by Mac Flynn
The yell came from behind me. The door swung open and someone rushed out. The person shoved Mab and me to the side and swung a punch at Barrett. The fist landed on the side of the wild man's face. Barrett yelped and flew to our right. He crashed into the wall and dropped onto one of the tables. The man twitched a few times before he stilled.
I glanced at our savior. It was Orion. He scowled at the limp body of Barrett.
I raised my shaking hand. "Could somebody please tell me what's going on?"
I heard a call of police sirens, and two patrol cars skidded to a stop in front of the diner. Four offices with long rifles jumped out of the cars. They climbed through the debris and into the diner. The officer in the lead looked over the situation and turned to the men behind him.
"Put a shot in him and get him out of here, and be careful not to get bit," he ordered the other three.
They nodded and hurried over to the fallen man. The officer who gave the orders shouldered his rifle and strode over to us. He was a man of forty with a hefty, tall build and a tense, bearded face. His short brown hair was slicked back and his brown eyes stopped on Mab.
"You made the call, Mab. Mind telling me what happened?" he asked us.
"His truck crashed into the front of my diner," Mab spoke up. "He was partially transformed before he awoke and tried to attack us. Orion stopped him."
"I heard the crash from the motel and got here as quick as I could. When I saw the truck sticking out the front I made my way through the back door and got here just as Barrett attacked them," Orion explained.
The officer turned to me. "I don't recognize your smell. How long have you-"
"She's just a visitor," Orion interrupted.
The officer pursed his lips and his eyes flickered to Mab. "And she saw everything?"
"Yes, but there is no cause for concern," Mab assured him.
The man shook his head. "That's not for you to decide. I need to-" A yelp from behind him caught our attention.
We looked to the table and the three officers. Two of them had Barrett pinned to the table and the third had a needle stuck into the man. The needle was long and had a large container on top. Barrett writhed and squirmed in their grasp as the greenish contents in the needle was injected into him. The last drop of the liquid disappeared into the man and he slumped over. My eyes widened as I watched the hair all over his body disappear into his clothes and skin.
The lead officer stepped into my line of sight and blocked my view of the table. His eyes flickered to Mab and Orion. "Like I said, I need to contact the mayor and get this thing sorted out." He returned his attention to me. "Do you mind staying in the area for a few more days? I might need to ask some more questions later."
I had a hell of a time keeping my attention on the officer, but I managed to look him in the face and shrug. "I guess I could." I had to be a good little girl and not ask questions, at least for a little while.
The officer nodded. "Good. I'll need a statement from all of you by tomorrow afternoon."
The other men picked up Barrett and carried him out the front mess to one of their cars. The lead officer turned away from us, but paused and glanced at Orion and Mab.
"Could one of you escort Miss-"
"Trixie Lyal," I told him.
He raised an eyebrow. "Is that your real name?"
"That's what's on my Social Security card," I quipped.
He sighed. "Well, could one of you escort Miss Lyal back to her room?"
"I will," Orion offered.
The officer nodded. "Good. If I don't see anyone of you tonight-" I noticed his eyes flickered to me, "-then have a good night."
We exchanged the same sentiments and he left in one of the two cars. The other car followed close behind him. Orion turned to me and swept his hand towards the ruined front wall.
"Ladies first," he offered.
I coyly smiled. "Then shouldn't you go first?"
He returned my smile. "Beauty before age, then," he corrected himself.
"Good catch," I complimented him as I accepted his offer and strode forward.
Orion turned to Mab. "Good luck with the cleanup."
A strange smile graced her lips. "Luck is not what I use."
He shrugged. "Well, don't strain your fingers too much."
He joined me closer to the wrecked front wall, and together we waded through the mess and out onto the quiet street. The hour was apparently late for the sleepy small town and all the residents were tucked safely into their houses. I waited until we were on the next block before I began my work.
"So are you going to tell me what happened there or do I have to play mean?" I asked him.
He shrugged. "A little drug problem. It happens in every little town where there's nothing going on."
I stopped and crossed my arms over my chest. "Drugs can turn people into monsters, but not literally. What's really going on?"
He stopped a few feet in front of me and faced me. A smile was on his lips, but the corners were strained. He shrugged, but didn't look me in the eyes. "Not much goes on in a sleepy town like this."
"So what was that back there? The exception to the rule?" I questioned him.
"Just some trouble that's been resolved," he assured me as he half-turned from me. He nodded down the block. "But I need to take you back."
"So I won't see any more?" I guessed.
"No, so the rapists and murderers don't get you," he teased.
I sighed and walked up to him. "Fine, but you'd better tell me everything tomorrow."
"I'll give you the exclusive if I can," he promised as we continued on our way. He cast side-glances at me and a more relaxed smile graced his lips. "Do you like dogs?" he wondered.
I raised an eyebrow, but shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. Why?"
He shook his head and stared ahead of us. "No reason."
I narrowed my eyes. "Uh-huh. By the way, you find out what you wanted from Troy?"
He started and swung around to face me. "How'd you know I went there?"
I jerked my head in the direction over my shoulder. "You told that cop you heard the noise from the motel. After what you asked me at the diner I figured it wasn't a coincidence you were there."
Orion chuckled. "You're not too bad of a reporter. It's a pity you can't stay here. You'd be pretty useful."
"For the Daily Brew?" I wondered.
"For me. I could always use a beautiful assistant to manage my research," he admitted.
I continued our stroll down the sidewalk. "Maybe you couldn't afford me," I teased.
"Maybe the bonuses I could give you would be worth the lower pay," he countered.
I raised an eyebrow. "Such as?"
"I could offer you board, and there's always room for a beautiful young woman in my house," he told me.
I snorted. "There's probably so many in there already I doubt there's room for me."
He smiled. "Would you believe there's only me?"
"And your dog?" I guessed.
He blinked at me. "My dog?"
"You asked me if I liked dogs," I reminded him.
Orion chuckled. "I've got to watch what I ask you, but no, I don't have a dog."
"Pity. I really do like myself a good German Shepherd," I commented.
He grinned. "So you like big dogs?"
"The bigger the better," I admitted.
"What about wolves?"
I couldn't help but flashback to the incident on the highway. That thing had kind of looked like a wolf. I shrugged. "Sure, why not?"
By this time we'd reached the motel. Troy stepped out of the office and squinted at us. "What was all the noise?"
Orion laughed. "Don't you know?" he teased.
Troy lifted his eyes to the dark winter sky. His lips were pursed tightly together as he shook his head. "I can't see this."
"Well, I guess I'll hit the hay," I spoke up. I stepped away from Orion and turned to face bo
th men. "Goodnight."
Troy bowed his head. "Goodnight."
"Have sweet dreams of me," Orion teased.
"I'm not sure I'd call that a dream," I returned.
I waved to them and slipped into my motel room. For my first order of business I made sure all the curtains were shut and the bedroom and bathroom lights were on. Then I grabbed a flashlight from my bag, plopped myself on the bed, and waited a few minutes. After the appropriate time had passed to make them think I had prepared for bed, I shut off first the bathroom light and then the bedroom light.
There was a window at the rear of the bedroom. I pried open the heavy window and peeked my head out. The wall behind the room led to a narrow alley. I eased myself out and clicked on my flashlight. The beam illuminated the snowy ground. I turned to my left and started down the alley.
I didn't think this sleepy little town was quite what it appeared, and I was going to find out why.
CHAPTER 5