Raven picked up the sheaf of papers Jody dropped on her desk and looked at the compiled information. The first few pages contained normal biographical data or lack thereof. However, the financial pages attracted Raven's attention. Before she had a chance to read them, Jody popped in to remind Raven it was time to leave. Gwen waited for Raven at her townhouse and Jody wanted to leave early. Raven stuffed the papers into her valise and left the office in a hurry.
Raven drove directly to Gwen's townhouse, walked up to the door, but before she knocked, it opened. Gwen walked out and Raven followed her closely keeping up. They got into the car and went to dinner at a local family style diner . They ordered dinner and while they waited, Raven talked about the VJS squad and the case. Gwen acted disinterested and tried to steer the conversation to the pack. Raven quickly changed the subject to the farm and the area around it.
"Have you heard anything about the land or properties near the farm?" asked Raven.
Gwen thought for a few silent seconds but waited until the server set their meals down. "There was some interest in an estate near the farm, but I don't know why. I overheard something about it belonging to a woman named Molly. Detective Slade and Leona got a search warrant to search the estate. Then everyone left and I went to school. Why do you ask?"
"Molly called me about the detective and his vampire friend. They paid her a visit today and she wanted to know why. I did some digging into Molly and found she owned the estate near the farm. I would like to run past it tonight and spend time looking around the area. Are you game for a run and a little investigation of our own?"
Gwen looked at her beta pack mate and hesitated while she thought. She looked Raven in her eyes and saw curiosity reflected back. "Sure we can run over to the estate, but if there are police there or any indication of a crime committed there, we stay away. From what I saw of aerial photos, there is a wall around the estate. The back of the estate seemed all forest, so the wall may not continue there."
The friends finished the meal in silence and drove to the farm. The deserted farm was dark and quiet. The car drove into the barnyard up to the big wide barn doors and stopped. A large padlock hung on the doors, but it was a decoy for the electronically controlled locks. Raven entered the code on her cell phone after she dialed a special number. When she hung up, the doors slowly slid aside allowing the women to enter. After they had entered , the doors closed behind them.
Gwen went to a nearby hay bale and slowly removed all her clothes folding them carefully. As she folded her clothes, she put them carefully on the hay bale. When she was naked, Gwen stood self-consciously waiting for Raven. Raven went to her customary Beta position and quickly undressed. When both women were ready, they exited through a hidden door into the forest. They shifted to their wolf forms and ran into the forest yelping in joy and happiness of being free. Their bodies quickly warmed and loosened allowing them to run freely.
They ran through the forest at the base of a mountain toward the estate. The land flattened out and turned into new growth forest the closer they ran to the estate. They continued to run and soon found that they entered the estate. As they ran, the forest thinned onto a well-manicured lawn sparsely planted with young trees. Raven slowed to a trot with Gwen following behind. They went behind a large multi-car garage and turned back to their human form.
Raven stopped and looked at the top of the garage, looking for cameras. She saw none and felt comfortable about walking about the area. As they walked from behind the garage, Gwen noticed the yellow police tape crisscrossing the back door of the estate. She poked Raven and pointed to the tape and Raven nodded in understanding. A thought passed Raven's mind, this was a good sign that Molly held information back from her. Raven would have to be careful working with Molly on this case.
They slowly paced the estate making note of landmarks and the layout of the buildings. Entering the area was easier from the forest than driving up to the gate. There was a loading platform at the rear of the house as if big trucks made deliveries. It was odd and Raven made a mental note of it for later investigation. The women walked around the complete buildings of the estate. Each building had yellow crime scene tape across every entry preventing them from looking inside the estate. It also meant that no one was present to witness their entry and exploration of the grounds.
After an hour of exploration, the women went out behind the huge garage where they shape shifted into their lupine forms. If anyone watched, the wolves loped into the forest behind the estate a few minutes later. They ran for an hour part way up the mountain looping back down to the barn where they started. Before they entered the barn, they shifted back to human form and headed for the small shower area to wash off the dirt of the run. When they dressed and went to the car, Raven sat and talked with Gwen.
"I need you to do some information gathering for me with the preternatural police squad. Are you willing to do that for me?"
"I don't know. I am part of the investigation, but if I start nosing around that might raise some suspicions," Gwen cautiously replied. "Besides, they know I am a shape shifter and have other loyalties."
"I don't want you to compromise their investigation, just keep me informed of anything new you hear about, while there. That is all," Raven quietly pushed.
Gwen sat quietly, as her mind spun with thoughts fighting to help her do what was right. On one side, she owed allegiance to her pack of which Raven was the Beta wolf. On the other side, there were her new friends and police preternatural squad, who kept her as a witness to a crime. She thought, "Was Raven's request something that would cause her to do something illegal? Would she be in trouble, if she gave information away? The choice was not easy whichever choice she made one group would not be pleased." Gwen closed her eyes and blanked her mind as Raven drove her home. When she arrived home, she got out of the car, waved goodbye to Raven, went directly to her bed and fell asleep.
At the VJS headquarters, Slade and Leona prepared to question Carlo in one of their interrogation units. Carlo lounged in a chair that confined his movement and forced him to see only the people questioning him. Slade, Connie and Leona watched Carlo from another room that contained monitors and recording equipment. The preternatural squad recorded every interrogation that happened in VJS headquarters for use at trial and sentencing. Carlo sat reclining very still not looking around or protesting his treatment. He thought about Molly and felt he knew that she would get him released soon before he went to trial so he could disappear.
Leona observed that Carlo relaxed in his confinement and signaled Slade it was time. They left the observation center and went to the interrogation unit. While they walked to the unit, the operator in the observation center entered the title information into the computerized log. As soon as they entered the room With Carlo, the camera started recording sound and video. Carlo perked up when he saw Leona he knew she was trouble. Slade was human and not a problem. When they sat down, Carlo shrunk because he felt the tense anger from both interrogators, which spread throughout the room.
When Slade and Leona entered the interrogation room, a loud alarm sounded in the temporary Preternatural Squad room at VJS. The alarm came from Eran's laptop announcing trespassers at Molly's estate. The VJS placed several infrared wireless cameras around the estate to capture any strange movement. The laptop recorded any movement and saved it for later playback and evaluation. Eran and Kevin moved quickly to watch the video live as it streamed in from the estate.
Eran switched the display to a large monitor on her desk, where they watched two individuals stealthily walk the estate. The cameras were high resolution and showed two naked women walking about the large garage area behind the big house. Earlier the camera tracked two very large wolves, as they emerged from the trees. The recording software did not raise an alarm because animals were harmless and recorded as background data. The women's change from wolf to human triggered the alarm and recording continued.
Eran sat at her computer watching the two women as they walked the estate. She made no move to notify any preternatural police patrols because the women posed no threat. They appeared to check only the grounds and exterior of all the buildings. Eran typed a few commands and the cameras zoomed in to enlarge the women. As the software zoomed and enhanced the image, a small whisper of surprise escaped Kevin's lips. He recognized both women and turned to Eran as she saw whom they were. They watched and recorded them and followed their movements throughout the estate grounds.
Shortly after the women left the estate, after reverting to wolf form, Eran reached for her phone. She quickly texted Slade, "Intruders are at Molly's estate, two shape shifter women. They looked like Gwen and that lawyer Raven. Captured and saved video. They did not try to enter any buildings, just walked the estate."
Slade felt his phone vibrate and reached for it quickly. He knew that no one would call him unless it was important. He saw who the text came from and immediately signaled Leona to stop and they left the room abruptly.
When he got outside the room, he opened his phone and read the text. He looked at Leona and texted back Eran, "Keep track of their movements and if they attempt to breach any of the buildings notify the VJS security detail in the area. We will join you shortly. Questioning is going slowly and we need to take a break. Be there in a few minutes." Slade closed his phone and walked to the recording center to inform the monitor that the interrogation was at an end for the night. He asked Connie to join him with Leona in the large conference room with Eran and Kevin.
Slade turned to Leona, smiled and said, "There was some activity at the estate tonight. Two shape shifter wolves came out of the forest and walked around. Eran and Kevin watched them and identified them easily as Gwen and Raven. We need to find Gwen and ask her about her little run tonight with Raven." Leona scowled at the thought of Gwen and Raven being at the estate walking around. Shape shifters were not trusted in the preternatural community of vampires.
Slade and Leona entered the squad room and went to a conference room taking Eran and Kevin with the video. Eran played it back with running commentary from Kevin and her. When Slade saw the zoom of the two women, he recognized them immediately. He chuckled at the sight of their nudity, but was not pleased to see the foray into the estate by them. He wondered what the purpose was as well.
He thought aloud, "The next time we see Gwen, we have to ask her about this little exploration she and Raven performed." Everyone around the table nodded in agreement.
Raven drove directly to Gwen's townhouse, walked up to the door, but before she knocked, it opened. Gwen walked out and Raven followed her closely keeping up. They got into the car and went to dinner at a local family style diner . They ordered dinner and while they waited, Raven talked about the VJS squad and the case. Gwen acted disinterested and tried to steer the conversation to the pack. Raven quickly changed the subject to the farm and the area around it.
"Have you heard anything about the land or properties near the farm?" asked Raven.
Gwen thought for a few silent seconds but waited until the server set their meals down. "There was some interest in an estate near the farm, but I don't know why. I overheard something about it belonging to a woman named Molly. Detective Slade and Leona got a search warrant to search the estate. Then everyone left and I went to school. Why do you ask?"
"Molly called me about the detective and his vampire friend. They paid her a visit today and she wanted to know why. I did some digging into Molly and found she owned the estate near the farm. I would like to run past it tonight and spend time looking around the area. Are you game for a run and a little investigation of our own?"
Gwen looked at her beta pack mate and hesitated while she thought. She looked Raven in her eyes and saw curiosity reflected back. "Sure we can run over to the estate, but if there are police there or any indication of a crime committed there, we stay away. From what I saw of aerial photos, there is a wall around the estate. The back of the estate seemed all forest, so the wall may not continue there."
The friends finished the meal in silence and drove to the farm. The deserted farm was dark and quiet. The car drove into the barnyard up to the big wide barn doors and stopped. A large padlock hung on the doors, but it was a decoy for the electronically controlled locks. Raven entered the code on her cell phone after she dialed a special number. When she hung up, the doors slowly slid aside allowing the women to enter. After they had entered , the doors closed behind them.
Gwen went to a nearby hay bale and slowly removed all her clothes folding them carefully. As she folded her clothes, she put them carefully on the hay bale. When she was naked, Gwen stood self-consciously waiting for Raven. Raven went to her customary Beta position and quickly undressed. When both women were ready, they exited through a hidden door into the forest. They shifted to their wolf forms and ran into the forest yelping in joy and happiness of being free. Their bodies quickly warmed and loosened allowing them to run freely.
They ran through the forest at the base of a mountain toward the estate. The land flattened out and turned into new growth forest the closer they ran to the estate. They continued to run and soon found that they entered the estate. As they ran, the forest thinned onto a well-manicured lawn sparsely planted with young trees. Raven slowed to a trot with Gwen following behind. They went behind a large multi-car garage and turned back to their human form.
Raven stopped and looked at the top of the garage, looking for cameras. She saw none and felt comfortable about walking about the area. As they walked from behind the garage, Gwen noticed the yellow police tape crisscrossing the back door of the estate. She poked Raven and pointed to the tape and Raven nodded in understanding. A thought passed Raven's mind, this was a good sign that Molly held information back from her. Raven would have to be careful working with Molly on this case.
They slowly paced the estate making note of landmarks and the layout of the buildings. Entering the area was easier from the forest than driving up to the gate. There was a loading platform at the rear of the house as if big trucks made deliveries. It was odd and Raven made a mental note of it for later investigation. The women walked around the complete buildings of the estate. Each building had yellow crime scene tape across every entry preventing them from looking inside the estate. It also meant that no one was present to witness their entry and exploration of the grounds.
After an hour of exploration, the women went out behind the huge garage where they shape shifted into their lupine forms. If anyone watched, the wolves loped into the forest behind the estate a few minutes later. They ran for an hour part way up the mountain looping back down to the barn where they started. Before they entered the barn, they shifted back to human form and headed for the small shower area to wash off the dirt of the run. When they dressed and went to the car, Raven sat and talked with Gwen.
"I need you to do some information gathering for me with the preternatural police squad. Are you willing to do that for me?"
"I don't know. I am part of the investigation, but if I start nosing around that might raise some suspicions," Gwen cautiously replied. "Besides, they know I am a shape shifter and have other loyalties."
"I don't want you to compromise their investigation, just keep me informed of anything new you hear about, while there. That is all," Raven quietly pushed.
Gwen sat quietly, as her mind spun with thoughts fighting to help her do what was right. On one side, she owed allegiance to her pack of which Raven was the Beta wolf. On the other side, there were her new friends and police preternatural squad, who kept her as a witness to a crime. She thought, "Was Raven's request something that would cause her to do something illegal? Would she be in trouble, if she gave information away? The choice was not easy whichever choice she made one group would not be pleased." Gwen closed her eyes and blanked her mind as Raven drove her home. When she arrived home, she got out of the car, waved goodbye to Raven, went directly to her bed and fell asleep.
At the VJS headquarters, Slade and Leona prepared to question Carlo in one of their interrogation units. Carlo lounged in a chair that confined his movement and forced him to see only the people questioning him. Slade, Connie and Leona watched Carlo from another room that contained monitors and recording equipment. The preternatural squad recorded every interrogation that happened in VJS headquarters for use at trial and sentencing. Carlo sat reclining very still not looking around or protesting his treatment. He thought about Molly and felt he knew that she would get him released soon before he went to trial so he could disappear.
Leona observed that Carlo relaxed in his confinement and signaled Slade it was time. They left the observation center and went to the interrogation unit. While they walked to the unit, the operator in the observation center entered the title information into the computerized log. As soon as they entered the room With Carlo, the camera started recording sound and video. Carlo perked up when he saw Leona he knew she was trouble. Slade was human and not a problem. When they sat down, Carlo shrunk because he felt the tense anger from both interrogators, which spread throughout the room.
When Slade and Leona entered the interrogation room, a loud alarm sounded in the temporary Preternatural Squad room at VJS. The alarm came from Eran's laptop announcing trespassers at Molly's estate. The VJS placed several infrared wireless cameras around the estate to capture any strange movement. The laptop recorded any movement and saved it for later playback and evaluation. Eran and Kevin moved quickly to watch the video live as it streamed in from the estate.
Eran switched the display to a large monitor on her desk, where they watched two individuals stealthily walk the estate. The cameras were high resolution and showed two naked women walking about the large garage area behind the big house. Earlier the camera tracked two very large wolves, as they emerged from the trees. The recording software did not raise an alarm because animals were harmless and recorded as background data. The women's change from wolf to human triggered the alarm and recording continued.
Eran sat at her computer watching the two women as they walked the estate. She made no move to notify any preternatural police patrols because the women posed no threat. They appeared to check only the grounds and exterior of all the buildings. Eran typed a few commands and the cameras zoomed in to enlarge the women. As the software zoomed and enhanced the image, a small whisper of surprise escaped Kevin's lips. He recognized both women and turned to Eran as she saw whom they were. They watched and recorded them and followed their movements throughout the estate grounds.
Shortly after the women left the estate, after reverting to wolf form, Eran reached for her phone. She quickly texted Slade, "Intruders are at Molly's estate, two shape shifter women. They looked like Gwen and that lawyer Raven. Captured and saved video. They did not try to enter any buildings, just walked the estate."
Slade felt his phone vibrate and reached for it quickly. He knew that no one would call him unless it was important. He saw who the text came from and immediately signaled Leona to stop and they left the room abruptly.
When he got outside the room, he opened his phone and read the text. He looked at Leona and texted back Eran, "Keep track of their movements and if they attempt to breach any of the buildings notify the VJS security detail in the area. We will join you shortly. Questioning is going slowly and we need to take a break. Be there in a few minutes." Slade closed his phone and walked to the recording center to inform the monitor that the interrogation was at an end for the night. He asked Connie to join him with Leona in the large conference room with Eran and Kevin.
Slade turned to Leona, smiled and said, "There was some activity at the estate tonight. Two shape shifter wolves came out of the forest and walked around. Eran and Kevin watched them and identified them easily as Gwen and Raven. We need to find Gwen and ask her about her little run tonight with Raven." Leona scowled at the thought of Gwen and Raven being at the estate walking around. Shape shifters were not trusted in the preternatural community of vampires.
Slade and Leona entered the squad room and went to a conference room taking Eran and Kevin with the video. Eran played it back with running commentary from Kevin and her. When Slade saw the zoom of the two women, he recognized them immediately. He chuckled at the sight of their nudity, but was not pleased to see the foray into the estate by them. He wondered what the purpose was as well.
He thought aloud, "The next time we see Gwen, we have to ask her about this little exploration she and Raven performed." Everyone around the table nodded in agreement.
