An Unnatural Alliance
Part II
Several days later, Reno sat at his computer scrolling through the notes he’d
made on Steven Colburn, trying to hold back the rising frustration he felt. The
damned Colburn cub had seemingly disappeared from the face of the earth. There
was no mention of him in any Lycan records, and on the human front there wasn’t
so much as a whisper beyond his service during the First World War.
No one knew what name he might be living under, what type of occupation he might
have. Hell, they didn’t even have a picture of the man. Reno frowned and
stared unseeingly across his office. What might Colburn look like now? As a
child he’d had a strong resemblance to his father... Hmm. An idea came to mind
and Reno reached for the phone. A quick call to forensics might just be the
ticket.
Two hours later he sat on the edge of Brandi’s desk grinning.
“So this is Steven Colburn?” His mate eyed the picture before her, a smile
curling the corners of her mouth. “Yum!”
Frowning, Reno snatched back the paper and stood up. “Not exactly. It’s a
computerized mock up; a compilation of Malik and Tam’s features based on the
assumption that he continued to favor his sire in looks.”
Brandi got up and wrapped her arms around his waist from behind. She then
peered over his shoulder to get another look at the image. “Mock up or not,
he’s still very good looking.” She took the sting out of the words by running
her hands over his chest. “But you’re even better in my books.”
He growled in mock ferocity then twisted around to kiss her. “It’s a good thing
you qualified that statement.” After a very satisfying moment, he regretfully
ended their kiss and pulled away to study the image of the were panther again.
“It’s not much, but it’s more than we had before. Tomorrow, I’ll email a copy
of this to our district offices. That way they can keep a look out for the
man.”
“Good idea.” She took a final peek at the page before returning to her desk
gesturing at the pile of papers covering the surface. “I’ll be a while longer.
Do you want to meet at Clancy’s? I feel like having one of their burgers for
supper.”
“Sounds fine to me. I’ve got a few errands to run. I’ll see you there in a
couple of hours.” Reno pressed a quick kiss to the top of her head and went on
his way.
Brandi was late. Reno sat in his usual spot and surveyed the room idly while
sipping a beer. It was too early for anything exciting to be happening. A few
of the regulars had gathered around a table talking. A young couple were
playing pool, laughing and more interested in the each other than the game.
Near the end of the bar a man was chatting with the barmaid.
Reno began to scan the room again and then froze as his brain registered an
important fact. The man at the bar. Damn, it couldn’t be. What were the
chances? Pulling the computerized image of Steven Colburn from his shirt
pocket, Reno glanced from it to the man and then back again. The resemblance
was striking. Mind you, there were probably hundreds of thousands of men in the
world with dark hair and green eyes, however...
He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, sorting through the myriad of scents that
met his nostrils. When he’d entered Clancy’s he hadn’t bothered; the smell of
beer, sweat and fried food had hung heavily in the air just like always, as
comforting and familiar as the scents of his own home, but now... His eyes shot
open and a smile curved the corners of his mouth. Cat. And not a domestic
feline, either.
Studying the man out of the corner of his eye, Reno debated his next move.
Should he approach the man? Leave and contact Malik? He decided against the
latter. While there was no doubt that a were panther was in the room, he might
not be the right one.
He leaned back against the bar and began to eavesdrop in the hope of gaining any
information that might identify the man as his quarry. The barmaid was flirting
shamelessly as she leaned forward, her ample cleavage quivering as she wiped
down the polished surface. Apparently she found the man as appealing as Brandi
had. The memory of his mate ogling the panther’s image had Reno clenching his
fists. Damn it, he really didn’t like cats!
“So, are you in town for long?” The girl wiped the bar repeatedly in front him
and Cole smiled at her efforts. She was a pretty thing with light brown skin
and dark eyes.
“Just passing through. Working my way cross country.”
The girl leaned her elbows on the top of the now spotless bar, the action
pushing her breasts together deepening the valley between them. “What do people
call you?”
Cole eyed her chest appreciatively then examined her face. She was definitely
easy on the eyes, with a friendly smile and dark corkscrew curls framing her
face. A flicker of interest stirred within him. He relaxed in his seat,
prepared to see where the conversation went. “I’m Cole.”
“Cole.” She exhaled his name while sweeping her gaze over him. Her smile
widened. “Well, Cole, my name’s Justine.” She gestured at the empty beer
bottle in front of him. “Can I get you another?”
He nodded and accepted the new drink from her, laying down some cash on the
counter. Cole watched her shapely behind as Justine moved over to the register
with his money. She took a moment to write something on a pad before returning
with his change.
She seemed unwilling to move away from where he sat, and started to wipe the
already clean and dry glasses. “Where you headed?”
“A little town in up-state New York. You’ve probably never heard of it.”
“Oh yeah?” She lowered her lashed and slowly licked her lips. “You might be
surprised at what I know. Why don’t you try me?” Her voice deepened on the
double entendre.
“Farmingdale.” Cole watched as her face dropped. He chuckled to himself at her
reaction to his refusal to take the bait.
She recovered quickly however. “Nope. Never heard of it. What are you going
there for?”
“I’ve bought an old property in the area. Thought I’d settle down, put down
some roots.” He took a swig of his beer.
Justine leaned forward, again making sure Cole got another bird’s eye view of
her breasts. “I may never have heard of Farmingdale, but I know this town
pretty well. Like, I know where a person could be private, where it’s really
dark. Know what I mean?” She scraped her teeth oh so slowly over her lower lip
and then winked.
It might be a good idea, Cole thought. It had been ages since he’d been with
someone. A restless, unsettled feeling seemed to constantly plague him. Maybe
Justine’s companionship would provide some relief. “Yeah, I know what you
mean.” He quirked the corner of his mouth.
Justine’s voice became husky and she placed her hand over his where it rested on
the polished wood surface. “I get off at eleven if you’re looking for something
to do later.”
Cole felt the scrap of paper being pushed into his palm. He hesitated for a
moment before closing his fingers around the paper. Perhaps it was time he
started to live life again. “Eleven. I’ll remember that.”
For a moment their eyes met in a silent communication of what was to come. Cole
noted the scent of arousal coming from her, the way her breathing had increased
in anticipation. His own body stirred and he gave a brief nod.
Justine appeared about to speak but some customers called for her attention and
she went to take their order.
Cole glanced at the paper in his palm, at the numbers which must belong to her
cell phone. Pocketing the note, he turned around to survey the customers in the
bar, pleased with his plans for the evening. Justine should prove more
entertaining than reruns on cable.
Leaning back with his elbows on the edge of the polished surface, he took in the
sights and smells of everyday Americana. After traveling all over Europe and
Asia for a couple of decades, it was good to be home. Well, not quite home.
Tomorrow, he’d start the journey that would take him to Farmingdale, but he was
tired and needed to sleep a full night in a bed, preferably not alone.
He inhaled deeply and held it before letting it out very slowly. Intermingled
with the normal odors of a roadhouse was one that had his body instinctively
stiffening in preparation for a fight. Dog. He mentally spat the word out.
And not an ordinary dog either. There was a wolf in the bar. Cole
surreptitiously sniffed the air again to determine where the scent was coming
from. He turned his head and discovered a man watching him from the other end
of the bar. The fellow lifted his beer in greeting, slid off his bar stool and
began to move towards him.
Cole narrowed his eyes as the Lycan came close enough to speak to him. He’d met
a lot of shifters in his travels, and he didn’t trust a single one. Not since
Michael.
“You’re in wolf territory, kitty-cat.” The man’s eyes were narrowed, a trace of
a challenge lacing his words.
Cole barely suppressed an irritated growl. “I don’t have to ask permission of
your Alpha to travel through your territory. I’m not a dog.”
The man stiffened at his words. “No, you’re not. You lot are nothing but a
bunch of pussies.”
Cole snorted. “I bet I could kick your ass.”
“Perhaps.” The man inclined his head briefly. “I can’t deny facts. When you
shift you’re bigger. But I’ll leave you with enough damage that you’ll remember
me long after the fight.”
They eyed each other for a moment while each took a drink. Cole turned back to
the bar and placed his beer on the wood. “What’s your name?”
“Reno Smith. You?”
“Cole.” He didn’t trust the shifter, and saw no reason to give his full name.
“That’s it? Just the one name? Like Rambo?”
“The rest is none of your business.”
Smith slowly put his bottle on the bar and drew himself up to his full height.
Cole could feel the power rippling off the wolf’s body. The man was definitely
an Alpha. His aura of command was tangible.
“Actually, it is my business. I’m an Enforcer. You know what that is?”
Cole quirked an eyebrow. “I’m guessing some kind of K-9 police force.”
“A K-9 force that can whip your ass if you overstep yourself around here. Where
are you staying?”
“Around.”
“For how long?”
Smith’s questions were making Cole uneasy. The interest in the man’s eyes was
too keen. “I didn’t come in here to be interrogated.” Cole stood up and moved
to leave. Smith grabbed his shoulder and Cole frowned as the man’s fingers bit
into his flesh. The damned dog wasn’t holding anything back. Their eyes locked
and nostrils flared as a silent battle of wills was exchanged before a jingling
at the door announced that someone had entered the establishment.
The sound brought them to their senses. Both men relaxed and stepped back. A
quick glance around revealed that no one was looking their way, everyone’s
attention was drawn to a gorgeous red-head who had just entered. She scanned
the room and then hurried their way. Cole watched as she wrapped her arms
around the Enforcer and kissed him. Instinct told him the man was mated to the
little beauty; a bit of envy stabbed at him before he used Smith’s momentary
distraction to make his escape.
Leaving the building, he quickly walked away from the bar. Behind him, he heard
the door open and sensed the wolf watching him. Cole smirked knowing there was
nothing the Lycan could do with humans milling about. He chuckled to himself
pleased to have bested the dog, even in such a small way.
Reno fumed as the cat turned the corner and disappeared from sight. He held
back a growl of frustration and returned to the bar where he’d left a bewildered
Brandi.
“What was that all about?” She glared at him, obviously not pleased at the way
he’d simple walked away with no explanation.
“That, I think, was Steven Colburn.”
“Really?” Her eyebrows shot upward.
“Yep.” Reno put his hand under her elbow and guided her back out of the bar.
“Why are we leaving? We were going to eat here.” Brandi tried to pull her arm
away from his grip.
“We’ll get take-out.” He stopped by their cars, opened her door and ushered her
inside. “You pick up whatever you want, and we’ll meet at home.” He closed the
door and spoke to her through the window. “Right now, I need to contact our
friendly cat king.”
Cole stood in a side alley watching the wolf drive away. Why was the man so
interested in him? Was he just an overzealous watchdog trying to prove himself?
Probably. His experience with wolves in Europe had shown him that they were
entirely too territorial for his liking. Panthers were roamers, setting up home
wherever and whenever the spirit moved them. Staying in one place too long,
having long term relationships... He snorted; that wasn’t the way of his
people. The fact made him vaguely uncomfortable and he shook his head,
wondering what was wrong with him lately. Nothing seemed...right...anymore.
He began to walk down the street, shoving his hands in his pockets. A piece of
paper crackled against his fingers and he pulled it out. Justine’s phone
number. Hmm... Part of him said he should leave town; that the wolf’s interest
in him spelled trouble. But was he going to let a dog ruin his plans for the
evening?
No.
He had as much right to be here as anyone. Carefully folding the slip of paper,
he placed it back in his pocket and looked around. Maybe he’d catch a movie.
That would fill in a few hours while waiting for Justine to finish her shift.
Reno paced the length of his living room waiting for Malik to answer the phone.
While the panther he’d met in the bar had never claimed to be Steven Colburn,
the man’s reticence had raised his suspicions. Cole. Colburn. The names were
similar. And he’d heard the overgrown cat telling Justine he was headed to
Farmingdale. A quick check had revealed that it was the hometown of Michael
Cooper, the man with whom Colburn had served in France. It was almost too much
of a coincidence to not mean something. He’d report his findings and let Malik
decide.
“Hello?” A woman’s sleepy voice answered, as if the phone had awoken her. Reno
remembered the time difference and swore softly under his breath.
“Umm...Tamara?”
“Yes. Who is this?”
“I’m Reno Smith. I work for Lycan Link as an Enforcer and was assigned to
helping your mate locate your son.”
“Oh yes, of course.” There was a rustling sound as if she were levering herself
up in bed. “I’d like to thank you for agreeing to help us. Do you have news?”
“I may have. Is Malik there?” Reno heard a car draw up outside the house, and
flicked a glance out the window. He smiled as he watched his mate removing bags
of groceries from the back seat; her rear end wiggled enticingly as she
stretched to gather her purchases and his body hardened in response. God, would
he ever get enough of her? His mind began to wander as he contemplated how they
might spend the evening, and only the sound of Malik’s voice drew him back to
the present.
“Smith,” Malik’s greeting was brief. “You’ve found out something.”
Reno watched his mate enter the house and then begin to pull containers of
Chinese food out, placing them on the table. He sniffed appreciatively and
tried to focus on his conversation with the panther monarch. “It’s possible.
Earlier today, I had an idea and asked our IT department to work on it. They
came up with a composite picture of what Steven might look like today, using a
combination of factors.”
“Interesting. Could you email it to me?”
“Sure, I’ll do that this evening. But, by some weird chance, I think I found
him.”
“So quick? It can’t be that easy, surely?”
“I agree it seems unlikely, but Brandi and I were going to eat at a local
hangout this evening. I arrived there early and I swear Steven Colburn was
there chatting up the barmaid.” Brandi came over and placed her hand on his
shoulder, her eyes narrowed as she obviously tried to determine what was going
on. “Malik, he says his name is Cole, and he’s heading for a place called
Farmingdale, in New York.”
“New York?” Excitement laced the man’s voice. “Good work. I’m heading back to
the States. I’ll contact you as soon as I’ve got an E.T.A. Thank you, Smith.
I’m in your debt.”
“Not yet, you’re not. Let’s make sure it’s him before you make your move. Come
here first. I’ll have one of the Lycan Link district offices do some discreet
inquiries, and then we can make our move.” Reno snaked his arm around his
mate’s waist and pulled her tight against his side.
“All right. If I blunder into Steven’s life unannounced it would probably do
more harm than good.”
“That’s what I was thinking. I’ll wait for your call and in the meantime see if
I can find out some more about this town he’s heading for.”
As the call ended, a smile crept over Reno’s face. He pressed a kiss to
Brandi’s lips and then picked her up and spun her around.
“What’s this all about?” She laughed and clutched at his shoulders.
“A celebration. I think the cat case is as good as over and then I can get back
to looking for Damien.” He kissed her again and loosened his hold so that she
slid down the length of his body. His groin was pressed against her soft belly
and he rumbled in pleasure when she wiggled against him and slowly drug her
nails down his back.
“If this is a celebration, I know what we can do.” She nipped at his chin and
took his hand, backing towards the bedroom.
Reno needed no further urging and, with a growl, swept her into his arms and
into the bedroom. The Chinese food, that had seemed so tempting before, was
quickly forgotten.
Cole pressed a kiss to Justine’s forehead and rolled away. She murmured softly
and trailed her fingers over his chest before letting her arm drop to the
mattress. He studied her for a moment. Her eyes were closed and already her
breathing was falling into the deep rhythmic pattern that signaled sleep.
Good.
By morning she’d likely have forgotten any...differences...she’d noticed about
him or put it down to the fogged memories of too much alcohol. After watching
her for a minute longer, he slipped out from under the covers, grabbed his
clothes and padded to the bathroom to dispose of the condom and wash up. She’d
insisted on the protection, and he hadn’t felt like explaining how and why he
knew he was disease free. She wouldn’t have believed him anyway.
Cole pulled on his jeans and reflected on the evening. Justine was a nice girl.
He’d enjoyed her company and their romp had relieved an itch, yet... He ran his
fingers through his hair and sighed. The restless feeling inside him wasn’t
gone. There had been too many anonymous women over the decades; too many bland
rooms, too many assumed identities. When had it lost its thrill? He couldn’t
even recall. All he knew was that he was ready to stay in one place for more
than a year or three, to put down some roots. He had always believed permanence
to be against a were panther’s nature. But lately, he had begun to think that
his nomadic life style was the source of his vague feeling of frustration.
That’s why he was going back to the only real home he’d ever known.
Gentle snoring sounds greeted him from the bed as he came out of the bathroom.
Justine, was sleeping, one arm stretched out over the place where he’d lain.
Quietly he walked over to the edge of the bed and pulled the covers over her.
“Goodbye Justine, and thank you.” He whispered the words and brushed a stray
curl from her cheek before letting himself out of her apartment into the cool,
clean night air.
Looking up at the sky, there were few stars to be seen. The town was small but
the light pollution was still bad enough to obscure the view. Rolling his
shoulders, he decided that after a good meal and decent sex, a long run was next
on the list. He needed to stretch his panther’s muscles.
He began to jog away from the buildings, out into the surrounding countryside.
Softly rolling hills covered in long grasses stretched as far as the eye could
see with only the occasional cluster of trees to interrupt the view. As the
glare of street lights dimmed, the inky blackness of the sky became speckled
with bright pinpricks of light.
Looking around to make sure he was indeed alone, Cole transformed. Shaking his
head, he snuffled the ground before him, before lifting his snout and sniffing
the air. Alone. The only scents were those of some small mammals and rodents.
He twitched his ears as he listened to the sound of them scurrying away from the
intrusion of his unfamiliar and dangerous cat persona.
Taking a giant leap, Cole began to run, feeling his muscles bunch and stretch
with each long stride. This was what he’d been missing. The wide open spaces
in North America. Europe was too crowded, too populated, with barely any place
for a panther to roam. In fact, the only other place he’d found comparable
freedom had been in the wilds of Russia. But this...this was home. As pleasure
surged through him, the urge to express his happiness came over him and he
didn’t try to hold it back. As the sound of a panther’s scream echoed over the
miles, he grinned. Tomorrow, he’d return the rental car and make the series of
jumps needed to reach the only home he’d ever known, and the old farmstead he’d
bought there.
Reno grunted at the incessant sound that buzzed in his ear. Damn it, couldn’t
Lycan Link leave him alone for one evening? He rolled over and reached for the
night table, fumbling to find his pager. With a sigh, he heaved himself up
against the headboard and checked the message. Hell. Several calls had come in
to the police, all claiming that a wild animal was screaming outside of town.
The police had dispatched a squad car, but Lycan Link wanted Reno to check it
out as well since he’d reported a panther shifter was in the area.
A growl erupted from his throat. No doubt Cole was prowling around the town.
Didn’t the shifter know better than to go sounding off so near to a human
settlement?
Throwing back the covers, Reno stormed across the room and began to pull on his
clothes. From the bed, he could hear the sounds of Brandi waking and then
sitting up.
“Reno? What’s going on?” She pushed her hair from her face and blinked at him
sleepily.
The sight of her creamy skin and naked breasts had Reno pausing in the middle of
zipping his pants. Memories of the passion they’d shared just hours ago,
flooded him. He recalled the feel of her hot mouth on him, his body trembling
with the need for release. The taste of her on his tongue. Her fingers
clenching his ass, the sound of her keening as he drove into her relentlessly
and pushed them both over the edge... For a moment, he almost forgot he was on
duty. With a sigh of regret, he continued dressing.
“That panther—Cole—might be causing trouble outside of town.”
“Do you need a DC along?” She moved to get up, but he shook his head.
“I’ll call you if I need you, but until I know what’s going on I don’t want you
around. Panthers are dangerous at the best of times and if this one is a
drifter, or worse yet a rogue, I don’t want you near him.” He shoved his shirt
tail into his waist band and pulled on his boots.
“Be careful. I don’t want you coming home whining and complaining and covered
in scratches.” Brandi’s voice was light but he sensed her concern and paused to
press a kiss to her forehead.
“Don’t worry. He’s just an overgrown house cat.”
As he left the room, he could hear her muttering. “Yeah, a house cat with ten
inch manicured nails.”
Reno parked his car near the edge of town and turned off the motor. As the area
plunged into darkness and the hum of the engine faded, he quietly stepped out
and concentrated on his surroundings. The air was cool and damp, promising rain
before morning. A slight wind ruffled his hair and the chirring of crickets met
his ears. There was nothing suspicious in the vicinity.
Taking a quick look to ensure there were no humans about, he shifted and let his
wolf come to the fore.
Time to go hunting for a kitty-cat, he told the beast.
Cat? The animal’s ears perked and a quiver of excitement passed over its body.
Since mating Brandi, the beast had been more manageable, but it still enjoyed a
chance to run free and hunting was a favorite activity.
Without another word, the wolf set off, nose to the ground searching for a scent
on the gravel strewn road. When one was found, the need to howl was almost
impossible to hold back. Senses on high alert, the beast followed the trail
down the seldom used track until it veered off across the prairie. The panther
was making no effort to hide its presence. A path of broken grass stems gave
clear evidence as to the direction it had taken. Most likely, the cat had given
no thought to the possibility that it would become the quarry.
The trail led for several miles, circling the town and then heading back towards
civilization. Finally, near the far side of town, Reno paused. The panther’s
scent was stronger than ever now. He narrowed his eyes and scanned the area.
There, near an abandoned barn, a large black creature was lounging in the
shadows.
Caught you, he thought to himself. Getting to his feet, he crept closer, his
belly low to the ground. The wind was in his favor, carrying his scent away
from the cat. Still, the creature somehow must have noticed his presence, for
it swiftly got to its feet and looked around with an air of suspicion.
Abandoning any attempt at subterfuge, Reno rose and stalked forward, his head
low, a warning growl rumbling in his chest. The cat curled its lip and showed a
set of impressive fangs.
Mere feet apart, Reno stopped and stared at the creature. Its tail slashed back
and forth showing its temper. He raised his hackles and stood his ground. The
cat was bigger than him, but he’d trained at the Academy and had more than one
trick up his sleeve. Slowly, he began to circle around studying the creature,
looking for any sign of weakness.
The panther was sleek and fit—a creature in its prime—with no sign of roguish
qualities. Clear green eyes studied him, intelligence apparent. Perhaps this
wasn’t a case of a rogue causing trouble; perhaps the man was just a careless
son of a bitch. Reno weighed his options, looked the creature directly in the
eye, and purposefully relaxed his aggressive stance.
After a moment the panther did as well and the tension, that had fairly crackled
in the air, dissipated. Of one accord they both shifted to human form.
“We meet again...’Cole.’” He purposely emphasized the man’s one name moniker.
“Much too soon, don’t you agree, Smith?”
Reno nodded. “What are you doing out here?”
“Taking a run. Is there a law against that?”
“No. Not as long as you’re discreet about it. The local police had some calls
about people hearing wild animal screams.”
Cole frowned. “And you know this because...?”
“As a precautionary measure, Lycan Link monitors all police communications.
When they heard this one, I was sent to investigate since I’d reported your
presence earlier in the day.”
“Such an efficient, little puppy dog you are. Someone should give you a doggie
treat.”
“And such a careless pussy cat you are. Someone should beat your ass for that
stupid stunt. Are you purposely trying to expose the shifter world? Or do you
just not give a rat’s ass what happens to us?”
Cole flicked his eyes away and then shrugged. “Sorry. I was enjoying a good
run and thought I was further from town than I was. I guess I didn’t realize
the sound would travel such a distance. It won’t happen again.”
Reno compressed his lips, and then nodded. “Fair enough. But I’m giving you
warning, you will behave while you’re in my territory or I’ll haul you into—”
Before Reno’s eyes, Cole suddenly dematerialized.
Reno shook his head and curled his hands into fists. “THAT DARN CAT!”
Two days later, Malik once again sat in Captain Fielding’s office, trying to
ignore the uncomfortable chair he was sitting on. Perhaps he should gift the
captain with a new set of chairs; something sleek and comfortable. It could be
a gesture of good will between their species. He studied the captain wondering
how he’d receive such an offering and opened his mouth to inquire when the
office door and Reno Smith entered the room.
Malik eyed the file in his hands, all thoughts of chairs—uncomfortable or
otherwise—fleeing as he anxiously awaited the news Reno was about to deliver.
That the panther—possibly his son—had left the area before his arrival pained
him no end, but at least they had a lead. That was better than they’d had two
weeks ago.
“Reno, you said you had news?” Fielding gestured for the Enforcer to sit and he
did so with less reluctance than the last time they’d met in the same office.
Placing the file on the desk, Reno nodded. “We’ve been checking out
Farmingdale; that’s the town I overheard the cat...er...panther shifter mention
while at Clancy’s. It’s a small town, in up-state New York; even with the
surrounding farms the population is only around twelve hundred. No major
tourist attractions or big business. Just local shops, farms and some
vineyards.”
Malik shook his head thoughtfully. “It doesn’t sound like the type of place a
young man of Cole’s age would be drawn to.”
“No, but it is where his friend, Michael Cooper was from.” Reno leaned forward.
“Brandi’s been speculating that perhaps your son might have returned there after
the First World War. Cooper had a family; perhaps Steven decided to look them
up.”
“But that was years ago. Why return now?” Fielding picked up the file and
scanned the contents.
Reno shrugged. “Nostalgia? Maybe he left some personal effects behind and
wants to check on them? Who knows?”
Malik nodded slowly. “Is there anything else?”
Fielding handed him a piece of paper. “Here’s a copy of a newspaper article
from the Farmingdale Gazette.”
“Attempted robbery at local gas station.” Malik read the title and then looked
at the other two men. “Are you saying my son might have done this?”
“No. Your son might have actually ‘saved the day.’” Reno’s face took on a
slightly disgruntled look as he spoke the words, and Malik wondered why. Had
the two had a disagreement?
“That’s correct.” Fielding pulled out another sheet of paper and handed it
over. “This is a copy of the police report. The perp was a small time thief
and drug addict named Kincaid. It states that Kincaid was high and delusional
at the time, claiming that he was attacked by a large black cat that appeared
out of nowhere.”
“A large black cat you say?” A smile crept across Malik’s face. “Then the
panther you met is most likely in the area and, given the other bits of
information—the similarity between Cole and Colburn, his appearance, his return
to that area—I’d say there’s a good chance you have managed to track down my son
and heir.”
Malik rose to his feet, feelings of relief and hope buoying his spirits. He
couldn’t wait to tell Tam the news. “Gentlemen, thank you for your assistance.
I believe the tables are turned and now I am indebted to you.”
Fielding stood up and extended his hand, inordinately pleased with how the case
had turned out. It had kept Reno busy for several days and, more importantly,
it had proven that panthers and wolves could work together. It was an excellent
precedent, and would look well in his monthly report to the High Council. He
cleared his throat and began the speech he’d had his personal assistant prepare
for him. It sounded pompous, but appropriate for concluding the case. “It was
our pleasure to share our resources and expertise while assisting a fellow
shifter. I hope this incident has laid the groundwork for improved relations
between—” He didn’t have a chance to finish the well-rehearsed spiel. Malik,
monarch of all were panthers, direct descendant of the goddess Bastet, had just
dematerialized from his office, leaving him with his hand extended towards empty
air!
The captain let his arm dropped to his side and looked at Reno. The Enforcer
was trying hard not to laugh but failing miserably.
“Go ahead, sir. Say it.”
Fielding compressed his lips and then shook his head. “THAT ... DARN ... CAT!”
End
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