Oakley: Marshall’s Shadow – Jaguar Shapeshifter Romance (Marshall's Shadow Book 3)

by Kathi S. Barton

  Lach looked at Oakley. “If you’re okay with being married to me, I’d very much like for us to make it official. Or at least real. I know we don’t know each other all that well, but like the rest of the family, you’re starting to grow on me. I kind of like you.” Oakley started to answer, and Lach put up her hand. “I want you to think about this. If you take me on, I’m going to fight tooth and nail to keep these babies. They’re half mine, so I’m not going to allow anyone, including you, to dispose of or harm them in any way whatsoever. Just think on that. All right?”

  “I don’t need to think on it, love. I want the three of you so badly I’m not sure I’m containing myself all that well.” Harris was glad to hear them say that. Glad, too, that Oakley was so happy about being a father to someone else’s children. “If Harris can arrange it, we’ll get my family in here, and your dad, and we’ll marry today. I love you so much.”

  Harris didn’t bother with seeing if they were serious. She called her office again and had Gilbert get a license ready for Oakley and Lach, as well as arrange for a clergyman to come and do the ceremony. Things, as far as she was concerned, were moving in the direction that would keep the children safe and make them Marshalls.

  “I would also like to suggest that Oakley changes you as soon as the babies are born, Lach. Not just to be able to protect yourself, but the doctor I was speaking to said the longer they wait for your head to heal, the more chances there are that you could get an infection from it. They’re not too worried right now as the swelling isn’t there, but there is more of a chance of it when you leave here. They’re as concerned for your welfare as they are for the babies’ once you’re out of here..” Lach asked her if they could do it while she was in the hospital in case something went wrong. “I’ve spoken to the other shifters I know, and they think you should wait for the babies to be born. The stress of changing could harm all three of you. The doctor said you needed to avoid stress.”

  Oakley said he had to make some arrangements for the wedding and asked if she’d stay there with Lach. Grandda was willing to hang around when she told him she had to go into work early this morning to take care of some things she had going on.

  Grandda would die protecting any one of them. He was also someone that could keep Lach’s mind on the day and not what had happened to her yesterday. Harris knew the man was more connected than the family gave him credit for. He’d been great friends with the ex-president’s wife and had helped a great deal with some of the shit that had gone down with that. But Harris had a single favor to ask of him first.

  “I’d feel much better if you were to have a gun on you, Grandda.” Instead of him saying yay or nay, Lach spoke up, saying she would take it. “Are you comfortable with having it on you?”

  “I’m registered to carry a gun, yes. I’ve taken all kinds of classes as well.” Lach grinned at her. “If you’re going to ask me, I don’t know if I could shoot someone. But if it was between them and us living, they’re going to die. I promise you that if I have to, I will do what is necessary to save Grandda’s and my life.”

  “All right. Then you can have this.” Lach took the gun from her, and Harris was impressed that she not only made sure there was one in the chamber, but that the clip was full as well. “You know what to do if you’re attacked?”

  “Aim for the chest, it’s a bigger target. Anyplace else, and they’ll still be able to come at you.” Harris said that was great, but not what she meant. “Oh. Sorry. I was trying to impress you.”

  “You already had. But I meant that you could reach any one of us by reaching out with your mind. As soon as you feel danger, you just think of all or any of us, and we’ll be here as soon as we can.” Lach nodded, but Harris wondered if she understood. “I’m sure Grandda here can get you up to date on how to be a jaguar. Some of it you might not want to know.”

  They were both laughing when she left. Her men were planted all over the hospital. Not just for Lach, but in the event, someone came in gunning for her. Harris thought again how impressed she was with the other woman, and couldn’t wait to see her outside of this place. The sooner, the better, she thought.

  Chapter 4

  Rebecca hung up the phone. She was royally pissed off that no one would transfer her to her daughter’s room. Who would do that? she wondered. Then she thought of the man that had been hogging all the time with Lach.

  “Did you get through?” Rebecca said she didn’t know the code word or whatever. “Yes, that’s the reason I’ve not been able to reach her. We have to make plans for the termination of that pregnancy. I will not allow her to ruin my life by having a little girl. Who the hell does she think she is anyway?”

  While Rebecca didn’t understand the reasons for not wanting a female child, she thought her daughter should be able to make that choice. It wasn’t as if she wasn’t going to reimburse Lach for all her time. There were rules in the contract, and Lach should have been aware of them.

  “I wish she had signed that thing. Every time I think about her refusing to sign, I want to beat her. That’s what’s wrong with her, you know. I didn’t whip her enough as a child. Now she’s gotten all uppity.” Rita said she didn’t think it would have done her any good. She was born that way. “I guess you’re right. I do wonder how the hell she got in touch with her father. I told him to stay out of our lives. Do you suppose she’s been talking to him all this time? That might not bode well for you if she has been.”

  “Lach did mention I’d had that child as a kid. I’m gladder every day that you convinced me to get rid of it. The thing would have messed up my life terribly had I kept it like Dad wanted me too.” Rita shivered. “Roger told me it was good to know I’m being so helpful for him. Bringing a female into our home is not ever going to happen.”

  “Why? Why do you not want a female child, Rita? It has to be more than you just not wanting to raise a girl. Tell your mother.” Rita looked around, which in turn made Rebecca look around too. They were the only people in the room. Who did she think was going to overhear them? “Tell me.”

  “It’s Roger.” Rebecca nodded. “He was accused of having sex with a baby girl when he was a teenager. He didn’t, of course, but if he has one in the house, a little girl, he’s afraid he will be called out again. Roger said he’d not want anything like that to happen to anyone. So, I promised him we’d only have male children. That should keep people at bay.”

  Rebecca sat back on the couch. Roger was a pedophile? To her way of thinking, there had to be some merit to someone accusing him of being a person who would have sex with children. And she did wonder if Rita understood it didn’t have to be little girls, but any child. However, she didn’t say anything about it to Rita. She was upset enough.

  “You understand now, don’t you, Mother?” Nodding, instead of opening her mouth to let all her questions fly, she smiled at her daughter. “We don’t even go to parties where there might be little girls. I have to watch him all the time now as it is. I don’t want him tempted any more than I can help it.”

  “Yes, yes, I can understand that.” She looked around the room to give herself time to think. Rebecca wondered if there was any way that she could contact someone to find out the circumstances around the supposed allegations regarding Roger. “What are your plans concerning Lach? I’m sure you have a long list of things to get worked on.”

  “Not really. Roger is going to take care of it for me. He said he knows someone who can make sure Lach doesn’t have the babies. Roger thinks it would be just as good if we end the pregnancy of both of the babies. That way, in a couple of weeks, we can pick and choose a better person to carry a son. One that wouldn’t mind cooperating on just having a son for me.” Rebecca stood up, her mind too messy for her to reason out any sort of questions. “Where are you going, Mother? I’ve come all this way to spend the day with you, and you look like you’re going to bolt. Am I not entertaining enough for you today?�
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  “I have another blasted headache.” She did too. It had been way too long since Rebecca had thought of anything beyond what her next party was going to be about, or what to have at it. Party planning was much easier than talking about this with Rita. “I think I might have to take a pill and lie down for a little while. You’re welcome to stay, Rita, but I do need to lie down for just a bit. No more than half an hour.”

  “All right. I’m going to use your computer. I’ve been dying to look over the fashions that are in the stores now for Christmas. Have you decided on a theme for the house yet?” Rebecca said she’d not thought that far ahead with all this going on with Lach. “Yes, I know what you mean. She’s always and forever messing up our plans. I’m glad now I didn’t have the nursery done up. There is nothing satisfying about a nursery being done when your own sister fucks that up for you.”

  Rebecca made it up to her room just in time. Throwing up what she’d had on her belly wasn’t how she wanted to rest. Being ill with the worry about Roger and what it had meant for him to have been in trouble bothered her enough that she was sure he was the cause of her headache. Not that Rebecca wanted to be a grandmother at her age. But she thought that, as Rita and Roger lived across town, they’d not be bringing it over all that much. She did not want a sticky, messy baby in her lovely home.

  Instead of lying down, Rebecca locked her door and picked up her cell phone. She rarely used it. She didn’t want to be pestered with calls when she was out. It was only in her bedroom because she’d been worried someone would break into the house and she’d not have any way to call the police. She’d read all kinds of stories where robbers would cut the lines to the house so that you’d be plunged into darkness and without a house phone.

  Trying to think who she could call that would have the information she needed; the only person she could think of was her ex-husband. Frank had forever been one that would have information at the drop of a hat. She didn’t figure this would be any different. Looking up his phone number had her calling him before she changed her mind. When he answered, she wasn’t sure this was such a good idea, but she needed someone to answer her questions.

  “It’s Rebecca.” He didn’t say anything for several seconds. “I have a problem. Or maybe not a problem, but something that is worrying me. You seem to have all the answers, and I need you to have them now.”

  “Tell me what is wrong, Rebecca.” She could hear that he’d put her on speakerphone and asked him about it. “I’m trying to find my wallet. I’m sure it’s in my office, so I’m going to continue looking while you talk. I promise you, I’m listening.”

  “Roger is a pedophile.” Silence. She didn’t even hear any more shuffling around. “I might be mistaken about this, but I just can’t think beyond what Rita just told me. She said the reason she only wants a boy is because long ago, when he was a teenager, Roger was in trouble for having sex with a little girl child. I don’t know what to do. What if she’s wrong and he wants to have sex with boy babies too? I know we’re not on the best of terms, Frank, but I don’t know what else to do. Rita is in my living room right now, thinking she’s doing the right thing by killing both babies of Lach so they can start over with someone else. I’m terrified as to what that will mean for any child they have.”

  “Do you think that means he will have Lach killed too?” She asked him if he’d heard what she’d said. “I did. But somewhere in that line of speaking, you mentioned that Roger was going to kill off both our grandchildren. And I’m assuming Lach too. Does that bother you at all.”

  “You’re missing the point, Frank. Just like you always do. I’m talking about Roger. Why would it matter if Lach were a victim too? There are laws about having sex with babies.” He told her there were laws about killing people. “I knew it was going to be a mistake asking you for help. You can only ever focus on one thing when I’m talking to you. Nothing to do with what I want, but everything else.”

  “All right, for now, we’ll table the fact that you’re all right with having your own daughter killed to make the other one happy. When the two of them were first going together, I had him investigated. I know I wasn’t living there at the time, but they’re still my children. In my research, I didn’t even find that a Roger Underwood existed. But that didn’t stop me from having someone look a good deal deeper.” Rebecca asked him what that meant. “I’m not sure, really. But it wasn’t until a week or so before he and Rita started making wedding plans that I found someone with the name and social security number of a man named the same who died some fifty years ago.”

  “I don’t understand what that has to do with him being a pedophile. You’re not making any sense at all right now.” He explained where he was going with this line of thought. “You think he took this dead man’s name and number to hide from the fact of what he is? I guess that could be it. What other reason would he have to change himself around? I’m sure there are plenty of them, but I believe you might be right about this. How do I figure out his real name? Without him having any idea that I care.”

  “That’s a good plan, Rebecca. If he wanted to change himself around, as you said, then he’d be pissed off if you were to start calling him by his given name. If he’s willing to kill three people over having a son, then killing you wouldn’t even be a blip on his radar.” She told him she didn’t think he was being all that nice. “I’m just stating facts to you, Rebecca. You should be worried about him.”

  As much as she hated to agree with Frank on anything, she had to think he was right on Roger killing her. There had to be a way for her to figure out what had really happened so her daughter wouldn’t be dragged down when and if it came out. Because as surely as she was thinking about this mess, she knew Roger had a violent temper when he was pushed too hard.

  “I have a couple of friends I can speak to about this, Rebecca. I would suggest, simply because you’re close to him and Rita, that you let me see what I can find. I’ll be able to call you at this number, won’t I?” She told him it was her private cell phone number that not even Rita had. But that he had to call in the evening, after ten, as that was the only time she was near the phone. “All right. I can do that. But please, I can’t say this to you enough, don’t confront him. While I don’t know what is going on with him, you don’t want to end up on the wrong end of a bullet because you found out things you shouldn’t have.”

  “What a terrible thing to say to me. Have you no tact, Frank?” He told her he was still just telling her facts. “I think you could have said it differently than I’d be dead. My goodness.”

  She hung up on him and sat there on the side of the bed. While she didn’t want to admit it, Frank was more than likely right about staying away from Roger. It was going to be difficult to do, she thought since Rita and Roger were at her home every night of the week nowadays. Rebecca looked around the room for something to distract her for a moment so that she could think. Then she spied her luggage.

  A cruise. She wanted to stay away from the two of them right now, and she thought really getting away would be just the ticket. Calling the travel agency she had used before, Rebecca was glad that Barbara remembered her and had a wonderful trip she could take today, should she want to.

  “Perfect.” Rebecca realized she should have asked her where she was going, but thought getting out of town had to happen today. Tossing her clothing into her suitcase, she knew this was the best step right now. Getting away. Whatever she didn’t have with her when she arrived on the ship, she’d just buy it. Rita would have to deal with things on her own for a change.

  Calling for Meggie to help her, Rebecca told her the travel agency had called, and they had a special trip for her. Going down the stairs, having put the cell phone in her pocket, she was smiling as she entered the living room where she had left Rita. Rebecca was dismayed to find Roger there with her, and they looked as if they’d been arguing.

  “Mother, I thought you
were going to lie down.” She told her that Barbara had called her and said she had a deal for her. “You’re going on a trip? Now? But I’m having issues with Lach right now. I forbid you leaving me right now.”

  “You forbid me? Rita, I’m sure you’re aware of this, but I’m the mother here, not you. I’m going on this trip that I’ve been thinking about a great deal of late. After all the stress of the last few days with Lach being in the hospital and then your father showing up, I couldn’t think of a better time to get away.” Rita said she wanted her to cancel her plans. “I’m not going to do that, darling. I’ve already paid for the ticket, and I’m to be there in an hour. I can’t believe you’d even ask me to do that.”

  “Rita, why don’t you go with your mother?” Rebecca wanted to stomp her foot and yell that she wanted this on her own. “It will be better for you both if you’re not around when I have to deal with Lach. No one can say you were a part of it if you’re on board a ship. I might even join you when this is finished.” Roger looked right at her as he continued. “You never know what might happen if you don’t go with your mother.”

  A threat. As surely as she didn’t want her daughter to go, Rebecca knew if she didn’t go, Rita would be dead before she returned. Instead of asking questions, she took the advice of Frank and didn’t do anything but beg her daughter to come along with her. In the end, Rebecca thought, she’d be able to save one of her children from the monster in her home.

  ~*~