...And The Big Bad Wolf

"Why? You get to chew butt every day and no one stops you," he answered back.

"She does not. I've chewed more ass lately than she has," quipped Meg. "I'm the one handling the clients while she runs the office. As it is, the clients have been pains in the ass."

"Oh? What haven't you been telling me?" Luc asked.

Ginny and Meg looked at each other. Patrick cleared his throat and gave them both the crusty eyebrow look. "Fess up you two. What haven't you been telling us?"

"Um... we hadn't said much because we weren't sure if what we were seeing was a one off thing or just coincidence." Ginny ran her hand through her hair as she spoke.

Luc leaned forward. "Tell me," he growled.

"About three weeks ago, we started having a run of damage repairs. We weren't sure if it was actual wear and tear or if someone was deliberately damaging computer systems and the networks. A few clients had repeat issues and were blaming us for not fixing the problems. Then last week, Cal swore that he smelled the same aftershave at two different sites. Granted, it was Axe, which half the male population bathes in, but still," Ginny said.

"Cal has a pretty good nose. Was it just the same 'flavor', or was it the same scent combined with Axe?" Patrick asked.

"Same scent. I started doing some analysis to see if there were any other patterns," said Meg.

"What patterns did you find?" Luc was tapping his rapidly growing fingernails on the table.

"Stop that!" Ginny flicked her napkin at him. Luc stopped.

"What we discovered is that the repairs are all over the city. However, they are also all affiliated with anyone we've done business with in the last five years. That includes the newspapers that had to pay out damages in that court case," said Meg.

Luc stood up and grabbed his phone off of his hip as he walked to the back porch. He shut the door behind him.

"Why didn't you two say something earlier?" Patrick asked.

"We didn't see the pattern. Didn't think that we were being targeted. Plus, in case you hadn't noticed, it's been just a bit busy, what with school starting, work and oh yeah... trying to get ready for a trip to Canada?" Ginny was beginning to get a little peeved.

"How about we clear the table and get some coffee?" Meg said. She knew that things were going to get a little tense, but she didn't need everyone snarling at the dinner table. "Patrick, would you check on the kids?"

He nodded and headed for the front room where the children sat watching cartoons. Sara was sandwiched between Linsey and Elliot, with Joe and Ivan on either side of them. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, but who made Unky Wolfy huff and puff and growl?" asked Sara. The four other heads nodded.

"Well, we were discussing business, and Aunty Ginny and Mama Meg gave him some information that made him a little upset. You don't need to worry."

"Uhuh, yeah." Sara gave him a look that told him she thought he was full of bull shit. She also knew better than to say anything else. "We'll just watch TV. We sleepin' here tonight?"

"I don't know."

"Okay. If you guys aren't done talkin' by 8pm, we're gonna go to bed." Sara then turned the sound back up and ignored Patrick.

Patrick walked into the kitchen as Ginny was pouring coffee. "You know, Sara is going to be one scary bitch when she is older."

"What's this when she's older bullshit?" laughed Ginny. "From what Rose says, she's the spitting image of her many great-grandmaman Celia. And from what I've heard, she was the Queen Bitch."

Everyone in the kitchen laughed. "You have that right, from what we've read," said Patrick. They sipped their coffee and waited for Luc to come back into the house.

Luc walked back into the house. Meg handed him a cup of coffee and the four adults sat down around the kitchen table. "I've talked to Cal, David, George, and Andrew. Cal confirmed what you said. Someone is trying to cause us trouble. On top of that, someone has been trying to feed Buttercup and Fezzik meat at night. Luckily, those two dogs are so spoiled, that they haven't touched it."

"Cal never mentioned the meat," said Ginny.

"No. It happened twice, and he didn't think about it until I asked if those two had been acting strangely. David said vandalism is up, but he hadn't noticed any patterns. He'll check things out from his end. George hasn't had any trouble up at the Bed & Breakfast, and Andrew said there'd been a break in at the Mall, but put it down to kids. No issues at home."

"So, what next?" asked Patrick. "The firm I work for hasn't had any issues."

"Unfortunately, all we can do is wait." Luc drank his coffee and sighed.

"They keep fixing things faster than we can break them. What next?" asked the man as he walked in the door of the office in back of the shopping center.

"Well, they haven't figured anything out yet, so we just keep attacking their clients. We have to do something to drive them out into the open. Make them react. Better yet, make them shift, so we can shoot them like the wild animals they are," said the man at the computer.

"You know, I don't think this is gonna work as easy as you thought. They been hiding for how many centuries?"

"Too damn long. Besides, I refuse to be humiliated by an animal."

"We're all animals." said the first man.

"No, we are humans. We don't turn into wolves and run around at night."

"That reminds me. That Luc guy, he's working for the school districts over in the Heights."

The man at the computer turned. "How'd you find that out?"

"Well, my sister works as a substitute cook there. I was picking her up the other day and saw him. So, I asked if she knew who he was. Said he was some kinda computer tech, called Luke Moro. Took me a few minutes to realize she meant Luc Moreau. Same guy. He had two little kids with him. So, maybe he has kids in the school too?"

The man at the computer smiled.

(5)

Luc felt on edge as he walked the twins into their class. He chatted with their teacher, and then headed off to the computer lab. Charles was already there, and they had a list of 'fires' to put out.

"Why is it that Monday is the fire day?"

"I have no idea Charles. You'd think it would be Tuesday or Wednesday, but it is almost always Monday. What this time?"

"Two printers acting up, one desktop failed and I think Ms. Jones dropped her laptop and doesn't want to admit it. She says it won't even boot."

"That is a brand new one." Luc sighed. "I'll go get it and see if we can figure out what happened."

Charles nodded and the two of them headed out the door.

Leaning against her car, Meg was still stinging from the discussion last night. She knew she should have said something, but without seeing a clear pattern, it was difficult to pin down what was really going on. Ginny and Cal were doing a "sniff test" of the office. She watched the two of them walk a grid pattern around the office building and yard. Buttercup and Fezzik were whining in the back, wanting to see Cal. Those two dogs were in love with Cal and Peter.

Ginny walked up as Cal went back to the loading dock. "Nothing. Not a whiff. Hell, not even any mice. Which I guess is a good thing."

Meg nodded. "Guess we ought to get to work and see what's going on today."

"Yes. I'll be collating the repairs into categories. New clients versus older clients." Ginny opened the door and walked in to hear the phone ringing. "Here we go!"

Meg grabbed the mail, did a quick sort and then headed back to the office.

Luc and Charles went to lunch at the Drive Inn. The conversation died to a lull as they ate. Charles pushed back his plate first. "I meant to tell you that you had someone checking on you today."

"What do you mean?"

"Had someone call and ask if the tech position had been filled. When they were told yes, they asked who by. The secretary down at the office gave them your name and business address."

"Okay." Luc tried to keep a calm face. In light of the info Ginny and Meg had given him yesterday, he was not happy about this.

"Just thought you should know."

"Thanks. Did the secretary get a name?"

"No. I can check if she logged the number if it is important to you." Charles gave Luc a slightly worried look.

"If she can, that would be good. We've had some odd repair tickets at the shop and I was just wondering if the call was related."

"Oh. Yeah. Um, I'll see if she can pull up the number. When did you start having issues? Is it because you aren't there? Or is it just the season to have breakages?"

"Charles, I'm not sure. However, you know we had that craziness a few years ago, when the papers were doing those werewolf stories, right?"

"I remember the court case. That was you?"

"Well, the family."

"Oh. Is there anything you want to tell me?" Charles said with a silly grin on his face.

Luc laughed. "Yeah. Don't piss me off around the full moon."

Both men laughed and got up to pay their tickets.

"This is a coaxial (fiber)cable. Don't cut it, but grab it with the padded pliers and give it a real hard bend and twist."

"Why not just cut it?"

"Because a cut cable is easy to find. A crushed cable isn't. We want them wasting time on the job. Then we want the people to complain about their service."

"Yeah, but they are the best in town. Hell, that one guy is such a screw-up, that he gives them more business than ads."

"I know." The man growled under his voice and turned back to the computer. He hit the print command and when the job was done printing, he handed it to the other man. "Here is the list of jobs for you to do. Like I said, don't do anything obvious. Loosen nuts and bolts. Crush wires. And leave panels open."

"Okay. What if the cops catch me?" The man was nervous, and the last thing he wanted was to go back to jail for petty vandalism. If he hadn't needed the money, he'd have never agreed to this crazy scheme.

"Well, don't get caught. Do what I told you. Wear gloves, and dark clothing. Oh, and when you go to the Mall, don't forget to go to the janitor's closet and grab a cart and shirt."

"Okay. Still not happy with this though."

"You like the money."

The man nodded and headed out the door with his list of jobs.

The other man smiled and went back to his computer. He was researching a number of websites, all of which dealt with 'supernatural sightings' and especially wolf or dog attacks that just didn't make sense. He would expose this bunch of freaks if it was the last thing he did."

Luc stopped by the office and was greeted at the door by the twins.

"Daddie! Daddie! Daddie!" they cried as he picked them up and twirled them around.

"And how are my favourite twins doing?"

"Jus fine Daddie." Linsey kissed him.

"Uhuh!" murmured Eliot.

"Good. And do you like staying with Mommie and Aunty Ginny in the afternoons?"

Both children nodded. He put them down and walked over to Ginny's desk. "How goes the day?"

"Busy. Two new clients, three repairs. Two calls for quotes on some jobs and three invoices that came in." Ginny handed him the client paperwork. Luc looked them over, nodded and headed for Meg's office around back.

"Hi Kevin, Sandy," he said as he passed Kevin's office. The two men greeted him and went back to what they'd been doing. Luc walked into Meg's office quietly, as she was on the phone.

"Yes. Of course. No, that isn't a problem. It's just one of those months, and seems like everyone is having computer issues. You are scheduled for tomorrow morning at 10:30am. Thank you." Meg hung up the phone and sighed.

"Sounds like things are not slowing down." Luc sat across from Meg.

"No, they aren't." She handed him a pile of papers. "These are the jobs that we've done over the last few months. Color coded for previous or new customer. From there, they are divided into 5 years or less and whether or not they were part of the court case bunch."

Luc took the paperwork and began to look at it. New clients were at the same rate they'd been for the last fifteen years. The 5 or younger and previous customer list of jobs was booming. Six to fifteen jobs a week, and most of them suspicious issues. "Damn."

"Whoever is doing this has a real grudge against us."

"I'm noticing that. Let Andrew know that this may slew his way at the Mall."

"You think it will?"

"Yes. Look at the number of contacts. The only one not continually on the list is the Mall."

"Could that be because Andrew is the only family and/or client there?"

"Yes Meg, it could. It could also mean that he may get hit harder."

Meg picked up the phone and called Andrew at the Silver Lode.

(6)

Joey was unhappy. He needed the money, but part of him felt wrong about the damage and vandalism. He'd gone to jail before and didn't want to go back there. He didn't like being low man on the totem pole. He waited in the mall in the bathroom, sitting on a seat with his feet pulled up. He listened as people left. He listened to the rent-a-cops holler to each other as they sealed off sections of the Mall. Finally, he left the bathroom and walked over to the janitor's closet he'd seen earlier. The door wasn't locked, which meant they were cleaning. He found a spare shirt, got a broom and put a few garbage bags in his back pocket. He'd spent the afternoon watching the janitors work.

After pulling his cap down low, he started sweeping the floor. He turned left and headed for that shop the boss had told him about, the Silver Lode. He swept, and moved closer. He emptied a few trash cans and left the full bags next to them to pick up on his way back. He looked up at the Silver Lode. No lights on. As he got closer, he looked around. Propping the broom up against the door, he tried to pick the lock. No luck. Looking around, he didn't see any other way to damage the shop. No wires, no way to break the glass without notice. Finally, he pulled the small can of spray paint out of his pocket and graffiti the side of the shop and across the front windows. He pocketed the can and then grabbing his broom, headed back the way he came.

"Andrew and Vivien will be here for dinner in about fifteen minutes."

"Okay. Will you open the wine?" Meg asked as she checked on the last bits of dinner. "Why so long?"

"Andrew had to change a tire. Someone slashed it."

"Just an accident, or do you think it is related to our mystery computer sabotager?"

"I don't know. Figured I'd ask them when they got here." Luc finished opening the wine and kissed Meg on the nose.

She kissed him back and headed out to the dining room to make sure the twins hadn't 'unset' the table.

Andrew took the cake from Vivien and then helped her out of the car. "Careful."

"Andrew, I'm not made out of glass." Vivien took the cake pan from him and headed for the door where Luc and the twins waited.

"Hi Vivien, Andrew."

"Hello Luc, Eliot and Linsey," Vivien said with a smile. She slid past the crowd and headed for the kitchen. Once she put the cake down, she gave Meg a hug.

"How's everything going here?"

"Just fine. And you?" Meg asked.

Vivien smiled. "Doing okay. Is dinner ready? I'm staving."

Meg laughed. "Yes, it is. French onion soup, garlic bread, salad and roast beast, as Eliot says."

"Smells heavenly."

Andrew and Luc walked into the kitchen. Kisses and hugs were exchanged and then Meg shooed everyone out to the dining room. She brought out the bread and salads first. Luc helped with the soup and the meat. In less than five minutes, everyone was sitting down and eating. The twins sat at the end of the table in high booster chairs with Luc on one side and Meg on the other.

'So, tell me about this computer repair spree," said Andrew between bites.

"Well, it's mainly older clients, those involved with the court case. Stupid things, that makes me think it is deliberate sabotage. Crushed wires, covers left open, that kind of thing. Oh, and a few missing parts."

"Hmm... Who has a grudge against you Luc?" asked Vivien.

"I don't know. We only noticed the pattern a few days ago. Meg and Ginny had noticed it, but hadn't realized what they were seeing."

"No notes? Phone calls? Dire threats in the news?"

"Not a damn thing Vivien. Only real clue we have is that one of the bas... um... bad guys wears Axe cologne."

"Well, that doesn't help. 90% of the male population under twenty-five wears that stuff." Vivien took another bite of salad. "Andrew, do you want to tell them our news?"

Meg and Luc looked at the other couple. "Are you publishing another book? One of those fur rippling bodice rippers?" asked Luc.

"No," Andrew said shaking his head. The smile on his face grew bigger and bigger.

"Well, tell us! Don't keep us in suspense!" cried Meg.

Andrew and Vivien looked at each other and smiled. "Um... well... in about six months..." was as far as Vivien got.

"You're pregnant?" Luc and Meg said at the same time.

Andrew smiled, and Vivien nodded. "It was the last thing I ever expected," said Vivien. "I'd been feeling horrid. Couldn't keep food down, I thought I had the flu. Finally, Andrew made me go see Jeff Hayes. Half way through the door to the exam room, he started laughing."

"Laughing? Why?" asked Meg.

"Apparently Dr. Jeff could 'smell' that I was pregnant. The idea of Andrew being a dad gave him a serious fit of the giggles."

"Yeah. Said I'd have to share my frisbees," Andrew said softly. That made everyone at the table laugh, and the twins just looked at the adults.

"Have you told your sister?" asked Luc.

"No. You two are the first to know. I'll be writing Rose an email tonight."

"You only just found out?" asked Meg.

"Yes." Vivien smiled. "Not sure about all of this, but I figured you'd have a clue or two."

Meg looked at the twins. "I think so. Oh, Ginny is going to be so conflicted!"

"Why?" Vivien was puzzled. She knew that Ginny and Andrew had been lovers briefly, but wasn't sure where Meg was going.

"She'll want to laugh at Andrew and want to take you shopping all at the same time. She may not be able to have kids, but it doesn't stop her from being the world's greatest aunty."

Vivien nodded.

After carrot cake and coffee, Luc and Andrew cleaned up the kitchen while Vivien and Meg put the twins to bed. It gave them a chance to talk without the women nearby.

"So, how serious do you think this threat is?

"I'm not sure Andrew. Right now it is centered on the business. However, we need to keep an eye on your shop and the B&B as well."

"I see. Is David aware of this?"

"Yes. We had a bit of a run in with a stupid deputy at the school, just before it opened."

"Oh?" Andrew paused in loading the dishwasher.

"Yeah..." Luc spent ten minutes explaining how he'd hoisted the deputy up by his throat. Then he explained about the other cop nearly losing his head.

"You know, working for the school district has really brought out the protective side of your nature."

"Yeah... My school. My kids. All of them."

Andrew smiled.

Joey got back to the janitor's closet without being noticed. He dumped the trash and on the way back, stumbled upon a huge electrical panel. Opening it up, he realized it had a lot of that Cat 5 stuff his boss was always talking about. He found the list with all the shop names and with his pliers, damaged the wires he thought went to the Silver Lode. Then he closed up the panel and finished putting stuff back. Ten minutes later, he was out the back door and heading for his car. When he got in, he stripped off his gloves and threw them in the trash bag on the floor.

(7)

Andrew and Vivien were just saying good night when his cell phone rang. "Hello, yes, this is Andrew." He listened for a moment. "Yes. I'll be right there." Andrew turned to Luc knowing he'd overheard the cell phone conversation. "Will you come with me?"