With Megan Jenkins freed and her kidnapper on his way to the station, Officer Sane and I returned his car and prepared to return to Danielle Jenkins' home and return the girl to her worried mother. As we arrived at the vehicle, I moved to climb into the back seat, the only place I could really fit comfortably at my size. Megan began to climb in after me when Officer Sane put a hand on her shoulder.
"I don't think that's a good idea, young one," Officer Sane spoke, "How about you come sit up front with me."
"Tiger-Man won't hurt me," Megan answered, "Tiger-Lady doesn't hurt anyone and lets us play with her at school."
"I'm sure," Officer Sane sighed, "but he takes up the entire backseat. You can't be buckled in back there. For your own safety, in case of a car crash, you would be safer in the front seat."
"But mommy and grandma always tell me to ride in the back," Megan answered.
"I can walk back," I spoke up with a sigh, "I don't need to ride."
"NO!" Megan protested at that, "I want to ride with you..."
"We can't both sit in the backseat, and I'm too big to sit up front," I told her, "and your mother is worried about you."
"It's a fairly long way to your cabin," Officer Sane commented, "You sure you want to walk all the way back there?"
"I'll be fine," I replied as I climbed out, "so long as no one drives like a maniac, I'll be fine."
"But..." Megan began to protest.
I calmly lifted her up so that she was able to look straight into my eyes. She half absentmindedly ruffled the fur on my arms as I held her. I then softly nuzzled her cheek with my nose and muzzle, making her giggle as my whiskers tickled her.
"Your mom is worried," I told her, "Officer Sane will get you home to her safe and sound. I promise I'll stop by your house on my home to check on you and your mother."
"Promise?" Megan asked.
I nuzzled her again, "Promise."
"Kay," she replied as I then set her in the backseat and helped her buckle herself in.
With that done, I shut the door and turned to face Officer Sane.
"You'll probably have to take tomorrow off, Officer Wayne," Officer Sane warned, "with all the budget problems just about everyone has had, people tend to get grumpy when we pull overtime... you helping tonight... even Officer Howard on the night you transformed... and on the occasion where I've had to go into the morning..."
"I'll check in tomorrow morning," I nodded, "just in case... after all, it's not like we're factory workers making a product... we are protecting and serving the people here. I'd think there is a difference."
"Quite right," Officer Sane nodded, "and be careful. Most of the real lunatic drivers are usually out at night... and with summer coming up in a few months and people going up to Glacier... those problems get worse."
I nodded and let Officer Sane drive off before I began my trek on foot back to Danielle Jenkins' home.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
It took me a little while to reach Danielle Jenkins' home again, but I found that the lights were still on and Danielle was standing by her front door. She looked extremely relieved.
"Thank you for getting Megan back to me," Danielle said as I approached.
"It's likely that Officer Barnes, Officer Sane, and another night-shift officer did more then I did," I told her, "The most that I probably did was give him enough of a fright that he wasn't paying attention to where he was going."
"All the same," Officer Jenkins replied, "thank you. You didn't have to do all of this since you went off duty officially."
"No one goes after another officer without having to deal with the rest," I answered her, "if he had escaped us... everyone would have done all we could to get Megan back to you."
Danielle Jenkins nodded with a smile, "I know... I'm just so relieved at the moment. You helped get her back and she's safe and sound."
"And wanted me to ride with her," I gave a slight chuckle.
"Yes, I got that report from her," Danielle replied, "and she wanted to stay up until you could arrive on your way to your cabin."
There was a slight pause for a moment before she continued.
"I suppose it shows how wonderful children are," Danielle sighed, "from what she's told me, all the kids at school love your wife and look at her and you without all the biases that so many of the R.A.M. members had..."
"A lot of innocence," I shrugged, "but then they may not truly know how potentially dangerous a mundane tiger of my size could be to human beings... though I think that may be the thing that will help Molly and I the most in the future... or at least will help Molly's and my future cubs. They will see us through their innocence and will realize that we are not mundane tigers operating solely on predatory instinct... but as people... just of a different stripe from them."
Danielle nodded, "though I'm sure the result of that lawsuit may help that way too. I know you don't like it... but maybe with more animal people, you'd have a powerful voting contingency that a lot of politicians can't simply ignore."
"Maybe," I shrugged, "but I really don't want to dwell on that."
"Of course," Danielle nodded.
"Everything okay?" I asked.
"Yeah, thanks to you we'll all be fine here," Officer Jenkins replied, "I've got Megan to sleep. My mother is resting, and I do intend to take her to the clinic tomorrow to make sure the guy didn't hurt her... and Officer Barnes will be staying over, just in case of anything."
"Try not to keep your neighbors up," I quipped.
"Oh, quiet you," she replied with a soft playful punch to one of my arms, "Fred and I aren't THAT far, and he'll be on the couch. Just in case there is a problem."
"Of course," I nodded, "Good to see that you're alright now."
"Thank you again, George," Danielle told me, "Good night."
"Good night."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ultimately, I did make my way into work the next morning. Molly did leave some meat for me when I returned home the night before, and I did finish it before joining her in bed. But, I still got up the next morning, just in case I would be needed for duty. As I made my way in, I found Officer Barnes at work, but Officer Jenkins was not in. I nodded to Officer Barnes and knocked on Officer Howard's door.
"Come in," was the response.
I slowly entered to find him seated at his desk reviewing some paperwork on his desk.
"Ah, Officer Wayne," he spoke once he saw it was me, "I see that you ended up pulling a little overtime last night."
"Someone kidnapped Officer Jenkins' daughter, sir," I told him, "she called me and seemed rather desperate. I figured helping out would be the least I could do."
He nodded, "Of course. I probably would have done the same thing if I were in your shoes... and I know Officer Barnes would as well."
There was a brief silence for a moment before Officer Howard spoke again.
"However, because of budgetary concerns," he then said with a sigh, "I'm going to have to ask you to take today off... I wouldn't normally do so, but with budgets being as tight as they are, we can't afford it."
I slowly nodded, "Officer Sane had already warned me of that. I've come in just to make sure."
Officer Howard nodded, "I'm sure... but even if we did have the budget for it, Officer Jenkins has taken a personal day, and I can't blame her... so you wouldn't have a vehicle to use."
"Of course," I nodded, "can I ask if the guy has said anything as to why he tried to kidnap Megan?"
"I've just gotten to that part of the report now," Officer Howard replied, "I'll tell you and Officer Jenkins about it tomorrow. Meanwhile, have a good day off today."
"Of course, sir," I nodded, "You too."
"I'll try," Officer Howard sighed.
+++++++++++++++++++++
I returned home to find that Molly had gotten up and was going about some basic house cleaning, since it was Saturday and she didn't have to go in to school.
"You got the day off?" Molly asked.
"Since I pulled a bit of overtime last night," I nodded.
"Can I ask what happened?" Molly wondered, "what the emergency was?"
"Someone kidnapped Officer Jenkins' daughter," I sighed, "Megan Jenkins. Officer Jenkins has told me that she likes to play with you at recess."
"George, all the kids like to play with me at recess," Molly chuckled, "I am the REAL jungle gym to them... and a lot of them constantly want to see if I can purr..."
"Which neither of us can do," I nodded.
"That doesn't stop them," Molly shrugged, "but so long as they don't pull on my whiskers or pull too hard on my tail, I don't really mind... and as long as they stay in order when recess is over, they can keep the possibility of playing with the "Tiger-Lady"... but I do know Megan Jenkins. A sweat girl."
"Yes," I nodded, "some man tried to kidnap her. Officer Jenkins called me in a panic and I went to help."
"Did you get her back?" Molly asked, feeling slightly nervous about a kid being in danger.
"Of course I did," I gave her a confident grin.
"Good job then, George," Molly said with a chuckle.
"But because the kidnapping meant I pulled overtime last night, I need to take today off because of budgetary concerns," I then finished, "so I am here."
"And it's good to have you here," Molly commented, "as we need to talk."
"About what?" I asked.
"About Leona's wedding," Molly answered, "we are going."
I slowly sighed and nodded. This was part of the other surprising and unexpected recent events. Leona's wedding. It was surprising and out of the blue, but I couldn't really complain about it. There are probably those who would believe my proposal to Molly was out of the blue if I told them, and we did owe Leona a lot for her help, particularly after my transformation.
"Of course," I nodded, "let me get into something more comfortable, and then we'll talk."
Molly nodded and returned to the housework she was doing while I went upstairs and got changed. When I was dressed in clothing that didn't irritate my fur as much as my uniform did, I went back downstairs and lead Molly into the living room.
"You're not upset with me for accepting her offer to be a bridesmaid, are you?" Molly asked.
"No," I sighed, "it'll be a couple months before Leona's official period of probation ends, which is when Leona and Officer Jackson can get married... and we do owe her for the help she gave us when I transformed... and I suppose she deserves someone to be there for her."
"Thanks, George," Molly replied, "I was beginning to get nervous that you wouldn't approve."
"Instinctively... I don't think either of us would," I sighed, "Peoria is too open and too heavily populated, but neither of us have been dominated by our instincts."
Molly nodded.
"Can you get the time off to go?" Molly asked.
"I'm sure I can arrange it," I nodded, "it may mean I lose this year's hunting season, but I'm sure I can arrange it."
"That's one less concern then," Molly nodded.
"The only real concern that we have is getting to Peoria," I told her, "Dave and Tabby will be busy here with their vineyard. Your Uncle and his family will be looking after "our" cattle..."
"And both of us are too big to drive ourselves," Molly sighed, "which would also mean we're too big to ride a bus or take a plane..."
"You might be able to manage with my truck," I sighed, "but I'm certain it wouldn't be comfortable... and in the end the key word is "might". We'll need a good idea on how to get to Peoria."
This time Molly sighed.
"Maybe I didn't think this through," Molly sighed.
"It's no problem, Molly," I responded, "we just need to think this through."
"Who could we get to help us though?" Molly wondered, "Just about everyone we know will have other matters that they can't leave here, and the only other people that might be able to help us are your parents..."
"I don't want to make them drive out here to drive us to and from Peoria," I sighed.
"Who else could we call?" Molly asked.
"Maybe we could talk with your Uncle," I sighed, "I don't want to take him away from his work, but this wouldn't require us to have him and Nessie and Meredeth go... we might be able to get something to work that way with one of them driving us."
Molly nodded.
"And to a certain extent, there's a lot that we can't do until we have more details on when Leona's wedding takes place," I finished, "mostly all we can do is wait for the moment."
Again, Molly nodded.