BlackMoonRising Read online

  “Okay, dear. Thanks.” Joni waved as Suzy left the office.

  “I didn’t mean to scare her.” Eric frowned. “I was in the mood for something big and mean when I shifted.”

  “Why?” asked Joni.

  “Because I felt a little intimidated today and needed a mood change.” He shrugged. “I have news with the Fleming case.”

  Steve’s heart pounded. “What’s the news?”

  Eric pulled a shirt and socks from the closet nearby. He buttoned the shirt and sat down on a chair to put on the socks. “The stepmother has been going to the local country club for years. It seems as if the club has become her primary source of entertainment. She used to go out with girlfriends to movies and shopping, but that has changed.”

  “Maybe her friends go to the club now,” offered Steve.

  “Go on,” prodded Joni.

  “I followed her there today and waited in my car. She came out about two hours later and left. Since I didn’t know what she was doing when she was inside, I came up with an idea. I went to the local florist and bought some fresh flowers in a nice arrangement. Had the florist write a quick note and put it into the envelope. Then on into the country club, and let me tell you, that place is sweet. Very plush. Marble floors, fancy furniture. I could see through the lobby across to the back, where the floor-to-ceiling windows show what’s outside. Great-looking in-ground pool, fountains with what appeared to be expensive cement work around it.“

  “What happened with the flowers?” Steve questioned.

  “I went up to the front desk and told the man the flowers were for Barbara Fleming. He told me she had already left, so I asked if she had a friend currently in the club who could pick them up for her or the club could keep them until she visited next.”

  Eric smiled. “The man didn’t know if she would be in the next day and didn’t want the flowers to sit. He said he could call her but she was probably already home and might not want to come back out. He picked up the house phone and made a quick call. I couldn’t hear what he said, but it only took seconds before a man with coat and gloves came from the outside area to the front desk. I could smell him a mile away. A werewolf.”

  Steve frowned. “At that club?”

  “It took them years to let paranormals in,” Joni said. “The club used to have a strict policy that no paranormals could be members, even if they were recommended and met the income requirement. Once paranormals became accepted in society, the club figured it’d better get with the times and not be so restrictive.”

  “I had no idea.” Eric slipped into sneakers. “Unfortunately, the wolf sniffed me out too. I could feel the rumblings of a growl coming from his gut. He stared me down for a minute. You know those stares—the ones that are trying to see into your brain and take their slimy fingers to go through the files up there. I stayed as blank as I could, just in case he had powers going on that weren’t apparent. I don’t think he was able to read anything. For all he knew I was the shapeshifter delivery boy from the florist, and that was the story I stuck to. He looked at the card on the flowers and said thanks. That was it.”

  “Wow.” Steve gasped.

  “But I haven’t even told you the best part.” Eric crossed his arms and offered a Cheshire-cat grin.

  “What?” Steve and Joni bellowed in unison.

  “As he left with the flowers, someone shouted to him from down the hallway.” Eric shook his head. “They called him by name. I couldn’t fucking believe it when I heard.”

  “I’m going to smack you if you don’t spill it right now!” hollered Steve.

  “His name was Merlotti.”

  Steve and his mother both dropped their mouths open in shock. They hadn’t heard that name in quite a while, although the Merlotti family name was one they knew well. Beck Recovery had been instrumental in getting a member of that crime family put in jail many years ago for murder, racketeering and assorted other charges. The most important member of the family too. The alpha.

  “That’s exactly what I wanted to do.” Eric shook his head “But I couldn’t.”

  Joni frowned. “The Merlotti wolves. They’ve been quiet since Johnny was put in jail. I’ve often wondered what was going on with them. No big arrests within the higher echelon of the Merlotti pack, only the smaller thugs. I had heard that one of the family members was trying to legitimize a sector of the business. Trying to break away from the family. Wonder if that’s true and if it might be this Merlotti.”

  “I don’t know, Mom.” Eric shook his head. “Didn’t seem that way to me. There was something about him that freaked me out. Can’t quite put my finger on it, but I can almost guarantee he’s not the good wolf you’re referring to. This dude had no respectable vibes. He’s a big, bad wolf all the way.”

  “Well, hopefully he’s just an acquaintance of Barbara Fleming and doesn’t have anything to do with the actual case.”

  “I thought of something I forgot to mention earlier.” Eric put up a finger. “There’s something strange going on with his left eye. It’s like the pupil is blown or something. Right eye looks normal, left one doesn’t. There’s also a vertical two-to-three-inch scar above and below that eye.”

  “Good work.” Joni let out a breath. “I want you two working together on this. See what kind of information you can get and what this has to do with Barbara Fleming. Maybe Merlotti is the club manager or something. Who knows? Just get moving.”

  Steve shivered and he had no idea why.

  * * * * *

  Herman kept a low profile as he sat in the dark corner booth of the bar waiting for Steve. It didn’t feel dangerous here, but comforting. The people who sat at the bar talked and laughed as if they’d been friends for years. The gas fireplace gave off that extra bit of heat he craved on a chilly February day. This was one of those warm and inviting kinds of places that so many strive for but few achieve. No pretenses.

  They had decided to go to lunch together rather than meet at the gym. A first step out in public. A Caesar salad with salmon strengthened the offer. Herman knew that Steve needed more information about the case and he wanted to help. Best to do this in a neutral area, rather than in the throes of passion in bed.

  He saw Steve coming through the door and stood to wave. Steve came over his way and bent down. They kissed. It was firm and warm, almost possessive.

  “How are you doing today?”

  “Actually, I’m feeling more hopeful about my situation. I have no idea why, unless it’s all because of you.”

  Steve picked up the menu and grinned. “I liked hearing that, but don’t know if you should be any less nervous about your problem. We have nothing concrete and you’re still the main suspect. That was why we needed to meet and go through some details.”

  Herman looked at the table. “I try not to think that I could go to jail. That would be my worst nightmare and not just because I’m innocent. I’m afraid of what the other inmates would do to me once they figure out I’m gay.”

  “I’m going to do everything I can to help.”

  “Thank you. You’re a great recovery agent.”

  Steve shook his head. “Not really. If I were, you’d be in police custody now, no questions asked.”

  “Are you going to get in trouble?”

  “If the bail-bonding company finds out I’m helping you they wouldn’t use Beck Recovery anymore. We have a good reputation for making a fast and clean arrest and this could hurt us.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “As a side job, we try to help prisoners who were wrongly accused. So I guess we’re doing it in advance this time.”

  Herman ordered a Boddingtons Pub Ale and Steve a Guinness. A salmon Caesar for both. It wasn’t long until the waiter returned with their drinks.

  “I was thinking about how my dad loved Moby Dick.” Herman took a sip from his pint glass. “I was even named after the author. How would you like to have been named Herman as a kid?”

  Steve wrinkled his nose. “Rough one?”r />
  “Yep. Bullied to hell and back. That was the reason why I started lifting weights in high school. After I became strong, nobody messed with me anymore.”

  “Sorry.”

  “It was a long time ago.” Herman’s eyebrows rose. “Do you know the story?”

  “What the book was about? Not really.” Steve shrugged. “I know Moby Dick was a big white whale. That’s about it.”

  “Captain Ahab was out for revenge to kill Moby Dick, due to the whale maiming him on a previous voyage. Dad was obsessed with Captain Ahab. He used to say they had something in common, once Dad lost his leg.”

  “Nice.” Steve smiled.

  “He tried to make me like the book but it never happened. Don’t get me wrong. I tried to like it.” Herman laughed. “It was a difficult one to read. I did have a few pages I enjoyed. Glued them to a small table in my room and painted shellac over the top of them when I was about fourteen. It’s still upstairs somewhere, unless the evil stepmother got rid of it.” His face darkened. All he had now were memories and some of those weren’t good.

  Steve grabbed his hand and squeezed it. That small act of support meant a lot to Herman. It made him feel like he wasn’t alone.

  “Dad had books about old whaling ships that he read over and over again. The knife that killed him wasn’t the only one he had. He had a wall of them.”

  “I saw the knives at the house.”

  “Barbara never touched them, as far as I know. She thought they were primitive and gross.”

  Steve put a finger up. “But she knew specifics about them. You don’t think she could have done it?”

  Herman shook his head. “No. I don’t. I always thought she was a gold-digger but they seemed to get along fairly well. Why wouldn’t they? She could spend all the money she wanted and do whatever she pleased. She never seemed like a violent person.”

  “Where did they meet?”

  “The country club. Once Dad lost his leg, he didn’t go out much, but Barbara continued to go to the club often. According to my dad, she was there more than she used to be.”

  “My mom and brother interviewed a few of your co-workers.”

  Herman looked questionably at him. “Why?”

  “Sorry,” confessed Steve. “That’s what we do. One of them said that you thought Barbara was having an affair.”

  “My dad mentioned it. I didn’t see her enough to have any idea.”

  “Why did he think so?”

  “Just little things here and there, like he thought she dressed up for somebody else.”

  “We’ll check her phone records again. From what I heard, there were a lot of calls to and from the club.”

  Herman nodded.

  “Let’s think about this for a minute. You already said you thought she was a gold-digger. With your dad out of the way, she’d still have to split things with you from your dad’s estate.” Steve paused. “Do you know where I’m going with this?”

  Herman’s eyes widened. “If Barbara did have anything to do with this, she would want to get rid of me. You think I might be in danger?”

  “It’s always something to consider. Barbara would get everything, unless there were other stipulations in the will.”

  “Except for a few charity items and a couple of relatives, I already know that Barbara and I get the bulk of the estate. Dad trusted me with that information.”

  “That’s another reason we need to clear your name. You shouldn’t have to be in hiding. You’re entitled to part of a large estate right now. All of that is being held up due to you jumping bail.”

  Herman let out a breath. “It’s a good thing she doesn’t know I have the book. It’s just another thing she could try and take from me.”

  “Book?”

  “Dad gave me a first-edition hardcover of Moby Dick a few weeks ago. He told me to never tell Barbara. He said the book was rare and worth a lot of money.”

  “Did you know he had the book?”

  “Nope, and neither did Barbara. I was shocked when he gave it to me but he was adamant that I accept it as a gift. No matter what happens to his whaling collection at the house, Moby Dick will be my reminder of Dad’s devotion to the giant whale and his love for me.” Herman’s voice cracked with emotion.

  “Where’s the book now?”

  “At Mike and Amelia’s, under my bed.”

  “We need to get it to a safe today. Sounds like it’s too valuable to be under a bed.”

  “All right.”

  “If you don’t mind, we have a safe at Beck Recovery.”

  “Fine.”

  “I’m sorry to make you go through this but I need to hear about the night of the murder.”

  Herman sighed. The waiter brought their salads but neither man picked up a fork.

  “It was an accident that I was even there. I was supposed to be covering for a co-worker who had taken the day off for his sister’s surgery. The surgery was canceled so he came into work. Since I now had an unexpected day off, I called up Dad to see if he wanted to go out to lunch. He did.” Herman stopped talking, feeling as though he could cry.

  “Go on,” Steve coaxed.

  “I was supposed to go over there at one. Barbara was at the country club, where she spends many a day and evening, so I knew Dad and I would be alone. As soon as I entered the house, I heard him moaning. I raced into the living room where he usually spends his waking hours in front of the television. That was the room where all the whaling tools were displayed. But one of the leaning knives had been stabbed into his back.” Herman’s words caught in his throat, causing him to break down. He sobbed uncontrollably.

  Steve went to Herman’s side of the booth and held him. “I’m so sorry, Herman. That’s something no one should have to see.”

  It took a few minutes before Herman stopped crying and wiped his tears on a napkin. He looked into Steve’s eyes and they kissed with a gentleness Herman hadn’t thought possible. This loss of control was something Herman needed to accept his dad’s death and move forward. He was relieved to get it all out. “Thank you. I think I’m ready to continue.”

  “We can stop.”

  “No. Let me go on.” Herman let out a breath. “Being a firefighter, I know basic emergency medical treatment. When you have an object impaled in someone, it shouldn’t be removed until the person is at the hospital in surgery. Instead of helping the patient, more damage can be done. The knife was heavy and hanging out of his back at an odd angle, pulling down on whatever it compromised. I knew it was probably a mortal wound but I had to try. All I did was hold it stable with one hand so it couldn’t move farther. I told him I was there right before he passed out. I hope he realized it was me because I wouldn’t have wanted him to think he was alone.”

  “I’m sure he knew you were there.”

  “I pulled my phone from my pocket with my other hand. I was ready to dial 911 when Barbara came in and started screaming bloody murder. I tried to talk to her, to help her understand what I was doing but she wouldn’t listen. She called 911 instead of me.” Herman clenched his fists. “Looks bad, doesn’t it?”

  Steve nodded. “Yep. I’m sorry, but it does.”

  “My fingerprints are all over that knife. Even as a child, I was allowed to hold all the tools.”

  “Your childhood fingerprints would have been gone a long time ago. They don’t stay on an object, due to the oils. The fingerprints will only be your adult fingerprints and the murderer’s.”

  “What if the murderer wore gloves?”

  “Then it looks even worse for you. We need to find out what really happened.”

  “I didn’t get to go to his funeral.” Herman’s stomach tightened. “I’m such a bad son.”

  “No!” Steve fired back. “You are not a bad son. This was a situation beyond your control. We need to fix it.”

  They both looked down at their salads but neither felt like eating.

  “I have an idea,” Steve put up a finger. “Let’s finish our drinks an
d take our salads to go. We’ll go pick up the book.”

  Herman nodded.

  They walked the blocks in silence until they reached Mike and Amelia’s home. Herman opened the door and their cat ran out from a bedroom. It stopped short at seeing Steve and rapidly retreated.

  “What’s up with the cat?” asked Herman. “Never saw him do that before.”

  “That can be a story for another day.” Steve smiled. “Let’s just say that cats don’t like me.”

  Herman eyebrows rose. “Oh.” He grabbed the book from his bedroom and brought it to Steve. “It’s stored in this custom clamshell case to help preserve it. Dad told me the book was the publisher’s blue-cloth edition and first binding. It has a little wear and tear but I guess that’s to be expected from something this old.”

  Steve opened the case and glanced at the book. “You sure you trust me with this?”

  “Yes.”

  Steve sat the case down on the table. “Do you trust me enough to move into my place for safety? Your friends might be in danger with you living here.”

  “Seriously?”

  Steve nodded. “There is a warrant out for your arrest. Not only are you a target for recovery agents and the police, but the real murderer is still out there.”

  “I wouldn’t want any trouble for them. They were here for me with no questions asked. Plus Amelia is pregnant.”

  “Then you definitely need to leave.”

  “I guess I could.” Herman glanced at Steve. “You’d be willing to put me up?”

  “I thought about this last night and all morning. I even confessed everything to my mother. She thought it was a safer idea for you to do that, rather than stay where you are.”

  Herman moved closer. “You’ve been wonderful to me.”

  “My place is a mess though. I’m not a good housekeeper.” Steve shrugged. “I barely cook and rarely clean.”

  “I’m not worried about that. I’m more upset about not deserving your trust with the way I treated you in the past.”

  “The past is over.” Steve put a hand on Herman’s cheek. “This can be a new beginning if you want it to be. Think about it. You don’t need to give me an answer now. We can take it slow.”