The Fox and The Hunter

Jon stirred from the couch as the door to his mother’s house opened. He recognized his sister by the odd way her hair moved.

“Why was the house empty?” he asked, smiling from the way Val jumped.

Val didn’t look much different than Jon. Her hair was a longer, and she was barely smaller than him, shorter by an inch, wider hips, a few inches narrower most everywhere else, and had brown eyes a few shades lighter than their mother’s, along with slitted pupils unlike any eyes in the family. Val looked like herself, while Jon looked like their father.

“Did you fall asleep on the couch waiting for us?” Val asked, “Because mom’s going to take longer, by a few hours.”

“No, I fell asleep on the couch because I was exhausted from the plane and then driving all the way here instead of going to Gareth’s.”

“Awww,” Val took a seat on his legs before he could move them, “You missed us.”

“Sure.” Jon pulled his legs back so he could sit up, “And I wanted your help about the Chamberlain thing.”

Val gave a silent nod of acceptance.

“I’ll call my contacts, see if they know anyone using that name that isn’t Dick or someone working for him.”

“If it’s someone working for him, then it’s plausibly a frame job.”

Val shook her head.

“I know you don’t think highly of Dick, and I don’t either, but this isn’t a frame job scenario. There’s too many variables, like whatever’s going on between you and Renfield.”

Jon got up to object and Val put her hands up.

“I’m not saying anything about it, but even letting her go after that initial meeting isn’t something anyone who didn’t know you personally could predict.”

Val was right.

“So either it’s someone else we know using the name Chamberlain,” Jon concluded, “Or it’s Dick.”

“Or Renfield’s lying.”

He gave Val a quizzical stare.

“She researched Kurtzberg,” Val said, “Dick was a source on the book, wasn’t he? She could have that knowledge, and if she figured out who you were, who dad was…”

“I didn’t tell you what the book was about.”

“I found it. I was curious. You’ve got to admit, it’s just the right amount of plausible to send you on a wild goose chase to get you out of her hair.”

“She didn’t want me gone,” Jon asserted.

“Oh? What makes you so confident in your social skills to know that?”

Jon leaned down, exhausted again.

“You’re a good investigator,” he admitted.

“Damn straight.”

He opened his travel bag and took the book out of it.

“You actually got a copy?” Val asked, “I had to scour every library in the state.”

“Yeah, she had a few in her apartment. Gave it to me after she caught me snooping.”

Val took the book, feeling the edge with her fingers.

“I owe her a review,” Jon said.

Val gave a small smile and handed the book back to him.

“I suggest you reclaim your room before mom comes back.”

“Why?”

“Because the kid’s going to need a room, and yours is more ready for a resident than the guest room is.”

“What kid?” Jon asked.

“You think you’re the only one with shit going on?” Val asked, “No, a woman we barely knew died and Mom was apparently her daughter’s godmother, for one of them anyway. The death’s suspicious, but we’ve done all we can.”

“Who died?”

“Helena Piec, née Steward.”

Steward. That was a name in his mother’s history, enough of a name that she stayed in relative contact.

“That’s the family where the first born is always listed as her godchild, isn’t it?”

Val nodded.

“Bill had to come due at some point, and we’re probably better than the Stewards for an empowered child if we’re being honest.”

“Empowered?” Jon asked, “What kind?”

“Psychic, doesn’t talk either, just beams it right into your mind.” Val made an expanding motion from her forehead to Jon’s.

“Creepy.”

Val nodded.

“She’s pretty sweet outside of that. Pretty shaken though. Just, be nice if you’re still here when she shows up.”

Jon nodded.

“I’m nicer than you.”

Val smirked and leaned on his shoulder.

Jon stayed by the phone for a minute, thoroughly embarrassed with himself. What did he mean by that sounding like a good deal? Financially of course it was, but that wasn’t why he said that and he knew it.

He was incredibly grateful he got Val off the phone before that.

The door was opened by a smaller person than expected, only a little over 4 foot by his sense, then the exactly 5 foot person came in behind.

“Jonathan, Valentina!” A familiar lilt announced, “Help us with our bags!”

Jon walked over. His mother put a hand out to stop him before he could move toward the car.

Diana Hunter didn’t look like the mother of her own children. By appearance, most would only mark her as a few years older. Her hair was a few shades of brown that could together only be compared to the brindle of horses and dogs, with her eyes a similar shade. Most damningly, she stood more than a foot shorter than either of them, measuring exactly 5 foot tall. Nonetheless, she was their mother, bearing just enough similarities to Val to remove doubt.

“Mandie,” Diana said, watching her son like a hawk, “This is my son, Jon. He’s not usually around, but you should expect to see him on occasion. Jon, this is Mandie, my goddaughter. She’ll be staying here for the foreseeable future.”

Despite the haunted expression, Mandie was a pretty cute kid, especially with a face full of freckles. She watched Jon with wide gray eyes. Her red hair was pulled back from her face in a French braid like the ones his mother taught him.

Jon bent down and offered a hand. Mandie shook her head and ran behind Diana.

“She’s shy.”

Jon nodded, standing back up and heading toward the pile of luggage Val had pulled out of the trunk. He’d ask why the kid needed this much, but she was moving her whole life to somewhere new, and that was never going to fit in any amount of bags.

“Sweet, isn’t she?” Val asked as Jon passed her.

“Wouldn’t know, she just hid.”

He could sense his sister’s nod. At least it was expected.

It took a few trips, with their mother joining in after Mandie was settled on the couch with some water.

“Are you sure you just want water?” Jon asked as he set down his last set of bags. The liquid hadn’t changed beyond the ice melting.

Mandie nodded into her glass.

“Okay.”

He moved to the couch she wasn’t sitting on.

“You alright if I sit here?”

Mandie nodded, still not making eye-contact.

“Val said you’d been through something, so don’t be afraid to say no about some of this stuff. We want you comfortable, not convenient.”

Mandie finally looked up at him. Her cheeks were red from tears. Jon tried to relay every possible consolation through his eyes.

Thank you.

Jon flinched back. Val hadn’t exaggerated about how Mandie communicated, assuming the voice was Mandie.

Mandie giggled a little, nodding when Jon looked back at her.

“Val set up the guest room for you while you were coming through here. I can help you up there if you want to be alone.”

Mandie nodded, setting her glass of water on the table, a coaster moving to place itself under it. Jon didn’t think too hard about it as he took her hand, leading her up toward the room, where she went straight for the bed and collapsed. He didn’t close the door all the way, but left her to her own devices, which mostly seemed to be sleeping.

“Where is she?” his mother asked as Jon came down the stairs.

“In the guest room, her room now, I guess. She seemed like she wanted to be alone.”

Diana nodded.

“Probably for the best. The lass hasn’t really been left alone since this whole ordeal started. I’d be exhausted, and I don’t read the minds of everyone I talk to.”

“No,” Jon said, “Just the little birds, and the squirrels, and every bear in range.”

“I talk to them,” Diana said, “Yes, but she just hears, no way to turn it off, that one. Her parents are normal, and she’s nowhere near a haven town, so there’s been nobody to teach her.”

Not an enviable fate.

“Have you kept in contact with Placebo?” Val asked, “She disappeared after her time was up, but she seemed to know a lot about the whole mind-reading thing.”

Jon was the only one she’d trusted to keep an eye out for her new name, but he wasn’t the kind to spread that info around.

“I can make some calls, but she disappeared for a reason. Even Moses doesn’t know where she went last I checked.”

“Why wouldn’t she tell Moses?” Val asked, “I thought they were going to run down to New Mexico or somewhere else they could get married.”

Jon shrugged. Placebo had implied she’d done something unforgivable and left before Jon could pry.

“This conversation needs to be less saddening,” their mother said, “What are we to do about the reunion?”

“The reunion?” Jon asked.

“Shit,” Val said, “Is that this year? There’s been so much going on I forgot.”

“Who’s hosting?” Jon asked.

“We are,” Val and Diana said.

“Wait,” Jon realized, “That means Camille’s going to be here.”

Val nodded.

“Did you have a falling out with her somehow?”

“No. I have her staying with Viktorya to keep an eye on her.”

“Viktorya,” his mother said, “Is that the woman who stole from Gareth recently?”

“Yes,” Val said, “Apparently the item got sent back to her, so Jon’s trying to figure out what the hell is going on. Have you given it back to Uncle Gareth yet?”

“Thanks,” Jon answered, “The pendant’s in my luggage. I’ll return it when next I see Gareth. I’ve been taking time off.”

Gareth would kill him if he didn’t spend some time-off with his mother, or more accurately insist on taking more time, which Jon didn’t want.

“So Camille’s guarding this woman because you’re worried about her?” his mother asked, “Is that right?”

“That, and she might know something that Camille will learn faster than I could. You know how she is.”

The two women nodded.

“Bring her to the reunion,” his mother said.

“Camille?” Jon asked.

“Of course, but I mean this Viktorya. If you want her protected, you won’t find a much better group of guardians.”

“I’ve been wanting to meet her,” Val said, “Go for it.”

They couldn’t be serious.

“I think you two have the wrong idea about my interest.”

His mother smacked the side of his head.

“Ow.”

“You said she might have information about who wanted to steal from Gareth. I want to know that as much as you.”

“Or you could just accuse Dick and get it over with,” Val said.

“What would this have to do with Richard?” Diana asked.

Jon gave Val a look.

“Viktorya gave a name,” he carefully explained, “Chamberlain. I’ve tried to follow up on the lead to see who would use that name, outside of Dick.”

His mother gave an approving nod.

“If only Dick weren’t such a sniveling brat,” Val said, “He might be less suspicious.”

This time their mother smacked Val.

“What was that for?”

“He’s coming to the reunion. Don’t talk about him that way.”

“Why?” Val asked, “He’s not connected to you three.”

“He’s connected to your father.”

“Yeah, dad hated Uncle Gareth and Aunt Camellia, and the feeling was mutual. Not to mention you two divorced before he even died. Why do you even care?”

“He’s your family. That’s why I care.”

Their mother was hard to argue with, and Jon still had to figure out how to ask a woman he’d known for less than a month to come to a big family event.

“What’s the least romantic way to ask a woman to meet your family?” he asked, sure to get terrible answers.

“Don’t tell her she’s meeting the family,” Val offered.

“How likely is she to read your intentions that way?” his mother asked.

“50/50?” Jon proposed.

“You kissed the woman, Jon,” Val said, “And you promised her a book review.”

Their mother had an interested expression and no comment.

“I’m never telling you shit again,” Jon threatened his sister.

“Tell her the truth,” Diana said, “You still need to keep an eye on her, and there’s no way you can avoid this obligation.”

His mother actually gave decent advice.

“Thanks, mom.”

“Assuming you have no romantic intent,” she added with a mischievous smile.

Jon rolled his eyes.

Sadly, Dick was still on the list of Chamberlain candidates. Jon had added a few staff-members, people from Kurtzberg whose location and career he was unaware of, and Viktorya herself. He didn’t like the probability on that last option.

“Please don’t be planning something,” Jon begged the photo on the board he’d set up. He also pointedly glared at the connection he’d put between Viktorya and Dick, because if Viktorya was the one behind it, then she’d somehow convinced Dick to give false information, though a drop-off wasn’t impossible.

“Hey, you’ve got a call from Miss Murder-board,” Val said in the doorway. Jon sat on his bed and grabbed the phone so they could talk privately.

“Viktorya, what did Camille do?”

A distinctly accented scoff from the background of the call assured him he was talking to the real thing. There had been a call from one of the two almost daily since Camille arrived there, and Jon had no plans of confusing the two women for each other.

“She’s been weirdly tame,” Viktorya said, “It’s concerning. Do you have anything on Chamberlain?”

Straight to business, Jon appreciated the approach.

“Not that I’m willing to share, though if you talked to Val for long enough, she’d probably tell you everything I’ve gathered.”

“Hey!” Val yelled from downstairs. There was a small click as she got off the line.

“You have a great talent for pissing off the women in your family.” Viktorya said.

“Just trying to get some privacy. I’m not a fan of eavesdroppers.”

“Understandable,” Viktorya said, “Is there anything you can tell me about Chamberlain.”

“You’re on the list,” Jon admitted.

“Oh,” Viktorya paused for a moment, “It makes sense.”

“You’re not the favorite, of course,” Jon continued, “But I can’t let personal feelings stop me from checking all my bases.”

“And what personal feelings would those be?”

His mind froze. He didn’t have an answer, not one he could say. He couldn’t say anything.

“Shit,” Viktorya muttered, “Forget I asked. I’m sorry. I don’t need to know.”

Something in his head nudged him to speak. He couldn’t answer her question, but he had something else to ask.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but can I bring you here for about a week?”

“Now?” Viktorya asked.

“No, not now. My family has a thing, and Camille has to go there, and I don’t want to leave you alone, but everyone I trust will be here—”

“Is this the reunion Camille mentioned?” Viktorya asked.

“Yeah,” Jon admitted. No one knew how to keep their damn mouth shut, apparently.

“You’re shitting me,” Viktorya said.

“No, no,” Jon regrettably assured her, “The invitation is real.”

“Camille said you should invite me.”

“Of course she did.”

“And you are inviting me.”

Jon wanted to bury himself under something.

“Because I don’t have any other options if I want to keep an eye on you, but your father—”

“He’ll survive a week,” Viktorya said, “On one condition.”

Jon didn’t trust this.

“What condition?”

“The moment you eliminate me as a suspect, you show me your list.”

She seemed assured she would be eliminated. She wasn’t even asking him to do it now, or at the reunion.

“I can’t guarantee that exact timing, but done. If I can prove you’re definitely not behind it, I’ll show you what I have.”

“Great!” Viktorya said. “When is it, how am I getting there?”

“I’ll trust Camille to those details. You’ll be going with her. If she hasn’t given you the dates by tomorrow evening, I’ll make sure you have them.”

“Thanks. I’m utterly terrified given Camille’s reports of your family.”

“What has she reported?” Jon asked as he heard the click of her hanging up. He’d earned that.

He fell back on his bed, a smile on lips that left as soon as he saw the little girl next to him.

“When did you get there?” he asked. Mandie had been getting past his sense on the regular since she’d arrived. Telepathy just let her override it.

Who’s Eleanor? she asked, head slightly cocked to the side like a bird determining if someone was a threat.

“Where did you hear that name?”

When the woman on the phone asked about your feelings. You kept thinking things about Eleanor.

Jon had to keep himself from swearing.

Eleanor. Of course, Eleanor.

“Eleanor is someone I have to visit sometime soon.”