Chương 26: A Thousand Volts

Crimson guides Willow over the rocks beside the waterfall, leading her to a spot with a far better view. She steps onto one stone and nearly loses her footing, but he catches her just in time. He then moves to step onto the next rock, and he too begins to slip. But she reaches out and holds onto him firmly. He looks back and sees her trying to stifle a giggle. He glances downward. His feet are submerged up to his ankles in the water. As she beams down at him, he tugs her forward, and her feet get soaked as well.

Then he draws her close and kisses her.

Inside the tale house, Autzee inches over the charred flooring, straining to command his muscles, striving to rise. Lily zaps him once more with the stun baton. His frame convulses upward, then crashes down, thudding against the wall.

"Nine hundred thousand volts. Electricity was never your strong suit, was it? Or flames. So let me share a little insight, and perhaps we can assist one another. Indeed, your sister was chopped into pieces and used as bait in an attempt to lure you out. Grim and a bit Texas Chainsaw Massacre for my liking, but undeniably accurate. Now for the part that might really hit you hard... We weren't the ones who killed her."

Churro lifts Scara's phone, wrestling with a choice. The screen prompts him, "Are you sure you want to delete?" His thumb lingers above the option. Yet he places the phone down. Then, in a heartbeat, he snatches it back up. And at last... He presses the button, erasing the video.

Autzee gazes straight into Lily's eyes, his body no longer fighting against the shocks coursing through his muscles.

"Do you think I'm lying?"

"It wouldn't be the first time."

"Listen to my heartbeat and tell me if I'm being honest." Lily advances toward him, stun baton in hand, ready to hit him once more. She lowers herself over him, hovering above without making contact.

"We... didn't..." She leans in closer, the ends of her hair brushing his chest as she whispers.

"Kill..." And even closer now, she breathes the final words into his ear.

"Your sister." Autzee listens, catching only the calm rhythm of Lily's heartbeat.

"Hear that? No irregularities or spikes. Just the steady pulse of an unfeeling, undeniable truth." Autzee stays silent. Lily moves back.

"There were bite marks on your sister's body. What do you think caused them, ""A mountain lion?" The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. She retracts the stun baton and tucks it inside her jacket.

"So, why aren't we lending each other a hand? Just own up to what you've suspected all along. The Alpha took your sister's life. Reveal his identity to us. We'll handle him for you. Issue resolved. Everyone leaves content." She pauses. Autzee remains completely still.

"Unless... you're clueless about his identity as well." Now Autzee blinks. A tiny reaction, yet enough to convince Lily. She grins, pivoting and drawing a gun from her coat.

"Well, guess who's suddenly of no use?" She taunted. Lily whirls with incredible speed, firing round after round. But it's already too late; she's shooting into the darkness as Autzee dashes through the doorway, stumbles out, and collapses onto the ground. With his jaw clenched and fury blazing in his gaze, he lifts his head. His chest and lips are drenched in blood. He has taken multiple blows. Yet the deepest wound is the shame he's endured. Rising to his feet, he does the sole thing left to him... He runs.

Inside the animal clinic, Mark strides into the examination room with his phone pressed to his ear.

"Crimson, it's me once more. I just need to confirm that you're doing fine. You were due here an hour back. Perhaps you slipped your mind. Whatever's going on, just ring me to let me know you're safe." Mark ends the call. Then he halts. His head cocks a touch. He speaks his next words without spinning around.

"Sheriff Valentine." And then he turns to flash the Sheriff a grin.

"How did you recognize me?" The Sheriff inquires.

"The mirror." He tells him while gesturing to a wall mirror. Another grin. This one slightly unsettling.

"I'm sorry to trouble you again, but I'm finding it a real challenge to get everyone to agree on what we're up against." The sheriff said, gripping a handful of photos.

"I'm genuinely touched that you'd turn to me, but as I mentioned earlier, I'm hardly an authority."

"Yet you seemed quite sure the other day that our attacker was a mountain lion. Let me demonstrate something." Valentine retrieves a folder and opens it.

"We got somewhat fortunate here. The video store lacked cameras, but a security camera overlooking another parking lot happened to capture a few frames. Take a glance at our mountain lion..." Valentine places a photograph down. It reveals a blurry, dark quadruped bounding toward Larch's vehicle.

"And here's another." He sets down a second photo of the shape charging forward.

"Fascinating." Mark whispered, scrutinizing the image.

"Actually, this one is the truly fascinating one." He places a fresh photo down. Mark presses his lips together, examining it. Gazing intently.

"I understand what you're pointing out." He gradually lifts the picture, bringing it nearer to his eyes. The photograph displays the dark silhouette. Except now it moves on two legs instead of four.

"I've never witnessed a mountain lion doing that. What exactly am I gazing at? My initial thought was a bear. But bears don't sprint upright."

"No, they get down on all fours." A dog in the rear starts to bark. Mark glances backward. There's a distinctly different aura about him now. Anxious. He avoids meeting Valentine's gaze.

"As I mentioned. You require a genuine specialist here."

"Might it still be a mountain lion?" The dogs keep on howling. Mark pivots around.

"I apologize, but I have an ill Doberman that demands my care." Valentine nods, gathering the photos.

"Any other possibilities?

""I apologize." The canines within the kennel raised their voices, their howls growing louder and more fervent.

"Honestly, I'd love to assist you. There's a sick..."

"Canine. I can hear them. And thank you. For indulging me once more." Valentine shuts the folder.

Crimson and Willow slide into her car. She turns the heat all the way up. They warm their hands in front of the heater.

"So, being completely honest: This was kind of a perfect birthday."

"Good. But I'd know if you were lying anyway."

"Oh really?"

"You have a tell. You touch your eyebrow's ever time you lie. Right here." Crimson gently brushes her eyebrow with his thumb. She takes his hand in hers, pressing it against her cheek.

"See if you can figure out if I'm lying now."

"Okay...

"I wish my parents weren't coming home from the teacher conferences so I could spend the rest of the day with you."

"With me?" She nods. Now his own heart races. Until...

"Oh God. Meetings between parents and teachers. I'm expected to show up for this day. My grades are all below a C."

"Yet they're happening at this moment. Right this very second."