Changer's Blood (Balancer's Soul cycle) (14 page)

As a result to being blocked Connor
sat down in
the men’s
boredom
area.
At least the couch
felt
comforta
ble and
he
didn’t have to carry her
purse
like other
nearby
emasculated men
.
A few minutes later Connor
heard “
How are you feeling
,
Connor?
You’re looking better than the last time I saw you.
”

He
turned
to see D
eputy Burrow in his everyday
street
clothes. It mu
st have been his day off.
He wore a white and blue t-shirt and dark blue shorts with sneakers. His head
and jaw line
seemed
freshly shaved
and waxed to a glossy shine while his smile i
s as bright as ever.
“Hey Deputy Burrow. W
hat brings you
in
here?”

Connor
stood and
they
shook each other’s hand. “The same as you I suppose. Is your
little
wife also shopping for clothes?”

They
sat down together as
he was answered
“What gave me away
, the bor
e
d
, defeated
look on my face or the fact that I’m
still
in a clothing store and not already gone after finding what I needed
within three minutes
?” and his smile was still beaming.

“Every married
and
unmarried
man
,
since the dawn of time has
had to wait
outside
for a woman who goes
clothes
shopping.
It’s a cruel
rite
of passage that will never come to an end.
No matter how we try.
For your information, it doesn’t get any better.
”
The deputy
started to laugh.
“Plus
,
it was the look of frustration and pure boredom that tipped me off.
I know because I’ve used
the same look for decades.
”

Moments later
Connor
asked “How’s your wife and three kids?”

“They are all doing quite well
actually
. My youngest son finished in first place in h
is
karate masters
tournament
in Louisiana
. His older brother was just accepted to MIT. And my oldest
daughter,
who just graduated college,
made me a
first time
grandfather
a few days ago
.
”
His dark
ebony
skin stretched into a full blown grin
to show how proud he became
.

“Congratulations
,
Gramps.” And he laughed
,
patting
Connor
on the back.

“I am happy with my age, but when Mrs. Burrow found out
that
our daughter was
first
pregnant she started crying
inconsolably
.
Don’t get me wrong, she is ecstatic about becoming a grandparent too, but she knows that she’s becoming an older woman
now that her baby just had one of her own
.
Now she’s being vain and trying to
re
capture her youth again.” He shook his head while still smiling, “I keep telling her she is still beautiful, but try convincing that to a
grandmother
.
At least one good thing came out of it, I can corrupt yet another generation with my personality.
”

After they
finished that short laugh
Connor reluctantly and seriously
asked
“Any news about
them
?”

Deputy Burrow’s
smile va
nished instantly as he understood
the
question
. “Yes
,
there is
some
news
on that front
you might need to hear
about
.” Connor
intently looked at
the man
until he continued
speaking in a tight
, scornful
voice
. “You’re teacher will be in prison for the next twenty years
or so
for giving a weapon to a student and for holding your lovely
young
wife hostage
.
That part was easy. The judge saw him that night I booked him and did his job to my satisfaction.
The bad news is that the
county
mayor
,
Mathew’s father
, caught wind of his son’s arrest nearly moments after I booked him. The mayor
p
ulled his authority and had nearly everything
dropped.
That boy was released yesterday morning and the only thing the mayor couldn’t sweep under the rug was the paperwork I filed.
Mathew got a get o
ut of jail free card thanks to
Daddy
.

“
I’ve met the mayor
a time or two
before and he’s as demeaning and disrespectful as his son.
I about backhanded the boy when he woke up
at the station
and spit in my face and called me a few unflattering and racial remarks.
But
at least the judge still saw reason and gave Mathew
six weeks of community service
for assault and battery
.
I should also have charged him for
disrespect, but I’m not petty.
”
Regardless
,
the look in his
onyx colored
eye
s
showed rage from the assault.
I
f Deputy Borrow was born Caucasian Connor
would bet that
his features would be blood red with fury. Connor
felt
his own
face flame in rage and it
was red enough for
them
both. “There is a little bit of good news though.” He had a weak smile on that
warred
with his rage. “I have tailed Mathew’s every destination these past
two
days
,
making sure he wouldn’t come near you
or your kin
.
The last place I followed him to was an army recruiters office
an hour ago
and he stayed in there for well over an hour
before I had to pick up the misses
. My guess
and hope
is
that
very soon he will no longer be around
this town
for the next few years
and gets beaten up a few good times during Boot Camp
.

“Thanks
for all your help
.” He waved Connor
off because it was his job
and he was watching
his
back
.
Connor
sighed with relief and so did
the
older friend.
He then asked
a serious question
in a lower tone
. “Deputy, if Mathew ever threatens any of my love
d ones; do I have the right to
permanently
get rid of him?”

Deputy Burrow
looked away to see his beautiful wife start
ing
toward
s
the two of them
from the dressing rooms
. B
efore she
came
with
in hearing range
he sai
d icily serious
“If he does…” H
e pulled a card from his wallet and handed it
over.
“
c
all me and I will personally help dispose of the body.” He turned to look at
Connor
with his goofy smile yet his
the look in his
eyes
remained
serious. “But
only
if he comes at you or your family with an evil intent. If you chase him down for vengeance
,
I won’t help. Do you understand the difference?”

“Do you have anything to write with?” He cocked his
shaved
head
in confusion
, but
didn’t question as he handed over
a pen
from his breast pocket and another of his cards. Connor
wrote down
his m
om’s home phone number and Jack
’
s
for the time being
.
Connor
explained as
he
handed him back
the
number
s
and
the
pen “This is my m
om’s number and this is my in-laws. Please call either of these numbers
if you have need of me
.”
Mrs. Burrow
w
as now standing and listening in on
their
conversation. He peered at the numbers before putting it back in his wallet, but he put it in a different
leather
slide.

Mrs. Burrow asked Connor
politely “What would he need to call you for
,
Honey
?”

Through the bond Connor
felt Sarah
’s approach,
but
he
didn’t bother to look
in her direction
as
he
held the deputy’s wife’s eyes
.
S
he stepped back involuntarily
from
under
his direct
stare
. “I’m a tracker and an outdoorsman
, have been for longer than I can remember
.”
Connor
turned
his
head to look at
the
older friend. “If anyone goes
ever goes
missing
or goes camping and winds up lost
,
don’t hesitate to call
on
me
for help
.
I’ll hunt anyone down and bring them back
.
”

Deputy Burrow
had his prideful smile back on again. “Are you any good?”

“You bet he is!” Sarah said
and as
Connor
turned to look at her
his
heart about blew through
his
chest.
T
he impact with his ribs should have made an audible thud.
“I wound up lost out in the woods
several months ago
because I didn’t know the area
and night fell before I realized my situation
. Connor tracked me down without any moonlight or any flashlights for
that matter. I can say honestly
that
there isn’t anyone better
if someone ends up lost
.”

“Thank you Mrs. May. That is all I need
ed
to hear.” Both him
self and the deputy stood. As
he shook Connor’s
hand goodbye he spoke
carefree, but his eyes said otherwise
.
“Keep in touch and don’t forget to
call
.”

“Same goes to you.” And he snickered as he walked away.

“What was that all about
?”
Sarah caught Connor’s
attention again.

“Mr. V. is in prison, but Mathew got off
relatively
clean.
Apparently the mayor can do something, but only when it involves his boy.
”
Her
warm
face paled
and became ashen.
She
had been
afraid that something like this would happen.
“Deputy Burrow said that we shouldn’t worry because he might be joining the military
.
Fingers crossed…
He said that if
anything
happens in self-defense
,
he will help us. So I wanted to repay
his kindness
and I
said
that
if he needed a tracker, he could always call on me.”