Page 5 of Hellhounds and Homicides

He noticed a stray cat dart across on their left. It was full gray and moved with speed and agility, which was common with cats. He watched it without looking at it. The cat was the same one he'd seen before while searching this property. There was more there than just a minor feline. That cat had an interest and an objective.

Dumas continued to discuss mundane aspects of the murder and the Master’s interest to see if the cat showed interest in their discussion. He was feeling ridiculous, but his hound was adamant that the cat was suspicious, and he wanted to get closer.

“Have you seen Detective Dalhousie around?” He asked the two men.

“We saw him watching us from the apartment window but haven’t seen him since.”

“Go down to the apartment and take a look around. It’s empty at the moment." He told them, and they nodded and headed in the direction of the stairs. Dumas watched for the cat to see if it tried to follow them, and it did. He heard the skittering of tiny feet moving fast, attempting to catch the door before it closed when Dumas stepped in front of it. The cat reeled back obviously startled by his presence and took off in the opposite direction.

It made a run for the fire escape but managed to corner itself between two brick walls. Dumas blocked its escape and moved forward careful not to let the little creature get away. It moved back into the corner with a low growl and then it looked up at Dumas with large, vivid green eyes that Dumas had seen before and recognized. He smiled down at the cat and then crouched down and all of his previous confusion turning to clarity.

"Hello Detective Dalhousie." He said and watched as the small grey cat became the homicide detective, Rowen Dalhousie. The shift was swift and smooth, and like the hellhounds and dragons, he did not lose his clothing. Det. Dalhousie stood before him in his suit and trench coat, staring up at him with those same gorgeous green eyes.

“Hello Dumas.” He responded and straightened his coat. “I’m not sure what you are specifically but I know you are a shifter of sorts.” His tone was cautious, and his eyes were taking in everything.

"Of sorts," Dumas responded but did not go into detail as of yet. “You hide with a glamour?”

"No, I use an enchantment; it's a cat thing." The Detective was off his game, looking side to side and giving off an apprehensive vibe.

“You belong to a clowder or colony in Pittsburgh?” Dumas tried to keep his questions as casual as he could, but his sheer presence held a cold harshness that was difficult to work around. It’s a hellhound thing.

“No, I’m a stray.” He said that with solid conviction. It meant something to him.

“What does that mean?”

“I take care of myself, and I answer to no one.”

“It’s my understanding that the Wazir rules the strays.”

“Not all strays.” He answered and did not elaborate. Silence fell for a few minutes as they took stock of one another. “Why is Master Hadden so interested in this case?”

"The death was unnatural, and dark magic was involved. Such information cannot get into the hands of the public at large." Dumas assumed Det. Dalhousie would understand the dangers involved since he was a shifter. "The killer must be found and dispatched before the Pittsburgh PD gets a hold of him or her." Understanding spread across his face, and he nodded.

“I understand your fear of exposure, but it is my job to solve this case, and I intend to do so.” He took a stand but also a tentative step back when Dumas nailed him with a dark stare.

"You will do as you are told, or your days in this town will be few. You, as a stray, may not feel a responsibility to your fellow paranormal. But I guarantee you, Master Hadden will bring hell down upon you if any of your grandiose, self-centered behaviors brings harm to any of our brothers or sisters." Dumas was severe, but this man needed to understand that the secret came first and everything else in life came second, including his career aspirations.

"Of course." He backtracked quickly. "I didn't mean that I would put anyone or any community in danger of discovery. I will find the killer or killers and handle them appropriately." That sounded too vague to accept, so Dumas did not accept it.

“And what do you consider appropriate?”

“It’s appropriate to get them off the street so they are no longer a danger to others.”

"You know what they are capable of doing, and you've no doubt sensed their power, so with that in mind, how do you propose to find them and get them off the streets?" The Detective was cocky as all hell and spoke in circles without declaring any plans. Dumas was strangely attracted to the little bloviator in spite of himself. The cat shifter had an air about him that seemed to speak to Dumas.

"I'll identify them, track them down, and deal with them. It's how we do it in the department, and it's how my cat operates."

“You’ve had several successes since getting your detective badge, but you have never dealt with magics of this level.” Dumas pointed out the obvious flaw in his plans.

"Investigations are all the same." He shot back, and Dumas rolled his eyes, bringing a sudden flare of anger to the cat's green eyes. "I'm not completely certain that Master Hadden doesn't have a hand in what is happening. He has the power to pull it off."

"If you honestly believe that, then you are a bigger idiot than I thought." Dumas turned his back and began walking away. The draw to remain close was strong, and that fact was infuriating him. It was better that he gets some distance from the overconfident, under-skilled shifter before he said something he might regret.

Dumas went back downstairs and out to the street before putting in a call to Josef. "Det. Rowen Dalhousie is a cat shifter." He announced, and Josef fell silent for a moment.

“Is he affiliated with a colony?” Josef asked slowly as if still working this out in his mind.

“He says that he’s a stray with no affiliations.”

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