Tess officially believed that those girls were safe Gru, or as safe as they could be. His 'career' could easily put them in danger. She was still battling on whether or not they should remain in his custody. Needless to say, the count of kidnapping and neglect needed to be struck from his record.
'It'll save the taxpayers' money,' Tess told herself, but she had no idea how she'd explain that to Chief Daniels, but she had no choice.
If one studies criminals long enough, one can just as easily study civilians, a habit Tess developed…and used it to get what she wanted. Suddenly, she stopped dead in her tracks while on the way to Daniel's office. When did she want to improve Gru's record? Why did she want to? Tess shook her head, she was stressed from her wannabe Dahmer case, she still in shock from her encounter with that giant snake, Mars was in retrograde, she was having an allergic reaction to her mascara. She threw any excuse at it that she could think of.
Getting back on track, Tess knew this would be the optimum time to tell Daniel's of her decision. It was after lunch, nearing the end of the work day and Daniel's had the next day off. All in all, he should be on cloud nine right about then. A happy Daniels meant that he was less likely to laugh in her face at her decision and demote her.
"Ah, Tess, just the woman I've been looking for!" He called merrily, "Sit down; I have a question for you."
Tess took the seat in front of Daniel's desk, "What is it?" she asked curiously.
"The Cody David case, you know the one who took the severed head of his ex-girlfriend to league night at the bowling alley and ate the rest of her? Well, apparently he's developed a taste for flesh and is asking for it in lieu of his real meals over in county. Obviously, we cannot give him real human flesh, so what do you suppose we do?"
Tess shrugged, "Give him some rawhide or pigs ears, the kind you give a dog." She replied simply.
Daniels face screwed up, "Is that safe?"
"Well, my brother chewed on them until he was ten and he turned out fine."
Daniels guffawed, "Will he notice the difference?" he asked once he regained his composure.
"He took a severed head into public. I didn't need his IQ test to realize he wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed. No, he will not notice." Tess answered.
"Ah. Good. Anyway, did you need something?"
Tess was a bit nervous and her heart picked up a quicker pace, "Uh, yes," She replied and took a breath, "I had the unfortunate opportunity to spend some time with Felonious Gru last week. The school one of his daughters and my nephew both attend had a field trip and they've both became friends. Gru and I ended up being the chaperons. While on the trip, he saved the lives of his daughter, my nephew and me. Because of this turn of events, I know longer believe those girls are in any immediate danger by being in his custody and the count of kidnapping and neglect should be removed from his record." Tess said firmly.
Daniels sat there for a few moments, processing the information. "His daughter?"
Tess nodded, "He used the term himself. His body language gave no clues of deceit."
"I know nothing about criminals, other than apprehending them, that's what I have you for. If you believe the count is superfluous, then it needs to be removed and you have my approval." Daniels answered.
Tess smiled, "Thank you sir. That being said, I believe he is planning something. Readings from his home show high levels of explosive materials. It's like he's planning an arms race. I have no idea if those girls are protected from the weapons he manufactures. I believe we drop the count of child abuse down to child endangerment. While I believe he will not be the direct cause of harm to them, I do not believe they are truly safe."
"Let it be so. I want you following him like his shadow. Your nephew and his kid are friends, you do the math."
Tess nodded, "Yes sir."
Tess could easily be considered the great sister in the world that day. Using the funds she was given for her investigation of Felonious Gru and approval from Daniels, she sent her brother and his wife on a two week long vacation, leaving for the airport that night, thus leaving Tess as Percy's caretaker and wherever Percy was, more often than not, Edith was. Where Edith was Gru was. She could investigate Gru under the guise of being Percy's caretaker. The funds for the investigation would otherwise have just sat there, as a complicated case as it was, it wasn't that complicated.
When she went to pick up Percy from school, Gru was already there with a new crop of destroyed cars in his wake.
Putting on her sunglasses to hide her eyes, she walked up to the tank he called a car. "I feel I must tell you this, while you are still under investigation, I have removed suspicion of child neglect from your file."
For a split second, Gru looked genuinely relieved, but then steeled himself. "Good." He replied evenly.
The bell suddenly rang and kids flooded out. Percy and Edith were together.
"I want to make a rocket! My dad did when he was my age!" Edith exclaimed happily.
"No he didn't. I say we make a working volcano." Percy argued.
Tess could see it took everything Gru had not to correct Percy, that he did build a working rocket at Edith's age. Tess barely believed it herself when she read it in Gru's file.
"What are you two talking about?" Tess asked as Percy walked up to her, carrying a new book.
"We're partners in the science fair." Percy replied. "Our homework is to have an idea for our project and how we'll do it."
"Looks like we're stuck together again," Tess teased Gru. He groaned, slumping against the driver's seat. "Your place or mine?" She asked, smiling sarcastically.
"Yours." He said tersely, as Edith climbed into the tank and he turned the ignition.
Gru followed Tess to her house. It was mid-sized with an extra bedroom that Percy stayed in when he slept over. Tess spent several thousand dollars upgrading the security. It's easy to get paranoid when one has a job like hers.
"You said you wanted to make a volcano, Perce?" Tess asked as they all gathered around the dining room table. Rather than sit like everyone else, Gru remained standing, his arms crossed around the wide expanse of his chest.
"It's over done. There will be dozens of those." Gru said, bored.
"Well how about you enlighten us?" Tess snapped.
Gru turned to Edith who was on her second juice box, "You wanted to make a rocket, Edith?" Gru asked.
"Yeah!" She eagerly exclaimed.
"We're making a rocket." Gru stated, turning back to Tess.
She was silent, trying to puzzle out where she'd actually put the rocket…
"It won't be like the rocket I build when I was your age, Edith, but it will launch and fly." Gru told his daughter.
She visibly saddened learning they wouldn't make a big rocket, but still seemed excited about the project.
"I still don't know how we're going to do this." Tess said.
"It's actually quite simple. The kids could do it with little trouble. With supervision, of course. I have the parts they need. All they need is a cylindrical body, three fins, a nose cone, fuel and a parachute. The fins can be made from balsa wood and the body from a hollowed out wooden dowel rod." Gru explained as Percy and Edith took notes.
Gru's cell phone rang, cutting him off. "Hello, what is it Margo?" He answered.
Tess knew something was up by the expression on Gru's face and the way the girl sounded on the other end. "I'll be right there. I love you, Margo." He said, hanging up.
"We're leaving, Edith." He said.
"What's wrong?" Edith and Tess asked.
Gru was silent, debating on whether to tell Tess. "Agnes' birth mother is on my doorstep. She wants to see her."
"Does she have visitation rights?" Tess asked.
"No." Gru answered.
"She has no right to just show up."
"She wants to take Agnes back." Gru said, angrily, both at the situation and Tess for prying.
"I need to come with you then. It's best that another woman is there."
"Fine. Whatever." Gru waved her off, not wanting to argue.
The entire way there, Tess had trouble keeping up with Gru. He was speeding (faster than usual) and it was obvious he was eager to get home.
When they arrived, Margo, Agnes and her birth mother were standing on the doorstep, with the front door open. Tess could hear the vicious bark of what she thought was a large dog.
"Stay in the car, Perce." She said quickly, following Gru to the front door.
"Go sit with Percy." Both Tess and Gru said in unison to Edith. Thankfully, she obeyed.
Agnes was wrapped around Margo with her face buried in Margo's jacket. Agnes' birth mother was the spitting image of her daughter, with long black hair and brown eyes. She looked heartbroken that her daughter was acting in such a way. Her mother was but a child herself, probably not even out of college. She had a ways to go before she was emotionally and financially ready to care for a child.
"Daddy!" Agnes cried, jumping off of Agnes and to her father. Gru wrapped her in a protective embrace.
"You have no right to be here, child." Gru said darkly, "You gave up your rights to her."
"I know and I was so wrong to do it!" She pleaded. "I just want to have her back." Agnes buried herself deeper into her father's embrace at her birth mother's words.
"That's not happening." Gru replied angrily.
Tess moved to stand in front of the girl, putting her hands on her shoulders. She looked down, sobbing. Tess coaxed her chin up with hand looking into the younger woman's eyes, "What's your name, sweetie?" She asked gently.
"C-Cassie Whitlock."
"Cassie, I know you think you are, but you are not ready to care for a child. This man has given her a great home and he has the resources to care for her that you don't yet have."
Cassie gently shrugged to get Tess' hands off of her. "I can't." She sobbed.
"Can't what?" Tess asked.
"I-I can't," Cassie suddenly began to wheeze, she was so emotional. Gru sighed heavily and rolled his eyes. Tess shot him a nasty look for that.
"Breath Cassie," Tess soothed, rubbing her back.
"I can't let him have her." She said, shaking her head, once she calmed down enough. "I know who he is! He's evil!" Cassie seethed, tears still flowing down her cheeks. "One of my friends was killed by an explosion he started!"
This new information should have bothered Tess, but it didn't. She knew Gru's file backwards and forwards. She started to worry if she had been working with criminals a little too long for that to have no effect on her.
As soon as Agnes heard Cassie's words, she began to wail. "I don't wanna go! Don't make me leave again Daddy!"
"You're not going anywhere, Agnes," Both Tess and Gru said.
"I'm sorry. But I have to have her back." Cassie said, sadly. Taking this as a queue to leave, she turned and left for her car.
"I have some connections we can use, but first, I need to know if these girls are truly safe here, especially since you manufacture your own weapons." Tess said firmly.
"My home was safe before them and now safer with them." Gru replied.
"Then I'll make sure Agnes never leaves."
Author's note: Do not try the rocket building based on my instructions. I did build a rocket that launched and flew in 8th grade but I do not remember how I did it. Please take a moment to review!