39)

The sheriff’s paused for a moment. “This is the official story. They heard about some rich guy moving into the area, and made up a story about his x-wife looking for him to find your address. When they got onto the property you called me and held them at gunpoint when they got up to your house until I could get there.”

“They never had a gun, no shots were fired, and there was no dog catcher pole or baseball bat either.”

I felt...irritated, which I would think I should be, but it was also coming from deeper down. Someone threatened what was mine and they should be dealt with, in a way they don’t come back for me again.

Was this just because this was something that had happened to me personalty, or was this bone deep anger something new I got from being changed?

I realized I was sort of growling a bit, more of a long drawn out grunt to be fair.

“You don’t sound happy, but at the risk of making it worst, I’m going to need you to agree not to press charges. Hear me out...”

Right, do not yell at the pretty lady, err..the pretty cop. Cop, do not yell at the cop.

I blinked a few times to clear my head. The boy leaned back from where he had been listening in, carefully blank faced.

“In that it’s just trespassing charges, they will hardly make a bump in the system, and they can handedly disappear. I’ve already made arrangement for them to start working at a different Redds’mart, oh, and not the one you went to.”

Okay...”Why?”

She took a moment. “They are idiots. But they were idiots being forced by a renegade vampire at a Redds’mart to look for one of us and try to kidnap them. Since they are now in the know about things regular humans aren't supposed to know about, we need to keep an eye on them.”

“Transferring them with a raise to a store up north gets them away from everyone who knew them, keeps them where someone involved can keep an eye on them, and let’s them get on with their lives.’

She paused again asked in a careful tone. “Unless you feel the need to do something to them yourself?”

I let out a breath I didn’t know I had been holding. “No, nothing like that. No more then I would have before, or I think anyone would. Putting someone like you, and a judge between someone who did harm and the person they harmed keeps it from being about revenge, and that’s how I always thought it should be done.”

“No revenge fantasies here. Just let me know what I need to do.”

She sighed a little in relief. “I’ll have a report for you to sign giving your version of the story we agreed on, and a statement that you’ve chosen not to press charges. “ Just swing into town someday this week and sign it.”

She hesitated for a moment. “Then maybe we can have lunch again?”

“Well...I was hoping to get a hold of your deputy today and invite her, her kid and her boyfriend, your grandson, to dinner so I can pump them for all the information I need to know about being a werewolf. I think Darius joked about werewolf 101. You could join us tonight, or even show up just yourself if I never do get ahold of her.”

What was I going make anyways, oh yeah, “Lots of meat, right?”

She sounded pleased. “Sounds good. Although I do like a salad and sides too. But let me get a hold of her for you since she tends to screen numbers she isn’t familiar with. Also Darius is just living with her, he wanted to move out of Grandma’s house when he was eightteen and Deborah needed a roommate for the rent.”

I leaned back in my chair again. “You sure there’s nothing between them, two youngsters, late night runs in the woods, with no clothes on?’

She laughed. “No, Darius like boys, that why...he ended up living with me. Family issues...”

Ouch. Right. “So I’ll fire up the grill around six, the kids and my nephew will be here...”

Right...reveal they are part of the supernatural world, or in the know or not…

“and…well we can talk about them when you get here. Just don’t startle the younger girl or she might launch you into the river. Bye.”

I hit the disconnect button even as I heard a tiny voice object. “Wait, what…?”

Charles gave me a raised eyebrow, so I filled him in a little. “She’s a werewolf, she talks regularly with vampires and mentioned some ghouls who used to run a funeral home in town. I think it’s safe to let her know the kids are something else too, and I don’t want her heading in here all smug and in charge because she knows more then I do.”

He raise his hand in surrender. “Hey, it’s your life. But that might not be the best strategy with a new girlfriend.”

I shook my head. “She isn’t...”

She asked me out to lunch again. And I just asked her to dinner to meet my family.

Crap… Maybe not dating, but sorta, kinda, starting the process.

I was surprised how much I wasn’t bothered by the idea. Better let her have the next win.

“Right… so you are staying for dinner right?

He nodded with a pleased smile. “Oh yes, by all means, I wouldn't miss this for the world. I got some questions of my own, like are you going to make anything healthy? I do like barbecue, but I don’t have a magically enhanced metabolism to keep the pounds off.’

I made a tutting sounds out of the side of my mouth. “Trust me, with Sara here their will be healthy options. She won’t give me a choice.”