Shadowed

"Ma’am, we don’t have a lot of information, other than the same person likely committed both crimes," Derik said as gently as he could. "We’re just trying to figure this out."

"When you do, please let me know," Mrs. Hicks wept. "So I’ll know why my children no longer have a father."

* * *

"Boss, look at this," Trajan, Trace’s older brother and Winkler’s Second in the Dallas pack, set a paper copy of a map in front of Winkler the afternoon following the full Moon.

"What’s this?" Winkler lifted the map and studied it.

"The route they took to deliver those mobile homes," Trajan pointed out. Like Trace, Trajan was nearly seven feet tall with dark hair and dark eyes. With martial arts experience and a sports background, Trajan was a capable Second for the Dallas Pack.

"So, the Mayor was off the path, but the second victim wasn’t? You think there’s some connection?" Winkler studied Trajan’s face.

"Well, the two men knew one another. Who knows? I might be reading more into this than there is, but what if there’s a leak somewhere? Besides Director Jennings, who else knows where those families were relocated? Even knowledge of a general location for those families could be dangerous. What might happen if the murderer had vague news of their whereabouts and then went looking for information on people moving into the area or anything unusual going on?" Trace settled into the chair beside Winkler’s desk.

"And six mobile homes moving along a two-lane road is definitely unusual."

"Yep. Not easy to hide that, boss."

"You think I should contact Bill and ask him to investigate his own department?"

"Well, it isn’t like that sort of thing hasn’t happened in the past."

"It’s worth a try," Winkler agreed. "I’ll give him a call." Winkler’s phone rang before he had a chance to dial Director Jennings’ number.

"Weldon?" Winkler recognized the Grand Master’s number on his cell.

"Winkler, two of those kids from Cloud Chief managed to burn one of the mobile homes to the ground last night." Winkler was on his feet and cursing immediately.

* * *

"Ashe, I think we should talk to those people. Maybe show them we’re not all prejudiced and nasty," Wynn and Dori stood beside Ashe’s locker, surprising Ashe and Sali. Hayes, Larry and Jeff, three other classmates, stood behind the two girls. Hayes and Jeff were werewolves; Larry was a bobcat and Mrs. Campbell’s son. Wynn, already very pretty and showing signs of growing into a beautiful woman one day, brushed back long, white hair unconsciously as she pleaded with Ashe to take her and the others to the remaining mobile homes.

"How do you plan to do that? Chump and Wormy did their best to destroy any trust they might have," Ashe grumbled. "And most of them are decent. I was hoping Edward could be included in activities and stuff, and then the others might come along. Now," Ashe shrugged in near-resignation.

"Let’s give it a try at least," Hayes offered. "Make a peace offering of some kind. I’m willing to take my new games over."

"I’m willing to turn for them." Ashe stared in shock at Wynn—she never volunteered for that. When she changed for the full Moon, she stayed close to her mother, Sharon, a shapeshifting mare, and her father, Jonas, a rare bald eagle. Wynn was a unicorn that shone brightly in the moonlight—Ashe had flapped over her many times as the bat just to get a glimpse of perhaps the rarest shapeshifter in existence.

"Wynnie, are you sure you want to do that?" Ashe used the nickname that most people were afraid to use—Sharon called her daughter by that name but Wynn usually got upset if anyone else did.

"I will," Wynn seemed determined. "They have to understand that we’re not all like Chad and Jeremy. Stupid twits," she muttered.

"Look, why don’t we meet at Ashe’s house in an hour?" Hayes suggested. Jeff and Larry nodded in agreement.

"All right," Wynn said. "Let’s go, Dori." Dori followed Wynn toward the front doors of the school. Ashe watched both girls walk down the polished tile hallway that separated classrooms at Cloud Chief Combined.

"You’re sure about this?" Ashe turned back to Hayes, Larry and Jeff.

"We have to do something," Jeff said. He, Larry and Hayes were best friends, much like Ashe and Sali, but occasionally the three boys came to Sali’s house—they seldom visited Ashe. All of them enjoyed playing video games, but generally hated playing Ashe. If he concentrated on the game, Ashe was very hard to beat. The others liked to win once in a while, so they played mostly with Sali.

"I’ll offer some of my books to Luanne; Trace said this morning that all her books got burned," Ashe sighed, nodding to the three boys. "Meet at my house in an hour and we’ll go." Hayes, Larry and Jeff, their athletic shoes squeaking on the polished tile, walked quickly toward the school entrance.

"Sali, I know I’ll get in trouble if Mom and Dad find out, but we can’t go empty-handed. Want to mist into Cordell and buy snacks?" Ashe gazed hopefully at his friend.

"Yeah. Let’s go," Sali breathed, excited to be sneaking away from the community. Ashe, making sure nobody else was inside the deserted school, became mist. Pulling Sali into his mist, he blazed toward his home to raid his allowance stash before racing invisibly to the nearby town of Cordell.

Waiting patiently while a man wearing a studded leather jacket purchased a few items ahead of them, Ashe totaled snack items in his head. Sali had been more than generous, dumping multiple bags of chips and cookies into their basket.

"Having a party, boys?" The woman at the register rang up the sale. The pile of cookies, snacks and soft drinks traveled along the conveyor belt while Ashe and Sali watched the cashier scan all of it. Ashe pulled a handful of bills from his pocket to pay—he barely had enough to cover everything.

"Yeah, we’re inviting friends over," Ashe agreed, handing money to the cashier. Sali was already gathering up bags of purchased snacks.

"Haven’t I seen you at Cordell Feed and Seed?" The woman asked, her brown eyes kind as she handed change back.

"My mom owns it," Ashe said. Cordell was small enough that everyone knew everybody else.

"You’re Adele’s son. Now I recognize you," the woman placed hands on ample hips as she smiled at Ashe and Sali. "Well, have fun."

"We will. Thanks," Ashe lifted what Sali couldn’t carry and they walked through the door of Jerry’s Super Saver Market and Bakery.

"Come on," Ashe nodded toward the opposite side of the grocery store—cars were parked where Sali was walking. They had to find a good place for Ashe to turn to mist.