Sheriff Cooper was not the first to arrive on scene; yet as he drove up onto the property, seeing three other police cruisers present and several officers milling about; the sheriff knew this was a potential problem on top of the bigger one currently holed up in the town’s only motel.
Sheriff Cooper got wind that Frederick Parker, or Freddie “The Shark” as he is known in his “social” circles rented a room at the motel. With nothing to use against him as an excuse to run him out of town or to arrest him, the sheriff had to grumble as the mobster was able to for the moment thumb his nose at his deputies. Stepping out of his cruiser, Sheriff Cooper sees a man in a bathrobe talking to deputy Samson Carter.
“Deputy Carter,” Sheriff Cooper nearly shouting; “what is the situation?”
“On moment George,” Samson turning around to great the Sheriff; “George, the Butler for the Knights’ was just giving me a full rundown on what happened.”
“Why is he in a bathrobe,” the sheriff speaking.
“He is a were-tiger,” Samson answering; “he and everyone inside except for the perpetrators and the cubs were in their fursonas at the time of the incident that just happened.”
Sheriff Copper sighs and groans as he pops a few aspirin. Knowing full well what this could mean, he approaches George.
“How many perps,” the Sheriff dreading what might come to be the biggest blunder for the town and the were-community as a whole.
“Four,” George speaking; “three are dead. One was tied up after Spencer knocked him unconscious.”
“Did the survivor see any of you in your fursona,” the sheriff feeling a cold pall creep, over him.
“No,” George responding; “however the remaining three did and had to be… Sheriff,” George sighing; “it was justifiable. Eric Anderson is beside himself at having to kill a man that was armed with a crowbar.”
“Good god,” Sheriff Cooper feeling sick; “Samson head to the Anderson household, get his parents over here. And while you’re at it,” Sheriff Cooper bellowing as he entered the estate; “get your sister Frances here as well. Eric might need to talk to her. George, show me the bodies.”
Entering the home and noticing the usual crime scene techs and the lone medical examiner placing shrouds over two bodies outside of Benton’s study; George leads him in to the study where he sees the third. The man’s eyes wide open with the look of terror on his face. Next to the body was a crowbar and a deposit of vomit just off to the side.
“I take it Eric killed this man,” the Sheriff looking at the body.
“He was protecting three were-tiger cubs,” George answering; “Ester Carpenter’s children.”
“They were hiding in here,” the sheriff looking at George.
“I can only assume that Eric was trying to lead them to the panic room,” George heading over to a bookcase and pressing a hidden button; “but the cubs could have been hiding under the desk.”
Sheriff Cooper nods as he looks at the panic room entrance and then the large desk. Big enough for even him to sit comfortably behind in his fursona; Sheriff Cooper could see three small children easily hiding there.
“Has Benton been informed as to what happened here,” The Sheriff getting up.
“From what Amanda told me before she left with Ester and Lila a couple hours ago,” George answering; “Benton Knight is passed out drunk at his brother’s place.”
“Oh great,” Sheriff Cooper looking exasperated; “another headache to deal with. This day is quite determined to shit on me good,” Sheriff Cooper grumbling; “I want to talk to Eric now.”
******
Twenty minutes earlier. Amanda was just entering Seattle on her way to a jazz club with Lila and Ester, when her phone started sounding a klaxon like horn. Scaring her and her passengers; Amanda had to swerve as she nearly rear ended a vehicle infront of her.
“What the hell was that,” Lila sounding spooked.
“The security system at home,” Amanda grabbing her phone; “People are prowling the property.”
“My children,” Ester growling; “where are they?”
“Dam,” Amanda snarling; “the feed just went dead. We need to get back to Moon Lake.”
“What do you mean the feed went dead,” Ester shouting; “what just happened?”
“My phone and Benton’s are keyed to our estate’s security system,” Amanda doing a U-turn to head back to Moon Lake; “at any time we can look at the surveillance feed for a live image of what is happening at our home. But the feed went dead seconds after the alarm sounded. That could only mean the power was cut.”
“Surely there are better ways to kill an alarm,” Lila speaking; “such as punching a code to the key pad.”
“Yes,” Amanda racing down the highway in the town car; “but I’m not the expert on the system.”
“Who is then,” Lila speaking
“A were-panther who is currently drunk in your husband’s back yard,” Amanda growling; “hopefully his phone going off might help to sober him up. Nothing better happen to Frieda,” Amanda growling; “god help who ever harms my daughter.”
“As well as my cubs,” Ester snarling.
******
Concurrently; Benton was still passed put drunk in Lance’s backyard. Still in his fursona, and slumped in a patio chair; the were-panther stirs as he hears a dim horn blaring from inside the house. Leaving his phone buried under his clothes inside the living room; Benton falls back asleep as the sound ceases. Unaware as to what is happening at his estate.
*******
George led the sheriff to where Eric Anderson was. He along with Spencer and Frieda were still in their Fursonas and keeping watch over some terrified children. A girl and twin boys. Sheriff Cooper could only assume these were the Carpenter cubs.
“Are you alright,” Sheriff Cooper looking at the group; “is there anything you need?”
“These kids could use there mom’s comfort,” Frieda speaking; “more so after what they saw.”
“We saw Eric punch a man in the chest,” Cindy looking scared; “he was moving so fast, it was almost a blur.”
“Fast for you three may be,” the sheriff looking at a despondent white furred were-panther; “but I do need to talk to Eric here.”
“Am I in trouble,” Eric speaking shakily; “I-I never knew a were could be that strong. To shatter the sternum in one punch,” Eric mumbling; “it’s the strongest bone in the human body.”
“Eric,” Sheriff Cooper sighing; “its clear you are shaken up, but I need to tell me what happened.”
“What happened?” Frieda growling; “it’s clear what happened. Four men broke into my father’s house; we were justified in what we did. If my dad was here,” Frieda staring at the sheriff; “you’d have four dead bodies instead of three.”
“And a pissed off were-panther determined to increase the body count,” Sheriff Cooper sighing; “I need to take a statement.”
“I killed a person,” Eric choking up; “oh god, what have I done?”
“Sheriff,” George speaking; “perhaps its best to talk to the fourth perp. Find out who they are and what they were after. Leave Eric be,” George looking at the distraught white furred were-panther; “its clear he is still unhinged at what he had to do.”
“Alright,” the sheriff nodding his head; “but I will need to talk to Eric. Where is the one you knocked out?”
“I knocked him out,” Spencer speaking; “George helped me tie the prig up. Last I saw, he was shoved in a cruiser and hauled away to jail most likely.”
******
The man was nursing a headache as he was being dragged to the police station and tossed into a cell. He knew it was a bad ideal to break into a large house with little to no prep work. Despite what his friend was fixated on. A high end Lamborghini and a Tesla. It was two minutes after busting inside when his world went dark. The man could of sworn he felt fur on the back of his neck when he was knocked out; but after telling the police, they just laughed it off and told him he was in a world of shit.
Now he is in a cell next to his boss’s son Daniel Parker, and three other of Freddie’s goons.
“So how did you end up here,” Daniel recognizing the professional burglar.
“Daniel,” the man speaking; “if you had of listened to your father, none of us would be here. But no, you had to carjack someone on your way to Canada. Now I’m stuck here, counting the minutes before your father gets wind of what just happened and sends his fixer to deal with me.”
“Boohoo,” Daniel sneering; “at least you know when you’re getting out. Even if it is in a body bag. Dad hasn’t even bother to check up on me,” Daniel sitting on the hard bench doubling as a bed; “how does he intend to spring me?”
“By all means please share,” Sheriff Cooper entering the police station; “give me the reason I need to arrest Frederick Parker.”
“I want my lawyer,” the lone man sneering.
“You’re going to need one,” Sheriff Cooper glaring at the man; “do you have any ideal who owned the house you broke into?”
“Not a clue,” the goon speaking; “and that isn’t a confession.”
“Benton Knight,” Sheriff Cooper looking serious; “owner and CEO of Knight Industries. A multi-billion dollar multinational muilti-conglomerate. He is a man who has more money than all the drug lords of Central and South America combined. And you broke into his house while his daughter was home,” Sheriff Cooper looking at the stunned man; “good luck surviving his wrath.”
Sheriff Cooper leaves the jail cells; wanting to talk to the man but unable to after he demanded his lawyer. Catching the last of the conversation the man had with Daniel; the sheriff knew he and the three other dead men were part of Freddie Parker’s entourage. While he had no love for the mobster; the sheriff was duty bound to inform the man what happened to his men and who he may have to deal with in the morning.”