While they never officially discussed instructions, Sheriff Cooper knew what he had to do as he left the Twist house.
First he called one of his most trusted deputies over his cruiser's radio and instructed him to go to Grrrrrrr... and request that they remain closed until after the arraignment hearing and any visitors connected with the Parker/Talbot situation were well out of town again. Even if the restaurant maintained its secrecy and only allowed customers to assume their fursonas in the privacy of its dining area, he still considered the establishment a security risk, especially in a situation like this.
Secondly, he contacted his officers discretely keeping tabs on the new arrivals. Cooper didn't like the fact that Fredrick Parker arrived with enough lawyers to stage a hostile corporate takeover, let alone others of questionable purpose.
Then again, if I was in his place and it was Joan or Darrell... thought the Sheriff, as the report came back that everyone, so far, was accounted for in and around the courthouse.
Then Cooper gave orders to those available to assist Brooke Reed with preparing Daniel Parker's transportation back to San Francisco while realizing he had the hardest job of all.
Keeping Leon Talbot under control, depending upon how the arraignment hearing went.
MEANWHILE...
Currently in his were-otter fursona, Brian Walker stumbled out of bed around 9 that morning, managed to get to the bathroom without bumping into anything or having an accident, then staggered to the kitchen for a late breakfast.
Weekend's were the only time he and his mother had to sleep in. Her hospital job was a straight Monday through Friday day shift, with her waitress gig at The Local Diner strictly nights and weekends.
As Brian entered the kitchen, he was suddenly hugged to the point of practically bruising his rib cage.
His first instinct would have been to go on the defensive and attack whoever this was, but a familiar scent penetrated his sleepy senses and kept him from doing so.
"MOM?" said Brian, trying to get the lady to stop.
Now finally fully awake, Brian saw that, despite the hour, his mother was still within her waitress uniform. "Is everything all right?" he asked.
"I've had a rough night honey and just got in," she said, finally letting her son go.
"What happened?"
"Peter Talbot was shot in the diner parking lot last night."
Brian was thankful he was in his were-otter form, his fur covering the fact that his face went pale remembering the bad dream about his own death at the paws of a jealous husband that made him drop all his plans of possibly becoming a gigolo to help support her.
"Not were related, thankfully. Just some jerk normal passing through town who fancied that 66 Mustang Talbot drives and wanted it for his own, no matter what he had to do to get it."
"Oh geez," said Brian, as he helped his mother sit down at the kitchen table.
"Then, after the ambulance left, Mel let me go thinking I might be needed at the hospital," added Emily Walker, as Brian got her a glass of milk.
"Your boss does know you're just in admissions and records at Moon Lake General, right?" asked Brian, as he moved on to start fixing toast for her.
"Yes. But even though we were-otters hardly have any direct dealings with werelions, it was more a question of seeing a friendly face there and trying to ease the Talbots' emotional burden while they awaited word on how their son was doing," explained his mother.
"How is Peter doing?" asked her son.
"From what I hear, it was touch and go for a while, but he'll make a full recovery. Yet I did manage to help out in my regular capacity too. Turns out Maggie Lawson had a son Friday night while Melissa Stovall successfully brought twins into the world before dawn this morning," revealed Emily Walker.
"WOW!" said Brian, as he got out the butter, jelly, and jam for his mother's toast.
"Which reminds me..." she began.
"Patricia faithfully takes her were-beaver birth control pill every morning," replied Brian, to relieve his mother's concerns as her toast popped out of the toaster. "Besides," he continued, after sitting down next to her after serving the toast, "I think she may be the one."
"Really?" said his mother, looking at her son with mixed emotions on her face, not even taking her first bite.
"I feel great when I'm near Patricia, even when we're just hanging out and doing stuff when not in our fursonas. I miss her when she's not around, and think about her. A LOT," he added.
"Oh Brian," she said tearfully, as she leaned forward to hug him again. It doesn't sound like he's had a were-wedding yet, but still...
Knowing there was nothing he could do to dissuade his mother, Brian Walker just let her hug him until she was done and sitting back in her chair normally.
"Now then," she began, while drying her eyes with a paper napkin. "First off, I want you to be happy."
"Patricia does make me happy mom," Brian assured her.
"Good. Just make sure you make her happy too, and not just sexually," his mother hastily added. "Now then, I also want you to remember the promise you made me after you had your first transformation."
"No marriages or babies until AFTER I've graduated college," Brian remembered. "Although right now, short of winning a scholarship, I'm not sure how I'm ever going to be able to afford college. Moon Lake C is the cheapest, compared to any other in Washington State, let alone the rest of the country. But except for something technological, I'm not even sure exactly what field I want to pursue."
"One day at a time son. One day at a time," Emily Walker reassured him, before finally starting to eat her toast.