She Wolf and The Detective: (Suspense, Crime, Thriller, Mystery, Fantasy) (Book 1-3)

by Michael Reyes

  “Okay, great. I’ll be able to take him back tonight.”

  “Fine. I’ll see you tonight, then. And I’m so sorry.”

  “It’s fine.” Wilson backed out of his driveway and returned to work, where he continued to stew over everything – the unsolved cases, the failing relationship with Aria, Ella deciding to run away because of the attacks, everything.

  When he tried to call the New Zealand police department, they told him they could not send him the information without the proper paperwork and there would also be high costs for getting it sent out to the United States, as well. He asked if they could at least confirm some questions about the case, which they obliged, but very briefly. All they could confirm was that the victim was indeed an American girl who had been there for school and that she was attacked just outside of campus by something unknown that had poisoned her blood. Cause of death was poisoning. Wilson asked if they could determine where they blood came from and suggested that it might be from a canine. They told him they could not confirm that. All they found was the poison. This made Wilson all the more aggravated that he couldn’t solve anything.

  Several hours later, he called Aria about dinner. The phone conversation was quick, consisting of him telling her he would be stopping by Cheryl’s on the way home and asking what she’d like to have for dinner and her telling him she had already started cooking up something for the two of them with the ingredients in his kitchen. “Well, at least she still cares enough to cook for me,” he thought to himself.

  “Is there anything you need me to get from the store, then?” he asked her.

  “We’re out of vegetables for a salad,” she responded. “But we still have plenty of dressing.”

  “Okay, I’ll get some. Anything else?”

  “That’s it. See you when you get here.” Then she hung up without even a “goodbye”.

  Chapter 5

  Aria was still working on the dinner when Wilson got home. He started making the salad for the two of them.

  “Listen, I need to talk to you about Charlie.”

  “Your dog.”

  “Yes. I’m going to have to bring him back home soon. Ella can’t take care of him anymore. She’s leaving town Friday afternoon.”

  “It’s because of the attacks, isn’t it?”

  “Yes.”

  “It’s fine. I never said I don’t like dogs. You just decided to have Ella take him.”

  “I wanted to be safe.”

  “Like you thought I was guilty. Like I could kill him.”

  “No, I never thought that at all.” Wilson couldn’t believe they were getting into another argument. “It’s just that I had just brought you in here, and after finding you naked in the woods and what you had gone through and all, I didn’t want to put on you the additional burden of taking care of my dog.”

  “Fine. But FYI, I’m fine with Charlie coming back. Because I love dogs. And not just because I technically am part canine. I have always loved dogs, even before I was bitten and started becoming a wolf.”

  “Then it’s settled. Charlie really is a great dog. He was just barking at you that night because he was concerned for my safety and he didn’t know who you were. Once you prove to him that you are friendly to him, he will love you like he loves me.” Wilson tried to smile, but Aria just ignored him, continuing to work on the dinner.

  After dinner, he went to Ella’s and got Charlie and all his pet supplies. She told him that he had already been fed his dinner.

  When he came back, Charlie started barking at Aria again. “Shh, stand down!” Wilson ordered, but Aria didn’t cringe, instead looking at him quietly while sitting on the couch. She held out her hand slowly, presenting it to him as sort of a gesture of peace. Wilson slowly brought Charlie closer and closer to her. As he did this, Charlie started trying to sniff her hand until he was right up to her hand. Wilson got ready to pull Charlie back in case he tried to bite her, but instead, Charlie sniffed the palm of her hand and then sat down and panted in a friendly manner. Aria leaned closer to him and then gave him a slight touch on his head. Charlie continued to pant. She then tried to give him a rub on his head, and he leaned into her happily. Wilson felt much better and let go of Charlie’s leash before releasing it from his collar and hanging it up at its usual spot by the door.

  She had no signs of changing that night, so Wilson had no qualms about letting Charlie loose around the house, and he didn’t need to chain Aria up either. As she slept in the guest room for the first time since moving in with him.

  Chapter 6

  A week later, the increase in police patrols seemed to be working, because there were no new attacks. Ella called to check in, but Wilson was unable to convince her to come home. He also went out and checked out all the places that the previous attacks had taken place but found nothing that wasn’t already covered by the MPD. As the days continued on, Wilson continued to feel like there was no way he was going to be able to prove Aria’s innocence, but at the same time, he was able to continue to keep Aria’s secret a secret. Aria also hadn’t changed in a week, which didn’t help her prove her innocence either. But stewing around alone in the house all day – even with Charlie to occupy her – made her feel uneasy, and so he suggested that maybe he could get her a job to keep her busy during the days while he’s at work. Her ability to change into a wolf only happened at night, so it was safe to say that she was able to take on a day job, at least, and that way she could pay her rent herself instead of getting money from her parents, which is what she had been doing for the weeks since she moved to town. Aria was a little bit hesitant about the idea, but was willing to give it a try as long as she only had to work in the daytime. He recalled that Cheryl had an opening after the death of her last waitress, Melanie, and so he told Aria that he would pay Cheryl a visit during one of his lunch breaks.

  He did realize that with Aria working at Cheryl’s, the other police, of course, would find out, but then remembered that he had never told anyone that his “niece” was named Aria. Still, at some point it would come out, most likely by Cheryl mentioning it in passing, and so he decided that he would tell his fellow officers that his “niece” had liked visiting so much that she decided to live there, get her own apartment (hoping the police would never have a reason to question her landlord about how long she had been living there) , and get a job to pay her own way.

  “Afternoon, Wilson. Will you be taking it to go or eating in today?” asked Cheryl when Wilson walked in.

  “Eating in and I need to ask you about that position you have open for server.”

  “What about it?” Cheryl asked as she took him to an empty table. “You’re not thinking of quitting the force, are you?”

  “No, it’s not for me. It’s for a friend’s daughter that I think of as my niece. She’s decided to stay in town and needs a job.”

  “Does she have any experience?”

  “That I’m actually not sure of, but she’s cleaned my house and cooks well, if that helps any.”

  “Have her come on by for an interview tomorrow morning.”

  “Will do and thanks. I know it’s hard to think of even having an opening with what happened to the previous waitress and all.”

  “Yeah. I can’t believe such an innocent girl was attacked like that.” Cheryl shook her head. “So can I get you something to drink while you look over the menu?”

  “Actually, I know what I want. Order up one of your famous burgers with fries and a Coke.”

  “Alrighty, will get that to you as soon I can.” As Cheryl stepped away, Wilson decided to call up Aria.

  “Hello?”

  “Hi, it’s Wilson.”

  “Wilson, why are you calling me?”

  “Well, I spoke with Cheryl about the waitressing job, and she said to come by for an interview tomorrow morning. Would that be alright, or do you want me to set up another time?”

  “That’s fine. I gotta go. I was in the middle of feeding Charlie when you called.” Or
maybe Aria just did not want to talk to Wilson for more than a few minutes at a time and was coming up with any excuse she could to get away from him.

  “Okay, I’ll let her know. What time can you make it?”

  “Tell her nine o’clock. Thanks and bye.” She hung up before he could say “bye” back.

  Cheryl brought the Coke, then, and Wilson set up the exact time for the interview just as Deputy Jones walked in the front door and saw Wilson.

  “Hey, mind if I join you?” he asked when he saw Wilson.

  “Sure,” responded Wilson.

  “What’ll it be today, Deputy?” asked Cheryl.

  “Get me one of them Swiss burgers of yours, with an order of fries and a Coke.”

  “You bet,” said Cheryl, writing the order down on her order pad. “So that’s nine o’clock tomorrow morning, then, Wilson?”

  “Yep. I’ll make sure she gets here on time.”

  “Will look forward to meeting her.” Cheryl turned to go back to the kitchen with Jones’ order.

  “What were you guys talking about?” asked Jones. “Who’s she looking forward to meeting?”

  “My niece, er, the girl who I think of as my niece. She’s decided to stay in town but wants to have her own place, and of course you need to pay rent and such for that, so she’s looking for a job.”

  “You know, we have an opening up at the front desk if she’s interested.”

  “Thanks but I think it’s best that we not work in the same place.” For two reasons – one, she was mad at Wilson and probably would not want to have to be in the same place with him for eight hours a day, and two, that’d be putting her at greater risk of being found out by the police.

  “Why? It’s not like she’s your wife or kid.”

  “Still, she’d rather work elsewhere.”

  “Okay, but things don’t work out here…”

  “I’ll have her consider it, yes.”

  “Anyway, I’m glad you’re here, because we just got word of another attack.”

  “What? Where? How did I not hear about this?”

  “Because it wasn’t here. It was actually in Fall River, Massachusetts. We just got the news after you left for lunch. Everything’s the same. Victims have the same kind of bite marks and one also suffered a broken neck.”

  “More than one victim, too?”

  “Yeah. It was a married couple, unfortunately. They were walking their dog when the attack happened. Whatever it was let the dog go, at least. Dog was found elsewhere in the park. Bodies of the victims were discovered by a jogger. Sadly, they left a child behind who was staying with a friend at the time. The child’s going to have to live with his aunt and uncle now, as well as the dog.”

  Wilson shook his head. “That’s too bad. Can we get the evidence to look at from their police department? It’ll certainly help me.”

  “Already called them up. They’re still going over it, but will send it down to us as soon as they can.”

  “Great.”

  Chapter 7

  That night, Wilson came home to Aria cooking again. “Listen, there’s something I need to tell you,” Wilson started as they sat down at the dinner table.

  “Me, too.”

  “You go first.”

  “Well, I was thinking about the way I have been treating you lately.”

  “Yeah?”

  “I’m sorry. You have been nothing but a good friend and taking care of me and yes, we shouldn’t get romantically involved right now, but you don’t deserve to get the silent treatment because of that.”

  “Well I did spring that on you suddenly, and I have been thinking about it, and you’re right. We should keep things friendly, at least for the time being. You’ll notice I haven’t tried to push the issue.”

  “No, you haven’t, and I appreciate that.”

  “So then let’s agree to be friends again?”

  “And roommates…for the time being.” They shook hands and started eating their dinner.

  “So what did you need to tell me?” asked Aria.

  “Well, first, the interview at Cheryl’s will be at nine o’clock.”

  “Okay, thank you.”

  “And second, there was another attack, but it wasn’t here. It was in Massachusetts.”

  “Massachusetts? At least I can’t be blamed. I was here all night.”

  “Exactly.”

  “Also…since you’re willing to talk to me again, I noticed you haven’t changed in over a week.”

  “Yes, but I don’t know why. I don’t feel like I’m under control of it either.” They continued eating.

  “I have some questions for you that I think may help. But let’s finish our dinner first and clean up.”

  “Okay. Whatever I can do to help so that we can finally get past all this.”

  After dinner, they sat down together in the living room. Aria was on the couch. Wilson sat in a chair with a pad of paper and a pen.

  “So when you change, there isn’t anything that seems to trigger it? Think about each time you started to change. Was there any kind of emotion or feeling that you were experiencing every time?”

  “No, there wasn’t. I was feeling a different emotion every time. It wasn’t like I was angry every time or annoyed or sad…”

  “Could it be something in the food, maybe?”

  “I ate something different every time, too, and how would food cause my condition?”

  “I don’t know. I’m just trying to exhaust all possible causes.” Wilson thought for a moment. “And we already counted out the full moon, because, like you’ve said before, you were changing at random times, no matter what kind of moon it was.”

  “Yes.”

  “Okay, how about this…when you know you’re about to change, what do you feel? Tell me your symptoms, in detail.”

  “Well, first I feel an uneasy feeling in myself. Sort of like a stomachache.”

  Wilson jotted this down and went “Mm-hmm.”

  “Then…it’s hard to explain. I feel like something’s changing inside me. Slowly, at first, but then it starts to pick up speed. It sort of feels like an explosion, in a way, but inside me.”

  “Mm-hmm.”

  “I have a way to explain it, actually, but I don’t know. It might make you feel uncomfortable.”

  “Go ahead.”

  “Have you ever been with a woman, and she had a really good orgasm?”

  Aria was right. This was indeed starting to get uncomfortable, especially when that’s exactly what Wilson wish he could do with her one day, after all this is over and they can be together. He tried to ignore those feelings and stay professional, if bringing up sex and not reacting to it was professional, about her responses. “Yes I have. What about it?”

  “Well, when a woman does it and you’re inside her, the sensation of you going in and out, it eventually leads to something that feels like the woman’s going to explode. And then when she actually orgasms…that’s sort of like an explosion.” Aria adjusted her sitting position. “You know what I mean? Or maybe you don’t because you’re the man.”

  “I can imagine it, yes. When men start heading towards…the end, so to speak…it sort of feels like he exploded, too.”

  “Yes! Exactly! So when I’m about to become a wolf, I feel something inside me that’s like that sensation, except instead of having an orgasm, my arm and leg muscles become larger, my body and head become larger, and fur sort of explodes outward, in a way.”

  “And you can’t control this?” Wilson confirmed. “You can’t just will yourself to not do that?”

  “I have tried many times, believe me. I have tried meditation exercises. I have closed my eyes right when I started feeling the symptoms and said to myself ‘Don’t do this’ over and over. But nothing seems to work.” Aria seemed exhausted thinking about the frustration this was causing her. “Whatever the reason is that I haven’t changed in over a week…I haven’t found it.” She started to cry.

  Wilson felt re
ally sorry for her. He wished he could understand what she was going through. Relate, somehow. But he was just a normal human. He placed the pad and pen on the coffee table, got up and sat down next to her. He then gave her a gentle rub on her back and reached over to the side table to get her a tissue. Aria took it and dabbed the tears away.

  “Is there anything else?” she said, sniffling and wiping away more tears.

  “No, I think you’ve been through enough. But thank you. Those answers help, even though you feel like they don’t.”

  Aria lay her head on his shoulder and he didn’t do anything to take advantage of her. All he did was continue to rub his back and comfort her as her friend.

  Chapter 8

  The next morning, Wilson took Aria to the interview at Cheryl’s and waited for her to finish before taking her back home and then going to work. She made a huge impression on Cheryl, and Cheryl was more than happy to give Aria a shot in her diner. She told Aria she could start the next morning, and Wilson made sure that it would only be day shifts, lying to Cheryl by telling her that Aria’s parents would not like her working at night. Cheryl had no problem with it.

  The night before, there was another attack in Fall River, Massachusetts. That made two attacks in two nights, which was a major step up from the attacks in Mayville, which averaged about one or two a week. Wilson decided then that it was about time he traveled out to Fall River and investigated the crime scenes in person. Perhaps he would find something there that the other investigators couldn’t.

  However, he didn’t know what to do about Aria. He couldn’t very well leave her alone, because what if she changed while he was away. He would not be there to lock her down and while she was conscious of what she was doing, both Aria and him weren’t sure if that would be forever or if one day she’d suddenly become really savage and unable to control her actions entirely.

  He also knew he couldn’t take her with him, after just having her get that job at Cheryl’s. As he stewed over it, he got a call on his cell. He was surprised to find that it was Ella.