Beware of Wolf

by Geonn Cannon

  "I don't care what you buy."

  Ari was at third base, and Brandon was even with first base of the other diamond. Ari lowered the phone and called across the field to Jenna.

  "Hey, sweetie. You okay?"

  "Yeah..." Wary, as well she should be. She looked toward Brandon, then back at Ari. "Who are you?"

  "I'm a lady your mother hired to bring you home. Here..." She pulled the lemur from her coat pocket. "She knew you'd be missing this guy, so she wanted me to bring him to you."

  Jenna brightened. "Lolo!"

  Ferocious barking suddenly came from the other side of the field and Ari looked to see Milo tearing toward home plate. She skidded past Brandon, nearly knocking him over as she raced for the bag of money. Brandon shouted and began to run as Milo ducked her head and threaded it through the strap. The leather pulled taut against her neck as Milo ran pell-mell toward the opposite side of the park. Brandon gave chase, but it was clear he had no chance.

  Ari ran the rest of the distance to Jenna and scooped her up. "Honey, we're going to have to run. Hold tight."

  "I'm scared," Jenna said.

  "I know, sweetie. Just hold onto Lolo." She tucked Jenna's head against her shoulder and ran for the gate. She hit the chain-link just as a loud cracking noise filled the air. At first she thought it was the sound of her hand hitting metal, but then it happened again and she realized it was a gunshot. She hunched her shoulders forward to cover Jenna's body with her own, and Jenna began to cry as Ari hauled her toward the safety of a nearby building. She ducked down and put Jenna against the wall, knowing the big gray bricks would protect her from any stray bullets. She crouched next to her and ventured a look back the way she had come.

  Brandon was sprawled on his back a few yards from where Ari had last seen him. Tires squealed, but the echo was so bad that she couldn't pinpoint the direction.

  "You're sweaty."

  Ari couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, sweetie. I was running to come get you so I could take you home. Your mother really misses you."

  "I miss her, too."

  Ari pulled out her phone. "Do you know how to send a text message?"

  "A little."

  "Here... send one to your mommy's friend Erica. Tell her you're safe and you're coming home soon."

  "I'm only supposed to use phones in case of emergencies."

  "This counts. Trust me."

  Jenna took the phone and Ari looked back out. Brandon still hadn't moved, and now sirens were picking up. She'd heard no other shots after the first two so she decided it was safe enough to try leaving cover.

  "I sent it." Jenna handed back the phone.

  "Okay. Come on." She put the phone in her pocket and guided Jenna out of the nook. Jenna was clutching her toy with one hand, so Ari took the other and hurried her to the south and away from the sirens that now seemed to be right on top of them. She didn't want to waste time explaining to the police who she was and what she was doing there.

  Jenna looked back and then looked up at Ari. "Did I do something bad?"

  "No. Brandon was doing something bad."

  "Oh."

  "Hey, did you ever get your ice cream?"

  Jenna smiled. "Yes!"

  "Good." She looked to see if any of the police had noticed her or if, more importantly, Milo was anywhere to be seen. She ushered Jenna onto the footpath, knowing that there was a bus stop somewhere nearby that could take them back to where her jog had started. She put her hand on Jenna's back. "Do you mind riding the bus back to your mommy's house with me? We could walk, but I want to get you back there as soon as I can."

  Jenna hesitated. She'd obviously been taught to be wary of strangers, but after what she'd been through she wasn't sure what to say or do. She pressed her face against the head of her toy and then nodded once.

  "Okay. Come on. There's bound to be a bus stop somewhere nearby." She took Jenna's hand and walked with her away from the park. "Can I ask you something about the place you've been staying the past few days?"

  "I guess."

  "Was Brandon there the whole time, or was there sometimes another person?"

  "There was another person. I didn't like him. He was a mean man."

  "Did he hurt you?"

  Jenna shook her head. "He was just mean to us. I mean... me."

  Ari remembered the invisible friend and touched the back of Jenna's head. "It's okay. You don't have to worry about him anymore."

  They found a bus stop and only had to wait a few minutes before the bus arrived. Ari led Jenna to a seat near the middle of the bus and let her take the window seat. The route was circuitous, and it would take nearly forty-five minutes before it got to where they needed to be. Ari settled back against the seat and relaxed, finally able to catch her breath. She put her hand on top of Jenna's head and then held out her hand for Madeline's cell phone.

  "Let me see." She found the games section and, with Jenna's help, chose one that they could play together. Jenna focused on the angry birds and not the harrowing situation she'd just gone through. When it wasn't her turn, Ari would look out the bus window in the hopes of spotting a black and white wolf racing through the streets with a leather satchel of money hanging from her neck.

  "You're not very good at this game."

  Ari laughed. "Well, maybe you're just too good, huh?"

  She rested her hand on the back of Jenna's head as she refocused on the game. There was still a lot of work to do. She had to find out why Brandon had really been involved with the kidnapping, and she needed to know who the 'other man' was. If she learned that she would most likely know who had taken those two shots in the park. But for the moment, she could relax. The most important part of the case was closed.

  Chapter Twelve

  The bus delivered them to a stop down the street from Jenna's home. Jenna started walking faster once home was in sight, and Ari spent the walk trying to come up with an explanation for how her 'dog' had run away with the eighty-thousand dollars of ransom money. Just before they made the final turn, Milo emerged from the trees to their left and trotted to catch up with Ari. The bag was still sloppily slung over her neck, bumping the ground as she walked.

  "Nice of you to show up."

  Milo looked up and gave Ari an unmistakable 'are you kidding me' glare. Ari smirked and reached down to scratch the top of her head.

  Jenna had tensed when Milo appeared, but she relaxed when Ari petted her. "Is that your doggie?"

  "She's, ah, my helper today. Her name is Millie. You want her to walk you home? She's real friendly."

  Jenna nodded and Milo moved up to walk beside her. Ari took the bag off Milo's neck and slung it back over her shoulder as they made the final approach to the house.

  Madeline and Erica were both on the porch. Madeline turned, looking over her shoulder in a way that told Ari she had looked every time a car or truck or bicycle had come around the curve. When she spotted Jenna she inhaled sharply and held the air in her chest, grabbing Erica's arm to keep upright. Jenna squealed and ran up the driveway, and Madeline met her halfway. She dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around her daughter, clutching her tightly as tears flowed from her eyes.

  "Baby... I was so worried. Are you okay?"

  "I'm fine, mommy. I missed you."

  Erica stepped around the happy reunion and looked at Ari with equal parts awe and respect. "I have no idea how you did it, but thank you."

  "It was my pleasure." She opened the flap of the bag and checked to make sure all the money was present. It wasn't that she distrusted Milo, but she was still an unknown quantity. It was all still accounted for, so Ari shut the bag and lightly touched Madeline's arm.

  "Let's take her inside, okay?"

  "Yes. Of course." She stood up and took Jenna's hand, guiding her up onto the front porch. Erica and Ari followed, with Milo bringing up the rear. Once they were inside, Madeline took Jenna to wash up and change into some of her own clothes. It seemed that Brandon and his mysterious companion had boug
ht clean clothes for her to wear while she was in their custody, and Ari didn't blame Madeline for wanting to get Jenna out of them.

  While they were gone Ari transferred the money from her satchel to the duffel bag Madeline had left on the couch. Erica watched her and shook her head.

  "How did you ever manage to do this?"

  "I got lucky. And I had a good partner."

  Milo ruffed quietly.

  Erica said, "Do you have a business card?"

  Ari frowned and took out her wallet. She handed a card across the table. "Do you need a private investigator?"

  "No, and I don't foresee needing one in the future. But if I do, I know for damn sure which one I'm going to call."

  Ari smiled and dipped her chin in thanks.

  Madeline returned alone. "Jenna's exhausted. I tucked her in so she could take a nap." Ari noticed that she was standing between Jenna's bedroom and the front door, standing guard even if she didn't consciously realize what she was doing. She looked at the money in the bag as if she didn't understand what it was doing there. Then she dropped her hands and her lips parted in surprise. "My God. Is that my money?"

  "It is. All eighty thousand of it."

  "That's unbelievable. What happened?"

  That took her a few minutes to explain. When she got to the part about seeing Brandon's body, Madeline sagged and pressed one shoulder to the wall. She hung her head and took a few deep, steadying breaths before she looked up again. The tears in her eyes were fresh, but Ari could tell she wasn't grieving too hard for him.

  "He really was a good man. When I knew him. You have to believe that, Ms. Willow."

  "I know. You wouldn't have been with him otherwise. But people change. I'm just glad this ended as neatly as it did."

  Madeline left the hallway and went to the bag of money. She broke one of the packets and counted out a few hundred.

  "Your assistant told me your fees. This... this is double that."

  "That's generous, but I can't--"

  "You earned it. And you saved me from losing so much more." She held the money out with a steady hand. "Please, Ms. Willow. The kidnapper forced me to give what I could afford. Now I'm giving what I feel like I owe. You brought her back to me."

  Ari took the money. "Thank you. I'm glad I was able to help. Oh..." She took out the cell phone and handed it to her. "I probably won't need this anymore."

  "Oh. Thank you." She looked at the phone and then met Ari's eye. "Thank you, Ariadne."

  "You're very welcome. I'll go ahead and get out of here. You'll need some rest so you can keep up with Jenna when she wakes up."

  Madeline blinked in surprise. "Oh. Yes, of course. Thank you." She furrowed her brow. "I know I said that, but I don't care. I can't say it enough."

  Erica said, "I'll see you to your car."

  They walked out together, Milo staying close by Ari's side. "Will you stay with her today?"

  "Of course," Erica said. "She'll need someone to pick up the slack, and I'm happy to do it." She touched Ari's arm to stop her and lowered her voice. "The other kidnapper, whoever shot Brandon... they're still out there. Should Maddie be worried?"

  Ari didn't see any sense in lying to her. "Yes. I don't think Brandon came up with this by himself. If there is someone still out there who wants Jenna, they'll try again. The good thing is now that Jenna's home, there's no reason not to call the police. Can I have my card back for a second?" She handed it over and Ari wrote another number on the back. "This is the direct line to Detective Kyle Lorne. Have Madeline call him and tell him everything that happened this week."

  "I'll have her call. I know she said it about a dozen times, but thank you. I've known Maddie a long time and I've never seen her as lost as she was this week. Having you take charge the way you did really helped get her through it. Getting Jenna back was just part of it."

  Ari handed her card back. "I'm just glad I was able to help. If you need a follow-up, or if Detective Lorne wants to talk with me, you can reach me at that number."

  Erica nodded. "Knowing Erica she'll probably invite you back here for a barbeque or something. She doesn't forget when people come through for her."

  "I'll consider myself warned." Ari grinned. "It was nice meeting you."

  Erica shook her hand and wished Ari well. Ari opened the car door for Milo to jump in, got behind the wheel, and left the Morris house behind her. She heard Milo shifting in the backseat behind her, so she maneuvered herself out of her jacket and tossed it over her shoulder. At the next stoplight she looked back and saw Milo was in human form, wearing the jacket zipped up to mid-chest.

  "Were you okay?"

  "Fine. Nearly got hit by a thousand bloody cars, though. Kept forgetting to look the right way." She coughed and flipped her hair out of her face. "Hope I didn't overstep or blow things up, taking the bag like that."

  "No, that was the perfect call. Were you clear before the shooting started?"

  Milo nodded. "I was about a block away, runnin' like hell. I didn't stop until I was a good mile away. Then I had to try'n figure out how to get back to the Morris place. Had a hell of a time, but I managed. Good thing I spent the night cramming with a street map of Seattle. Good God, that checkpoint run! I thought we were done for sure. How 'bout you?"

  "The shooter seemed more interested in killing Brandon than getting me. I was lucky."

  "You really think whoever it is will come after Jenna again?"

  Ari shrugged. "Better have Madeline prepared for that instead of giving her false hope and dropping her guard. I think the real danger is going to be that she gets overprotective of the girl, but that'll pass. Madeline's got a good head on her shoulders. She'll know when the time comes to let her go."

  She pulled onto Milo's block and turned into the driveway. The morning's conversation came back to her, the idle comment about something happening between Milo and Dale. She parked and took the money Madeline had given her out of her pocket. She peeled off one of the hundreds and held it out. "Here. I know you said you didn't want it, but you risked car accidents and flying bullets, and you helped a bad situation end happily for the people we like. It's a hundred, so it's nothing to sneeze at, but it's a fraction of what I'm keeping for myself and Dale so I feel a little guilty about it. And considering your address, it feels sort of like tipping someone a penny. Go on. Use it to buy stuff for your stashes."

  Milo took the money and hoisted it once in thanks. "You're all right, Ari."

  Ari nodded. "One more thing, Milo." She paused with the door open. "Dale and I are together. I don't know what last night was, and I have no idea what you think happened between the two of you yesterday, but that's something you can take to the bank. I trust her. So if you plan to get between us, you can give it up. I like you. You're a good person, and today you proved that you're a hell of an asset to have around. Today would have gone a lot worse without you there, and I like to think Dale and I have made your transition to Seattle a little easier. I think the three of us could be really good friends. But if you keep up this shit trying to incite jealousy in one or the other, you're going to lose us both."

  Milo looked out the window during the speech. When Ari was finished Milo looked down at her bare legs under the hem of the jacket, nodded once, and softly said, "Yeah. A'right."

  "Friends?"

  The corners of Milo's mouth ticked up slightly. Her voice was soft, defeated, and she nodded her head twice. "Yeah. My love to Dale, yeah?"

  "Sure. Give us a call, we'll go out to dinner again sometime."

  "Aye. Thanks for today, Ari. And I'm sorry about the... games."

  Ari shook her head. "It's already forgotten." She held out her hand. "See you around. We'll go running again."

  "I'd like that. Sithee, Ariadne."

  "Bye for now, Millicent."

  Milo managed a smile at that and plucked the hem of her coat. "I'll get this back to ya."

  Ari nodded. "Thanks for your help. You may have saved Jenna's life, so..."


  "Ah, you did all the hard work. I just swept in at the end. And from now on, the whole... you and Dale thing? I won't, ah... You don't have to worry about it."

  "Glad to hear it."

  "All right... bye."

  When Milo was safely inside, Ari pulled away and drove back toward the office. She felt weak and weary, allowing herself to be exhausted now that Jenna was safe. She turned found a radio station playing Bruno Mars and took the long way home, driving near Downtown before she swung back up toward the office.

  As she was driving, she thought about the whole bizarre thing with Milo playing her and Dale off each other. It was a fool's errand destined to fail, but she still felt awkward that it had been tried. There was a store nearby that had piqued her curiosity before, but she'd never gone in. With the bonus from the case burning a hole in her pocket, and with Milo's juvenile games nipped in the bud, she thought the time had come to finally take the step.

  She took a detour that passed by the store and parked in the back lot. She took part of the money Madeline had given her, looked at the store, and made her decision as she climbed out of the car.

  #

  Milo hung Ari's jacket on the hook inside the front door and slid her hands down the sleeves. It was still strongly filled with Ari's scent, but there was a hint of Dale's as well. She assumed it was Ari's jacket and it simply spent a lot of time at Dale's apartment. Maybe she borrowed it from time to time for quick runs to the corner store or to get something out of the car. She brushed the collar and found a stray red hair that she twirled between her thumb and forefinger as she walked naked into the living room.

  The plan had seemed simple in England. But at that point Ariadne Willow and Dale Frye were just names on a piece of paper. There was a bit of personal information on them both but nothing that revealed just how compatible they were. She sat in the armchair that faced the window and thought about their dinner together. She'd known from the first moment that she wouldn't be able to break them apart. They truly loved each other. More than that, they belonged with each other.