Canyons of Night

Chapter 32

ON FRIDAY EVENING, CHARLOTTE STOOD WITH RACHEL on the outdoor deck of the Shorebird Restaurant, glasses of lemonade in their hands. Together they contemplated the crowd. Slade was in the center of the group, a large knife in one hand. There was a vast sheet cake covered in chocolate and lemon-colored icing on the table in front of him. The words on the cake read Happy Birthday, Chief.

“You know, I think he actually was surprised when he walked in a few minutes ago,” Rachel said.

Charlotte laughed. “Stunned speechless is more like it. Who’d have thought that you could pull off a real surprise party for a former Bureau agent who also happens to be Arcane?”

Devin and Nate were in front of the table, euphoric over the success of the party they had planned. Myrna and Kirk Willis stood nearby. Both had wide grins on their faces. All of the shopkeepers on Waterfront Street, including Fletcher Kane and Jasper Gilbert, as well as most of the permanent residents of the island had turned out. Rex was perched on the railing with his clutch. His attention was riveted on the cake.

“Being an FBPI agent doesn’t mean you can see a surprise party coming,” Rachel said. “And a man who hasn’t done a lot of celebrating in his life wouldn’t have any reason to expect a couple of kids to organize a whole town for a birthday party.”

“No, probably not,” Charlotte said.

Rachel smiled. “Something tells me that Slade has a lot to celebrate now, though.”

Slade caught Charlotte’s eye across the crowded space and winked. He put the large cake knife aside.

“This is a very special cake,” he announced. “Myrna tells me that I get the first slice so that slice will be cut with a very special knife.”

He reached into his pocket and took out the Takashima pocketknife. Charlotte felt tears gather in her eyes.

“Hang on,” Myrna yelped. “You can’t cut my beautiful cake with a dirty knife.” She whipped a packet out of her purse, tore it open, and produced a sterilizing wipe.

Slade obediently wiped the gleaming blade and then he cut a neat square of the cake and slid it onto a paper plate.

Myrna bustled around to take his place behind the cake. “I’ll cut the rest of the pieces, Chief. Rex gets the next slice.”

Rachel looked at Charlotte. “Has anyone told Rex that the glory days of endless zucchini bread are over?”

“We’re hoping he’ll move on,” Charlotte said. “Dust bunnies are very adaptable. They know how to rez with the frequency, unlike some of us.”

Myrna used the large cake knife to cut off a big square of chocolate and lemon cake for Rex. She put the cake on a paper plate and set it on the railing. Rex chortled gleefully and set about polishing off the treat with as much enthusiasm as he had previously reserved for Thelma Duncan’s zucchini bread.

“Were you really surprised by the party, Chief?” Devin demanded for the fifth or sixth time.

Slade smiled at him. “I was really surprised, trust me.”

The crowd laughed.

“We made everyone promise to keep it a secret,” Nate explained.

Slade looked around at the faces of the people on the deck. “Shadow Bay could give the Bureau some lessons when it comes to keeping secrets.”

There was another round of laughter. Slade made his way through the crowd and stopped near Charlotte and Rachel.

“Happy birthday, Chief,” Rachel said. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to get in line for my slice.”

She hurried off.

Charlotte looked at Slade.

“How is the cake?” she asked.

“A whole lot better than Thelma Duncan’s zucchini bread,” Slade said. A look of soul-deep satisfaction lit his eyes. “In fact, I can state unequivocally that this is the very best cake I have ever eaten in my entire life.”

Charlotte smiled.

Devin waved a small, gaily wrapped gift in the air. “Time to open your present, Chief Attridge. Nate and I got it for you. It’s from Looking Glass.”

Slade smiled at Charlotte. In his eyes she saw the heat and promise of a love that would last a lifetime.

“In that case, I won’t have to worry about returning it to the store,” Slade said. “Whatever it is, it’s going to be just what I wanted.”

He kissed her on the mouth there in front of their friends and neighbors. A roar of applause went up from the crowd.

Slade raised his head and looked around.

“You’re all invited to the wedding,” he said.

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