Change is coming
“What are you doing?” I asked as I walked in the front door.
My mates were on the sofa, Oberon in the middle, studying a laptop.
“Nothing.” Oberon closed the computer and the three of them looked so squirrely, I knew something was up.
“No fibs, remember?” I stood in front of them, arms crossed.
Tanner cleared his throat. “We wanted to help.”
“Itwas for you,” Huston added.
“We wanted to make you happy.” Oberon reached out and stroked my thigh.
Much as I loved my mates and enjoyed them fondling me, I wasn’t interested in intimacy right now. I needed answers.”
Tanner gulped. “We pooled our money and?—”
I gasped, thinking they’d bought something for me. A romantic and generous gesture but none of us could afford extravagant gifts.
“And hired a private detective,” Huston finished.
“What?” The force of my voice had each of the three leaning back on the couch, away from me. “Are you investigating me?” My voice was at screech level ten and threatening to reach eleven.
They reacted with horror. Their pained expressions along with them ringing their hands, alternately protesting and trying to comfort me had me regretting my words.
“No!”
“Absolutely not.”
“Candrin we’re so sorry if we made you think that.”
“We love you.”
“Never.”
“Then what?” I threw my hands up as they made a space on the couch, between Tanner and Oberon. There was little room with only the three of them, and we were squished together like a sandwich. Huston complained he wasn’t next to me and flung his arm behind Oberon, resting his hand on my shoulder.
“It was for Charles,” Tanner explained. I shuddered and my mate clarified, “To investigate his background.”
They must have spent a huge amount. Father used to have a private detective on retainer and the guy only worked for him. He had no other clients and enjoyed a very nice lifestyle. He retired about a year before Father died.
“Seems your brother has been a busy boy.” Oberon made air quotes around the word “brother.”
I made a face as I often did when Charles was mentioned and a bad taste flooded my mouth. I could almost smell him and the cologne he’d been wearing the day thewill was read.
Huston continued. “He’s done this before under numerous different aliases.”
I leaped up. “So what are we waiting for? The private detective can pass the information to the police.”
“We wanted to tell you first.”
So many thoughts were churning in my head, I flopped onto the couch. I wasn’t the same person who was thrown out of the house that day. I had three mates, three shifter mates. And while I’d struggled with losing everything, including Father’s death, I’d survived, though I had to admit I hadn’t done it all myself. My mates had helped along with Father’s generous gift regarding the charity’s office space. Me hiring out the car brought in funds as well so with everyone’s efforts I’d done okay.
“The police commissioner is Father’s friend. They played poker once a week. He’ll take my call.” But as I grabbed my phone, I said, “But first tell me everything. How did Charles convince my father he was his son?”
Tanner began and it turned out Charles, whose name was Bobby, had pulled this “I’m your son” routine more than once. He’d originally worked in a coffee shop in a building that housedFortune 500 companies. He got to know the assistants who bought their bosses coffee and donuts every week day and over time, those people shared gossip about their employers.
