Chapter 10 – Street Talk
The next morning Boone and Delilah found a small cafe near Miner’s headquarters in downtown Provo. To blend in with the rest of the local citizens, they had done some shopping the night before. Boone was dressed in a pair of the standard black dress pants and a short sleeve white shirt. Delilah found a plain pale blue dress which hid all her assets but matched her pale blue eyes. She wore no make-up and had pulled her hair back into a traditional prairie braid. But as always, Delilah was beautiful.
Boone could not help but smile in admiration. He could not believe the woman sitting across from him loved him unconditionally. The most beautiful woman in the world had agreed to be his wife. While it had been six months, it seemed as if just yesterday Delilah had come into his life and turned it upside down. And he was happy, truly happy that she had. This was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with; have a family with. Every day with her was true bliss.
Delilah and Boone sat quietly in the cafe trying to listen to the conversations taking place around them. The brick front cafe had less than a dozen small square tables. A large window framed the front of the shop, allowing everyone to see out into the city. A long green canvas awning shaded the occupants from the morning sun. A long glass case ran the length of the cafe displaying both breakfast and dessert pastries along with sandwiches and salads already prepared and ready to be purchased. The cafe offered a wide range of juices and decaffeinated hot beverages. Caffeine was not allowed in the Mormon diet.
Boone and Delilah hoped to hear anything about Miner, which could assist them in finding out Miner’s secrets. They hoped to learn anything which could help them find Lucy. But it had been three months since Lucy’s disappearance, and she was no longer a hot topic of conversation. Still they continued to listen hoping to hear anything about Allen Miner; anything at all. They heard nothing. They found it strangely odd.
After two hours of sitting in the cafe and drinking far too many cups of decaffeinated coffee, the two decided to walk to the building which housed Miner’s empire. They hoped to hear anything. They had to be careful. Miner knew who they were. And they needed anonymity to talk to anyone who might know any of Miner's dirty little secrets and would be willing to help.
They walked around the entire block, careful not to hold hands or show any public display of affection towards one another. It was difficult as they had become accustomed to walking hand in hand. It was their way of being intimate. Boone and Delilah looked for any side access to the office building where workers might congregate during a break. They saw one area behind the building with picnic tables but noticed numerous guards and security cameras. Not wanting to be seen or caught on camera, they decided to forgo sneaking onto the patio.
Back on the main street, Boone and Delilah noticed a park across from the main entrance. They walked over and sat on one of the benches. It was a warm morning, and the shade of the mature trees gave them a welcome reprieve from the hot sun. Delilah pulled a bottle of water out of her large handbag and handed it to Boone.
Boone smiled appreciatively and after drinking half the bottle laughed. “I am not used to you carrying a purse.”
“Got to hide my stuff somewhere,” she chuckled. “It would be easier with my usual outfit.”
“As if your skin tight jeans and low cut blouse would blend in here,” Boone quipped. “By the way, where are you hiding your knife?” Boone knew Delilah always carried her knife for protection. It had become her good luck charm, always a part of her outfit when on an assignment.
“Under the dress,” Delilah replied with a shrug. “This dress is loose enough to hide the thigh sheath. And the bottom half of the Mormon woman’s underwear goes all the way to the knee. It actually keeps the sheath from chafing my leg.”
“Are you wearing the top part of the underwear?” Boone asked. It was much like a t-shirt in the same fabric of the bottoms worn over a bra. The underwear covered every female from shoulders to knees.
“Oh hell no,” Delilah sneered in a low whisper. “One should never hide a lacy red bra.”
“That’s my girl,” Boone grinned, wanting to pull Delilah into an embrace. “Remind me later I owe you a hug.”
“Are you wearing the men’s boxer briefs?” Delilah asked. The men’s underwear also went to the knees.
“I do not need a chastity belt,” Boone growled. “Those things cut off the circulation to the boys. And they are too damn hot.”
Delilah laughed. “Commando?” she whispered. Boone nodded his yes. “Now who is the defiant one?” Delilah smirked with a twinkle in her eye.
“You are a bad influence on me,” Boone replied with a wolfish grin.
Boone took a long look around the park. It covered the equivalent of a city block. Most of the area was covered with lush green grass with concrete sidewalks dissecting the park like a cross. There were several benches strategically placed under tall trees for shade and at least a dozen metal and wood picnic tables scattered throughout. “Lunchtime is coming up soon,” he commented. “We might be able to eavesdrop on a few conversations.”
“Let’s walk around for a few minutes, grab a sandwich and drink and then come back,” Delilah suggested. “We need to blend in.”
“Good idea,” Boone replied and stood. He offered Delilah, his hand and she took it. Looking around and not seeing many people Boone quickly kissed Delilah on the cheek. “This place is too old-fashioned for me,” he sneered and released Delilah’s hand.
“And you are too old-fashioned for me,” Delilah laughed.
“You know my rules,” Boone replied sternly. “And we still have not heard from Daddy.”
“I will try reaching out to him when we get home,” Delilah sighed. “Let’s finish this case first.”
“Yes, my love,” Boone cooed as they walked to a small sandwich shop on the opposite side of the park from the office building. After procuring lunch, they walked back to the park. They found a bench near the center which gave them a direct line of sight to the front entrance of the six-story red brick office building and sat.
It did not take long for people to start filling the park to eat their lunch. Boone stayed vigilant trying to listen to as many conversations as possible. But none was about Miner. If there was any gossiping going on, it was not being done in public. After the lunch hours had ceased, Boone suggested they leave. “We will try again tomorrow.”
Each day Boone and Delilah rose and dressed in the local outfits. They would find a small cafe or restaurant near Miner’s office for breakfast, eavesdrop on the conversations, go to the park, eat lunch and then leave. They were not getting anywhere on discovering anything useful about Miner. They knew nothing more at the end of the afternoon than what they knew that morning.
In the evening after dinner, they would pick a main road out of Provo and try to pick up Lucy’s scent. Every night they returned to the hotel no closer to the truth. Frustration was starting to consume them.
During the week, Boone and Delilah had learned a few things about the local customs. Miner closed the office promptly at 5 p.m. All the females who worked in his building were young and single. On Saturday, the local women would spend the morning shopping and the afternoon cooking for Sunday. Sunday was a family day. After going to the temple, the family would congregate and eat the food prepared the day before. It was a society in which women were second-class citizens revered only for their housekeeping and baby-making abilities.
There were no clubs in the area. No alcohol, no dancing, no celebrating. Boone and Delilah, while not the public type, still found the city quite boring. They had already drunk the few bottles of wine they had brought with them and had no way to replace them. And on Sunday, the city would be the equivalent of a ghost town. Stores, restaurants, everything, closed while everyone spent time with their families. Boone and Delilah would have to plan ahead if they were going to stay the weekend in Provo.
Saturday morning after a big breakfast, they went to the local laundry mat and washed their clothes. They waited until the afternoon to shop knowing the locals would have finished their shopping in the morning. While still not sure if they would be staying or going home in defeat they acted as if they were staying, just in case. They moved to a suite with a mini kitchen and bought enough food to get them through Monday morning. Saturday night when they went to bed, they were no closer to making a decision than they were Saturday morning about staying or giving up on finding Lucy.
Sunday morning, Delilah woke first and starting cooking breakfast. Boone woke to the smell of caffeinated coffee, which they found in a Turkish specialty food store. Hearing the sound of bacon frying, Boone smiled. While Delilah usually cooked breakfast, he did not take her for granted. He never expected her to be cooking as he woke up and smiled in appreciation every day she did. “Dee Dee,” Boone cooed. “Let me help you with that,” he offered with a smile. Delilah was in her usual morning outfit cooking; Boone’s shirt and her lacy red panties.
“Stay out of my kitchen,” Delilah laughed swatting the air with her spatula. “I like cooking breakfast. But you can help with lunch and dinner. And what is with the Dee Dee?”
“I cannot call you Angel anymore,” Boone stated sadly. “Not after that bastard in Idaho tried to...” Boone could not finish. “So I need a new nickname for you. Do you mind?”
“Thor calls me Dee Dee. He is the only one who does,” Delilah frowned. “How about just Dee?”
“I can do Dee,” Boone nodded and smiled as poured himself a cup of coffee. He lifted the cup to his face and inhaled deeply. Exhaling he moaned as if smelling manna from heaven. “So what do you want to do today? There ain’t much to do around this town.”
“Let’s relax this morning and then maybe this afternoon we can go for a swim?”
“You in a skimpy bikini here in Utah?” Boone quipped raising his brows. “Not a good idea. Not unless we want to be the talk of the town in three point two seconds.”
“True,” Delilah frowned. “The dresses I have to wear are just getting on my last nerve. I cannot believe the women here still dress like this and allow themselves to be subjugated.”
“As soon as we find Lucy, you can run naked through the hotel if you want,” Boone laughed. “Hopefully, we will get lucky and find a clue soon.”
“So you want to stay?” Delilah asked. “We have not found out much of anything yet.”
“We promised Lucy’s mother,” Boone reminded Delilah. “Plus I just have a bad feeling about all this. There is something big going on, and I want to get to the bottom of it.”
“Is this about Lucy or your sisters?” Delilah asked addressing the giant pink elephant in the room.
“It is about Lucy and her half sister,” Boone sneered. Then he became reticent. “And about Star,” he finally admitted.
“But you knew nothing about her,” Delilah reminded Boone and taking his hand into hers. “You did not even know she existed until a few months ago.”
“Still, I feel responsible for her death and the way she had to live.”
“Hooxei, it was not your fault. Your aunt decided to kill Star’s wolf gene. Star decided to run away and find her father. She decided to stay with the pack and become Roth’s lover. She determined her own destiny.”
“And her fate?” Boone asked. “No one watched over her. No one saved her.”
“I cannot tell you why Daddy did not intervene. I am really sorry. I do not know why Daddy felt you were important or that you needed protection.”
“Why am I more important than Star?” Boone seethed trying to control his anger and contempt.
“Maybe it is because she was no longer a wolf and you still are,” Delilah suggested. “Maybe Daddy has a plan for you.”
“I wish I knew what it was,” Boone sighed, feeling defeated again. “It seems as if he is holding my future; make that our future, captive. What is he waiting for?”
“Daddy does not rush into anything,” Delilah reminded Boone. “He has lived forever. A month or a year is nothing to him.”
“Well, I am no god. I am just a half human wanting to marry the woman he loves and start a family. But Daddy holds all the power. Now who is subjugated?”
“I am sorry, Hooxei. Really I am. I guess I have gotten used to Daddy and his antics over the years. I have learned patience when it comes to him.”
“I used to be patient. But I love you Delilah, and I do not want to wait forever. I waited a long time to find the perfect person for me. And now that I have found you, I do not want to wait. I would be happy with a quick wedding and moving on to our life together.”
“I know, Hooxei. Me too. But Daddy holds my future in his hands. I guess I am hoping if I am patient and follow his rules, we can go on living our lives the way we are now. I guess I am hoping I will not have to give up who or what I have been for a hundred and fifty years.”
“I keep forgetting how old you really are. You have had to deal with Daddy a lot longer than me,” Boone proclaimed and then took a deep cleansing breath. “I will be patient.”
“Thank you, Hooxei,” Delilah cooed nuzzling Boone’s neck.
Delilah and Boone finished breakfast and then showered and dressed. “Let’s go for a swim,” Delilah suggested again.
“I thought we agreed not to do that,” Boone replied as his eyes darkened.
“Not in the pool,” Delilah laughed. “Let’s find a river or stream up in the mountains. Since today is Sunday, we should be able to find a private place to swim and then lie in the sun.”
Boone smiled. A day by the river alone with Delilah was just what he needed. He too was tiring of the black pants and white shirt he had worn every day since their arrival. He was much more comfortable in a pair of jeans and his boots. “Find a place on the map and let’s go,” Boone replied enthusiastically. “I will pack a lunch.”
Delilah quickly found a place which promised to provide them seclusion. Boone had made some sandwiches and was looking for a shopping bag to pack the sandwiches and water into. He was interrupted by a knock on the door. Boone and Delilah looked at each other apprehensively. They were not expecting visitors. Boone sauntered to the door of the suite and peered out the peephole. He saw a young man in a hotel uniform holding a package.
“Did you order anything?” Boone quickly asked Delilah. “No,” she replied shaking her head from side to side.
Boone opened the door. The delivery boy held out a smaller package and then looked down at a larger box at his feet. “Sign please,” the young man requested. Boone signed for the packages and carried them into the room.
“There are no shipping labels on either of them,” Boone announced suspiciously. “Your name is on the box and mine is on the envelope.”
“Open yours first,” Delilah instructed. Boone opened the large padded envelope. Inside were a handwritten note and a mini disc. Boone read the note aloud. “Watch this tonight. It is signed ‘O’.”
“It is from Daddy?” Delilah queried.
“It appears so,” Boone replied. “I wonder what he sent you."
“Let’s see,” Delilah chuckled and tore open the box. The first item they saw was a white fur blanket much like the one Odin had sent her upon their return from New Orleans. “He must be afraid we will get cold,” Delilah giggled as she removed the blanket from the box. Under the blanket was a picnic basket with a note. “Use this every day at the park,” Delilah read.
“Sounds like we are supposed to stay,” Boone stated wide-eyed. “Is there anything inside the basket?”
Delilah pulled the basket out of the box and opened it. The first thing she noticed was several bottles of her father’s wine. She sighed happily. “We are going to have to ration these.” Pulling each bottle out, she placed them on the kitchen counter. Then she saw two more items and jumped into Boone’s arms. r />
“We are getting married on the mountain!” Delilah screamed excited.
“What?”
“It is milk and honey. He sent us milk and honey.”
“I do not get it.”
“It is part of the purifying ritual before the wedding. He is telling us we are getting married on the mountain in Asgard.”
“And where pray tell is that?”
“Most humans believe it is in Sweden,” Delilah laughed. “But really it is nowhere. It is everywhere. But it is so beautiful. There is a large temple in Asgard for the twelve gods and twelve goddesses. We will be married in the center court.”
“So we are having a big wedding?”
“The biggest,” Delilah giggled with delight. “It is the wedding I have dreamed of all my life.”
Boone was not sure about everything he was hearing. He was happy Odin had finally decided on where the wedding would take place, but he felt so out of his element. “Gods and goddesses?” Boone choked out.
“Don’t let them scare you, Hooxei,” Delilah replied still excited. “It is going to be wonderful.”
“Is there anything about a date?” Boone asked.
Delilah searched the basket and the box and found nothing. “One thing at a time,” Delilah smiled while shrugging her shoulders.
“And nothing about who or what we will be?”
“Not yet but I think everything just might work out for us,” Delilah proclaimed. “Why would Daddy throw us the biggest wedding ever in Asgard only to wipe away our powers and memories?”
“Good point,” Boone replied trying to remain optimistic. “Still want to go for a swim?”
“You know I do!” Delilah replied and put a bottle of wine back into the picnic basket. “We are going to have a fun afternoon.”
Delilah finished packing the picnic basket and nearly pulled Boone out of the suite. In less than an hour, they were at the river Delilah had found on the map. “We need to walk up the river for a bit to find something a bit more private,” Delilah advised. “Once that nose of yours stops picking up a human scent, let me know.”
“We could be walking for a while,” Boone replied detecting a strong odor of humans. “This seems to be a popular place.”
“According to the map, the terrain gets much more rugged a mile or so from here. So only serious hikers might be up-river,” Delilah replied confidently. “And it is Sunday.”
Boone took the picnic basket in one hand and Delilah by the other. Delilah draped the fur blanket over her free arm. Hand in hand they started walking towards the river and up the trail. It was a sunny day but not too warm. As they ascended the mountain, the temperature cooled slightly. It made the walk quite enjoyable. Just enjoying each other’s company they walked silently enjoying the fresh air and sunshine. The vista was serene and lavishly green. Tall trees sat in clumps while yellow, white and purple wildflowers speckled the landscape. The air was clean and relaxing.
The river flowed down from the mountain top, and the water was cool and clean. Boone and Delilah noticed small areas along the bank where people would fish. Boone liked to fish and found it quite soothing. He also liked fresh fish cooked on the grill with fresh vegetables. He silently wondered if Delilah could or liked to fish.
“I have not been fishing for nearly 100 years,” Delilah reminisced aloud answering Boone as if reading his mind.
“You any good at it?”
“I can hold my own,” Delilah smirked. “Steamed fish is good, but I love fish cooked over an open flame.”
Boone smiled and squeezed Delilah’s hand. It was as if she was meant just for him or maybe him for her. They had so much in common and were so at ease with each other. “There is a river on the back side of our property,” Boone advised. “Maybe we can go camping and fishing sometime.”
“Our property?” Delilah grinned.
“Yes, our property,” Boone replied with his own grin. “Our house, our river, our property.”
“Even if Daddy has not decided who or what we will be?”
“I would stay with you always,” Boone choked out emotionally. “I love you that much.”
“But would you have sex with me?”
Boone did not know how to answer the question. “I know I am old-fashioned. Or maybe I am just afraid. But I made a commitment to myself I would never have sex with anyone but my wife. I will wait until the wedding,” Boone stated in a staid tone.
“And if Daddy makes us wait a long time?”
“Right now a day seems like forever,” Boone chuckled nervously. “But I can wait a few more months.”
“I want a July wedding,” Delilah replied. “I turn a year older in August, and I still want to be twenty-five when I get married.”
“Twenty-five?” Boone laughed. “How many times have you been twenty-five?”
“Just once,” Delilah smugly laughed. Boone could only roll his eyes.
“No more human smell,” Boone announced quickly changing the subject. “Let’s walk another half mile to be sure.” Fifteen minutes later they found a nice area next to the river and laid out their blanket. “Swim or eat?” Boone asked.
“Swim,” Delilah giggled gleefully. “I love cold mountain water. And it is warm enough today to catch a little sun. I want to look good in a white gown when we get married.”
“So no black this time?” Boone asked thinking back to the sister reunion in Albuquerque. While her sisters had worn white, Delilah had worn black.
“No, always white for weddings,” Delilah corrected Boone immediately. “You will be in white too.”
“A white gown?” Boone exclaimed in terror.
“No, white pants and robe,” Delilah laughed at Boone’s expense. “A long flowing robe. You will be bathed in milk and honey, all body hair removed and dressed in white.”
“Wait! What is this about body hair?”
Delilah laughed hysterically. “Just from the neck down. It is a part of the purification ceremony.”
“You too?” Boone shuddered while trying to wrap his head around what Delilah was telling him.
“Yep,” Delilah replied with a grin. “All hair from the neck down.”
Delilah had hoped Boone’s thoughts would go to her being hair free but as typical of a man, his thoughts went to his own family jewels. “You mean the boys will be naked?”
“As smooth as a newborn pup,” Delilah giggled and blushed.
“Oh – hell – no!” Boone called out covering his groin with his hands. Delilah could not stifle her laughter.
“It grows back,” Delilah laughed.
“And who removes the hair? Who is going to be shaving me?” Boone was still in shock.
“I will leave that for a surprise,” Delilah exclaimed as she finished removing her clothing and ran towards the river in her small white bikini. Boone watched Delilah step into the river and into the cold water. “It is wonderful, Hooxei. Come in with me!”
Boone stood on the bank for several minutes watching Delilah play in the clear, clean, cool water like a happy child. The water was only a four feet deep at the deepest point. The river was peppered with rocks and good size boulders which allowed the water to rush through like small rapids. Delilah found a calm pool just below where Boone was standing which was shallow enough to sit in. She laid back and placed her head on one of the rocks with her face to the sun to feel its warmth. She looked so peaceful and happy. Boone watched her and ingrained the memory firmly into his brain.
Smiling and unhurried, Boone removed his shoes and then his shirt. Delilah opened her eyes and stared at Boone’s rock hard abs and chest. She smiled. She could look at him for hours and never blink. She loved him. She loved his body. Boone realized Delilah was watching his every move. While they had lived together for more than six months, he was still flushed by her stares. Boone shook his head slightly from side to side still amazed by her fascination with his body. He turned
his back to her and allowed his jeans to drop to the ground. He stepped out of his pants, picked them up and folded them. Placing them on the fur blanket, Boone stepped towards the river.
Boone liked swimming in the cold mountain-fed streams as much as Delilah did. He liked it more as a wolf. As a wolf, his body temperature was almost ten degrees higher than his human body temperature. And in the warmer months, the melted snow from the mountain tops was a great way to cool down after a run and a hunt, before turning human.
Boone waded into the river and into the center where the water moved the fastest. He loved the feel of the torrential water against his body. To him, it was much like a whirlpool tub. He sighed as if every pain and care he had ever experienced were being washed away. He lowered himself into the river so the water would hit his back. He pushed himself back towards the water digging his feet firmly into the riverbed. After a few minutes, he relaxed and moved towards the pool of water where Delilah was stretched out.
Boone sat across from Delilah so he could look at her. The bikini she was wearing was much like the one she wore in the hot tub, but the top of this one was strapless. “Afraid of tan lines?” Boone asked with a smirk. Actually, he was wondering how the top stayed up without straps. Delilah was well endowed.
Delilah opened one eye and looked towards Boone. “I could always take it off.” And then she grinned salaciously.
“Will you ever behave yourself?” Boone sneered.
“Nope!” Delilah replied now with both eyes open and staring at Boone’s arms and chest. Her eyes lowered to the top of Boone’s swim truck and to the thin line of blonde hair leading south. “It is a good thing the water is cold,” Delilah smirked before closing her eyes again. Boone nodded in agreement.
After lying in the sandy-bottomed pool for a while, Delilah stood and headed for the blanket. After drying off, she laid face down. “Time for the back,” she mused. Boone gasped as Delilah reached behind her and unhooked her bikini top. “Why don’t you take another cold bath,” she chuckled.
“Aren’t you cold,” Boone asked feeling the cool air on his wet skin.
“Just a little but I will warm up soon. Then we will eat,” Delilah replied.
Boone watched as Delilah shivered. After ensuring he was as dry as he could get, he inhaled deeply and exhaled turning into a wolf. Boone lay next to her, knowing the warmth of his wolf would keep Delilah warm while she tanned.
“Thank you, Hooxei,” Delilah smiled.