"How's it going out there?" Brian Walker asked his girlfriend Patricia Monet.
The were-beaver just shrugged her shoulders and smiled at her were-otter boyfriend.
"This is the most stressful I've seen the Elders since I started working here," she answered, sitting another tray of dirty dishes near where he was washing them.
Once Moon Lake High School let out for the day, the two Sophomores shared a taxi ride to the Elders' Council building to perform their part time jobs.
Although he loved being with her, Brian wasn't too crazy about the fact that Patricia paid for the ride.
Then again, considering just about everything he earned was going to help his mother meet the monthly bills and other debts incurred from his father skipping town with another woman and running up huge debts that Emily Walker was stuck paying...
"Any idea what they're talking about?" Brian asked Patricia, as she helped him load the dishwasher.
"They grow silent whenever I'm in there, but I did hear were-mer rep Martin Stovall mutter something to werepanther rep Lance Knight about Jack Crawford," she replied.
"The gazillionaire?"
"I don't think he's that rich," said Patricia. "Certainly in the same category as Benton Knight and Tachibana no Akane herself, though."
"Well, what's the problem?"
"I know he's some kind of a were too, although I don't know which variety. But something about him has everybody greatly concerned out there in the meeting chamber," she said.
Brian was about to say something, but stopped when he saw the head caterer approach.
"Thanks for coming in you guys," said the weredog, while staring at his helpers. "I don't know if this emergency session will be canceling their regularly scheduled monthly meeting this weekend, but I'll make sure you two get paid for today."
"Sure, no problem," said Brian, as Patricia nodded her furry head in agreement.
"As soon as you are caught up on the dishes, take a break and start in on whatever homework you might have from school. Tachibana's orders," said the weredog. "I've been here since before breakfast this morning, but we all might wind up staying until at least after dinner tonight."
"Are things that bad?" wondered Patricia.
"From what I hear, there is cause for concern. But I keep my nose out of Council business unless asked," replied the weredog, before leaving to figure out just what exactly he would serve for dinner, if needed.
Alone, Brian and Patricia looked at each other, before he asked, "As anyone asked you for any... stress relief?"
Being "of age" as far as were society was concerned, since she had already experienced her first transformation, Patricia Monet was technically eligible if anyone asked, although she still had the personal right of refusal, for "no" meant no, even in were society. The Council usually provided other volunteers for that... service, since sex did seem to be the favorite past time of were society, but the two teenagers had yet to see any of those weres since they arrived.
"No. You?" she asked in return.
If pressed, Brian wouldn't deny that he still held fantasies of being with that cute, older French were lady. There was just something about that accent...
But there was only one person in his heart now.
"No," he said, before kissing Patricia.
"Once the dishes and our homework is done, do you need any stress relief honey?" Patricia asked, as the were-beaver put her arms lovingly around her were-otter.
"Stress relief? No. Your love? Always," replied Brian with a smile, before kissing her again.
MEANWHILE...
"Listen up everybody!" yelled Lance Knight, standing up from where he was sitting on the floor. "I've got news!" added the werepanther, indicating his cellphone.
All eyes turned toward him as Lance said, "Ella Alyn at the Gazette has been in touch with colleagues in Seattle. Jack Crawford will be released on bail before sundown this evening, but he will basically be under house arrest at his penthouse suite, because one of the terms of his bail is Crawford will have to wear an ankle monitor and report his comings and goings to a court bailiff as well."
"Besides being able to track his every move, an ankle monitor will prevent him from shifting into his fursona," realized the were-grizzly bear standing in the corner. "Any attempt at transforming will break the device and sound the alarm, thinking that Crawford's trying to escape," added Sheriff Douglas Cooper, in his furry form.
"Wonderful," moaned Tachibana no Akane, as the werevixen looked out upon the assembly.
They were scattered all over the meeting room right now in smaller groups, trying to figure out what to do next.
"He probably had to put up a huge amount of money too, as well as surrendering any passports he might have. But is Crawford still maintaining his innocence?" asked Cooper, as the werebear walked closer to the werepanther.
"According to Ella, Crawford has admitted to hiring whoever this Jose character really is to spy on his enemies here in Moon Lake. Meaning me, my brother Benton and probably Akane as well, along with Samantha and Frances Twist between she being the Mayor and her wife treating my brother for bi-polar disorder, and who knows who else. But he's denying any knowledge of the assassination attempt on Fredrick Parker. Crawford's claiming that he only hired Jose under the belief the man was a licensed private detective, and anything else is on him."
"And what was this Jose's response? I lost a deputy during that shooting!" growled the werebear.
"According to Ella, Jose's only statement is that his presence in Moon Lake was under Jack Crawford's orders. Otherwise, he hasn't answered any other questions the FBI has put to him," replied Lance.
"So, whether or not Crawford does have any guilt in the matter of Parker's injuries and my deputy's death, this Jose is hanging him out to dry," realized Cooper.
"Looks that way," agreed Lance Knight, as the werepanther nodded his head affirmatively.
"I can't say the guy doesn't deserve a good swift kick in the keister, along with anything else the Council decides to do to him, but we can't risk Crawford exposing all of were society in the process," Martin Stovall pointed out again, thinking about everyone, including his wife and newborn twins at home.
"While our... assets in this matter are few and far between, there is a fellow were in the FBI working on the Crawford case," Tachibana no Akane reminded everyone, as she stood up from her position at the head of the Council chamber and addressed everyone. "But I haven't heard from her since this morning, when she warned me of Crawford's impending arrest."
"As much as it pains me to say this, the way I see it, if he truly is innocent, we've got to somehow clear Crawford of any charges stemming from the assassination attempt of that mobster," observed Sheriff Cooper. "Everything else is either minor or normal matters, as far as I know and were justice is concerned. Besides, why would a rich business man have any interest in Parker to begin with?"
"I'm sure the FBI's already asked themselves that question too," commented Tachibana no Akane. "It's what conclusion any investigation they're conducting might reach that concerns me."
"Unfortunately, there's very little I can do officially in this matter, despite my department's involvement holding the Parkers in custody and that the assassination attempt took place here," complained the werebear Sheriff.
"Then we must devise a strategy that covers two fronts," realized Tachibana. "Proving Jack Crawford's innocence in regards to the assassination attempt on Fredrick Parker that resulted in the death of one of Moon Lake's deputies and a fellow were, while keeping an eye on Crawford to make sure that there is not even an accidental chance that he exposes the existence of were society until we can bring him and his wife back here and have them face the Council that they have already turned their backs against," she said, while turning to look at the two white furred weretigers standing near her.
Far Hojun simply nodded his furry head in acknowledgement of Akane's words, while his grandson Kai Wang silently bemoaned the fact that those same words probably meant the two of them spending time outside of their fursonas again.
TO BE CONTINUED...