Chapter 5 Carter
1643 Words
The couple months went by smoothly. I was sitting in my office when Tara came in.
“You wanted to see me Alpha?”
“Yes. I was hoping you could give me some ideas for proposing.”
“Proposing what?”
“Marriage Tara.”
“You and Claire are mated already.”
“Yes but I thought she might like it if I proposed officially.”
“I see.”
“So any ideas?”
“Well you could take her to the ocean.”
“Thank you. I have the perfect idea. Can you send John in here on your way out.”
“Of course,” Tara said as she turned to leave.
“Alpha,” John asked, coming in a couple minutes later.
“I need your help.”
After working in the office all day I went to the market. I picked up a half pound of fresh shrimp. I went home and cleaned and peeled the shrimp. I put on a pot of noodles. Then I cooked my shrimp and started my sauce.
“Mmh something smells good,” Claire said walking in the door.
“Yeah I’m just whipping up something for dinner.”
“I didn’t know you could cook,” she said with a smile.
“Very funny,”I replied unamused.
“Well we always eat at Doreen’s. I wasn’t sure if you even knew what to do in the kitchen,” she teased me.
“Of course I know how to cook. I’m just normally busy. So eating at Doreen’s is easier.”
“Ok well is dinner done yet?”
“Not yet.”
“Okay well I’m going to shower.”
“Okay sounds great. Hey when you get out, put on a nice dress.”
“Okay why?”
“Well I thought we could go on a date.”
“Really,” she asked excitedly.
“Yeah I thought you might like to since you’ve been working so hard lately.”
“Yay,” she squealed.
I got back to cooking as she headed up to shower. I quickly whipped up a no-bake cheesecake and put it in the fridge. I dished out the noodles and sauce. I set the table and poured wine for the two of us and lit candles. Claire came down the stairs wearing a mid length silver dress and carrying a pair of strappy sandals.
“Dinner is served,” I said, smiling at her.
“Ooh, it looks delicious.”
We chatted about our days as we ate. When we were done I cleared the plates and dished out some cheese cake and brought it to her. After we finished our dessert I cleared the plates.
“I’ll be right back, I have to go change,” I told Claire.
“Okay, I’ll wait by the door for you.”
I went upstairs to our bedroom and sifted through my closet and found a pair of black dress pants and a silver button up shirt. I rushed down stairs and put my shoes on and led her out to the car.
We drove for about five minutes to get to the beach. It was sunset . We walked down the dock. At the end the railings were glowing with candle light.
“Claire, I wanted to do something special for you. I want to show you how much I love you. You are kind, smart and beautiful. I want you by my side always.,” I told her, pausing to get down on one knee. “Will you marry me?”
“Yes!”
I got up and slid the thin silver band on her finger.
“Do you like it,” I asked her.
“Yes, it’s perfect.”
“Good I’m glad.”
“Why did you pick this one? When did you pick it?”
“I picked it out last week, and you don’t seem like you like jewelry very much.”
She just smiled and twisted the ring on her finger. I looked up and saw Tara approaching slowly. I waved her towards us. We took some pictures and Tara promised to have them for us in a few days if all went well.
We drove back to the village and when we got there John mind-linked me informing me that there was an issue that needed to be dealt with immediately. I drove Claire to the house and left. Suddenly my phone rang. It was John.
“I’m on my way. I had to drop Claire off at home.”
“Sorry sir, there is an older couple here wanting to talk to the mayor. They said it was urgent.”
“The mayor?”
“Yes sir.”
“We don’t have a mayor,” I told him suddenly it clicked this couple were humans. “I got it, I'll be there soon.”
“I will tell them sir.”
“Where are you?”
“Town hall sir.”
“Be there in two.”
I drove over to the town hall.
“What’s the issue, sheriff,” I asked John when I walked through the door.
“They wanted to personally put in a missing person report.”
“A missing person?”
“Yes sir,” the old woman answered.
“Well as the sheriff isn’t this your job?”
“Normally sir-”
“But it’s our daughter and she can be violent. But she’s just really sick. She wouldn't let us take her to the hospital. When we tried she ran away.”
“Okay, let’s fill out a form.”
“Thank you,” the older woman said.
“ What’s her name,” John asked.
“Claire.”
“Last name?”
“Edwards.”
“Age?”
“24.”
“Hair and eye color?”
“Brown and bluish gray.”
“Height?”
“5 foot 6.”
“Any other identifying features?”
“What do you mean?”
“Any tattoos or scars?”
“Oh, no.”
“What was she wearing last time you saw her?”
“A shirt and pants.”
“What color?”
“Umm a gray shirt and blue jeans.”
“Okay and your names?”
“Darrick and Emma.”
“Last name?”
“Edwards, same as Claire’s.”
“Okay and contact info?”
“ Our number is 456-852-9731.”
“How long has she been missing?”
“About six months.”
“Okay. Well I think that’s it,” John said.
“Actually, do you have a photo of your daughter,” I asked the couple.
“Um well no.”
“You don’t have any photos of your daughter?”
“No, she doesn’t like getting her picture taken.”
“Well okay then if we see her we’ll be in touch.”
“Actually, do you have a hotel we can stay at? It’s gotten quite late.”
“We don’t have a hotel, but we do have a bed and breakfast just up the road a bit.”
“Okay. Thank you boys so much.”
“You know they are full of s**t right,” John asked me after they left.
“Yes, I know that must have been the couple Claire stayed with before moving here.”
“Yeah, what are we going to do about them?”
“With any luck they’ll move on in the next couple of days.”
“And if they don’t?”
“We will cross that bridge when it comes.”
I went home to talk to Claire. We decided as long as the couple was in town she would be called Ms. Redding while she was working in the clinic. I mind-linked everyone in the pack to let them know what was going on. They were to act like regular humans and Claire would be addressed as Mrs Redding due to her work in the clinic and temple, which we called a church when suspicious humans were around.
Then the next day I was walking to my office when I was stopped by Derrick.
“This is a nice little village you got here. What’s the name of it? I didn't see a sign when we drove in.”
“Oh that’s because a drunk took it out about a year ago and we don’t get a lot of tourists since we are kind of off the beaten path. So the people took a vote and decided not to fund a new one and put the money towards other necessities.”
“Like what?”
“Our school got some new playground equipment since it’s also often used as a park when school is out.”
“Oh I see.”
“Yeah we commissioned some local workers who agreed to do it at a discount since the equipment had been there for three generations.”
“Well isn’t that lovely,” He sneered.
“Yes I think it’s important to keep our kids healthy and give them a place to hang out. They are the future.”
“I see.”
“Well I’m at my office. Is there something I can do for you?”
“No. I was just looking to chat with you. By the way, I didn't catch your name last night.”
“It’s Carter.”
“Well Carter it was nice to meet you.”
“Same to you,” I replied, walking into the building. “Nice to see you Becca. How’s your kids?”
“Good thank you.”
“Anything I need to know.”
“No sir.”
“Good, I'll be in my office.”
I spent the day going through ordinances and proposals.
- Writer
