Shadows of Deceit (A Series of Shadows)

by Mell Corcoran

  “That has been the routine for the past two nights.” Shevaun told her. “Angus has been getting up on Marta’s bed with them. Not moved an inch the entire night. I think he thinks he’s their mother.”

  “Great.” Lou snorted as her exhaustion started taking her over. “My cat is having a gender crisis.” Shevaun and Abby laughed but Lou was lost to sleep before they were done. It had been a spectacular but exhausting day.

  Lou woke to the sound of snorkles and grunts. Her two new family members were playing with Angus’ flapping tail while Angus laid sprawled out, eyes happily closed, with his head resting on the other pillow. She watched for nearly ten minutes for any sign that Angus was unhappy with the arrangement but to Lou’s utter amazement, Angus just purred, loudly.

  Lou slowly got out of bed, careful not to disturb the happy family, and managed to hobble to the closet and get dressed without too much trouble. She was on the mend and she couldn’t be more relieved. It was not quite 7 a.m. and Lou knew that given all the prior day’s festivities, no one would be up yet so she made herself a cup of coffee and walked back over to her bed where she saw the puppies had fallen asleep draped over Angus like two fluffy blankets. She didn’t have the heart to disturb them so she wandered over to the box that had all their toys and supplies in it and she saw that there were two harnesses, one pink and one blue, with leads attached for walking the doodles. Lou decided that when they woke up, she was going to try and take them for a walk, perhaps in the new park. She was managing without the crutch but she knew better then to plan to go without it. How difficult could it be, walking such small animals with just one crutch? She was going to find out.

  Lou parked herself in the papasan chair out on her balcony and was so grateful her captain had insisted that she take an extra day to recuperate. Although she wasn’t tired, as in sleep deprived, she was weary in her bones. She figured the walk with the pups would be all the physical activity she would be good for but she was looking forward to it. It was another majestic spring morning. Not a cloud in the sky as the sun began spilling out over the hills. To Lou’s amazement, she saw that all traces of the party from yesterday had vanished, including the paper lanterns. Lou suspected Abby had a crew tear everything down after the last of the guests left but still, it must have been a disaster to clean up. Lou sipped her coffee and marveled over their ability to pull such a surprise off without a hitch. Although she wasn’t much for surprises, this had been spectacular and she loved every minute of it. Lou had also been surprised at how they managed to avoid shop talk all day and night. There had been only one instance when Jane Michaels had asked for the skinny on the case. Jane had been floored to learn Casius Arcano had been seeing anyone, let alone Angela Boone allegedly had been living in his house, right across from her. Jane had been to a dozen gatherings at his house and never once met anyone named Angela, nor had Casius ever mentioned her. Niko and Finn told Lou they thought that was because Angela, or Adrianna as it were, knew she was in too deep and was keeping a very low profile so that she wouldn’t be exposed. There were holes though, Lou thought to herself. Things she doubted she would ever figure out. Perhaps Max had answers after their trip. Niko would know but she was sure he and the other guys were still sleeping, especially given how far they had traveled to get back in time for her party. That was something she figured she would never get over.

  Suddenly something caught the corner of Lou’s eye, then the sound of snorkles coming from her feet, then the wet puppy kisses. Lou was giggling instantly. Her new babies had managed to find their way off the bed without a problem and had hunted her down out on the terrace. Geniuses, she knew it. Lou gathered the love puffs up into her lap and the exuberant greeting began. She adored them. It lasted about five minutes before Angus was in his usual spot glaring his disapproving glare at them all being in his chair.

  “Alright, we can take a hint.” Lou told him as she gathered the puppies up and set them on the ground. “Uncle Angus wants his chair now so let’s go take a walk? That sound like fun?” The two babies scrambled at her feet as if utterly beside themselves at the prospect of taking a walk. Lou shuffled cautiously inside and without too much fuss, she was able to get both Bonnie and Clyde into their harnesses and leads.

  As she opened the gate to head down the back steps, she noted Angus was already fast asleep in the chair. Lou was so happy that his life was not being disrupted by the new family members and that he was happily soaking up sun in his favorite spot. Lou giggled as she watched the pups flop down each step. They were keeping perfect pace with her and she knew that once they got a bit bigger they were going to be dragging her around. For now, in her handicapped state, they were all in perfect time.

  Once they made it out of the McAllister yard and into the park proper, Lou was able to take it in without any interruption. The place was spectacular and Lou was surprised at how much the grass had already grown, barely being able to see Bonnie and Clyde’s heads over it as they the romped happily on their big adventure. They finally made it out of the grass and onto the cobble path. Bonnie insisting on sniffing everything they came upon and Clyde insisting on tackling her every time they stopped. Lou’s cheeks hurt from smiling so much. She could see that her two babies were not the only small critters roaming the park, but that the squirrels and bunnies had already moved in. As they came up to the lake, Lou could not believe her eyes. A mother duck was leading her brood of baby ducklings into the water which, to Lou’s mind, had to be their first day out. She saw a giant log that was strategically placed to serve as a place to sit near the water and decided that she and the pups would sit and watch the new family enjoy the water for a while. Lou was in heaven. As the momma duck waited patiently for all her ducklings to get into the water, Bonnie rolled in the grass, snorting and grunting. Clyde had noticed the water and was trying to figure it out as the tiny waves rolled up into the pebbled edge. He lifted his paw a couple times, managing a small growl then finally slapped at the water. It startled him as it splashed so he backed off a few inches and laid down, staring at the ripples. Lou knew that Labradoodles were famous for their love of water and knew that it wouldn’t be long before Clyde was charging headlong into the water and making a typical boy mess of himself. She stared back out over the water and sighed. It was a magical place. Out in the distance she saw the little island and the majestic willow with it’s leafy tendrils swaying in the breeze. Lou was mesmerized. She had no idea how long she sat there in the still and quiet and she really didn’t care. She was lost in the serenity of her surroundings. When the pups began stirring, excited about something, Lou looked and saw Max sneaking up on them. Her breath hitched at the sight of him.

  “I didn’t mean to disturb you.” He smiled that smile that made her heart melt.

  “You could never disturb me.” She smiled back as he sat down on the grass and greeted the puppies.

  “Hello littles.” He let them crawl all over him, they were clearly thrilled to see him. “Did you miss me?” As both the puffs began licking his face, Lou’s heart swelled. “Yes you missed me. I missed you too!” She reveled in his gushing over them. Could the man possibly be any more perfect?

  “I’m surprised you are up and out so early.” He took his attention away from the puppies and resumed smiling at her. “Is everything alright? How are you feeling?”

  “I’m fine!” She insisted. “I think I’ve been sleeping too much is all. I wanted to get these two out and about and wanted to see the park for myself.”

  “Ah.” Max understood. “I actually wanted to see it too. I have to meet with the contractor at my house so I thought it would be nice to take a walk through the park first.”

  “Oh, is it finished yet?” She asked him, as she asked nearly every day. Her little joke as to how fast it was progressing.”

  “Almost.” He grinned. “They are finishing up the roof today and I need to make a final decision on the color for the outside so they can start that today too.” He looked down to see Bonnie
begging for his undivided attention. “Yes, I need to do that. Yes I do. You want to pick a color for me little miss?” He asked the puppy that clearly adored him. Clyde was on to bigger and better things as he tried to climb up the log with Lou. “Hard to imagine they will grow up to be so big. Isn’t that so, my little miss?” He ruffled the fur on her tiny head with his index finger.

  “You are just as big a sap as I am!” Lou told him, loving every minute of it.

  “You can hardly blame me!” He replied in a defensive tone. “How could anyone not be enamored with these adorable creatures?”

  “I have no idea.” Lou agreed.

  “Do you feel strong enough to make the trip to the house with me? Help me pick a color?” He asked.

  “Sure.” She loved that he wanted her input. “Do we have to go right now?”

  “Oh no.” He smiled and laid down on the grass, Bonnie immediately attacking his face, Clyde rushing in from behind, making him laugh out loud. “We have all the time in the world!” He managed to answer her.

  Lou couldn’t stop smiling. If her cheeks hadn’t hurt before, they were aching now. “This is a priceless gift you have given me.” She told him, making him push the puppies off his face so he could look her in the eye when he smiled. “I mean it, Max. The puppies, this place. You will never know how much joy you have given me.”

  He sat up and reached for her hand, holding it gently but firmly. “I only want to bring you happiness, Lou. All I want is for you to be happy.” If she only knew how much he truly meant that.

  “I am.” She laced her fingers with his and let her heart burst. “I am happy.”

  They both knew that the peace they were enjoying that moment was going to be short lived with everything they had waiting for them back in the every day in a life. They had to figure out who was involved in the distribution of the black blood, where exactly it was all going and if there was more being produced out there that they didn’t know about. Lou still had a ton to learn about being Principate but evidently she had handled her first case pretty well. Aside from all her injuries that is. She was going to stick with her plan of getting healthy and strong, already having made a list of things she wanted to learn and things she wanted to start training in. It would probably be another week at least before she could get off the crutch and be able to get around without constant assistance. She would be patient though. She had a lot to keep her busy in the meantime. Especially with her new puppies, the park and Max.

  Max. He had a whole other laundry list he needed to deal with. While he had decided days ago that he was going to make time to be with Lou as much as he possibly could, he had major things he needed to deal with as Dominor. Abby had a handle on the house, Niko and the others were breaking ground on their headquarters in a day or so and the law firm he had left back East was running like a charm without him. He could focus on the West Coast and getting all the holes cleaned out and fixed with minimal interruption. There were bad apples among his people though and that had upset him beyond belief. Gilroy was long gone, the Rojas brothers were both dust by now and Cameron Timms had been packed neatly in three steamer trunks that were probably being set ablaze somewhere in the Western Sahara right about now. Albert Von Messenbach was still out there though. The man that had almost taken Lou from his life was still at large. Not only was he out there, he was whole and different. Max had discovered that not only had Albert been able to get his arm to heal properly, but that Juan Rojas had been successful at altering his appearance. That was no small feat given the Sanguinostri metabolism. Both Max and Niko had been furious to learn this after they disposed of Juan. Max so wished he had just five minutes back of that interrogation so that he could find out what he had done to the good doctor. Unfortunately that ship had sailed. It was what it was. They were still deciphering his notes though, and they concluded that Albert had arrived in Cuba four days after assaulting Lou and that he had undergone numerous procedures over the course of a month. They had no clue when he left the island or where he went from there but Max was determined to turn over every rock on the planet until he found him and removed his head with his bare hands. In the meantime, Lou needn’t know anything about his looks being changed. She had enough on her plate to deal with. Max and the others had agreed to keep that information under their hats.

  For now, Max was more than content. As his thumb brushed back and fourth against Lou’s skin, their fingers still entwined, he breathed in the pristine Spring air and marveled at how happy he was at that very moment. Lou smiling back at him, the puppies romping in his lap, this surely was the happiest he had been in as long as he could remember. Everything else in the universe could simply wait.

  As always I must thank the brave men and women of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for their brave service and infinite patience. It is not easy being an officer in Los Angeles these days and I commend each and every one of you for your dedication and commitment.

  Special thanks to Homeland Security, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms for the tireless work they do around the clock to keep us safe. In researching this book I learned so much and cannot even fathom the difficulties these agencies encounter on a daily basis protecting us, blissfully ignorant citizens.

  To my friends and family, Shelley and my mother in particular, thank you for dealing with my organized chaos and humoring my special kind of insanity day in and day out. There was never a truer or more applicable quote...

  “The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other’s life. Rarely do members of one family grow up under the same roof.”

  - Richard Bach, Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah