“In my younger days, I liked to show off.” He winked at O’Malley who laughed loudly.
“That I would like to see.” The cougar shifter sipped his coffee. “I always wondered what it would be like to wander around as a cougar. I expect when you were younger, things were different, the world was emptier.”
“It was but there were still plenty of threats. People didn’t understand how people could shift from one thing to another and they still don’t.” He drank his coffee, his senses telling him that his mate was out of the shower and would soon be coming down to join them. “Does Joanna’s boss think they will arrest Ostabell? Is the evidence good enough?”
“Yes. He thinks so but it’s still not for certain.” O’Malley ground his teeth together. “It would only take someone higher up the chain of command to want this to go away and we’re right back to square one.”
“If that happens, heads might burn.” Kelos shook his head. “As long as I’ve been alive there has been corruption.”
“Her boss is a good man. He knows how much this means to Joanna. He’ll make sure it sticks. We just have to be patient.” O’Malley looked up as Joanna came down the stairs. “Coffee’s in the kitchen, we’re in the bar.”
“Okay. Cool,” Amber answered.
O’Malley looked at the clock above the bar. “I need to get on with my work. You are welcome to stay here as long as you need.”
Kelos stiffened as Amber came into the bar. In one fluid movement, he was out of his seat, standing between his mate and the doorway. “Someone’s here,” he said in answer to Amber’s shocked expression.
“Relax, it’s Joanna.” O’Malley slid around the bar and went to the back door. “Come in, we were just talking about you.”
“All good things, I hope.” Joanna entered the bar behind O’Malley, her face flushed with excitement. “We arrested Ostabell at 6:00 a.m. this morning and hauled his naked ass down to the station.”
“He was actually naked?” Amber asked in surprise.
“My boss let him put some pants on but only after he’d hauled him out of bed and read him his rights.” She grinned and rubbed her nose as she tried to hide her excitement. “The photos were verified last night as authentic.” Her grin subsided and tears filled her eyes. “It’s over.”
“Hey.” Amber placed her coffee down on the counter and went to Joanna. “It’s okay to feel confused.” She wrapped her arms around the detective and hugged her tight. “It’s okay.”
“I know,” she sobbed. “I just wanted to come to tell you before I go and tell my mom.”
“Do you want me to come with you?” Amber asked as she gently released Joanna.
“No, thanks.” She sniffed loudly. “What I want you to do is go get your brother and take him back to his family.”
“Really?” Amber reeled backward, her face pale.
“Yeah. After studying the information in the file, we found a whole slew of evidence against Ostabell for money laundering. Hidden bank account details, the whole shebang. There is no way the creep is getting away with any of this.” She smiled happily. “It’ll take a few hours for the paperwork to clear, but my boss reckons Fabian should be able to go this afternoon.”
“Then tonight, we fly home,” Kelos announced.
And if we never leave again, it might be too soon, his dragon added.
Really? Kelos asked.
Only joking! There is a whole world out there for us to share with our mate. His dragon chuckled. Despite wanting to explore the world with Amber, he truly did just want to take her home.
Chapter Twenty-Four – Amber
“We’re going to what?” Fabian asked as they reached the park where Kelos had landed two nights ago. He was waiting there now, in the darkness. Waiting for his mate so he could take her home.
With one other passenger.
“Ride on the back of a dragon,” Amber repeated.
“Did you hit your head or something?” Fabian always had lacked imagination and a belief in anything extraordinary. He was going to have quite a shock when he saw Kelos was really a dragon.
“Kelos is a shifter. He can shift from a person to a dragon,” Amber repeated but, once again, her words did not sink in.
“Is that what he told you?” Fabian asked. “And you believed him?”
“That’s what he showed me.” Amber was wasting her breath. Fabian would not believe they were going to fly home on the back of a dragon until he saw the dragon with his own two eyes.
Even then, Amber suspected, he might argue it was not real.
“And did you sleep with him after he told you he was a dragon shifter?” Fabian asked.
“You think he told me he was a dragon shifter to get me into bed?” Amber put her hands on her hips as she squared up to her brother. Then she let her arms drop to her sides. “You know what, it doesn’t matter.” She grinned. There was nothing Fabian, or anyone else could do or say to rob her of the happiness that was practically spilling out of her.
“So how are we really getting back to… Where is it again?” Fabian asked.
“Bear Creek,” Amber said over her shoulder. “You’ll like it.”
“Do the kids like it there?” Fabian’s voice quavered.
“They do. And Margie has discovered she likes wielding a hammer.” She laughed at Fabian’s expression. “You think I’m lying about that, too.”
“I don’t know what to believe anymore.” He hurried to catch up with her as they skirted around the pond and hugged the tree line, heading for the place where Kelos waited. “I’m just happy to finally be free.”
Amber slowed and linked arms with her brother. “It’s over now. You, Margie and the kids can go back to your old lives. If that’s what you want.”
“All I want is for us to be happy.” Fabian ducked under the trees, his steps slowing. “Where are we going?”
“To meet up with Kelos. Like I told you.” Amber
