Series of Death, Draft 02, CH 12 (Patreon)

“Thank you for getting back to me,” Trembor said, looking over the file on Arlant Shines. It had been a few days since he’d left her the message.

“Yeah, well, I wasn’t sure I would. Whatever he’s done. He deserved it.”

“He’s dead.” She wasn’t a suspect, as soon as he’d found her name within Arlant’s files he’d gotten an enforcer to run down her movements, and she had been at work when the coyote died, but she might have information that would point Trembor to a suspect.

“Oh. Can’t say I ever expected he’d get himself eaten.”

“He hasn’t, he’s an unclaimed body.”

“I didn’t do it, I was pissed at him but not enough to let him rot.”

“Your whereabouts have been verified, Miss Grays, I’m more interested in if you might know who might have angered him enough for an argument to turn physical. Most cases of unclaimed bodies aren’t premeditated and the person committing the crime runs because they’re scared.”

“You’re looking for someone Arlant angered? Have you looked into any of the meeting clubs? The male can’t seem to help going there to pick up tail when he thinks I’m not looking. That’s why I dumped his ass. I wouldn’t be surprised if half the females in those are pissed at him too. Big on making promises, Shines was.”

Trembor made a note about the clubs. Those were never fun with an investigation, a lot of people, not all of whom want to admit they were there, alcohol and recreational drugs, and it made for a pool of people less than forthcoming with information.

“Thank you, Miss Grays.”

“Say, since he’d dead, am I going to get the survivor’s benefits?”

“Were you mated?”

“No, as I said, big on promises. Not so much on execution.”

“Then you’re going to have to check with the Revenue Bureau if he put you as the designated recipient. If not, it’s going to the closest relative. But that won’t happen until a few weeks, I need to go through more of my investigation before anything will be released.”

“Thanks. Just like him to leave me with nothing.” She disconnected, and Trembor brought up the list of meeting clubs in the city, then had to narrow that to the area where Arlant had lived. There were a lot of clubs, catering to a variety of desires, from simply socializing to get to know new people, to all manner of sexual quirks. Trembor knew of at least one club that had predators who wanted to be beaten up by prey, for some reason.

He’d gone to some of the social ones in his youth, before Gorrek. After the lion, he’d never been comfortable with the idea of being around so many strangers specifically looking to get to know him, pry into his life, maybe find out what he’d seen as his shame, back then.

He forwarded the list of the five closest to Arlant’s house to Dispatch so they could assign officers to go there and ask around. Trembor liked being back within the enforcer environment and the help they were willing to give him. Cut down on a lot of the leg work he’d have to do.

His pad buzzed with Torim’s name appearing.

“Dad, what wrong?” his father had to have used the emergency bypass code to get around the family lock Trembor kept on his phone while he worked.

“What is this I hear about your brother having gambling debt?” Torim snapped.

Trembor sighed, he should have known it wouldn’t an emergency, well not a real one at least. “Dad, I don’t—”

“Don’t give me that, Trembor. I’m not looking to get you to break that precious confidence of yours, Cerek already let the little tidbit about BO asking him for a loan slip and I got the full story from him, so you can tell me everything you know and not worry about it.”

Trembor chuckle. “No dad, even if I knew anything, I’m not telling you.” His father might be an expert at playing witnesses and suspect, but Trembor had grown up with the male, had heard the stories, been cross-examined when his father thought he’d done something he should. He’d picked up enough not to fall for his father’s trick and to edge how he said what he did say so Torim couldn’t trick him.

“Trembor Goldenmane, I am your father, the master of this family. You will—”

“Mom anywhere within hearing range?” Trembor cut him off.

“No,” his father replied. It was disappointing the question, when he proclaimed master of everything, no longer sent him into fits of stutter and worries. As kids, it had been particularly satisfying disarming their father this way when he was grilling one of them. While they definitely loved him, his mothers wouldn’t let his father delude himself into thinking he was in charge. Some of those arguments had been spectacular.

“Dad, whatever Bo might, or might not, have told me, was done in confidence. I wouldn’t tell Serene if she kicked down my door and demanded I do so.” Reflexively he looked at the door in case mentioning her brought his mother here, which was silly, she’d have to get through the enforcers first and few of them know her well enough to get out of her way.

“That brother of yours is gambling! Not only that bit, in spite of my warnings he went and got himself into debt at one of those places. Do you know what they are within their rights to do? They can take his car, his house! What’s going to happen to Herelex and Isenson if they sue him for everything he’s got?”

At least his father didn’t know who his brother owed money to. He didn’t want to be around if that piece of information came out. “Dad, it won’t come to that.” He tried to come up with something that wasn’t a lie; his father wasn’t the lie detector he loved to boast he was, but when it came to his children, the old lion was too good. “I’m sure Bo will talk to a lending agency before it gets to that.” Cooks didn’t care where the money came from, did they?

“So he does owe them money!” Torim exclaimed triumphantly.

Trembor groaned. “Really, dad? I’m not a witness to cross-examine, this isn’t the courts.”

“The way you’re covering up for your brother it—”

“I’m not covering up!” Trembor snapped. “And you fucking know it! I’m the one person in this family the others can come to and not be judged because our father just kept stop himself from bringing his job into the house and treating each and every one of us like some juvenile delinquent. And for your information, I did give Bo a piece of my mind about the stupidity of what he did. Happy now?”

Torim growled but didn’t say anything.

“Look, dad. Bo’s being an idiot. I know you, you know it, even he does at this point. Screaming at him isn’t going to make him want to come to us for help.” Certainly not after the way he’d lost it on his brother. “As much as you want to protect us, there are times when we need to screw up to learn. Take it from me.”

The silence stretched.

“How are you, Son?” Torim asked, his tone gentle.

“I hurt,” he answered with a sigh. “I can’t stop thinking about him, and of course, because he’s that kind of persistent asshole, Gorrek claws his way out of my memory right after. How didn’t I see the signs, dad? I worked with that wolf for more than three years.”

“Abusers aren’t stupid, Son. They are patient, they’d stalk and cajole until their claws are in you so deep you can’t see a way out when the mask drops. From what you said, he didn’t mean to show you his true scent. If it helps, even Serene didn’t see it coming, and you know how your mother is about sniffing bad people out.”

“I know.” Trembor sighed. “It’s just that… Fuck, after Gorrek, I should know better.”

“You saw a chance to be happy, Son. Don’t hate yourself for wanting that. It’s not your fault someone took advantage of it.”

“I loved him so much, Dad.” He still did. He still wanted to old his scared wolf; comfort him when he thought someone realized he loved another male. Or when he pretended to be scared, anyway. The act had been perfect.

“You are a loving male, Trembor, that isn’t a flaw.”

“Fucking feels like one right now.”

“I know, but one day, you’ll find a male who loves you just as much and you’ll see it isn’t.”

Trembor didn’t want ‘a male.’

“I’ve looked into the contract,” Torim said.

“Dad,” Trembor whined.

“Regardless of the lack of a cancellation clause, I think that you can argue you were led to sign it under false pretense; an adjudicator could be convinced that’s enough.”

“No, Dad, I’m not talking about this with anyone. Not now, not tomorrow, not ever.”

“He can hold it over you, Son. Legally, you are mates, and as such, he can make demands of you.”

“Let him try. We’ll see how much he enjoys my claws in his face.” As much as he wanted to, he didn’t think he had it in him to hurt the wolf.

Torim sighed. “Alright, it’s your decision to make. I’ll still write the brief, in case you change your mind.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

“If you need to talk, I’m here. I am able to listen without judging.”

Trembor chuckled. “I know. Have a good day.” He dug the charging plate out and set his pad on it. He looked at the screen but saw Bo, Marlot, and Gorrek. How could he accuse his father of being judgmental when he’d done the same thing with Bo? Sure the difference was Trembor knew BO was in trouble with criminals, so his justifications were stronger, but he should have been more supportive.

He tried to work, but they kept intruding on his thoughts. He shut down the system. He wouldn’t be able to do anything about this, and nothing was urgent. And while he couldn’t do anything about the wolf and lion that hounded his memory, Bo was a situation he could resolve.

He shook his head when the captain raised a package of meat. Another thing about working at the precinct was that there was always food available, even if he couldn’t control the quality of the meat.

IN the car and it running to remove the chill that had settled over the city, he realized he couldn’t simply show up at his brother’s work. He didn’t know how that office worked, but a surprise visit would guarantee an argument. The call ended up with a message indicating he’d been blocked. Annoying, but he deserved it.

He had to search through his list of contact for the office number, and once he called them, he found out Bo wasn’t in the office; hadn’t come in at all. The male he spoke with didn’t have access to the why he wasn’t there. HR would know, he assured him before Trembor disconnected.

That was… odd. Trembor could count on one hand the numbers of days Bo hadn’t gone into work, and all three were when his mate died. The stress?

Showing up to his house unannounced was more acceptable, at least the ensuing fight would be in the privacy of the house. Only when he knocked, no one answered. He knocked louder. Was Bo ignoring him? He eyed the security camera. An angry Bo could be stubborn. He eyed the lock Marlot could open it with ease, so could Trembor, but his method wouldn’t only piss off his brother more than he already was.

Ha called, looking at the camera, got the blocked message.

He wrote a message and sent that, letting his brother know he was at his door and wanted to talk. Specifying he was only here to help him find a way out of his situation.

The message went through, but his brother didn’t open the door or reply.

Okay, maybe this wasn’t about him. Was Bo sick? Stress could cause that. So sick he couldn’t check his pad or answer the door?

He called Herelex. When he got the message, his nephew would have an idea of what was going on with his father.

“Uncle Trembor,” the young male answered. “What’s up?”

Trembor looked at the time. “Shouldn’t you be in class? I was going to leave a message.”

“I’m between them. Heading to the fighting rings for some exercise.”

“Is your dad okay? He isn’t at work and I’m at your house and he isn’t answering the door.”

“If he isn’t at work, I don’t know where he is. I do know he’s angry at you. Called you an inconsiderate copy of Grandpa. I didn’t ask for details.”

“That was a good decision,” Trembor said, chuckling. “When will you be home?”

“I’m not, staying with Zerns tonight.”

“I’m not familiar with the name, someone special?”

“Just a guy I know.”

Trembor heard the shrug in the voice.

“A guy? Does that mean your heat passed and—”

“Uncle!”

Trembor laughed. “I’ll butt out. Just make sure he treats you well.”

“If he doesn’t, that exercise I’m going through in the rings will come in handy. And about dad, I think a female is what’s keeping him busy. He asked me not to be home tonight and for a few days. It’s why Zerns.”

Alright, Bo didn’t have a reason to tell Herelex why he wasn’t at work. A female would explain it, although Bo had never put them before work. Stress again? The need to have something other than his troubles to think about? He shook his head; something didn’t feel right.

“Uncle?”

“Sorry. I’ll give your dad space, I don’t want to ruin his chance if he’s looking to give you a mother.”

Herelex groaned. “I’m not a cub. I don’t need a mother. He’s the one who needs a mate.”

“Don’t we all.”

“You okay?”

Trembor silently cursed himself for having said that out loud. “I’m managing. Give your opponent a chance to get a few blows in, not everyone is as fortunate as you to have a dozen females teaching him how to hunt.”

“I’ll be gentle, I promise.” He disconnected.

Trembor looked at the door then the camera, before heading to his car a new number entered and his pad to his ear.

“Uncle!” Isenson exclaimed softly.

“Why aren’t you in class? Classes are still a thing, right?”

“I am,” he whispered, “But I’ve done my assignment. And it’s you. You need to make it quick. Miss Blacks is glaring at me.”

“Where are you staying tonight?”

“Uncle Cerek is picking me up after class. Dad’s getting lucky. Herelex too.”

Trembor didn’t think BO was. “Okay, tell your uncle to call me once he gets you home, okay?”

“Okay, bye.” His nephew disconnected.

Now, Trembor considered kicking the door in. If Bo was there and he did have a female, he’d deal with the ensuing fight, but one of the neighbors would see and call the enforcers. In his current state, Bo might press charges. Their dad would easily get one of his friends who still practiced law to have them dismissed, but it didn’t matter. This wasn’t his territory. He wasn’t investigating a body. He kicked the door in and he’d be breaking and entering.

He sent his brother message ‘Bo, Trembor again. I talked to your sons. Pushing them away isn’t like you. Call me and I will help. No lecture, just help.”

Getting in the car, he wondered how deep his brother’s troubles ran if he was hiding out like Trembor suspected he was. He shuddered as he recalled some of the stories he’d heard in his time as an enforcer about what some criminals did with people who owed them too much. Serfdom, being forced to commit crimes, bleed dry, figuratively and literally in at least one case. Being vanished so completely, the Missing Person Bureau wasn’t even away or it.

He looked at his brother’s house and hope Bo’s troubles didn’t run that deep.

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