by Anny Cook
Seb strolled over to the cabin and sat on the sagging steps. He hauled his radio out again and began to talk. Michael and Suko dragged the two remaining prisoners to the cabin and cuffed them to the porch railing.
Michael leaned close and whispered, “I would be real still. You can’t tell what kind of wildlife might come out of the woods around here. You wouldn’t want to attract any attention.”
Quill urged Unity over to the steps to sit down next to Seb, while he listened to the one-sided conversation Seb had with whoever was on the other end. After a minute, Seb nodded and stuck the radio back in his pocket. “ETA ten minutes. The sheriff, some guy named Marcus Sadler, is hopping mad about us arresting his deputy.” He rubbed his bald head and sighed. “You would think everyone would be thrilled that we shut this ring down…”
“No one wants to deal with the aftermath.” Quill looked around trying to spot Rack or Tate or even Zip.
As though summoned by his concern, Zip ambled out of the woods looking as though she’d just awakened from a leisurely nap.
She wandered over to the cabin and sat next to Unity. In a soft voice she spoke to Quill. “Tate and Rack went to get your truck. They’ll meet you at the end of the road.”
“You’d better take off with Unity before the troops get here, partner. It’s going to be dark soon so you should have no trouble slipping away. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” Seb shot Zip a grim look. “You have a few explanations to make, Zipporah. Don’t even think about taking off until we’ve talked.”
Zip feigned unconcern and looked away. While she watched Seb organize the chaos in the clearing, she wondered how to explain her family and their talents. She couldn’t exactly blurt out that she was an angel. Most humans had very strange ideas about angels and their missions on earth.
It was dark by the time all the women had been taken away to the small local medical center where they were housed together in their own wing with the thought that they would feel more secure and comfortable. As she eavesdropped on the conversations in the clearing, Zip gradually relaxed, confident that the caregivers would treat the young women gently.
In the dim glow of the porch light, Seb came to stand in front of Zip, scrubbing wearily at his face. “I’m not going to be finished with this mess until late tonight.”
“I pretty much figured that out.”
“We still need to talk.”
“We can do that when you wrap this up. In the meantime, Momma has a party starting in about an hour. So far it hasn’t been cancelled so I need to go help out there.” Zip stood, stretching stiff muscles and moved close enough to tentatively touch his arm. “Why don’t you meet me there when you finish up?”
In angry reaction, Sebastian yanked away from her fingers and backed off. “I don’t think I want you touching me right now.”
Zip’s head snapped back and her spine stiffened in outrage. “Well I certainly wouldn’t want to contaminate you—or your clothes—by touching you.” She spun and walked away.
Galvanized into action, he caught her shoulder, turning her to face him. His frustration and anger exploded. Jerking her close, his lips covered hers, taking possession in no uncertain terms.
Zip shoved him away, slapping him in sudden fury. The violence shocked both of them. Then she grabbed him by the ears and kissed him back. Anger and hurt morphed into heat and longing that threatened to get out of hand.
Seb crushed her to his chest with shaking hands. “We’re getting married. Whatever weird shit is going on, we’ll work it out. I have to go talk to the local law enforcement now. I’ll collect you at your parents’ place.” He nudged her chin up so that he could see her face. “You hear me?”
On a rush of terror and hope, Zip nodded and said, “When you talk to Quill, ask him about angels.” Then she stepped back from his embrace and ran into the dark woods like demons were pursuing her. As she raced through the woods, dodging patches of snow and thorny branches that snagged her clothes, her stomach clenched and roiled. It wasn’t going to be that easy, she was sure. When Seb realized that she wasn’t the only Jericho who kept secrets, there was going to be a world of hurt and disappointment. Maybe even broken trust. She stumbled over a dead tree limb that lay across the trail, catching herself at the last moment by wrapping her arm around a small tree.
Standing there, her breath roughly soughing in and out, she gathered her composure and determined to put her fears away until later. There was a party to deal with—a party that was usually one of the highlights of the Christmas season for the Jericho neighbors. Instead of madly rushing about in the woods like a lunatic, it occurred to her that she had no party clothes at her momma’s cabin. Looking around her, she reoriented herself and struck off in a new direction, heading for her own cabin, uncertain whether her Momma had returned her car or not. If not, then she still faced a hike through the woods after she cleaned up and dressed.
Shaking her head, she decided the day had certainly gone downhill since she made love earlier with Seb. She wished she could go back and do so many things over. She prayed that Seb would listen with an open heart when they finally had a chance to talk.
* * * * *
Seb yawned as he quietly walked up the back steps at Jericho Hollow. He just wanted to find a bed and collapse but Suko had warned him that the local sheriff was headed for Quill’s cabin and he had no idea how long it was going to take to deal with him. He had a notion that his business with Sheriff Kemp was going to be a joy to remember compared to dealing with Sheriff Sadler. He didn’t want Zip to be stuck indefinitely hanging out at her parents’ place. With a soft knock, he opened the door and edged into the crowded kitchen.
Pentecost nodded at him as he efficiently filled containers with food and packed them in two baskets on the counter. “Everything squared away?”
“Not quite. The sheriff is over at Quill’s place. I need to go over there but I wanted to let Zip know that I’ll be a while.”
Nodding toward the living room, Pentecost said, “She’s in there leading the singing. If you want, you go on ahead over to Quill’s. I’ll let Zip know before I follow you with the food.”
Fighting off another yawn, Seb frowned at the baskets in puzzlement. “Food?”
“Tate and Rack are over at Quill’s. I reckon they’ll be hungry about now. By the time you corral Marcus and send him on his way, I’ll be there.”
With a dull nod, Seb went back out and crawled into Zip’s car. From the looks of things at the party, it wasn’t going to break up anytime soon. He should be back in plenty of time to take her home.
When he rolled into the clearing at Quill’s the sheriff’s car was still there. Seb sat in the car for a few moments, gathering his thoughts and organizing them before he slid out and shut the door. He was so tired and hadn’t been impressed with the local law enforcement people he’d dealt with so far. Facing another one was not on his to-do list at all.
Seb quietly opened the front door and stepped into the room in time to hear Marcus denying that Joe-Bob would blackmail anyone.
“You’re wrong, Sheriff Sadler. Joe-Bob demanded fifty dollars from Cyrus to keep quiet. Cyrus paid him a hundred just to be on the safe side.” Seb went directly to the coffee maker and poured himself a mug. He immediately took a swallow, a hearty slug of straight black coffee, before turning to Marcus. “I heard that conversation myself. He’s been charged with blackmail, conspiracy to kidnap and whatever else we can think up.”
“The fool!” Marcus bitterly looked at the men around him. “What am I going to tell my sister?”
“Tell her she should have given him money for beer and bowling,” Seb replied coolly. “He said that’s what he wanted the money for. Apparently, she gets his entire check and pays him an allowance. She refused to give him extra money for beer and the bowling tournament next month.” He shook his head in amazement. “The day I give my check to my wife…”
Quill shook his head then. “Don’t make any statements you might have to retract, Seb. Things l
ike that come back to haunt you.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Trust me. Better not to say anything rather than have to take it back.” Quill took a cookie and dunked it in his coffee. “What else can we help you with, Marcus?”
Marcus shoved his chair back from the table and stood up. “How do I get in to see Joe-Bob? The Fed I talked to wouldn’t give me any answers.”
Seb dug a card out of his pocket and offered it to Marcus. “Call me tomorrow morning after ten and I’ll arrange for you to see him.”
Reluctantly, Marcus took the proffered card and went to the front door. “Tell Cage if I had known anything I would have told y’all right away. He probably won’t believe it but I don’t hold with kidnapping and such.” He went outside, shutting the door softly behind him. A few minutes later they heard the car head back down the dark road.
Seb took a deep breath and looked at his companions. “Your pa said he’ll be over directly with supper. Your momma and the girls are hosting the Christmas tree party like nothing ever happened. I’ll never be able to figure out what makes women tick.”
Unexpectedly, Tate laughed. “Seb, if we knew the answer to that we would all be millionaires.”
“So, good buddies and friends, tell me all about being angels,” Seb suggested straight-faced. “According to Zipporah, y’all have all the answers I need.”
Rack and Tate swallowed their coffee the wrong way and choked. Quill bestowed a Cheshire Cat smile on Seb and shook his head. “My, my. What did you do to Zip to get that kind of response?”
“I kissed her.” Seb licked his lips as though searching for a hint of Zip. “First she slapped my face. Then she grabbed me and kissed me back. I told her we were getting married and then she said to ask you guys about angels.” Suddenly he grinned, his teeth very white against his dark skin. “Hey! I just now realized! She didn’t say no! Hot damn!”
“Well now! That calls for a celebration!” Tate jumped up and went to the refrigerator, extracting a plastic container of cookies. He grabbed the bowl of stale cookies they’d offered to Marcus and moved them to the counter. “Here now, don’t eat those!” Then he set down the container from the fridge and peeled the lid back, revealing a dazzling array of tightly packed Christmas cookies.
Quill grabbed a couple. “Peanut butter balls! Momma didn’t tell me she made them this year!”
“Yep. And the pecan bars and the pinwheel thingies. Mmmm.” Rack lifted the waxed paper so he could peek at the next layer. “Snickerdoodles!”
There was the rumble of a truck motor in the clearing and a few minutes later Pentecost pushed the door open after a perfunctory knock. “Good! All of you are still here. Tate, there are two more baskets of food on the porch.” He carried a large basket in, placing it on the counter. “Your momma sent enough food for a small army. It ought to feed Quill and Unity for a week.”
Quill got up at once and went to wake Unity while Seb and Tate retrieved the baskets from the porch before the wild critters in the woods were attracted by the smell of food. Rack and Pentecost unpacked platters of sandwiches, raw veggies and fruit chunks.
It was a silent meal. Everyone was so hungry and tired that there was no energy left for conversation. Finally, Unity sighed and pushed back her plate. “Thank you, Mr. Jericho. I was starving.”
Pentecost nodded. “May as well call me Pa. The way Quill’s lookin’ at you, I reckon you’ll be a Jericho as soon as he can arrange it.”
The others choked but Quill smiled contentedly. “You’re right, Pa. I’ve been thinking a Christmas wedding would be perfect.”
“Hold it! Wait one doggone minute!” Unity sat up straight and shook her finger at Quill. “I never said I would marry you. You didn’t even ask!”
“I know. You know why too. As soon as the riffraff clears out, I’ll take care of that.” He flashed her a soulful look and she groaned.
“Stop that!” she scolded. “Close your eyes!”
Confused, he asked, “What? Why?”
Before she was forced to answer, Pentecost stood up and carried his plate to the sink. “Seems like that’s our cue to clear out. Rack and Tate, I’ll give you a lift home. Seb, I’ll see you for breakfast. I believe we have something to discuss.”
Seb looked him in the eye. “Yes sir, we do. What time shall I be there?”
“Six a.m. sharp.”
Without even the smallest flicker or flinch, Seb nodded. “Fine. I’ll be there.”
Quill bit his lip to keep the smile from showing but Seb knew him too well. Of all his friends, Quill was the one who knew how hard it would be for him to be awake that early in the morning.
“Go ahead, Quill. I don’t mind. I’ve sure enough had a few laughs at your expense.” Seb carried his plate and utensils over to the sink and began rinsing the dishes and placing them in the dishwasher while Pentecost put the rest of the food away in the refrigerator.
Once the cabin was clean and the front door jury-rigged to provide minimum security, the men filed out, leaving Unity and Quill alone at last. Seb’s phone rang just as he pulled out of the clearing behind Pentecost. “Hello!”
“Seb? I’m home. Ellie just dropped me off.”
Seb slowed down to a crawl as he steered around a pothole. When the heck was Quill gonna get his driveway fixed? “Okay. I’m just leaving Quill’s place. I’ll be there shortly.” He closed his cell, stuffing it in his pocket and for the first time that evening he concentrated on the questions he’d deliberately put away for most of the afternoon. He knew what he’d seen that afternoon.
Unless he was willing to accept the fact that he was losing his mind, then something, something very far out of his experience had taken place in the woods near the Clapsaddle cabin. And that something involved Zip. And Quill. Because clearly his partner had not been surprised or shocked. Actually, now that he thought about it, Michael and Suko had not seemed particularly surprised when the dogs killed Brian. Or when Cage tracked down Cho. Did that mean that Cage could shift too? And were the other dogs with Zip more than just dogs?
As he turned down Zipporah’s driveway, his stomach cramped as his supper threatened to make a reappearance. Acid churned away. Was he the only one who didn’t know what Zip’s secret was?
Chapter Nine
By the time Seb parked in front of the cabin, Zip’s belly was tied up in knots. She heard the door slam and then the sound of his footsteps pounding up the stairs and across the porch. For a normally quiet, light-footed man, he sure was making a lot of noise.
He flung the door open so hard it bounced back from the wall. Well that answers my question about his mood, she thought. Pissed off doesn’t begin to describe it. And I can’t honestly say I blame him.
“Does everyone except me know this big secret?” he demanded with quiet fury. “Am I the only one walking around like a clueless asshole?”
Carefully, she sat down at the table. “Define everyone.”
“Michael. Suko. Hell, for all I know, half of Tennessee!” He held his head in his hands as though to keep it from exploding. “What the fuck is the big secret and why am I the only one who doesn’t know?”
“As far as I know, Michael and Suko have no official knowledge of the Jericho family secret,” she stated softly. “As far as I know, the only one who does is Unity and that’s because Quill’s going to marry her.”
“She can know but I can’t? What am I? Chopped steak?”
At that Zipporah flared up, “When have we had time to talk today? Between your meeting and the great bust?” She jumped up and rushed over to him, poking his chest with her finger. “You! You announced that we’re getting married, instructed me to wait at my parents’ and went to finish rounding up your prisoners. When was I supposed to explain anything?”
“Last night? This morning? The day before that? Sometime in the last year? Fuck! I’ve been Quill’s partner for three years! Could he maybe mention that his sister sometimes changes into a dog or a tiger?”
Tha
t was the moment that Zipporah realized that Seb didn’t have a clue—that her brother had not explained anything to him. Her knees gave way as she slumped down on the floor on her butt.
That shocked Seb enough to capture his attention. He squatted in front of her and tilted her head up. “What the hell is going on?”
“Sit down, Seb.”
Reluctantly, he sat on the floor in front of her. “What is it? For cryin’ out loud, just tell me.”
“I’ll remind you that you said that when you freak out,” she said with a sad smile.
“Yeah, yeah. Just get on with it.”
“Yeah, let’s get on with it.” With a deep shuddering breath, she closed her eyes and tilted her head back. “Well. The Jericho family…we’re angels.”
“Angels?” Seb shook his head as though to clear his hearing. “Angels? Like with wings and halos and shit like that?”
She snorted in sour amusement. “Not exactly. We’re working-class angels. No halos. No wings. Just plain ordinary working-class angels. That’s why we can shift.”
“Huh.” He looked around the cabin, wondering where the cameras were because sure as God made little green apples, this was one of Quill’s pranks. “So…you can tell Quill he can come out from wherever he’s hiding now. I’m not laughing but I’ll admit this was one of his better tricks.”
“It’s not a trick.”
Seb could see that she was quite serious. “Come on, Zip. This is ridiculous.”
“Yeah, it is. I’m wasting time. You’ll never believe I’m telling you the truth unless I show you. Just don’t say that I didn’t warn you,” she said as she stood up and rapidly stripped off her clothes.
“Well, that’s one way of getting my attention!”
“Good. Keep your eyes open.” She smoothly morphed into her Yorkie shape and sat down on her haunches, giving a sharp yip.
In slow motion, Seb collapsed back on the rag rug in front of the fireplace. “Beauty? I have lost my mind,” he announced to the ceiling.
She jumped on his chest and stomped up until she was nose to nose with him. Her beady black eyes sparkled as she quivered with excitement.