“These things are heavily regulated, Ma; he wouldn’t even be in business if he didn’t have all the correct licenses and paperwork. Besides, you know that isn’t my department”
There was a long pause down the phone line, the silence broken by a heavy trembling sigh.
“You’re father would have looked into it, even if it was outside his field”
- - - - - - - - - - -
That had been it, the trump card – at the mention of her father, Claudia would have done just about anything, and her mother knew it. She hated that about Beatrice, the way she knew her daughter inside and out, and the way she wasn’t above exploiting Claudia’s chief weakness to achieve her own motives.
Theodore, Theo for short, had been a decorated police office, respected and admired by his colleagues, feared by those who dared to cross his path. A massive heart-attack had ended his career and his life, and Claudia had spent every day since his passing working to live up to his example, his legacy.
And that was why she was here, at this pseudo-orphanage to check things out. Not because she necessarily wanted to, but because it’s what her father would have done.
A quick flash of her badge had granted her entry (and a number of confused looks and questions – she was a member of the Robbery Investigations Section after all, what could she possibly be doing here?), and Claudia soon found herself surround by children.
While she didn’t blame her mother for being suspicious – it was, undoubtedly, rather unusual to find so many children under private care – the woman’s research had revealed that all the wards within the building were once housed at a state orphanage, one which had met a rather fiery end. The proprietor – one Deux James Marlox - had once an orphan himself, and had empathised with the children’s situation, taking them into his care and endeavouring to find stable homes for them himself. No problems there. Indeed, one had to admire the man’s generosity.
There was, however, something that did bother her. Marlox was well known within the community, and the few neighbours she had spoken to prior to her visit had sung the man’s praises. No one had a bad word to say about Marlox, or his establishment – something her mother would have known, being such a nosey busy-body. This left only one logical explanation for Beatrice’s deception, Claudia’s ‘investigation’ was just another one of her mother’s elaborate ploys to gain grandchildren.
Ever since Claudia had entered her late twenties, her mother had been harping on at her to start popping out the grandchildren. She’d fixed her daughter up on an innumerable number of blind dates, and, when there was still no sign of grand-babies as Claudia had turned thirty-four, the adoption schemes had started.
“Oh, we are going to have words about this mother” Claudia grumbled to herself, casting a final practice gaze around the room.
Everything seemed to be in perfect order, something she would take great pains to stress to stress to her mother the next time they spoke.
Turning to go, the woman stopped just as suddenly, a low sniffling sound reaching her ears. Frowning, she pivoted; chestnut eyes fixing on the closet set in the far wall. The cry was definitely coming from inside. Carefully, her tread light, Claudia moved forward, right hand hovering instinctively over the gun strapped against hip. With her free hand, she gripped the handle, pulling the door open in a single fluid motion.
Inside, curled in around himself, was a small boy, orange eyes wide with fear as he stared up at Claudia. Tears covered the child’s cheeks, snot dripping from his nose.
Fishing a tissue from her pocket, Claudia kneeled, offering the object to the boy – but, before he had a chance to take to, something black and feathered darted out, ripping the tissue from the woman’s hand. Hidden in the shadows, the darkness of his feathered skin providing the perfect camouflage was a second child. This one was older then the first, different, standing stoically at the younger child’s side.
With the tissue in hand, the elder boy ran it between his fingers, holding it carefully before his eyes before nodding once and returning it to the woman. It was safe, she had his permission.
Quirking an eyebrow at the feathered boy, Claudia carefully moved toward the snivelling toddler, the boy shrinking back at her approach and latching securely on to the other child’s leg.
“You don’t want it? Fine” Claudia sighed, the tissue disappearing back into her pocket just as the boy cleaned his dribbling nose with his sleeve. The woman grimaced.
“Scared – Dante thinks you’re a demon, one that was sent from hell” the elder boy uttered in a dull monotone, orange eyes fixing blankly on Claudia.
For a moment, the detective’s mouth gaped. She’s been called many colourful things in her line of work, but a demon? She knew she could be scary, but such a hellish reference seemed a bit extreme. Checking her emotions, Claudia pressed the matter, asking plainly – “Why?”
Silence lapsed between the pair, the feathered child’s eyes radiating an eerie sadness as he continued to stare at the woman. “He dreams of visiting hell” came the reply, said in the same unemotional tone.
“Okay...” Claudia muttered, the word drawn out as she frowned. Glancing between the two children, the woman shook her head. The younger boy clearly needed help; one didn’t need to be a genius to know that it wasn’t natural or healthy to be dreaming about taking trips into the fiery pits. The older child didn’t seem to be all that better off emotionally either; but it was best to deal with only one problem at a time.
“I think we need to get you some help little guy, so won’t don’t you just come with me and-“ Claudia began, reaching for Dante only to have the boy skitter further away.
“No take, Virgil, no take” the toddler whined, fresh tears springing up in his eyes.
Stepping in front of Dante, Virgil shook his head.
“I’m his brother, guide and ‘tector – we stay together” he announced, his expression remaining limp and eyes blank.
Standing, Claudia groaned. “This was you’re plan all along, wasn’t it Ma” she growled quietly, pacing in a small circle.
Two children?! It was more then she’d ever bargained for, not that she didn’t like children; she’d just never envisioned herself having any, at least not so soon. Her mother would be thrilled, and would practically fall over herself rushing to baby-sit, so a least that would be one less problem. Claudia would, however, have to clean her apartment. The very thought caused her to shudder.
After several minutes of pacing, her mind running a million miles an hour, Claudia stopped.
“Okay, you stay together – I’ll take you both. Now, let’s go and get everything sorted” she announced, offering a brief smile before heading back toward the rooms main door.
Neither boy moved.
Retracing her steps as she realised she wasn’t being followed, Claudia knelt once more.
“Still scared?” she asked, regarding first the elder child then the younger, who was still quite teary.
Slowly, Dante nodded.
Frustrated, Claudia pinched the bridge of her nose, thinking. She’d seen the Child Protection detectives in action a few times, how would they handle this situation?
“I’m going to tell you a secret, a very special one – is that okay?” the woman asked softly, earning another slow nod from Dante. “I’m not a demon, but I help to protect people from demons. I, along with the people I work with, help to find demons and send them back to hell so they won’t be able to hurt people anymore” she continued in the same gentle tone.
Maybe she was stretching the truth just a little; but, as long as it worked, she didn’t mind all that much.
“Really?” Dante asked in a hushed and expectant whisper.
“Uh-huh, so you’ll be safe with me, the demons won’t hurt you” Claudia answered with a light nod.
“Promise?”
“I promise. Now, are you ready to go? Both you and Virgil?” she asked with a soft smile.
Dante nodded, Virgil offering a sharp nod of his own.
“Okay, home it is – Grandma will be delighted” Claudia said with a roll of her eyes, heading off once more – this time with the two boys in tow.
