Page 16 of Blood Bearon
Dottner grinned in understanding. “You’ll get plenty of moving done today, don’t worry about that. I need you alert for later though. The paperwork bullshit can wait, if need be.”
“What do you mean, Sir?” She was confused. “What more should I be doing?”
“You don’t seriously think this was a one-off sort of prank, do you?”
Rachel regarded her boss carefully. “It would be nice,” she said, “but no, I never really figured it was over.”
Dottner sighed, rubbing at his eyes. “That’s because it isn’t. It’s going to start up again tonight, I’m fairly positive.”
She just nodded, having assumed the same. “I hate to say it, but you’re right. We’re in for another night of it.”
“I’ve called everyone in. We’ll have a full force patrolling the streets tonight, but until we catch this guy, or girl, or group, we’re only going to be able to react to it.” The Sheriff looked up sharply, catching her eyes. “We need to find whoever did this. So I’m putting you on the case.”
Rachel perked up. This was going to be the case of the decade, if not longer, in Plymouth Falls. “Right, of course, Sir. Which part do you want me to handle?”
“Are your ears plugged, Corningstone? I said you’re in charge of the case. The entire thing. I’m a proud man, but I like to think I’m not an idiot. You’re the best detective we’ve got, with experience at this sort of thing I can’t hope to match. I’ll plan out our response and coordinate with the other services.”
She straightened, beyond grateful for the trust in her abilities. “I won’t let you down,” she promised fiercely.
“I know. That’s what I told the Mayor when he called. I said I was confident they’d solve it.”
“Thank you, Sir, I—”
Rachel was nodding, her brain already shifting into analysis, when a single word trickled through her brain. “They? Sir?”
“You and your partner. You’ll figure it out,” the Sheriff said, looking at various files on his desk.
“Pardon? I don’thavea partner, Sir.”Great. Who am I getting saddled with now? If it’s Martin, I may just quit now.
“You’re going to need help on this one, Corningstone.”
Was that a…smirk?
“It better not be Martin,” she said. “If this is some sort of cruel prank…”
Dottner leaned forward and pressed a button on his phone. “Khove, could you come in here please?”
She frowned. What the hell kind of name was Cove? Was his sister named River? Maybe Lagoon? Bay? The door opened and she looked at her new partner. At least, at his chest. Then her head went up, and up. Until…
Rachel’s mouth dropped open.
“Khove Ursa,” the giant with gray eyes from the night before said, sticking out a hand.
“Detective Corningstone,” she said, trying to muffle her surprise.
“Pleasure to meet you for the first time,” Khove said, a tiny twinkle in his eyes.
Hedidknow who she was, so that ruled out a random identical twin. This was the man she’d arrested. The one who’d ruined her car. And nearly her night. Rachel had thought she was done with him. Now the Sheriff was making him herpartner?
She longed to lash out at him, but because he wasn’t in any of her reports from the night before, she couldn’t. For the moment, she had to bite her tongue and stay silent despite the dozens of questions she had for the annoying giant.
“May I have my hand back?” he asked.
Glancing down, she yanked her hand back. Had she really been shaking his hand the entire time? “Sorry,” she mumbled, turning back as the Sheriff cleared his throat.
“Anyway, Mr. Ursa here is going to be your partner on the case. All the properties attacked last night apparently belong to his, um,” the Sheriff looked down at a piece of paper on his desk. “Family.”
Khove nodded graciously. “Yes, we’ve been in Plymouth Falls for a rather long time, and as such, we’ve built up a fairly extensive portfolio of business.”
