Murders of the Zodiac Boxed Set

by Paris Morgan

  “Certainly,” the older of the two women agreed, putting her arm around the younger one.

  Adam looked up when we walked back in and raced over.

  “Is it her?” he asked with hope in his voice for the first time in weeks.

  “Shea already looked for her birthmark on our way in. It’s Hope,” I assured him. “These two ladies brought her in.”

  “Ah, ladies, if you could have a seat over here, please. Can we get you anything to drink?” he offered cordially.

  “No, I’d just like to get this over with,” the younger woman replied, looking around nervously.

  “Sure. I’m Adam, and these are Hope’s parents, Ryan and Shea.” He paused as we waited for them to introduce themselves.

  “Oh, I’m Kathy Maxwell, and this is the caseworker, Frieda Sanchez.”

  “Caseworker?” I commented. “That’s a bit unusual, isn’t it?”

  Frieda shook her head no. “Hope was left at a fire station about three weeks ago with a note asking us to put her in temporary foster care due to a dangerous circumstance. While unusual, it isn’t completely out of the ordinary. Sometimes a mother needs a chance to get away from the danger and can’t do that with a baby. If she comes back within a reasonable time and has documentation, then the state will give her back if the danger has passed.

  “Since this poor child came with a note saying who to contact if the serial killer wasn’t caught in the next month, we had to do something with her during that time. Even a temporary situation requires a foster home until the next of kin can be notified. Kathy took her on, knowing that this was a possibility.”

  Shea stood up and handed me the baby before gently hugging Kathy. “Thank you for keeping my baby safe. He might not have killed her, but there was a chance she wouldn’t have been safe.”

  I held my baby for the first time in a month and gazed at her wide-eyed expression. She must have still known me, because she didn’t cry or try to wiggle out of my arms.

  “Hey, baby girl. I’m so glad you’re safe.”

  She gave me a quiet coo and a smile.

  “I’ll admit, I was a little worried at first about having to hand her over to strangers, but I can see you love her very much.” Kathy came over and placed a kiss on Hope’s forehead. “I’m sorry that he took you’re a baby away. Please take care of her.”

  She turned to leave the room quickly.

  “It’s hard on her. She’s been waiting for a permanent placement of a baby for a while now. We’ve tried to place only those with the odds of adoption being really good, but so close to Christmas, I didn’t have any other openings. She’s going to take this hard. If you’ll excuse me.” Frieda turned and hurried off after Kathy.

  I could understand her pain, but my joy at having Hope in my arms was overwhelming. I would find some way to repay her, but it would have to wait until I got my family home.

  “Adam, can I take Shea and Hope back home? Do we need to do any paperwork?” I reluctantly handed my baby over to Shea as I gathered her things.

  “Go home. To your real home, not out at the Demeters’. They’ve made it clear we’re not welcome back at the moment.”

  I grimaced at those words, but knew we’d overstayed our welcome. On the plus side, we’d finally be home after living somewhere else for almost six months.

  My family could enjoy a few moments of peace together now that the Zodiac Master was gone.

  ----

  My future was open for the next few months due to a request for time off. With the nature of trauma lately, the department wanted me to have some counseling before being allowed back on the job. I’d put in for a leave of absence to think things over before making the decision to return to law enforcement. I wasn’t sure that it was the kind of career I wanted after what my family and I had been through the past twelve months.

  One thing I knew for certain was that it was time to put a ring on the mother of my child, and to let her know I wasn’t going to let anything else happen to her ever again.

  ----

  Epilogue

  Leslie

  The wedding day dawned brightly on the first day of the New Year as I looked out the window to see what the weather was going to be like. Would the bride need to have a coat on over her dress for the ride to the ceremony?

  Nope. The sun was shining, and the temperature read a high of 62. While not terribly high, it would work for a quick run to the chapel. We’d had an actual white Christmas for a change, and Adam had ordered all of us to go home and spend some time with our families. That had only lasted a few days because we’d had to hurry and get ready for a wedding.

  Not mine. While I really was into Noah, and thought we might have a future together, there were still things we didn’t know about each other. We still had time for that, but first, we had to get these two lovebirds married.

  “She doesn’t need a coat. A light shawl would be perfect. The sun’s out, and I can see members of the family arriving. Adam and Ryan are both down there with Gavin and Lex,” I informed the bride and her bridesmaids.

  “They’re here?” Flora gushed, racing to see for herself. “I’m so glad they made it. Lex will want to see baby Hope.”

  “She’s going to make such a cute flower girl, isn’t she?” Shea asked, adjusting Hope’s dress.

  We all oohed and aahed over her cute dress and little bow in her hair. They had asked Lex to be the ring bearer and carry Hope down the aisle, where she would be handed off to Barbie and Mac while the ceremony took place.

  It had been difficult with such short notice to get all the paperwork and line up a minister for the ceremony, but we’d used our connections to find one.

  The pre-wedding march started playing, and the bride took a deep breath. “Are we ready, ladies?”

  “Yep,” I replied. “Just waiting for you to start your journey to a new life.”

  I held open the door as Flora and Shea hurried through, with Barbie holding the baby.

  Gavin was waiting at the back to escort the bride, and I gave him a peck on the cheek as I passed him to stand at the chapel’s entrance.

  It was now time to face the music. Or, rather, walk down the aisle to it since I was the maid of honor.

  The couple had chosen a garden chapel that had no religious affiliations, since they weren’t really following the traditions of the family anyway. It would be a fresh start for them with friends who were now like family, waiting to see their union.

  “A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri began to play through the speakers, and I couldn’t help but think of how romantic it truly was. This was the perfect ending to their story, and would make a beautiful memory for a wonderful future together.

  I could feel the smile on my face, and if felt as if my skin wouldn’t be able to contain all the happiness I was feeling.

  Ryan’s smile mirrored mine as I took my place across from Noah. Gavin’s arm held a beaming Flora and Shea as he escorted them both down the aisle to their future husbands.

  Shea and Ryan exchanged vows first while the rest of us watched. They couldn’t see the amount of joyous sparks floating around the room, but they settled over them in a bonded seal of faith to each other.

  Adam and Flora’s vows were a little more like those of a hand-fasting than a normal vows ceremony.

  The minister began:

  “Your lives have crossed paths, both in this life, past lives, and in lives to come. By entering this state of matrimony, you are offering proof that you will give meaning to this hand-fasting and the institution of marriage in all the ways possible.”

  Flora and Adam spoke in unison. “I do.”

  The minister laid his hands over their intertwined ones. “Now, on this physical and spiritual journey you are on, these hands will wipe away tears of joy and sorrow from your eyes. They will love and cherish you through a lifetime of happiness, to support and encourage you to chase your dreams, because they can come true.”

  He then moved to pick up the
thin set of cords and began to wrap them around their hands as he spoke. “In the binding of promises, these knots will bind you to your vows. Not in the physical sense of having restraints, but in the spiritual binding of your hearts and spirits. These cords cannot be cut or broken unless you give them permission to be so. You solely hold your futures in your own hands, hearts, and souls.

  “The spirits have witnessed the blessing and binding of this union. I now pronounce you, Adam and Flora, husband and wife.” He turned. “I now pronounce you, Ryan and Shea, husband and wife. You may both kiss your brides.”

  As he said the words, lights began to shine through the windows, and a slight spring breeze flew through the room, making the flower petals circle the new couples as if everyone in the spirit world was giving their blessing.

  The guests inside the chapel roared in approval as well, and the two couples walked back down the aisle to the entrance, flower petals being thrown behind them in their wake.

  As all the guests made their way to the reception, just a short walk away from the chapel, I noticed more vehicles arriving. Either someone was really late to the wedding, or they were here to pick a fight.

  It was the Demeter family who had hosted us on their ranch. The entire family was here, piling out of their cars and making their way into the reception hall.

  “Hello, Aunt Rosella,” I greeted politely, not bothering to hide my confusion. “The wedding is over.”

  “We know. To have a wedding, according to true Romani tradition, we would have to cleanse her, but she has chosen to love a Gorger, a non-Romani person. And while we are more progressive in America than past generations, we must keep with a few of our traditions. Thus, we were not here to support the wedding, but we will celebrate with one of our blood on the union of her happiness!” Aunt Rosella declared loudly, before leaning close to whisper, “I told Mother that our future lies with Flora and her husband, so she needed to get on board with the modern times or all of us would leave the ranch.”

  “You did? Wow, thank you.” I reached over and gave her a hug, surprising her. “She has missed her extended family the past few weeks. While not Romani, Adam is a great guy, and will do everything he can to protect her. The spirits have blessed them and their marriage.”

  Aunt Rosella huffed as she eyed me. “Yes, he will, but it’s you who should be worried.”

  “Why?” I asked, accompanying her to the reception.

  “He’s back.”

  “Who?” The question slipped out as a sinking feeling came over me, cutting off any joy I’d been feeling.

  “You know who. If you can’t get rid of him in the next few days, come out to the ranch and we’ll see what we can do to rid you of him.” Aunt Rosella continued on as my feet stopped moving, rooting me to the spot.

  A tap on my shoulder had me turning around. “Yes?”

  There stood Jerome.

  “Miss me?” He grinned as I reached for his throat, but my hands went straight through him.

  “Tsk, tsk. That’s no way to treat an old friend, especially one who died only days ago,” he chided with a chuckle. “You can’t get rid of me that easily. It’s a good thing you inherited those powers to see ghosts, isn’t it?”

  I turned my back on him and began to walk briskly to the reception hall.

  “Hey, now. You should be glad I’m back and not killing more people. You even got the baby back safely, although that was totally my secretary’s fault. I was going to make Ryan choose which one to save. Didn’t quite work out the way I’d planned, huh?” He stayed in step with me as he continued. “Couldn’t let you know I didn’t have the kid or you wouldn’t have worked as hard to find me, am I right? Anyway, it all worked out for the best.”

  “How on earth can you think that?” I squealed before remembering I was in public.

  “Well, you don’t have to chase me anymore. Ryan and Shea got married and have their kid. Even Adam and Flora got together, and let me tell you, the spirit realm is pretty pleased about that. How can you have a problem with any of that?” He planted a hand on one hip and raised an eyebrow, expecting me to dispute him.

  “Nope, those are all good things.” I started walking faster.

  “Bonus. You get to have my insight on all of your cases for the rest of your life.”

  I stopped abruptly with a sputter, “D–Do what!”

  “You’re getting weird stares, babe. It’s not a good look for you. Anyway, I’m here for you, in an advisory capacity at least. As I said, best of both worlds. Hey, I’m going to let you process this and enjoy the reception, but I’ll be seeing you around. Laters.” With those words, he disappeared.

  Noah caught up to me and saw my dazed expression.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Your brother is now my spirit guide.” I almost choked on the words.

  “Whoa, babe. That’s all kinds of karmic crazy.” He placed an arm around my shoulders.

  “You have no idea.” I tried to shake off the gloominess and put on my happy face. “I’m going to ignore that for now. Our friends just got married, and nobody is trying to kill us. Besides, Adam is giving us an entire month before we both have to report for training with the Unusual Crimes Division.”

  Maybe, just maybe, I could have a happy ending, if I didn’t let myself worry too much about the future.

  If you want to see stories in the Unusual Crimes Division Series, please let me know so that I can move it up on the writing schedule. Who do you want to see in them? Tell me about your favorites in the Murders of the Zodiac Series.

  Thanks so much for reading this series with me, and please let me know what you thought.

  Make sure to check out the next exciting series about Leslie’s hometown friends and her sister, Karen.

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  If you enjoyed this story, please leave a review, even if it is one short sentence. Do you want to know when the next book comes out or to get to know me better? Feel free to stalk me on all the social media sites. (No real-life stalking, because that’s just not cool.) Thanks for reading, and I hope to hear from you.

  -Paris Morgan

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