Sheriff Douglas Cooper was about to leave the State Trooper's station when he thought of something.
"Wait a second," he said to the normal, but otherwise helpful Sergeant. "What happened to that chauffeur? The one who said that he overheard everything because Crawford forgot to turn the intercom system in the limo off?"
"I did," answered a voice behind them.
The two men turned and saw Jack Crawford's lawyer approach them. While the Sergeant saw the obvious, just another expensive attorney in a high priced suit, Cooper instantly recognized the scent of a fellow were. In this case another werepanther.
"What do you mean?" asked Cooper.
"I reminded the chauffeur that regardless of the circumstances, anything he might or might not have heard is covered and protected by the Non-Disclosure Agreements both the limo company and Crawford Industries requires of even its part time and temporary laborers," said the man. "In other words, if the chauffeur ever says a word in regards to what he might or might not have heard within that car, Jack and Kenya Adaeze-Crawford will successfully sue him so harshly that the chauffeur's great-grandchildren will still be paying off the settlement debt. Good evening gentlemen," he added in a neutral tone of voice, before walking past them.
Slippery as an eel as twice as ugly, was Sheriff Cooper's only thought as he said goodbye and left the State Trooper's station.
BACK IN MOON LAKE...
The werevixen known as Tachibana no Akane was sitting alone in the middle of her zen garden, having some soothing herbal tea and trying to relax, but even mediation was not helping her this evening.
It had been a busy day. Foiling the plans of a would be mayoral candidate. Exposing the corruption that was hindering construction of the new elementary school. Revealing the bugging of Doctor Frances Twist's office that put patient confidentiality at risk. The senseless beating of an innocent teenager, and it all came down to one man.
The werepanther known as Jack Crawford.
Akane released a heavy sigh, trying to achieve a cleansing breath, when her vulpine ears twitched.
Someone was approaching, but her acute werevixen senses instantly knew who it was.
"こんばんは孫. Good evening Grandson," she said, greeting Daisuke Tachibana.
"I am sorry to intrude upon your mediation, but this came for you by special courier," he said, holding up a small, padded envelope. "Security has already scanned it and discovered nothing threatening inside, but considering who the return address label says its from, I thought you might want to see it immediately."
Considering he was still in his public form, Akane took the envelope from his human hands and studied it. The delivery address was the estate whose grounds they stood in that moment. The return address in the upper left hand corner only said three words. JACK CRAWFORD, SEATTLE.
Releasing another sigh, Akane ripped open the envelope with her paws and looked inside.
It was the first time Daisuke could ever recall seeing confusion on his grandmother's muzzle.
Without a word, Akane flipped the envelope over and dumped its contents uncermoniously on the ground in front of her.
Daisuke watched in shock as bits of torn up parchment fluttered out and landed at the folded knees of not only the leader of the Skulk, but the senior member of the Elders' Council as well. He instantly recognized what remained of the wax seals among the pieces.
"Are those..." he began to ask, as Akane shifted through and took a quick glance at some of the bigger pieces.
"Yes. These are the scrolls I personally gave Jack Crawford and his wife this morning, summoning them to appear before the Elders tomorrow morning."
Then she spotted the folded up piece of paper among the wreckage.
Daisuke was in shock as he heard his grandmother actually begin to issue a menacing growl. Something she had never done in all the years he's been alive.
"YOU AND THAT PATHETIC COUNCIL HAVE NO HOLD OVER US," Akane began to read, her voice growing angrier with each word. "IF YOU EVER TRY TO DRAG ME, MY WIFE, OR ANY MEMBER OF OUR FAMILY BACK TO MOON LAKE TO FACE YOUR SORRY IDEA OF 'JUSTICE', I WILL EXPOSE WERES EVERYWHERE! WE CAN NEVER OR EVER WILL BE TOUCHED, BUT CAN YOU AND YOURS SURVIVE BEING HUNTED? REMEMBER THAT OR ELSE!"
With the last word, Akane grew silent as she let the card drop from her paw to land back upon the pile of torn up parchment pieces.
Daisuke Tachibana just stood there, waiting for instructions, but inside he was seething. The moment she said the word, he would personal go to Seattle and gut the offensive man with his sword like day old fish.
Instead, Akane just continued to sit there, staring at the pile before her.
Finally, Daisuke couldn't take the silence any more. "Honorable–", he began, but Akane held up her paw for silence before he could continue.
Then Tachibana no Akane raised her head and stared at Daisuke Tachibana directly.
"First, officially cancel the Elders' meeting for tomorrow morning. If any of the other participants like Frances Twist or Benton Knight question this decision, tell them other matters have arisen that demand our immediate attention and that we will have to reschedule."
Daisuke was about to say something, but Akane would not allow it. "Then I want you to contact every available Elder, along with Evan Lawson, Sheriff Cooper, Mayor Twist, and our white tiger guests. I want yourself and everyone who can make it here within the hour," she said, pointing to where she was still sitting. "We will not be standing on ceremony or formalities. This is an emergency situation. Jack Crawford has declared war on not only Moon Lake, but were kind everywhere, and NO were is above the law! Not even him!"
Daisuke had never heard such fire in Akane's voice before. It almost made him afraid of her.
"It shall be done," promised Daisuke, bowing before his leader. Then he started to bend down to pick up the trash before his grandmother.
"Leave it," she said, still staring at the pile.
Daisuke simply bowed again and left the zen garden to carry out her orders, but he couldn't help wondering what the future might hold for both were society in general and Moon Lake specifically.
He would not be surprised to learn Tachibana no Akane was pondering the same questions.
TO BE CONTINUED...