Chapter 19

Damien smiled. "Well if that ain't the best news I've heard all day!" He picked up his wife and spun her around.

"Oh Damien, isn't it thrilling?!" Penelope said happily. "Aren't you just the happiest?"

"On top of that," said Damien, "I think I might know the identity of the Hooded Claw!"

"Who do you suspect?"

Damien narrowed his eyes in thought. "I only have a suspicion backed by circumstantial evidence, so I can't accuse anyone but… I think… it might be Sylvester."

Penny gasped. "No!" she cried. "Never! Oh, I won't believe that!"

"If I'm wrong, I'm wrong. Like I said, I don't know for sure. But I'm gonna find out. No one is going to hurt the mother of my children."

Penelope smiled, love in her eyes. "Honey," she cooed, cuddling into him. "Please don't let him catch you again. I can't lose you. You're my heart… if I lose you… I lose my reason to breathe!"

Damien chuckled. "No one's gonna hurt me, Penny," he said softly. "I'm gonna find out who the Hooded Claw is and then… why he'll be rotting in a cell." He kissed her neck and smiled.

"I want to unmask him as much as, maybe even more than you do… and I have a plan," said Penelope, "but it's risky."

"What's your idea?"

Penelope sighed. "I… I have to let him catch me."

"What?! No, you can't! We can't put our unborn child at risk like that!"

"I know… but if we don't do this… he'll come after our children too."

Damien sighed. "Hmmm… and you're not far along… but it has to happen before you…"

"Start showing… I know. Even the Hooded Claw wouldn't harm the unborn! For this to work, you have to be the one to save me… you and the Anthill Mob."

Damien held Penelope close and sighed as he rocked her. Tomorrow, they'd put her plan in action.