Allyn and Ransom – 48

 

"Wow. This is something else," Henri said after Allyn had shown him around the mansion. He smiled ruefully. "I always dreamed of living like this, but never got around to making the dream a reality."

 

Allyn replied, "You make it sound as if you're ancient. How old are you, if you don't mind my asking? You look all of twenty-five but then so do Ransom and I."

 

"I'm a hundred and twenty."

 

"Younger than me, but not by much," Ransom said.

 

"I guess I'm the baby in the group," Allyn grumbled. "I'm only seventy-five."

 

"Nope," Miranda said, coming into the parlor. "I am." She looked at Henri with interest. "You're a different breed. Oh, and hi. I'm Miranda, Allyn's sister."

 

Henri bowed. "Henri Bosier, at your service."

 

Miranda glanced at Ransom. "You could learn a lesson or two from him, I think."

 

Ransom laughed. "If I bowed to you, you'd drop dead from shock."

 

"True. So, Henri, why has Allyn been showing you around?"

 

"It seems—" He looked at Allyn for help.

 

"Henri needs a very safe place to stay."

 

"Ah." Miranda tapped a finger to her lips. "Do tell." So between them, Allyn, Henri, and Ransom did. When they finished, she was shaking her head. "That bastard should have been strangled at birth. You're more than welcome here, Henri. We can put you in Allyn's old bedroom."

 

"You don't live here too?" Henri asked Allyn with surprise.

 

"Nope. Ransom and I have our own house, in the city proper."

 

"I…see. Oh, don't take that the wrong way," Henri added hurriedly. "I did pick up on the fact you two are close. I just didn't put all the pieces together." He chuckled. "Given this is New Orleans, I suppose I should have."

 

"Not to worry," Ransom said, patting Henri's shoulder.

 

"Do you have a girlfriend, or boyfriend," Miranda asked. "Someone who you'd like to stay here with you, Henri?"

 

"Me? No." Henri chuckled. "I had one—a girlfriend—a long time ago. But when she aged and I didn't… Well, things got tense, even though she knew what I was. So it ended and I haven't really looked for anyone since then, female or male."

 

"A problem Mandi and I will have in time."

 

Everyone turned to see John, lounging against the doorframe.

 

"Have you been eavesdropping?" Miranda asked, going over to hug him.

 

"Just long enough to know he—" he glanced at Henri, "—must be a shifter too." He went over to introduce himself. "I'm John Varley." After Henri told him his name, John continued where he'd left off. "Since I'm human, I'm going to age while Mandi continues looking all of twenty-four. I have one advantage over you, though, Henri. People don't think too much about it when the man is older than his wife by a lot."

 

"At least not for a while," Miranda agreed. "Then, when he looks like he could be my father, that's what we'll tell people who ask—after we move somewhere new." She smiled at John, joking, "That's when you start Botox and facelifts."

 

He snorted. "As if."

 

"Okay, everyone, I need to get going," Ransom said. "I actually have a real job, which means I need to get in a few hours sleep before heading to the station."

 

"What are you going to do about the murder of Mrs. Graham and her children?" Henri asked.

 

"Given the circumstances, I'll make it seem as if there's not enough evidence to help us find the killer—and let it end up as a cold case file. In reality, we'll try to find Xavier, one way or another. It could take time since we don't have any place to start looking. How about we get together again tomorrow night, Henri? We'll go over everything again and hope you'll remember more details we can use."