"Most people have a house down the Shore."Trent chuckled. "I prefer a second place in the city to my suburban residence. I'm not much of a beach person so no house in Jersey.""Are you from this area originally?""Born and bred.""And your family is still here?" she asked. They hadn't left the car. Trent turned to her and nodded. "My sisters are still here. My parents went to Florida.""That sounds familiar. My parents have been talking about that." Then she remembered that her parents were missing. Her heart hurt a little bit. As if sensing her distress, Trent squeezed her hand. "We'll find them. Let's get out of the car before it gets hot."She climbed out and followed him to an elevator. He put the card into a slot and the elevator motor started up. The doors opened a moment later. Trent motioned for her to enter before him. He punched the button for the top floor. The doors closed and Trent stood in the middle of the elevator, taking up a lot of room. She hadn't realized how big
"We found them.""Are they alive?""Yes. Tex used facial recognition software to find them at the airport. They were booked on a flight to Haiti.""Haiti?"Sean, the middle Foley brother, interjected. "It seems to be a goblin stronghold. They came as aid workers after a bad hurricane and have never left.""Wasn't this like what we found in that warehouse?" Trent asked. "Kel's wife and all that.""Yes."Trent had been part of a rescue mission to save some kids who were going to be trafficked out of the country."To Haiti, we found out later," Declan, the youngest Foley, said. Trent looked at each of the men. "I don't know about you, but in my background there are no coincidences."The men all agreed. The Foleys had been involved in some cases that didn't make it into the newspaper. Deke himself had save his wife from her goblin adoptive father. They'd all had their run-ins with bad guys and Deke wondered why now. "Seems like things are ramping up," Deke said. "Between what my wife and
Trent sat in his living room having gotten a few hours of sleep. Only the light outside the windows told him that it was evening. Beth emerged from the hallway that led to the bedroom. She was sleep tousled, but awake and looking around. He flipped mindlessly through channels, but turned it off when he saw her. "You need food?""Coffee would be great.""There's some in the kitchen."She returned to him, a mug in her hands. She settled on the couch diagonal to the chair he occupied. "I talked to Maggie."He nodded. "I called Kel. I figured they would want to know. I advised them not to cut short their honeymoon.""Especially since we don't have a credible threat against me."Trent sighed. "Do you agree the situation at the party and the situation with your parents are odd?""Yes, but do they have anything to do with each other?""I don't believe in coincidences, Beth. They just don't happen."She shrugged then remained quiet. He wished he knew what was going on in her head. If he did,
Trent hated asking for help? How odd for someone trained in the military. They had to be a team from what she understood. He wasn't willing to let her be on his team. "Sit on the bed."He was too tall for her to deal with while he was on his feet. When he sat he was eye level with her. "Who used this hospital? I've never heard of it.""It's for people who are willing to pay and not use insurance. It's also used when a big name wants privacy."He nodded as she unwrapped his bandage. The burn didn't look much better than when she'd wrapped it the first time. "You are not healing. Let me have a doctor look at it.""Is it infected?""No.""Then no doctor."She frowned at him. "Then let me get some topical antibiotic." She left him in the room and returned with an ointment. She slathered it on as he winced a little then she put a fresh bandage on it. "There. All better.""You sound like my mother did. She would kiss it too.""You want me to kiss it?"Her heart stopped as he stared at her f
"You are," Donal said. "This arrest is just one of many that is going to happen. And if you make a statement to the cops you will have a bullseye on you.""I'm willing to take that risk. I should have gone to the cops," Beth said."You were scared," Trent said. Most people would not have handled the disruption to their lives as well as Beth had. She shrugged. "Have you found my parents?"Tex shook his head. "They are well hidden wherever they are, but if they are anywhere near here I'll find them Beth."Sean handed Beth a phone that couldn't be traced. "Thanks," she said. "I put Maggie's number in there and Trent's and of course ours," Sean said.She nodded. "Can we go make that statement?""Sure. We'll see you all later. I'll have my phone on. Call me day or night."Donal chuckled. "You don't understand that Tex may call you in the middle of the night. He'll be up with that new baby of his on his shoulder trying to get to the sender of the text."Trent shrugged. "It's important so
"Yes," Donal said. Beth tapped a finger on her bottom lip. She looked pointedly at Donal. "Are you a supernatural being?"Trent dodged that bullet for the moment."Yes. I'm a gargoyle."She crept close to him as if he were going to explode any minute. "You're a gargoyle? Like those things on the tops of buildings?""Something like that," Donal said. Trent admired his patience. Beth took two steps closer, studying Donal. "You can shift into a different form?""Yes."She cocked her head. "Would you do it for me?"Donal flicked his gaze to Trent who nodded. "Yes." Donal rose. "Don't be afraid. I will look scary, but you are in no danger."She nodded, wrapping her arms around herself her, gaze never leaving Donal. "I have to take off my clothes to do it," Donal said. "I'm a nurse. I've seen naked people before."Donal disrobed and transformed. Beth's eyes widened. Trent just hoped that Donal's claws didn't rip up his couch. Beth reached out her hand and touched Donal. Trent admired he
"Because Maggie is a fairy. I'm not supposed to tell you, but we are at war. With the goblins. They are taking over the world one institution at a time. We have to stop them and you knowing that Beth is probably a fairy will hasten that along."Trent studied him. "You think Beth is a fairy?""Yes. I don't know for sure. Only you can know that. She is probably your fairy or descendant from the fairy that your gargoyle ancestor protected."This was a lot to handle. Deke was a down-to-earth guy. He didn't have flights of fancy so why would he tell Trent this story? None of it made sense, but then again his need to protect Beth made no sense either. This could be his explanation. He wasn't sure he was ready to accept that.He glanced at Beth who paced near the stage. Maybe it did make sense?***So far the night had gone well. Beth was about to start her second set. Trent hadn't had to turn anyone away. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the entertainment instead of just having music. That ma
Beth was thankful that she wasn't afraid of heights and under different circumstances she might have enjoyed the flight over Center City. Instead she'd been terrified. Now she paced in a room in a house in West Philadelphia. A row house and they were on the end. She'd had the state of mind to memorize where she was. She didn't have her phone. It was still at Grotesque. Or wherever Trent was, she was sure. She'd learned early on not to rely on her parents so even if she knew where they were, she wouldn't have expected them to help her. She was on her own. Looking around the room, she was on the second floor. Out one window was a roof that she could jump onto, but could she jump down from there? Who waited for her at the bottom? Not knowing what was going to happen, she needed to take action. It was part of her training as a nurse.Standing by and awaiting her fate wasn't in her makeup. Her parents had never understood that. Standing a little back from the window she observed the yard