As Melissa Stovall tried to describe the dream she just had to Frances; in stumbles Martin, still looking drunk despite Sheriff Cooper’s toilet swirlies and massive injection of caffeine. Sitting down as sheriff Cooper stands at the door looking at the sad state the Stovall’s have come too.
“All right,” an angry Frances staring at Martin; “let’s have it. Where were you?”
“Home,” Martin shakily answers; “with about several beers and a bottle of rum in me.”
“And why would you go a drink yourself to death,” Frances growls; “when your wife just had a major health scare!”
Martin hands Frances the crumpled letter* that Julie wrote; “I’d say that is a good reason to induce alcohol poisoning.”
Frances takes the letter and reads it. Each sentence, each paragraph; its entire contents make Frances shake her head.
“What does it say,” Melissa asking; “what did Julie write?”
“Nothing good,” Martin answers; “for the… urg… sake of the… baby please don’t read it.”
“I’ll be the judge of that,” Melissa looking at her husband sternly; “Frances, give me the letter.”
“Before you read it,” Sheriff Cooper speaking; “it was read to the council during Julie’s statue 1A trail. It did not help Julie’s case from what I heard.”
“Julie escaping and committing murder,” Martin slightly slurring; “screwed what chance at a minimum sentence for her.”
Melissa reads the letter and then quickly crumples it; throwing the balled up paper in a nearby trash bin. “If that’s what she wants,” Melissa tearing up, “then she can rot in a cell.”
“Melissa,” Frances doing her best to comfort her; “surely you don’t mean that.”
“We lost our daughter Martin,” Melissa tearing up; “we lost her.”
******
Moments before Martin arrived at the hospital and Jean Talbot arrived at the Anderson household. Samantha Twist just arrived at the council building to see several men in suits scouring the place. A discreet sniff made it clear that each person was a werewolf. ‘Luna brotherhood,’ Samantha thought; ‘I guess Tachibana is not kidding with bringing out the big guns.’
Heading inside and informing the security desk who she is and quickly shifting into her were-cat fursona. Tabby fur covering her body from head to paw as she was escorted to Tachibana’s office. Entering she sees, Daisuke in his werefox form speaking in Japanese to his grandmother. Not knowing what the two are saying as they are clearly having a heated conversation; Samantha watches as Daisuke bows stiffly and then leaves the office, tightly gripping the family sword in his paw.
“Problems,” Samantha letting Tachibana know she is there; “Anything as town chancellor I need to know of?”
“Just my grandson requesting to commit Seppuku,” Tachibana sighing; “he feels allowing Julie to escape has brought great shame to the family.”
“Seppuku,” Samantha asking; “what is that?”
“A Samurai’s ritualistic suicide,” Tachibana shaking her head; “it’s what a disgraced samurai warrior does when either captured in battle or brought to great shame from one action or another.”
“How barbaric,” Samantha looking aghast.
“It was common in Feudal Japan,” Tachibana answering; “I myself witnessed a few committed by the Japanese Imperial Navy before Hiroshima was destroyed. The officers; each from samurai clans knew the war was going badly and defeat was inevitable. They chose to regain some honor in the eyes of their ancestors and self-disembowel before a second lopped of their heads.”
“Still barbaric,” Samantha looking disgusted; “why would you do that?”
“To save face,” Tachibana responding; “honor and duty were taught to be more important than above all else. It was part of the Samurai code of Bushido. But enough of the history lesson; your here because of the were-alert.”
“You called the Luna Brotherhood,” Samantha asking; “isn’t that over reacting?”
“Julie committed murder,” Tachibana responds; “plus it is suspected she is already out of Moon Lake and on her or in Seattle as we speak. The Luna Brotherhood is not over reacting, its following procedure.”
“Then why call a were-alert,” Samantha asking; “if the wolves are going to capture her.”
“Better safe than sorry,” Tachibana sighing; “I already made plans to ensure those Julie might try and target, are protected. Eric, Spencer and Frieda are at the Knight estate. Julie would be hard pressed to attack those three with two pissed off adult were-panthers.”
“Anyone else,” Samantha asking?
“A were-otter by the name of Brian Walker,” Tachibana responding; “I have members of the skulk discreetly watching the kid at his home and mother as she is currently at work.”
“What about her parents,” Samantha speaking; “what of Martin and Melissa Stovall?”
“The same,” Tachibana answering; “members of the skulk are watching the Stovall house for signs of Julie trying to get back. Also we have the sheriff’s deputies patrolling the shores of the lake in case Julie is hiding out there.”
“Well it looks like you have all the bases covered,” Samantha speaking; “but what of the Lawson and Anderson residence? Would Julie try and head to those places as well?”
“If she did,” Tachibana answers; “then Julie would have to contend with some angry parents that are going to protect their children. Julie can’t be that stupid.”
Before Samantha could talk; an attendant knocks to hand Tachibana a message. Reading it she nods dismissing the attendant and looks at Samantha.
“The Luna Brotherhood just captured Julie Stovall. She and her accomplice were hiding in Seattle.”
"Accomplice,” Samantha looking stunned; “Who?”
“Alyssa Cooper,” Tachibana answering; “Sheriff Cooper’s cousin. Oh that were-grizzly is going to flip when he finds out.”
“So this means the were-alert will be cancelled,” Samantha sighing in relief.
“As soon as Julie is returned to our custody,” Tachibana is speaking; “then she spends the night in a jail cell before reappearing here tomorrow in chains. I’m not taking any more chances with that slippery fish.”
* written in the “Julie writes out her true feelings” chapter and then spoken by Tachibana in the “A verdict is rendered” chapter