by Mel Todd
"I don’t know. He might not be as big of a creep as I thought." She shrugged. "Or he might be worse. Wanna play look out?"
"Sure. But if you’re going to get there in time to get the best seat, you’d better get going.
Driving over took only a few minutes and McKenna had her coffee, this time loaded with sugar and flavors, and had a nice window seat to watch people come and go. She spotted him the second he stepped into the coffee shop. Early thirties, Hispanic heritage, wire glasses with moderately thick lenses, and clothes that made her blink at the clashing colors. He glanced at her, nodded, but went to order coffee first.
A minute later he sat down, coffee in one hand and a notebook and his phone in the other.
"McKenna Largo, I’m Carlo Lucient. Thank you for this."
"I’m not sure you should be thanking me yet. I’m still tempted to do something drastic. I want to know what you thought you were achieving with Charley. He’s a minor and his guardian, me, wasn’t asked."
He fell silent looking at her, then took a sip of his coffee a thoughtful look on his face.
"Off the record. Why did you foster him?"
McKenna took a sip of her coffee. There was no such thing as off the record that just meant he might not quote you.
"As you said, foster care sucks."
"Ah. Apparently, I should have done more research on your background." Carlos sat back then shrugged. "Yes, I’m looking for a story. But I want the real story, not the bullshit they are handing out, but I don’t want to get any of the kids hurt. I thought he might want his parents back and I used it for leverage, but even then I wasn’t sure. From what I can find out his parents are scum, but I also know you tend to love regardless of the wisdom of it. Since you’re here, I’m guessing this arrangement is something both of you want. Explain?"
There was a quality to the question that made her answer more honestly than she might have otherwise.
"He helped me get through hell. How could I abandon him to a different type of hell?"
Carlos sat back eyes dark. "I see." They both fell silent sipping their drinks and McKenna waited.
~You okay?~
JD’s voice pinged from where he sat across the street in a pizza joint. He had a clear view of them though couldn’t over hear. His presence too distinctive to hide in the small coffee shop.
~Yeah, this guy might not be a total scumbag. Still a reporter but… ~ She let the mental words trail off.
~Be careful. What do you want on your pizza?~
~We just ate.~
~Your point?~
~No point, just saying. Hungry for mushrooms and olives, so lots of meat with those?~
"What I’ve heard about what happened, the kids weren’t hurt, and there wasn’t any abuse of them, though you seemed to have left a trail of blood when you escaped. Why?"
Carlos’s voice pulled her out of the teasing with JD and she had to focus for a minute.
"And what do I get by telling you this? You know the police and the sheriff will release press statements about the incident."
"Please. It’s been almost two weeks and they still aren’t giving us any details. And I don’t want the clean version. I want what really happened. I want to hear your story, and the kids’. They aren’t going to be the same and I think people should know. Things like that change a person."
"What happened to you as a kid?" She didn’t know where the question came from, but it hung there in the air like an unexploded grenade.
Carlos grimaced. "I’m not so good at hiding things, huh?"
She shrugged and waited.
"Some foster care situations go bad. I got caught in one of the worst. Was part of the sex trade, until a journalist cracked it open, and I was rescued." His jaw tight as he stared out the window, but from the unfocused look on his face she knew he saw the past. "I almost died from the rough trade. I didn’t. Now I don’t want to let dirty secrets get hidden. It matters. Nothing can change if people don’t know."
"Is that why you’re color blind? Brain damage?"
This time he did look startled and looked down at himself. "This isn’t brown and a light color?"
"No. Puke green and fuchsia pink."
"Crap. I still remember colors. Swear I thought I had someone go through and color fix my wardrobe." He closed his eyes. "That might explain why I’ve gotten some weird looks lately. I think my roommate screwed with my clothes."
McKenna fought back a smile. "You might want to have that fixed. I didn’t know they still made clothes those colors."
He sighed. "Thanks. I don't suppose there is any chance you’ll talk to me?"
Multiple ideas and thoughts warred in her mind as she looked at the man.
"Let me check something." She pulled up her phone and texted a message to Anne.
*any issue with me talking to a reporter and telling my side of the story?*
"You may have to give me a minute. I need to check on clearance before I answer that question."
He flashed her a smile that exposed teeth with coffee stains, but had a level of humor to it that made her like him a bit more.
"Not an issue. I’ll take the fact you’re asking as a positive sign. May I ask a question not related to the story?"
She shrugged as she took a sip of coffee. "You can ask, won’t swear I’ll answer."
"I’ve talked to a few shifters, and they all say they don’t really remember that first change. Do you?"
McKenna sat back and thought about it. "Yes and no. I remember everything with crystal clarity that happened right after that, but the change itself? No. We talked about it, and yeah we can’t remember the change just that it happened."
"Huh, interesting. I wondered if it would be different with you with everything being captured on video."
Her laugh held little humor. "I watched it maybe once. Watching yourself strip, turn into an animal, and kill two men really is the most disorienting out of body perception ever. But yeah, I can’t remember the change. Even now. I’ve changed in the mirror, there is a wash of pain - okay that isn’t true. The first time it hurt, thought I might scream, but now it just feels like going into a really deep stretch that you must close your eyes to reach. When you open them the animal stares back at you."
[There is a valid reason why you don’t remember the change.]
McKenna narrowed her eyes. ~Later please, I would like to know, but I can’t afford to be distracted now.~
A sense of assent, but no words.
"Huh. Nice to know it is consistent I guess." He looked like he was about to say something else when her phone pinged.
McKenna pulled it up.
*policy says as long as you don’t reference anything about the department choices or actions, you have the right to talk about what you did personally. IE don’t make us look bad. Be careful*
When she looked up, he watched her with a neutral face she suspected he fought to keep that way.
"I’ll talk to you. But here are my conditions. Leave the kids alone. They don’t need to have what happened thrown at them any more than their own minds will. This includes Charley. If he wants to talk to you, he will. But right now, he doesn’t. Give the station the information about his parents. There was an incident that happened that you will not spell out. You can reference it obliquely, but I don’t want it stated. Is that understood?"
~I’m going to talk to him, tell him. Not sure it if will make a difference, but need to get this out there and be done with it.~
She felt the weight of his pause.
~Do what is best for you. You’ve got my support.~
A strange spurt of joy washed through her, but she looked at her mostly empty coffee. "Give me a minute. I’m going to need something strong for this, and they don’t serve alcohol here." She rose headed to the counter and ordered a large with extra shots and sugar. The wait gave her time to arrange things in her head, she’d tell him everything except the warrior form and leave the kids out of it as much as possible. No n
ames, no specific forms. Hopefully this would direct most of the attention to her and away from the kids.
She settled down in the chair across from him. "Ready? It isn’t pretty, and I’m sure people are going to come up with a thousand things I should have done instead, but I did what I could." McKenna ducked her head and closed her eyes. With her eyes still closed she began to talk, low and quiet so the surrounding people wouldn’t catch every word.
It took a while even only touching on the rape and the beating, she focused on protecting the kids, trying to make it as comfortable for them as possible. She explained the escape, but only said she couldn’t risk any of the kids being shot and she had no way to restrain the men. Carlos arched a brow at that but didn’t say anything, only recording and taking notes. By the time she finished, her throat hurt, an hour had passed, and her coffee cup contained only dregs.
Carlos leaned back and looked at her, his eyes shrewd. "I know there is a lot you glossed over and there are a few things I know you’re holding back. But…." His voice trailed off, and he looked at her. "It’s a hell of a story. When I’m done with this, you’ll be a hero."
McKenna wrinkled her nose. "Thanks, but no. But… too many people need to know. Will you please send a copy to me before you go live with it?" She leaned forward locking her eyes on him. "If you do right by me, I’ll give you first chance if anything else exciting happens to me. Though I’d really like to never have anything exciting happen again."
His laughter burst out, startling a few customers who looked over. "Somehow I don’t think that is possible. Deal. I’ll get you a copy by the end of the week. Thank you for meeting me, it’s been interesting."
She didn’t have anything else to say so she just nodded, stood, and headed out. JD met her with a few pizzas and they walked to the car.
"Called Toni. She’ll meet us back at the house. You happy with that."
"I think so. Though something else came up."
~Wefor, why don’t we remember the change?~
Chapter 20 - Dog & Pony
A possible new comet has been discovered outside Pluto. A few amateur astronomers have caught reflections of the object moving towards the solar system. It will be another month before the trajectory can be determined. If it determined to be a comet with a stable trajectory and not just a bit of debris being pulled into the sun’s gravitation an award could be split between the people who reported it. ~ TNN Science News
By this point, dropping off Charley was almost routine. But she warned him. "Remember, if anyone approaches you, you don’t have to talk to them. The school knows only me, Toni, and JD are authorized to check you out. At this point your parents do not have that right."
"Got it. And I can talk to Jessi at school, we’re always in range."
"Just Jessi?" McKenna held back a smile. The girl steam rolled over anyone who would let them, and of the three of them she screamed dominate personality.
"Nah, I talk to Jamie too, but he doesn’t chat well, usually too busy thinking over stuff in his head."
"Yeah, he is a bit of a deep thinker. Well, enjoy school. I’ll see you tonight."
He waved at her but didn't hug her and she didn’t push it. They were still working out their relationship.
JD met her with the usual coffee, but he’d added cinnamon rolls to the pile. "I had a sweet craving."
"Not going to argue." She grabbed one. Breakfast was burritos for her and Charley but being a shifter meant calories were never a bad thing. Munching on it, dressed in jeans and a nice button down, they headed to the Narcotics division.
"Thought you were wearing your kilt today?"
"I didn’t think he was serious, if he is I’ll wear it gladly." JD said as they entered the room. They’d talked on and off all weekend about if kilts would be acceptable wear for them. More and more she found herself dressed in them on the weekends or simple shift dresses at home. She had never liked dresses but the need to be able to shift at a moment’s notice had become more important than style or anything else.
"Wear what gladly?" Owen Waris asked. They looked around to see him in the corner near a coffee machine. Both McKenna and JD tilted their heads up as the scent of good coffee, coffee that wasn’t the dregs of the canister, hit their noses.
"You have your own coffee maker?" JD asked heading that way, his nose almost twitching.
"Do you think I’m going to drink the swill they have in the break room? Hell yes I have my own coffee maker."
"Oh, this might be nice. Can we bring coffee to make in it?"
Owen glanced at their mugs and must have seen the avarice in their eyes.
"I get the feeling you’d at least bring in good stuff, so sure. So, what clothes and are you ready for the trial?"
McKenna wrinkled her nose. She hated the dog and pony stuff, and lately it always seemed like she got stuck in the middle of one.
"Ready, yes. Enthused, not even remotely. Oh, we were talking about kilts, if you were serious that you’d let us wear them."
"Okay. I’ve had arguments for sweats, pajamas, swimsuits, and even a birthday suit. And your shifting argument has a level of validity. Let’s see how the trial goes, and maybe I’ll have the leverage to justify it. Besides your reasons are a lot more valid than the birthday suit one."
McKenna gave in and asked. "The reasons for that were?"
"To remove any doubt that I’m not wearing a wire or a weapon," his face deadpan as he said it.
"It would also remove any doubt as to their intelligence level or sanity," McKenna commented.
Owen snorted and nodded his head. "True. I’ll think about the kilts. I like logic." He glanced at his watch. "But you need to do your stuff, Largo. Please tell me you’re not a one trick pony."
"Oh, I probably am; I just don’t know what the trick is yet." She flashed a smile and he snorted.
"At least you have a sense of humor. That might allow you to survive around here. Come on, we have a training course set up. Don’t get offended but it basically the same thing we run the dogs through for training."
"Joy, so I am the dog in the dog and pony show. Who’s the pony?"
"Me, if you can’t do it." Waris stopped and turned looking at her, then shooting a glance at JD. "Hear me out on this. I pulled strings for this and burned some favors. You impressed the hell out of me, and the guy you found the coke in, Detective Piers Olson?" McKenna shrugged and nodded, she really hadn’t any idea who the person had been. "Well, once IA got a hold of him we found out a bunch of stuff that made him damn lucky I wasn’t in the room with him. I would have killed him. I don’t like Amanda Bohn, she is a rules person and nothing can be done outside of them but she is also a stone-cold cast iron balled bitch. And I mean that as a huge compliment. That woman wrung him dry and made him spill everything. He’d compromised my department to hell and gone and I am not happy about it. So, I’m placing what I have left of my reputation on you. You prove me false and I’m done. I might as well take my shield and retire. So, trust me when I say I’ve got a lot riding on you not being a one trick pony."
McKenna felt the blood drain from her face and she had to swallow hard to get past the lump. Up until now the only career she could fuck up had been hers and maybe JD’s but no one else. Now… well now it had a lot more weight.
"Given my experience over the last week I don’t have any doubts, sir." She hoped she sounded more confident than she felt.
"Good. Then let's get out there and prove to the people watching that a human with a brain can work as well as a trained dog." He paused then barked out a laugh. "That did not come out the way I meant it to, but I trust you understand how I meant it."
"Yes, sir. Not an issue."
The walk to the outdoor course was quiet, and she inhaled her coffee, using the scent to clear out any other lingering odors. A few people had joined them on the walk and she didn’t know if it was a good or scary thing. Captain Kirk came out, Holich, and a few others she recognized. A video tripod sat directed
at the course with a person behind it, probably the PR or training department.
The rest of the group she didn’t know though she recognized faces. Handing JD her coffee she headed over to where Owen stood talking to the group of people.
"Officer Largo, I’d like to introduce you to the DA Jeoff Chalmers and ADA Sarina Restan. They will be overseeing this exercise and it will be videotaped. If you could give us a few minutes, we are waiting for two judges. If you’d go to the waiting area, I’ll explain the rules once they get here."
McKenna nodded, not really anything else she could say. A minute later an older African American male and two women came out, one a tiny Oriental female that McKenna thought she’d seen at traffic court once or twice. The other women she knew on sight. Beth Fraiser was a hard ass judge that most patrol cops either loved or hated. She took no bullshit and put up with none in her court.
Once Owen finished talking to them he walked over to her. "Here are the rules. You will walk the course with me and the videographer will be following us with the camera. Everything you say and do will be recorded. There are multiple drugs hidden on this course."
McKenna interrupted. "You do realize I only recognize for sure meth, cocaine, and pot?"
He shrugged. "Then you’ll have to use your brains and figure out the others."
A swallow as she realized the trial had already started. "There are some places where drugs were just smeared, not enough to use. Others where small amounts were left, and still others where there are large amounts. In addition, there are various weapons hidden over the course. Then at the end, there will be one more test. Are you ready?"
She took a deep breath, steeling herself inside, and nodded.
"Let’s go." JD had her coffee, and she moved into the course. The morning air already heated up in the Northern California heat and by eight a.m. the heat already hit the eighties. The dog course had ramps and hidden spots, poles where things could be hidden, pots, flowers, and a bike littered the area. Taking a deep breath through her nose and mouth, she let the scents in, something she’d been getting better at controlling. Really knowing how many people were having sex was torture for multiple reasons.