Chapter 43-Getting to know you

This chapter was originally posted on 7/2/14

According to Emmett every member of this family was granted a special gift that would help ensure the success of the mission.  Rose's was her evil and powerful spell casting skills, Wolfie was able to spread the word to millions through his music and Sandi is the brave perceptive computer whiz.  Starr seems to have inherited her Grandma Holly's talent for writing books.

And she is pretty damn good at the easel.  Just give her a paint brush and an empty canvas and before you know it another masterpiece has been born.

She set up another easel on the terrace where she liked to spend most of her time.  She would put on some Latin tunes and stand out there for hours painting until her mother told her it was time for bed.

One day she decided that she wanted to have a slumber party and she knew just who to ask.  All she needed to do was flash Uncle Caleb a smile and the sad puppy dog eyes and he was putty in her hands.  As much as he would have loved to say yes to this request, this was a decision for her mother and not him.  She had a special place in his heart and he would do anything for her but he was not her father and was only helping out until Dylan returned home.

Being both mother and father toughened Sandi up to the sad puppy dog eyes look, but in the end Sandi did agree.  Starr was on the honor roll and she never caused any trouble so she deserved a little fun with her friends.  Sandi was becoming an expert at baking now and she made the kids some cupcakes.

Sandi's sister Valerie was one of the children invited who decided to sit outside and do her homework.

Ronny's out of wedlock son Kenton told ghost stories.

The living room turned out to be wall to wall sleeping bags, after all that is what you are supposed to do at slumber parties, sleep.

In the middle of the night the alarm sounded and awoke everyone. It looks like someone wanted to crash the party.

Brandon was still keeping his distance from the McIntyre house on the advice of his lawyers, but he was growing impatient.  He decided to hire one of his soldiers Earl Gomez to deliver Sandi to his doorstep, but they obviously chose the wrong night.

Officer Warren Chung arrived to answer the call.   Earl was still standing in the living room when Warren told Sandi that he got away.  Someone needed to get Warren better eyeglasses.

Ironically the cop that Moonlight Falls lost was the one who was able to handle the intruder.  There was no way Earl would ever be able to kidnap Sandi, well at least tonight he wouldn't.

Even with the rude disruption all the kids had a wonderful time.  At the young age of 8, Starr was no stranger to throwing parties.  Starr's childhood was perfect with one exception, her father was missing.

A week later Earl returned to the scene of the crime, to try and kidnap Sandi again. This time he frightened The McIntyre's elderly neighbor Doreen Caliente.

The keyword here is try.  Sandi was not going anywhere against her will that easily and once again she fought off her attacker.

This time the call was answered by Officer Donella Cuffs and again she told Sandi that Earl got away.

Yet he was standing right in front of her car.  Obviously we had some dirty cops on the take working in Moonlight Falls.  They had to be dirty because they couldn't be that stupid, now could they?

The element in Moonlight Falls was changing and not the better. This was not the best place to raise a child anymore as the criminals were talking over the whole city, after she found Dylan she planned on talking to him about moving.

Finding Dylan became the first order of business for Sandi and Caleb.  They were going to handle the investigation their way and by their rules.

Sandi:  Let's just make a fresh start and take everything by the beginning.  Now that both of us are working on the case you might notice something that you didn't realize before, as we go over the evidence.

Caleb:  They really didn't allow me to work on this case too much myself, as it was also a conflict of interest for me.  The first step I would have done was going over your statement as you were the last one to see him.

Sandi:  You already know that was the night I felt Starr move for the first time and I called him over. I was having ice cream cravings every night and Dylan always took care of everything.  He mentioned having to go to work early the next morning and warlock training the same day so he wanted to leave for the store earlier than usual.

Caleb:  Do you know how he went there?  His bike or the broom?

Sandi:  Oh it was his bike for sure, I heard it when he left.

Caleb:  Then we know he left for the store and...

Sandi:  he had to come back as the bike is still parked outside.  What I need to do is go to the store and talk to the clerk.

Caleb: It's been quite a few years and he might not remember everything.

Sandi: There is always the security camera at the store.  We will need to convince the owner to give us access.

Caleb: Everyone has their price and you do have bottomless pockets.

Sandi: Which you did not think was a good quality before.

Caleb: After all this time I do think you are owed an explanation, for everything that happened back then.  The only person that knows this is Dylan but I trust you enough to know the truth. This is something I do not like to talk about. 

As you know Dylan never knew his parents, but my story is different.  The only thing I know about my father is that he was a vampire for obvious reasons, but my mother was not.  She was dating a man who she said came from old money and she told me our life would be better if she married him.   Her boyfriend said his family would not approve of their marriage due to her bastard vampire son, and he would not marry her if I was part of their lives.  She wanted the money and she told him that she would send me to live with my father.   She didn't think I heard the discussion they had but I did every single word.  The next day she took me to the mall and that was the last time I seen or heard from  her.  

You came from a rich family also and I judged you by my past experience.  I thought I would lose my brother to you, the same way I lost my mother.  I never expected you to open your arms and welcome me into your life.  All I can say is that I am sorry and I wish I could take everything back.

Sandi: I'm sorry that happened to you and I wish I would have known this sooner.  I know how it feels to be abandoned by your mother because of who you are.  Abby is not my biological mother, my real mother kept my twin because he was a fairy and I am a wolf.  I know I was lucky because of my father and my adoptive mother, but I never wanted anything to do with my bio mother and I'll never forgive her.

Caleb:  I didn't know that about you either but I now see you understand how I feel.

Sandi: You have more family than you know, my grandparents asked me to tell you they want to talk with you when they get back from Lunar Lakes.  I know it’s about the mission but I'm not sure what it's exactly about.  Right now we have to put all our energy into finding Dylan.

Caleb:  Indeed we do, but I'm glad we had this little talk.

Sandi went to the grocery store but the clerk no longer worked there.  She was able to convince the store owner to give her the surveillance camera footage for a small price.

Sandi and Caleb spent hours watching and they did notice a car follow Dylan out of the parking lot that night.  It was a black car but they couldn't make out the license plate number.  They did make a list of everyone walking in and out of the store that evening and Sandi made an appointment to meet a woman at the library the next day.  What Sandi didn't expect was to run into Brandon there too.  

Brandon: There is my foxy she wolf

Sandi:  Brandon, if you have half a brain you will stay away from me.

Brandon: Just come with me and you won't be hurt. 

Sandi grabbed the gun in her purse and flashed it to Brandon.

Sandi:  Come one step closer to me and you will be one Alto who will be singing soprano. 

Brandon noticed a woman watching their discussion and he didn't have his piece on him so he backed down this time.  Next time Sandi would be going home with him and she would pay for this.

The woman who was watching was also the same one Sandi was here to talk with.  Aurora Borealis was one of the customers in the store at the same time Dylan was. 

Sandi:  I know it’s been a long time but do you remember anything at all about that night.

Aurora:  I'm afraid I do not remember much about that night, but I do have some information about that guy who was bothering you.

To Be Continued.....

I would like to thank HollyhocksFluff for the use of Aurora.  If you have not read her story please check it out as it is awesome.

Bonus shots:

Wolfie and Abby had a son, this is Tyrone Landgraab

Valerie Landgraab as a teenager.  She looks just like Abby.

Anastasia Landgraab as a young adult.  She got herself engaged so she is officially out of the Caleb match.  I think we will go with Valerie.