North American Vampire Council & Past Calling (Hypernaturals 12 & 13)

A Hard Road

Finding nothing in Danielle's room other than perhaps evidence that the mother/daughter exit had been quick and unplanned, I went into Cherlynn's office in the next room over to see how Angel and Jessica are getting along. They are sitting on opposite sides of a desk, passing papers back and forth.

Jessica looked up. "Hi, Love."

"Hi, boyfriend. PS: Means you are also a love." Angel said.

"Road trip. RV. His dance card is full." Jessica told Angel in faux cross tones.

Angel grinned at that remark. "Usually is. Does not take a road trip. Good thing I am pregnant. He likes pregnant."

"If he doesn't keep me happy, I do stupid shit." Jessica said.

The last time we were all out in the RV like this, doing an investigation, we found Ninovan and Jessica did in fact do some stupid shit.

"Damn convenient if you ask me." Angel told her. "Last time you did stupid shit, you were getting laid every night beforehand. I know: I was there to hear it."

"When you weren't seducing Vera. Also: you did not complain about how noisy I am last time you and I got together." Jessica pointed out.

"Fair point." Angel allowed. It is a fair point. One is never in doubt with Jessica. I guess we have healed from the Alexander incident if Angel can jibe Jessica about it.

Jessica picked up and waved her phone. "Helen sent a message a bit ago. She is on her way over from Austin. Full house in the RV tonight."

"Aww." I said.

"Did I mention Vera is pregnant? And a Vampire?" Angel asked.

"I hope Helen brings Kevin then. Dance card full." Jessica said.

"You two look like you are having better luck than Morgan and I are." I said, ignoring their byplay.

There were some papers off to Jessica's right. "Look at these." She instructed.

The first thing I looked at was a handwritten letter. Who does that? They signed it 'Mom' so I assume Cherlynn's mother. "Ken said Cherlynn's parents never officially married. Sort of fell apart over the years. Her Mom is alive but not in the picture. Seems she stayed in touch." I said, looked at the date. It was a few years old.

"Seems so. Might be a place Cherlynn and Danielle could go. Mom could drive by and pick them up. They would jump right in that car, right?" Jessica said.

"Probably. Is there an envelope here?" I asked.

"No. Her Mom's address and phone number are in the computer." Jessica said.

I read the easy to read cursive handwritten script of the letter.

"Hmm. OK. Mom says here that Cherlynn needs to be ready for the fact that her dad probably won't live very much longer. Warns her that she should be having careful conversations with Danielle. Does not say why she says that." I said.

"That explanation is here." Jessica said, and she handed me a stapled together set of medical test results. Also a few years old. I read through the data, and while I knew what some of the out-of-range numbers implied given all the Doctors around my life including Jessica, there was a section at the end from the Doctor that had ordered the tests. Diagnosis: Diabetes. High blood pressure. Early-stage kidney failure. Early-stage congestive heart failure. Recommendations: Lose fifty pounds. Begin taking a variety of drugs. Exercise. Low impact to start. Swimming or walking.

"This looks bad." I said.

"It's two years old." Jessica said. "The test numbers line up with the diagnosis. His weight is 275. He is five feet eight inches tall. Doctor set a fifty-pound weight loss goal. I would have set twice that if he wanted to see Danielle graduate from high school, more or less college. The only person who is five-eight that should be at or over two hundred is a professional weight lifter."