The Shadow Constant

by AJ Scudiere

  Kayla nodded. Then smiled. “I’m getting dogs!”

  Evan’s eyebrows went up and he felt like she was ten again. “We’re getting dogs, Kayla. All of us.”

  “Why can’t they be mine? I always wanted a dog.”

  He’d always talked her out of it and he continued to do so now. “Do you really want four dogs?”

  She made a classic “I dunno” gesture, “What’s the difference between one dog and four dogs?”

  “Three dogs.” He kept his expression flat, not wanting to say that people who didn’t see the difference between one dog and four dogs shouldn’t be allowed to have dogs in the plural and maybe not at all.

  “It’s still care and housing and food and vet bills. Plus, extra dogs keep each other company and the added cost of each subsequent dog is cheaper.” She prattled.

  Evan would bet that she already knew the percentages of cost of care for each additional dog in both money and time. He caved. “So, what kind of dogs are you getting, Kay?”

  Her grin made it all worth it. Made him glad they were getting dogs to protect her. Dogs of the canine, corporate, and legal varieties. Kayla would have more dogs than she even knew.

  “Pit bulls.” Of course she already had that level of certainty. “They’re incredibly loyal, very protective, great family pets, and everyone’s afraid of them. Also they have a bite pressure on average of 1600pounds . . . per square inch.” She grinned a little bigger at that last comment, almost as though she were envisioning one of her kidnappers with one of her pit bulls squarely clamped to his ass.

  Reenie smiled, too, truly warming Evan’s heart. “There are also a lot of pits at the shelter. So we should be able to find you four of them.”

  Kayla nodded. “Ivy and I talked about it last night.”

  Here they went, Evan thought. But at least they were scattering tools and gears. Kayla was taking a handful of important pieces and loading them into her backpack. He and Reggie would stay behind, wait a half hour, and order pizza. The ladies were going after the dogs. Everyone would take Whitney Device parts with them—make it harder to track down the right pieces if anyone came after them.

  Ivy suggested getting dogs of different ages. Two older and two younger, so that they wouldn’t all get old at the same time. Wisely, Ivy didn’t use the word ‘die’ and Kayla stayed happy. The women all went out the door with Evan’s thoughts following them.

  Ivy was good for Kayla. And that was good for him, too.

  Even more, Reenie was good for him. He rolled that around in his head quietly for a few minutes. Then Reggie suggested that Evan make up for some lost sleep last night. The older man didn’t know Evan had the middle watch last night, meaning he got no single decent chunk of rest. But Evan refused. He still didn’t quite trust Reggie alone in the house. So he took Reggie to the Overseer’s House and sprawled on his sofa, offering the older man the use of the recliner.

  They sat there in silence, and Evan almost relaxed.

      

  The Humane Society wasn’t a humane society. It wasn’t even an animal shelter. No, they were in back woods, Georgia, and here the sign read “Dog Pound.” Kayla cringed. Ultimately though, it wasn’t much different than the few animal shelters she’d been in over the years. The kennels were nothing to marvel over, but they were big and clean enough.

  Reenie squinted her eyes at the din—it seemed every dog in the place started barking the second they opened the door to the kennels, but she looked down the line and muttered, “Won’t be hard to find four pits.”

  The place was full of them, and still Kayla had a hard time choosing. Some had their ears and tails clipped; others didn’t. And once she made initial choices, she had to put the dogs together and see how they would get along. That was more daunting than the rest.

  When she was a kid and had campaigned for a dog—a quest she always failed at—she had studied up to show her parents she could be a responsible pet owner. She hadn’t forgotten a thing.

  She checked the dogs to see who licked her hand, who barked well, and how well trained they had been prior to arriving at the shelter. Did the dog take well to Kayla issuing commands then pushing the dog into a sitting position? That turned out to be harder than she’d anticipated. While she had read all about it, she’d never had the opportunity to work with a large pit bull before. You didn’t just push their backside to the floor when you said “sit”—it turned out they were harder to move than that.

  The dogs ended up choosing each other. The two older dogs were apparently brothers, and the two younger dogs had come from the same place. The bigger dogs were in charge, clearly, with the younger female dogs being only slightly cowed by them. But no one peed on the floor, which Kayla knew was a good sign. They all licked. They all liked her as well as Reenie and Ivy.

  And they were all taken away for a flea dip, a rabies shot, and a spay or neuter. They would be ready the next day.

  Kayla wanted them sooner, but kennel regulations said that no animal could leave the shelter until fixed.

  Reenie pointed out that pizza delivery time had already passed and they should head home. Plus, the extra day gave them time to get collars and bowls and beds and food. Kayla didn’t mention that she had a list, but her stomach grumbled—loudly—just then, and the three women reached a mutual agreement to head home.

  They headed back to the house, Kayla in the middle of the backseat, leaning forward to share in the conversation. She couldn’t think of the last time she’d done this, and her only real memories of being involved in car conversations were when it was just her and Evan or her and her Aspy friends. In this group, though, she felt perfectly at home. They let her have her turn and only occasionally showed off some weird dynamic that everyone else had picked up on except her.

  They spoke only of dogs on the drive back. No mention of the Whitney Device, nor the need to learn to construct them. They discussed dog names, Kayla settling on Curie and Goodall for the girls and Newton and Faraday for the boys. Reenie and Ivy both shook their heads.

  They were headed toward the rear parlor of the big house when Evan stuck his head out the back door at the Overseer’s House and waved to them. Kayla found Reggie at the table, a napkin in hand and a partially decimated pizza in front of him.

  Her stomach growled again as the smell hit her; even from here she could tell the food hadn’t quite cooled off yet. She was reaching for a piece, a plate of no concern to her, when Evan put a hand on her arm, “Kayla.”

  His voice was grim and Kayla snapped around to look at him, pizza and grumbling stomach forgotten.

  “Look.” He held out his cell phone.

  It held a picture of her, Ivy, and Reenie, climbing into the car. Kayla looked at Ivy and Reenie, both of whom were washing hands and grabbing paper plates. Reenie was wearing a pink, fitted T-shirt and jeans, Ivy—in her usual tank top—had on a blue bra. Just like in the picture.

  She looked up at Evan.

  “It came in just as you pulled up.”

  29

  Hazelton House

  They were supposed to be sleeping. Evan had taken first watch, worried about that picture on his phone.

  Back and forth he’d gone. Whoever ‘they’ were, they had been watching the plantation all along. They had planted listening devices. Reginald Standish had confessed—not that it had come as any real sort of apology—to paying people to photograph the machine. Evan knew and had known they were all being surveilled. So he couldn’t figure out why this picture bothered him so much.

  Then it hit him as he sat there alone, back to the wall.

  ‘They’ now knew the occupants of Hazelton House were aware they were being watched. The picture changed the game from covert to flat out open. The message was “I’m watching you.” And maybe a little “I can get to you.”

  His stomach turned. When he’d thought things couldn’t get any more wrong than they already were, he felt the ratcheting down in his gut that said, yes, they can.
The threat was made worse because it was a great picture. Kayla was clearly talking to Reenie and Ivy, and the women were smiling. Which added another layer to the message: “You forgot that I was watching.”

  Evan sat with his head in his hands. He made his rounds and found nothing going on at the house. But he wished for the dogs to be there already. He wished for a loyal friend with excellent hearing and sense of smell. But for tonight, he was the dog.

  He’d only gone in and woken Kayla for her shift because he was so very tired. But once in his own bed, he found himself unable to sleep. He radiated enough anxiety to wake Reenie, her soft voice mumbling through sleep, “What’s wrong?”

  He should have told her to go back to sleep. He should have lied. But he couldn’t. He didn’t want Reenie to be just a person in his life; he couldn’t handle her being an extra dependent almost the way Kayla was. If this was going to work, he needed a partner. He needed to be able to unload without judgment, fear or guilt. Yes, he felt a desperate need to protect her, but if they couldn’t share the burdens and help each other through, then he’d screwed up the past five years, of his life and he was living on a plantation that he partly owned with a woman who would never be more than a temporary bedmate and passing friend. He needed more.

  So he threw caution to the winds, “What’s not?”

  Reenie scored her first point. “It’s something specific. Is it the picture from tonight? That really freaked you out.”

  Not his choice of words. Certainly he was more manly than someone who got “freaked out” but . . . “Yeah. It did. I finally realized why.”

  “Because they called us on it?” She was awake now, on her side, head propped in one hand, her free hand searching for his and lacing their fingers together. “They aren’t trying to hide that they’re watching anymore. I’m concerned they’ll come right up to the front door and . . . I don’t know.”

  Two points for Reenie.

  “Me too. I’m worried about Kayla.”

  She nodded, a small movement he could make out from the dim light seeping in around the windows. “We’re protecting her as best we can. We’re getting dogs; we’re all taking turns at watch. Now that you can build a machine, we’ve made some progress. Ivy and Reggie and I will go back tomorrow and continue learning. That will help, too.”

  He squeezed her fingers, soaking in the heat of her palm against his, and understanding that though her hand was smaller and though he would step in front of a bullet for her, she had her own strengths. Strengths he didn’t have himself, strengths he needed. “You and Ivy held up well today. Kayla is a crappy teacher.”

  “Yeah, she is.”

  “You did a good job of teaching her to be better.”

  “She got better as the day wore on.” Reenie scooted closer to him. More points for Reenie. “It all rolled off Ivy’s back. But then again, Ivy’s in love with her, I’m not.”

  Evan laughed. “You heard that the other night, huh?”

  “Heard what?”

  He sat upright, accidentally losing the link between their hands. “When Ivy told me she was in love with Kayla. You didn’t hear that?”

  This time she laughed. “No. I didn’t need to. The problem is, Kayla does. It’s hard enough to pick up that kind of stuff when it’s aimed at you. Kayla often misses the obvious right in front of her. If Ivy doesn’t tell her, then she’ll never know. I’m considering dropping some very pointed hints or questions next time I have Kayla alone.”

  More points for Reenie. But he wasn’t done. “You two seem to be doing a lot better.”

  “Yeah. I’m starting to understand her better. And truth be told, she’s adjusted to me, too.” She tugged him back down. “Until we all moved here, I didn’t understand. You said she ‘had Aspergers’ and was ‘fiercely independent’ and then you watched over her like she was your kid. It didn’t add up. You left a lot out.”

  In the dark, lying in bed, he blinked the encroaching realizations back. He probably had left a lot out. Chances were he’d never examined the entire construction of their lives. He’d lived it. Some of it was innate: when to step in, when to back off, how tied he was to Kayla. “I’m sorry.”

  “No need to be. It made sense to you, and it’s finally starting to make sense to me.” She tucked herself into his shoulder. “If the rest of this shit would go away, she’d do really well here, I think.”

  “You want her to stay with us? On the plantation?”

  “Of course. Her and—if she wants it—Ivy.”

  Game to Reenie.

  He was sorry. He’d misjudged her so many times. He’d doubted her when in many instances he hadn’t given her what she’d needed to perform the way he’d expected.

  For a few minutes, they lay there like that. Her tucked into his side, his arm around her, his other hand absently playing with her fingers while out in the hall Kayla stood watch, keeping them all as safe as they could be. The resentment and the worry melted away and Reenie felt closer than just beside him.

  Ironically, it was a perfect moment inside the worst time of his life. He was literally afraid for the lives of the people around him. He had only a passable plan to get out of it. And inside, he was as calm as he had ever been.

  “Reenie, are you still awake?”

  “Of course.” She moved into him, aligning their bodies, kissing him deep and long.

  They had made love only once recently, while Kayla and Ivy were missing and the sex had reflected the tension they had both felt. Though it had released some pressure and allowed them some sleep, it hadn’t been the real deal. He kissed her back but then stopped.

  “No?” She asked, her voice soft, worried but not frightened that he didn’t want her anymore.

  “Yes. But first . . .” He took a deep breath and found no doubt, no fear lurking in his shadows. He smiled. “Will you marry me?”

      

  “You did it, Reenie!” Happiness seeped through her and Kayla beamed at her future sister-in-law.

  Reenie sported her own Cheshire grin. Kayla thought a good part of it was not due to completing her first working Whitney Device, but was permanently etched and shining as brightly as the diamond that Evan had given Reenie this morning. He’d brought it out during breakfast. Reenie looked surprised, commented that she’d already said yes, but seemed thrilled nonetheless. Apparently, her brother had stashed the ring a while ago and just today brought it out.

  “Yes!” Now Reenie jumped up and did a dance, while Reggie grinned and Ivy stuck her tongue out. They each had yet to complete a working device. Reggie had all the parts in place but hadn’t adjusted for the shadow constant yet. If Reggie hooked up to the house, he’d burn out all the major appliances by tomorrow at the latest.

  At least he understood the sixty-hertz problem. He had a rudimentary idea of what it was and that it had to be adjusted for. Ivy could only recite back the words others had said. Luckily, Ivy was determined. It was possibly the only thing going for her.

  Stretching out, Reenie finally stopped her victory lap through the cramped carriage house. She avoided several machines, including the one Evan had rebuilt this morning as practice. It was chugging away in the corner, attached to nothing, to Kayla’s great dismay. If they were building them, they should use them. Instead they were apparently taking Reenie's completion as a signal for a break.

  Kayla remained disappointed until the dogs were mentioned. And this time it was elected that Reenie and Evan stay home and keep an eye out while she, Ivy, and Reggie fetched the four dogs.

  She almost opened her mouth to comment that Reenie and Evan should be sure to keep their eyes on their surroundings rather than each other. But her brother had told her a long time ago that if her comment involved sex, and if there was more than one person around, she should just hold her tongue. So she did. Besides, she was going to pick up her puppies.

  Leaving Reenie and Evan to do whatever they were going to do, and also to hopefully make some lunch, they headed out
. Sitting in the middle of the back seat again, Kayla made it about fifty feet out of the driveway before she began to panic.

  Ivy twisted around in her seat, looking back with a frown etched on her pretty features. "What's wrong?"

  Kayla considered lying, but since she sucked at it, she decided against. "They sent pictures of us. They followed us. I'm worried they’ll do something to my dogs."

  She shouldn't have called them “my dogs,” they really should belong to everyone, but she named them and she thought of them as her babies already.

  "There's nothing we can do until we get there." Kayla didn’t like the look on Ivy’s face.

  The shelter was another thirty minutes away; places were few and far between out here in the back wilderness and the shelter served the whole county. Kayla was starting to really panic. If she were ‘them,’ she'd get the dogs.

  No, she would kill the dogs, to send a message. Kayla played out scary visions of her dogs—already precious in spite of being new—dead at the shelter. She imagined returning empty-handed.

  Her breathing kicked up. A hand touched her forearm and she fought the instinct to yank back. It was Ivy; the touch was warm and Kayla breathed in, focusing on the soft fingers against her skin.

  "Kayla, there is something we can do." Holding up her cell phone, she started to make it better. "Hi, I'm Ivy Lopez. I'm calling to check up on my friend's dogs. We stopped in and adopted four pit bulls yesterday. . . . really? That wasn't us. We'll be in shortly. . . . Yes, Kayla Reeves is with me . . . She'll be glad to show ID."

  Kayla’s breath went out as relief claimed her. She felt in her pocket for her small zippered wallet that contained ID, cash and a credit card.

  Ivy sighed, too. "You have good instincts, Kay. Someone came by to pick up the dogs, but couldn’t prove he was Kayla Reeves." She squeezed Kayla's hand. "Apparently, it's odd for a person to just come in and get four pits, so they had the cops run a background check on you."