Bride of the Wolf

Chapter VII: CSI Romania

Chapter VII: CSI Romania

Gwen helped Larry as he entered the Golden Crown Inn and Tavern, where he and Steve were staying. He didn't really need the assistance, but he was just a little shaky after his long night, and Gwen insisted. The front room was empty except for Maria, the older German woman who ran the Inn. Larry tried to get up the stairs without being noticed, but Maria was too fast for him.

"Mr. Talbot, I'm so glad you've returned! I was quite worried..." said Maria, but she stopped as she looked up and saw Larry's state. Dirty, only half dressed, and needing assistance to get up the stairs, Larry was not at his best.

"Mr. Talbot, what has happened?" Maria started over as she crossed the room to offer her assistance.

Larry stood and motioned the two women away. "I'm fine, really. I don't need any help."

"He was attacked!" Gwen told Maria.

"Attacked?" replied Maria aghast.

"By a wolf!" Gwen elaborated.

"A wolf?" questioned Maria. "And the wolf took his pants?"

"Look," said Larry, seeing where this conversation was going. "I just explained this all to the police, and they didn't believe any of it. I'd rather not go through it all again. I was attacked by a wolf, then I really don't know what happened and I woke up in jail."

Maria looked to Gwen for confirmation.

"It's true," Gwen told her. "I was there. It was a wolf."

Maria looked sympathetically at her hotel guest. "Well, you've certainly had a terrible experience," she acknowledged. "You should get to your room, then have a warm shower and get some rest. Did you get any sleep last night?"

"I don't know," Larry responded. "Does getting knocked unconscious with a rock count?"

Maria looked on as Larry proceeded up the stairs to his room, with Gwen close behind him. Larry climbed as he said to the two women, "A shower sounds good. But first I think I'll kill Steve for sleeping in while I was being attacked, beaten and arrested."

"Oh, your friend is not upstairs," Maria said.

Larry stopped and looked down at Maria. "No? Did he go somewhere?"

"He never returned last night," Maria informed him. "I assumed he was with you?"

Larry turned as Maria was speaking, and sprinted to his room with Gwen close behind. Unlocking and throwing open the door, he entered the room. Both beds were unslept in; the room looked exactly as they had left it the night before.

"Didn't you see Steve last night, at the car?" asked Larry.

"No," said Gwen, looking as if she might be ill. "After I ran, I stopped the first person I saw and we went to find a phone, to call for help! I... I'm sorry, I forgot all about him! Steve was afraid of the woods. He didn't want to go there alone!"

"How could you forget about Steve?" Larry said in anger. Then he corrected himself, "How could we both forget about Steve?"

Larry thought for a moment, but then picked up the phone.

"Hello, Bistritz Police? I need to report a missing person."

Gwen sat quietly on the bed, listening to Larry having the same conversation she had the previous evening.

"American."

"Five foot nine, brown hair."

"The woods, by the gypsy carnival. Around nine last night."