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All Chapters of Gargoyles in Uniform: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

103 Chapters

Chapter 11: Off The Record

"No story?""I'll ask permission first."Deke frowned, then nodded. "I guess that's all I can ask of a reporter.""You talk about my profession with such disdain. You'll have to tell me why sometime. Right now, I want to know our current situation, and the plan."He cocked his head at her. "For someone in danger, you're awfully demanding.""I'm not going to be passive. It's not in my nature."He settled at the table, and she wiped her hands dry. "The man was murdered. He was the Assistant to the Governor of Pennsylvania—Tom Scott.""What was the assistant's name?""Derek Bonham."She sat in a kitchen chair. "The name's familiar, but since I don't write the hard news, I can't place it.""He's been in the news because he was going to testify in a trial this week—a trial for someone who was crucial to the governor's political career.""So, Derek was silenced." She'd heard the story before. Some of the older editors—who had been around when gambling started in Atlantic City—talked about ho
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Chapter 12: Complications

"Of course."Deke rubbed a hand down his face. His life had just gotten more complicated. "And it was just a coincidence Whitney was there to see the body drop?""Not a coincidence—an unfortunate happening. Might even have been a warning to her.""Why her?" he asked. The buck sauntered off, as if Deke were inconsequential. Deke walked the perimeter, checking for breaks in the wires, or trip wires that had been violated. He found none. "I don't know," Tex replied, "but there are no coincidences.""True. I haven't figured out yet how she fits into all this.""She does; we just don't know how yet. I'll do some more digging. Her father owns the newspaper she works for."Something niggled at Deke's brain. That was important. "Dig more on him.""Oh?""Nothing I can tell you with any certainty, but my gut is saying it has to do with her father." Deke leaned against a tree, suddenly tired. He'd wanted to live out the rest of his life quietly. That option had left when the body had dropped off
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Chapter 13: Adopted

Deke put up his hands. "You're not mad at me." He was right, but that didn't stop her from wanting to rage at him. Her whole life had been a lie, and she needed time to adjust. He rose and strode to the kitchen, brushing past her. "Let's take this conversation up later.""It's not going to be any easier later than it is now."He glanced over his shoulder at her. "You need time to adjust."She didn't have time. Someone had tried to get into Deke's house—to get to her. "Obviously, I don't know anything about my birth parents."Deke nodded. He put a tea bag into a mug of hot water, then leaned against the counter. She wrapped her arms around herself. Would she ever be warm again? Deke handed her the mug of tea. She gripped it like it was a lifeline. "I'll have Tex investigate it," he said. "The adoption was private, so he was lucky to get even that much information."She nodded, wanting to go farther inside herself but refusing to. This was her life, and she had always tried to face it he
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Chapter 14: Still Being Chased

"What the heck was that for?" Whitney asked."That alarm was the perimeter being breached. Someone must have gotten the cell signal.""I thought you said this was a secure line.""I guess the bad guys have up-to-date technology, too. Get your jacket on. We have to go.""Go where?""Back to the city. That way, no one can easily intercept the signal. There are too many of them." She hurried as Deke waited by the door. When she was ready, he went out ahead of her. He looked all around them. "Come on." He grabbed her hand—which was good, since she couldn't see past the light coming from the front window. He took long strides, and then they were in the woods. Her feet moved faster than she thought they could."Why aren't we taking the truck?" she asked."Because they've seen it." He didn't stop—not even when she yanked on his arm."I need to catch my breath," she said."No time, princess."The moniker chafed at her. She was no princess. "No need for insults. I'm just out of shape.""That co
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Chapter 15: Back to the City

Whitney fell asleep partway to Center City, and Deke was happy to be alone with his thoughts. He hadn't yet discerned why he felt so strongly about Whitney, but now, he had to get down to business. The Foleys were meeting them at the safe apartment. He swiped his key card and pulled into the underground garage. Whitney stirred when he parked the truck. They hadn't been followed, as far as Deke could tell. No one could follow him into the garage unless they lived in the building. The Foleys had checked it out prior to buying the apartment from Tex.Whitney opened her eyes as he parked the car in the concrete area under the building. "Where are we?" she asked, stretching."Back in Philly, in a safe area."She nodded, but he figured she was only rolling with it because she was half-asleep. They entered the elevator, which whisked them to one of the top floors. The doors opened into a hallway with three doors. Whitney had remained quiet the whole time, which made Deke a little nervous—th
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Chapter 16: He Can Cook

Whitney listened to the chatter around her as they all ate the food Deke cooked. He was a wizard in the kitchen. Her thoughts were all over the place, but they all seemed to come back to him. Twice during the meal, she caught him staring at her. She'd clearly interrupted a meeting, and they hadn't continued the subject at hand until everyone finished eating. Were they keeping something from her? Her reporter instincts were bruised, but she'd bet there was something they weren't saying in front of her. "So, where do we stand?" she asked as they cleared the plates.Deke settled in a chair. "I cooked. You can all clean."Whitney would have gotten up, but the kitchen was already crowded. Besides, she wanted to be the one asking questions. Her gaze turned to Deke. He wasn't making eye contact with her suddenly. Was he lying? Hmm. So far, Deke had been upfront with her. That meant the situation was getting bigger. She could ask them, or she could investigate. If she just got a hold of a com
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Chapter 17: Trust Wasn't Her Gig

Whitney stared at his back as he left her in the kitchen without any more answers than she had before. She would have to research the Foley brothers herself.Deke's phone dinged from where he left it on the counter, and she smiled as she heard the water turn on in the bathroom. She had one phone number memorized—the newspaper office—and she could use it right now. She took Deke's phone out onto the deck overlooking the Delaware River. She didn't want him to overhear her, so she faced the apartment instead of the view, just in case he came out of the bathroom.Her only friend in the newsroom picked up. "This is Kendra.""Kendra, it's Whitney.""Hey, girl. Where you been? You father's been looking for you.""He has?" She couldn't hold back her surprise. She hadn't expected him to even notice she was gone."Yes, of course.""I haven't been gone that long.""But you're always here, so everyone noticed."That's how he knew. Someone must have mentioned it to him; that would be the only reaso
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Chapter 18: No Flying

"Just… not my thing."Donal snorted. "We're gargoyles, dude. It's almost as good as sex to let your wings loose and fly.""It's only ever gotten me in trouble.""I'm sure if I bought you a drink sometime, you'd tell me the story," Donal said."Might need more than one drink to tell that one.""I'm betting it involved a woman.""You'd win that bet." Deke paced in the kitchen, knowing time wasn't on their side. They also didn't know who the enemy was. If they did, he'd know for sure where to look for Whitney. Damn her for being so headstrong. It might have gotten her killed. She needed a man to protect her.Oh, no. He'd never wanted to protect anyone before in his life. This was bad. Maybe he should step out of this situation while he still could."Wait," Donal said. "Tex is going to send you an article from Whitney's newspaper.""What about?""You'll see.""Do I need to read it now? We need to find Whitney.""You'll understand. I'll meet you at the top of the newspaper building." Donal
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Chapter 19: Bait

"They are going to come here, looking for you. Either because they are mad about the article, or because they know you have come to see me."Whitney mulled over his words for a moment. "So, they're coming here?" She doubted that. "What happens then?""I destroy them." For a moment, her father reminded her of a villain from a James Bond movie. His eyes flashed darkness, and she could have sworn his teeth had lengthened.A chill went down her spine. She blinked, but her father just stood in front of her. "And how do you plan to do that? They're big guys." And ex-military. "Easily, Whitney." Before her eyes, her father transformed. She blinked, thinking she was seeing things. His teeth became larger and sharper. His fingers elongated, while his stature became smaller. His skin turned a green she didn't think was healthy, and he stood in front of her, snarling. She backed a few steps towards the door. The wings on his back flapped at her, but he didn't approach.What the hell had she jus
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Chapter 20: His Gargoyle Form

"Aye, because you've been denying it. I can find my fairy without doing that, but that's because I've never denied that part of me before."Deke eyed Donal for a moment. What was he supposed to think? Since he knew he was a gargoyle, and he knew there were fairies and goblins, he guessed he had to believe it."We don't have much time," Donal urged him. "We're walking into a trap as it is, Deke. If you don't connect with Whitney, you can't defeat her father. Only your powers together can take him out."Deke rubbed a hand down his face. He'd thought he'd put combat behind him. He hadn't ever wanted to take up against a human again—then again, Benton Lewis wasn't a human. "So, Lewis is a goblin?""Aye, Deke, and he's holding his own daughter hostage to get to us. He thinks we don't know he's a goblin, but Aileen scoped out this building. She confirmed he is.""How will I know what to do?"Donal smiled at him. "You'll know. You'll figure it out because Whitney's safety is paramount to you.
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