There was a second tree, much smaller than the one in the hall but no less decorated. There were lights galore in the room as they entered, and the table started to fill with food. Turkey, still steaming from the oven. Ham that was decorated as well, with pineapple and cherries. There were green beans, corn on the cob, as well as stacks of warm sliced bread. More was sprouting up every second, too much for him to see all at once.
Turning to Riss when he nudged him, he turned and found Jennifer in the hall staring up at the tree. “I know it’s not the traditional holiday date, but we thought—”
She leapt into his arms before he could finish. With her kissing him all over his face, he held her tightly, so happy that she was.
“It’s my very first tree. I’ve never put one up before when I could, because who would see it but me. Oh Valyn, this is the best holiday I’ve ever seen.” He told her that it was his first as well. “I love you for this. It’s wonderful.”
Before too long the wives showed up, dressed in bright green and red clothing. Even he got in on the fun and wore a striped shirt of the same colors, along with pointy shoes. For some reason, he thought them to be funny. He supposed they were; everyone was entertained making fun of him. And he didn’t care. He was as happy as he’d ever been.
Chapter 6
Samuel made reservations at the bed and breakfast in the little town. The problem was, there wasn’t anything they could rent out until the end of the month. It was only the fourth, but she told him that people came from all over to see the decorations. Even though the holiday had passed a week ago they still had visitors coming in, so the town left the decorations up longer. It took him a moment or two to remember what holiday she was talking about.
She said that she’d call him if there was a cancellation, but she said not to count on it. She’d been booked up since Christmas last year. When Betsy came into the room, he told her about it.
“That’s preposterous. Why would anyone travel in this weather to see a bunch of lights and tinsel?” She didn’t seem to require an answer, so he didn’t voice one. Not that he knew what to tell her, but that was the way it was. “Oh, I found out about our other deadbeat, Ashley Knisley. She told me that she had no money to give to me—she just can’t spare it. After you giving her that speech and all.”
“Once we have this all settled with the Hale woman, we’ll send a cop after her. Do you still have the number of that guy who has a uniform? I don’t remember his name.” She told him. “Oh yes, that’s it. Brandon Williams. I’ll call him next and have him go to her house and threaten her. That usually works quickly. Funny how they come up with the cash when a cop shows up, isn’t it?”
“Do you think we should send him after the Hale woman? Maybe we won’t have to do all this if he can get her to pay up.” He was actually looking forward to going, but told her to go ahead. It couldn’t hurt. “Good, I’ll go and call him now.” She left him there while she made the call.
Samuel never understood why she went to an entirely different part of the house to make calls. There was a perfectly good phone on the desk he was sitting at. Not to mention, there were about a dozen burner phones that she could have used too. So while she was doing her thing, he began looking up information about who this Slayer person might be.
He’d not gotten a first name, but the last was easy enough to search for. There were only two in the phone book, but when he called directory assistance, he found out there were actually three. That was the number that he’d called yesterday, and he was set to call there today. He’d gotten no call back from the woman, and nothing to indicate that she’d even gotten the message. Pulling the phone toward him, he called again.
The same cultured voice answered, and he told him who he was. Samuel was glad that he’d written down the name that he’d used, or he would have been stumbling around trying to remember.
“If you’d like to wait, sir, the lady of the house and Lord Slayer are here now. One moment, please.” When the phone was taken off hold the man cleared his throat as if he was trying to stifle a laugh or something. “The lord of the house is going to take the call, sir. I will transfer you to the study now.”
Woo hoo, he thought, a study. And what was all this crap about being Lord Slayer? The Internet search hadn’t said anything about him being that. Just as the phone was answered, he was writing down to find out what he could about lords and ladies of the house.
“Mr. Cochran, this is Valyn Slayer. I’m to understand that you wish to speak to my wife? She’s resting. Can I help you?” This was better than he’d thought. He’d just hit the man up right away for the cash. “Sir?”
He’d taken too long in basking over the good news and had to scramble to get back on track. When he looked down at his notes, he knew that none of them were going to be helpful and was disappointed in that.
“Yes, I’m still here. I’ve got a good many things going on today.” Shit, that sounded lame. “Jennifer Hale, now Slayer I’m to understand, was court-ordered to pay back on a credit card that she abused. Since the last payment from her, we’ve not heard anything from her. And now we find out that she’s moved as well as gotten married. This is quite a large sum of money we’re trying to get back. I know you’ll understand now why it’s important that I speak to her.”
“I see.” That didn’t really tell him much, so he waited. And waited. Finally the man spoke. “And this credit card that she supposedly abused, can you tell me which company it was given to her by? That way I can call them directly and see if I can make better arrangements.”
“Oh no, we’re handling this. The credit card company has us do all their collections. They don’t have the manpower to chase after everyone that charges a large amount. We’re just working for them.” He asked again for the name of the company. “I’m not sure that I can give you that, sir. It’s been mandated that she pay us—the company back, and she’s not done that.”
“Can you hold on for a moment?” Before he could tell the man that his time was more valuable than to wait while he got his thumb out of his ass, he’d pressed the button too quickly. “Becker Credit Union. I have it now.”
He was dumbfounded on what to say next. How the hell did he get that? Then he remembered that Jennifer was there, and she would have told him. The man was speaking, and he missed a little of what he was saying. After asking him to repeat himself, the man laughed.
“I said, are you aware that there is no listing for Becker Credit Union? Not only that, but there doesn’t seem to be any kind of registration for the name at all.” Again, he was shocked and told the man he didn’t know what he was talking about. “I’m sure you don’t. Why don’t you do this? You come here and collect the money that my wife is supposed to owe your company. I’ll need a receipt, of course, when I pay you, but that will be easier and quicker than sending it through the mail system. That way you can take it off your books, and I won’t have to be nickel and dimed about it. What do you say?”
“Well, that sounds good, but the local bed and breakfast doesn’t have any openings until the end of the month. Also, just so we’re clear on this, Miss Hale owes my company over fifty thousand dollars, and with penalties and interest it’ll be more. Then we must add on the late charge and my having to come there to get it. Let me see what a good price—uhm, what the updated total would be.”
He fuddled around until he could get himself under control. Samuel hated when people babbled, and here he was doing the same thing. He was also having a hard time keeping his story straight. That had never happened to him before. After taking several calming breaths and letting them out slowly, he felt as if he could talk to the man again.
“The additional charges will be three hundred and ten dollars.” He thought that sounded less like he’d made it up and more like he had taken the time to add it up. “We’ll need that additional money as well.”
“Of course. And I’ll have a talk with Mrs. Peach and see if she can get you into her place a little earlier
. That way you won’t have to put any more charges on the bill.” Thanking him, he told him he’d look forward to hearing from him. “Yes, I’m sure that you will.”
The man was very cryptic, he thought after hanging up. He had a feeling he’d missed something here and there in the conversation but felt he’d covered himself well. Writing down all the things that they’d talked about, he decided to wait until the end of the month anyway, and tack on a few more charges. No matter when she could work him in, it was going to be a conflict with something he had going on here.
Collecting the money all at one time was going to be nice too. The way they were getting it now, monthly payments coming in, didn’t leave them very much to do anything with. Well, he supposed that someone else would think an income of twenty-five grand a month would be wonderful. But they had expensive tastes, and the love of good restaurants too. Rubbing his hands together, he thought about what he was going to do with all that extra cash coming in. Yes, this was wonderful.
After telling Betsy about what he and Lord Slayer had talked about, she sat down and zoned out again. He was a little perturbed that she wasn’t as excited as he was about it. But then, she rarely got excited about anything. When she looked at him, he felt his cock shrink and his balls sort of cinch up to his body. It was painful to say the least.
“I’m going to go with you.” He nodded. Actually, Samuel had thought she was anyway. “I’m going to talk to this girl about the way things are going to be from now on. I mean, her husband can pay us the amount, but we’re going to find other ways to get more out of her.”
“Do you think that’s a good idea? I mean, he is willing to pay us over fifty grand, you know?” She nodded. “All right. That’s the way we’ll do it. Am I going to go along with you? I’d like to see this man, for the simple reason I think he was poking fun at me.”
“Yes, of course you’re going to be there. I’d have it no other way.” He was glad for that. She could be a bit temperamental when she wanted to be. “I think we should buy us something special to wear. Perhaps you a fitted suit instead of your old dry cleaned one, and me a very business-like dress. That way we can impress them both with our presence and calmness during this sort of meeting.”
Nodding, she left him again. He didn’t have any idea why she thought they’d be uncalming, but he was ready to do whatever she said. Betsy was the one that had talked him into this job, and he wasn’t going to naysay her this late in the game.
He made arrangements to go and have a suit fitted for him. It was a lot more complicated than he thought. Samuel thought that you simply went to the store, picked out a suit, and they’d hemmed it for you. Apparently he was to be measured and fitted with the suit that was to be designed just for him. That was a little much, but it was Betsy’s idea and he would go along with it.
~*~
Valyn sat in the office alone for nearly two hours. He knew the time because the big clock in the hallway announced the time like a starting pistol in a big race. Every fifteen minutes, there was a ding. He thought it to be the most annoying sound when he was trying to think.
Going outside, he made his way to the other realm. It might not calm him, but perhaps if he could help for a few minutes, he might be better equipped to deal with things that were happening to Jenny and the credit card company.
Renie had come to him this morning and told him all she’d been able to find out about the company Becker Credit Union. It was a scam. She told him that she’d figured that out long before today, but she had information that he might be able to use to turn things in his favor. And when she left him with all she’d found, he’d been no closer to figuring out what to do than he had been before.
“Are you well?” He told Tholan that he had a great deal on his mind. “I see. And coming here, it helps you with this decision, if there is one?”
“No, not really. But the clock isn’t dinging.” Tholan looked confused. But instead of explaining, Valyn told him everything that he’d found out about the scam. “So, you see, I’m not sure what I’m to do. Have them arrested for this, or just get Jenny out of it so that she can be happy.”
“Why don’t you spend some time with them both? A couple of hours with each should do that, shouldn’t it? I would imagine that if they are half the people you think them to be, then it would behoove you to know everything. I think that their watchers would enjoy such a break.” Valyn said that would be most helpful. “All right. Let me go and find out who is assigned to them, and if they’d like to switch out for a few hours. You do remember that you cannot change the course they are on, only be there to guide them in the right direction.”
“Yes, I remember. And thank you, Tholan.” He nodded and left him for several moments. Valyn reached to Jenny to let her know what was going on. So I don’t know when I’ll be home, but I think this will help us.
Yes. And if this is a scam, and I have no doubt you’re right about it, then perhaps we can help other people they’ve scammed as well. You don’t believe any more than I do that I’m the only person they’ve done this to. He told her no, he didn’t believe that either. Good. You do what you need to there, and I’ll be working until five. If you’re not home by then, I’ll know where you are. Have a good day, Valyn.
You too, Jennifer. He could feel her happiness and knew that if Boss were to say anything about not paying her for the favor she was doing for him, Jennifer would do it for free.
He went to change places with the protector of Samuel Mercer. The man was being dressed. But then he figured out he was getting a new suit. As he was being measured, he wondered if he was planning to impress him and Jennifer, and had to laugh. Valyn wasn’t impressed with what people wore. He was impressed by their mannerisms and the way they spoke.
“I have a very important meeting coming up soon. How long will this take?” The man told him a week. “All right. I’ll just fob off that guy for a little longer. No big deal for the amount of money that we’re going to get soon.”
The tailor didn’t take the bait, if that was what he was doing by dangling out there that they were getting money. The man who was measuring him for the suit had been a Protector until recently, and he didn’t say a word. Valyn had to laugh when the man looked at him with a wink.
The Protectors that had been released a very long time ago were sent to this realm to do as much good as they could. Also, to rest and to take their life as they wanted to. Valyn hadn’t understood why the group that he was with, his circle of friends, had always been told that their ending would be with death. And that once they decided that enough was enough for them, they would die a peaceful death.
But he’d found out recently that they were to be the Mystics, a power force that could and would train other Protectors about the world in general. How to blend in on their time off. Where the best place was to meet up with others like them. But most importantly, how to spend their money wisely. And most that he knew had quite a bit of it.
He watched Samuel interact with the tailor. The man was very shallow in the way he wanted to look—a black pinstriped, double breasted suit. The tailor, Dean his name was, hadn’t once said anything other than what had to be asked about the suit. But when Samuel said he wanted that particular one for himself, Dean cocked his head and stared at the man.
“You cannot pull it off. You’ve a waistline that doesn’t work well with a suit like that. You’d be better fitted if you were to wear a straight-line suit that would hide the bulge you have.” Valyn watched Samuel’s face turn bright red in his anger, but he only opened and closed his fist several times rather than speak right then. “I can do what you wish, Mr. Mercer, but you’ll look like you’ve pulled your suit from one of the stores that also sells mints and beer.”
“I believe you to be wrong about that. I’m as trim and fit as I’ve been since high school. I would like the double-breasted suit, and no more comments about how you think I have a bulge. I’ll thank you for not doing things your way.” That sounded pretty ni
ce, and he had to admit, the man did have a big belly. But his next words were what he had expected from a man that would scam people for their hard-earned money. “You should be happy that someone like me comes to your rundown establishment. This place is nothing more than a fire hazard that is one lit cigar away from going up in flames. That might yet happen—you should be more careful.”
He’d just threatened him. And not in any way that it could be mistaken for anything else. So, he watched Dean measure and pin the material in different places and thought that was the end of it. But Dean stood in front of Samuel when he was finished and gave him a threat of his own.
“You do know that you never insult a waitress before your food comes. She could spit in it or make the food come out wrong. The same with someone that is to make something for you. For instance, this suit.” He helped him take the jacket off and laid it gently on the table before continuing. “You should be careful, Mr. Mercer. You have no idea what sort of friends I have in my corner. And we do not mess around.”
There was complete silence during the rest of the visit. Since he was temporarily assigned to Samuel he had to follow him. But any kind of good will he’d had for him, if any, was blown out of the water with what he’d said to Dean. Yes, Dean had given as good as he got, but this man was also stealing from people, and that wasn’t going to go over well when they next met in person.
The rest of the two hours was spent with him ordering shoes from the local store, going to have lunch by himself, as well as the rental of a limo. He wasn’t impressed. Valyn had seen enough of these kinds of people, people that were only out for how they looked rather than how friendly they could be. Today had been an eye opener. And he couldn’t wait to watch over the woman.
Going back to the station, he was briefed on a couple of things. Betsy was a little odd. She had done a great many drugs when she had been younger, and it had affected her mind somewhat. Her filter was gone in what she said as well. Also, she was dying of cancer, but didn’t know it as yet.
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