by Geonn Cannon
Gwen looked toward the couch. Dale was already lying down, curled up with her back to the room. Gwen’s expression was proud, but guarded.
“What is it?” Milo asked.
“I’m impressed as hell with her, obviously. But I’m also worried. Cecily has just proven how far she’s willing to go. I’m worried that Dale gained an inch but it’s going to cost her a yard.”
Milo nodded but couldn’t help smiling. “You just, ah, mixed up your distances there.”
Gwen’s expression softened. “I can’t help it if you’re corrupting me.”
Milo put her hand on top of Gwen’s. She traced the length of Gwen’s middle finger. She lowered her voice even further. “You, ah, wanna go upstairs an’ see what they’re getting up to?”
“Tempting. But I’m not a member of your pack.”
“I get a plus-one to stuff like this.”
Gwen kissed the corner of Milo’s mouth. “Be that as it may, I’ll pass. You can go up if you want. I won’t be offended.”
“Nah, I’ll wait until you’re in the mood. You’re worth all of them combined.” She looked around as if just noticing they were alone in the kitchen. “Speaking of which, where’s everyone else?”
“Mia thought you might need some backup, so she and Hannah headed downtown. When you sent the all-clear, she said they were taking the opportunity to grab some lunch. And Tarun is scouting for places you all can go for a run without getting spotted or captured. I gave him some leads, but I’m not hopeful. Six of you all running around at once is bound to garner some attention.”
“We manage to make it work in London and its suburbs,” Milo said. “But we can take turns if need be.”
“I also called the prison to ensure we can visit Ariadne on Monday.” She was looking at her hands, watching her thumbs move across the granite of the countertop.
Milo tensed. “Uh-oh. That’s not a good look. What’s wrong?”
“They...” She looked into the living room. Dale hadn’t moved and her shoulders rose and fell with the slow rhythm of sleep. “They said that, ah, normally it wouldn’t be a problem to arrange a visit so we could discuss her legal strategy. But there are mitigating circumstances if the inmate has a strike against her. Ari apparently got a strike today.”
“Ah, shit. She went through with Dale’s plan already?”
“Apparently. We can still visit her since it’s unclear whether the fight was her fault. Apparently the woman she fought with has a few strikes on her record already, so people think she might have started it. So at least there’s that.” Gwen’s voice was so low now that Milo had to lean in to hear it. “They said she was in the infirmary when I called. I was upstairs trying to compose myself before you girls got home. Did I look like I’d been crying?”
“No. You look beautiful, babe.” Milo wrapped an arm around Gwen and pulled her close. “I’m sorry. Are you okay?”
“I will be,” Gwen said, nuzzling Milo’s neck and taking comfort in her familiar scent. “I wanted to tell Dale immediately but I just couldn’t bear to see her face when she found out.”
“I’ll tell her,” Milo promised.
“Thank you,” Gwen said.
“You’re welcome.” Milo let it hang for a moment and then, holding Gwen tightly, whispered, “I love you, Gwen.”
Gwen moved a hand to the back of Milo’s head. “I love you, too.”
They held each other silently for a long while, letting the words linger in the air around them.
Chapter Sixteen
Segura didn’t even look up from her book when Ari limped into the cell. Ari grunted when she sat down, and Segura casually licked her thumb to turn the page.
“It’s not--”
“Don’t care,” Segura snapped. “Changed my mind, Willow. I don’t need a friend in that bed. Your shit and my shit ain’t going to get mingled together. So as far as I’m concerned, this cell is fucking haunted.”
“I’m a werewolf.”
Whatever retort Segura had planned died on her lips. She finally looked up, curiosity slipping past her anger.
“Say again?”
Ari looked toward the door to be sure no one was hanging out within earshot. “I’m a werewolf. Technically the term is canidae. I can control my transformations but, if I don’t let the wolf out every four weeks or so it starts to get a little insistent. If that happened, I might have changed in the middle of the night while I was asleep. You and Vogel got a little preview of something that could have been infinitely worse for all of us.”
Segura was sitting up now, feet on the floor. “Are you insane?”
“I swear this is the truth. My girlfriend realized that canidae can stop the transformations by breaking a bone. The wolf would hold back until it healed. That’s all I was trying to do with Kunz. Turns out it wasn’t necessary, because Dr. Byrne knows all about us and has a drug that can put the wolf to sleep for six months. I’m not a junkie, I’m not insane, and I’m not suicidal. I just had a problem I couldn’t quite explain to you because... well, because you’d look at me the way you’re looking at me right now.”
“No, I know. I believe you. I’m a Chupacabra.”
Ari rolled her eyes. “There’s no way I can make you believe me. So I’ll settle for saying I’m sorry for everything and assuring you that it won’t happen again. I won’t put you or Vogel in that kind of situation ever again. The wolf is under control and I’m... I’m just... I’m human.” She blinked back tears. “If you want to believe the cell is haunted, I’ll accept that. I just wanted to tell you the truth and apologize. I’ll apologize to Vogel, too, the next time I see her.”
Segura stared hard at her. She pushed out her jaw and narrowed her eyes. “You believe it.”
“What?”
“This nonsense you’re telling me. That you’re a werewolf and the doc gave you a shot to make the wolf go away for a while. I think it’s a lot more believable that you’re delusional and she told you a pretty lie about what was in the needle she put in your arm. But regardless of which thing is true, I can tell that you believe the wolf story. That’s good enough for me.”
Ari said, “Really?”
“We all have to tell ourselves lies to get through the day. Yours is a little weirder than some, but there’s nothing wrong with some variety.” She got off the bed and moved to stand in front of Ari. “No more fits in the middle of the night, and no more suicidal attacks on Kunz?”
“I promise.”
Segura stuck out her hand. “Apology accepted, Willow.”
Ari gripped the hand tightly and pumped it once. “Thank you.”
“So wolves, huh?” Segura said as she walked back to her bed. “Is that where you got the boulder-sized ovaries to piss off Kunz?”
“That was more desperation than anything else,” Ari said.
“She and her pals won’t be so willing to forgive and forget. She’s in solitary for the next three days since she, you know, stomped your head. But she’ll get out eventually.”
Ari carefully stretched out on her bed, aware of all her various bruises. “I think I have a way to defuse that before anything happens,” Ari said.
“You sure?”
“Oh, yeah. I’ve dealt with bitches worse than her in my life.”
Segura shook her head and went back to reading. Ari closed her eyes and tried to find a position that didn’t put her weight on something that hurt.
#
When Dale woke up, she returned a call from Diana and learned that the security camera from the park had been retrieved and examined. She made the call from Gwen’s dinner table, crossing the fingers of both hands and holding her breath.
“It’s good news and bad news,” Diana said. “Good news is that there was definitely a car parked there after hours, and someone definitely comes up to it on foot. The person gets in and the car drives away. The bad news is that the video quality is total shit. We can’t identify the person - we can’t even really tell if it’s a man or a
woman - and the only time the license plate is facing the camera, there’s glare from a security light.”
“Damn it,” Dale said.
“It’s not as bad as it could have been. At the very least, it establishes something was going on in the park that night. It’s not enough to open an official investigation...”
“I know. But it’s still something. Thank you, Diana.”
Diana said, “I talked to Lucy last night. She knows a lawyer who occasionally does pro bono work. She thinks he’ll be willing to take Ari’s case for free due to the fact she was wrongly accused. He’s taking our word for that, but he trusts us enough that he’s not worried.”
“I appreciate that, but apparently there isn’t a lawyer in Seattle willing to go up against Cecily Parrish in this case. Apparently the evidence is strong enough that no one wants to risk their career or reputation by fighting.”
“This guy will. He doesn’t get scared off. Hell, he might take it just to tell people he went up against that harpy. I’ll let you know when I’ve spoken to him.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
“My pleasure. Are you holding up well? You sound blasted.”
Dale smiled. “I had a big morning. Plus the whole underlying fear for Ariadne’s safety. But I have a really good support system here. Ari’s mom has been amazing.”
“Have you been able to talk to your father at all?”
“Ugh.” She pressed her fingers to her temple. “No. He still doesn’t really like the idea that I’m with a woman, or that I have such a dangerous job. I don’t want him to know Ari’s in prison. He’ll probably book me a ticket home before he even hangs up the phone.”
Diana said, “Ouch. That’s never fun.”
Mia had come in while Dale was on the phone and silently took a seat next to her at the table. Dale smiled at her, looking past her at Gwen and Milo in the living room. “It’s hard, yeah. But we all get a family that’s forced on us, and a family we get to choose. If one of those sucks, it makes it more important that the second one is awesome.”
She reached out and put her hand on top of Mia’s.
“Well said, Dale. And please remember, anything you need, don’t hesitate.”
“I won’t.” They said their goodbyes and Dale hung up. She smiled at Mia. “And thank you for watching my back this morning. Gwen told me you were ready just in case I needed backup.”
Mia shrugged. “You dived into the lion’s den with both feet. I respect that.” She took out her phone and placed it on the table, turning it around before sliding it to Dale. “But I wasn’t just sitting on my butt waiting for things to go sideways. I found a lead for you.”
Dale leaned down to look at the phone, which displayed a Facebook profile. “Jennifer Libbey? Who is that?”
“Shannon Hardy’s best friend. They went to college together.” She reached out and scrolled the page down. “She posted about Shannon’s murder.”
Dale picked up the phone to read what it said. “RIP Shan. They’ll get the bitch who did this to you, I know. You won’t be forgotten.” She grimaced and then tilted her head to the side. “Wait. They caught Ari fleeing the crime scene. Any news report announcing Shannon’s death would also say there was a suspect in custody.”
“Exactly,” Mia said. “Why would she make the killer’s capture hypothetical unless she thought the wrong person had been arrested. She knows something.”
Dale was already standing up. “If I get my laptop, I can probably find out where Jennifer Libbey lives or works...”
“Already done,” Mia said. “I may not be from here, but I am a cop. Some skills work in both countries. I found her home and work address. I would offer to drive you there, but I have no idea where anything is in this city.”
“I can drive,” Dale said. “But if you’re willing to play backup for a second time today...”
Mia stood. “I’m here for you, babe.”
Gwen had overheard the end of the conversation and held up her hand. “Good luck, Dale. Let us know if you need us.”
Dale stopped by the back door. “Everyone keeps saying that to me. Of course I need you. I need all of you. And I know you’re here for me. But it really means a lot to hear it out loud.”
“Just say the word,” Milo said. “Your pack is here and ready.”
Dale blew her a kiss, then led Mia out of the house.
Jennifer Libbey’s work address seemed like the best bet on a Friday afternoon. It was in Capitol Hill, not far from the Bitches office. Mia watched out the window, occasionally twisting to examine one of the regal brick buildings or a tall hedge towering over the sidewalk. Eventually she asked Dale what the neighborhood was called and Dale told her.
“Something about it reminds me of home.”
“It does feel a little English,” Dale said. “Just a bit more hilly. This is the city’s gayborhood. It’s where coffee and grunge got its start in the city, and now it’s one of the most LGBT-friendly areas of the city. If we have time later, I’ll show you the rainbow crosswalks.”
Mia smiled. “Gayborhood. I like that a lot.”
The address was a one-story brick building set back from the street. The signage was mostly concealed by the trees lining the sidewalk but Dale managed to spot it before she overshot by too much. She parked against the curb and walked back with Mia. The business was a restaurant called WoodInn Fine Cuisine. The front windows were large enough that the dining room was bathed with natural light, making the wall sconces unnecessary. A man was standing at a pony wall between the cash register and the kitchen. He was examining a binder when they walked in.
“Sorry, ladies, we’re closed. Come back at five.”
“We’re actually not here to eat. We were wondering if we could speak with Jennifer Libbey.”
He looked up, glanced over his shoulder, and stood up straighter. “Look, uh, Jen is kind of having a rough couple of days. Maybe this could wait.”
“I’m sorry,” Dale said. “We need to talk to her.”
He seemed ready to argue, but gave up before he started. “Just go easy on her if you can, okay?” He twisted at the waist and called into the kitchen. “Jen! Couple’a ladies here want to talk with you.” He gestured to a table next to a window. “You can have a seat there.”
They had just sat down as a blonde woman appeared from the kitchen. She spotted Dale and Mia, hesitating before she started over. Dale assumed her caution was due to Mia, who carried herself like a cop even out of uniform. She was sitting up perfectly straight with her shoulders squared, her short brown hair slicked back into a ponytail. She had her hands folded together in front of her on the table. She had the same lean, athletic build that Dale had come to associate with canidae. The overall impression was intimidating.
“Relax a little,” Dale said quietly.
“Hm?”
“You look like a cop.”
“I am a cop.”
“Not here, you aren’t.”
Mia relaxed as Jennifer neared the table. She looked like she had been crying. “I’m Jen Libbey. Can I help you?”
Dale smiled. “My name is Dale Frye. I’m... a private investigator. I was wondering if we could talk about Shannon Hardy.”
Jennifer’s eyes welled up again. “I don’t think, uh... I’m... I came to work so I wouldn’t have to think about that.”
“I understand. I’m sorry. It’s just that we saw your post online, and it implied you think the person who was arrested might be innocent. We think there’s a lot more to the story, too. We want to make sure justice is served. If Shannon’s killer is still out there, we want them to be caught. Please. Anything you can tell us would be enormously helpful.”
Jennifer looked back at the man. He was pretending to focus on his binder, but it was clear he was eavesdropping just enough to leap into action if necessary. Finally, Jennifer took a seat across from them.
“Mostly what I know is from the news,” Jennifer admitted. “They claimed Shannon was killed by some wo
man she was having an affair with. Shannon wasn’t gay.”
Dale said, “You’re sure about that?”
“Uh, yeah. As sure as I can be. I had a crush on her when we met. She didn’t just tell me she was straight, let me down easy. She actually tried. She said there was a chance she was bisexual. So we made out a few times. I was the one who stopped it. What’s the point of kissing someone who isn’t into it? I ended up letting her down easy. We stayed friends, and she never mentioned experimenting or a new interest in women. I’m not saying she would have jumped at the chance to be with me, but she would have at least said something.”
“Do you know anything about her work with GG&M?” Dale asked.
“The law firm?” Jennifer twisted her lips and looked out the window. The sun was filtering in through the trees, creating a constantly-shifting chessboard on the sidewalk. “She was strange about that job. She always said she couldn’t talk about it, but I could tell there was something going on. She was always going to these parties at her boss’ house, and she would come home... like she’d been drugged. I thought she was being... I mean, I thought...”
“Rape,” Mia said.
Jennifer blinked at her as if she’d been unaware Mia could speak. “Yeah. I finally asked her about it and she swore she never did anything she didn’t want to do. But I don’t know. I threw a little party to celebrate when she finally got fired.”
“Did she ever talk about her boss? Cecily Parrish?”
“Not much, if she could avoid it. She was kind of in awe of her, but also intimidated.” She scooted forward, leaning across the table and lowering her voice. “I heard Cecily was the one prosecuting the lady they arrested. I don’t know, maybe I watch too many crime TV shows, but it immediately looked sketchy to me. Did she have something to do with it?”
Dale said, “That’s what we’re hoping to find out.”
Jennifer took out her phone and put it down on the table. She swiped the screen, opened an app, and presented it to Dale.