Shadows of Doubt (33 page)

He smiled. “If and when you are ready. It’s your choice.” His smile faded and his expression became very serious. “You need to be certain of this, Tallulah. This is not something you can take lightly. I need you to swear to me and the Sanguinostri, the Oath by Blood, and mean it with your life. Make no mistake of that, Lou.”

Lou understood the weight of the decision she was faced with and nodded. She knew deep in her bones it was right, almost as though she had just been handed a missing part of herself that she hadn’t known was missing until now. “Momma?”

Shevaun looked at her daughter thoughtfully and smiled, then turned to Max. “So do we have to dress up for this? And do we do it before dinner or after? I’m starved!”

Lou threw her arms around her mother and Caroline did the same, wrapping arms around her two most favorite women. It wasn’t but a second later that Joe came rushing out of the suite and tossed his arms around them all, crying tears of joy.

Once things had
settled, Max and Caroline admitted they had been optimistic about what Lou and Shevaun's decision would be. With Joe’s permission they had made preparations for the ceremony to be held at the McAllister home with an intimate celebratory dinner to follow. With the help of Marta the housekeeper, whom Shevaun and Lou both had been shocked to learn was a full turned Sanguinostri, everything was ready when they arrived. Max had assumed Caroline, Frank and himself would be the only others in attendance but Shevaun had insisted that Abby, Niko, Finn, Connor and Yuri all join them. A simple call from Max had insured there would be enough food to accommodate the extra guests.

When they arrived at the house, Marta greeted them exuberantly, barely being able to contain her joy over the occasion. There was a waiter and a chef in the kitchen and the formal dining room had been set for what appeared to be royalty. After taking their coats, Marta ushered them all into the family room that had been partially rearranged and dressed with glowing candles and a roaring fire in the fireplace. Both Shevaun and Lou excused themselves briefly so that Lou could get out of her dirty jeans she had been wearing since the crime scene and Shevaun had said she wanted to wear something a little less ordinary. It was their moment so no one minded the wait. Joe led the guests to the bar and fixed everyone a drink. He was barely able to contain his delight over the fact that everything was working out as he had never dared to dream possible.

“I must say it was Caroline’s brilliant plan.” Max conceded that appealing to the cop had been the perfect strategy.

“It wouldn’t have been so simple had it not been for coordinating mother and daughter at the same time. And those unexpected heartstrings didn’t hurt to tug on either.” Caroline winked at Max.

“Let’s leave all that alone now, shall we?” He wasn’t really asking so much as telling, and Caroline got the message loud and clear.

Shevaun returned first which made Max a little nervous, knowing full well that Lou wasn’t one to fuss with her appearance. Her mother had changed into a simple but lovely amber velvet tunic with three-quarter sleeves, simple black knit trousers and velvet ballet slippers in the same shade as her tunic. She had bounced down the stairs and literally bopped up to the bar, ordering the bartender to fix her a drink. Joe was all too happy to oblige. Shevaun glanced around the room and smiled, then noticed a small table set by the hearth and the object that sat on top of it.

“Joe, isn’t that the carving knife you said belonged to your great, great, grandfather or something?” She pointed.

“Actually yes, that wasn’t a total lie.” He smiled sheepishly. “That is the knife that has been used to perform this ceremony in my family for over one thousand years. It was carved by my great great grandfather from the horn of a now extinct species of goat that once lived in the Carpathian mountains.” He smiled as he slid her drink across the bar to her.

“Over a thousand years?” She looked at him aghast.

“Yes my love, approximately.” He reached for her hand and kissed her knuckles gently.

When she remembered to blink, she squinted at him. “How many other priceless things do you have around here that I have been oblivious to?”

“Some.” Joe grinned. “It’s going to be so much fun telling you all the stories.”

Max was truly happy for Joe finally being able to speak freely about his life, his history, his family with the woman he adored. Life was far more worth living when you had someone to share it with.

No sooner then than thought floated across his mind, the Fates tossed out their impeccable timing again with Lou walking into the room toward him. He noticed she had done something to her hair and she looked softer for it, despite the fact that the black eye and bruises on her face were even deeper then they had been before. She had donned a simple cashmere sweater and matching cashmere pants in a rich milk-chocolate color that suited her completely. Nearly all traces of the tough detective had vanished and the impish woman that had his heart neatly tucked in her pocket stood only a few feet away, smiling at him softly. She was simply the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

“Shall we get this show on the road before we starve to death?” Lou grinned and sauntered up to Caroline, giving her a bump with her hip in a cheeky gesture.

Max drained the last of the whiskey from his glass and turned to Joe. “I think it’s only proper that you conduct the rite,” he said to him. Joe looked at Max in shock. “My Dom, I couldn’t possibly...”

“I’ll stand with you Joe, but you have waited for this privilege for far too long. It’s only right.” Max moved to stand by the small table where the ceremonial knife rested and motioned for everyone to gather around.

Abby, Frank, Caroline and the boys all sat about on the ample couches and watched as Joe guided Caroline and Shevaun to stand in front of the fireplace with them. There was no rehearsing or practice run to the ritual. It was one of those odd little anomalies that when someone took the Oath, the rite was burned into their memories forever. Every word and action was embedded crisply and permanently. So when Joe had them in proper position, he turned so he could face them both. He knew exactly what was required and began without pause, holding his hand up so his right palm faced them.

“Upon our hands we have what is often referred to as a lifeline. This is as it’s known to the Sanguinostri as well. For we hold each other’s lives within our hands and are bound by blood to one another in all things, above all else. It is for life, our people, our life-blood, that we exist, and we shall give of our own life, our own blood, to keep it so.”

Joe paused and waited while Max turned and picked up the blade with great care and respect. He held it up as if in offering to the sky, closed his eyes and spoke in what Lou recognized to be Latin. Once Max finished the invocation, he placed the blade against his right palm so that the curve edge lined up perfectly with his own lifeline. Lou felt a warmth filling her as she watched his movements. The reverence in each gesture, in each syllable he uttered. Then she watched him press the blade into his flesh until his blood began to flow. Max never flinched as he passed the blade to Joe who then began speaking in Latin as well and pressed the blade to his own hand and made the same cut to himself. He turned to Shevaun and spoke soberly, asking her if she came of free will and in absolute surety of her choice that once committed to in blood, she could never take back. Lou’s mother never hesitated as she held out her hand and said yes. Once the cut was made, Shevaun looked to her husband as he clasped her hand in his. A tear streamed down Joe’s face as he beamed at her like Lou had never seen before. Max stood close behind Joe, reaching around to encase husband and wife’s hands in his own. Both men closed their eyes and Max spoke again in the language Lou recognized, but could not understand, all the while Joe held on tightly. Once Max was done, Joe kissed Shevaun softly as another tear rolled down his cheek.

When Lou had gone up to change she had been second guessing the situation. She had even told herself that she needed to be prepared for chickening out at the last minute. Ultimately she promised herself that she would walk away if that was what she felt she needed to do. But when it came her turn, she forgot all of that. Everything fell out of focus except for Max’s face. The pounding of her heart drifted into silence and all she could hear were the words he spoke. She heard everything he said with such depth and clarity that it filled her entire being with an ethereal calm. Regardless of whether or not she understood the language, she understood what was being said. When it came time for her to make her Oath, it was the simplest, most natural thing she had ever done. There was absolutely no hesitation, no fear and no doubt. In fact, she was eager to get it out. To commit and stand with those who had stood for so long before her. In that split second when her own blood flowed, the depth and breadth of what the Sanguinostri was became crystal clear in her mind and soul. Lou knew she finally belonged to something beyond her preconceived notion of family. She knew she truly belonged to something that was unconditionally worth spilling her life-blood for.

Everything had gone
better than Max could ever have dreamed. Shevaun and Joe had insisted that he sit at the head of the table, as the Dominor should. The food had been exceptional and the company more so as he scanned the faces that surrounded him. He decided these were the faces he cared about most on this earth. Even Marta who sat with Yuri and Finn at the end of the table, telling off-color jokes that had the two men blushing. Lou, Niko, Abby and Frank were discussing the finer points of Glock versus Sig for their personal choice in combat pistols. Caroline, Joe and Shevaun were chatting about the upcoming gala at the museum and how fun dressing up was going to be. There were smiles everywhere and laughter bounced off the rafters. Max sat back and took it all in as something he could completely get used to. Its not that he didn’t enjoy his friends back in D.C. or Toronto, he did. But these people had showed him so much, some of them in a such a very short time, of how hope, compassion, love and faith can overcome anything.

“Wait a minute...” Lou’s urgent voice interrupted his musings. “... that gala thing you want me to go to is at the Museum of Art? The Byzantine thing?” She asked Joe.

“That’s the one. It’s being thrown by one of our elder Sanguinostri, Albert von Massenbach. Max served with him on the Aegis in Britain.”

Lou looked at Max. “Oh?”

“Yes, I did. After I moved from Rome to Britain but before I was elevated to Dominor. I was certain at the time that Albert would have been elevated because he was far better at politics than I was.” Abby snorted and Max only smiled. “Albert was a good sport, we worked well together. He decided to retire himself from governance when the Dom position for Britain consolidated with France so that I could handle North America. I’ve seen him a few times here and there at various galas and functions over the decades. He’s done well for himself in antiquities, and shipping, I think. I’m looking forward to seeing him Friday. A very pleasant fellow.”

Lou just goggled at him for a minute. “How the hell old are you?”

“Lou!” Shevaun scolded her daughter as laughter erupted from the far end of the table.

“He’s older than my uncle, I know that much.” Caroline said with a raised eyebrow as she stuffed another shrimp in her mouth.

“Really?” Shevaun was curious now after having an idea how old Caroline’s uncle really was.

“I know my birthday on the modern calendar is April 21st. How about we settle there?” Max smiled uncomfortably.

Abby quickly stepped in and tried to clip the inquisition. “Maybe we can leave it as Max knowing that Rome was not built in a day.” She grinned towards him and he nodded to her in thanks.

Lou flapped her hands about and leaned back in her chair. “We got off topic here. Let’s get back to the gala. I’m going over all this rogue stuff in my head now that I really know what’s going on.” She turned to face Max and looked at him intently. “You know Winslow was doing volunteer work for her professor, cataloging for that event?”

Ah, there was his detective, he thought with a grin but quickly focused on what she was saying. “No, I actually didn’t know that.” He gave disapproving glances to Frank, Abby and Niko.

“Hey! Don’t be looking at me!” Abby was clearly defensive. “I’ve been dealing with the new Council, new agents, freaking regional planning, building and safety inspectors!.” She pointed at the two men who had been in charge of compiling data on the victims. “Rogue data is on them!”

“Well, anyway...” Lou ignored the finger-pointing and continued. “...the professor that Winslow was volunteering for was hand picked to work on this exhibit. She and two other professors from different universities. This professor was super reluctant to give me any data other than Winslow was pretty much saddled with cataloging things as they arrived and had been doing so for weeks. If she wasn’t in class or at the strip joint, she was working on this gala exhibit.”

“Why the hell does it have to be Byzantine?” Niko grumbled, having a personal connection to the topic of the exhibit.

Abby tossed a roll at him “Don’t start that again!”

Max ignored them both and looked at Frank. “When did Massenbach come to Los Angeles? And who was with him?”

“I think it was four or five months ago, but I’ll verify.” Frank consulted his Blackberry. “I’ll have to check my records back at the hotel to give you a list of his entourage, but I know that he had seven with him when he landed, and has thirty-two on record right now. I looked into all of that when you got the invitation, though. Before Winslow turned up dead.”

Max thought for a moment. “Talk to all of them again. Perhaps one of them crossed Winslow’s path or has some sort of detail that will be helpful, that was overlooked the first time.”