Marriage is Murder

"Yes," Robert suppressed a smile at Daniella's arrival. "She's not my type, though. Not anymore. We dated a couple times before I dated Kate, but that was a long, long time ago."

"And why are you chasing petty muggle thieves?" Daniella came over to Robert finally.

"Because they attacked my daughter and her husband. Shoved her into the canal and left her seeing eye dog to rescue her, and wounded my son-in-law."

"Her...you never told me she was blind, Robert," she frowned.

"Its a temporary injury. Edward Donohue found the dog for us after the dog's owner...."

"A white shepherd?" she smiled.

"Indeed," he said.

"He was a great wizard and a good friend. And well respected by all who knew him. I am glad Enzo ended up with you. I almost took him myself, but I hardly have the time. And it is not good for such a large dog to be in such a small apartment."

"You don't have a small apartment. You happen to have a very spacious palazzo," he said. "You just don't know what to do with a dog. Or any pet for that matter." She smiled, realizing he had caught her excuse.

"How is your daughter? Your son-in-law?"

"I haven't seen them yet, but i trust they are repairable or I would have heard. I trust I have not inconvenienced you too much?"

"Never," she smiled. "And I am sorry my aurors did not know you. However, I rather like that one as a hipppopotamus. I shall have to remember that," she laughed.

"Shall I tend to the muggle's shoulder that I wounded?"

She waved his concerns away. "I am quite sure it is probably just a dislocation. Do not be concerned. We can correct that before we return him home. But why are you here?"

"My daughter is taking a brief holiday. Daniella, do let me know if you hear anything about James Blood. He is responsible for burning down my daughter's vacation home in Tuscany yesterday and nearly killing her and her husband." She frowned deeply.

"Send me a report," she said. "We will help you find him if he's here. He escaped from us last time, and his arrest warrant is very current. I would like to have him returned to my prison."

"And I would like to send him beyond the veil."

"That too," she said, agreeing. "He is quite foul and dangerous. Do you need additional aurors for your daughter?"

"No. She is well protected. I would like no more interferance, though."

"Consider it done. Anything else?"

He looked at Jim. "Let's see. We have Brian's wallet back and his ID's and his cash? Its all there? Did I miss anything? Can you think of anything you and Michael need?"

"Indeed," Robert said. He and Daniella embraced, as a formal token of alliance, as was a frequent custom for allies. Daniella made sure every trace of their ever being there had been erased. Robert simply walked calmly back to the hotel. He was not going to alert anyone inside that there had ever been a problem. He went upstairs to the room, presuming Jim would just open the door rather than Robert needeing to use magic and risk being seen by a muggle again.

"And you're back," Michael greeted him.

"I've almost got your boy sorted," Edward said. "But he's a wiggler."

"He's not normally," Robert said.

"Daddy?" Khaat called. Robert went over and hugged and kissed her. He felt her forehead and checked her.

"You feel alright?" he asked her. She nodded. "I'm going to see to the Brian's cut, alright?" She nodded. He went over to check on Brian. "It looks good, Edward, would you prefer to just continue?"

"No," Edward laughed. "I have to work at it. You make it easy. Just take care of it." Robert laughed and finished drawing out the glass and then used some spells to heal the cut and draw off Brian's miserable headache. Brian sighed with relief.

"Better? No blurred vision?" Robert asked.

"No, I'm fine," Brian said.

"Good. "

"Excellent," Robert approved of the tea. He helped him pass out cups of tea. "Now, how do you two keep getting into these things?"

"Its the dog's fault," Brian tried a thin excuse. Robert frowned and looked at Enzo, who simply whined.

"Oh, surely you don't expect me to buy something that lame. Try again."

"Well, its half true. He had to pee."

"The misstep was mine," Michael spoke up.

"Yours?" Robert frowned.

"Khaat had a vision. She thought it was just a dream. I knew better. I could tell. I should have gone along when she went out."

"Then you should have spoken up about your dream, Khaat," her father said.

"It was just a dream!"

"Nonsense," Robert said. "Not for a seer. Not if someone around you saw something different."

"I'm just finishing dinner," Michael said. "Once we eat, perhaps we can have a quiet evening."

"Try watching some muggle television for a change," Robert laughed. "Perhaps if you stay in the room at least tonight, you can take a break from the nonsense."

Khaat sighed. Watch TV? Bloody impossible without sight, she thought. He heard her sigh softly and he looked at her.

"Alright. Turn on the radio and dance. Something. Don't just do nothing," Robert said.

"We're not going to do nothing," Michael said. "We really are capable of our own amusement, Robert."

"Really?" he asked.

"Should we let the dog pee on the rug?"

"No, but you dont' send your client to let the dog out," Robert said. Michael gave him a phoney salute. Robert shook his head. "I'll leave you all to it, then. Have a QUIET evening." He glared at them briefly and ported out.

"Should I feel rebuked?" Michael laughed.

"No," Brian said. "Robert was just being Robert."

"I know," he laughed.

"His bark is much worse than his bite," Khaat said.

"Sometimes," Michael said. "Sometimes the bark is just what he intends. A warning before the bite. And not many people quite like he does."

"But he never does that with family," she said.

"No. He doesn't," Michael agreed, returning to the kitchen. "Finish your tea, All. Dinner in another ten minutes." He flicked his wand to have the table set itself. Brian got up and went over to Khaat.

"You okay?" he asked her.

"Yeah," she said. "You?"

"Fine. Now, listen. We are not going to stop going out or living our lives. We're going to do what we always do."

"You sure?" she asked him, insecure.

"Oh, I'm sure," he said. "We're going out tomorrow. We just are. Its the way it goes."

"Okay," she said, trusting him.