Epilogue

One year later

“Merry Christmas, you two!” Jeanie exclaimed. She was wearing a festive elf’s hat pulled down low over her ears and holding a gift bag.

“Merry Christmas, Jeanie. Come on in, I just finished baking a bunch of cookies.” Jens moved aside to let her pass, and Blake looked up quizzically from the couch where he was reading a book. Ginger and Rosso were both cuddled up in his lap, feathers fluffed, eyes half-closed. Both were wearing their own jaunty Christmas sweaters. Figgy, their third feathered family member, was destroying a cardboard box at the bottom of her cage. She was still a bit aloof, but she was getting friendlier. Mich had wound up adopting two blue and gold macaws from among the rescued birds, and had also started dating a woman who worked for the largest bird rescue in the state. They had met during the aftermath of the raid, hit it off, and were moving in together in February.

“Merry Christmas, Jeanie. Stuck on shift on Christmas Eve?” Blake asked as she pulled her boots off and dumped them by the door.

“Oh, yeah, but I don’t mind. The holidays around here are pretty quiet, so it’s just a few drunks usually.” She handed the gift bag to Jens. “That’s some of my grandmother’s famous biscotti, but that’s not the big gift. The big gift is news.”

Both Jens and Blake sat up straighter. “What kind of news?”

She grinned, clearly enjoying their suspense. The laugh lines around her eyes were pronounced, and her face was pure mischief. “Both Prudence and Michael Lee are going to prison!”

“Wait, really? I thought that since they didn’t have any prior criminal history, they were just going to get a slap on the wrist?!” Jens’ eyes were wide as saucers. The entire long legal process had been dragging on for well over a year, and it was becoming incredibly discouraging.

“Oh, we thought they didn’t have a criminal history, but boy were we ever wrong! They were convicted of animal cruelty in Florida AND Georgia before, and there was a warrant out for their arrest for theft of a pair of palm cockatoos from a rescue out in California! They used different names, and their fingerprints didn’t return matches initially because both of them had so many bites and scars from the birds, but someone in Georgia recognized a photo of old Michael and called us up. We also think there might be a warrant out for them in Utah for a meth cooking operation, but we are still sorting that mess out. This entire thing has been exhausting, I don’t mind telling you, but we are finally making progress.”

“Wow, so how long will they be going to prison for?” Blake asked, scratching Ginger’s head.

“Could be anywhere from one to three years here, since our laws on neglect and cruelty aren’t as strict as they need to be, but once they get out here, they’re headed to California, and hopefully they’ll get even more time there, and then possibly on to Utah.”

Jens leaned up and hugged Jeanie, who returned the embrace enthusiastically. “That is such good news, Jeanie. Thank you!”

“I’m just as happy as you are, believe me.” She looked at Rosso and Ginger. “I wish there were a way to tell them that the people who abused them will never get another chance to do that to other birds.”

“I think they know it’s all over, at least. We won’t ever let anything happen to them.” Blake looked down at the two birds. “Were all of the birds they had adopted out of rescues?”

“It’s a mixed bag. Like I said, the two palms were stolen, some of the others were from rescues, a few were traded or purchased from other breeders.” Jeanie walked into the living room and sat down on the wingback chair next to the fireplace. Jens went into the kitchen to grab her a cookie and some cocoa.

“Which ones were the palm cockatoos?” Blake asked. “I’m not familiar with those.”

“The big black ones, apparently. They were in the house, and they were better-taken care of than the others because they’re so rare. There were some gray and pink and pink and orange crested cockatoos in there as well. They were all in good condition compared to the birds in the barn.”

“Interesting. Well, at least they’re getting some kind of punishment for doing this to the birds. I wish they were being locked up longer, but maybe if the digging continues, they’ll keep getting new sentences in new states.” Jensen returned from the kitchen with the cocoa and some sugar cookies on a plate, which he set down on the coffee table in front of Jeanie. “I didn’t add any liquor since I figured you have to go back out on patrol at some point.” He sat down next to Blake and leaned on the other man’s shoulder.

Jeanie grinned. “Yeah, can’t be drunk if I’m going to arrest drunks. That just looks tacky.” She took a bite of cookie. “And as for you two…I heard rumors.”

Jensen immediately tried to look innocent, and Blake’s face went blank. “What kind of rumors do you mean?” Jensen asked.

“The kind where you two were making inquiries at the lodge about wedding dates.”

Jensen sighed and laughed, and Blake just flopped his head back against the couch, groaning loudly.

“I guess we should have known nobody in this town can keep a secret. Yeah, we’re aiming for a summer wedding this next year.”

“Though technically we aren’t engaged yet. Someone shredded the box where I was hiding the ring and ruined the surprise, but I’m still not asking until Christmas morning.” Blake glared at Fig, who looked up, squawked at him, and went back to shredding the cardboard. “I had the whole thing set up and she had to pick that fucking box.”

“I knew he was going to ask at either Christmas or New Years anyway.” Jensen grinned. “But yeah, I found the shredded cardboard and inside was a ring box, so she kind of gave up the game. He used a big box in bright red paper, so of course she destroyed it.”

Jeanie held her hand over her mouth, trying not to laugh. “Oh no! Well, I’m glad to hear that. I’m sure the whole town is going to want to throw an engagement party.”

“We’ll make the real announcement at the New Year’s party at the lodge and everyone can get it out of their system then.” Blake kissed the top of Jensen’s head.

Rosso made a loud fart noise.