by T K Eldridge
Finn’s face lit up like I’d just told him he won the lottery. “How wonderful is this? Cousin, this is an honor! Are there more of…wait, you said your brother had a Chosen? So you have a sibling?”
“Sinclair is my twin. His Chosen is Mira Langlois.”
“Ah, yes, Ethan’s mother. What happened to Ethan?”
“A woman took Ethan and Daren Simmons, but we got them back and she is getting help. Daren’s parents died before he was returned, so he lives with his mother’s sister. Someone tried to take Ethan again, but Sin stopped them and moved them to the farm where wards are now protecting him, as well as my brother, aunt, and grandmother.”
“I am glad Ethan is unharmed.”
“Well, that’s because I helped catch the last two that tried to take him. They were attempting to break through the wards on the farm and failed. Seamus Reilly and an unnamed other man. They’re in our prison.”
Finn’s face darkened. “Seamus Reilly? The other is Declan Mack. They’re two of my father’s men.” He went quiet for a few moments, then looked up at me. “I have arranged with Missy to bring her through the Veil. She wishes to stay with Justin and I have put Justin up in the castle where he is safe.”
Missy smiled. “I’ve got a property manager and I’m packing up a few things to bring with me, but the rest will go into storage and I’ll get the house rented out while I’m gone. With Jack dead and Justin gone, there’s nothing holding me here. I’d rather be with my boy.”
I nodded and smiled at Missy. “I understand. When do you think you’ll be going?”
“Missy needs a couple of days to get things sorted, and I’d like to talk to Daren and see what he wishes to do – stay here with his aunt or the two of them join me as well. It’s the least I can do. I’ve found Samantha and Peyton, but I have not yet found Timothy Sanchez. All of the children are safe in the castle. I can return Samantha and Peyton once I stop my father and his men – or they’ll just be taken again and it’ll mean finding them all over again. This way, they’re at least safe for now.”
“Sounds like you need to do some serious lock down on your father. Can’t the King help?” Ian asked.
“You’d think, right? But the King picks and chooses what he wishes to involve himself in – and the care and maintenance of his insane grandson is not high on the list. I get to deal with it, with his blessing,” Finn replied.
“If you get Daren and his aunt to go with you, please let me know so they don’t turn into another missing persons case? My case load is pretty heavy already.”
“Yes, cousin. I will let you know. I’d also like to meet your family when I return with Peyton and Samantha. Would that be possible?”
“Let me know when you’re back in town and I’ll arrange it. Do you use a cell phone when you’re here?”
Finn laughed. “I’m not a technophobe. I enjoy your inventions when I’m here. Some things work in Faery, but cell phones do not.”
I handed him my card with my cell number on it. “Call me when you come back, or if you need anything.”
He stood and shook my hand.
We all rose and I went to Missy and gave her a hug. “I will stop by to check on your place now and then if you like, but I hope you find happiness there with Justin.”
“I’m excited to go. I just miss my boy and if being there is better for him, then I’ll be with him there. If not? We’ll come back here. Finn has promised we can choose.”
“I’m glad for that. Okay, Ian and I are going to go check on Ethan. Do you have a message for me to give to Mira?” I asked Finn.
“Please, yes. Tell her I am happy she found her Chosen and that I will do what I can to keep Ethan safe on my end of things.”
“I’ll tell her. Hurry back. This threat to Ethan is really wearing on everyone. A little boy needs to feel safe to play in his yard.”
Finn nodded, expression serious. “I will make sure Ethan is safe by the time I return.”
Something in how he said that, made my stomach clench. It didn’t sound good for whomever he was going back to deal with about this.
Ian and I left, and when we got in the car, he looked over at me. “Cousin to the royal house of Faery, huh? Just when I thought you were too nerdy for words.”
I started laughing and he made a face before we drove away. Sometimes, laughter really was the best medicine.
Chapter Fifteen
Sin
When Sid pulled up with Ian, I was on the porch with Mira as Ethan played on the tire swing. When Ethan heard the car, he jumped off the swing and ran to us, hiding his face in Mira’s lap until he heard Sid’s voice and realized he was safe. It broke my heart that the boy was so skittish.
“Hey you two, what brings you by?” I asked.
“We just had a meeting that I thought you two should hear about. I brought Ian to it as backup, and he agreed to play chauffeur a little longer,” Sid said.
“Ian, this is Mira, Mira? This is Ian Tieman, another member of our team,” I said by way of introduction.
“Ethan, why don’t you come inside and we’ll get you a snack, so Sin can talk,” Mira said with a smile as she ushered Ethan into the house. “I’ll let Sin fill me in later,” she murmured to Sid.
“Alright, sis. It’s not bad, I promise,” Sid told her.
“Good,” Mira replied and headed inside.
The three of us sat on the steps and I looked at my sister. “Well, spill.”
“Missy Duchamp called and asked me to come by. Turns out she had Prince Finn at her table. He wants to help us stop the one stealing his kids.”
“Really,” I said, a bit stunned by her news. “So he knows who is stealing the kids?”
“Yeah, agents working for his father, Prince Brendan. Your grandmother Fortin’s half-brother.” Ian replied.
“Oh, shit, I didn’t even put that part together. I mean, I did, but not really. I understood we were cousins, but I hadn’t realized that his father Brendan was Margaret’s son Brendan,” Sid said.
Then I had a realization and I sat there, blinking a little at what it all meant.
“Sin, you okay?” Sid asked.
“Um, yeah. But I just realized something. Ethan is related to me.”
“Huh?”
Ian laughed. “Yeah, he is. You’re like third cousins one time removed or something. His great-grandmother and your great-grandmother are the same person.”
“How cool is that?” Sid said. “Anyway, Finn is going to check on Daren and then bring Missy across so she can be with her son Justin. When he returns, he’ll bring Samantha and Peyton back over. He hasn’t found Timothy Sanchez yet, but when he does, he will return him. When he comes back, he’d like to meet the family.”
“What’s he going to do about his father?” I asked her.
“You want the polite answer or what my gut is telling me?” Sid said.
“Gut, always.”
“I think he’s going to kill his father and shut down his father’s little gang of idiots. He and the King have tried imprisoning him, tried getting him help, but now he’s about to cause a war and it’s time to fix the mess.”
“I agree,” Ian said. “From the way he was talking, they’ve done everything they could to avoid the final solution.”
“With so many children and families being destroyed, he has to do something,” I said.
“He pretty much said the same thing,” Sid replied.
Ian’s phone chimed and he pulled it out to check it. “Aw, hell. My lady is asking me how late I plan on being for our anniversary dinner. I lost track of time. Sid, can you get a ride to your car without me?”
“Go, Ian. Don’t leave your lady hanging,” Sid said, laughing. “I’ll tell her you played the perfect boyfriend.”
“Oh, gods, don’t tell her anything. I’m gone. See you two later,” Ian replied and jogged to his car.
“Played the perfect boyfriend?” I asked as he drove away.
“We didn’t know who was at
the house with Missy and I wasn’t supposed to be bringing anyone. I refused to walk into that without backup, so he pretended to be my boyfriend until we figured out what was going on.”
“Ah, smart idea. Okay, so what else do you have to tell me that you didn’t want to say in front of Ian?”
Sid scooted closer on the step and leaned in to drop her voice to a whisper. “The Commander and I had a nice chat, and he told me a few things. But I asked him a question that had him pulling out an old file – and it turns out that our grandfather, Marcel, was killed in the line of duty. He was out with a rookie on patrol and ended up shot to death. The whole thing was really sketchy, but there weren’t any witnesses left alive except the rookie, so people let it drop and buried their dead. The rookie’s name was Prudence Porter. The name, at the time, that Pru Corby was using. Her file photo is clearly her.”
“You mean, Pru Corby killed Marcel?”
“It’s looking that way. The report said that an armed assailant shot at Pru and Marcel and killed Marcel while Pru killed the assailant, Stefan James. There wasn’t the same level of ballistics and such in 1950 as there is now, so her statement was taken as fact and the case closed. However, considering how Corby behaved towards us, the Commander had her called into his office to discuss the case and her behavior. I left the office before I got a report from him about how it all went.”
“Are you planning on saying anything to Grandma about all of this?” I asked.
“Nope. I’ll leave that to Grampa. Her daughters and son in law were killed and her husband ran off – only to be killed a few years later for cheating on a card game. Then a few years after her daughters die, her father is killed and her mother up and leaves town in her grief. Grandma lost half her family in the space of about ten years. Bringing any of that up to her needs to be done by someone who can help her process it if the wounds are torn open. I’m not that person.”
“I always wondered what happened to Pierre.”
“Well, he was a weak drunk who liked to gamble. He took coin, food, and the good horse, and bailed when the farm was attacked. Left Grandma to bury the bodies and care for the four babies alone. Bride and Liam Walsh and their daughter Brighid, her husband James and his brother Brian, and Gram’s parents, Marcel and Margaret, all came to help her bury her dead and fix the farm. Now I get why she never wants to hear his name. He was an asshole.”
“Wow, yeah. That was around 1942? Forty-three?”
“Something like that, yeah. Then Grampa Marcel was killed in 1951 or 52, and Maggie took off to Ireland or Scotland. Grampa Walsh said she wrote for a while but then the letters stopped, and he and Bride and Grams all figured she’d decided to die. Fade, he called it. They don’t have a body or anything, just the villagers saying that one day she just left and never returned.”
“That is so weird. I wonder what happened to her?”
“No idea. Maybe she walked to another village and changed her name? Maybe she went back through the Veil to Faery. Who knows?”
“Maybe ask Finn if he knows when he comes back around,” I said.
“Y’know, that’s a good idea. Anyway, Finn said that the other guy that tried to break the wards is Declan Mack, another one of his crazy father’s people. I’ll let the Commander know the guy’s name later.”
“Okay, sis. You want to stay for dinner or what?”
“Naw, I’m gonna go for a run and then eat with Grams. Give Mira my love, will ya?” Sid said as she got to her feet and headed to the road.
“I will. I’ll come by and get you in the morning for work since your car is still there.”
“Sounds good, Sin. Goodnight.”
I watched as she jogged down the road until she turned the corner into the field near Gram’s place before I went inside. Ethan was tearing up lettuce for a salad, chattering to Mira about how he’d kicked my butt in Mario earlier. After dinner, bath, and story, and Ethan was tucked in asleep, I took Mira by the hand and led her out to the porch swing. She curled against me and we looked up at the stars and enjoyed the quiet.
Finally she asked, “Are you going to tell me what Sid said?”
“I will. She met Finn today.” I felt her body stiffen against mine.
“He’s back?”
“Yes, but it’s not what you think. He’s trying to stop his father’s men from stealing the kids.”
“Did he say anything about Ethan?”
“I didn’t ask, love. I’m sorry. If there was something to know, Sid would’ve told me. I’m just glad he’s doing something about it and not whistling in the wind.”
“He’s not doing enough,” Mira said. “Ethan’s a little boy, he shouldn’t have this kind of weight to carry.”
“I know, Mira. I’m doing my best to keep you both safe, you know this, right?”
“I know, Sin, and I love you for it. I’m just tired of the worry. It was there before you came into our lives, so I don’t blame any of this on you. I’ve always been worried that someone would come and take Ethan from me.”
I pulled her close and kissed her temple. “You and Ethan are my family now, Mira. I won’t let anyone take him from you.”
Just then we looked up as the door pushed open.
“Mama? You out here?” Ethan asked.
“Yes, Ethan, we’re over here, on the swing,” Mira replied. She got to her feet and moved toward the boy. “What’s wrong? You’re supposed to be asleep.”
“Somethin’ woke me up.”
“Was it a noise?” I asked.
Ethan shook his head and tucked himself into Mira’s shoulder.
“A bad dream then?” Mira asked him, voice soft. “Come sit with Sin and I for a little bit, hmm?”
I held the swing so Mira could sit with him and pulled his feet up onto my lap. My arm around Mira, one hand held Ethan’s legs so he wouldn’t slide as I gently started to move the swing.
Mira hummed a soft tune and all was quiet. I felt a satisfaction and a sense of rightness that I’d never experienced, and it felt good.
* * *
I picked up Sid the next morning and we headed to the precinct. She was more quiet than usual. Didn’t look like she’d slept much the night before, so I stopped at the coffee shop before we got to work.
“Want your usual, sis?” I asked.
“Huh?” Sid said and looked around. “Oh, awesome. Yeah, I need a double shot of espresso in my latte today. Also grab a mocha latte for Grampa, two everything bagels, toasted, with cream cheese. You get this, I’ll get your lunch. I usually bring breakfast to Grampa, but I’m kinda out of it today.”
“I noticed,” I said with a smile. “Don’t worry, I’ve got this. Just relax.”
I stepped into the shop and looked back at Sid in the car. I needed to check in with her more often. Just because my life was becoming sweeter, didn’t mean I stopped hoping hers would be too. I was glad she’d taken the analyst position on the team. Meant I didn’t worry as much about her being shot out on the street. No, I’m not being misogynistic. That’s my sister and I want her safe. Wouldn’t matter if she were a boy, I’d still want my twin safe.
While I waited for the order to be wrapped up, a text came in on my phone. Grampa wanted us to go right to his office when we got in. I brought everything out to Sid and she balanced the cup holder on her lap while I drove us the rest of the way down the street and parked. Sid took a couple of sips of her coffee before we even got to the precinct.
“What’s got you so wrecked today?” I asked as we got out of the SUV.
“I didn’t sleep well last night. Between weird dreams and something that kept waking me, I’m running on about three hours of actual sleep,” Sid said.
“Maybe you should’ve called in late and got more sleep?”
“I would’ve if I had to go out on the street. I’m riding a desk now, I can handle sleep deprivation while doing paperwork. Besides, I need to check on Grampa and see how he’s doing after meeting with Corby yesterday.”
“Why are you worried about him again?” I asked.
“Because Corby was involved in the death of Marcel Fortin. His best friend.”
“Right. Sometimes this family’s history is a little too much to track,” I said.
“Whine, whine, whine. Seriously, Sin? You’re going to complain that our family’s history is entwined with the history of our town? Get over yourself,” Sid said.
“My life is good right now. I don’t want to get into anything that’s going to disrupt that. Is that hard to understand?”
“No, but it’s not like you can pick and choose what parts of life you get to experience, Sinclair. Quit being a whiny bitch. I’m too tired to deal with your crap right now,” Sid said and grabbed the bag of bagels out of my hand and turned toward the elevators. “Either follow, or get out of the way.”
She probably had a point, but I was too pissed at her to see it. I stomped into the elevator behind her and jabbed the button to go up. We didn’t talk all the way into the Commander’s office.
“Hey you two. How are you this morning?” Grampa said as we walked in. Then he saw our faces and frowned. “Seriously? You two are going to be arguing before I’ve even had my breakfast?”
Sid handed him a bagel and I set his coffee down on the desk. She dropped into a chair and I found a seat and dragged it over before I joined her.
“Sorry, Grampa. It’s been a rough morning,” Sid said. “I didn’t sleep well last night and my brother is being a whiny git.”
“Cranky, much?” I muttered. I don’t know why, but sometimes we devolved to childish behavior. It’s a thing.
“Enough,” Grampa snapped and let out a slow breath. “I wanted to discuss my meeting yesterday with the two of you, but now I’m wondering why I should bother.”
The phone rang and Grampa answered it. “Walsh, here. Yes. Yes. I understand, Alec. I’ll let you know if I find anything that explains it.” The phone was set back on his desk and he looked from Sid to me and back again. “Dreams, a general feeling of ‘something’s coming’ and waking as if by a noise, but not hearing anything?”