Slightly Tempted (Slightly Series, Book Four, Teen Wolf)

chapter nine---PERISHABLE

Stiles, Lydia, I walked into the station and followed Dad into his office.

"It's not just that she could still be alive," Stiles said as he turned to face him.

"It's that she would've had to fake her death," Lydia agreed.

Dad looked at Lydia. "Your grandmother, Lorraine Martin, faked her death?"

"Definitely," I said.

"Maybe," Lydia corrected.

"More than likely, yes," Stiles said.

"Oh, I'm guessing you got a story to back this up?" Dad  asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"She might be helping The Benefactor," Lydia said.

"Or is The Benefactor," I said.

"That sounds like a story worth hearing," Sheriff said, going to shut the door.

 °

We told him everything we could.

Dad opened the office door. "Anybody seen Parrish? Haigh?"

Haigh shrugged. "Haven't seen him."

Dad shut the door, turning back to us.

 °

When we heard fighting and gunshots, Dad opened the door to see a naked and charred and smoked version of Deputy Parrish kneeling over Deputy Haigh, repeatedly punching him. Over and over and over again.

"Hey," Dad said, raising his gun toward them. "Hey!" 

Haigh tried to shoot Parrish but Parrish pushed it away and it ended up shooting Dad in the shoulder instead. 

Lydia screamed.

Parrish punched Haigh repeatedly.

Stiles and I  knelt next to Dad, all of us looking at Parrish and Haigh in confusion.

Finally, Parrish looked up, breathing heavily in rage. 

What the hell happened there? 

 °

Stiles and I were in the hospital with Dad, looking at him and the doctor. Dad was in a hospital robe and in the bed. The doctor was standing next to him. Dad was filling out paper work. 

Dr. Vandenburg looked at Dad. "All right, Mr. Stilinski." 

"Sheriff," Dad corrected..

"Sheriff Stilinski. We have you scheduled for surgery first thing in the morning. Unforunately, it's going to take a little digging to get that slug out of your shoulder." 

"Yeah, it's fine. One more." He pointed at the paper work. "What's this part here? This line? Is it the same when Stacie had to get the bullet out of her stomach?" 

I looked down in guilt.

"Yes," Dr. Vandenburg answered. "Patient Responsiblity. Parts of the procedure and hospital stay not covered by insurance." 

"Are those big parts?" Dad asked. "Expensive parts?" 

"That's between you and your insurance, unfortunately. You should start feeling the morphine in a minute. Try to get some rest, Mr . . . Sheriff." 

He left. 

Stiles and I looked down.

Dad looked at us. "Hey, stop that. I was just curious about the terminology. We're not in any kind of dire straits."