Chapter 5
Duncan kept an eye on Mr. Bloom. As soon as he arrived, he became grandda to each and every child he came in contact with. With the adults, he was a little less friendly, but especially Mrs. Holloway. The first words out of the older man’s mouth were a snide remark about her so-called job.
When one of the younger kids asked to pull on Mr. Bloom’s beard, Duncan was making his way to them when the elderly man laughed and allowed her to pull on it. Duncan was still standing close to him when he reached up to close his mouth.
“You’re confused.” Duncan nodded. “I wanted to talk to you about something. Something that your new missus spoke to me about when she came out to the house. She sure is a pushy little thing, isn’t she?”
“She doesn’t have to be pushy with me. I do what she wants.” Mr. Bloom said he was a good man for that. “Why are you here? Not that I mind you coming to see the children. They have so extraordinarily little in their lives as it is. They’ve taken a shine to you, that’s for sure.”
“I love children. Always have.” The two of them watched as the children played with some of the toys they’d unearthed. “My missus and I weren’t blessed with any children. We both wanted them, but I had me something terrible when I was overseas—mumps, of all things. Anyway, when she passed a few years ago, I found myself all alone and not feeling very sociable anymore. You know, you could do a lot for this town if you wanted.”
“Such as? I’ve been working on a few projects. My wife and I are going to help with a couple of things for the schools, as well as the elderly home. What else do you think I should get my hands dirty with?” He nodded toward Ms. Holloway. “I don’t think the two of you have been friends. Something I should know about?”
“Yes. Plenty. But I’m only going to tell you what I experienced with her. She don’t let them kids go.” Duncan didn’t understand what he meant. Mr. Bloom walked toward his office, and Duncan followed him inside. Shutting the door seemed to have been all the signal he needed to speak freely. “She’s a rotten bitch if you ask me. Me and my missus, as I said, we weren’t able to have any children. At the time, she had about a dozen babies there—war babies, they were called back then. Mothers couldn’t raise them on their own when the daddy was killed. You understand that story. Anyway, she told us point blank that the kids were for her. She was going to see that they got them a good home. Let me ask you something, young man. Do I strike you as a person that would harm a little fellow? No. I’m telling you right now, I would have given just about anything for us to be able to take one of them babies on. But she kept them, right up until they weren’t cute no more. I’m thinking she does something with them. Ain’t a soul I know that has gotten a single child out of that place.”
“I can look into that—I will look into that. Just give me a second and—” Mr. Bloom asked him what he was. “You mean other than a man? I have a great deal of magic. But for what I might be called, I guess you could say bird. My wife, she’s an eagle. Her sisters, all of them, they’re birds as well.”
“They ain’t sisters though, are they? Not that it matters, but a man can see they’re closer than any sisters would be. Love you men, too.” Duncan said he hoped so. “Plain as the nose on your face that she loves you. You do something with your magic and look into the bitch from the school’s head. I know you can do it. Can’t you?”
“I can.” Duncan could do it, but since he wasn’t sure what he would be looking for, he just reached out to her mind. “Christ.”
Sitting down, he felt Mr. Bloom fan him with a file he’d had on his desk. It was horrible, the things he’d touched on in her head. Looking at the man he was beginning to like a great deal, Duncan asked him if he really didn’t know what she did with the children.
“I’m thinking she is selling them off. That’s what I keep telling myself, Duncan. That’s what keeps me from being able to sleep at night. If I’m wrong, and I just know I’m not, you need to be telling me.” Duncan nodded. “It’s something no man would want to know, isn’t it?”
“Yes.” Duncan stood up and picked up the phone on his desk. “I can take care of it right now. I’m calling in some special help with this. Do you—would you like to be in on this, Mr. Bloom?”
“It’s Max, and I surely would.”
When the man at the other end answered his phone, Duncan had forgotten about it being Christmas Day. Agent Bishop answered the phone with a laugh and a merry holiday.
“I’m so sorry, Ben. I truly am. But I have a nasty situation here that I need you to move in on now.” Ben asked him what had happened, all business as soon as Duncan started out telling him he was sorry. “There is a home in the town where I live for homeless and orphaned children. I have it on good authority the woman and man who are running things there are running a child prostitution ring.”
Duncan looked at Max when he sat down, his face as pale as he’d ever seen. Handing the man a bottle of his best bourbon, he wasn’t surprised at all when he took the cap off and drank right from the bottle.
Ben knew what Duncan was, that he could see bits and pieces of the future. Also that he could read minds when he needed to. Without Ben questioning his source or the person he might have gotten the information from, Duncan explained to him, in detail, what he’d found in the woman’s head.
“When you get in the home, you’ll take a left into what looks like a parlor. Behind the bookshelf, you’ll find a small room where the pictures and movies are made.” Telling him where he would find other incriminating things, Duncan told him that Mr. Bloom, his neighbor, had warned him about her just today. “I would consider it a personal favor to me if you could let him be there when you arrest her.”
“What time is your party over today?” Duncan told him they were going to have dinner at five then send them home on the bus. “Good. That’s perfect. I’ll hit the home now within the hour. Since it’s only a little after noon now, I can find enough to go there and have her taken away. The problem is, what happens to the children in the meantime? We have to have a safe place for them to go.”
“I can take care of that. I have enough people here and in my area that would gladly help out with this.” Duncan looked at Max, who was nodding too. “The kids will be safe, Ben. I promise you this.”
After giving him a few more details, the two of them hung up, Duncan looked at Max and asked him if he was all right. When he nodded, then shook his head, Duncan could see that the reality of the situation was much more than even he’d thought. Max asked him what she did with the older children, once they were too old to let her take their pictures.
“She kills them. Max, we wouldn’t have been able to stop her without your help. I know it’s a lot for you to think about now, but there is no telling how much longer she might well have done this to children.” Max nodded but didn’t look in his direction. “I can’t thank you enough for this. For your help. I’m indebted to you for this.”
Still not looking in his direction, Max spoke. “You taking any of those kids for your own?” He told him about the two they were adopting. “There is something I’d like for you to do for me. You don’t have to if you don’t want to, but I’d appreciate it if you’d allow me to be their grandda. I’d like to have them around me some. Not because I helped out, but just because you want to allow them to come see me.”
“They would love it. Perhaps you can talk to Abe some more. I notice he has taken a shine to you.” Max nodded. “You can call up anytime you wish to have them come over. I have to make a few phone calls about the children. Do you want to stay?”
“No. I’m feeling the need to get me some more hugs from those kids. You take care that that she-devil don’t hurt you none either. I’m just now getting to like you a bit.” Max nodded at him, then walked to the door. “You’re a good man, Duncan. A damned sight better than I gave you any credit for. I’m sorry for that.”
“We
’re friends now. And to me, I think I’ve come out on the better end of it.”
Max left him there, and Duncan reached out to the woman who had raised him. Mary would be able to find enough homes for all the children in no time flat. He wouldn’t be surprised if a few of them found themselves some forever homes after this. Laughing a little, he told Mary what was going on and how many homes he might need.
Is it the little ones at your house now? He told her it was. I’ll make a couple of calls. How about you move it so we can have ourselves an adoption party today too? Might go a long way in getting these kids in a safe home. But tell me, Duncan, what’s going on? He told her everything he’d found out, and even what was going to happen today. We’ll be there. You say about ten families? We’ll be there.
His phone was ringing when he was ready to leave his office. It was Ben, telling him not only had he found the room he’d told him to look for, but there was a lot of paperwork there as well.
“We have everything, Duncan. This is— I’m telling you right now, son, this goes beyond her just running some porn out of this place. We’ve found a few photo books with newspaper articles, talking about the death of a few of the children she’s had in here. Got herself some pictures of before and after they were murdered. This is one sick person. Sicker than I’ve come across in all my years. She’s been doing this for some time too.” Duncan told him he was sorry. “I am too. But we’re only scratching the surface of things here. We’re going to be out to get her. You can count on that. I’m telling you right now, I’m hoping she tries something. I’d be as happy as I’ve ever been to pop one in the back of her head.”
“Tell me when you’re going to be here, and I’ll make arrangements so the children aren’t privy to her being taken out.” Ben told him that might be a good idea. “I have people coming for the children soon. Mary told me we might have a huge adoption party going on here today.”
“Mary is a good woman. A heart of gold. You tell her for me, she needs anything in taking these children in, I’m there for her. If anyone of them folks she brings to your home needs a reference, I’ll stand up and give them my oath that if Mary picks them, they’re good people.”
Ben told him he’d be there at two. That gave Mary an hour to get there and for the kids to find something to do in the back end of the castle. It might be the perfect time, Duncan thought, to have some cake and ice cream.
By the time he explained to the birds and their mates what was going down, he could tell that not only was Mercy pissed off about it, but Judith looked like she wanted to hunt the woman down right now and end her life. Duncan didn’t dare tell her everything Ben had told him. Ms. Holloway would never make it to her next breath if he did that.
Ben had unearthed a mass grave in the back of the home. He’d been able to find it thanks to him being a wolf. The others with him, the officers, had been sickened by the find and had wanted to come along with him when he arrested Hanna Holloway.
At a quarter till two, Mary showed up with not just other people, but gifts they’d brought with them as well. Six families were with the children when Judith herded them to the big dining room for make your own sundaes. Duncan had never been so nervous in his life as he was at this moment.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Duncan asked Ms. Holloway what she meant. “I told you when I agreed to this hair-brained idea of yours that they weren’t to have too many gifts and that they were not to open them until I approved it. You’ve got them running like wild animals around here, and I won’t have it. I’ve a good mind to just pack them all up and take them back with me.”
“You go ahead and try it. I’m sure that my family will keep you from touching a one of those children. Not to mention, I don’t understand why the gifts couldn’t be opened. Perhaps you can explain to me why I had to let them open the gifts, then take them away until they were ready to leave.” Someone tugged on his shirt, and he turned to find Abe there. “Hello, son. Are you missing the ice—?”
“Do not give that brat any ice cream.” Abe grabbed his arm and hid behind him. “Don’t you dare try and pit this man against me, Abe. You’re not supposed to be here anyway. You’re just lucky that we’re here, or I’d show you what it means when you try and outsmart me. I’d show you in a moment what it means to you when I give you an order.”
Turning his back to the woman, he knelt down in front of Abe. He wasn’t a tall child, Duncan realized then. Hugging him to him, Duncan whispered in his ear to go and find his wife and tell her to come to him. After Abe left, it was all Duncan could do to hold onto his temper.
“You ever speak to him like that again, and there will be no finding your body. I’m not making a threat to you, but a promise. There is absolutely no reason whatsoever why he can’t be here as well.” He heard Judith coming toward them. She was still talking to Abe, he supposed, telling him she was glad he loved ice cream as much as she did. “I’m going to go and have some ice cream with the children. Despite what you’re trying to do to them to spoil their fun, they’re having a great time. My wife will deal with you.”
Duncan kissed Judith when she came into the hall where he was. He told her, so that Ms. Holloway could hear him, that he’d had enough, and his temper was getting the better of him. When she smiled back at him, Duncan thought he’d not want to be Ms. Holloway right now. Judith was going to eat her for lunch.
~*~
Judith just stared at the woman in front of her. There was something so very evil about her that she was surprised she’d not seen it before now. Crossing her arms over her ample chest didn’t improve the woman’s looks one bit. In fact, Judith laughed at her.
“You’re not going to impress me with your show of anger. I’ve eaten far worse than you when I was just a bird. Though now that I think on it, you are less than the worms and other disgusting creatures that held their people in slavery as king to their realm.” She’d confused her, and Judith was fine with that. “I’m a bird, Hanna. A large bird of prey that will most assuredly take you apart if you even try to touch one of these children again.”
“You think so, do you? Well, I’m in charge of the little monsters, and I will be gathering them up right now to take them back.” When she tried to move around her, Judith blocked her way. “How about if I call the police and have them come and arrest you? I’m sure you and that fancy man you have would just love having you taken away in cuffs.”
Judith handed Hanna her cell phone. “Go ahead. Give them a call. I’m sure they might have a few words for you too. By the way, the police are at the home now. They’ve found your little video recording room.” Hanna stiffened, and her face paled to a deathly white. “The mass grave too. It’s being excavated as we speak. Also, and this is what I find the most disturbing about you, you’ve been selling off the children’s gifts you have been getting from the state to help them out. I did wonder why you didn’t want the gifts played with. You get more money for them if they’re pristine, don’t you? Or you would have. I’m happy to tell you the police are on their way here, and hopefully, at least as far as I’m concerned, you’ll try and escape so that one or all of them have to kill you. But it could be that I just want you dead.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Jude said nothing but walked to the door when the bell rang. “You’re going to regret this. See if you don’t. You have no idea what you’re stepping into with your lies.”
The police, about a dozen or so of them, walked into the main hallway where she and Hanna had been speaking. Jamie Nolan, a friend of Duncan’s, was front and center. Jude introduced him to Hanna Holloway.
“Yes, ma’am, she’s who we’re here for.” Reading Hanna her rights didn’t take all that long. Hanna only glared at her the entire time. Jamie had to ask her twice if she understood her rights as they’d been read to her. “You have to give me an answer, Ms. Holloway. One way or the other. You either understand them,
or you don’t. Just tell me.”
“Oh, I understand a great many things right now. I understand that I’m going to sue each and every one of you for this. I’m going to own this castle once I’m finished with you and that so-called king that you’re married to. I have a lot of big names on my list of clients, and I plan to make full use of them. As soon as I make my first phone call, I’m going to be out and coming for the children again. It will be a sad shame if I have to cut costs any way I can.”
“You mean the mayor? He’s been arrested too. Or do you mean the county seat judge? Sorry to tell you this, but earlier today, he committed suicide. He left a note telling anyone who read it he was sorry for what he’d done.” Jude looked at Jamie as she continued. “Your man Peterson and I have been in contact since you were called to the home for children. He’s been remarkably busy on his end as well for me.”
“I thank you for that, Mrs. Dante. We’ll be taking her off your hands now. Also, we’ve arrested her driver out front. Put up a fuss when we asked him to let us look in the car they came here in. She was apparently making some deliveries. In the name of the Christmas spirit and all, I guess.”
Jude couldn’t help it, she laughed. It wasn’t really funny, but the way he said it, the deadpan look on his face, just tickled her. When they had Hanna in cuffs, Abe came out from behind her and Jude didn’t know what to think, or whether to be worried he’d heard too much. But when he stepped up to Hanna, Jude let him have his say.
“She let them hurt me. All the time.” Jude got down on her knees and turned Abe to look at her. She asked him what he meant. “They had sex with me, the men she invited to the home—all the time. I’m glad she is going to be gone. I want her dead.”
Judith (Queen's Birds of Prey Book 3) Page 8
