my head around. Only to see those unnerving blue eyes staring at me with a handkerchief held out. "Here." He pressed it into my hand and then walked away without looking back.

Numbly, I took it and tried to wipe the tears from my face. It bought me a few seconds, at least, before I had to turn back to face the judge. At this point I was pretty certain the judge wouldn't lower the fine at all.

"Ms. Townsend," Judge Carter said deeply. "Those bays are for emergency vehicles only. But what I'm piecing together from your story is that you were in the midst of an emergency yourself." He glanced to the side, and I swear he sniffled. "Sometimes this position is hard. Obeying the letter of the law, versus the spirit of the law, is a decision that isn't easy. If I were to give you this fine, in its entirety, I would be obeying the letter of the law. However the spirit of the law demands that I let you go with a warning." He looked down at the papers on his desk. "I'm dismissing this ticket, Ms. Townsend. Try to have the clarity of mind, if you're ever in this position again to park in an actual parking space."

I couldn't speak, couldn't do much of anything except nod. I hadn't expected that, not even in the slightest. I've never even contested a ticket before. If my father had known about any of it, he'd have told me not to do it either. People get tickets for a reason, and that I should use it as a lesson. It's the same story that had repeated itself my entire life. Dad started out as a cop, and ended up as the Chief of Police for our small town.

"Thank you." I finally managed to say, remembering the manners that I'd grown up with. "I really, really appreciate it."

Before I could step down, Judge Carter cleared his throat. I looked up to see compassion written all over his face.

"To badly misquote one of