The Porch Wolf
Natalie's Memorial

The FBI stopped by our home just before nine on Thursday night. “Senior Agent Thompson,” I said when she was brought to my office. “What brings you here tonight?”

“I need to speak to Olivia, privately,” she said.

Liv had been kept up to date on what was going on through the link, so as soon as her name was mentioned, she was already at my office door. “Whatever you say to me, you can say to Leo,” she said as she came in and closed the door behind her. “He is family.”

“All right,” she said. “There has been a breakthrough in the abduction case that we have not released to the public yet, and we would appreciate your discretion.”

“Of course,” Liv said.

“I’d never do something to hurt an ongoing investigation,” I added.

“We found a burner phone in Todd Miller’s office along with a substantial amount of cash. The messages were erased, but we recovered them. They detail an offer to kidnap you and your daughter in exchange for money.” I let a breath out. “The County is pursuing the hit and run charge, but the US Attorney in Minnesota will be indicting Todd Miller for two counts of attempted kidnapping and one count of aggravated murder.”

“It was him all along?”

“That is what the evidence shows. I know your mother will be sent off tomorrow, and I wanted you to know that the man responsible is in jail now. You can start living your life again.”

“Thank God, I’ve been wondering how we would manage without Vicki’s school or my work and school,” Liv said.

“Thank you for telling us,” I said. “A lot of our friends and family have been giving up their vacation to help protect us, and now we can let them go home.”

“You have my card if you have any questions. Once the indictment is issued, Mr. Miller will be arraigned in Federal court. Miss Andersen, I will let you know when that occurs. As for you, Mr. Volkov, the US Attorney’s office reviewed your actions. His office determined that you acted in defense of yourself and others, and no charges will be filed. In fact, the FBI plans to recognize your heroism.”

“He saved us both,” Liv said as she got up and walked over. She kissed my forehead and turned back to the agent. She leaned forward and whispered in her ear. “If you wait eight weeks until he can walk normally, he’d appreciate it. You know what whiners men can be when they are laid up. Riding a scooter isn’t manly unless it has knobby tires and a gun rack.”

Senior Agent Thompson barely held back her laughter. “Oh, I’m well aware of what sooks they can be,” she whispered back. “With the threat over, we will not have the law enforcement presence at the memorial that we had planned on, but I’m sure there will be many there to remember her life.”

“Thank you.” She opened the door and walked her to the front door; by the time Liv came back into the room with Larry and Mike, she was driving away. “Your brother’s ruse worked,” she said.

“So far. If Todd fights the charges, and they dig in deep enough, they might replace an alibi for him,” Larry said.

“What we need is for Todd to accept a plea deal.”

Mike laughed. “Why would he plead guilty to kidnapping and murder? That’s forty to life in one of those tough pound-you-in-the-ass prisons, not ten years in Stillwater for felony hit and run.”

“It’s all about motivation,” I said. “Do you remember The Godfather Part 2?”

“Of course, it’s a classic,” Mike said.

“Michael tried to whack Frank Pantangele and missed, and the Feds had him. If he testified, Mike would never get out of prison.”

“Yeah, then Michael brought his brother over to remind him of the Code, and he took it back,” Larry said.

“True, and he ended up in prison. Tom Hagen goes to visit him, and has a conversation.”

“Yeah, I remember that,” Mike said. “Tom talked about how when a conspiracy against the Emporer was discovered, all of them would be wiped out, including their families. However, the senior ones, if they killed themselves, the Emporer would make sure their families were taken care of.”

“And that’s how we do it. Todd’s a horrible businessman and an opportunistic ass, but he loves his family. He knows the Company is going bankrupt, and his home is mortgaged to the hilt. He has two children in grade school, and his wife will struggle to support them. She ran the office, but she’s got no post-secondary education and she will be stuck in low-wage jobs. Add to it that the Pack is falling apart and her family is blamed for it? She’ll be lucky to end up at the bottom of the ladder in any Pack that will take her.”

“It sucks, but that’s why you don’t go after Alphas outside the challenge circle,” Larry said. “When he tried to kill the four of you, he went too far. No Pack will take them, and the Council won’t help. He’s going to go nuts in prison.”

“He’s dumb and out of options, but he can still do me a service,” I said. “In the Godfather book, Michael was able to come back to the States after killing Solozzo and McClusky when another gangster facing murder charges confessed to the crime. In return, his family was taken care of.”

“You must really like that movie,” Liv said. “It’s SO old.”

“Greatest movie of all time,” I said. “Tomorrow, I’ll lay out the options to Susan Miller and we’ll see if Todd will be a stand-up guy for his family or not.” Our meeting broke up and we went to bed early; tomorrow was going to be draining.

The FBI might think the threat was over, but I knew better. Luna Brenda was still out there, and I hadn’t heard back from my brother. He might even be dead by now.

Breakfast started at six and was unusually quiet. Brent, Mike, Anita, Liv and I were leaving for the church early to set up the memorial tables and make sure security was set. The rest of the Pack and our allies from would caravan from my house, making sure Sharkbait stayed safe. Alpha Doug and Luna Jennie were bringing every warrior from the Winona Pack up in a show of force.

Liv had found some things in the boxes she had packed, but she needed to stop by her apartment to get the rest of her grandmother’s items. I waited in her Acura while she and Anita got what they needed, with Mike and Brent covering the front and back of the apartment. Fifteen minutes later, she put a box in the rear and we were on our way.

The funeral home had worked with the Pastor at Crossroads Church before and would be bringing the cremated remains in at seven-thirty for a private family viewing. Liv had done a lot of planning with the church over Skype, and volunteers would be there to help out. The main hall where the service would take place had a raised stage; on the screens, photographs from her life would be shown on a loop. They left a lectern in the center of the stage, and the girls set up Natalie’s photos and awards from her teaching career.

In the common area outside the hall, the kitchen was getting ready to serve coffee and snacks. I parked my scooter near the front door, waiting for the arrival of the remains. Natalie had been cremated two days ago, and Liv could not attend due to her shift. The parade of cars showed up shortly after the setup completed, and the wolves spread out to make sure it was safe before Vicki was escorted in. She went into the offices with her Mom to wait. When the hearse pulled up out front, I called for them to come out.

I knew a talented woodworker in St. Paul who specialized in cremation urns, and I’d given Liv the Nelson Woodworks website. She worked with him to design what she wanted; it was a solid cherry chest, with Natalie’s wedding photograph laser-engraved on the top. Liv had given her grandfather’s ashes to the funeral home, and they placed her remains in the large box with her late husband.

The funeral home director waited until Liv and Vicki were ready, then he placed the chest on a cart and rolled it in. Liv was crying and holding on to Vicki’s hand while her other hand stayed in contact with the chest. No one said anything as the vessel was moved into the sanctuary and placed in front of the lectern.

The pastor led a prayer for the family, and we all had places reserved in the front row. I sat next to Vicki, while Brent had the other side of Liv. Larry and Donna, and Alpha Doug and Luna Jennie were in the same row. We had people throughout the room and at all the exits before public viewing began at eight.

As soon as the doors opened, the parade of mourners began. Natalie’s long teaching career was remembered by coworkers and students alike. I think Brent spent more time handing Liv Kleenex than anything else over the next two hours.

A few minutes before the service was set to begin, Liv brought Vicki to the restroom. When she returned, she froze when she saw a couple in their forties in the front. The woman was on her knees, crying out, while her husband tried to pull her away. “Mom,” she cried out as she buried her face in his chest.

Liv waited until they had moved off to a seat in the back corner of the room before she came back to our row. “I can’t believe they had the gall to show up,” she sent.

“Your parents?”

“Yes.” I let our Pack know over the link what was going on so they could be watched, and Larry passed the same to all the Winona Pack members. The last thing we needed was for them to ruin this service.

The memorial service itself I barely noticed, as I was too busy watching Vicki and making sure she and her mother were all right. Her former principal and a coworker eulogized her before Liv stood to say her goodbye. She spoke about her grandmother’s endless love and compassion, and what it had meant to her students and her family. “She was the best woman I’ve ever known, and now she’s gone. I love you and I miss you, Grandma.” She put her hand on the urn one last time as the pastor helped her off the stage. The service closed in prayer, and we were lead out first into the common area reception line.

I made sure the girls had food and drink available as they talked to people before they left. I didn’t notice Vicki had moved away at first, but I was relieved that Anita was following her. She walked across the room to where Liv’s parents sat, where Liv wouldn’t see them, and they didn’t have to look at her. “Link me what happens, and step in if you need to,” I told Anita over the bond.

Vicki went to stand in front of the couple, not saying anything until they looked up. Of course, they knew who she was, but they didn’t reach for her, no matter how much they wanted to. I could see a tear in Vicki’s eye as the little girl looked up at Liv’s mother. “Am I a bad girl?” Her grandmother didn’t even raise her eyes from her hands. “Why can’t you look at me?”

Her grandfather was shaking, and finally, her grandmother reached out her hand and touched Vicki’s face. “It’s complicated,” she said.

“My Grandma is gone, and you don’t love me,” she said. “I just want a Grandpa and Grandma!” Before they could respond, she turned and ran back to her mother. Liv glared at them as she picked her daughter up, holding her tight as she cried on their shoulder. “I’m sorry, Momma.”

“I’m not,” Liv said. “I have you and the rest of our family. I regret doing some things, but I’ll never regret having you. I love you, Sharkbait.”

“I love you, Mommy.” Neither of them noticed when the couple left quietly out the back door.