“So where is Alex,” Frances asks as she watches Ben getting up.
“He went home shortly after you and mom went to bed,” Ben answering; “he didn’t want to worry his parents.”
“I called Alex’s parents last night,” Frances responding; “letting them know that Alex is here and staying the night. We did have a killer on the loose.”
“Who was caught,” Ben stretching; “Alex and I watched the news before bed. We saw Sheriff Cooper talking how the K9 unit was able to locate and capture the individual and hand him over to the FBI. Afterwards Alex kissed me goodnight and dashed out the back door.”
“He should of stayed,” Frances looking at Ben disapprovingly; “other than that, shower, clothes breakfast and then off to school for you.”
“I know,” Ben still yawning; “any coffee left?”
“If you went to bed earlier,” Frances shooing Jasmine and Saffron out of Ben’s room again; “than you wouldn’t need coffee. But one thing you are doing after school and your homework is complete,” Frances turning around to look at Ben now in his bathrobe and defurring; “your cleaning your room. All these dirty clothes are to go in the washing machine.”
Ben rolled his eyes as Frances left; allowing Jasmine and Saffron to return and stake a claim on Ben’s bed. Ben looking at the clothes strewn on the floor, the werewolf couldn’t help but smile as he looks at the two cats snuggling right at his pillows.
“If only mom knew,” Ben speaking softly; “half of these clothes are Alex’s and he ran home in his fursona last night. If both moms knew he violated the were-alert,” Ben grinning as he gave the two cat’s scratches; “then we’d both be in trouble.”
********
“Once again,” Agent Brooke Reed looking exhausted as she sat in front of her suspect in and interrogation room. Since his capture last night in Moon Lake, Jose was promptly whisked away to the county lock up located in Seattle. Having to keep the windows rolled down throughout the ride; Agent Reed nearly gagged at the foul smell coming from him. Defecating after getting hit with four stun guns at once; Jose truly smelled like shit as his bowel loosened and unleashed its load in his pants. The guards at the county lock up had to spray Jose down with a fire hose and toss his clothes in the trash once he arrived in handcuffs; a task no one enjoyed performing.
“I told you,” Jose looking tired from the eight straight hours of interrogation; “I’m a reporter for a news website, writing about the arrest of Frederick Parker.”
“And I find that story hard to swallow,” Agent Reed also looking exhausted from interrogating Jose; “so before we go through this endless circle, let me tell you what I know. Fact,” Agent Reed getting up; we recovered the modified M1 Grande. The finger prints found, match the ones taken from you when you were processed upon arrival. The bullet that killed the court officer after going through Frederick is a ballistic match to said rifle,” Agent Reed continuing; “oh a by the way Frederick will live. But the doctor’s say he will never walk again,” Agent Reed looking at Jose to see what reaction he will give.”
“We also searched your motel room,” agent Reed continuing; “we found your laptop with a list of names and addresses.”
“Well shit then,” Jose doing his best to shocked, yet knowing that his trap and possible way out was just sprung.
“Now you feel like talking,” Agent Reed seeing Jose’s face and body language changing.
“I want a deal,” Jose looking the FBI agent in the eyes; “protection and all that.”
“You killed a court officer,” Agent Reed looking serious; “you’re looking at the death penalty*. I doubt any prosecutor will want to make a deal with you,” Agent Reed lying; gauging to see how Jose will react to a possible visit the hangman’s noose or lethal injection.
“Not even if I name the person who hired me,” Jose baiting the FBI agent into his snare; “take the death penalty off the table, life with the possibility of parole and I’ll tell you what I know. Hell I’ll even put it in writing,” Jose leaning back in his chair as he crosses his arms.”
“We already know,” Agent Reed walking out of the room; “according to the emails and text messages, you were hired by Jack Crawford.”
“Yet the list of names,” Jose smiling; “made no mention of Frederick Parker. Pity the heat got too much for me to go after the rest on the list. But that list was sent after I arrived in town,” Jose grinning as Agent Reed turned around to face Jose; “I didn’t know the addresses of Benton Knight, Tachibana, and Mayor Samantha Twist.”
“I’ll talk to the prosecutor,” Agent Reed glaring at the smiling man; “no promises as to what will happen afterward.”
Jose watches as the FBI agent left the room.
‘Death Penalty trial or not,’ the smile vanishing away from his face; ‘if Frederick survived, the outfit will have me killed for my failure. Afraid I’ll snitch on them,’ Jose thinking to himself; ‘Would it be considered snitching if it was a lie? I wonder what Albert Anastasia* would say or do in a situation like this.’
*******
Evan Lawson woke to see his wife’s side of the bed empty. The black furred werewolf happy to be back on his paternity leave; thanks to Frederick’s arrest on Labor Day, slowly getting up to stretch; Evan walks down the hall to the washroom. Passing by Spencer’s room, Evan pauses to see that his daughter’s room is empty. Knowing she is at the Knight estate; Evan answered the phone last night to her Benton on the other end. Explaining that because of the police roadblocks and checkpoints, looking for the person who tried to assassinate Frederick; Benton felt it was best Spencer stayed overnight so as not to get in the way of the police.
Sighing as his daughter while not an adult, is already starting to act like a grown up. Remembering her getting into trouble while he was away on deployment; she had a juvenile record before they moved to Moon Lake. After Spencer met Eric Anderson and then shortly after Frieda Knight; Evan was surprised at how quickly Spencer’s proclivities to getting into trouble have dropped sharply since meeting the two.
‘It’s like those two act as an anchor,’ Evan thinking as he heads to the washroom; ‘keeping her centered and going off course.’
A few minutes later, Evan comes out of the washroom; after doing his morning business he walks towards the nursery. Looking into the room, Evan grins through his toothy maw. Sitting in the nursing chair, slowly rocking back and forth was Maggie Lawson. With a baby latched onto one of her furry breasts, purring as her and Evan’s newborn child suckles.
“Morning,” Maggie speaking quietly; “Junior is not quiet done with breakfast yet.”
Evan growls happily as he gently strokes his child with his large paw. “I didn’t hear him cry in the middle of the night.”
“I was up around three,” Maggie answering; “so I took care of him before he got fussy.”
“Have you been in the nursery since then,” Evan looking concerned; “sitting in this chair?”
“No,” Maggie getting up to place Evan Junior back into his crib; “I was downstairs watching some television as I couldn’t sleep. Lots of news reports regarding Moon Lake and Frederick Parker.”
“Sooner that man is out of Moon Lake the better,” Evan grumbling; “so what are the vultures speaking about now?”
“The person who tried to kill Frederick was captured last night,” Maggie looking at Evan and yawning.
“Go to bed,” Evan hugging his wife; “I keep an eye on our son while you sleep.”
“Thanks love,” Maggie yawning again; “but wake me up in a few hours. I’m planning on doing some shopping later today.”
Evan smiles as he watches his Were-panther/feline hybrid wife walk back to the master bedroom. As she closes the door, Evan looks back to his newborn son and picks him up.
“What say you help daddy make some jerky with the left over deer today,” Evan watching the baby snuggle up on his furry body. "And you get to spend time with your grandfather," Evan gently rocking his son back and forth; "he will be coming over to visit."
* Currently the State of Washington has a moratorium on carrying out capital punishment. On January 16, 2017 legislation was introduced to abolish the death penalty. But since this chapter is taking place on September 7 2016, said legislation has yet to be put forth.
** Albert Anastasia was one of the most ruthless members of Cosa Nostra. A founding member of the American Mafia and Murder, Inc.; the latter organization that Jose was hoping to replicate after assassinating Frederick Parker.