Martin quietly drove up to his parking space at City Hall and gave a heavy sigh. There were times when coming in made him feel proud over doing his best to both keep Moon Lake safe, both from rogue weres that were always a threat to destroy everything Moon Lake stood for and to protect weres from the superstitions that normals may have that could also destroy the modest community in Washington State. There were also times that were nerve wracking and he would have preferred to stay with Melissa and Julie and hold his family close to him. Today was on latter moments with the fact that at least weres in general risked exposure.
He took a couple of steps when he heard another car pulled up, and he glanced over to see Samantha Twist behind the wheel. That made him pause to wait for her. She got out and shut the door and began to approach him with the same dignified grace that she'd always had, though Martin thought something might be a bit off, as that she'd been taking on some stress as a result of what had happened while he'd been away.
"You okay?" Martin asked as Samantha approached.
"I'm fine," Samantha answered slowly, "though between things in Seattle and here, I'd think we've had enough stress to last a century."
Martin didn't immediately answer as he lead the way toward a wooden side door to the building. He opened it and let Samantha in, though he also keep his eyes on her. Something Samantha had said about something going on in "Seattle and here" would give the impression that something was also going in Moon Lake. With all the major events that had happened recently, that had Martin a bit nervous.
"Do I want to know?" Martin asked as he shut the door behind them and they began to walk down the hallway with the only other sound being the electric hum of the lights.
"Dieter Wilhelm is still up to various tricks and has sent a SECOND agent up here with the likely job of killing Harry Jenkins," Samantha answered, "which has all the security measures that we're doing to make it up to Jennifer Harper and Harry Jenkins has gotten a LOT tougher."
Martin blew air out through his teeth. That had related many of the issues that Moon Lake had always dealt with with regard to keep rogue weres from causing trouble. It was a matter of balance that had always been there to Moon Lake's society in trying to show that weres and normals could live together. Moon Lake had to make things up to Jennifer Harper given that her entry into were society was due to Yvette Smith's attempt to keep the police off her tail while she was on the loose, though the fact that this was putting Moon Lake in a bit of a pickle regarding Jenny's own family and her unwanted suitor becoming more and more of a problem.
"Has anyone questioned supporting Jennifer Harper, yet?" Martin asked.
"Not yet," Samantha answered, "but dealing with Wilhelm and his agents WON'T be easy in one way or the other."
"Then we stand by Jennifer Harper, no matter how hard it is," Martin answered, "as it is still the right thing to do."
Samantha slowly nodded as they came from the hallway into one of the main hallways, and she could see the entryway at City Hall and the stairway that lead up to the second floor where they had their offices. Waiting by the stairway was Chief O'Hara. He looked calm and his only issue looked more like he was making sure he wasn't wasting time as he looked around, particularly toward the doors and hallways that he could see where he was standing. He eventually noticed Samantha and Martin as they made their way across the tiled floor.
"Good morning, chief," Martin greeted him as he approached, "things going well?"
"About as well as could be expected, sir," Chief O'Hara answered, "Though... I didn't expect you to be back today."
"I don't think Melissa did either... but given what I've been told about what's gone on in Seattle, it's probably best that I catch up on things," Martin answered, "Just in case we need to anything."
"And everything you had to help with?" Chief O'Hara asked.
"My mom is doing fine," Martin answered, "perhaps a bit grumpy at having to hide that she is a were, but she's doing well enough that isn't needing to as much and that I don't need to stay down there."
"Good to hear," Chief O'Hara answered.
Martin nodded and looked to the chief and commented, "and I've heard that I've missed quite a lot while in California... if we can go up the conference room, would you mind helping me catch up?"
"Not at all, sir," Chief O'Hara answered, "In fact, I'm here to give an update on our present situation with Wilhelm's agents."
The three then slowly made their way up the stairs. It didn't take them long to make it to the upstairs conference room with Martin and Samantha moving to sit down one side of the table. Eventually Martin pulled out the chair next to him on the edge of the table and offered it to Chief O'Hara. The police chief eyed it for a moment and then moved to sit down.
"Okay, Samantha's already filled me in that Mr. Wilhelm has sent another agent here," Martin said slowly, "I take it that what your update is on?"
"Yes, sir," Chief O'Hara nodded, "I am pleased to report that we've managed to put in place a strategy that would keep this second agent from causing any direct trouble with good deception tactics."
"Which is?" Samantha asked.
"The idea that there is a supposed terrorist threat in Seattle," Chief O'Hara said carefully, "which may half relate to what's gone on in Seattle already, but it gave us the opportunity to report that Moon Lake has more undercover officers than we truly do... And the theory is that this guy won't pull anything if he feels he'll be caught right away."
"Did it work?" Martin asked.
"So far, yes," Chief O'Hara nodded, "We've had to use the first agent's phone and text with the agent to give him the slip... which theoretically could be taken as tampering with evidence, but that would only truly relate to the first agent who is presently dead. With that, the phone will last until either its battery gives out or until whatever payment plan he's on isn't met... or until we get an ID on the body as someone other than a John Doe."
"Anything in that department?" Martin asked.
"So far, no," Chief O'Hara answered, "I've been making calls through to the town where the stolen vehicle was from, but no one there says they've ever seen our John Doe, and until the two missing persons that are connected with that vehicle are found... we don't have any leads into our John Doe's identity... Thankfully that has given us the ability keep agent number two at bay for the moment."
"That's good," Martin breathed a sigh of relief. That was good news in that at least violence for the moment would be out of the question. This new agent might need to be monitored, but if he wasn't going to be violent, that might allow them to save manpower for other major missions. "You'll need to keep an eye on him, just in case he goes back on any orders to lay low... and obviously being ready to pounce in case he does something else that is criminal."
"Of course, sir," Chief O'Hara nodded.
"Is there anything that we can legally do to try and build a case against Dieter Wilhelm?" Martin asked.
"Nothing that would ultimately prove legal, sir," Chief O'Hara answered, "besides Ms. Harper's statements on his character being shady, we have nothing to charge him on officially... and that is only a statement. Beyond her word, we have no proof that even her word is right that would be admissible in court. We might be able to bait the new agent into naming his boss and specific orders, BUT that would also explaining how we got the cellphone and why we suspected Wilhelm in the first place. The evidence might prove to be troubling... but what we have would be considered as inadmissible in a court of law."
"Okay then," Martin sighed and then nodded to his police chief, "I won't urge you do anything illegal... In fact I'd even urge you to remind us on what we can do legally."
"I'm sure Moon Lake's DA, Mr. Theropod can help with all that," Chief O'Hara answered.
"He can and does," Martin nodded, "but at times we feel best about what you've been able to provide is that you're a bit closer to the actual gathering of evidence and finding out who the bad guys are."