Alpha Micah Black: Homecoming (Complete)

Chapter33

Why is it that I’m always finding myself in the hot seat with Hanna? Explaining Anderson Jacob’s condition to her isn’t easy. How would you approach this? Her wolf isn’t hidden anymore. Proceed with caution, Mike. Proceed. With. Caution. I’m glad my asshole cousin is here to help keep her calm.

“He was found holding the victim’s liver in his clawed hands,” I reported, carefully choosing each word. “And his fur and canines were covered in the victim’s blood.”

“Great. But… is he one of us?” Hanna asked, pointing to Dylan, herself, and me.

“Not originally,” Demi Mason spoke up. “After he was in our custody, Cerbie…um, sorry. Raymond and I ran his photo through a reversing program. He was 100% human at one point in his short life.”

“What do you mean he was human?” Hanna snapped.

“He wasn’t human when we found him,” I stated, mindlessly scratching the back of my neck. Eh, it’s my nervous tick.

“Your forensic guys also seem to imply something else, Sergeant,” Hanna noted, not missing anything. Her tone was sharp and direct.

“He was, while in our custody and as of a few weeks ago, found unresponsive under mysterious circumstances,” Chief Edwards confessed. He rubbed the back of his neck, letting out a small sigh.

“Uncle Fenton! Why didn’t you notify me sooner?” she balked.

“We tried, but” — he sighed, scratching his stubble — “things got in the way,” he explained.

Hanna and Dylan both gave me a side glare. What? How was I to know my story would go sideways?

“Is he still here? In your custody?” she asked.

“He is in our morgue,” Noah Davidson replied. “But I’m having a terrible time with the autopsy.”

“Necropsy,” Hanna corrected him. “If he was in an animal state, you’d be doing a necropsy.”

“How would I do that?” Noah inquired.

“You would need to speak with a veterinarian,” Gilbert Jacobson gruffly answered.

“My friend Dr. Kiersten Abernathy’s a vet… Oh, g-ddess! She’s dead. Key’s dead,” Hanna whispered. She crumbled into her mate and sobbed uncontrollably. Like a runaway freight train, the realization of Kiersten Abernathy’s ghastly demise hit Hanna.

Grief is funny that way. One day you think you’re perfectly fine and then out of nowhere, you have the rug pulled out from under you. It doesn’t take much to bring it on. One look at an obscured object or hearing a few bars from a song and you’re in Waterwork Central. And truthfully, Hanna never had a moment to grieve for her friend. She is still dealing with her trauma.

The room became suddenly quiet and awkward. The only sounds were Hanna’s muffled sobs and Dylan whispering words of comfort to her. Dylan held his mate in a tight embrace, stroked her back, and placed tiny kisses on top of her head. We sat in silence giving Hanna all the time she needed.

While we waited, a knock at the door broke the solemnity. An unknown figure motioned for Chief Edwards to join them in the hallway.

“Please excuse my brief absence. It looks like I’m needed for something outside,” he explained. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

He stood up and went out the door. The Chief’s and the mysterious figure’s silhouettes played like an old-timey animated movie on the door's frosted glass. Their low whispers were muffled by the door. By the time Chief Edwards claimed his seat again, Hanna, with Dylan’s help, was a little calmer. Eh, can’t really blame her for being upset. Her entire ordeal was horrific at best, and that’s saying something.

“Thank you for your patience. Now, where were we?” The Chief took charge of the meeting again.

“We were discussing Anderson Jacob’s…condition,” Noah Davidson, our assistant ME, replied.

“Right,” Fenton muttered.

“But how did he end up that way?” Hanna voiced her bewilderment. She wiped away a few stray tears.

“In the morgue? I’m currently working on that specific case,” I noted. My eyes drifted toward our head ME. He’s still on my list.

“Not the specific information I was looking for, Sergeant,” she sassed in her smart-ass way.

“Have we been compromised?” my cousin interjected.

“I don’t think so,” Dr. William Frederickson answered. “From the starting dates listed on the oldest file, whoever has been at this long before most of us arrived in Wolfdale City. And the majority of their test subjects resulted in the same…death of the subject.” He fanned out the papers on the table so we could see for ourselves. In bold red ink, the word ‘deceased’ was marked on about 98% of the papers.

“But how would they have known what to do or even look for with the DNA?” I asked.

“And here is the reason I’m on your person of interest list, Sergeant,” he confidently noted. “I’ve been working on a special program to help distinguish between human, animal, and those of the supernatural kind.”

My human colleagues shifted uncomfortably in their seats after hearing the tidbit.

“Hence the paternity test you were able to conduct,” I mostly muttered to myself. “Who else would have had access to this program?” I directed the question to the Biology dean.

“My current version is kept under a tight security code,” he replied. “However, I’m afraid to admit that some of the more rudimentary versions may have gotten stolen and copied throughout the early stages. I was, unfortunately, too naive and trusted my colleagues too much in my younger years.”

All this information was hurting my head. I stood from my chair and began pacing the room. A few of my colleagues stretched their legs too. This topic was…well, not your everyday crime-fighting stuff. I lost track of how many sighs I let loose while I slowly digested what was given to me.

“Well, this has been insightful. Thank you, William, for helping us on this matter,” Chief Edwards stated. “Let’s give my niece some time to grieve and resume this meeting another day. Everyone, except for Sergeant Black, Mr. Blackwater, and Hanna, is dismissed. Thank you for your time.”

Great. Now, what did I do? Whatever it is, I didn’t do it.

“My apologies for detaining you three,” my boss began. He pulled out four amulets from his suit jacket and placed them on the large table. “I think you can figure out who my visitor was by these items.”

“Uncle Mac!” Hanna exclaimed. “But why didn’t he just come into the meeting? His insight would’ve been helpful as well.”

“Perhaps so, but given present company” —he pointed to Dylan and me— “he felt it best to stay out of the way, for now.”

“Ahem, right,” my cousin sheepishly replied. “Sorry, Hanna…but I am trying.”

“I know,” she said, leaning into him. “I can’t expect old habits to instantly die off. It wouldn’t be realistic.”

Her mate gave her another peck on her head which put a small smile on her face. Surprisingly, she fingered for Dylan to lean closer to her and gave him a quick peck on his scarred cheek. A goofy grin on my cousin’s face was the result. Am I jealous of their mate bond? Damn, straight I am.

“And what are those supposed to do?” Dylan asked, reaching for two of them.

“From what he told me, they’re for basic protection,” Fenton explained.

“Protection from what?” Hanna pressed. “W-w-what’s g-going on?”

“We don’t know, for sure, Bet,” he tried explaining. “But Malcolm and Lila are looking into it.”

“Okay,” she whispered. However, the look on her face revealed that she wasn’t thrilled with the answer.

Dylan helped Hanna get the amulet around her neck. She hid it under her silk blouse. My cousin followed suit and hid his amulet under his dress shirt.

“Sergeant, Hanna tells me Tiffeny has been tutoring your daughter. Is this correct?” the chief asked.

“Yes, sir, she has been,” I answered. “She’s been a good influence on my daughter, too.” I checked my watch for the time. “She should be at my home now. Would you like for me to give her one?”

The chief nodded. I grabbed the last two and roughly shoved them in my front pant pocket. I’ll mess with the one for me later. I had paperwork to fill out. Every damned day, but it’s all part of the job.

March 25th, 7:48 PM, 1313 J. Butcher Blvd.

The ride home was only slightly eventful. My Rogue caught a stone in the muffler. The funny thing is, I don’t remember hitting anything that would cause that sound. I’ll have to get Sammy to look over my mini SUV for any other oddity. The extra rattle was unnerving. Periodically, I would gaze at the rear-view mirror. I’m not sure if I was being followed or not. It wasn’t the same make and model of vehicle that was stalking my place earlier in the day. Great. Something else to worry about.

Pulling into my driveway, I waited and watched the street for a few minutes. The same vehicle that I suspected did a slow creepy crawl drive past my house. It sent a shiver down my spine. I don’t have to watch horror movies. I live them–every damn day.

The light from the kitchen window, shining out into the small yard, showed two silhouettes. One tall and one short. My boss’s daughter and my Jewel were at the sink cleaning the dishes. The sudden rumble of my stomach urged my tired feet toward the house. Reaching the stoop, the wonderful smell of a hearty beef stew filled my nostrils. A vague memory of something significant haunted my brain for a brief moment as I entered my home. Damn, I wish I could remember what it was.

“Sergeant! You’re home,” Jewel shouted, running over to me–wet hands and all. She threw her arms around me and gave me a big hug. And with the day I had, it was well received. As if on cue, my stomach rumbled loudly.

“There’s beef stew on the stove. Go change and I’ll dish some out for you,” Tiffeny stated with the prettiest smile.

“Thanks, I’ll get right on that,” I replied, emptying my pockets into the holder I kept on the countertop near the door. My badge and Glock I store safely away in my bedroom, in a place where only I know their whereabouts. I quickly went upstairs to change clothes.

“Okay, Jewel. Now that your dad’s home, how about you go get ready for bed,” Tiffeny advised.

“But…” my little Jewel protested.

“Don’t worry. I’ll be here when you’re done,” Tiffeny reassured her.

“You heard her,” I said, sneaking up behind her. “Go get ready for bed.”

“Fiiiiine,” my mini-me huffed dramatically, tossing her back and stomping upstairs to her room.

Tiffeny did her best to stifle her cute laugh. She scooped out a huge helping of the stew and placed it at my spot at the table. Sure she’d figure out which one it was with her tutoring Jewel. But she knew it right away. It’s nice but weird. By the time I was halfway through my plate of food and beer, Jewel skipped down the squeaky staircase. She sat in a chair beside me. Luna Tiffeny fixed her a small bowl of stew.

“Bottomless pits,” she giggled.

Without warning, Luna Tiffeny experienced the wonderful symptoms of morning sickness. Please, note the sarcasm. Obviously, she was miserable and embarrassed. Jewel grabbed the trash bin from under the sink and placed it in front of Tiffeny. She lovingly rubbed her back. I grabbed a washcloth from the upstairs bathroom and a change of clothes. One of my Wolfdale City PD tee-shirts and lounge pants.

“Thanks,” she murmured, with her head hovering over the trash bin.

“Do you have anything with you to take that would help you?” I asked, genuinely concerned.

I handed her the washcloth. She nodded, wiping her mouth. “I do. It’s in my purse,” she answered, pointing to the item.

“I’ll get it!” Jewel yelled, running over to grab it. Jewel placed it on the kitchen table with a thud. “Oops, sorry.”

“Hey, easy with other people’s property,” I instructed her.

“Sorry,” she whispered.

“Go get your teeth brushed. I’ll be up soon,” I added. Jewel reluctantly did as I said.

“Could you look for me, please?” she asked in a whisper. She rested her head on her hand.

“What am I looking for?”

“Some ginger chews. Hanna’s Uncle Mac made me some to help,” she explained. “It’s a small package with a floral MM for the logo.”

With Tiffeny’s permission, I rummaged through her purse looking for the item. It wasn’t hard to find. Logically, she kept it in the main section where it would be accessible. The package was about the size of a small deck of playing cards. It was sage green with two large fancy Ms framed by a rectangle with leafy sprigs at opposite ends. I guess it seems fitting for a ‘certified herbalist’, how Hanna would describe him. For a brief moment, the same logo flashed in my mind. I saw it somewhere before. But I can’t think of where.

“Is this it?” I asked, handing her the item.

“Yes…thank you,” she nodded, reaching for the package.

Once she had eaten her ginger chew, I helped her to the small half-bath and handed her the clothing items I retrieved for her to use. When she finished changing, she stepped out of the tiny room and practically fell into my arms.

“Hey, are you okay?”

“No…” she complained. She gripped my arms tighter.

“I don’t think you should be driving.”

“I don’t think I should be driving, either.” I walked her over to the couch so she could rest. “I’m really sorry about this. I don’t know why I’m having trouble suddenly.”

“Hey, I’m just glad your dizzy spell happened here instead of out on the road,” I confessed. “I hope you don’t mind bunking on the couch for tonight.”

“No, I don’t mind. Thank you, Sergeant,” she said, fighting the nausea that was threatening to return.

After I got Jewel tucked into bed, I grabbed a pillow and an extra blanket from my room. When I returned to the living area, Tiffeny was sobbing. I can only assume it’s the pregnancy hormones.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” I asked, instinctively rushing to her side. She threw herself into my arms. I threw the blanket over both of us and held her tightly in my embrace. We drifted off to sleep.