We set for travel by horse and buggy in a old western style cabby. I used that time for reviewing my notes I had made from the case and thinking silently as we pasted open country, farm lands and then into the were-lands were things got weird.
I could feel the instant shift in atmosphere and a borderland of magical properties as we pasted into the were-lands of the changeling united people. I smelled were-wolves and different kinds of were-kind around. Some flew in the air above. I could feel them and noticed the ones different from regular animals that ran about the forest area.
I looked at Erica and Fire as they stared at me. I got out my notepad and pencil. "I need to know somethings before we arrive at the victim's place." I said.
Erica leaned back in her seat nodding. "Ask your questions I will answer them." She said.
"Aren't you going to ask me?" Fire said. She pointed a thumb at herself. "I have a bit of knowledge about the were-lands and pack politics." She said.
I nodded. "Yeah. I wasn't only talking to Erica. I was talking to you to. Did you know the victim personally and her family?" I asked.
Fire smiled leaning back in her seat. "No. I knew of her in passing. Eva was a rising star. She had talent in magic and she was a strong fighter and marksmen. She's the daughter of the Redclaw pack. She was mean bitch to but people respected her." She said.
I nodded taking down notes. "Erica. When were you informed and enlisted in the search for Miss Knight?" I said.
I looked up to see Erica studying me closely. "Twelve hours after the event. She was assigned to scibe duty for joint alpha meeting to take notes. She didn't show up. She's never missed a day she was assigned a duty." She said.
"Was she mated?" I asked.
"Once. She mated at fifteen. Her husband died in a pack war well after she gave birth to their last cubs. She gave him two sons and three daughters. Her sons and daughters run the family farm that supports the several packs in local area." Erica said.
I nodded taking notes down. "So. Did you know her personally?" I asked.
Erica shook her head. "No. Neither did I care to. She disliked me greatly and she was as Fire said a mean bitch." She said.
I smiled. "Interesting. Was she jealous of you?" I asked.
Erica shrugged. "I wouldn't know and I didn't care?" She said.
I looked at Fire. She smiled and nodded. "She hated Erica with a passion because she was more pretty, dominant and had more children then her." Fire said.
"Did she have any personal debts or enemies you are aware of?" I asked.
They both straightened up. Erica stared at me. "One debt. Still outstanding toward a lord Draconian in the area that owns land the farm sits on." She said.
I took down that information. "What's his name?" I asked.
Erica was silent until I looked up. "Dragon Draconian. Do you wish to meet him first?" She said.
I thought about that. I shook my head. "Not yet. I want to meet the alpha that was supposed to protect the family. Is he with the family now?" I said and watched them.
Erica shook her head. "He is on the search for Eva now. Eva's family is at the farm now working to keep busy. The elders are their though." She said.
I stared at them and nodded my head. "Can we go to the family first?" I said.
Erica frowned. "Of course." She said.
Fire stared at me. "What are you thinking?" She said.
I shook my head. "Nothing just yet. I need you both to do me favor?"
Erica stared at me. "Yes. Anything." She said.
"Watch the family, the elders and alpha and the Draconian lord when we meet them. Watch them try not to reveal your thoughts. Just watch them." I said.
Erica grimanced. "Sage. Why won't you tell us who the murder is?" She said.
I shook my head. "I don't know who they are. But, more importantly the person we are looking for is a dangerous criminal possible Warlock and we have to move quickly and quietly. The criminal can't be allowed to see us hunting for him. Everyone is a suspect. The victim's children will possibly be hit the hardest?" I said.
Flame shook her head. "Your not like Marcus at all." She said finally.
I smiled. "What are your grieving rituals like?" I asked.
They both started at my statement. Erica held up a hand. "Sage. Whatever instincts you feel right to do. We'll trust your lead." She said.
I sighed and then looked over my notes. "How important was Eva Night to the packs around here?" I asked.
"She was the general manager and operator of chief farm and food supply of the packs. The farm holds the largest food supply of cattle and to neighboring packs." Erica said. "If she hadn't taught her children to effectively run the farm then packs would have fought over control of the land from the Draconian Lord and either erupted in starting the pack wars again." She said.
I tapped a finger to my chin in thought. "What stopped the last pack wars?" I asked.
"When we killed Marcus Blood Williams that stopped the wars." Fire said bluntly.
I smiled slowly leaning back in my seat and closed my eyes. "We're you asked to assist in the hunt for Eva Night or did you volunteer you and the services of the pack?" I asked tapping my fingers against my knee.
"Damn it." Erica said.
I shook my head. "Did somebody ask you?" I said.
"Alpha Griffin Redclaw asked us in manner of speaking. He was also one of the males that demanded your head. There's also something more. He's heard about you. He's been talking to others saying you aren't a out worlder but Marcus returned masking yourself as Danny Sage." Fire said.
"That's why we were asked to do this job." Erica said.
I nodded. "Interesting. Did the victim Eva Knight have a lover?" I asked.
There was long silence that followed. I waited saying nothing.
"There are rumors only. Talk is it's somebody close to her farm or on it. She wasn't beautiful but still young and powerful in pack politics thanks to her inteligence and dominance. Might be her alpha or a farm hand." Fire said.
I opened my eyes to see them staring at me. "Interesting puzzle. Whoever is behind this is very smart bastard." I said feeling the unnerving feel that me showing up here would be much of surprise to the mastermind here. It didn't matter I had a job to do.
"Okay. If you get asked by the family. I'm just here to assist in the hunt for Eva's killer. In Oracle alerted me to the murder. I then received an Oracle's message that I would serve you two in the hunt. I am a Ranger. My job class is to hunt down criminals or complete tasks and help people. That is what Luna brought me to this realm to do. Nothing more." I said carefully.
Erica was pale but she nodded her head. "I'm sorry I should have told you about this before." She said.
I blinked shaking my head. "You don't have to apologize. You run your pack how you like. It's no business to me what other people think about me. My actions will speak for themselves and I got to do." I said and lapsed in to a silence as my mind began to work through the information I had to go on.
Fire put her hand on my knee. I looked at her. "What's wrong?" I asked her feeling her uneasy.
Fire stared at me. "We're nearing the farm soon. You've been quiet for a two hours. Can you at least tell us who you suspect to be involved in the thick of this bullshit." She said.
I nodded. "Griffin Redclaw, Dragon Draconian possible a hidden lover or one of the elders at the farm now. One of her children is also a possible lead but none of my guesses could be correct but the crime is likely due to a falling out of lovers or money or an old enemy looking to even with Marcus. We'll know after we arrive and everyone reacts to my presence. Don't trust anyone. This whole situation is a shit storm." I said.
Fire leaned back against her seat and stared at me shaking her head. "Holy shit!" She whispered.
Erica shook her head and leaned forward. "Trust your instincts when you find the criminal don't engage them though." She said.
I nodded. "Oh that is the last thing I want to do. This far away from the Crossroads and my own hunting grounds. I'll call in my sister to deal with this asshole like I promised her. Then I heading back home immediately." I said.