“I thought I’d make up the sofa bed in the living room for you, just until you can go up the stairs to our guest room. You’ll be very comfortable.”
“Thank you, dear Gabriella. I hope I’m not causing too much of an inconvenience.”
“Not at all. We’re used to family staying here whenever they need or want to. Your Dawn is part of our family now, so that means you are too.”
“I’m so grateful.” Annette’s eyes watered, then she cleared her throat and said, “My, those muffins look delicious.”
Gabriella quickly put one on a plate and placed it in front of Annette. “I adapted the recipe, based on the Italian spumoni cake Antonio’s mother used to make.”
Annette took a bite and groaned in delight as she chewed.
Dawn and Luca told her what was going on. Annette shook her head and wiped her eyes when Dawn told her about Carla.
“What’s the next step?” Gabe asked.
“There’s something I have to tell you, Dad,” Luca began. “But we need to talk about it privately.”
“I’d like to come too,” Gabe said.
Antonio grabbed a muffin, rose, and said, “To the man cave!”
* * *
Before he’d even had a chance to get comfortable, Luca told his father, “Dad, when I was watching Sergeant Butts and one of the gang argue, Butts shape-shifted into a wolf.”
“Holy shit!” Gabe said. “Will a regular jail cell hold him? And what about the full moon? Do you know anyone who might know what to do, Dad?”
“I have an idea. Something that Butts will never expect,” Luca said. “We’ll need a little help from an unusual source, and I think we’ll get a unique brand of justice.”
Luca glanced at his dad, whose eyes were gleaming. “I think I know what you’re getting at, Son,” Antonio said. “Besides, I promised her I’d report any violations of her rule number one. Never reveal your paranormal identity to a human—outside of the human wives, that is.”
“Oh no,” Gabe said. “You’re not talking about who I think you’re talking about, are you?”
A whirlwind sprang up in front of them. Gaia appeared, wearing a white toga belted with a green vine. “I hear you need a kick in the Butts.”
Antonio shot to his feet. “Mother Nature. Welcome!”
Chapter 16
“Five cruisers pulled up to the Keene Street Convenience store.”
Joe was on the phone, describing the scene Luca had missed soon after he left. “The officers rushed in and dragged out Ice Spider and Butts along with several other Keene Street Gang members. Gulliver and Captain Moore were the first ones in. You would have loved it, kid.
“Ha, Butts thought he was smart,” Joe continued. “Picking the time during shift change, when most officers were back at the precinct. Only instead, it seems as if both shifts were busting up his operation. Captain Moore personally read Butts his rights and handcuffed him. Butts yelled, ‘You bitches. You think you can get me? I’ll be out on bail in an hour.’ Then Captain Moore said, ‘Butts, for once in your life, shut the fuck up,’ as she put her hand on his head and shoved him into the back of the cruiser.”
We got them. Luca breathed a sigh of relief. “Did your guys get the Tyler Street Dogs too?”
“Yup,” Joe replied. “The stash of coke was in a false bottom in the trunk. They might help implicate Butts.”
“What about Carla?”
“We got her just as she was trying to get through security at the airport.”
“Joe, I owe you a beer or two.”
“You got it, buddy. And look, I know you’re a rookie, but you are one damn fine cop.”
