Chapters 17-18

Note: Each chapter is from the POV of the named individual.

Chapter 17: Vince

An ambulance arrived first, closely followed by a police car. I intercepted the paramedics and told them to give priority to the boy who was bleeding out. While they were working I also reported on the the boy with the injured wrist and Millie’s minor neck wound, adding that I was worried she might be going into delayed shock.

Millie was obeying my instructions but she had a vacant look in her eyes as though she was running-on-empty. Fortunately she was hanging in there like a trouper. She intercepted the police and told them the two boys had been trying to rape her, thereby identifying that she was the victim and the boys were the perps, and setting the course for their investigations.

Paramedics loaded the boy who was bleeding out into the ambulance and, as he was a suspect, a policeman was assigned to accompany him. The ambulance set off for hospital with sirens blaring just as another ambulance and more police arrived.

At last the police got around to me. I explained who I was, handed them the evidence bags containing the knife and my gun and showed them the photos on my smartphone which, as I expected, they confiscated. Then they asked me to drive myself to the police station to be interviewed and make a statement. I asked to be allowed to search for the body of the dog but they refused, saying a vet was on his way and he’d take care of it.

I waited until my relief showed up so I could do a situation report and handover by which time two more ambulances had left for hospital containing respectively the boy with the injured wrist then Millie. At the police station I was shown to an interview room, where I waited for about half an hour until a company-appointed lawyer showed up. I recognised him from having seen him around the company’s office although I’d never worked with him before.

“You’re a witness rather than a suspect so they’ll allocate a civilian interviewer,” he said. “But civilian interviewers don’t work Sundays so it was a waste your coming here.”

“Great. This day just keeps getting better and better.”

“While I’m here, we can prepare your statement. I’ve got my laptop. Hopefully they’ll let us use a printer so we can print it off and get it witnessed.”

The lawyer made notes on his laptop while I recounted what had happened.

“Oh no, you can’t put that in your statement,” he said when I mentioned how guilty I felt at misjudging the situation and shooting the family pet.

Then the lawyer had me relate the story again. He stopped me a few times for clarifications, all the while tapping away on his keyboard. Finally he finished and turned the screen round to let me see what he had written. I have to admit it was very good. I made a couple of observations resulting in minor changes, then I deemed myself satisfied.

The lawyer talked the Duty Officer into letting us use a printer, then I signed the printed statement and had it witnessed by both my lawyer and the Duty Officer. I noticed a terrible smell pervading the police station, something that hadn’t been present before.

“What’s that smell?” I asked the Duty Officer. My lawyer nodded: he wanted to know too.

“A boy was brought in to help us with our enquiries. He soiled himself while being interviewed. We managed to rustle up a change of clothes for him but he soiled himself again. We had to let his parents take him home for the night. Unfortunately we can’t open the windows for security reasons so we’ll just have to wait for however our ancient ventilation system to do its job. At this rate it could be hours.”

“Since there’s no-one available to interview him, I assume my client is free to leave now,” said the lawyer.

“Okay,” conceded the Duty Officer, the expression on his face showing that he wished he could also leave. “Just sign the register.”

I was glad to leave the building to go home.

“Have a lie in tomorrow,” said the lawyer as we were parting. “Ray will be in touch.”

Ray was the head of the company, the man who had recruited me. After the way I’d screwed up I didn’t expect a very good outcome and as a consequence I slept poorly. Nevertheless I was actually asleep when my doorbell rang.

I stumbled, bleary-eyed, to my front door. It was a courier.

“Sign here please.”

I signed the courier’s handheld device and accepted the package he proffered. Inside I found a smartphone with a note attached.

‘Vince, here is a replacement phone pre-programmed with the company’s numbers. Please give me a call when you receive it. Ray.’

I took the time to freshen up and make myself a coffee before I called.

“Hello Vince, thanks for calling,” said Ray. “I have to tell you your gun permit has automatically been suspended pending a review, and that the police will have the deciding vote on if and when you get it back.”

“Okay, I understand.”

“I thought you’d like to get straight back in the saddle, as it were. If you’re interested I’ve got a three day job, mostly supervisory and threat assessment. One of our country’s allies in Africa looks to be in a precarious position politically, so he’s preparing a bolt-hole here in this country. I’ve got a team speccing up a security system for the property he’s bought. I want you make sure they’re doing a thorough job. Go over their proposal and identify any weaknesses. Money isn’t an object.”

“Sounds okay. Where is it?”

“It’s about 300 miles away in the middle of nowhere. I’ll send you directions.”

“What about the police interview?”

“They’ve got your statement. If they need any more, they’ll have to go through our lawyer.”

After we hung up, I packed a suitcase for four nights then set off on the 6 hour car journey.

Chapter 18: Greg

I was woken by someone gently stroking my head. I opened my eyes and found my grandmother tenderly gazing down at me.

“You’re such a beautiful animal in this form,” she said. “You look so like my Garfield.”

Garfield was my grandfather’s name, although most people called him Gary.

“Your mother says you can’t change back,” she continued. “Is that true?”

I nodded my head.

“You’ve got blood around your mouth. Is it yours?”

I shook my head.

“Are you hurt?”

I nodded.

“Can you show me where?”

Fighting back against the pain that lanced through me, I indicated my ribs with my nose. Grandmother put her hand on them and pressed gently. I couldn’t stop myself from yelping.

“You poor thing. I told Sheila you might need help. Let me call and tell her we’re on our way.”

My grandmother disappeared for a few minutes to make the phone call.

“Can you get into the back of my car by yourself?” she asked, after she had returned.

From what I could remember, my grandmother’s car had quite a tall lip at the back. I shook my head.

“Okay. I’ve brought the travel cage I used to ferry your grandfather around when he was in dog form. It’s a good thing I didn’t throw it out after he died.”

Grandmother brought in the travel cage. I could still smell my grandfather’s scent on it. Grandmother opened the door and I crawled in, lying down on the soft blanket liner.