Chapter 23
JOLAR
Body found and duly dug up and placed in a body bag by the coroner, we expanded our search as unobtrusively as possible to make sure we were truly done at the site. No other bodies were found, thankfully.
“Well, the lab uses your DNA matching tech, so as soon as the coroner sends over a sample, we’ll know pretty much right away,” Agent Peterson informed us. “We’ll let you know what they find.”
The L.T.C. raised an eyebrow. “Our suspect and case, so why is the information coming to you first?”
“Because the evidence was found on our planet!” he snapped.
Agent Jeffries wrinkled his nose as if he smelled something bad. “The director will probably insist they send it to you at the same time,” he admitted.
Sachuu inclined his head politely. “That makes more sense. That way we can continue with our investigation, and you can check to see if this might have any bearings on any unsolved cases you have.” It went unsaid that he was referring to missing persons cases.
Jeffries turned and stomped away towards his car. “Uppity bastards,” he muttered, either not knowing or caring that we could hear him perfectly fine.
“You’re good to go back to your ship, unless there’s anything else, And sorry, I’ll deal with him,” Jeffries growled, following his partner.
“Don’t mind Jeffries,” the coroner, an older gentleman named Dr. Quincy said.
For some reason, he’d expected us to joke about his name when he was introduced.
We hadn’t, and he’d smiled at us ever since.
“There was a girl in the department he liked and never bothered asking out. Two years ago, she decided to go back to school to get her Masters, applied to your program, and got matched. I know because he got sloshed over it at my brother-in-law’s bar.
” His lips twisted in distaste. “Phil ended up having him removed after he kept calling women alien cock sluts and a bunch of other nasty stuff about women and your people. He doesn’t put up with that sort of bs.
No idea why he’s even still got a badge after that.
It was hate crime level shit, complete with him threatening to show the gal what a real human man felt like if he got his hands on her. ”
We turned to glare at the departing car.
“I will let my commander know,” Sachuu said.
I nodded in vindication. Commander Gundar would see this man removed from his position of power and into some kind of mandatory psychological counseling. He obviously needed help and was a walking tragedy waiting to happen, even if he only behaved thusly while inebriated.
“Now,” Quincy said, “I’ll be back at the morgue in about an hour or so, given traffic and distance.
As soon as I’m there, I’ll take samples and send them over to the lab by courier,” he winked.
“And just in case they don’t send you the information without having to go through channels and badger them, I’ll send an identical set of samples over to the mate scholarship center. They can send them to you to run, yes?”
“They can run the samples there, actually,” Sachuu told him.
“Good! And next time you’re in the area, stop by The Flying Saucer. That’s my brother-in-law’s pub. He renamed it after that to do with Peterson and expanded it into a gastro pub with a 50s Atomic vibe. Tell him I sent ya and to treat you to whatever you want on the menu. On me.”
We murmured our thanks.
“It is rather late in the day,” Klora observed.
“We can stop for pizza before returning,” Sachuu said. “I saw a Pizza Inn along the way here.”
Pizza sounded good. I was definitely hungry, and eating before returning meant that I wouldn’t wake my sleeping family preparing myself a meal upon my return.
Klora and I followed the L.T.C. back to our rented vehicle. The Pizza Inn turned out to be a stucco and brick building with a red roof and a porch supported by white columns.
As we entered, we passed the kitchen which had a large open counter between us and it. At the end was a small carpeted space that opened up into the seating area. A hostess stood there, her eyes widening as she saw us.
“Oh! You’re from the bride fleet!” she squealed. “Is Lopyer with you?’ she asked.
“He transferred to St. Paul,” Sachuu told her.
She gaped at him, holding three plastic menus in her hand. “Like Minnesota?’
“Yes, Minnesota.”
“That’s too bad,” she murmured. “He ate here every now and again, enough to be a sort of regular. Nice guy.” She smiled and started walking. “Sorry, just thought he’d have said something the last time he was here. Let me show you to your table.”
We all opted for the buffet and ordered soft drinks.
“I hope your move has gone smoothly,” Sachuu said as we sat down with our plates.
“I got a message saying Neal loved his new room. Xero helped Mitchell decorate it with even more Lilo and Stitch than his last one. I am looking forward to seeing it. He also said Darla came herself to oversee the warriors and took him to lunch at her favorite restaurant.”
Sachuu smiled. “If he is making friends with Darla, you will have nothing to worry about. She and her friends are close and very active socially around their work and school schedules.”
I nodded. “It was very kind of her. She’s always been helpful on the forum I belong to, helping out with recipes and such that appeal to children and are easy to make as well as very nutritious. She will make a fine friend.”
“I’m excited about getting a larger room and my own bathroom,” Klora snarked. “No more having to wait for a private shower!”
I shuddered. I did not miss that aspect of being enlisted and unmated.
“Perhaps you will find your match soon and have even more to celebrate,” Sachuu told him.
“Well, as it is, I’m thinking about adopting a cat now I have room for a litter box and cat tree,” he said.
“Neal wants a dog or a cat,” I said.
“Why not get him one of each?” Klora suggested, looking mischievous.
I narrowed my eyes at him. “One pet at a time. Maybe we’ll get a second one when he’s older.”
Our server stopped to ask if we wanted a drink refill and we accepted.
“Sorry, I couldn’t help but overhear that y’all were thinking about adopting a pet.
The shelter is having an “empty the Shelter’ drive and is open until nine p.m. all week to accommodate anyone who might be interested in adopting. ”
Sachuu gave me a look I couldn’t interpret. “I am fine with stopping there for us to choose animal companions if you wish to go.”
I grinned, realizing that he wanted to get a pet too.
“I’m in! Sounds like fate,” Klora spoke up.
I licked my lips, hoping Mitchell would forgive me for simply showing up with our much discussed pet. “After we finish, sure.”
“Cool!” our server said. “It’s signposted as the Humane Society. It’s over on Twenty-Third, between Oak and Palm Avenues. I can call my aunt and let her know you’re coming. She works there, approving adoptions.”
We thanked her, promising to ask for her Aunt Joan when we got there. Less than an hour later, we were pulling up outside.
“Fifteen minutes until they close,” Klora said sadly. “Think they’ll let us in?”
A small, wiry, gray haired woman flew out of the building, hurrying to our car. “Hi! I saw there were three of you and it was a rental and thought to myself, Joan, this must be the Mylos Eileen said were coming! Don’t you worry, loves, we’ll stay open until you find your furever friends!”
Well, that certainly answered Klora’s question. I took an immediate liking to this woman and got out, following her inside, the L.T.C. and Klora behind me.
“We have to walk through the cat area first to get to the kennels,” she explained, walking us past someone standing for a photo with a small, shaggy dog.
“That’s cool, I’m wanting a cat,” Klora told her.
“As am I,” Sachuu said. “Perhaps two. I understand they keep each other company.”
She glanced at him sharply. “Are you away from home often?”
“I sometimes work long hours,” he admitted. “But Xero will be able to keep an eye on them.”
“You might also consider one of the treat dispensers we have for sale. We have one that comes with a camera so you can see them and they can see and hear you. You can talk to them while you’re away and dispense a treat when they come up to the dispenser in response.”
Sachuu nodded and Klora vowed he would be purchasing one.
“But as to what you said earlier,” she continued, pushing open the door to a room filled with cats on perches and in blanket lined boxes,” if you have two or more and they get along well, they will keep each other company. And a few are bonded pairs as well and we’d prefer if they went together.”
I sighed. If I chose a cat, it sounded as if I should get two.
A gray striped cat came over to the L.T.C., chirping and rubbing its head against his boots.
“Oh, wow. That’s Merlin. He is usually very shy. We’re a no kill and he is the reason we’ve never managed to completely empty the shelter. He’s been here for five years already, poor fellow, since he was about six weeks old.”
Sachuu knelt down and let Merlin sniff his fingers. Merlin gave them a delicate sniff, then promptly gently nibbled his fingers, loudly purring. The L.T.C. let him do as he wished until he left his fingers alone and simply kept rubbing his face all over his knees and shoes, purring all the while.
“Let’s see if he’ll let you pick him up. Usually, I’m the only one he’ll tolerate.”
He gently scooped Merlin up, bringing him towards his chest as the cat failed to protest. Instead, the purrs grew almost impossibly louder, and he began rubbing his face on the L.T.C.’s cheeks, his paws kneading his shirt.
“It’s a love match,” Joan whispered. “Oh, I do hope you’ll take him.”
“But of course,” Sachuu informed her. “I have been chosen. I already know from my human friends that cats choose you, not the other way around.”
“He gets along well with Mimi, the little tuxedo cat watching you so intently from others there,” Joan said, gesturing. Sachuu walked over to where the small cat sat on a perch and extended his fingers. She sniffed and began rubbing her head against his hand.
“These two have honored me,” he said.
“Goodness,” Joan said, “that was fast! Um, if you’d like to stay here and bond some more with them, I’ll help your two friends find theirs.”
The L.T.C. nodded and sat down on the floor. Mimi the cat jumped down and joined Merlin on his lap.
“Wow, that’s a big one!” Klora said, walking up to an enormous orange striped cat with a fluffy tail.
“Oh, that one’s a surrender. His name is Duke and he’s a Norwegian Forest cat. He gets along with everyone, human and cat alike,"Joan grinned.
“So if he likes me, I can simply choose any other cat that also likes me?” Klora asked.
“Yes,” she replied.
I was startled as a cat leapt onto my shoulder and dug its claws in to steady itself. I placed my hand up to steady it and it took it as permission to start the head rubbing thing.
“Wow, the cats really love you guys!” Joan exclaimed. “That’s Tate.” She lifted him down from my shoulder and I saw it was a petite specimen, the fur multicolored patches on a white background. “She’s only a year old, also a surrender. Her owners moved to a place that didn’t accept pets.”
“And which cats does she get along best with?”
She looked sheepish. “Actually, she’s bonded to a dog she came in with.”
Klora laughed. “Told you to get a cat and a dog.”
“She’s a lovely Cocker Spaniel, three and half years old, named Molly. They’re both used to kids.”
“I should meet Molly before I agree,” I said firmly, directing my words towards Klora mostly. He was already cuddling Duke and reaching the fingers of his free hand to various cats to see if any of them really liked him.
“That’s a great idea! If you’ll just leave Tate here, I’ll take you on through.”
Leaving my companions behind, I followed her as instructed, feeling my heart tug at Tate wailing at the closed door between us. Soon, her cries were swallowed up by yips and barks from the surprisingly few dogs they had.
“The shelter clear out seems to be successful so far with the dogs,” I commented as she stopped in front of a chain link keel door.
“Oh my, yes. Tomorrow the remaining cats will be at Petco until five, to get more exposure. It’s rare we come back with any except for poor Merlin.
” She opened the kennel door and I saw for the first time that she’d had a leash in her hand this entire time.
Clipping it to the small buff colored and curly coated dog inside, she said, “This is Molly.”
Molly was probably the only dog here not barking. Instead, she looked at me with heart melting dark eyes, her tail gently thumping behind her. I knew immediately that Mitchell would forgive me as soon as she looked at him.
“What do I need to buy for them?” I asked and she squealed, handing me the leash.
“Let’s go do your paperwork!” she said. “Then we can show you what we have in our store area.”
I led Molly back through, Joan assuring me that Molly would ignore the cats and remain by my side.
She did, until Tate came meandering over, and then I watched, touched by their affection, as Molly’s tail wagged faster and she licked the cat’s face as Tate purred and rubbed her head all over Molly’s head and ears.
“I’ll fetch some carriers,” Joan said, disappearing back to the office area.
“I can’t decide between these other two. Do you think three is too many?”
Sachuu shrugged. “If you’re happy to clean the box after three, why not?”
“I’ll take them both then,” Klora said happily.
I snorted. “You sound like Neal.”
“If I was Neal, you’d be bringing home each and every cat and dog here,” he countered.
“True. he would definitely try,” I admitted just as Joan reappeared with a man right behind her. “I have five carriers for the cats here,” she said.
“I need another one as I decided to adopt three,” Klora said.
“Oh!” she said looking thrilled. “Which ones?”
He pointed to the solid black one currently batting at an orange striped cat. “The black one there and the gray and brown striped one in the window,” he said.
“The black one playing with Morris’ tail?” she asked.
“Morris?” I asked. “The orange one is called Morris?”
“Yes,” she replied. “Because he looks like the cat in the commercials.”
“I’ll take him as well,” I said, remembering my beloved’s words.
She stared at me. “Are you sure?”
“Yes,” I replied firmly.
“I’ll get two more carriers,” the man said.
I realized then that I had intended to get one pet and somehow just agreed to three. Mitchell was going to laugh at me, once he got over any anger. If he got mad, that is, seeing as I had gotten him his Morris.