Chapter Twenty-Three
“So, this is the Corel Detective agency.”
“What do you think, Terry?” Meaghan ushered her friend inside the building and showed him to her office where she pointed to the chair beside the large mahogany desk. He flopped into the large leather chair and surveyed the room.
“Not too shabby, Megs. Not too shabby.” He glanced around the room. “Where’s Corel?”
“He’s on the phone in the other room, finalizing details for our honeymoon.”
“Oh, yeah. I forgot. How many weeks till the big day?”
“You know very well that it’s three weeks until the wedding, Terry Palmer. You’d better not let me down. I couldn’t go through with it without you by my side.”
“And miss the opportunity to remind Corel that I am the best man … not a chance. Besides, if you change your mind at the last minute, I’ll be there to help you escape.”
You are walking a very fine line, Palmer. Must I remind you that I have access to your thoughts and I am very close to ripping your head off. That is my fiancé you are lusting after.
“Damn, Megs!” Terry cursed as he looked over his shoulder. “Why did it have to be him to give me blood? Why couldn’t you do it?”
“I had every intention of giving you my blood but David insisted. I think that he decided I was too new at being a vampire.”
We both know that’s not true, don’t we, Corel?
No, it did play a small part in my decision.
Terry could hear the laughter in David’s voice as he continued.
Meaghan might not appreciate some of the thoughts that pop into your head while you’re staring at her and besides, I think I’m going to enjoy knowing what’s going on in that stubborn head of yours. What was it Meaghan called you … pig-headed. He laughed again.
Why don’t you shut the fu—
Now, now, Palmer. No need for profanities.
Well … it goes both ways you know. I will be able to—
Sorry old man but it doesn’t work that way unless I allow it. I can listen to your thoughts anytime I want but you can only hear me when I need to contact you.
Meaghan cleared her throat. “I hate to interrupt this male bonding but we have business to discuss.”
“Sorry, my love.” David entered the room and gave Terry a slap on the back as he passed the chair. “Palmer and I were just having a little man to man talk.” He leaned down to kiss her forehead before sitting on the edge of the desk beside her. “So, Palmer. What do you think of our little business venture?”
“I can see at least one major problem.” He rose from the chair and walked to the window. “Most people do business in the daylight hours. How do you propose to deal with that?”
“The windows are tinted.” Meaghan informed him with a huge grin. “David has the glass made specially. As long as we don’t follow the clients outside, we should be fine.”
“How do you propose to follow wayward husbands and tail criminals? Not all evil deeds are performed at night.”
“I may have risen up the food chain but I still have my old talents, Terry. I can astral travel during the day. If you remember, it’s a safer way to stalk unsubs anyway.”
“Well, you seem to have everything sorted out. Looks like you’re still chasing bad guys, Megs.”
“And she’s developing quite a following as an artist,” David added, with a proud grin on his face.
“Good for you.” Terry helped Meaghan to her feet. David stepped forward, but allowed Terry to give her a congratulatory hug.
“Everything is coming up roses for you kid. I couldn’t be happier.” He reached out his hand to David. “I don’t think I’ve thanked you yet, Corel. You saved my life … twice. First when you found us at the cemetery and then when you gave me your blood. I’m in your debt.”
“I believe that you paid your debt in full when you not only helped Meaghan and I obtain our licenses but also when you had me officially declared alive.”
“That one was the hardest to pull off. Explaining your demise at the University wasn’t too hard. The powers that be believed that you were working undercover for me and that, somehow, we used theatrical makeup and special effects to fake your death. The coroner was harder to convince. He swears that he remembers cremating you.”
“Derrick has a gift for planting suggestions. It appears as though he did a thorough job with the coroner. I might ask him to pay the poor man another visit and clear things up.”
“Good idea.” Terry headed towards the door then paused. “Maybe you could have a word with the officers who examined the cemetery for evidence too? They’re all getting counselling for recurring nightmares. It took days to find all of Clarissa and the parts that they found were not pretty.” He shook his head. “I wish we could have helped her.”
“You can’t save everyone, Palmer. But, on that note, we would like to make you an offer.”
Terry’s eyes narrowed. “I’m listening.”
“We were hoping we might enlist your help.”
Terry raised one eyebrow at Meaghan, then answered David. “Yeah. In what way?”
“Meaghan tells me that you’re passionate about keeping the streets safe. David and I share your desire. Perhaps you’d be willing to join our agency?”
He nodded. “I’ll give it some thought.” And waved his hand as he prepared to leave almost walking into Derrick who stood in the doorway of the office.
“You Corels are a stealthy lot.” He held his hand to his chest. “You almost gave me a heart attack.”
“Good to see you too, Palmer.” Derrick shook Terry’s hand and introduced Anna. “I don’t believe you’ve met my wife.”
“Hi. I’m Anna.” She offered her hand. “And this is my friend Susie.”
“Terry. Terry Palmer.” He took her hand and left it extended for Susie who remained behind Anna. She offered a quiet “hello” but kept her eyes down and ignored his gesture.
****
Terry glanced in David’s direction.
David shook his head and answered the unspoken question telepathically.
Susie has recently been through a traumatic experience. We’re taking her home to live with us for a while.
She’s beautiful, Corel.
He turned back to face Susie who chewed nervously on her fingernails. Dark yellow smudges stained her arms. Scabs were forming in the shape of teeth marks on her skin.
Who did this to her?
It’s a long story, best kept for another time.
Did you get the bastard?
Yes. We got all of them.
Terry gasped. All of them?
He shook his head and let out a deep breath before addressing the group. “Well, it was great meeting you lovely ladies. I’d best get back to work.” He headed back towards the front door.
“Get back to me soon about that offer,” David called after him.
Terry stopped, took another look at Susie and told David. “Consider me in. I’ll get the paperwork started and let you know when it’s approved.”
He left the building but maintained his psychic connection with David.
They really did a number on her, didn’t they?
Yes, Palmer. It’s going to take a while for her to trust any man. Her body is healing but emotionally she’s still quite fragile.
Okay. I get your drift. Kid gloves right?
Right.
I hate to admit this, Corel, but, you’re not such a bad guy after all.
David’s chuckle sounded in Terry’s ears. That must have been hard to say.
You don’t know the half of it. And, David. Susie ... she’s really special, isn’t she?
Probably better than you deserve, but, I think you might be good for her, if you give her time to get to know you.
Thanks, Corel. I owe you one.
David broke the mental connection and turned his attention back to his family.
“What was that about?” Derrick asked.
Anna answered for him. “He’s been making a point of teasing Terry every chance he gets.”
Derrick scowled. “Give him a break. He’s been through a lot lately.”
“Thanks for the lecture little brother, but Palmer and I are actually getting on rather well. He’s a pretty nice guy.” He hooked his arm around his fiancé. “So, now that you’ve collected Susie from the hospital, where are we going for dinner?”
Susie blushed and chewed her bottom lip. Her downcast eyes informed him that dinner was off.
“We decided to order take-away.” Anna told them. “It’s been a long day for Susie so we’re taking her straight home for a rest.”
Derrick answered David’s silent question with a slight nod of his head before the newlyweds took their friend home.
****
“What did Derrick tell you?” Meaghan asked as they drove towards home.
“He and Anna are concerned that Susie is teetering on the edge. She had a panic attack in the carpark of the hospital. One of her male gym clients touched her shoulder and she collapsed in a screaming heap. The poor guy was a shocked as she was.”
“Do you think that she’ll cope at the house, surrounded by vampires?”
“It’s either that or they’ll have her committed. She’s been crying out in her sleep about being attacked. David compelled the hospital staff to forget but it’s only a matter of time before someone reports it.”
“Does Anna think she can help?”
“At the very least, we can look after her at home. Derrick had a special watch made for her with an alert button to push if she’s afraid and so he can monitor her blood pressure. That way she can contact us during daylight hours. At night, she can sleep in the knowledge that she had four vampires to protect her.”
Meaghan shrugged. “I hope we can help her. She looks like a frightened rabbit.”
“I guess we’ll find out soon enough.” David pulled up at the large metal gates at the entrance of the estate and pressed the numerals on the keypad. As the gates opened, he drove through. “By the way, we owe her thanks for getting Palmer to join the team.”
“Aah. That’s what the secret conversation was about.”
“I think he’s smitten.”
“Smitten? You’re beginning to sound like an old man. Fortunately, I find old men very sexy.”
David parked the car in the driveway and opened the passenger door, pulling Meaghan into his arms. She flung her arms around his neck as he took possession of her mouth. Her lips parted. He tasted her sweetness.
“You’re pretty damned sexy yourself.” He scooped her up in his arms and bounded up the stairs two at a time. Once inside, he called out to his brother. “Sorry guys, skipping dinner tonight.”
“Lost your appetite?” Meaghan asked, a sly grin spreading her lips.
“Not in the least,” he informed her. “Which brings us to lesson five.”
“Lesson five? I’m almost afraid to ask what that involves.”
“It involves stripping you naked, covering every inch of your body with kisses while reminding you—with every kiss—how much I love.”
Anna giggled. A blush spread across her chest, neck and cheeks.
“I like the sound of lesson five. How long does the class last?”
“For the rest of our eternal lives, kitten.” His lips claimed hers again. “For the rest of our lives.”
The End