Page 26 of Frederick
I nodded. We certainly hadn’t, but I felt as if we had work through that at this point. “He seems to have settled in quite well. We had a family meal last week, and it went quite well. My parents are holding off visiting until after the baby arrives. I know he won’t say anything, but Dominic is a little concerned about meeting them for the first time while we have a new baby to take care of. That in itself is stressful. Throw in meeting the in-laws for the first time, he’s understandably a little stressed about that.”
“Did you wish for me to reach out to Edmund and suggest he come before the baby arrives?”
I shook my head. “Thank you, but that isn’t necessary. Rainier was going to talk to him and discuss the importance of meeting Dominic before he gives birth.” I hadn’t even had to ask him to do that for us. It seemed as if it was something he knew he needed to discuss with my father without me having to say anything. I was grateful for his insight, and I knew Dominic would be as well.
“That is good to hear. Do you need more time off?”
I shook my head. “Is there something you need for me to do?”
Master Edison shook his head. “Not at the moment, no. Your team has adjusted well to you not being here, but I know they are more than ready to have you back instead of Dante filling in for you.”
Dante? I hadn’t realized that he was filling in for me. Did that mean he was no longer at Amherst?
“Has someone replaced him at Amherst?”
“No. That assignment has ended. Dante returned about a week after you and Dominic did. With Reinhold being on his team and already filling the lead role there, it made the most sense to have him continue to do so while you were on leave.”
“I appreciate the time off. I would be lying if I didn’t say it felt like it went by too fast.”
“That isn’t the first time I’ve heard similar words. We are currently doing rotations around the Pacific Northwest. There are a few issues with a couple of the packs up there. Vincent’s coven has kept us updated about what’s happening in Italy, but Marco doesn’t appear to be in the country any longer. I believe he’s either searching for his cousin, or his coven master.”
I nodded, acknowledging what he’d shared with me. I was sure they had a plan in place for situations such as this, but I still wanted to know what their end game was. What was the ultimate goal? If he was searching for Rocco Conti, he wasn’t ever going to find him because I knew the council had put him to death for his crimes against our kind. As for his cousin, he was still alive the last I knew, but perhaps that had changed in the month I’d been away.
“I’ll fill in wherever you need me. If that’s going off to Oregon or wherever, I’m available. Same for Italy. Or anywhere else you need me and my team.”
Master Edison held out a folder. After I set my tea down on the little table between the two chairs, I took the folder. “I appreciate your readiness. For now, I would like if you could do a bit more research on Conti’s coven. Specifically, the Gallo cousins, and as well as the three names in the folder.,” Master Edison said.
“I can do that. Is this a me only assignment?” I asked as I opened the folder. “Or am I to bring my team in on things?”
“It’s a team effort. Marco is getting information from somewhere. He’s staying ahead of us, and I want to know how.Like before, he seems to be one step ahead of us at all times and I’m tired of it. This is a reoccurring issue, and I’m ready to figure out how to better utilize our resources.” Master Edison nodded and looked toward the folder I was holding. “If you and your team could comb through that information, I would appreciate it.”
I held up the folder. “Will do. Is there anything else?”
Master Edison shook his head. “Not at the moment. Your team isn’t the only one I’ve asked to look into things. Salvatore is busy trying to find out more about Specter Logistics as well as Rocco Industries. RC Transport we’ve already disassembled electronically, and it and Rocco Industries. We need to find out more about Specter though.”
“I’ll see what we can do to help.”
Research wasn’t exactly my forte, but I would help if at all possible. If the council needed more information about coven members, I would do what I could.
“Thank you, Master Edison. I’ll get you a report as soon as I have any new information.”
I stood after Master Edison did, and as he walked me to the door, his grandson Alistair entered the office.
“I apologize. I didn’t realize you were in a meeting,” Alistair said.
“No need,” Master Edison told him. “We’re finished.”
I nodded to Master Edison, and then Alistair before I left as quickly as I could without seeming as if I couldn’t wait to get out of there. In reality, I wanted to get to the cafeteria to grab a to-go box of breakfast foods and about a gallon of coffee.
I started directly toward the cafeteria, and when I was halfway down the hall toward it, I could smell the scent of bacon. I moaned. It was one of my favorite breakfast foods even though it wasn’t one that I grew up eating. But the cooks here at thecouncil had, and well, it was something that I most certainly appreciated.
I entered the cafeteria and immediately got in line behind other enforcers. I watched as several of them grabbed trays and plates, but I really needed to get back into my office. I had just reached for a to go container when someone touched me on the shoulder. I looked over and found Sebastian standing there with a large grin on his face.
“Are you in a hurry?”
I shrugged. “I’ve been away for a while, and I really need to get back to my office and get started on my assignment.”
“Naw, you have time to join me for a meal. Besides, how else am I supposed to pump you for information about Dominic for Drew?”
