by Erin R Flynn
“Alena can handle it, plus Zeno is damn good at organizing and whatnot. The ancients will be helping since they want to get ideas for their house when it’s ready and to protect the boys. The Greek wolves will be handling some as well since they need to get the house we were going to rent situated for the rotating crew Alena’s planning on having go through here so they get to see other packs and we always have backup.”
“She does like giving her pack the reward of getting to visit us in the US,” I agreed, rolling my neck to let out tension. “Makes me feel okay about taking their help. The boys will be okay, right?”
“They’ll have an army protecting them, and all that’s really needed is Alena and Zeno. Noah will be here too, Sera. They’re covered. You have someone here that’s amazing as temp Alpha while you’re gone. Get the work excuse done and let’s relax.”
“Yeah, okay.” He stared at the tub, and I realized he wasn’t leering at me but something more. “We had a tub date.”
“We did, but you’re wiped, I get it.”
“So what am I missing?”
“I don’t know how to ask if I can wash your back and have the intimate moment with you. We don’t have to have sex to go the next step.”
“Oh, hop in.” I waved the tablet at him to say put this somewhere safe. He smiled, taking it from me before setting it on the counter and getting naked. I watched, enjoying the show, even as he carefully stepped way over the retractable glass side. Couldn’t lower it or water would go everywhere. When he was in with me, he reached up and turned on the jets before pulling me to his side and turning me so I was leaning against his chest between his legs.
“Yeah, this is about perfect,” he murmured, kissing my neck. “Let me pamper you and show you how much I love you, Sera. Not the powerful wolf, not the siren, but you, the woman.”
“I’ll never say no to that,” I assured him. “Hell, my dream is someone to take care of washing me while I be lazy.”
“Goof.”
“I try.” And so did he because I not only felt like mush after all his attentions, but I even fell asleep as he conditioned my hair. Well, at least that was better than passing out when I was in the tub on my own, right? In my mind at least.
I really hoped Hagan took it as a compliment and not like if I fell asleep during sex. I hadn’t done that to anyone yet, but if I didn’t start getting more rest and down days, I might.
That would suck to have to apologize for. Yikes!
6
The next morning, I woke early to make the opening of Nina’s store first thing so I could about clean it out for the Alpha gift basket and have her include anything she might want to sell the Bellagio or have in their gift shop. Apparently I really liked pimping Nina out. She was good people, after all.
And her wares were amazing.
The doorbell rang as I was almost there to leave, and I found myself chuckling. It was my first time hearing it in my new house. Which actually put me in a really good mood as I opened the door, not even pissed how early it was.
Until I saw a Highland Park Police Officer on my doorstep, another one behind him, and that older lady I’d seen after I’d gotten out of the hospital looking horrified when she’d seen me. “Oh, this can’t be good.”
“Yes, she’s the one,” the lady confirmed, half hiding behind the officer closest to her.
“Ma’am, we’re here to serve a notice of eviction on behalf of the Lake County Sheriff’s Department,” the officer closest to me said and held out the notice.
“Oh really?” I purred, glancing past him to the woman. “And how did you swing that?”
“You need to leave—you’re dangerous!”
“Dangerous?” the officer by her asked, glancing between us.
“Don’t you recognize her from the news? She was all over the internet as well. She’s one of them,” she accused as if I was a convicted serial killer or worse.
The police officer’s eyes went wide with recognition, and he lowered the notice as his other hand moved towards his gun.
“If you pull a gun on a shifter in human form when you show up to their house and they’ve offered no aggression, I will have your badge.”
“Ma’am, just take the notice and move out.”
“Oh no, but I will show you something that’s really going to ruin your day,” I chuckled as I went to pull my jacket aside, both of them going for their guns then. “I’m showing you ID.” I waited until they relaxed and moved it enough so they could see my FBI credentials flipped out over my belt.
“Ma’am, FBI or not, you need to adhere to a notice of eviction,” he informed me, but they both cooled off on tensing for their guns.
“Oh, I totally agree, if it wasn’t fraudulent. See, I own the place. I don’t rent.”
“You don’t own it,” the lady snapped. “A Saints Inc. owns the trust.”
I didn’t know that was the company Alena had made for me to hide who owned the house so no one could just search for me and find out where I lived. It added a layer of protection for us. I did get the joke, though. S. Thomas. Saint Thomas Aquinas. Cute. “Yes, yes they do, but more importantly, you don’t own the house, ma’am, so how did you get a notice of eviction?”
“Easy when no one wants one of you living here driving down the values of houses and a danger to us all,” she spat at me.
“Oh shit,” the officer by me bitched, realizing the situation first. “Just shit.”
“Yeah, not happy this is the way my day is going, either,” I drawled and glanced over my shoulder, knowing Hagan and Reagan were waiting to the side if there was a problem. “Oh honey, I’m not going to make Nina’s shop opening. Could you handle that for me while I have our neighbor, the elder bigot, arrested for fraud?”
“Wow, who needs a welcome basket when they can give a fake eviction notice,” Hagan bitched, coming to the door. “Do I need to call the pack lawyer?”
“No, I got this,” I assured him, hurrying to snag the notice from the officer so no one lost it before we got to the station. A lot of people were in trouble for this. “Don’t forget the list, okay? We need the basket, I want more tea, and the soaps for S.W.A.T. I promised. Maybe something for the regular FBI office that’s been letting my people shadow them?” I gave an unfriendly look at the two policemen standing at my door. “Highland Park Police is off the list. No need to greet them anymore.”
“Hey, we just served this for Lake County,” the one closest reminded me. “We didn’t write it up or bring it to court. We’re the pawns in this.”
“Good point,” I agreed, nodding. “Okay, they can go back on the list.” I leaned in and kissed Hagan, wondering what else they’d get since I wasn’t going to be there to supervise. “I’ll call you later.” I closed the door behind me and glanced from the lady to the officer by her. “I wasn’t kidding. Arrest her, I don’t care how elderly and sweet she looks. She committed a few felonies. Perjury, falsifying court documents, and a bunch others I’m sure.”
“Shit,” the guy by me said again and pulled out his cuffs.
“No, no,” the woman screeched, smacking his hand away when he reached for her. “She and the other beasts have to leave! We don’t want them here. This is a good neighborhood. No monsters allowed.”
“Lady, you’re the only monster I see here for trying to kick a family out of their house because you’re a bigot,” he snapped and put the cuffs on her while his partner Mirandized her. “Sorry about all of this. I didn’t mean to jump like that, but the video was pretty…”
“Scary? You can say I’m scary. I hope the rumor is that I’m scary because it will make the next asshole who wants to kill me think twice about it and keep my family safe.”
“I heard that,” he agreed and led the lady to their squad car.
I got in my SUV and followed them as I pulled out my phone to warn Monroe what was going on and why I’d be late… And without treats. I was at least going to pick up some of that sleep help tea for the office. H
ell, I didn’t think I’d drink anything but anymore unless she had some other awesome options. That extra hydration one would be good too.
Monroe was pissed and promised he’d get into the Lake County Sheriff’s end of it before we went to how the fuck a motion like this got passed. Hey, at least I didn’t have to go all the way to Lake County’s offices because those were a good half an hour from me, whereas the Highland Park Police Station was minutes.
I was already armed, but I put my badge on its chain around my neck before walking into the station with the officers and my adorable neighbor I just wanted to eat up… No really, I kinda wanted to eat her because it would upset the boys that they weren’t wanted in the neighborhood.
The officers must have called in something because we had a welcoming party. A towering man stood at the desk with his arms crossed over his chest. I glanced at his brass and saw that he was in fact the brass there, but not the very top. His nameplate had Snyder on it. “Why do I have a Fed in my office this early in the morning?”
“Hey, not my idea, Commander,” I chuckled and extended my hand. “Division Chief Seraphine Thomas, FBI.” He stared at me intently and took my hand. “I planned on coming to say hi soon anyways since I just bought a house here and the move is this weekend. Imagine my surprise when I opened my door to two of your officers and a bigot neighbor to find out someone got an order of eviction for me. Funny since I own the house, right?”
“Not the word I would use, but not how we’d like to say hi to law enforcement that moves into Highland Park, either,” he drawled as he let go of my hand. He thrust his thumb over his shoulder. “Come on back and let’s see whose ass is going in the fire today.”
“Oh, we might get along well, Commander. Do you like smoked salmon? I make a good smoked salmon.”
He threw back his head and laughed as he led the way. “Is that the same salmon from that cook-off? We didn’t get a booth, but a group of us went, and I had some of that.”
“My office used my recipe. I had to run the wolves’ booth. The burgers are mine too.”
“Those were mighty fine burgers, Chief Thomas.”
“Thank you. I’ll have to make sure you and your wife are invited to the housewarming party.”
He waited until we were in his office with the door closed. “You’re buttering me up—why? You’ve done nothing wrong. And why is there some company with so many layers as the legal owner of the house?”
“Of course you checked up when your officers called in.” I sat down in the chair he offered as he moved around his desk and did the same. I gave him a hard look. “You asking to confirm what you think, or are you accusing me of something?”
He raised an eyebrow at me then smiled. “You’re testing me to see if I’m on the up-and-up. You guys can smell lies.”
“Yes. There is a lot at stake, so I need to know who I can trust.”
“Chief Thomas, if you find anyone dirty in this department, you have my permission to shoot them. I know the Deputy Chief and Chief would feel the same. Highland Park is clean, and if not, they can fry for tarnishing the badge.”
“I really hope we’re friends after that, Commander,” I chuckled, shaking my head. “So you confirming or accusing?”
“You have six young men you’ve adopted, if my memory serves from what I heard. Endangered rabbit shifters. I’d guess the layers of who owns the house that I doubt we’d even be able to crack is to try to protect your location from the crazies. I heard at the conference that there were crazies at least.”
“Oh yeah, I’ve already been offered a starting negotiation of a million dollars for them. We’re talking that kind of crazy.”
He let out a whistle. “Is that a fact?”
“Apparently they are a rare vintage to less-than-civilized vampires. The bastard wanted to keep them as refillable bunny blood bags. I almost lost my dinner when I heard it.”
“There’s sickos out there in any species, that’s for sure.” He watched me carefully. “So you’re saying we keep it between us and off the blotter what happened today, that sort of thing, and you forgive us for handing you a fraud notice from Lake County?”
“Yes, something like that. I’ll even bring in burgers one day.” I smiled when he did. “I haven’t even finished moving into the damn house, Commander. The boys’ guards are buying the house next door. I can’t help that the little old lady hates us, but this is a bit much. I’m not even sure how to handle this. If I press harassment charges, she’ll get on the news mapping out exactly how to get to me just so I have to move. The fraud thing isn’t my deal, but well, I’m taking it quite personally.”
“I would too.” He rubbed his chin a moment and then smiled. “Now, if memory serves, your elderly neighbor started some trouble this spring about kids riding too many bikes down your street, which turns into the bike trail. Threw tacks out into the street so they’d stop.”
“Fuck, she could have seriously hurt some kids.”
“A couple broken arms. One family is talking of suing. But I’ve got the number for her son, and he seems a good guy. Might be worth a call to explain how deep his mother is in it and if he wants to keep putting up with this level of crazy or if it isn’t time for her to relocate somewhere that she won’t be a menace.” His face changed and turned softer. “Her husband passed last year. I get that, I do, but—”
“But tacks to pop bike tires, hurting kids, and committing fraud to stop a werewolf she saw on YouTube from moving in is a bit much.”
“Yes. Maybe this can be handled quietly for all of us. I doubt any DA will prosecute the Betty White lookalike out there.”
“Agreed, but someone needs to get to the bottom of how the hell this fake order got this far. It’s either neglect or discrimination, and either doesn’t sit well with me.”
“Nor I, Chief Thomas. Nor I. We’ll get a handle on it. I promise you that.”
We traded numbers, and he looked up that son’s contact information. Then he went a step further and pulled everything we could on the guy and got his current job. It was even right on the way to Nina’s shop.
Hey, maybe the day could turn around after all?
I phoned Hagan and told him I was headed in Nina’s direction and filled him in. It turned out he was just about to arrive and give her a hand before the opening, so he’d catch me there. He left the crew at home so he and I could do some shopping alone.
A prospect he seemed pretty happy about. I felt bad for neglecting Hagan, but his patience and understanding were quite endearing to me.
The son owned a crazy t-shirt shop down the block from Nina’s, and I actually caught him walking up to open the shop. I introduced myself and told him there was a problem in Highland Park.
That was all I got out before he let out a heavy sigh. “What has my mother done now?” He let me inside, and I gave him the quick version of it all. He was quiet and listened, and at the end he looked ready to cry. “Is she facing like jail time? She’s eighty-five.”
“She might unless something severe is done. One of the kids who got hurt, their parents are talking of suing. There were several felonies involved in what she did today. I have kids to protect too, and her making a stink about the werewolf who moved into the neighborhood is a problem for me and my family.”
“She doesn’t really hate you,” he assured me, tears filling his eyes. “She just hates everyone since my dad died.”
“I am sorry for your loss, and I’m trying to be understanding of her grief, but I haven’t even moved in officially yet. She gets in front of a camera and makes a stink, then there’s no keeping this quiet and we have to make a big deal about the crimes she committed. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
He studied me a few minutes and nodded. “Yes, I do. You can’t help me quietly fix this and figure out what to do so she stops causing trouble if she blows this up worse.”
“Pretty much. I’m sorry to drop this on you, but the Commander of the Highland Park Police Department s
uggested we go this route. If this doesn’t get worse, I’m okay talking to the DA. Maybe it’s just time she move into a retirement home where there’s help and other rabble rousers around, but I hate suggesting that because it makes me feel like I’m trying to get rid of my troublesome neighbor I don’t even know.”
“But she hurt a few kids and now is threatening to really hurt yours. No, I get it. I appreciate you being so good about it. I’ll head up there now and do what I can. It might be time to really step in, but I didn’t want to think it was more than grief. You’re right, though, that it might be time. Thanks.”
He walked me out, writing a note on the door that he was closed due to a family emergency, and locked up. I gave him my contact information and asked that he kept me in the loop.
I felt heavy as I walked over to Nina’s, Hagan rushing to unlock the door when he saw me. I waved him out and hugged him. “Hey, what’s going on?”
“I’m evil. I think I just got Betty White’s twin sent to a retirement home. Is there a special level of hell for that?”
“No, she did it to herself if that’s what really happens. You’d be the devil if you demanded they lock up Betty White’s twin instead of finding an alternative.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah, Sera. You’re nicer than I’d be because this is the last thing we need right now.”
“Or ever. Is there ever a time for shit like this?”
He leaned in and gave me a kiss. “No. But we also have happy today. Let’s handle that first.”
“I do like happy.” I smiled and took his hand, letting him lead me inside. Nina gave me a curious look, and I shook my head. “I left the bad outside so there’s only good vibes on your big day.”
“Sera, you are so adorable, but this is not the first shop I’ve ever had. It’s not as big of a thing as you think it is.”
“Fine, then I’m excited for me because I’ve never had a friend open a shop before.” I stuck my tongue out at her playfully and grabbed a basket. “And I’m trying to pimp you out to the Bellagio, so I’m excited about that too.”