bet I could set up a competition for who could get the most food passed around to those in need.
“Excellent. I’ll let them know. Chief Quinn was looking for you earlier. It seems he noticed you had staged an escape.”
Damn it. “I swear. He gets worse separation anxiety than Rabies the Wonder Wolf.”
“Yes, I do,” my husband said from behind me. “I see you’ve been causing mayhem again.
Busted. I turned around and wielded my best smile like a weapon. “Oh, it’s the best husband in the entire world. How are you doing?”
“I’m wondering why my wife ran away.”
“The Devil made me do it!”
“I really did not,” my uncle complained. “Why are you blaming me? I helped you because you’re holding visitation rights over my head.”
“Well, you are the Devil, and as I like my soul where it’s at, and I have what you want. I will ruthlessly use what I have to get what I want. But thank you for cooperating with minimum complaint. I had a good time.”
“You’re teaching her to be extra feisty, Sam,” the Devil muttered.
“Honestly, I’m really pleased with the results. Ah.” My husband chuckled and went to Jeffrey, holding out his hand. “I understand now. It seems my wife has hoodwinked me again.”
“She seems to be quite talented at that,” the commissioner’s uncle replied with a smile. “I really appreciate everything you’ve done.”
“I’ll take the Dowry family to one of the smaller meeting rooms, Bailey. Some things don’t need to be public, so we’ll make the delivery and go watch your father and Anubis pick fights with each other while everybody make bets and laughs. Your mother’s already here, though she won’t be able to manifest until later in the afternoon, so you’ll get to see both of your parents at the same time. Please try not to cry.”
I’d learned one thing: pregnancy hormones meant I was going to cry. Early, often, and without remorse. “That’s not happening, Sam.”
My husband sighed. “A man can dream.”
“Yes, you can. Go get his family gathered.”
“I’ll go with him,” Jeffrey offered. “It’s not as though anyone will recognize me anyway. Time has done its work. I can’t even recognize myself.”
“No,” my husband disagreed, giving the commissioner’s uncle a pat on the shoulder. “Trust me on this one. They’ll see you, and they’ll know. They’ve been waiting for this moment for years. Stay with Bailey until I text her phone, and then we’ll send you in. Your family needs this as much as you do.”
I gave it ten minutes before he managed to herd everyone, as my husband had a talent for making people do what he wanted. “Excited?” I asked.
“Terrified,” he admitted.
I understood that. “Well, do your best. They’re good people, and they’ve been looking for you for a long time.”
“That’s why I’m terrified.”
My husband tossed me to the wolves, chickening out on delivering Jeffrey to his family. After shooting him a glare promising retribution in some part, I decided I’d get my revenge in one simple way.
I asked Jeffrey to wait in the hall with my husband, went into the conference room, and took a piece of paper, a map of New York, a piece of chalk, and some ink with me. I left the door open behind me, as I expected the family would be following a pink, shimmering path soon enough.
Commissioner Dowry raised a brow. “When Sam said there was something we needed to see, I wasn’t expecting you with some paper. Is that chalk?”
“It’s a map, a sheet of paper, some chalk, and ink. Honestly, I don’t really need all of this stuff, but it works when I do it this way, and that’s that. Sam gave me your case.”
The entire family stilled, and I took the moment to look over the gathering, which consisted of Commissioner Dowry, his wife, six older people I could only presume were parents or grandparents, and several men and women around Dowry’s age, likely siblings or cousins judging from the similarities in appearance along with their wives. All in all, twenty-three people filled the room, all waiting for what I had to show them.
“I see.”
“I’m a wayfinder, Commissioner Dowry, and this is what I need to find where you need to go.” I frowned, eyeing the paper and the rest of my supplies. “Honestly, I’m just being an ass and could tell you where you need to go, but it seemed like a good idea at the time.”
“You know what happened to my uncle?” Dowry asked.
“Yes.”
I gave the family