"There they are," said the werefox happily, as his sons entered the house.
"Hi dad," Eric Anderson replied, as if seeing an anthropomorphic vulpine male in his living room was the most natural thing in the world.
Then again, considering Eric was a were-merman and he almost got caught in the middle of a fight between a were-raccoon and a weredog before his werewolf older brother rescued him...
"Everything all right?" his mother asked, walking into the living room.
The fact that Martha Anderson's werecat whiskers were twitching nervously made Eric recall what Nate said to him on the way back home.
"Fine mom," Eric replied, setting his stuff down on the living room sofa. "You know how it is with me. Every time I'm with Julie, I just get lost in the moment and when I'm away from her..."
"It's okay honey," said his mom, before giving him a loving hug. "In a way I am so proud of you," she added, before kissing the top of his head. "I feared you may never find someone that you love as much as your father and I love each other."
"Or I love Alex," Nate said as a smile crossed his lupine muzzle, thinking about his boyfriend now fiance. That last part was something the two of them would keep private for at least a while, considering both of them were still only Juniors in high school. But someday...
"But you mustn't lose track of time like that," Martha reprimanded Eric.
"Sorry mom," Eric said sheepishly. "But I was on my way home when Nate met me. After all—"
"Tomorrow's a school day," all the Andersons said, practically in unison, before laughing at their own private joke because their father was a college English Literature Professor, Martha was studying to be recertified as an elementary school teacher and besides both boys still being in school, Nate was now leaning toward becoming a teacher as well.
"Well, no harm, no foul," Martha replied, blissfully unaware of her youngest's close encounter with danger. "You two go wash up and then come back to eat."
"Good. I'm starving," said Nate, licking his lips in anticipation.
MEANWHILE...
In their human forms, Detective Samuel Hansen and his partner, Detective Gretel Buckner*, stopped to have dinner at The Local Diner while Tech Expert Tara Strange attempted to trace the threatening phone caller to the Twist residence(*2) via the fact that whoever the culprit was might have used directory assistance to discover the number.
It had been a long day for both.
In fact, it had been a long weekend for the entire Moon Lake Police Department since the Town Council decided to develop a plan to reveal the existence of were society to the world before the secret was discovered in a way that might actually threaten instead of help were kind.
Being tired, neither detective said much, although Buckner knew there was a lot on Hansen's mind.
She liked Samuel, maybe more than just being partners. Yet the man always kept his distance from everyone whenever possible. He wasn't rude or impolite. Just strictly business. Like Jack Webb's Joe Friday on Dragnet.
All work and no play, Gretel thought, staring at him when she thought he wasn't looking. What does he do for fun? How does he let his fur down when trying to relax? How—
The private inquiry ended as Samuel's cellphone rang.
"Hansen," he said, matter of factly when answering.
Samuel listened to the caller. Were hearing allowed Gretel to know it was Strange on the other end, but she couldn't make out what the Tech Expert was saying as Hansen got out his notepad long enough to jot something down.
"Thanks Strange. We'll check it out," replied Hansen, before hanging up. "Strange has an address for us. The caller contacted Directory Assistance from their residence, not the pay phone the threat was made from. Let's go," he said, leaving money on the table to cover the dinner tab.
"Which one?" Buckner asked, parking their unmarked vehicle at the curb of a residential neighborhood.
"Three down on the right," replied Hansen, getting out of the car once Gretel turned off the engine.
"I'm not sure what I was expecting to find, but this isn't it," Gretel admitted, coming around to join her partner. "The front porch light's on and there's even a tricycle in the front yard," she added, pointing at it and other kids' toys left outside.
"Let's approach cautiously. I don't want to get into a gun battle if I can avoid it," said Hansen, unbuttoning his coat for easy access to it, but not pulling his service weapon.
Together, they stood on either side but not directly in front of the door before Gretel rang the doorbell.
"Just a moment," a woman called out from inside over the sounds of children at play.
"The caller was a man, right?" Gretel whispered, to which Hansen simply nodded affirmatively as a woman opened the door.
"Oh good, you're here. They're getting hungry. How much do I owe you for the pizzas?" she asked.
"Pizzas?" Hansen asked, puzzled over this turn of events.
"Yeah. While I have no idea why it takes two to make a delivery, you are from Moe's Pizzeria, right?" the woman asked, as a toddler came running up from behind to hug her leg.
Hansen was about to respond to the question, when they heard somebody hastily depart the house via the back door!
TO BE CONTINUED...
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*Last seen in our episode "How Many?"
*2. Received in "The Call".—tmw.