William Anderson was in between classes at Moon Lake College, eating a cold sandwich from his briefcase while going over his afternoon lesson plans when he felt the cellphone in his suit jacket vibrate.
Seeing who it was on Caller ID, he said, "Yes my feline femme fatale?"
"Oh you sexy fox," said his wife Martha, purring in delight. "Flattery will get you everywhere, but the reason I'm calling is to let you know that I got a substitute teaching gig for at least the rest of this week starting tomorrow."
"Really? Where?" asked William, sharing in his wife's delight.
"Moon Lake Junior High. The Assistant Girls' Gym Coach has to go back East on bereavement leave and they asked me to cover."
"That's wonderful honey, for you I mean," said William, trying to be encouraging despite the fact Martha's specialty was third grade elementary school.
"I know what you meant dear," replied his wife. "Anyway, besides sharing the wonderful news with you, I just wanted to let you know that I have to go gym clothes shopping. Hopefully I'll be back in time for dinner, but considering I'll be on foot, if I ain't..."
"I understand. Just leave the boys a note and I should be home by 6 Martha."
"Okay. See you later my sexy vulpine stud," purred Martha.
"We'll celebrate in style later tonight my sex kitten," promised William, before ending the call.
"I see becoming a werefox hasn't hurt you any," said a woman standing in the doorway of William's classroom.
"That was a private conversation with my wife you were rudely eavesdropping on Brett Smithson," he said, instantly recognizing the woman. "What do you want?" he asked her coldly.
"As Yvette Smith's defense attorney, I was hoping you'd have a chance to give me a deposition in regards to my client's impending sentencing hearing."
If he was in his fursona, William swore he would feel his fox fur bristle. "I said all I needed to about your client when I testified at her Statute 1-A* violations hearing before the court. She got the guilty verdict she earned, and personally I hope she rots away in jail forever, never to menace anyone, human or were, ever again! Now you might want to leave before I call security and have you escorted off the campus."
"I understand you and my client have had some... misunderstandings in the past," began Smithson.
"Lady, that's putting it mildly," growled William.
"I'm hoping to see my client institutionalized so she gets the proper help she needs, or at least competent medical care wherever she's ordered to serve out her sentence. Yvette Smith will be spending the next 100 years of her long life confined somewhere, and among other things, is claustrophobic**."
"Her problem, not mine," replied William, staring at the lawyer.
"But despite the fact that right now the court keeps postponing Smith's sentencing hearing between some conflict over a wedding*** and now a rogue were-rat in Seattle****, I still need to schedule a time to take your deposition," said Smithson.
"Why?"
"I was hoping you'd support my position on getting Smith treatment while incarcerated," admitted Smithson. "Even Doctor Frances Twist's evaluation said that she needs help, although we disagree on the specific issues my client faces."
"You want a deposition?" asked William Anderson. "Considering you know who I am, contact Tachibana no Akane. When she says to talk to you, I will. Now I highly recommend leaving because I am calling campus security right now!" as he reached for the school phone in his classroom.
With that, Brett Smithson***** turned and walked out of the classroom, even as her acute werebadger ears heard Anderson making the call.
Well, that could of gone better, she thought, while reaching into her jacket pocket and turning off the micro-cassette recorder she had on during their conversation.
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*In Moon Lake, regardless of which story you're reading, the crime of a were turning a normal into a were against their will. Punishable by a minimum jail sentence of 50 years for each count if guilty, and Yvette Smith is for both William Anderson and Jennifer Harper.
**The fear of being enclosed in a small space.
***Jenny Harper marrying Harry Jenkins, this "coming Saturday" in our story.
****Lionel Ulysses, in the Moon Lake, Tad story, which is currently running a "day" ahead of this tale.
*****The Earth 2 version of Brett Smithson is currently Julie Stovall's defense attorney in that story line.—tmw.