Kennel Club

by Geonn Cannon

  “I played that for a detective. Rojas? He thought it just confirmed their theory. But...”

  Dale leaned in close to hear. Shannon’s voice was strong but quiet.

  “Hey, hon. I guess you’re still at work. Give me a call when you get off. Or, um, maybe I’ll come in for dinner. I just really want to bounce something off of you. I think I’m going to let myself get talked into something stupid and I need you to talk some sense into me. So hopefully I’ll see you tonight. Love you, lady. Bye.”

  Jennifer pulled the phone back, cheeks wet from tears that had finally fallen. “That was the night she died. I called her back, but she was already...”

  Dale said, “What do you think she was being talked into?”

  “I don’t know. Rojas thought it had to do with that ridiculous affair. Like maybe Shannon wanted to call it off, but the other woman was pushing to stay together. And then...” She waved her hand. “I know Shannon wasn’t perfect. I would never have judged her. I don’t think she would have lied to me if she was having an affair. I just wanted her to be happy. She knew that.”

  Dale said, “Did she give you any reason to believe she was frightened of Cecily Parrish?”

  Jennifer smiled and raised an eyebrow. “She never said it. She never had to. I could see it in how she lived. When she was working for GG&M, she closed herself off. She was withdrawn, she wasn’t eating right or taking care of herself. She would get dressed up for work and everything, but on the weekends when she was home, she just hid in her apartment. She started getting better when she was fired. She was herself again.”

  She pressed her hands together and looked out the window again. Dale and Mia both gave her a moment to collect herself. Finally she looked at them again.

  “I don’t know if she would have admitted it, Miss Frye, but I think Cecily Parrish scared the shit out of Shannon. And I think no matter who actually committed the murder, the blood is going to be on Cecily’s hands.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Ari spent the majority of her weekend in bed. She was granted permission to skip her duty in the library until Monday, when hopefully most of her aches and pains would have abated. The only time she left was when she limped to the cafeteria - Segura or Vogel offering her a shoulder - and when she shuffled by herself to the infirmary to get painkillers from Dr. Val. She put off the pills for as long as she could, waiting until the very end of the dosage window before she even got off the bed. She wanted to wean herself off as quickly as possible.

  Most of her time was spent on self-examination. The last time she existed without the wolf as a constant companion had been when she was a child, pre-puberty. Her body felt the same but somehow different. She would close her eyes and squeeze her hands into fists, feeling the nails dig into her palms, and she knew that there was no way they could became paws. She knew that no matter how hard she tried, she was stuck in this form until it was safe to stop taking the drug.

  And when would that be? Six months seemed like an eternity but, if the case wasn’t finished by then, she would have to take a second dose. It might be a year before she transformed. Just thinking that made her panic. She had to focus her breathing in order to stop a full-out attack. Segura was at work and she was alone in the cell, but she didn’t want anyone overhearing and calling a guard.

  The first night, she was shaken from sleep with a scream caught in her throat. Fortunately she calmed down before she woke Segura. The dream had been a confusing jumble of shapes and colors, creating a claustrophobic kaleidoscope which created a sensation of drowning. She didn’t want to risk slipping back into it so she stayed awake and stared at the ceiling. The prison was never completely dark or totally silent. Some of the guards lowered their voices after lights-out, but most didn’t bother. Ari heard Sessions’ laugh echo down at least three hallways. Other prisoners cried. Some had sex and didn’t bother keeping quiet.

  Ari just thought about her new condition. She was human. There was a bright side to that, of course. Dale could finally have a normal girlfriend. No late-night runs, no waking up at four in the morning to come get her. It might be nice. When she thought of it that way, she hoped the drug was still in her system whenever she did go home. She could call it a vacation for Dale, a chance to see the life she’d given up when she chose to be with a canidae.

  In the morning, while waiting for the count, Segura looked Ari up and down. “So what kind of werewolf are you? Standing on your hind legs, big claws...”

  “No, I just look like a regular wolf. A little bit bigger than average, but for the most part, normal.”

  “You ever, ah...” She moved her first forward and raised her eyebrow. “You know. As the wolf.”

  Ari rolled her eyes. But then she smiled and said, “Yeah.”

  Segura laughed. “That’s nasty.”

  “It’s different. I’m still me even when I look like a wolf, so it’s not like bestiality. I’m still sentient. Everyone is consenting. It just looks strange from the outside. And what sex doesn’t look a little awful from the outside?”

  “That’s true.”

  A guard Ari didn’t recognize did their count. Segura explained that Vogel had Sundays off as she helped Ari to the cafeteria again. The pain was noticeably less today, and Ari managed with just resting a steadying hand on Segura’s shoulder.

  “So there’s one day a week when you can’t see each other? That seems weird.”

  “It’s a little vacation from each other. It’s good. Every relationship ought to do it. I hang out here, she goes to church and sees her friends, gets drunk, goes to the movies. Is it a little lopsided? Sure. But every relationship has its give and take.”

  They arrived in the cafeteria and Segura stopped dead in her tracks. “Oh, shit. We might want to go back...”

  Ari didn’t have to ask why. Miriam Kunz was big and obvious enough that she drew the eye. Especially when she was rising from her seat and glaring directly at Ari.

  “Segura, go.”

  “I’m not abandoning you again.”

  Ari said, “I’m not going to let you be collateral damage. Just go.”

  Segura hesitated, but self-preservation won out. Her shoulder dropped out from under Ari’s hand. She moved closer to the wall and shuffled away as Kunz closed in.

  “I’m going to make you hurt for every hour I spent in solitary,” she growled.

  “Miriam, the last time we saw each other, I didn’t fight back. I still don’t want to hurt you.”

  Kunz grinned, she was closing in fast, both fists ready. “That’s okay. I think my knuckles can handle a little bruising.”

  She took a swing. Ari easily sidestepped it, bending her knee and throwing her weight forward to get in close. Kunz tried to correct her position and ended up bringing her feet together. She tumbled and swayed, but Ari threw a hand against her throat. It kept her from falling over at the cost of a bruised windpipe. Kunz coughed violently, her spittle landing warmly on Ari’s exposed neck. She shuddered but didn’t waste the time to wipe it away.

  “I had my reasons for saying those things to you,” Ari said. “I want you to know I sincerely apologize for--”

  “Fuck your apology!” She shoved Ari against the wall and crowded her.

  Ari let her get in close, then threw an elbow against Kunz’s ear. Kunz recoiled and, before she could get away, Ari threw her elbow again and cracked it off her cheekbone. Kunz howled. Ari straightened up, put an arm around Kunz’s neck for a headlock, and leaned in close.

  “Wolf,” she hissed.

  Kunz tensed. Her hands stopped reaching for Ari’s face. “What did you say?”

  “Canidae,” Ari whispered. “I was desperate. It was howling at the doors and I needed a solution fast. I’m sorry for the things I said to you, but I thought I needed to be hurt. I thought you were my best chance to stopping it from getting free, so I had to be cruel.”

  Kunz wrestled free from the grip and backed up a few steps. She stared at Ari, eyes narrowed. Ari brac
ed herself for a sneak attack, but she could see the rage vanishing from Kunz’s posture the longer they stared at each other.

  A guard, Jaekel, ran up and stood between the two of them. She had one hand on her taser. “How’s everything going, ladies?”

  “Everything’s fine,” Ari said, eyes locked on Kunz. “No problems.”

  Silence hung in the room. Finally, Kunz dipped her chin and waved Jaekel away. “Yeah. No problems. Bitch learned her lesson. Right?”

  Ari held her hands up in surrender. “Lesson totally learned.”

  It wasn’t important if Jaekel believed it; she just wanted to get out of wasting a morning on a couple of inmates batting each other around. She took the accord at face value and left them alone. Kunz returned to her table, casting a few measuring glances back at Ari before she reclaimed her seat. Ari spotted Segura waiting for her and went to join her. Segura was shaking her head and chuckling quietly.

  “You lied to me, Willow.”

  “About what?” Ari leaned against the wall, grunting as her bruises protested the gymnastics she’d just put it through.

  “You told me you’re a wolf. But unless wolves get nine lives, I think you’re a damn cat.”

  Ari laughed.

  #

  The wolves spent Saturday night patrolling Gwen’s house. Paige and Tarun had the last shift, so they were both already awake when Dale came downstairs even though the sun was just barely beginning to light up the windows. They were sitting on the couch with laptops open. Dale tried to ignore the fact that Paige was only wearing a baggy tank top and Tarun was in boxers. Living with a houseful of wolves was teaching her to ignore casual nudity. She said good morning to them as she went into the kitchen.

  “I couldn’t sleep, so I thought I would steal Tarun’s job and make everyone breakfast. Any requests?”

  “Meat,” both of the wolves said in stereo.

  Dale checked the fridge. Gwen had plenty of sausage, bacon, and ham. “I can provide meat,” she assured them. “I guess Cecily Parrish didn’t send any of her minions to get payback on me?”

  “All’s clear,” Tarun said. “Paige just got updates from the others before you came downstairs. No sign of anything suspicious.”

  Owen had been sent to stand watch at Ari and Dale’s house, mainly to protect Neka. Benji had been sent to stake out the Bitches office.

  Paige said, “Well, nothing external.” She looked up at Dale, eyebrows twisted with worry. “Your landlady, Neka? Is she, um, single?”

  “I think so, at the moment. Why?”

  “No, if she’s single, then yeah, it’s totally fine.” She focused on her laptop.

  Tarun shook his head, smirking. “Never should have sent Owen to keep an eye on her.”

  Dale said, “Is she in danger?”

  Paige chuckled and shook her head. “No, he’s just charming as fuck when he wants to be. It’s how he got me to marry him in the first place. Neka’s fine. He’ll back off if she’s not interested, he just has a way of making women want to be interested in him. At least for a little while.”

  Dale wasn’t entirely convinced, but she trusted Paige’s judgement.

  “In the meantime,” Paige said, rising to carry her laptop into the kitchen. She placed it on the counter and angled it so Dale could see the screen. “I’ve been doing some homework.”

  “On Shannon or Cecily?”

  “Neither. Well, technically on Cecily, but I went back a lot farther than you did. I kept thinking it was strange how focused she was on Ariadne. Then I thought, they’re going after a canidae and they already have a succubus, so who knows what else they might have. I dug up anything I could find on GG&M and found some interesting shit.”

  Dale was preparing to begin breakfast. “Lay it on me.”

  “Okay. First of all, the earliest reference I can find to GG&M is an 1893 article talking about new businesses coming into the area. Apparently there was a big fire a few years earlier.”

  “I think I remember reading something about that,” Dale said, trying not to smirk.

  “Louis Gilles and Barthelemy Moreau immigrated from France and set up a little law firm. I found an article that talked about how they were only doing okay until the Klondike gold rush started bringing more people to the city, at which point they started getting a lot of business from fortune hunters either going up or coming back from Alaska. The article said they were doing well enough to hire a receptionist: Lillian Girard.”

  Dale said, “Well, all those names certainly sound familiar.”

  “Mm-hmm,” Paige said. “So all those gold rushers were using GG&M to stake their claims or forge partnerships or whatever, and the firm was making money hand over fist. They used that to build their empire up until it’s the monster we’re dealing with today. Speaking of which, the current partners. I can’t find any proof they’ve argued a case or even shown up in public for years. But check out the names.”

  The bacon was sizzling, so Dale moved closer and looked at the screen. “L Gilles, L Girard, and B Moreau. So they kept it in the family rather than just keeping the name.”

  “But the initials. The initials are exactly the same.”

  Dale said, “My cousins all have first names starting with J. George Foreman named all his kids George. If you have an empire to think about, names become part of the dynasty.” She went back to the stove. “You don’t honestly believe they’re the same people who started the firm in the 1890s.”

  “It’s not outside the realm of possibilities,” Paige said. “Milo said Ari told her you two ran into a mermaid not long ago.”

  “True,” Dale said. “Who knows? Maybe they’re vampires. We can ask Gwen when she wakes up.”

  “She’s up,” Gwen said as she reached the bottom of the stairs. She was dressed in a robe, her hair pinned back. She swatted Paige’s butt as she passed. “Pull down your shirt, your tail is wagging.”

  Paige adjusted her tank top.

  “What did you want to ask me?” Gwen asked Dale.

  “Immortals. Do they exist?”

  Gwen said, “No. But people who have lifespans of a hundred, two hundred years? Oh yeah. Easily. There have been canidae who lived to be a hundred and forty-five.”

  That caught Dale by surprise. “Wait. Really?”

  “Yeah. What are we talking about?”

  Paige repeated what she had found while Gwen poured them all coffee. She had just reached the end when Milo came downstairs in pajama pants and a T-shirt.

  “I’m not repeating it again,” Paige said.

  “Okay,” Milo mumbled. “I smell bacon.”

  Dale said, “It’s almost ready.” She gestured at Paige’s laptop. “What else did you find?”

  “A lot of back-patting, mostly. They’ve quietly been representing some of Seattle’s elite for decades now.”

  “Like the hockey team,” Dale said.

  “Like the hockey team,” Paige confirmed.

  Gwen said, “So this prestigious law firm that’s been around since the gold rush and represents the richest people in a very expensive city is willing to commit murder to hire a private investigator who is just making a comfortable living? Ari is a fine detective. But once she said no, they kept pursuing her. Because of the wolf. So the question is, why does this firm need a wolf?”

  Tarun said, “Why would they need a succubus?”

  “Well, that makes sense,” Dale said. “A succubus is all about seduction. All she has to do is get close to the jury and they’ll side with her no matter how strong her case might be. And I guess having a wolf on retainer would be useful for the same reason it works so well for Bitches. Maybe being cutthroat and going to these extremes is how they’ve survived for this long. But would they go this far just to get a wolf on their payroll?”

  Milo, still looking half unconscious, said, “Well, there’s an easy way to find out.”

  Dale looked at her. “How?”

  Milo shrugged and smiled. “We offer her a different
wolf.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Monday morning, just before eight o’clock, Ari was led to a spacious room that reminded her of a high school gymnasium. The walls were white brick with warnings like KEEP VOLUME DOWN and NO PHONES - CASH painted in large red letters every few feet. The room wasn’t as crowded as Ari had feared it would be. There were three other prisoners already present, so everyone could be spaced out for privacy. She was directed to a table against the far wall and told to wait quietly.

  The clock on the wall ticked over to seven minutes past eight before the door opened. Ari tensed and sat up straighter. First, a guard entered. Followed by an older woman and a teenager. And right behind them...

  Ari was surprised that her eyes filled with tears when she saw her mother leading Dale into the room. She started to stand, sat back down when she realized she didn’t know if it was allowed, then decided she didn’t care if she was scolded and stood up again. Dale looked like she had to fight back a sob and started to turn away, but Gwen put an arm around her to guide her forward. Dale pressed her face against the shoulder of Gwen’s cardigan but lifted her head when they reached the table.

  “Hi,” Ari said.

  Dale flung herself at Ari, who caught her without hesitation. She finally released the sob, and Ari finally let a tear fall down her cheek. She closed her eyes and focused on how it felt to have Dale in her arms. She breathed deep but discovered Dale’s scent was oddly blunted. A side effect from quieting the wolf, probably. It didn’t matter. After almost a week without holding her, even a reduced hit was enough to make her lightheaded.

  Dale kissed Ari’s neck. “Hi, puppy.”

  Ari did cry then, a full sob that made her tighten her grip. She smiled and burrowed her face harder against Dale’s sweater, focusing on the smell of her underneath the shampoo and laundry scent. It was easier now that the wolf in her wasn’t smelling every single detail. She could focus on what was important.

  “Inmate,” a guard said, not angrily but with enough warning to confirm he wasn’t making a request.

  Ari reluctantly let go of Dale and took a step back. “I’ve missed you so much,” Ari said.