Chapter 37 37
“Why don’t we get the kids settled before we go into this.” Thomas suggested. Ok. Must be really bad. Lisa distracted the kids with cookies and Frozen in the family room while Matthew put out coffee and tea in the dining room.
‘”Spill it boys.” I demanded.
They exchanged looks before Connor answered. “We got a hit on facial recognition. The vamp you killed was Vinnie Hays. Great nephew of Frankie Hays.”
I closed my eyes and shook my head while I swore in ancient Greek. It wasn’t as satisfying as my normal swear words, but, there were little ears around and I didn’t want to teach them new and creative ways to string words together. They had a long lifetime in front of them to learn that.
“Who’s Frankie Hays?” Tristan and Lisa asked in stereo.
“Frankie Hays smuggled weapons for the mob when he was human. After he was turned, he started smuggling Objects of Power for The Syndicate.” I couldn’t see Connor’s face as he explained; I had my head buried in my hands.
“Frankie’s vindictive and brutal.” I dropped my hands and looked around the table, making eye contact with everyone there. “Make sure every report clearly states that I, and I alone, am responsible for Vinnie’s death. Let’s just hope he comes at me and not anyone else.”
“Yeah about that.” Connor cleared his throat. “We have to take him alive and able to talk.”
“What?” That was unexpected. “I know there is a warrant out on him. Dead or Alive. If we had Post
Offices his picture would be on wanted posters.”
“The order to take him alive came down from the Director of Intelligence and Warfare.” Connor tried to keep a straight face, but, a grin was spreading from his eyes to his mouth. “In fact, it you kill or render him permanently unable to be interrogated in any way, you have to file all the paperwork on this case and personally explain to the director himself what happened.” He was smirking by the time he finished.
“What!!”I shrieked. ‘You know I don’t speak to him unless absolutely necessary.”
“Then might I suggest you don’t kill Frankie?” Thomas had apparently been hanging out with Connor too much. I was saved from answering when my phone started vibrating in my back pocket. Oh goody. Another unknown caller. If this was someone trying to buy my figurines again, it was Connor that they needed to worry about me killing or permanently maiming. A brief conversation in the den later, I rejoined the group in the dining room.
All eyes were on me when I sat back down at the table. “Anonymous source just confirmed what we already knew. With a few more details.” I paused to take a drink, dreading what I was about to tell them. “Frankie already knows I killed Vinnie. He’s rounding up a posse to take out everyone he feels was involved in Vinnie’s untimely second death. Including the magic, Scott Ryan, who failed to keep him alive. It would seem that Frankie sent him to watch Vinnie’s back after Frankie got wind of the cluster fuck Vinnie made out of killing the-” I mouthed the word Dancer’s. The kids seemed to be intent on the animated tale of two sisters on TV but, I didn’t want to draw their attention to our conversation or scare the Dancer kids. “I put in a call to Vera before I came back down to let her know a death squad might be heading that way.”
“Did they know who all Frankie blames?” Lisa asked while looking at the children.
“Well, me and Scott Ryan obviously. Plus Connor here…..and the pack….. including Tristan. Oh and Vera.” We lapsed into silence for a moment as that sank in.
“What about” Lisa nodded towards the kids.
“Yes. The two are pack and the other two are being blamed for Vinnie’s downfall.” I tried to keep my words vague, the kids seemed to be ignoring us in favor of a singing snowman who clearly didn’t understand what summer was and I wanted to keep in that way.
“What do we do?” Tristan seemed lost. Poor guy. Talk about being thrown into the deep end of the pool. A week ago he was safe in the suburbs in Arizona and today he was in the woods of Tennessee with his name on a kill sheet.
“The pack can protect its own. I’ll request a few magics be loaned out to my department just in case. Tristan you’re welcome to stay here with us, but, you might be safer sticking with Cole and Connor.” Thomas answered.
“How long does it take to put together a posse?” Matthew had out a notebook he was jotting down notes in.
“Normally I’d say a few days maybe even a few weeks. But, Frankie is connected. He’s sold OP’s to a lot of Syndicate members. He might not have to look too hard to find supporters for his cause.” Connor was filling the role of pessimist today. So that left me as the optimist.
“He might know a lot of Syndicate members, but, how many are going to be willing to attack the pack?” Werewolves had historically stayed out of wars and disagreements. They tended to mind their own business. The Syndicate had for the most part, left wolves out of their campaign. “Going after Jeremiah’s pack would be a declaration of war. At least in North America.” I shook my head. “No, they will come for us first. Me, Connor, Vera, and Scott Ryan. Then they will go for the pack. Probably start to have a lot of hunting accidents around here. Nothing that can be tied directly to them.” Or maybe I was the realist.