Sean Walker woke up in his motel room, feeling very stiff and sore. He spent the better half of yesterday searching Moon Lake for any suspicious activity (as he was convinced it was the sight of something shady or criminal).
Sadly, the only things his search of the surrounding woods turned up were some wildlife, and some discarded clothing. Which puzzled him until he heard some very “happy” moaning sounds. He brushed it off as teenagers being teenagers.
While he stretched and prepared to go back, outside there was a werewolf well hidden in the trees. Ryan Connor, though it was his day off, took it upon himself to track the suspicious black sedan. And he followed the scent all the way to this motel. The driver of said vehicle was on the second floor.
Connor couldn’t see into the room, and couldn’t step out into the open in his wolf form. At least he had enough sense to bring a change of clothing in the backpack he was carrying. Furthermore, something about the scent he’d followed as oddly familiar, but Connor couldn’t place it.
“Officer Connor?” The radio clipped to Ryan’s backpack screeched. He backtracked before answering it, in case he was over heard by anyone.
“Yes sir?”
“What’s your current position? You’re doing some recon on that out of town normal, correct?”
“Yes. He’s staying at the motel about five or six miles west of town. I haven’t had a chance to inspect the vehicle, there are other normals out and about. I think he’s just getting up, might be heading back to town.” Connor said, seeing the lights in the man’s room go on.
“What do you know so far?” the officer on the other end of the line asked.
“Aside from the fact that this guy is definitely suspicious, nothing. Like the witnesses said, there’s nothing about this guy that stands out. Just your average white male. Not sure if he’s a hunter, an avid gunman, or something else. He’s carrying something, probably a handgun, the scent is all over him.”
And thankfully the fact that the man smelled so strongly of gun polish and the propellant used in guns. A horribly acrid scent that makes Connor’s sensitive nose wrinkle. Which is why most were police officers don’t use guns unless they absolutely have to. The smell is unbearable, and takes days to wash away.
“Do you need any backup?”
“At the moment, no. I’m going to turn tail and come back. But maybe you should send someone else to the town border,. Just to keep an eye out for this guy. Something tells me one visit wasn’t enough.”
“Will do. Stay safe Ryan.”
“I try to.” Ryan said before turning the radio off, and then clipping it back onto his pack. Ryan took off into the thicket, running on all fours to save himself some time. It was still a fifteen minute run back to town, only because Ryan had to be very careful not to let anyone see him. He could have tracked his target without transforming, but it would have taken much longer.
By the time he was past the border, he caught sight of another police cruiser stationed just beyond the line of sight of anyone driving into town. The other officer noticed Ryan, and regarded him with a quick nod.
Once in a safe area, Ryan changed back and dressed himself in a pair of basketball shorts and a running t-shirt. It was his go to outfit if he needed to make quick clothing changes. He jogged back into the station, surprised to find the chief of police, Douglas Cooper, was there.
“Captain, what are you doing here?” Ryan asked.
“The wife is taking the grandkids to the zoo for the day. Nothing better to do, so I figured I’d clock in some overtime. And I hear you’ve got quite an interesting case on your hands.” Cooper said.
“Interesting isn’t the right word. But it’s certainly something. Have you already been briefed?”
“All up to speed. That officer stationed at the line, gave him the orders myself.”
“So what do you want to do now sir?”
“No, no, don’t mind me. This is YOUR case Connor. You got it, you run with it. I’m only here to help, and boss everyone else around.”
“Really sir?” Ryan was still a rookie officer, only being on the force for about two years. He’d never been given a responsibility like this before.
“You might be young, but you’re a good cop and a good man Connor. Let’s see you put some of your brains to work.” Cooper said. He smiled as he watched the young officer walk out of the room to change into something a bit more formal with his head held high. And a giant grin on his own face. Cooper only hoped that it would last.
In the past two or three weeks they’d had more excitement than in two years. To paraphrase, the vacation was over, and now it was time to get back to reality.