The Patient Wolf (Wicked Urban Fantasy #1) (2 page)

Chapter 2

“No escape,” Chris
thought to himself. “Now, how am I going to explain being here?”

Before he knew it, he had been led through the cozy living room and dining room and into the kitchen at the rear of the home, seated at the breakfast table, and was being fussed over by what seemed like far too many people for the tiny room.

“Kaylee, you and Sophie go upstairs to your room now and finish your homework,” said Joe’s wife Lindsey, a long-haired blonde still dressed in her nurse’s scrubs. “We’ve got too many people in this kitchen.”

“But mom, we want to hear…”

“None of that, right now. Go!” said Lindsey, pointing her hand in the direction of the living room.

The two girls headed out of the kitchen as Joe got some beer from the refrigerator and handed one to Chris and one to Ana. “I think you both could use one these,” he said. “I’ve already called the police. It could be awhile before they get here, though. I doubt a stray dog takes precedence, even in a town as quiet as Rivelou.”

Chris grimaced at the thought of answering police questions, and Lindsey, coming back in with a cold washcloth mistook his look for one of pain.

“I think you need this for your eyes,” she said, handing him the cloth. “And is that blood on your leg?”

“Oh no! That animal didn’t bite you, did it?” Ana asked with concern.

“No, no. It’s just a scrape. I must have gotten it when I went down on the sidewalk.”

“Let’s take a look and make sure.” Lindsey knelt down and rolled up Chris’s khaki’s.

Joe rolled his eyes at Chris. “My wife. Always the nurse and mom. He’s not one of your patients, or your child, Lyn. He can probably take care of himself.”

“No, that’s okay,” Chris said as Lindsey blushed and backed off. He rolled up his pants leg. “See, just a scrape. No bite marks.”

“Good. I’m still going to get some Neosporin and a bandage.” Lindsey said, heading to the bathroom.

“I’m so sorry I got mace on you.” Ana handed him a new cold washcloth which felt incredibly refreshing as he wiped his face and still-watering eyes.

“No, no, it was a good thing. It’s probably what actually chased the animal away.”

“So what, exactly, did happen?” Lindsey asked, returning with the first aid supplies. Ana took them from her and knelt down to doctor Chris’s leg. “It’s the least I can do,” she said at Lindsey’s questioning look.

At that moment the doorbell rang.

“Hold that thought,” Joe said. “It’s probably the police. You don’t want to have to tell the story more than once,” he called over his shoulder as he headed for the living room door.

Two large uniformed officers followed Joe back into the kitchen, which seemed about to burst at the seams with all the people now crowded into it.

Ana and Lindsey sat down at the table with Chris while the cops, who introduced themselves as Officers Lambert and Abello, asked for their stories.

“The animal was big. He was black, with just a touch of grey around his ears and he had these blue eyes, almost iridescent blue; that startled me. He was shaggy, with eyes like a Husky, only… well more intelligent somehow. And I’ve never seen a Husky that color before,” Ana told them.

“I was out for a walk when I heard the growling and Ana scream. I’m just glad I was nearby,” Joe put in.

“You live where?” asked Officer Lambert, who was taking down notes.

“I’m visiting my sister. She just moved in a few weeks ago around the corner on Westbridge. I’m helping her get settled.”

“You mean the old Victorian? It’s been for sale for at least two years,” interrupted Ana. “We wondered who they finally unloaded it on. Oh, I’m sorry.” Ana put her hand to her mouth. “That didn’t sound very nice. It’s just that the house has been on the market for so long. It’s a mess. The last owner was really elderly when she died. I hope your sister and her family are prepared to do a lot of work.”

“It’s just my sister now. That’s why I came down to help,” Chris said. “I figure we can get a lot of the basics taken care of in six or eight weeks.”

“So your sister must be Shannon Kelly,” Officer Lambert said. “She’s on days so we haven’t seen much of her yet, but we’re hearing good things about her. She’s going to be an asset to the force.”

“Yeah, she’s really happy she’s moved down here,” Chris said.

“Shame what happened to her husband.”

“Yes, he was a good man.”

“Okay, let’s get back to the report,” chimed in Officer Abello, to the disappointment of Ana, Lindsey, and Joe, who had been following the exchange between Officer Lambert and Chris with great interest.

Ana and Chris gave their statements. The two policemen left, cautioning Ana to be careful walking home after dark. “This isn’t the first time in the last few months we’ve heard about a large, stray dog in the area. Make sure you keep that mace handy. We don’t know if it’s one animal or more. We’ll report this to animal control, but so far they seem to have had no luck finding it.”

“I’ll be careful,” Ana promised as Lindsey showed the men out.

“So what do you do, Chris, that you can take that kind of time off to help your sister? I wish I had your boss,” Joe said.

He’s trying just a little too hard to sound casual, thought Chris with a small smile. Well, he’d known he had to expect that in a small town. He had his story ready. “I’m self-employed, a consultant, so I get to set my own hours.”

“Oh? What do you consult about?”

“I help people solve problems,” Chris said evasively.

“Joe, don’t grill the man,” Ana said as Joe opened his mouth to continue the questioning.

“I’d better be getting back. My sister will start to wonder where I am,” Chris said, standing up.

“Let me drive you home,” Ana said. “It’s the least I can do after you got injured on my behalf.”

“Just a few scrapes, and I’m just around the corner…”

“No, I insist. Joe, I’ll be back for Sophie in a few minutes. Chris, my car is parked in the driveway right between the houses. It’s no bother.”

Lindsey said “Well, goodnight Chris, I hope we see you again soon.” She nudged Joe in the ribs and gestured for him to say something.

“Yeah, we’ll see you around the neighborhood,” added Joe, walking them to the porch.

“Your friends seem very nice,” Chris said as they got into the car.

“I’m lucky to have such good friends next door. I couldn’t work and take classes if they didn’t help with Sophie.”

“So you have class every evening?”

“Monday through Thursday, yes.”

“And you walk home every night?”

“It’s just a few blocks to the university, and frankly the parking is so bad it is easier to walk. Not to mention all the money I save on parking passes and gas.”

“And there’s no Mr. Dugan?”

“Mr. Dugan has a new wife,” Ana said with a small snort, “And frankly, Sophie and I are better off that way.”

The ride around the corner had only taken a few moments. “Thanks again for the rescue.”

“I hope I’ll see you again,” Chris said, getting out of the car and heading for the front door of the old house.

~~~

Once inside the house, Chris sagged against the hall table he and Shannon used to hold the mail and all the usual clutter of daily life. He was suddenly exhausted. “Shannon, I’m back.”

“Good, I was starting to get worried,” his sister said, coming down the stairs. “What took you … you’re hurt. Your pants are ripped. What happened? Did you find …”

“I had a run-in with a very large dog.”

“But your leg. You were bitten! Oh my God!”

“No, no I wasn’t bitten. I slipped. It’s just a scrape. No bite marks on me. This time.”

Chapter 3

As Ana walked to work the next morning it was hard for her to believe the events of the previous evening. The menacing feeling and darkness from the night before had been replaced with bright sunshine, a cloudless deep blue sky, and a crispness in the air that hinted at cooler days to come.

Mrs. Andres, a plump widow in her seventies who lived three doors down from Ana’s house, was already outside busily decorating her porch with pumpkins, black cats, and fake cobwebs. She stopped to chat as Ana walked by.

“Did you hear what happened last night?” she asked avidly.

“Yes, I was part of it.”

Mrs. Andres threw down her handful of fake spiders and gave Ana every last bit of her attention. Mrs. Andres was the neighborhood busybody and Ana knew if she didn’t tell her the story now Mrs. Andres would soon hear enough rumors to make up a tale of her own. Better to head her off right now with the truth, she thought.

“What do you mean, you were part of it? The dead man?”

“A dead man? What do
you
mean?” Ana asked weakly.

This time it seemed that Mrs. Andres really did have news.

“It’s all over the television this morning. There was a man found dead in Mitchell Park. They think he was killed by a mad dog. That’s only two blocks away from here. I don’t know what things are coming to. This used to be a nice neighborhood. No one is safe anymore. But you said you were a part of it. Were you walking in the park? Oh my dear, are you all right? What happened? You must have been so terrified.”

It had always been difficult to get a word in when Mrs. Andres was talking, now that she had something really interesting to discuss, Ana thought she’d never be quiet. She broke into Mrs. Andres’s monologue ruthlessly.

“A dog. I was attacked by a dog coming home last night. It seemed vicious, but I never thought…and the police never said…Oh my god, what if Chris…”

Mrs. Andres’s eyes gleamed with interest.

“What did you see? You said the police were called?”

“Yes, I was walking home last night after class and this huge…animal…dog…” Ana stumbled over her description. “Well, whatever it was, I’d never seen it in the neighborhood before. It attacked me. Right in front of my house.”

“I bet it belongs to that new woman. The one who bought the old place over on Westbridge. Why a single woman would want a house that size and in that condition …”

“Well it can’t be hers,” Ana broke in quickly. “Her brother’s the one who chased the animal away, and he’d never seen it before. He was out for a walk, heard the commotion when I was attacked, and came running.”

              “Her brother. Really. A grown woman living with her brother. And this mystery dog gets loose last night and he shows up just in time. How very interesting. Well, it all sounds extremely strange to me.” With just a few words Mrs. Andres managed to imply all kinds of scandal: Doubt as to the veracity of Ana’s facts, a possible illicit relationship between the unknown new neighbor and her brother—or whoever the man Ana had met last night really was, and a connection between Chris and the animal.

Ana felt a bit guilty she was amused by the conversation. She ought to be horrified that this animal had killed someone, she thought, not giggling over Mrs. Andres’s lurid imagination. “And what if Mrs. Andres ever learned the whole truth about what goes on in this town? She’ll never recover from the shock,” she added to herself.

“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean, Mrs. Andres,” she said, trying hard not to laugh out loud at older woman, who really was a kind soul. “The dog was probably a stray. It couldn’t belong to Shannon Kelly—that’s our new
neighbor
by the way.” Ana emphasized the word neighbor, hoping to help Chris and his sister out a bit by reminding Mrs. Andres that they were now a part of the neighborhood, not suspicious strangers. “The police said they’ve had reports of a stray dog for several months, and she’s only been here in Rivelou for a few weeks. And besides, she’s a police officer, so I’m sure she wouldn’t have a mean dog. Not one that kills people. Did you hear if they caught the dog? Or if they know who it…” Ana gulped and stumbled over the word, “killed?”

“No, they didn’t catch that dog, sweat pea, and they don’t know who the man was yet.” Mrs. Andres leaned in and whispered, “They said on the news he didn’t have any sort of identification on him. Now what sort of man walks around at night with no wallet?” She leaned back. “Not that I’m one to gossip.”

“Maybe he was just out for an evening stroll,” put in Ana.

“That’s exactly what I said,” Mrs. Andres declared, despite the fact that she had said nothing of the kind. “The poor man probably just went out for an evening stroll. Who remembers to take their wallet with them when they are just out getting the air? And here comes some mad dog and just up and kills him! What is the world coming to when a man can’t just take a walk in his own neighborhood without getting attacked and killed?”

Mrs. Andres was off again, and Ana knew she’d talk all day unless stopped. She wanted more information about the killing in Mitchell Park, but she also didn’t want to be late to her job. Maybe she would be able to listen to a news report on the office radio before Monica, her office mate, insisted she turn to an all-music station.

“I have to go now, or I’ll be late for work.” Ana cut in quickly, and turned and walked off in haste. She didn’t want to Mrs. Andres to see her giggling. The older woman would certainly give her a lecture on laughing inappropriately at the death of a neighbor. It would never occur to her that Ana was really in stitches at Mrs. Andres, herself, and her rather unusual views on the neighborhood, the city, and the world, and how it had changed—not for the better—in the last twenty years.