Cambria
Catching sight of Shadow, I had to smile.
He walked my way. As usual, I was seated with the other old ladies.
I had Pandora sitting on my lap. We’d been playing patty cake.
Her baby giggling when I’d clap her hands, then throw them in the air, made me imagine Shadow and me having a baby.
I told the women it would take a year or more until I was ready.
Before we considered that, Shadow and I had to settle in as old lady and old man, and I was old-fashioned.
I wanted to get married before having kids.
I’d told Shadow this. I assured him it wasn’t a demand that he set a date for tomorrow.
I just wanted to ensure he was on the same page. He assured me he was.
I tilted back my head so he could kiss me. He didn’t disappoint, and it was only the squeal of Dora that made him stop. He chuckled as he sat next to me. He tickled her under her chin.
“What has got you yelling at your Uncle Shadow?” he asked her.
“You are interrupting our game of patty cake,” I told him.
“Well, forgive me. I’ll stay back,” he told the baby. As she gave him a gummy smile, Wrath swooped in. He reached over my shoulders.
“Sorry, Cambria, but I need some baby girl lovin’,” he said as he snatched his daughter away. I watched and laughed as Wrath made funny faces and rubbed his luxurious beard on Dora’s face and belly, making her giggle.
“How was church?” I asked Shadow.
“Good. Nothing new, other than we’ve been mandated to find at least three prospects. Dylan is being worked to death. What did you ladies do other than entertain Ms. Dora?”
“Oh, we mainly talked. Oh, wait, I found something out while you were gone. I was online, working on arranging to have my apartment in Aiken cleaned out. Do you recall when you first came to protect me? I mentioned a weird couple who came to my door one night wanting to borrow clothes.”
When he nodded, I continued, “Well, I’d started to look into them and found that their IDs and car registration numbers didn’t match up.
I intended to keep digging, but then the whole thing with me needing to leave and finding out how my identity was leaked and all that made it slip right out of my head.
“A news article came across my online feed because I have Aiken flagged. It seems that a couple was arrested last week on numerous burglary charges. They were infiltrating homes by pretending to be new neighbors and using other ruses. I know it’s the same people, although their names are different, because the article showed their pictures.
They were responsible for two dozen burglaries in Aiken and several other nearby towns.
They made off with so much. It has been over a year since they started running this scheme.
The cops suspect they might be the ones who did it out west, too.
Their asses aren’t getting out of jail anytime soon. ”
“Damn. At least you don’t have to worry that they’re axe murderers or something like that. But if they have been casing the houses. Why didn’t they ever break into yours? They had to know you had gone somewhere. I would think your place is ideal,” Shadow speculated.
“I don’t know, but I have a neighbor who has looked out for it. I do the same when they go away. They check inside daily. Maybe that was enough to deter them to leave mine alone,” I speculate.
“Well, whatever the reason, I’m glad they’re caught. When do you think the guys and I can go clean out your place?” Shadow asked.
He had told me he wasn’t happy with me coming along to do it, but I promised I’d stay out of sight and wear a disguise. If anyone asked, they would tell them that I had died and they were family members removing my belongings. Shadow reluctantly agreed, so all that was left was to do it.
“You tell me, and I can make the time,” I assured him.
“Good. I’ll see who can do it this weekend.”
And that was how we ended up talking about moving with his club—just another night with family.