How Deep The Roots Go ( Book One)

Chapter 30

Roman's eyes then met hers, and for a moment she was certain she saw deliberation unfolding in the darkness of them.

"You still working at your Dad's bar?" Gaige had turned his attention on Roman now; Temperance and Violet still stood there a few feet away, silently communicating with one another.

"I own it now," Roman replied and continued. "Dad wanted to retire."

"I've been meaning to come by and say hello," Gaige said, continuing. "But I've been so busy with the force that I haven't had the time."

Roman nodded. "I had heard that you joined. Tired of working on the family farm I take it?"

Gaige brushed his hand through his blonde hair. "It just wasn't for me. My older brother, Brady will be helping out. He has more of a green thumb than I do," he said, and then took a sip of his drink. "He actually enjoys dirt," he laughed.

Roman nodded, smiling. "Your mom and dad came in not too long ago for lunch, asking for my dad. They had a couple of questions about an order of beef that he made. They hadn't realized that he is comfortably retired, gallivanting around the swamp," Roman laughed. "He and my mom are like two teenagers. They leave to Sanibel Island next month. They're going to try out parasailing."

The two men seemed to forget that Temperance and Violet were there. Violet stepped over to Gaige then, tucking her arm into his and clearing her throat.

Gaige craned his neck to Violet, smiling.

"I believe I owe an introduction," he said pausing, seeing Temperance move closer to Violet then.

"Roman, this is my girl, Violet Bordeaux," he said, smiling proudly, and then placing his hand on the small of her back.

Roman smiled genuinely, extending his hand to Violet. Violet took it and assessed again, Temperance noted, as she held on to his hand a little longer than usual.

"Nice to meet you," she said sweetly. "How do you two know each other?" Violet inquired with just a small layer of suspicion laced in her voice.

Leave it to Violet to jump right in with the questions, Temperance thought.

"We graduated high school together," Gaige offered.

Roman studied Temperance, his eyes taking in the communication between the two friends. Clearly Violet was summing him up, and Temperance was every bit aware of her friend's appraisal of him. These two women were very connected with each other, he thought.

"Seems that time just flew by,"Gaige offered. "We're getting up there, my friend," he added.

That makes him twenty−five, Temperance thought to herself. Gaige graduated a few years before Violet even hit the ninth grade.

"You guys were buds?" Violet asked, attempting to crack at some small talk.

Roman shrugged. "We played football together."

That is where he gets his body from, Temperance deduced, eyeing the length of his tall form again.

"He was the quarterback, and I was the running back. We were in States our senior year," Gaige added, his voice sounding very proud.

Violet tucked her tongue in her cheek, looking at Gaige. "I knew you played football, but I didn't know you were that good."

Gaige and Roman both laughed robustly.

"Well babe, there is a lot you do not know, but I hope you find out," Gaige winked at her, then leaned in to kiss her on the mouth.

Temperance looked down, and Roman saw the light dusting of pink reach her cheeks.

"So, I'm taking it you two just met?" Violet queried, the kiss now over, and her eyes on Roman again.

"Yes, I was on a walk and he happened to be here in the trees," Temperance said, her voice sounding defensive.

Roman's eyebrow lifted sharply. She glanced into his eyes, noting that there were different shades of black in the heart of them. They were like onyx mixed with milk chocolate, darkening by the second.

Temperance cleared her throat. "I mean by a tree," she affirmed, her voice trailing off.

Roman hid his smile quite easily. "I was standing by one of the trees when your friend made her debut."

"I have a tendency to do that," Temperance rebutted, feeling her confidence again. "Make a debut that is," she countered smugly, liking the way he was looking at her.

"Ahh," Violet replied. "So it was meant to be then." The way Violet said that, reminded Temperance of Hazel's reading.

Roman paused in silence, dismissing Temperance's sarcasm. "Yes, I believe it is," he said candidly, his jaw clenching again, Temperance noted.

Temperance shook off the feeling of this man. He immediately got under her skin, and the simple fact that she molested him with her lips, pissed her off. What the hell was a matter with her, her mind raged. She sucked in some mild air, shaking her head lightly, as if it would ward off the marauding of thoughts and the pull of attraction coursing through her. She decided to change the subject, and quickly.

"Gaige, you're the man I need to speak to," she said enthusiastically.

He cocked his head to the side. "Is that so?"

"How can I help," he offered, taking a long sip of his drink.

Temperance explained what Violet saw on the news ticker on her phone, and how she wanted to know how the force was going to investigate.

Roman could hear the pain in her voice as she conveyed everything to Gaige. There was a link here, he reasoned.

"I need to know if my mom's place of rest is damaged, Gaige."

And there it was, Roman thought.

"I'm unable to divulge everything,Temperance, but I can tell you that Sergeant Bryce is working on it. It's probably just a bunch of kids being stupid."

"I don't think so, Gaige," Violet interjected.

"Why not?" he asked, lifting his shoulder up sharply. "Kids do dumb things all the time."

Violet lifted her brow. "I don't think kids would have a clue what the hell a marking of the beast means," Violet said, her voice sounding affirmative. "Well at least this particular one anyway."

Gaige stood back, his eyebrows lifting. "The pictures looked like a dragon to me," Gaige rebutted.

Temperance shook her head. She wished she could tell him everything. Gaige was a good man; he could be trusted.

"It's a Chimera," Temperance swallowed, the image clear in her mind then. "It is a −."

"Warning against mortal beings not to underestimate the Devil," Roman offered dryly.

They all stared at him.

"Did you take mythology in college?" Violet asked, amazed at his intellect.

"No," he answered quickly, nor providing any more detail.

"Okay," Violet said, her mouth slowly holding on to the pronunciation of the letter o.

"Gaige, you should have your men look that up. You could be dealing with something other than kids here," Roman said with a hint of command.

Gaige nodded. "I'll certainly take that into consideration. I'll be at the site tomorrow taking evidence. The Sergeant did say the symbol had been painted in blood," he shook his head, looking to Temperance then. "Try not to worry, Temperance, we don't take desecration of the dead lightly."

Authors Note:

Thank you so much for reading this chapter of How Deep the Roots Go. If you enjoyed it, it would be wonderful if you could vote. Feel free to leave comments as well. I answer every one. And last of all, if you follow me, you will find out right away when there are updates or new stories.

xoxo,

M