GLASGOW CREEKS.

"Mr. Lewis, the award show is on Channel 10."

"Thank you."

Police Chief Lewis McCarthy's secretary withdrew, leaving him alone with his guest--a much older friend from town. He'd asked her to alert him when Albert Torino's award show was airing live.

"You need to see this, Henson." He swiveled his chair around to face the emerald green cabinetry behind his desk and used a remote to switch on the television set, setting it to channel 10. "The officer I told you about is being honored today."

"Yes. Everyone is talking about it." The older man leaned across the table to get a close-up view of the event. A congresswoman opened the ceremony by welcoming everyone to the event and extolling the efforts of the Silicone County Police Department over the last few years. The district attorney, Garth Sawyer, was invited to the podium after the welcoming address. He emphasized more on the accomplishments of the SCPD under his administration, making special mention of the highly extolled officer, Albert Torino. The camera zoned in on Albert, from time to time, as the speech went on.

"He looks tough." Henson referred to him being six feet of solid muscles with a square-jawed face and broad shoulders. "But we all know looks can be deceitful. Is he as good as they say?"

"From what I've heard he's even better." Lewis turned slightly away from the program. "But, we're about to find out. He'll be reporting down here first thing tomorrow morning, to help solve these murders."

Henson relaxed back into his seat with a sigh. "I heard about Lucinda's granddaughter."

"Yes." Lewis frowned. "Animal bite marks on the body and three gunshot wounds to the head--just like the others."

"I say those bloody shape-shifters are behind this!" Henson jammed his beefy hands on the desk. "Alpha Delano isn't being straight with you."

"No." Lewis stood up to pour himself a glass of whiskey from his freezer. "The Grey moon pack aren't behind this."

"Don't be fooled by all his assurances, Lewis. Delano, has never been upright."

"I don't trust him, either." He moved back to the seat. "So I met with the council of elders."

Henson's face lit up by the news. "They finally gave you an audience?" Lewis nodded. "How did it go?"

"The bites on the bodies belong to a werewolf, alright, but whoever it is, isn't from around here."

"How so?"

"There are strange marks--aside from the bites--on the temple of the victims. The elders believe these marks are incisions for some kind of dark ritual. Apparently, no werewolf within a thousand-mile radius has access to that kind of knowledge. It involves a lot of dark stuff and they'll know if one of their own was involved in it."

"A ritual?" Henson scoffed, shaking his head disapprovingly. "I'd never believed in this metaphysical bullshit till Delano changed in front of me and chopped off my boy's leg. What else should I be expecting? Witches? Or a hybrid--werewolf and witch?"

"I'm not very knowledgeable about this nonsense, myself."

"This is bullshit, Lewis. We had an agreement to keep their secrets from the rest of humanity, so long as they protected and caused no harm to our people. But they've failed us! Today it's Lucinda's granddaughter, tomorrow it may be mine!"

"Let me stop you before you propose we drive them out of Glasgow Creeks."

Henson was exasperated. "But that's the only solution!"

"No. You need to remain calm, Henson. This is a very sensitive issue, and you know it. Countless people would get hurt should we pop up this can of worms."

"So what are we supposed to do then? Fold our hands? What are they even doing about this?"

"They are investigating the case. But no. We're not folding our hands, and that's why I invited Albert over." They diverted their attention back to the screen. Albert Torino was being awarded the SCPD medal of valor. This is the highest award given in Silicone County for an officer's heroism and distinction in extremely hazardous circumstances.

"Is he fully apprised of the situation?"

"Only what he needs to know." Lewis shrugged.

"So he has no idea that there are werewolves and crazy people in Glasgow creeks?"

"He's a smart man. He may or may not figure it out, but that's not the point. Whoever is doing this is a shape-shifter. If the elders can't lay their hands on the person as a wolf, Albert will hunt him down as a human."

Henson scoffed. "This won't be easy."

"I know it wouldn't. But I strongly believe he'll close this case."

"And If he figures out that the werewolves are behind this?"

Lewis shrugged. "Then we feign ignorance, and we all cry wolf."