I sank back down on my heels. “Snakes.”
Heidi put a hand on my shoulder. “You okay?”
I hadn’t seen Peter in a month, and I certainly hadn’t expected to casually run into him at a crime scene.
I nodded. “Mm-hmm.” I glanced around, my heart pounding in my chest. “I’ve just got to get the shell out of here.”
“Jolene, this is a crime scene and we are murder witnesses.” Will raised his bushy brows at me. “Don’t think we’re going anywhere.”
I nodded. “Duly noted. I’m still gonna book it.” I couldn’t handle the embarrassment of running into Peter at a summit for a pyramid scheme. Plus, I had no idea if he’d spread the word around the station that I was a shifter.
Growing up in the Darkmoon District as an orphaned shifter, I’d learned early on to keep my distance from the police—they singled our kind out. And Peter’s boss, Bon, already had some kind of beef with me. He’d probably relish the chance to throw me in jail for any kind of trumped-up charge if he now knew I was a shifter… or used to be before the curse stole my abilities.
I clapped Heidi and Will on the backs. “See you guys back at the clinic.”
I started forward, but Will tugged on my long ponytail. “Ow!” I spun around and flashed my eyes at him. “What was that for?”
“How are you planning to flee an active crime scene, hm?” He widened his eyes. “And take me with you.”
I shook my head. “Nah, fam. I doubt I’ll be able to get out unnoticed, but with you….” I looked my enormous, lab-coat-wearing friend up and down. “You’re not exactly inconspicuous.”
“Ha!” Will barked out a laugh that drew some stares from the women around us.
I shot him a flat look. “See?”
He leaned forward and glared at me. “Says the woman in head-to-toe black at a white out.”
I sighed through my nose. He had a point.
“Fine.” I rolled my eyes. “I’ll try to get us all out.”
I skirted the edge of the lobby, dodging tall cocktail tables and tightly clustered groups of whispering women. Heidi and Will followed close behind as I made my way toward the exit and the two officers posted on each side of it.
As we neared, I recognized them as cops I’d seen on previous cases but didn’t know well. Hopefully, they’d recognize me too. I planned to make something up about being there working the case, and Peter asking me to escort Will and Heidi up to the station.
Of course, my plan would spontaneously combust if either of them bothered to confirm this with Peter or if he’d warned the station about a shifter being in their midst, but it was the only plan I had. And I couldn’t handle the agonizing awkwardness of waiting around with the other pyramid scheme chumps for Peter to interrogate me.
I glanced back and found Heidi and Will crouched behind me. I smirked. “Real subtle, guys.”
They glanced at each other, then straightened. Will adjusted his lab coat. “Sorry if we’re not as experienced at subterfuge as you are.”
Heidi gave me a bashful smile and shrugged. “It just seemed like the time to creep.”
“Well, you two do look like creeps.”
She grinned, then stuck her tongue out at me. I made a face back, then spun around, ready to sneak forward and attempt to woo the cops stationed at the doors. But I stopped dead.
Daisy, Peter’s enormous German shepherd partner, blocked my way.
I startled and slapped a hand to my chest, heart racing with adrenaline. She cocked her head, dark eyes fixed on my face, and whined.
Jolene? What are you doing here? Her eyes narrowed. Did you kill that woman?
I glanced around and found all the women nearest us deep in conversation. I was sure their founder/cult leader dying on stage was going to keep them talking for years. With no one paying me any attention, I chanced speaking dog in public.
I shot Daisy a flat look and let out a few whines. Yeah, Daisy. Totally. I killed that lady.
She looked bored and huffed. Lie. But what’s new from you?
I planted a hand on my hip and let out a quiet woof. If you’ll recall, I was very honest with Peter, and look where it’s gotten me.
Daisy’s gaze dropped to the floor, and her brow furrowed. True.
I crouched down in front of her and let out some whines and barks. Look, Days, we just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. You remember Heidi and Will, right?
I gestured to my two friends, who moved forward to stand beside me. Peter had mistakenly brought Daisy to me for help when she’d been cursed on the job. I’d taken them both to Will’s back alley veterinary clinic, where my animal translation skills and Will’s and Heidi’s healing abilities had saved the pup’s life.
Daisy’s big, bushy tail swished back and forth on the ground as she smiled up at my friends.
“Aw.” Heidi bent forward and cooed at her as she scratched behind the dog’s huge pointy ears. “Who’s such a good police dog, huh? You are. Yes, you are, aren’t you?”
Will looked her up and down. “Glad to see a former patient looking so healthy.”
I nodded at the dog and whined. See? They’re good people, and you already know I didn’t kill the lady. Can you just let us slip on out of here without alerting Peter or anyone else? Hm? I flashed my eyes at her. For old times’ sake?
Daisy, who’d been panting up at Heidi with a big, toothy grin, snapped her jaw shut and gave me a flat look. You want to leave? I thought you’d crashed the crime scene to get to my Peter?
I barked out a humorless laugh before regaining my composure. “Woof!” Uh, not so much, Days. You finally got what you wanted,
