Detectives Miles and Lukasky sat down in Harold’s front living room; the lingering smell of bacon and sausage still in the air as the detectives were were’s and could tell a large breakfast was consumed a little while ago.
“First things first,” Detective Miles speaks; “how are you adjusting to being a were-tiger?”
“Well I’m still me,” Harold sitting down; “younger looking and far more muscular. Most of my clothes won’t fit now,” Harold sighing; “couple that with my increased appetite for meat and relying on savings just to get by until my paychecks start coming in…”
“I’m sure your college dean will help in that regards,” Detective Lukasky remarking; “has your daughter decided what were she is going to be?”
Harold looked at the detective coldly; not wanting to broach that subject, he remained silent on the matter. However the detective wasn’t going to let the matter rest as he repeated the question.
“That is a matter between me and Melissa,” Harold glaring; “now that I am the family were as per the town’s laws; Melissa is under no obligation to commit if she so chooses.”
“I understand,” Detective Lukasky answering; “but I only ask this because, I am concerned that since she is still a normal, Alice Decrux might try to get to you by, you know…”
“If Alice so much as touches my daughter,” Harold unable to help himself by growling; “it will be the last thing she does as I rip her throat out!”
“Let it go,” Detective Miles looking at his partner; “besides, Alice knows she would be in more legal hot water if she came over. Harold,” the detective looking at the new were-tiger; “is there anything you can tell us that you may have forgotten about yesterday? A detail you may have over looked?”
“I don’t understand,” Harold looking at the detective; “I told you everything that happened during Alice assaulting Virginia on my property.”
“We are talking earlier in the day,” Lukasky chiming in; “an odd event you may have put out of your mind.”
Harold was silent for a few moments; doing his best to recall the days priors events, when something struck him as odd.
“Now that you mention it,” Harold looking at the detectives; “there was something in regards to that.”
“Please tell us,” Miles pulling out a note book; “it could be important.”
“As I was trying to prepare my coarse load as a history professor for the college,” Harold talking; “I had some one come by to make a delivery.”
“What was it,” Miles making a note of this.
“Five pounds of peanut brittle,” Harold looking disgusted; “I hate peanut brittle.”
“Who was it from,” Miles asking.
“Decrux Delights Sweet Shop,” Harold watching the two detectives look at him intently.
“Do you have this brittle on you,” Detective Lukasky putting on latex gloves.
“No,” Harold answering; “I refused to accept it because I hate the stuff. I told the delivery guy to keep it.”
“That’s okay,” Miles nodding; “probably for the best anyways. I wouldn’t let my children purchase any sweets from Alice’s shop.”
“Alice owns that shop,” Harold pausing; “that who the brittle came from?”
“Despite Alice’s questionable past,” Miles looking at Harold; “Ms. Decrux is a top notch baker.”
“Rumor had it,” Lukasky commenting; “Alice dabbled as an amateur chemist, I wouldn’t put it past her to have laced the brittle with something.”
“She tried to poison me,” Harold roaring.
“More like drug you,” Miles getting up; “it’s how she seduces men and gets her claws in them, if you get my meaning.”
“If you can collect whatever evidence you need against her,” Harold snarling; “I want her charged and in jail.”
“You’re not the only who wants that,” detective Lukasky getting up; “we’ll be in touch. But if you have anything else that might help,” Lukasky pulling out a card; “by all means call either of us.”
Thanks,” Harold accepting the card and escorting the detectives out the door.
“Well that’s interesting,” Lukasky looking at Miles; “you want to go snooping around the sweet shop?”
“Dam straight,” Miles looking at Ms. Decrux’s house and noticing a window curtain flutter; “but I first want to talk to the delivery driver that accepted the job.”
“If he still has any of that brittle,” Lukasky walking to the car; “collect a sample for testing.”
“No way anyone can consume five pounds of peanut brittle,” Miles snorting as he got in the car; “there is still some left over, I’m sure of it.”
*******
After Harold let the detectives out of his house; the newly were-tiger was seething with rage.
”The gall of that woman,” Harold roaring; “to think she could drug me and make me into a were-raccoon that way.”
Without thinking; Harold inadvertently lets his fursona out. His body bulking up and the clothes he was wearing ripping and tearing as orange and black fur covered his body. Through his anger, he shifted into his were-tiger fursona; destroying the few clothes that he managed to find that still fitted him. Roaring in further rage as he realised he let his anger get the better of him; Harold sits down in the nearest chair to stew for some time.
“I hope Dean Myers can help me through this,” Harold picking up the phone with his paws; “I’m not sure I can handle this without his guidance. Clothing is one thing," Harold calming down; "but these emotional outbursts, I'm afraid I might hurt Melissa."
******
As Alice watched the detectives leave Harold's house; the woman now in her were-raccoon fursona thought of what will happen next. Her lawyer, will undoubtedly keep her from getting charged with statue 1A. The fact that she was able to skate on it before when she seduced Deputy Leprue's younger brother who was still in high school; turning him into a were-raccoon and making him a father all in one shot. While Alice Decrux was always careful in who she targeted; Alice was unable to get the older brother now a deputy, becoming a werewolf before she could put on her usual charms. Those charms and special confections getting to young George, Alice soon had her mark. Unfortunately, George was still in high school and a minor.
Her usual plans to sue for child support after getting pregnant never fell through. Finding out the Deprue family were lawyers for a major pharmaceutical company, was an eye opener. Having to give up custody of the daughter she soon gave birth to or face charges of raping a minor, was a nasty pill she had to swallow. It was the last time she was under investigation for statue 1A. It was also the time her relationship with her lawyer started to sour; being buried under legal briefs and maneuvers from a multi-billion dollar company was not a pleasant experience for either of them.
"Since I can't get to you in the typical fashion Harold," Alice peeking through windows again, her trip down memory lane finished; "perhaps I can go after your daughter instead, she is still a normal."
Stepping away from the window, Alice heads to her bathroom to defur and shower. Getting ready for work, unaware that Detectives Miles and Lukasky were busy gathering evidence to request a search warrant for her place of business and will find the aphrodisiac she laced the peanut brittle that was meant for Harold.