Werewolf Of FeverPeak

Chapter 8 - A Little Favor

Aiden stormed back to his desk, his mind still racing from the frustrating interrogation with Clara Bucker. The harsh overhead lights of the precinct cast a stark glare on his paperwork, emphasizing the chaos of unanswered questions swirling in his mind. Clara's claims about the neighbor, Mr. Jenson, had been vague and unsettling, but something about them nagged at Aiden. He couldn't shake the feeling that the girl was telling the truth, or at least part of it. Summers, his partner, was eager to pin the murders on Clara and close the case, but the mounting tension between them was palpable. Aiden wasn't sure how much longer he could keep her at bay.

He dropped heavily into his chair, the weight of the investigation pressing down on his shoulders. His fist clenched, trembling with frustration, and before he could stop himself, he slammed it down on his desk. The sudden impact reverberated through the room, knocking over his coffee mug, which crashed to the floor, sending a cascade of hot liquid and ceramic shards across the surface. The sound of shattering pottery echoed through the air.

"Dammit," Aiden muttered, rubbing his temples. He was losing his cool, and that wouldn't help anyone. As he crouched down to pick up the broken pieces of the mug, something caught his eye: a small, white card that had been stuck beneath a stack of paperwork. He pulled it free, squinting at the name printed on it: Peter Marsh-File Department. A flicker of hope ignited within him. Pete Marsh was an old contact from the file department. If anyone could dig up dirt on this mysterious Mr. Jenson, it was Pete. And better yet, Pete owed him a favor.

Aiden quickly dialed Pete's number, tapping his foot impatiently as he waited for the man to pick up.

"Yeah?" Pete's voice crackled on the other end of the line.

"Pete, it's Aiden. I need a favor," he said, keeping his voice low, wary of eavesdroppers. There was a pause, and Aiden could almost hear Pete sigh from the other end.

"Aiden, man, it's been a while. What kind of favor are we talking about here?"

"I need information on a guy named Lonny Jenson," Aiden said, glancing around to make sure Summers wasn't within earshot. "Clara Bucker mentioned him in connection to the case we're working on, but something about him feels off. He lives a couple of houses down from the Bucker family. I need to know everything you can dig up on him."

"Alright," Pete replied, his tone shifting into something more serious. "Give me a few minutes. I'll see what I can find." Aiden waited, his fingers drumming against the desk, and glanced anxiously at the door. He could almost feel Summers' presence lurking nearby. She had her own agenda with this case, and if she knew Aiden was poking around behind her back, there would be hell to pay.

After what felt like an eternity, Pete's voice crackled back to life on the other end. "Okay, I got something. Lonny Jenson-not just some random guy. He was a soldier, part of a special unit under the Ozark Government. And here's the kicker: he served in Afghanistan with Commissioner Richie."

Aiden's pulse quickened. "Richie?"

"Yeah," Pete confirmed. "There's not a lot of info on their operations; it's mostly classified. But from what I can see, Jenson and Richie were tight. They even helped each other out with some housing stuff in Fever Peak. They went through some serious stuff over there-black ops, covert missions, the kind of thing that doesn't make it onto official records."

Aiden's mind raced. Richie and Jenson, bound together by a military past, deployed in Afghanistan under circumstances shrouded in secrecy. If Richie was involved, that could explain why things were getting covered up so quickly-why there was so much pressure to close the Bucker case without digging too deep.

"Thanks, Pete," Aiden said, his voice tight with resolve. "You've been a big help. And listen-this stays between us, okay?"

"Yeah, sure thing," Pete replied, clearly sensing the gravity of the situation. But before Aiden could hang up, Pete continued, "Wait... That's strange. Around the same date that Jenson first reported in, there were reports of missing pets and even some homeless people turning up dead. You think it has anything to do with Lonny?"

Aiden didn't respond, his mind racing with implications. "But Aiden, be careful. If Richie's involved in something shady, poking around could get you into trouble," Pete added, his voice laced with concern.

Aiden hung up, his thoughts swirling in a storm of fear and determination. This new information shifted everything into a different light. There was no way Summers could know about this-not yet. She was too eager to close the case, too ready to jump to conclusions. If she found out about Jenson's connection to Richie, she might ignore it or, worse, tip Richie off herself. Without saying a word to Summers, Aiden grabbed his jacket and slipped out of the precinct. The evening air was cool against his skin as he headed for Jenson's house.