Chapter Text
"Okay, smart-ass. So what is Moet en Chandon?"
"It's a wine. It's French. And since we're being so specific, who or what exactly did you think 'Amoway' was?"
Dale shrugged and pressed closer against Ari's side. "I don't know. I thought it was, like, a Civil War officer or something."
Ari laughed. "Works for me. It makes sense, too. I think a killer queen would be more likely to keep General Jedediah Amoway's shotgun in a pretty cabinet."
Ari's cell phone was in her right hand, tucked tight against her thigh and aimed at the basketball court across the park. Her left arm was wrapped around Dale's shoulder, their bodies turned toward each other to share warmth. A cold breeze swept through the park and they shivered as one. Ari snapped another picture without looking.
"So what other songs do you have trouble with?"
"Hm. 'Stairway to Heaven.'"
"That doesn't count. Bustles and hedgerows. Also out of competition, 'I am the Walrus.' That one is purposefully unintelligible. John Lennon wanted to stick it to a bunch of grade schoolers who were studying Beatle lyrics."
Ari glanced at her phone, aimed it at the courts again and snapped a picture. Four men were on the basketball court, all middle-aged and mostly acquainted with the actual rules of the game. For the most part they seemed to just randomly hurl the ball at the rim and exchanged high fives if it happened to go through. Ari snapped another picture of the man in green sweats.
"Thanks for being my decoy. A couple is much less suspicious than a single person hanging around in the park playing with her cell phone."
"No problem. But if I get a cold, you have to play nursemaid."
"Deal," Ari said. "It's also a lot more fun now that I can actually kiss you if I want." She lifted her hand off Dale's shoulder, used it to turn Dale's head toward her, and Dale chuckled as they kissed. "Mm. Yes. Decoy duty is much better with someone you're dating."
Dale chuckled. "Do you have enough yet?"
Ari lifted the phone and scrolled through the latest shots. One shot had Scott Glass bent at the waist, cradling the ball against his gut to prevent his opponent from stealing it before he could make a shot. His knees were bent, and he was grinning. In the next shot he was airborne to toss the ball in a fairly haphazard way. The rest of the pictures were more of the same. Even if they didn't show Glass engaged in anything overtly strenuous, he was definitely getting no trouble from his allegedly strained back.
"I think we're good. Unless you want to stay until they finish their game."
"No. I want to get warmed up. Hot cocoa."
"A nice hot bubble bath?"
Dale purred and rubbed against Ari's side. "Only if you're there to get some of my hard-to-reach places."
"I'll even get a few of the easy-to-reach places." Ari kissed Dale's cheek, put the phone back into her pocket and stood up. "But if I know you, you'll probably insist on finishing the case first."
"Yes. And if I know you, you'll be much more focused if we close this file before we celebrate. Not that focus has ever been a problem for you."
Ari grinned and led Dale down the path away from where the man suing their client for workman's comp pulled off another jump shot with no ill effects.
#
Ari still wasn't used to getting big clients like Pelly Pharmaceuticals. Since the Gavin case hit the papers, Bitches Investigations had been the go-to agency for anyone who needed a little covert work. She didn't know if there was some backroom cabal where CEOs talked about their problems, some corporate Angie's List, but word seemed to have gotten around that Ariadne Willow produced results. They were getting so much work that she'd been forced to refer a few clients to other agencies just because she didn't have the time to work them all. She'd even gotten Dale out into the field to handle a few of the less-dangerous work.
At the moment, Pelly was their only outstanding client. Scott Glass claimed he'd injured his back during a company retreat. He'd threatened to sue, prompting the company to pay for his rehab and medical bills, but someone at the top had gotten suspicious. Ari followed him for a few days as the wolf to figure out his routine. After four days of good behavior, he gave himself away by going into his attic to bring down a box for his wife. Ari only regretted that, at the time, she didn't have fingers to commemorate the moment.
The pictures of him playing basketball were damning enough. She sent them to Dale's computer, and Dale printed them out and put them in a manila envelope.
"How'd they come out?"
"Good," Dale said. "One was a little blurry, but you got more than enough."
"Good."
Dale looked up. "You don't sound happy."
Ari shrugged. "The guy could have been really injured and then decided to milk it a little just to get a little cushion before going back to work. Now he's going to lose his job. I feel crummy about my part in that."
"He's cheating the system, Ari. There are people out there who are really hurt and really can't work, and they have less money available because of people like Scott Glass." She covered Ari's hand. "Even if he was really hurt at the beginning, he's not now. He shouldn't have done it, and he shouldn't get away with it."
"Yeah. Okay." She bent down and kissed Dale. "Thanks."
"Any time. Are you on your way out?"
Ari nodded and ducked back into her office to get her coat. "I can pick up something to eat and bring it by your place. Chicken?"
"That sounds great. I just have a few more things to wrap up here."
"Want me to stay?"
"No, it shouldn't take too long. I just have to call Seidel about that late check."
"Ah, good. The only thing I hate worse than invading someone's privacy is doing it for free." She kissed two fingers and held them out, and Dale did the same. They brushed together over Dale's desk. "See you at dinner."
"Get the chicken from that place with the biscuits I like."
Ari nodded and headed out. The day had been cold while they were in the park, but after dark it was downright frigid. Ari turned up the collar of her coat as she stepped out into the bracing wind. A car was parked near the curb, more in front of the antique store that shared the ground floor than the agency, and a man was rummaging in the backseat. He turned at the sound of the door opening.
"Excuse me. Could you help me move this box from my aunt's house?"
"Sorry. I don't work for the antique place."
He straightened and turned to face her. "So that must mean you work for the detective agency. Am I right?"
Ari slowed down to keep as much distance between them as possible. "Could be. Who's asking?"
"I'm Garrett Seidel. My wife is Brigit." Ari recognized the names and rolled her eyes. Great. "I want to talk to you."
"Sir, I was just doing my job. You made your wife suspicious enough to hire me, and you're the one who went home with your sales manager. I didn't invade anyone's privacy. I just took pictures of you in her car in a public parking lot, I took pictures of your car in front of her house when your wife thought you were in Tacoma. I didn't force you into that situation."
"No, you just profited off of it. Are you proud of the work you do?"
Ari shrugged and decided to answer honestly. "Not always. But as long as there are bastards like you in the world, someone has to get paid to get their hands dirty. Might as well be me." She smiled. "I am pretty good at it, after all."
Seidel snorted and rubbed his cheek with the back of his hand. "Right. Well, you'll be happy to know that she's filing for divorce. Did you know this is a community property state? 'Cause I didn't." He laughed. "Look who I'm asking. Of course you knew. This is your bread and butter. You probably get a cut of every home you've broken."
"I'm just doing my job, Mr. Seidel. Same as everyone else." She decided to use Dale's argument. "People do bad things every day. They cheat, they lie, they try to get around the system however they can. I'm just making sure that they get caught so the people who actually do play by the rules have a level playing field. Don't get pissed at me, I'm just the messenger. I would have been more than happy to take pictures of you going back and forth to work, and putting your mind at ease. I don't want to be the bearer of bad news. I'd love to brighten someone's day now and then. Tell them there's nothing to worry about. But sadly, there are too many people like you out there. Enjoy the half of your stuff you get to keep."
She started to walk away, and Seidel got in front of her. "Now hold on..."
"Sir, get out of my way, or--"
He punched her in the face. Ari was too stunned to respond, so he managed to get in two blows to her abdomen before she'd really processed what was happening. Her initial instinct was retreat, and she hit the brick wall with her shoulder. Seidel crowded her, getting his shoulder down to punch her in the stomach again. She gasped for air he wasn't letting her draw, and he slugged her again. Her tooth cut her bottom lip as she dropped down to her hands and knees, and Seidel kicked her in the side. Ari dropped, flat on the sidewalk, and covered her head with both arms as she waited for the assault to continue.
"Think about this next time you stick your nose where it doesn't belong."
Ari's jaw was sore, and her entire midsection was a map of pain. She heard Seidel walk away, the car door slamming before he started the engine. She looked up and watched as he drove off, then used the wall to prop herself up. She took a few deep breaths just to prove she could and wiped her hand along her chin. It came back bright red with blood, and she cursed quietly. She turned and walked gingerly back to the door.
Dale was facing the computer screen, the phone tucked between her ear and shoulder. She smiled when the door opened. "Did you decide to--" Her smile faded when she looked up. "Ari? What the hell happened?" She dropped the phone, almost instantly on her feet and rounding the desk as Ari dropped into one of the orange plastic chairs next to the office door. Dale knelt in front of her, holding her hands out as if unsure what she could do to help.
Ari used the collar of her T-shirt to try staunching the blood from her lip. "I think you can stop trying to collect on the Seidel case."
#
Aaron Frost, veterinarian and part-time canidae medic, was waiting outside his office when Dale arrived. He had an office downtown for his real practice, but most of his canidae patients retrieved treatment in the back room of his house. He walked forward and opened the door to help Dale get Ari out of the car. "What exactly happened?"
Dale had gotten most of the story from Ari on the way over. "Client's husband got pissed that he was caught. He took it out on her."
"Okay. Let's make sure everything is okay. Ms. Frye, could you please go on ahead and turn on the lights for me?"
"Sure." Dale made sure he had Ari before she let go and hurried ahead.
Dr. Frost watched her go and then lowered his voice. "Now that she's gone... how bad is it really?"
"It's not too bad, Doc. Just got the shit beat out of me." She chuckled, then winced and grabbed her side.
"Tell that to your ribs. Come along now..."
While Frost checked her over, Dale called the police and gave them a report when they arrived. They had a few questions for Ari and left to speak with Garrett Seidel at length about the incident. Once they were gone, Dr. Frost gave his diagnosis.
"No permanent damage and, you'll be happy to know, the temporary damage will be very temporary. As soon as you feel up to a transformation, your muscles and bones will do a little twist." He demonstrated with a slight movement of his hands. "Consider it an intense form of massage." He smiled and patted her gently on the shoulder. "Everything should mend itself nicely on its own but, if you have any problems, come back and we'll set it right. Fortunately you have this lovely young lady at your side to lend a hand."
Ari smiled at Dale, who managed to return it without looking too worried.
#
"Let me get you an ice pack or something."
"I'm fine. Just help me get to the couch."
Dale reluctantly escorted Ari into the living room and helped her sit down. She grunted and stroked Dale's arm in thanks.
"Are you sure there's nothing I can do?"
"Dale, I'm fine. Honest. I just want to relax and sleep and forget all about Garrett Seidel and his wife." She moved her hand up to Dale's neck and stroked it. "But I'm glad I have you to take care of me."
Dale smiled. "Can I kiss you?"
"On this side," Ari said, angling her head to present the unsplit part of her mouth. Dale kissed her softly, and Ari smiled. "Better than all the pills in Dr. Frost's office."
"Glad to hear it. I'm going to throw together something for dinner. If you're not going to let me be your nurse, I'll settle for being your waitress. Relax and let me take care of you, okay?"
Ari nodded. When Dale straightened to pull away, Ari caught her hand. "Hey, that 'I don't need a nurse' thing just covers actual care-giving. If you have any costumes in your closet, I'd be more than happy to let you put it on."
Dale swatted her hand away and laughed as she went into the kitchen.
They ate dinner in the living room so Ari could take advantage of the soft, fluffy chairs. Then Dale helped her undress to shower and afterward Dale gave her an extremely thorough massage. When Ari felt like her joints had been turned to jelly, she crawled into bed and pulled Dale to her. Dale pressed against Ari's side and kissed her shoulder.
"Is this okay? I'm not leaning on anything or--"
"You're fine," Ari whispered. She kissed Dale's lips in the dark and stroked her hair.
Dale was silent for a long time, but she finally spoke. "I'm not fine. You got assaulted right outside our office. That's so terrifying, Ari. What if he'd had a gun or a knife, or--"
"Hey, shh." Ari held her tighter, ignoring the twinge of pain in her side. "This isn't exactly the safest business in the world. I can take care of myself. If the guy had a weapon, he'd have fought differently."
"And you'd have fought back?"
"Yes. If push had come to shove, I would have let the wolf at him."
"Mm. It would serve him right."
Ari stroked Dale's back. "Don't worry about me, sweetheart. I'll be just fine."
Dale murmured and rested her head against the curve of Ari's shoulder. Ari listened to the sound of her breathing as it slowly steadied out, becoming slow and rhythmic with sleep. She stared at the ceiling and let her true fear come to the front of her mind. She was worried about the next time some angry 'victim' showed up at the agency, but not for the same reasons as Dale.
She had been out the door, on her way home. What if Garrett Seidel hadn't been lying in wait, what if he had just happened to get there? What if Dale had been the one to leave first? There might be other pissed-off clients waiting to get vengeance. If one of them went after Dale... She tightened her arm around Dale's shoulder to hold her closer.
#
It was three days before Ari's pain was low enough to risk transforming. She changed in the office just in case she needed Dale's help, but the wolf seemed to be in good health. Dale let her out and warned her to behave. The plan was that Ari would wander for a few hours, getting some exercise in a body that wasn't sore and bruised, then she would come back to the office to transform and go out to dinner with Dale.
Dale had smiled while they were making the plan. She knew it was much more likely the wolf would take over and she wouldn't hear from Ari until some late-night phone call asking for a ride. Dale promised she would wait at the office until seven, then she would head home and take care of her own dinner.
"Just enjoy your run." Ari looked back at the door, but Dale waved her on and then went back to her desk. She was still awed and discomfited by Ari's transformations. Before meeting Ari she thought werewolves were just fictional monsters. She was still trying to wrap her head around the idea they were real, let alone that she often shared her bed with one. She was very enamored with Ari, and the shape her body made under the blankets. Acknowledging that she had another body was... jarring.
And the sight of Ari changing from one to the other was horrible. It was like watching her girlfriend as she was pummeled by invisible sledgehammers. The bones broke - and Dale could hear them break with nauseating clarity - and the muscles shifted in wholly unnatural ways. Ari's beautiful face contorted and stretched, and--
Dale pushed the images out of her mind. "Stop it," she whispered to herself. Ari was Ari, and part of that tautology included the wolf and the inherent transformation. She couldn't accept one without the other, and she loved Ari too much to focus on the discomfort the change caused her. She opened her laptop, looked at her to-do list, and got to work.
#
It was dark. Ari cursed the wolf, but she couldn't really blame it. She hadn't changed in five days, so she had expected it to go a little crazy with its freedom. But how far had she gone? She was incredibly sore, and she was lying on something sharp. Stones, maybe. She could hear running water nearby. She shifted her weight off the stone digging into the dimple above her ass, pushed herself up on one elbow, and finally focused on her surroundings. Fences surrounded her on three sides, with the fourth taken up by the back wall of a house.
Someone's backyard. Phenomenal.
A row of fairy lights strung up on the fence allowed enough light for her to see her surroundings. She was lying on a bed of sharp white stones, and she could smell mulch and fertilizer. The running water was coming from a large stone water feature with descending platforms that guided a waterfall down into what she assumed was a tiny pond filled with koi or goldfish. She looked down at herself.
Her chest was covered with blood.
It was thick and dark, starting from her right shoulder and spreading across her breasts in a wide, gory delta. Her hands were likewise smeared.
She let out a sharp breath that came out like a stifled scream, and she looked around to see if the police had appeared in the last few seconds. Shock and adrenaline made her tremble as she moved to the soft grass and crawled to the water feature. She scooped out handfuls of water and tried to clean herself, but she only succeeded in making it look worse.
Her first instinct was to change back into the wolf and flee. But if she'd attacked someone, there might be a bevy of animal control officers on the lookout for her. Then again, how far would a naked, bloody woman get?
At least the naked, bloody woman will get the benefit of a doubt. She imagined the wolf, especially one with blood on its coat, would get the 'shoot first, let God sort them out' option. She gave herself a cursory examination to make sure the blood wasn't her own - no open wounds, she discovered with relief - and then moved through the shadows to the side of the house.
The lights were on in the kitchen, but she couldn't see anyone moving. She peeked through one of the windows to make sure no one was looking before she cut across the back porch. She could hear dogs barking a few houses over, and sirens were running from north to south. She told herself they were unrelated, that sirens could mean anything, but she wasn't quite sure she believed it.
At the side door, she tested the knob and found it unlocked. She slipped inside, finding herself in a garage, and gave her eyes time to adjust to the darkness before moving again. Directly to her right was another door with no light seeping around the corners. She opened it a crack and then a bit wider, leaning into a wall of scents. Fabric softener and detergent and soap and clothing and warmth.
She hated stealing clothes, but she couldn't exactly seek out the nearest stash while covered in blood. She took a plain white T-shirt and a pair of boxers and ducked back out into the garage. She found some old rags and used it to wipe away as much of the blood as possible. Her hands were shaking violently now, and she was finding it hard to catch her breath. Don't panic. Do not panic.
Her skin ended up streaked with what smelled like oil, but it was definitely a change for the better. She put on the T-shirt and shorts, then left the house. She needed to get her bearings and figure out where the nearest stash was. Once she was safely at home, she and Dale could worry about where all that blood had come from.
#
Dale was only listening to the news with half her attention. She missed Ari, but she knew it was the wolf's fault she had missed their date. Ari couldn't always be blamed for what the wolf did. Still, it would be easier if the wolf really did have some kind of tracking device that would let Dale see just where she was, what she was doing, and--
Dale turned toward the TV, a lock of hair falling over one lens of her glasses. She tucked it behind her ear as the anchor continued, Dale's mind only picking up what he said after the buzz word that caught her attention.
"--Garret Seidel was found dead outside his home tonight. Police are saying the hotel manager had an unfortunate run-in with a wild animal and foul play is not suspected at this time." A pause as he shifted from one story to the next. "Police are also looking for--"
Dale muted the TV and turned back to her laptop. Her heart was pounding as she did a local search for breaking news stories. She found the story about Seidel on the website of the channel she had just watched and clicked for the whole thing.
Garret Seidel. Girlfriend heard screams. Throat torn... bite marks...
"No." Dale tried to swallow but her mouth was suddenly dry. It wasn't possible. The wolf would not do this. No matter how far gone, no matter how pissed off, Ari would never, ever kill...
Dale rose so quickly her chair tipped back on two legs before settling back on the floor. She grabbed her cell phone and coat, stepped into her shoes, and headed out. She wanted to be on the move when Ari called so she could get to her as soon as possible.
#
Ari found a public restroom that seemed clean and unthreatening and went inside to wash up. She took the opportunity to induce vomiting. Sometimes the wolf ate unnatural things, and considering the circumstances, she didn't want to take any chances. When she was done, most of the blood was gone and her skin was pink from scrubbing with the coarse paper towels. She dressed again in her stolen underwear and headed out. Now that she knew where she was, she could locate the nearest stash. It would have either a cell phone or change for a payphone, and she could start putting this hellish interlude behind her.
The nearby barbeque place had their dumpsters hidden behind a tall wooden fence like all the other restaurants worried about wild animals getting into their trash, but they'd taken the time to make it aesthetically pleasing. The wooden slats were six-feet high, separated into sections by white stone pillars topped with glass globes that glowed gently in the moonlight. Ari used the drainage pipe running down the side of the building to help with her ascent and dropped into the fragrant interior. A small vent near the far side of the building had enough clearance that her duffel bag of necessities could fit inside without being an obstruction.
Ari pulled it out and dug through it for jeans, sneakers and a T-shirt. Then, like a holy relic wrapped in a Safeway bag, a prepaid cell phone. She dressed and returned the remainder of the stash back where she'd gotten it. She climbed back over the fence and dropped to the dewy grass on the other side. She dialed as she walked, looking back toward the street to see if any police cars were slowly passing by looking for suspicious behavior.
Dale answered on the first ring. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." Panic gripped her. "Why? What happened?"
"You don't know?"
"No. The wolf..." She remembered going into Dale's bed during one of her fugues, the wolf part of her brain guiding her through a rough and wild sexual encounter. "Did I hurt you? Dale, please tell me I didn't--"
"No. I'm fine. I'm okay, Ariadne." Ari closed her eyes. "Where are you? We have to talk."
Ari looked around again, shivering in the cold. "I did something awful, didn't I?"
"I don't know yet. Whatever happened, we'll work it out together. Please, tell me where you are. I'm already on the road, and I can probably be there in fifteen minutes."
#
She arrived eight minutes after they hung up. Ari jogged to the car and slid into the passenger seat, motioning for Dale to drive before the door was closed behind her. Dale told her what she'd read on the news website and Ari went ashen as she considered the information.
"I killed him."
"We don't know that."
Ari glared at her. "Dale, I turn into the wolf and black out. A few hours later the guy who kicked my ass earlier this week ends up torn apart by a wild animal. These aren't odds I'm going to take to Vegas any time soon." She pushed her hands through her hair and eventually gripped it at the base of her skull, squeezing it into a ponytail as she watched the road through the windshield. "I know what you're going to say. I wouldn't kill someone in cold blood, right? Well. I didn't, did I? He provoked me. I just waited a few days to punch back."
"There's always another explanation."
"No. Not this time."
Dale pressed her lips together and tightened her grip on the wheel. "His wife. What's her name? Brigit? She hired us to see if her husband was cheating, right? Well, maybe she hired someone else to punish him for it. Instead of half his stuff, she gets it all."
Ari said, "And the hit man she hires just happens to be a canidae, too? And randomly chooses the one night I can't account for my actions to do the job?"
"I'm just trying to help," Dale said softly.
Ari reached out and rubbed Dale's arm. "I know, baby. I'm just trying to figure out what we do now."
"Well... you can't turn yourself in."
"If I did it--"
"No, Ari, I mean... you can't turn yourself in. Think about it. I'll drive you to the police station right now, and you can go up to the desk sergeant and confess that you are the wild animal that tore out Seidel's throat. You'll explain it by saying you're a canidae with the ability to turn into a wolf at will, and they'll nod politely and put you in the crazy file."
"I'll--"
"What? Show them? Transform in the middle of the police station and reveal the existence of werewolves to the world? Even if you wanted to confess, Ari, no one will believe you did it."
"There are cops on the force who would listen to the whole story and then make something up for the official report. Bryn, for instance."
"Ari, it's noble. But you can't turn yourself in for this crime."
Ari slumped. "So what are my real options here? Accept that I'm probably a murderer and try to go on with my life? How could I ever transform again knowing the wolf could go crazy?"
"You've never attacked anyone before."
"I attacked you."
Dale winced. "That was different."
"Fractionally, Dale. It was fractionally different. I took what I wanted from you without any regard for your feelings. That time it was sex, this time it was murder. What's next? I don't want to find out."
Dale shook her head. "We don't have the full story. We only know what the news is saying, and they only know what the police are telling them. There is one way to get all the facts we need to move forward, but I don't think you're going to like it."
Ari sighed. "Hit me. I don't think I'm in a position to shoot down crazy ideas right now."
#
The next afternoon, Brigit Seidel answered Ari's knock with a confused and slightly fearful expression. "Oh." She smoothed down the front of her blouse and looked at the porch, the street beyond Ari's shoulder and then finally forced herself to make eye contact. "Ms. Willow. I didn't expect to see you again. The check--"
"I'm not here about the check, Mrs. Seidel." She paused and cleared her throat. "Although if you have it, I'd be greatly obliged. I'm actually here because of what happened to your husband last night. Can I come in?"
"I don't... I-I don't--"
"Please. I'm not angry at you for anything. I just want to talk."
Brigit seemed to relax, though her lips were still pressed into a tight line. She nodded and stepped to one side, ushering Ari into the house. She closed the door and followed Ari into a spacious living room decorated in blue and white. Brigit crossed to a wet bar that stood like a sentry next to the back door. "May I get you something to drink?"
"No, I'm fine."
"Do you mind if I have something?"
"Go ahead. It's your house." She stuck her hands in her pockets and looked outside as Brigit made herself something to steady her nerves.
Brigit took a drink and then set it down hard on the counter. "I didn't tell him."
Ari looked back at her. "Pardon me?"
"About you. I didn't tell Garret about hiring you, or where to find you. It's not my fault that he... did what he did. When he told me, I was sick. I was literally sick, Ms. Willow. And I'm terribly sorry, but if you want some sort of recompense--"
"The only money I'm interested in is what we originally agreed upon, Mrs. Seidel. Please, I really just want to talk to you about how your husband died."
"Why?"
"It's unusual."
"Wild animals attack people all the time," Brigit muttered around the lip of her glass. She took a long drink and then put the glass down. "Why should my husband be any different from all the other victims? The poor animal just probably smelled him and thought he was a big ham." She snorted and began to pour herself another drink. Ari crossed the room and stopped her. Brigit hesitated, then put the bottle away. "Fine."
"The police aren't investigating. I just want to make sure everything is as cut-and-dry as they think."
Brigit narrowed her eyes. "I thought you were pressing charges against him for his assault on you. Why do you even care?"
Ari shrugged. "You haven't paid me yet, so the case is technically still open. I feel like this happened on my watch. I just want to know the whole story, and not whatever gets filtered through the media. Consider it a bonus... you can just add it to whatever you already owe me and pay me when I'm satisfied the case is finished. Deal?"
Brigit considered it for a long moment and finally took a deep breath. "Okay. I'll let you look into it, and I'll tell you what you need to know, but only on one condition. If someone did do this, if someone murdered my husband... I want you to get their name and address, and write it down for me, so I can send them a big... fucking... cake." She forgot Ari's admonishment and picked up her bottle again. This time Ari didn't stop her from pouring another glass.
#
The news story revealed Seidel had been at his girlfriend's house when he was attacked, so Ari found the crime scene without any trouble. She had Dale drop her off a mile away from the house and transformed into the wolf, venturing into the neighborhood by cutting across backyards and slipping through hedges. The neighborhood was on the edge of a wooded area, and Ari could barely make out individual scents among the mélange of animals that had gone back and forth through the mulch.
Seidel's mistress was named Cynthia Pyne, who worked for his hotel as sales manager. Her driveway was framed by yellow crime scene tape that swung in the gentle breeze, creating a surrealistic illusion of a peaceful afternoon. Ari could smell the blood that had been washed away and tried to focus on her mission. She moved through the backyard of the house, taking the time to make sure no one was home and there weren't any cops keeping an eye on the property before she began sniffing around.
She had to be extra cautious since everyone in the neighborhood was probably on guard about a wolf attacking humans. If animal control got called it would be bad. If a neighbor decided to take matters into their own hands... She kept part of her attention on the ambient sounds of the neighborhood for any hint someone had seen her or was trying to sneak up on her.
Ari moved along the side of the driveway. Seidel had been attacked while getting into his car, which meant his attacker had come from the lawn-side, not the forest-side. She tried to imagine the scene at night, picturing herself crouched in the dark at the front of the house. Lying in wait for the chance to pounce and tear Seidel's throat out. It seemed like poetic justice since he'd ambushed her outside a place where she felt safe.
Maybe I didn't mean for it to go that far. Maybe I just wanted to bark and scare the shit out of him, and the wolf took it further.
She breathed deep again and caught the stale aroma of blood. She couldn't blame that level of aggression on the wolf. Wolves didn't just randomly attack humans.
Lowering her head, she sniffed around for any hint of a trail. To her dismay it seemed as if the troupe of policemen who spent the evening and morning trampling the crime scene had brought out their dogs to try and find the culprit. Other than discovering one of the K-9 officers in the Seattle Police Department was a canidae, she ended up just walking in circles. There were a few odors that she found vaguely familiar, but nothing she felt confident to follow. It could have just been something she recognized from her earlier surveillance.
She trekked back to the parking lot where Dale was waiting and transformed in the back seat. As she changed back into her clothes, Dale twisted in the front seat to face her.
"No luck, I guess."
"No. The cops spread too much scent around the place. I could barely even smell myself, let alone try and pick out anything else." She crawled over the console and dropped into the passenger seat. "We could speak to the neighbors and hope someone happened to see something."
Dale rested her hands on the steering wheel. "Actually, I have another idea. We don't have to prove or disprove that you were here last night, we just have to figure out where you were. And we know someone who can answer that question."
Ari thought for a moment and then realized what Dale meant. "You mean the wolf."
Dale shrugged. "It's worth a shot, at least."
Ari wanted to protest, but it seemed like the most likely plan to succeed. "All right. If you're willing, then so am I. How exactly do you plan to refresh the wolf's memory?"
"Plan? What plan? I'm making this up as I go along."
"Comforting," Ari said.
"Now you know how it feels." She squeezed Ari's hand before she started the car to drive back home.
#
Ari undressed and settled in the tub, her arms resting on the sides as Dale finished lighting the candles. The overhead lights were off, so the tile glowed with a gently pulsing golden shine. "A little over the top, don't you think?"
"You need to be relaxed. You can't force the memories to come back, so we need to ease your mind into accepting them." She caught Ari's skeptical look and shrugged. "I slept with a psych major in college. Some of it rubbed off."
"Hm." Ari relaxed against the edge of the tub and closed her eyes. "Dale... what if we find out I did it?"
"Then we'll deal with that."
Ari opened her eyes. "Just like that? Dale, I killed a man in cold blood."
"No. You killed a man who attacked you. You were provoked."
"And it doesn't scare you? That I have so little control over the wolf, that I could just lose my mind and..." She waved her hand, sprinkling water against the edge of the tub. "What if we have a fight? What if the wolf decides to take extreme measures with you, too? A few weeks ago I decided I wanted sex, so I took it from you. And if the wolf decides Seidel needs to pay, it runs across town and rips his throat out. What will be next? I can't risk finding out, Dale. If we find out I'm to blame, I can't risk losing control again."
"You can't just lock up the wolf, Ari. That's the only way I know to make certain the wolf goes nuts when it finally comes out." She stroked Ari's cheek. "It's not a matter of being stronger than the wolf. You are the wolf. It's a part of you and it always will be. I'm not scared of it, because it's part of the person I fell in love with."
Ari reached up and gripped Dale's wrist. "If I ever try to hurt you... if you ever get scared when I'm the wolf, do whatever you can to stop me. Understand?"
"Ari--"
"I need you to make me that promise, Dale. I need to know you won't hesitate if it comes after you."
Dale bent down and kissed Ari's lips. "I promise."
"Thank you."
"Okay." Dale sat up. "Close your eyes and focus on yesterday. We were in the office. It was late afternoon, and the sun was coming across the desk. I had just made tea, so you could probably smell it in the air even before you changed. We'd had a slow day because you were so anxious about getting a chance to transform after holding back for so long. So I locked the main door and you undressed, and you changed into the wolf in the front office. I opened the door and you went out. Do you remember if you turned left or right?"
Ari thought for a moment. "I went left, toward the intersection."
"Good. Down to the corner. Did you turn down any of the alleys?"
"No. I was going toward the park. I wanted to run on the hills." Ari's voice was slower now, almost dreamy. Dale dipped her fingers into the bath and drew the water up over Ari's bicep. "I took the long way to the park."
"What happened when you got there?"
Ari furrowed her brow. "I didn't. I don't... think I went to the park after all."
Dale was excited, but she didn't want Ari to push. "Okay. What do you remember about your walk toward the park? Did you go past the convenience store?"
Ari thought. "Yeah. I did. A little girl tried to pet me, but her mother stopped her. And I... went to..." Her eyes opened. "There was someone else."
"Who?" She put her hand on Ari's shoulders. "Lie back. Close your eyes, focus on yesterday."
Ari complied. "I don't remember. I just know that I stopped going toward the park because I saw something that distracted me. I started to follow it and..." She shook her head slowly. "Maybe if you really hypnotized me I would remember better."
"Maybe. But I don't know how to do that." She smiled and rubbed Ari's shoulder again. "Just picture it. You know the streets around our office better than anyone. Picture them, put yourself there yesterday. Was traffic heavy or light?"
"Light. I was able to cross the street without running."
"Which street?"
"Orcas."
Progress. "Why did you have to cross Orcas Street? The park is in the other direction."
"I was following someone. And then..." She was speaking faster now. "There was a truck in the parking lot. It was backed into the space. I went past it and someone got out."
"Ari, slow down. What parking lot?"
"It was the hardware store parking lot."
"Where was the truck parked? Nearer to the store or to the road?"
"The back of the parking lot. By itself, without other cars around?"
"And who were you following?"
Ari opened her eyes. "I can't remember. I don't remember passing the truck, but I know that... I was in the bed of the truck. I was muzzled." She sat up and covered her eyes with her hand, trying to focus. "They gave me something. A pill."
"Who did?"
"I don't know. I can't see any faces. I just remember running into the parking lot, and then flashes of being the truck. I didn't kill Seidel. I couldn't have. I got grabbed and they held me while someone else--"
There was a knock on the apartment door and they both turned toward the sound.
"Cops?"
"Why would they come here?" Dale whispered. "Stay here. I'll go see who it is."
Ari was already standing up. "No way. This is more than just some random assault. Until I know what the hell is going on, you're not leaving my sight."
Dale helped Ari towel off as their uninvited guest knocked again, more insistently this time. Ari put on her jeans and blouse before she followed Dale to the front of the apartment. Dale looked back to make sure Ari was ready, then stood with her hand on the deadbolt.
"Who is it?"
"US Marshals, Miss Frye. We need to speak with you about your boss."
Dale looked back at Ari with utter confusion and mouthed, Marshals?
Ari shrugged and gestured for her to open the door. Dale did, but only an inch.
"Could I see your badges and ID, please?" She examined something, then opened the door a little wider. "What is this all about?"
"Do you know where we can find Ariadne Willow?"
"She's right here," Ari said. "Let them in, Dale."
Dale opened the door wider and ushered them inside. Ari idly wondered if marshals were called agents, officers, or just marshal. The man who'd spoken was a slender man with what Ari liked to call Sunday School Hair: wetted down, every strand in place, parted over his right eyebrow as if someone had used a ruler for it. He wore a black dress shirt under a suit jacket and the bulge under his right arm told Ari that he was armed and left-handed. He confirmed this by holding open his wallet with his left hand to show her his badge.
The redheaded woman with him was taller and more severe, dressed in a suit despite the fact Ari didn't think marshals had a dress code. She kept her hands behind her back as she idly scanned the apartment before settling pale green eyes on Ari. Her lips were pursed, and her jaw was set firmly to indicate she really didn't care for the person she was looking at.
So Ari smiled, winked, and said, "Hi, cutie."
The woman sneered and looked at something else.
"Miss Willow, I'm Marshal Clark Duchamp, this is Katherine Matheson. You're a hard woman to find."
"I hope not." He blinked without comprehension. "My apartment, the office, and my assistant's apartment. This should have been third on your list. If you consider that hard, then maybe you shouldn't be in the 'finding people' business."
Duchamp cleared his throat. "Well. That's not pertinent. We'd like to speak with you about the Victoria Fennick case."
"Not that again." Ari groaned, ignoring the twinge at the back of her mind by letting her irritation overtake it. "You guys said that with Sadie Dillon turning state's evidence, you wouldn't need me to testify. Why..." Her mind caught up with the situation and she froze. "Oh, hell. You guys lost her, didn't you? You put Sadie in Witness Protection and she got away from you."
The marshals shifted awkwardly. Matheson decided to move on without acknowledging their screw-up. "We have reason to believe that Ms. Dillon has returned to Seattle. If she has, you and Ms. Frye may be in grave danger."
Ari sighed. "That's quite an understatement, Marshal." She had been hired to infiltrate a gang of canidae jewel thieves. When they found out she was a plant, they kidnapped Dale and threatened to bite her. An adult who was changed into a canidae couldn't survive the transformation. The idea had been horrifying at the time, but now that she and Dale were together Ari couldn't even bring herself to imagine it. She crossed the room and took Dale's hand.
She remembered a flash of red tail, the white tip flicking as the fox crossed the street, and she suddenly realized what had happened the night before. Dale saw the change in her expression but obviously couldn't read it, and she knew better than to mention it in front of the marshals.
"Ms. Willow?" Duchamp cleared his throat. "We're prepared to take you and Ms. Frye into custody until--"
"No." She looked at the marshals. "How did Sadie get away from you guys in the first place? Didn't you have people watching her?"
"Of course we did." Duchamp cleared his throat. "To be perfectly frank, we're not sure how she slipped away from her handlers."
Ari thought about that, and what little she knew about the Marshal Service. She'd looked into it when Sadie first disappeared into their ranks, and her mind had been put at ease when she learned that she would have canidae handlers that knew how to watch her properly. But if she slipped up, if she was forced to move to a new city under the watch of a new office, there might not have been time to get the right people in place.
"Look, I appreciate the offer, but Sadie got past you once. I'm not going to risk it happening again. Out of the four people in this room, Dale and I are the only ones who have successfully dealt with Sadie Dillon. But thanks for the heads up."
Duchamp said, "I really do advise against this, Ms. Willow."
"All the more reason to do it." She started ushering them toward the door. "We're not going into protective custody or whatever you have planned. We're fine right here."
They were in the hallway already, and Duchamp fumbled a card out of his wallet. "Call us if she contacts you or if you change your mind."
Ari saluted and wished them a good night, shutting the door on them.
Dale said, "Are you sure that's a good idea, Ari? Sadie was dangerous."
"You're damn right she is. She killed Seidel."
Dale's eyes widened. "What?"
"As soon as they said she was in town, I remembered who I was chasing into that parking lot. It was her, Dale. I saw her on the street, as a fox, and I chased her. She must have a new partner who knocked me out and dragged me into the truck."
"Oh, my God." Dale rubbed her face. "But how would she even know about Seidel?"
"She hacked into our files last time."
"No. I put up firewalls, I..." Dale's voice trailed off. "Shit. Okay, maybe she got around those. But the timing? She just happens to show up right after a former client beat you up and you were ripe for framing?"
Ari stopped pacing. "No. That's too much of a coincidence, which means that she had to be involved with Seidel coming here in the first place. Brigit Seidel fell all over herself to assure me she didn't tell Garrett who she had hired. He had to find us somehow." She pointed at Dale's laptop. "Sadie got back into town and hacked into our files again, found the Seidel case, and sent him after me."
"So why kill him afterward?"
"Maybe he didn't go as far as he was supposed to," Ari said. "She didn't want me beat up, she wanted me taken out. So she went to plan B."
"We have to tell the marshals about this, Ari."
"Those two? They're inept. Sadie forced the marshal service to move her somewhere that didn't have canidae agents in place, and she walked out right under their noses. We know what she's capable of, and we can stop her." She stepped forward and pulled Dale into a hug. "Don't worry. Just because I sent them away doesn't mean they're gone. They have at least half a brain between them, so they'll keep an eye on this place in case Sadie shows up. We get the same protection without having them breathing down our necks all day long."
Dale leaned back and kissed Ari's cheek. "I'd bet on you before a hundred federal agents."
Ari smiled. "Yeah? Ditto."
Dale rested her head against Ari's shoulder and sighed. "So now what? Just knowing who we're up against doesn't mean we have a chance in hell against her."
"We beat her once."
"Yeah, we really rocked that one. Ari, she nearly killed us both. I don't want to go up against her again."
Ari kissed the top of her head. "I'll keep you safe."
"I'm not worried about me. I'm worried about you going after her by yourself."
"Last time she had two cronies backing her up. Pen is dead, and Beck is in prison."
Dale said, "Yeah, and you said yourself she had a friend helping her in the parking lot. Who knows how many people she has on her side? I have faith in you, Ari. But I'm so damn terrified to let you go that I might have to hug you all night."
Ari tightened her arms around Dale and pulled her closer. "That would be okay with me."
Dale couldn't help laughing. "Yeah?"
"Yeah. I got no other plans."
Dale sagged against Ari, and they held each other as Ari tried to figure out what their next step would be.