"Okay. Let me make sure I have all the facts," said Detective Samuel Hansen*, while checking his notes. "Your son Ben answered the landline first, but whoever it was hung up. Presumably because they weren't expecting to hear a male voice."
"Correct," said werecat Samantha Twist, while holding her trembling wife close on their living room sofa.
"Then, presumably the same person called back a few minutes later."
"And I answered this time," said Frances, still worried about her mate.
"And the caller said..." prompted Detective Hansen.
"Stop the Council from ruining us or forfeit your life Chancellor!" said Frances.(*2)
"Hmm..." said Samuel, as his partner spoke.
"Sounds like somebody relatively new to the were scene to me," thought Detective Gretel Buckner. "They knew Mrs. Twist is the Town Chancellor, but didn't realize anyone else might answer the phone, provided the first phone call was the culprit also."
"I'm not sure about that," said Frances. "From what I've heard since Friday night, newer arrivals to were-hood seem to be trending more in favor of the Town Council's proposal to reveal the existence of were society to the world at large. Besides, the younger generations apparently don't want to hide and maintain secrecy. They'd prefer to be furry 24/7, no matter where they are, since they feel their fursona is their true self," added the professional therapist.
"I think it's more likely someone not familiar with the Twists themselves," said Samuel. "The caller did think Doctor Twist was the Chancellor," he noted.
Buckner just shrugged her shoulders as Samuel's cellphone rang.
"Hansen," he said, answering it.
"Tara Strange here," said the voice on the other end.
"What do you have for us Strange?" Samuel asked. On duty he was a total professional. Off duty, who knew?
Hansen pretty much kept to himself when not working. Everyone knew how he felt about being unable to locate his missing sister so, unlike dealing with anyone else on the force, Strange knew to keep it strictly business.
"Both calls to the Twist house originated from a pay phone in the park near the Town Hall. The Crime Scene techs and a patrol unit are on the scene now, but so far nothing to report."
"Okay Strange, keep us posted," requested Samuel, before hanging up.
"It was a local source for both calls," he announced, as much to his partner as those present, for Ben Twist was standing protectively near his mothers. "Did you recognize the voice? Or maybe can infer something from what you heard Doctor Twist?"
"Male, angry. Maybe a bit upset too. A lot of people are not taking the Council's decision well. Yet I can't say I recognized whoever it was, let alone give you a name."
"I see. Well, unfortunately we've done all we can do here for now," announced Samuel, as he closed his notebook.
"That's it?" Ben asked. "My mom get's threatened and—"
"Mister Twist," began Hansen in a professional manner. "Your mother's situation is just one of many calls we've dealt with since Friday night, and we take ALL of them seriously."
"Every member of the Town Council has requested police protection, yet we don't have that many officers to go around and still do our regular job of protecting Moon Lake too," added Detective Buckner, not mentioning that they were keeping a close eye on the ones that voted FOR revealing Moon Lake's secret to the world.
"The Chancellor has no direct contact with the Council on creating new town policies, so I have no idea what the caller hoped to accomplish to begin with," Samuel continued. "Besides, the Council isn't scheduled to meet on this matter again until Tuesday—"
"Err, they may meet on Tuesday, but the reveal discussion isn't scheduled to resume until Wednesday," Buckner said. (*3)
"Oh?" said Samuel, surprised to hear that. "Anyway, Mrs. Twist is definitely safe till at least then."
"I know you mean well honey," said Samantha, reaching over Frances to take Ben's hand in her paw since the ladies were still in their werecat fursonas and he wasn't in his lupine form, "but the detectives are right."
Ben just let out a sigh of frustration as he held her paw in his hand.
After finishing up things in the Twist household, the detectives walked back to their car.
Inside, after buckling up, Buckner turned to Samuel and asked, "How many calls do you think we've been on since Friday night?"
"Too many," replied her partner, taking in their surroundings.
"Is something wrong?" Buckner asked, trusting her partner's instincts.
"I'm not sure. Doesn't Mayor Stovall and his family live somewhere nearby?"
"I think he, his wife, and daughter are about a block or two from here. I see Julie Stovall walking to or from school sometimes with a brown haired boy about her height and age," noted Buckner. (*4)
"Probably her boyfriend. It's strange that we haven't had any disturbance calls from them though."
"Should we do a drive by, just to make sure they're okay?"
"I heard there's discrete routine patrols making sure noted town officials were at least physically okay. Let me check something," said Samuel, pulling out his cellphone. A moment later he said, "The only public number for any of them is Stovall Systems, the wife's computer business."
"Directory Assistance nor the phone book would list cellphone numbers. Only landlines," said Buckner, realizing what Samuel was getting at. "Only a cellphone operator or provider would have immediate access to those listings."
"Let's radio this in. We'll have the Crime Scene techs check the phone book, if there's one at that pay phone, and Strange can contact Directory Assistance at the phone company to see if anyone's requested the Twists' home phone number today. Who knows? Maybe we can cross at least one case off our over burdened docket by dinner time."
_________________________________________
*Previously mentioned in our Moon Lake, Jenkins thread as a brother of Erma Tyson, nee Hansen.
More details here: /interactives/chapter_114102
*2) In our recent Andersons episode "The Call."
*3.) See future episodes of Moon Lake, Tad for more details.
*4) Eric Anderson.—tmw.