Fox Afield (Madison Wolves) (25 page)

I smiled. "I guess the dog walker is going to have to go door to door, looking for customers, and one of the dogs will get loose."

"That will work," Lara said.

After that, there wasn't much for me to do until Timothy would be home that evening. Greg shipped everything we had to Gia and Brooke, who discussed it with Robert. Robert couldn't think of any reason either Timothy or his parents would be involved, but it was a small town. He and Bree agreed Timothy wasn't bright enough to pull this off and was being used as a cut-out, a disposable, deniable link between the actual crime and the people behind the crime.

Gia ema
iled back saying, "Robert pointed out this is a small town. It could be anyone using Timothy."

Greg's people tried to dig into Timothy's cell phone calls, but they couldn't find any evidence he owned a cell phone.

"He was definitely using one," I said.

They dug deeper. There was no evidence there was a phone owned by either of his parents that he might be using, either.

"Whoever he's working with gave him one specifically for this," I suggested.

After that, we soon had more information on Timothy than we could possibly use, nearly all of it obtained through less than legal metho
ds. None of it told us anything useful.

"I'm not doing anything useful here," I said. "Lara, how would you feel if I scoped out the house?"

"Not alone," she said. She conferred with Greg.

"You can't blow your cover," Greg said. "Do we need to discuss what that means?"

"I want to drive past first," I said.

"All right," said Lara.

"I'll take her," Elisabeth said. "Serena, are you busy?"

"No," she said.

"I'll ride in back," I said. We consulted a map. "It looks like this park might be wooded along the back side of the property. I want to see that, too. Let's drive in front of the house, then take a left and I can see the park."

* * * *

"Slow down," I said. "It's coming up."

"Slowing down draws attention," Elisabeth said. "And no, we aren't going to drive around the block a few times, either."

I looked out the left side at the house. It was a small rambler, perhaps two or three bedrooms, one bath, I guessed. The yard was kept up by someone who knew how to use a lawn mower, and the few bushes were trimmed, but the bedding in front of the house needed more plants.

"Grandma used to garden," I said. "Timothy does not."

The house was on the corner. We turned the corner, and immediately behind the house was a city park. The border between the park and Timothy's house was overgrown by trees and shrubs, and those came almost to the cross street. The back yard of Timothy's house was well sheltered from prying eyes.

"Drive away," I said. "I want to talk about this." I took a few photos. Elisabeth drove us a few blocks away then pulled to the side of the road.

"I want to get closer," I said. "In fur."

"No," said Elisabeth clearly.

"Listen, then if we can't agree, we'll call Lara. I can switch to fur in the car. I slip out next to the park, and it's only a couple of jumps into the bushes. Once I am in the bushes, no one is going to see me."

"There were kids playing in the park," Elisabeth said. "No."

"I stay hidden, I get close. I use my ears. If someone is inside, I might be able to hear them."

"No," said Elisabeth.

"Then you pick me up a few minutes later. I'll be visible only two seconds."

"No."

"Is calling me 'Alpha' just lip service?" I asked.

From behind her, I saw her back tighten.

"Please don't do this, Michaela," she said.

I pulled out my phone and dialed Lara. She answered right away. "Before I say a word, in the interests of full disclosure, Elisabeth is not remotely happy with what I am going to suggest."

"I suspect I am likely to agree with Elisabeth," Lara replied.

I explained my plan.

"In broad daylight?"

"Did you want to wait?"

"Put me on speakerphone," she said.  Once I had done so, she said, "Elisabeth, can you offer a counterproposal to get her, in fur, next to the house unseen?"

"If a wolf can pass for a dog with a collar and leash, I wonder if a fox can," Elisabeth said. "We can play fetch in the park, and I can throw the ball into the bushes."

"I don't look like a dog," I said.

"People see what they expect to see," she replied
, throwing my own words back at me. "Act like a dog, dress like a dog, they'll see a dog."

"A yappy dog," Karen said.

"A Pomeranian," Elisabeth replied.

"I don't look remotely like a Pomeranian!" I said hotly.

"But can you act like one?" Elisabeth asked.

"Are you two pushing my buttons? Or if I agree to this, will you let me do it?"

"Let?" Elisabeth asked.

"Yes," I said. "Let. I have no intention of going off half-cocked. If my plan is bad, let's come up with a better one. Get me next to the foundation in fur, and I don't care how you do it."

Lara conferred with Greg before saying, "We'll approve any plan all three of you agree to. Michaela, do not pressure Elisabeth. Please."

"I won't," I promised.

We hung up with Lara and I said, "I'm fine with this plan."

Karen and Elisabeth glanced at each other and nodded. "Let's go buy our props," Elisabeth said.

We hit the store. We bought a can of tennis balls, a collar that would fit my fox neck, and a lightweight leash. Elisabeth smirked at me and picked out pink. I looked away and let her buy whatever she wanted.

We got back in the car, I slipped out of my clothes, and shifted furry. Karen slipped in back with me and wrapped the
collar around my neck along with a bright pink bow. I hadn't noticed them buy it.

"Revenge is a dish best served cold," she told me. I sat still and even posed when she took pictures.

Elisabeth drove us to the park. Karen attached the leash. I got my final briefing. "Remember," Elisabeth said. "You're a dog. A yappy dog. Act like one. But you are also exceedingly well-behaved. You never bite or snap at anyone, even little kids that want to pull on your ears."

She wouldn't. That was going too far.

"If we call you, you will come. You will sit and heel."

I chuffed.

"We'll play ball for a while. The first couple of times I throw the ball into the bushes, you'll bring it back. I will tell you when I am willing to let you check out the house. Agreed?"

I chuffed.

We got out of the car.

I immediately began acting like a dog as well as I could; I pulled on the leash, then ran around in a circle and wrapped it around
Elisabeth's legs.

She untangled herself then sa
id firmly, "Mischa! Heel!" She gave the leash a little tug, which I didn't appreciate at all, but I moved into place at her side. "Good dog," she told me.

She kept me in a heel as we walked through the park, coming to a stop periodically and popping the leash every time I got out in front of her. Pretty soon I found myself focused entirely on staying in position rather than looking around.

Karen took pictures. I didn't particularly care. I was a fox on a mission.

Elisabeth didn't go out of her way to draw any attention to us. She didn't drag me past the kids. But a cute dog with a bow in her hair garners attention, and a couple of little kids ran over, their mothers in tow. When they got close, Elisabeth put me into a sit, then said, "Down!"

I dropped to my belly.

The kids tried to run straight to me, but their mothers
grabbed them. "Is it okay?" one of them asked. "Does she bite?"

"No," Elisabeth said. "She's very friendly."

I let the little kids, a boy and a girl, pet me. But when one of them tried to climb on me and ride me, that was pushing it. I yipped a couple of times and waited for Elisabeth to rescue me.

"She's not a pony. She's very small and easily hurt."

The mother pulled the offensive child off of me.

"What kind of dog is she?" the other mother asked.

"A mutt, I'm afraid," Elisabeth said. "It's amazing how just the right combination of parents can produce the most surprising results."

"She looks a little like a fox," the other mother said.

"I know. And she knows what a pretty dog she is, too. But high strung. Wow. If we don't exercise her often, she turns impossible. We were going to play fetch for a while, and let her wear herself out."

Elisabeth reached down and unclipped the leash. Karen threw a ball, but I was in a "down".

"Misha...." said Elisabeth. "Fetch!"

I bolted into action, yipping my head off. I picked up the ball then ran around with it a couple of times, getting it as slimy as I could, before spitting it out directly on Elisabeth's shoes.

One of the kids pounced on the ball and threw it. It went about ten feet. I ran after it, both kids chasing me. Yipping, I ran them around, then doubled back and let them run into each other. I dropped the soggy ball on Karen's shoes, then backed off and yipped at her.

We kept the game up for a while before the ball disappeared under the bushes. I tore off after it.

Yipping, of course.

It took me a minute to find the ball. It had rolled well into the bushes. When I finally found it, I discovered it was covered in dirt. I stared at it but realized if I left the ball, I would be breaking cover. I picked it up and ran back with it.

I dropped it while still running. It bounced off the grass then bounced off Elisabeth's leg, leaving a dirty mark.

I yipped at her to throw it again.

It was three more throws before the ball disappeared into the bushes again. I found it right away this time. When I brought it back, Elisabeth scooped me into her arms, holding me upside down.

I hated being held upside down.

Then she fluffed my belly. I gave her a droll look. Seriously?

"Had enough, Mischa?" she asked. Then she said quietly into my ear, "I'll overthrow in a minute, but you won't have long."

I yipped twice, and Elisabeth set me down. There were two short throws then finally she said. "Here's a long one, Mischa." She threw it and said, "Go get it, girl!"

The ball flew all the way into the back yard of Timothy's house. Yipping, I chased after it.

As soon as I was in Timothy's back yard, I shut up. I ran straight to the corner of the house and began listening.

I heard the kids in the park. I tuned them out.

I heard Elisabeth and Karen talking to the two mothers while the kids were wondering where I was. I tuned them out.

I heard birds in the trees and rustling of branches. Two blocks away a squirrel was chattering at his mate. I tuned them all out.

I listened to the house.

The faucet in the upstairs bathroom was dripping. I heard the fan of a computer.
There was a light turned on, and it was buzzing slightly. I heard the whirr of the electrical meter and, faintly, the pilot light on the hot water heater.

I didn't hear a single sound of life. No sounds of breathing, no hearts beating.

I would have bet money that Timothy Anderson had no pets and no one living in his home.

I found the ball and ran back to Elisabeth.

"Naughty dog!" she said as I emerged from the bushes. "Come!"

I dropped to my belly then inched forward slowly, my ears laid back against my head.
As soon as I got to her, I dropped the ball and rolled over on my back submissively while she scolded me.

"I think you've had enough fetch today," she said finally. I stayed where I was while she reattached my leash. She stood up, tugged once, and said, "Misha. Heel."

I climbed to my feet and assumed a perfect heel position off her left leg. She and Karen said goodbye to the two mothers and their oh-so-delightful offspring, and I walked alongside Elisabeth as she led me to the car. I hopped into the back seat. Elisabeth removed the leash and collar before closing the door on me. "Stay in fur until we're well clear."

I didn't need to be told.

I waited until we were a block away, then shifted into human and pulled my clothes on.

"Did you get what you wanted?" Elisabeth asked.

"I believe I learned what I set out to learn," I said. "What I wanted was to hear Virginia's heartbeat. I did not."

"I didn't think you
would," Elisabeth said. "It was worth finding out."

"She could still be there. The room could be soundproofed. We still need to check it out."

"Agreed," she said. "But you don't think she's here."

"No, I don't."

"Damn," Elisabeth said.

"You believe me?"