"So, how's San Francisco?" he asked.
"It's fine," I said. "A little foggy so I can't see the bridge, but it's nice otherwise. How did you know where I am?"
"Winkler's pilots have to file a flight plan," I could hear the grin in his voice. Yeah, the man knew too much for his own good and I told him that. He laughed.
"So, what's up?" I asked.
"I got some info on that Saxom guy." That made me stop for a minute. Merrill had evaded the question every time I asked and I discovered quickly that the topic wasn't up for discussion. Nobody wanted me to know. I'd even asked Gavin about it. At first, he'd ignored my email questions but finally told me that it was confidential information and he wasn't allowed to give it out. But here Tony was, calling with information. I wanted to hear this. "What did you find out?" I asked, my voice nearly breathless.
"He was a member of the Vampire Council who went bad," he said. "The information I got says the whole thing was hushed up, somehow. They didn't know about the children thing until that Kevin Miller kid spilled the beans."
"Just lovely," I said. "So they're hiding this. Why?"
"Don't know. Didn't get any information on what the guy did or anything that would cause the Council to declare him rogue. Or what happened to him. Obviously he's dead; that's what the kid said."
"Yeah. But if he was bad, how bad are his kids?" We were talking in generalities in case anyone was listening in. Another thought hit me. The vampire laws said you could turn up to ten. But if Saxom ignored that law like the two who'd turned me, how many could be out there now? They weren't registered with the Council; they'd have been aware of them if they were. "Did your source say how old he was?"
"Didn't get that info," Tony said. "They guard that closer than they guard the crown jewels."
I had a story about some of those crown jewels and I could never tell it. Too bad, Tony might find most of it amusing. "So, save the country and all that lately?" I asked instead.
"Every day," he teased.
"Man, you must be exhausted," I said. "What does your dry cleaner say when you take that super hero outfit in to get washed?"
"The last time they yelled because I got mustard on it," he replied.
"Yeah, save the world with one hand, eat a hotdog with the other," I teased.
"Exactly. We have to eat on the fly, you know."
"Very funny, mustard boy," I taunted.
"Damn, now my alter ego is out of the closet."
"I'm gonna post it on the internet," I said. "Along with one of those police artist sketches. That way they'll never be able to tell who it is."
"Hey, now, are you knocking police artists?"
"Yes."
"Just so I know where we stand."
"I'm standing in San Francisco. You're standing in your bedroom dressed in your mustard man costume that still has a stain on it that won't come out," I laughed.
"I wish I was there," he said.
"You know, I wish you were, too." I ended the call.
* * *
Our caravan stopped next in San Jose and did a confirmation with no problems. That one wasn't one of Lester's screw-ups. Our next stop was Sacramento, where Thomas Williams Jr. was waiting to be confirmed. I wanted to meet him. I'd watched his father die, helping to protect the Grand Master when Lester Briggs and his cronies attempted their coup. I'd sent him a note about it and he'd replied. His name was also signed on the bottom of the certificate naming me Pack. He had other family and I wondered if I'd get to meet them.
Kellee and Winkler were the first ones to meet Thomas and his brother and sister at dinner, but Thomas gave them the barest of civilities and came straight to me. He even kissed my hand and no other Packmaster had done that, outside Martin Walters.
"I can't tell you how glad I am to meet you," I said, smiling at him. He was handsome—around six feet tall as was his brother who was his twin. I wondered how often twin werewolves occurred but didn't ask. His brother, born a few minutes after Thomas, was named Theodore but he went by Teddy. Their sister, Leigh, gave me a hug. I was happy to hug her back. Thomas Williams Sr. had died with honor and courage and I told them that.
Kellee had the oddest look on her face while I talked with the family of werewolves. Glen's eyebrows were raised a little as well. Leigh asked me what happened to my salad after I ate it and I told her. I'd only ordered the salad and a glass of wine. Somehow, the wine made it easier to get rid of everything later. Go figure. "Of course you only should do something like that if you're what I am," I said. I didn't want to give anybody else ideas on what to do with their dinner and I certainly wasn't promoting eating disorders. Leigh laughed as I explained that.
Kellee, for some reason, rubbed against Winkler throughout the entire meal, feeding him bits of her dinner and that sort of thing. If she was jealous, she needn't be. I was getting over it. I'd even told Gavin the last time he'd called that Winkler had found himself a lady wolf and I'd used the term lady loosely. Gavin seemed quite happy about it. If he knew I'd talked to Tony, he'd probably go back to cursing in multiple languages.
Leigh asked about my ring, too. She'd been admiring it. "Is that an engagement ring?" she asked.
"Yes," I nodded.
"What's his name?"
"Gavin. And if you added up the ages of everybody at this table, you still wouldn't come close to hitting his numbers," I said. Winkler almost choked on that.
"What's that like?" Leigh was smiling.
"Uncomfortable at times," I admitted. "He speaks quite a few languages and I can't understand him half the time."
I thought Kellee was going to have a fit when Leigh invited me to go out with her after dinner, "to have a drink or two," she'd said. Kellee wasn't invited to go along. I went after Weldon said he didn't need me; Glen was enough protection. Honestly, Winkler would have been better off with Leigh than the airhead he was towing around but that wasn't my choice to make. Another werewolf joined us at the bar and I could tell Leigh liked him a lot. His name was Brady and he watched over Leigh while she had a couple of beers. Now that was love. Leigh wanted to sing Karaoke when they got that started. That's how I was dragged up on stage, and Leigh and I did Dancing Queen. I hadn't sung anything since I'd been turned but it came back and I was able to hold my breaths better, for some reason. Yeah, I used to sing once in a while. I sang at my mother's church growing up. I turned down a music scholarship when I graduated from high school so I could stay home and commute to school at OU. I took the art scholarship instead. Leigh and I got some applause when we finished.