Werehuman

Legal Complications

The rest of Saturday passed with little to worry about. On Sunday morning, however, the police showed up at our door.

Ralph opened it, but I was curious enough to stay within earshot. Daria and Katie crept downstairs, unsure if the officers were looking for human or animal criminals. They would be surprised to find both.

"Morning," Ralph said with a frown. "What's the trouble?"

"Some campers were killed about fifteen miles from here. It looks like animals but we're flying a medical examiner in from Spokane. Any trouble around here?"

I was glad that we had replaced the back door and the couches had covers on them. Two days ago, our house would have looked like the cabin. Ralph let the deputy in, and Mel offered him some iced water. I wasn't sure what they were going to tell him; it wasn't as if the truth would be acceptable. That would mean we were all to blame.

"Something got into the chicken coops about a week ago," Ralph offered. "And then something got into the stockyard two nights ago. Killed nearly seven cows and didn't eat any. It was pitiful."

All true and could be verified, though perhaps more than I would have shared. This made whatever had killed the campers even more dangerous. I swallowed nervously.

"You see anything?" the deputy asked, taking down some notes.

"No. I wish I'd put up a game camera like I had meant to," Ralph sighed. "Conor says the tracks looked canine, but of course we've walked all over them by now."

He gestured for me to come into the living room. I shook my head, unwilling to get involved. I wasn't good at lying; Ralph knew this.

"Canine? Are you sure?"

The deputy spotted me, and I sheepishly took a step forward.

"I like tracking," I said. "Cats have different prints, no nail marks because they retract. These had nail marks."

He wrote this down and sighed.

"We did find a dead wolf at the scene; you're the first farm to have something for us. Maybe it was wild animals."

"I'd hate to think people and animals could be mistaken for each other," Mel said. "In this instance."

The deputy took a long drink of his water and nodded. "I'd agree, ma'am." He wrote a couple other things down and then set the water glass on the table. "Thank you for your time. I'll leave a card in case anything else comes by. We'll be doing more patrols nearby; we will catch whatever's killing. I'd hate to think this could happened again."

"Hopefully not," Mel gave him a smile as the deputy left, but then moment the door was shut, she let out a groan.

"Those cursed werewolves are dead and torn to pieces and still causing problems," she grumbled. "Damn it. Conor, don't leave our property as a wolf until things calm down."

"We have four days until full moon," I said. "Susie and I will have to leave the property."

"What? Why?" Susie came out of the kitchen with lemonade. I guessed she was going to offer it to the deputy, but since he left, she took a sip.

"Because it'll be your first time and I'm not sure how you'll react towards people," I told her. "Katie will be there, it'll be fine."

"I will be where?" Katie asked, coming up out of the basement.

"With me at full moon?" I said.

Katie laughed. "Absolutely not. I'm going to be as far as I possibly can be from anyone."

"This is no way to handle things," I objected.

"I don't have control at the full moon," she countered. "I don't know anyone who has control at full moon. With the county's finest looking into it; who knows what could happen. We have to split up."

"This is stupid," I complained.

"Conor, we've been over this; you're a freak. You also had to learn to be human after being a wolf, not the other way around."

"And so I can help you," I told her. "I promise. You won't hurt me; I'm faster than you, remember?"

"Katie's right," Daria said. "Take care of Susie Lynn, sure whatever. But we're a whole lot bigger than you and more than a little bloodthirsty during the full moon."

"And if you get shot for going off our property? Then what?" Mel demanded. "There has to be a better way."

"Are we that scary?" Susie Lynn quavered. She reached for her mother who looked to me to comfort the girl.

"No," I said firmly. "We're not. We are not monsters. We are wolves."

"Speak for yourself," Daria grumbled. "Is Keith still coming Monday? We can just head out with him; the pack is safer together."

"Absolutely not," Mel objected. "The county will be looking for a pack. You can't wander the countryside together; they'll kill all of you."

Ralph put his hand up, stopping the argument before it got too heated. Susie was firmly gripping her mother, and Katie and Daria both looked angry.

"Keith says he owns the land you run on?" Ralph asked. "Is it safe?"

"I think so," Daria answered. "But we've never had any trouble like this, not for a long while. And back then, we just moved."

"We'll talk to Keith on Monday," Ralph decided. "He'd know best for you and Katie. I trust Conor with Susie Lynn around the farm, but this isn't enough space for ten werewolves. All right?"

"And if he doesn't come?" Daria questioned.

"I'm going to talk with Casey tonight," I said. "I'll bring it up then."

The room wheeled on me. I realized I hadn't told anyone I would be heading out soon. With everything that had been happening, it had slipped my mind.

"You didn't say anything about that," Mel reproached.

"I didn't want to worry you," I promised. "We're meeting at the creek. She was supposed to give me an update on Keith, and I was going to let her know that Daria was all right. I'll be safe; Keith won't be there and probably won't know."

"That's true," Daria agreed. "Casey runs off all the time. Keith's used it by now."

Mel sighed. "I wish you would have told us, Conor. I'll drive you at least to the other side of the highway; when do you need to leave?"

"I should get there at dusk," I replied. "And I can get home on my own."

Mel frowned like she was going to protest, but didn't say anything. I hoped she wouldn't push the issue; I'd be much safer travelling alone at speed than if someone came with me. And Casey wasn't expecting anyone but me.

"Please take Katie or Daria," Ralph said. "I know you can take care of yourself, but I would feel better knowing someone was coming back with you. Please?"

"I'll be fine," I protested.

"I'll go," Katie offered. "Daria needs to rest from yesterday's shifts and she's still bruised all to hell."

"So are you," I protested.

Katie gave me a surprisingly cold glare. "I'm fine. Ralph doesn't want you alone and that's probably a good idea. I won't bother your tête–à–tête."

"My what?"

Confusion stopped my anger up short. Mel patted my shoulder

"Your meeting with Casey," she explained. "And I too would feel better about Katie going. No more secrets, okay? From any of us. This family can't support anymore."

"I didn't mean to not tell you," I apologized.

Mel wrapped an arm around me and squeezed; apology accepted.

"Can we eat lunch?" Susie Lynn inquired. "I'm hungry."

"You're always hungry," Katie teased.

"I'm a growing wolf," Susie Lynn informed her primly.