The Severed Thread (26 page)

“I’ve never been on a real picnic!” She was dancing around like I was taking her to Disney World.  Her isolation was worse than I had previously thought.  What the hell was wrong with McCallister? 

My eyes shot to Ann Marie who was watching Penny.  I was glad she missed the disgusted look I knew was on my face.  She was here all day.  What was she doing with the kid in all those hours that the vampires slept?  Christ, the size of the Clan Home property was so vast it was like they nearly
lived
at a park.  She couldn’t take the kid on a picnic out back once in a while?  Some of my greatest childhood memories were of picnics with my mom.  Often we would just lay out a blanket under a tree and have a snack.  Then we would stare up at the clouds and watch the birds calling to each other while they danced from branch to branch.

“Well I’m very happy that I get to take you.  Hopefully this will be the first of many picnics in your future.”  I said the last part while giving Ann Marie a pointed look that I hope conveyed
get off your ass and do something fun with this kid
- in the nicest possible way of course.  She blanched and looked away.

   During our ride to the park Alexander was notably quiet, keeping his eyes firmly on the road.  Sampson, on the other hand was watching everything but the road.  He checked out every car that we passed and constantly monitored the side view mirrors.  They were definitely taking this assignment seriously.

In contrast, Penny peppered me with questions about Francine and Jax.  She was excited to meet the kids and wanted to know all about them.  I explained that Francine was eight and her little brother Jax was six.  She found the fact that they were werewolves particularly interesting since all the wolves she knew were adults.

Penny’s mood abruptly shifted to one of somber quietness when we finally reached the park.  What happened to the chattering excited child of just a few minutes ago?

“Are you alright?” I asked, reaching out to touch her arm.

She nodded her head without looking at me.  Instead she focused on trying to unbuckle her seatbelt.  She was all thumbs, fumbling in her attempts to release the buckle.  Her excitement seemed to have turned to anxiety.  I put my hand over hers. 

“Hey, we are going to have a great time,” I told her.  “I promise.”

“What if they don’t like me?” she whispered and my heart nearly broke for her.  I made a promise to myself to kick someone’s ass for letting this kid go without friends for so long. 

“They are definitely going to like you,” I assured her with a smile.  “Just between you and me, Jax can be a little wild,” I confided, propelling my hands in the air and rolling my eyes around to demonstrate.  “So maybe it’s him that should be worried.” I gave her a little poke in the ribs.  Her relieved giggle was reassuring.

I saw Alexander watching me in the mirror.  I raised my eyebrows in question but his features remained impassive.  I could not shake the feeling that he was judging me on some criteria known only to him and I was failing miserably.  Still, I refused to look away regardless of the challenge I knew I was blatantly throwing his direction.  Finally he broke the staring contest as he moved to climb out of the driver’s seat to come around to open my door.  Sampson took point and watched the area as Penny and I got out of the car.

“Let’s go find Francine and Jax,” I suggested.  Penny put her hand in mine and we made our way over the rise towards the playground where Marsha and I had decided to meet.  I was relieved to see that Marsha was already there.  She was watching the kids play; Jax on the slide and Francine on the swing.  When she saw us she waved.  I waved back at the same moment the kids spotted us.

“Abigail!” they yelled in unison before running towards us.  Penny tightened her grip on my hand.  I gave her a reassuring squeeze as the kids and their mother approached.

“Thanks for meeting us,” I said as I embraced first Marsha, then Francine and Jax in turn. 

“Anytime,” Marsha said with a smile.  Now it was time for introductions.

“Penny, I’d like you to meet Francine, Jax and their mother, Ms. Marsha.”  I had never liked a lot of formality with kids.  I thought it was okay that they used her first name.

“Hi,” Penny said with a wary smile in the direction of the kids.

“Do you really live with the clan master?” Jax blurted, his eyes round.

Penny nodded shyly.  “He’s my Uncle Liam.”

“Wow!” Jax replied at the same moment Francine said, “That is totally cool!”  Marsha smirked at me over the kid’s heads. 

“Why don’t you three head over to the swings?”

“Let’s go,” Francine said as she reached out and started tugging Penny in that direction.  She looked at me for reassurance. 

“Go ahead,” I said nodding.  “Have fun.”

“So do they drink blood in front of you?” I heard Jax ask as the threesome walked away.

“Sometimes.  Usually they heat it in the microwave first though.”

“Ew.  Gross!” Jax said, dragging out the words so that it sounded more like he really meant, ‘
wow, that’s sooo cool!
’  Little boys amazed me sometimes. 

I looked at Marsha again to see if she was listening too.  Our eyes met, and she laughed softly, shrugging.  “He’s fascinated with all things vampire.”

“I noticed.” We both watched the kids while they each picked out a swing.  I saw Alexander at the top of the rise keeping watch, and Sampson standing just off the edge of the play area in the grass.

“So, how are you holding up?” she asked, pulling my attention away from the kids and our escorts.

“Alright I guess,” I shrugged.  “Everything has been so crazy lately.”

“You mean crazier than this play date for Liam McCallister’s ward?” she asked, eyebrows raised.

“Yeah, sadly this is the least crazy thing all week.”

“How did you get signed up for this anyway?” she asked in amazement.  “I didn’t think you even knew Liam McCallister and suddenly you’re organizing activities for his ward.  Corbin was pretty tight lipped about the whole thing and I didn’t want to ask you at the funeral.”

“It’s a long story.  Regardless of why, McCallister asked me, I’m glad I agreed.  She’s a great kid who needs to get out and socialize with some kids her own age.  She has been cooped up in that house with a frazzled nanny and countless vampires all of whom seem to have forgotten the simple pleasures of childhood.  This is her first picnic!”  I was getting mad all over again.  Alexander was watching.  What was up with him anyway?

“It’s her first picnic?”

“Yeah, can you believe it?  They practically live in a park and the kid has never been on a picnic.  It’s crazy!” 

“It’s been hundreds of years since some of those vampires were kids, so you really shouldn’t be surprised.  What’s the story with the nanny?”

“I’m not sure.  I can’t tell if she is legitimately afraid of doing anything McCallister might disapprove of, or she’s just lazy.”  The kids had moved from the swings to the play-set.  They were involved in a rousing game of tag, using the slides and rock wall to make a quick get-away.  Marsha and I spent the time catching up. 

By the time we stopped for lunch the kids were getting along like they had known each other for years instead of just an hour and a half.  They chatted and laughed through the entire meal, sharing stories about which movies they had recently watched and their theories on the existence of garden fairies.  It was fascinating to watch as a non-parent.

“I can’t believe how far they’ve come in such a short visit,” I murmured to Marsha.  She looked up from her sandwich with a quizzical look before glancing at the kids. 

“You mean the kids being BFF’s?”  At my nod, she smiled.  “Most kids this age,” she swept her hand out towards the three little heads bent over their food, whispering conspiratorially, “seem to make friends easily.

“I hope you three aren’t planning anything down there,” she said loud enough to get the children’s attention.  Three exaggeratedly innocent faces turned towards her.

“Can we go to the pond?” Jax asked.

“I’m not sure we’ll have enough time to walk over there today.  If you finish up your lunch you should have enough time to play some more on the slides and swings though.”

  She looked back to me after the kids turned back to each other and the remainder of their lunches.  “Little kids have this knack for making connections and running with them without the uncertainties and preconceptions us adults have.”

The kids played for a bit more after lunch and then it was time to go.  There was a lot of hugging accompanied by whining attempts to linger at the end but we finally made it back to the car with promises to set up another outing in the near future.

“Thank you,” Penny said when we were finally back in the car.  She leaned over and gave me a big hug.  “This was the best day ever!” 

I swallowed back the lump in my throat that such a small thing had made her so happy.  I put my arm around her and she nestled in for the ride home.

Chapter 23

“Miss Lassiter, we weren’t expecting you today.”

“Hi Thomas,” I said through my open window.  “I was in the area and thought I would drop by for a quick visit.”  The truth was I had decided it was time to make a stop at my parents to ask my father about the strange business with the retirement fund.  I had driven straight to their house after dropping off Penny.

“Well, it’s always good to see you.”

“You too Thomas.  Is the old man around?”

“If you are referring to the senator,” he said with a chuckle, “than the answer is ‘yes’.”

“Good.” He and I were overdue for a chat.  I gave Thomas a final wave as I headed up the drive.

I attempted to rally myself for this unannounced meeting with my father as I walked to the door.  I had intentionally come without calling first in the hopes that it wouldn’t give him the opportunity to concoct a story.  Above and beyond his words, I wanted to read the expressions on his face.

        I entered through the kitchen and made my way to his office.  Passing the solarium on the way, I briefly considered stopping to see if my mother was there before discarding the impulse.  There was no reason to get sidetracked now.  I had already waited too long to question him about the retirement fund.  Pausing just outside his office, I felt for his presence beyond the door.  He was in there.

“Abigail,” his exasperated voice reached me through the thick mahogany.  “Don’t stand in the hall like an eavesdropper.  If you are planning to come in, come in.  Otherwise, get the hell away from my door.  Your lurking is distracting.”  I rolled my eyes.  Let the good times begin.

“Hello father,” I said politely, swinging open the door.  His eyebrows rose suspiciously.

“Did you want something?” he said indicating the pile of papers before him on the desk.   No, ‘Abigail it’s so nice to see you’.  No hug.  Nothing.

“We need to talk.”  He wasn’t being polite, why should I?  At least I had tried.

“About?”  Again his eyebrows rose, this time in question.

“About Jamison Financial.”  I saw his right eye twitch but otherwise his expression remained oddly blank.  Nobody pulls a complete blank face without a reason.

“What about them?” he asked in an offhand manner. 

“Why has all of the retirement money for Lassiter Shipping been moved from Ferris Investments to Jamison Financial without us discussing it first?”

“You don’t handle the retirement funds, so I did not see any reason to mention it to you,” he explained like it was all very reasonable.  Lassiter Enterprise Holdings traditionally managed the retirement funds for the entire corporation.  It was one of the things that he had kept under his jurisdiction when I had taken over as managing director of Lassiter Shipping. 

“Well, it would have been nice to know.  I had to find out when Samantha pointed out a discrepancy on one of the reports.” 

“A discrepancy?”  His shock appeared genuine.  I couldn’t tell if it was because there was a mistake on the reports or the possibility of missing money.

“Yes,” I replied testily.  “A discrepancy that amounts to close to three million dollars.” 

“That’s impossible,” he blustered.  “Samantha is mistaken.”

“I sure as hell hope so, or we have a serious problem.  The kind of problem that could find us doing a lot of explaining to the Attorney General’s office.”

“I’m sure it is just a reporting error.”

“That is what I thought but Samantha can’t get any information out of Jamison about the account.  Seems she is not authorized.”

“I will have someone look into it.”

“You better and while you are at it have Samantha and me set up with access to the account,” I told him.  “I want someone to explain this away to my satisfaction as a clerical error.”

“Don’t worry, Abigail.  I said I’ll take care of it,” he said dismissively.  “Is that all?

“Is that all?”  I repeated incredulously.  “I think that should be enough.”

“I will get back with you about what I discover.”  He started looking at the papers in front of him again.  I guess we were done talking.

“I take it that I’ve been dismissed?”

“Unless there was something else you wished to discuss,” he said sitting back in his chair and steepling his fingers.

“No, nothing else,” I said, trying to reign in my temper.  “I expect to hear back from you about this in the next day or two.”

He looked at me over his fingers a moment more and then gave me a single nod along with a tight smile that did not quite reach his eyes.

I don’t know why I even tried talking with him.  I turned and strode out of his office.  By that time I got back to my car, I was already dialing Samantha’s number.  I leaned against the door while waiting for her to answer.

“Hi Abigail,” Samantha said as she answered the phone.  “Good timing.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, just heard back from our new contractor about Harvey.”

“Something useful I hope.”

“Interesting at least.  Seems he has had a bit more money at his disposal lately.  Bought himself a new SUV with funds that mysteriously showed up in his account two weeks ago.  The money was deposited as cash, so Nemesis can’t pinpoint exactly where it came from.”