When Albert walked in, Chief McCarthy stood. Planting his fists on his hips, he looked Albert up and down, then harrumphed in undisguised disapproval and rolled his unlit cigar from one side of his lips to the other.
"This is supposed to be your investigation, correct? Yet, you were MIA yesterday. For hours Agent! What the hell were you doing? Or do real investigations in this district just not matter to you anymore?"
"As if that isn't bad enough," he continued without stopping for air. "My phone has been blowing up all morning, Torino. Don't you think you should run things by me before calling in the big dogs?"
"Perhaps I should have." Albert pulled out a chair and sat. "But I had no time to spare. I need experienced hands with me on this case. Someone from the county."
McCarthy scoffed. "Why am I not surprised. Of course, you'll emanate the same snooty attitude as your counterparts in the county. You all think everyone here in Glasgow Creeks is stupid."
He hesitated for a moment, then shrugged as he answered. "Maybe not everyone, but take the coroner in charge of the autopsies, for instance, he is stupid. So many bite marks, and yet, he couldn't identify the animal that attacked all those people."
"Well, you've been here for over three to four weeks, and you've got nothing."
"It's a wolf."
His eyes widened, and his whole body tensed up. "What are you talking about?" he sat back. "There are no wolves in Glasgow Creek."
"I saw one yesterday. The biggest black wolf I'd ever seen, with the meanest yellow eyes."
"This is ridiculous, agent." he chuckled nervously. "I've lived here all my life. Never seen a wolf or even heard one howl."
"Well, I guess we'll find out soon." Albert rose to his feet. "The coroner should be arriving before noon tomorrow. If that was all, I should take my leave now."
"There's one more thing." he gestured for him to sit back. "I'm adding one more person to your team. This person knows the ins and outs of Glasgow and would be very instrumental in your investigation."
"Who?"
"You've met her. Miss Odin."
Albert frowned. "Kyla?"
"Yes."
"This is a joke, right?" he scoffed. "You're adding her to the investigation as what exactly?"
"As an extra hand."
"No."
"No?"
"No. I'm yet to see her relevance in this case."
"She's a psychologist, and just like you, an excellent critical thinker. I'm putting her on this case."
"You can't just…I don't trust her."
"I don't see why. Has she done anything that didn't sit well with you? I thought you both were pretty close."
Albert sighed, hands stapled together. "There's something I should've brought to your notice much earlier, especially since you're close friends with her grandfather."
"What?"
There was a light rap on the door, and it suddenly came open. Kyla stepped in, and both men stood up immediately.
"Miss Odin, nice of you to join us. Please come in." McCarthy ushered her in with a smile. "We were just talking about you."
"Oh," she avoided Albert's gaze as she sat beside him. "I got your text."
"Yes. I've just informed the agent that you've been officially placed on the case. You both would be working together now."
"I see."
"Excuse me." Albert got up and walked out of the office.
¶
At the dispensing machines, Kyla filled a paper cup with ice and Diet Coke and sat down at one of the tables, relieved that no one else was currently in the snack bar area of the precinct. After Albert left, a worried Chief McCarthy had informed her about the wolves thing and how difficult it would be to manipulate any more autopsy results. The age-long secrets of werewolves in Glasgow Creeks were about to be exposed. She called Delano, and they'd fixed a meeting to further discuss the situation.
Meanwhile, the Chief had instructed her to wait back and meet with Albert. He wanted them to map out a working plan for the investigations.
She'd been waiting for a while now, and just when she was about to leave, she noticed him arriving. He'd gotten himself a cup of coffee and brought it with him to the table. As he sat down across from her, he dropped the cup onto the table. It had the heft of an anvil when it landed.
For a momentous amount of time, he just stared at her, seething.
"I'll need to see your certificate in Psychology."
She responded to his question with a smile that was caustic. "Are you saying Chief McCarthy's word isn't good enough for you?"
"I'm saying I don't need a psychologist on this case, but even if one is being foisted on me, I'll need to see the necessary documentation."
"Everything you'll need is with the Chief, Agent. I'm sure he has the answers to your many questions about my qualifications."
He scoffed. "As usual, I'm not getting a straight answer from you. How are we even supposed to work together?"
"By simply focusing on the case."
"Why are you so interested in this case?"
"What makes you think I am?"
"Bullshit."
He'd been leaning across the table toward her, but after that question, he flung himself against the back of his chair and stretched out his legs, not even apologizing when his foot bumped hers beneath the table.
"You came to me first, remember? Asking to be a part of the case?"
"Listen, I know you have your doubts about me--"
"Of course, I do." he interrupted her. "You haven't exactly stuck with a story since I met you."
"So you are calling me a liar."
"Yes." he deadpanned.
"Well, I'm sorry I can't help with your opinion of me, but I'm certainly not walking away just because you think so little of me."
"Great. That's just great." He raised the cup of coffee to his mouth, but set it back on the table without drinking from it and pushed it aside so hard that coffee sloshed out.