Page 7 of Old Secrets

“The first thing I’m doing, should I meet anyone of your species, is to ask how I can turn you off for like five whole minutes. Just five. You look at me like that, and I realize if I don’t give you affection before we leave, you might destroy the plane before we make it to China. You’ll go crazy before we land.”

I considered his words, shrugged, and realized I had issues. “Well, we do have a therapist for a reason. I should have her prescribe you as part of my healthcare plan.”

Jake held up a finger, opened his mouth, narrowed his eyes, and turned his attention to the door. “I’m going to risk my life to ask the therapist if this is a possibility. I’ll also find out what time we must leave, warn her we need to make sure you’re not going to become a psychopath on the flight, and eat enough to tide us over if we don’t get any meals until we’re in China.”

“Look at you, being all sensible over there.” I grinned and returned to the paperwork determined to vex me. “Report my updated height to her, ask her how the hell I didn’t notice two new inches, and inquire how long I’ll be a hormonal mess for.”

“Honestly, I like your current state as a hormonal mess. No cramps, no period, you’re exceptionally easy to please, and you’re even easier to entice into being pleased. Even better, I’ve figured out how to bring out the feisty vixen I have to handcuff if I want to avoid bleeding. This situation is to my liking, and I’d rather not change much. Unless we’re adding puppies to the mix, in which case I’m game for that.”

“You are such a pervert, Jake.”

“You’re the reason I’m a pervert.”

I rolled my eyes and gestured at the door. “I might even be sad if our therapist kills you. Leave. I’m trying to find important documentation. I want to put the critical reading in my bag so I can investigate it on the plane.”

“I’ll ask all the important health questions that will likely result in my general survival. But if you were aged five but the medical reports say you were two, then I would look at the three years prior to your adoption date as closer to your birthdate. That seems to be a reasonable time frame. Also check for big news coming out of China or that we think may be associated with the Greenwich case. What sort of important tech was being developed at that time? What sensitive diplomatic matters were going on? Make use of the Inquisition number they gave you and ask them about the timing. It could be that your family is of importance to someone in China, possibly in the Inquisition. See if you can get Richard Murphy involved.”

“Richard Murphy?”

“Yellowknife’s Alpha. He has close ties with the Chinese, and I bet he’s the one who fast-tracked our trip to Tibet. If we get lucky, we might get his father-in-law.”

“Who is that?”

“Charles Desmond. He’s an Inquisition operative and enforcer. Actually, you need to learn about him anyway, so give your Inquisition contact a call and see if you can get Desmond on the phone. I haven’t dealt with him directly, but he showed up in Vegas a time or two while I was out there. He’s aware I exist, but not much more than that. I hope. He’d kick my ass in a fight, and I don’t want my ass kicked by anyone other than you.”

His hopeful tone amused me into snorting at him. “I’ll call, you go talk to Mellisa. Remind her I actually want you alive right now. You’re useful. And as more than a toy to take to bed.”

“But I like being a toy you take to bed.”

I bet he did. “Shoo, shoo. Once you’re back, you can make us dinner and prepare to be dessert.”

“How does steak sound?”

“Steak with a side of Jake sounds good to me.” As the papers would win if I didn’t get a move on, I resumed sorting, attacking the pile I’d identified as dated before my presumed birth in search of a clue to who I was, why I was important to those behind the Greenwich case, and what they knew that we didn’t.

My Inquisition contact worried for my life, but he called Charles Desmond, and within ten minutes, he gave me a number to call. Before I lost my nerve, as few men worried Jake, I dialed, pinned the phone between my ear and shoulder, and resumed my hunt for anything that might prove of use in my search for my identity.

“Good afternoon, Mrs. Thomas,” a man answered in a friendly tone. “I have heard interesting things about you.”

“Was it the part about being the tiniest psychopath along the east coast, that I’m a fox, or the highlighting and the underlining?”

“A bit of all three, actually. My contact didn’t say much, just that you require some assistance with a matter involving the Chinese?”

“Yes. My records state I was born in Tibet, but a lot has been proven to be falsified. It’s probable I was actually born in Tibet, which is why we’re heading there, but Jake thought it might be prudent to ask someone about large-scale events involving the Inquisition, China, and potential crime groups up to five years prior to my claimed birth. Judging from my medical records, we think my species develops slower than regular humans.”

“Which would put you at significantly slower aging than Fenerec.”

“Well, I’ve added two inches of height, and I’m in my early thirties—and I know I was five foot nothing at twenty-three when I joined the FBI and went through their first major physical. We didn’t track my height thereafter, but I suspect the new inches are rather recent.”

“A late adolescence growth spurt,” Charles Desmond murmured. “Fenerec mature early; by the time our puppies are fifteen, they’re the equivalent of fully matured humans, mentally, physically, and emotionally. Where you, as you say, were the equivalent of a rowdy teen in your late twenties.”

His refusal to call me the tiniest psychopath along the east coast amused me. “I’m coming to that conclusion as well. Jake seems to think I’ve settled out. In that I’m no longer adding on inches and pounds as a fox.”

“You still probably have some growing to do as a human. My Nicolina was much the same; she was well ahead of the curve for Fenerec, and she’s over the moon that she’s added some height since she mated with Richard. We tend to develop significantly faster in our wolf form. Of course, she’s only added a half an inch, but that half an inch may as well be a crowning achievement of her life. Unfortunately for her, Richard also put on about half an inch, and he remains a rather diminutive Alpha. If you need some help with China, that’s something I can do. If I don’t have access to the incidents involving Inquisition members from the time period and location you need, Richard does. Is this number good to contact?”

“Yes, sir, it is.” I explained the situation, the medical records I’d found, and the current problems and concerns involving my general health. “Jake’s hopeful I’m not actually like a cuttlefish, but I’m not convinced.”

The man chuckled. “There has been plenty of evidence among Fenerec that Fenerec women can enter a similar state if her mate instigates ongoing evening activities without becoming fertile. However, our women don’t stop having their regular menstrual cycles when human, nor do they have extra organs and build like you do. What I can do is inquire with the Chinese if they have had any unusual autopsies. That might get us a hit. Four ovaries would stand out, as would the oversized uterus and hip differences. That’s good intel to have. The rest of your organs seem normal?”