I Feel Like A Monster

Chapter 26

Bigby felt his blood boil, when he saw his own son as a wolf. This is pretty much one of the things that he didn't want to happen. To see Shadow in his full wolf form. And now here he was looking at him, Maria and Garry without even recognizing any of them; all he was giving them was a look to kill. He growled at them as he looked at them; eyes filled with hate towards them all while letting out a low growl.

The Crooked Man pet him on the head, and almost immediately he had ceased his growling; He sat down just beside him.

"You've come a long way." Crooked Man had said to Bigby, "You must be tired. And if my envoys are correct, you haven't had a lot of rest recently."

Bigby just continued to glare at him, while Maria and Garry both stood there in shock, still not believe that Shadow was wolf right in front, sitting next to their worst enemy of Fabletown, and also at the fact the teenage girl from the Pudding Pie, named Chris, sitting beside the owner himself Georgie Porgie.

"Please all of you." Crooked Man had said, "Relax for a moment will you? Would any of you like anything to drink? Something to eat? Vivian makes a very nice... It's elegant, really, her carpaccio. It's lobster, sirloin."

The two young teens turned to Bigby, wondering what he would say exactly. Bigby taking a exhaling a puff of smoke asked, "Got a scotch?"

"Only Tennessee Whiskey, unfortunately." The Crooked Man replied.

Finished with the cigarette in his hand, he dropped it to the floor to crush. Jersey drew his gun arming it, taken Maria, Garry, even Chris by surprise. "What do you think you're doing?" Crooked Man asked him.

"He's gonna--" Jersey tried to explain before the Crooked Man said, "Mr. Wolf and his assistants are our guests. And I have every intent of cooperating. So don't waste the silver. Sit down Jersey."

Jersey put the gun away and sat back down.

"Well Sheriff." Crooked Man said, "For the sake of transparency, why don't you tell us why you and your assistants are. It would settle everyone's nerves I think."

"You know why we're here." Bigby said, "You killed those women."

"And you kidnapped our friend!" Maria added.

"Women? And your friend?" Crooked Man said, "Whatever are you talking about?"

"Faith, Lily!" Bigby clarified for him, "The girls who worked at the Pudding 'N' Pie, and my son Shadow! The wolf you have right beside you!"

"I won't deny the fact that I took your son from you, but did I really kill those women now?" Crooked Man said, "I'm assuming by your confidence in accusing me that you must have some proof yes? Some allotment of evidence? A witness perhaps?"

"Of course we do!" Garry said before pointing over to Jersey, "Your so called servant over there told us himself that you did it!"

"That's a fucking lie!" Jersey immediately denied, "I didn't say anything like that!"

"It's fine." Crooked Man said.

"All I said that this was your town and nothing would happen without your approval! Alright? That's it!"

"If only that were true."

Crooked Man turned back to three of them. "Those women, I don't relish telling you that the killings were perpetrated by an employee of mine."

"An employee of yours?" Maria said questioningly.

"Yes." Crooked Man said to her, "It's a very unfortunate bit of business, but I promise you that the matter will be dealt with. Internally."