Of Wolves and Men (15 page)

“Where did you meet that guy, Charlie? He seems like he’s an unemployed waster.”

“Don’t start,” Charlie said, pointing his finger at Butch. He left the office and rushed through the house.

“What’s wrong, Charlie?” Vernon was standing near the fireplace, a beer in his hand.

“Nothin’. Just got to check on somethin’.” He removed his hat and coat from the rack.

“His man-friend is banging on the window trying to get in,” Butch said, that smirk back on his face.

“Invite him in, Charlie. He’s welcome.” Vernon gestured with his beer, trying to make Charlie feel comfortable.

“Thanks, Vernon. But I don’t know.” Charlie glanced at Butch and left. He met up with Roman at the side of the ranch house. “What are you doing?” Charlie gripped Roman’s arm.

“I can see you two staring at each other. Don’t go with him, Charlie.”

“I never even seen a woman as possessive as you.”

“Sorry…” Roman rubbed his face and hair. “I’ve never been like this with anyone before. I think it’s the alpha wolf in me.”

“You want to give dinner a try? Or?”

“In there?” Roman pointed to the ranch house.

“They said you’re welcome. It’s just a matter of…you know.”

“Yeah. You know.” Roman threw up his hands in frustration, pacing. “I can’t. I know what’ll happen. And that Butch asshole, he gets on my nerves.”

“I know. I’ll bring a plate back to the cabin for you.” Charlie touched Roman’s face. “I won’t go out on you. Not with no one. You got that?”

Roman embraced Charlie roughly. He kissed his neck and squeezed him tight. “I don’t know where I’d find another man like you. I need you.”

“I know, babe.” Charlie hugged him back, feeling him shiver. “You need to get inside the cabin.

Should I come with you and make sure the fire is keeping the place warm?”

“I can manage until…”

“I know.”

“And your phone rang while I was still a crow. I couldn’t answer it, but my guess?”

Charlie touched the dark growth of hair on Roman’s jaw affectionately.

“It’s the ATF trying to trace that call I made to them and figure out whose number it is. After all, I’m a missing person now.”

“Why didn’t they stay on the line? I would have talked to them.”

“They probably wanted to do a reverse number check or it may have just gotten cut off accidentally.” Roman looked out the long winding drive. “Don’t be surprised if you get a visit from them.”

“What should I tell them?”

“Tell them what happened to me. If I’m human, I will. I feel sick about my family. They must think I was kidnapped and left for dead.”

“Call them. Go use my phone.” Charlie nudged Roman.

“I can’t. If my mom answers and I can’t talk because I’m turning into something…” Roman appeared tired. “She’ll just get more upset. I have to figure out what to do first.”

“I can talk to anyone you need me to.”

“Charlie?” Suzie called from the door. “Oh, hi, Roman. Are you going to try and join us?”

“Hi. I doubt it. When a timber wolf is sitting at the table, that won’t go over too well with the rest of the family, will it?”

“Let me make up a plate of food for you.”

When Suzie went back inside, Charlie asked, “Do you want me to speak to your family?”

Roman cupped Charlie’s face tenderly. “I appreciate it. But they wouldn’t believe you. They’d think you were a nut job.”

Suzie returned with a plastic container of food. “Here you go.”

“Thanks, Suz…”

“Let me get a plate and go back to the cabin and eat with you.” Charlie made a move towards the house.

“No. You eat with the family. It’s okay.” Roman pecked his lips and walked down the path to his cabin.

Charlie and Suzie waited until he vanished from sight.

“I can’t stand seeing him like that.” Charlie shook his head. “What are we going to do? Since that shaman idea didn’t pan out, I don’t have a clue.”

“Come inside. It’s cold.” Suzie held the door open for Charlie but he allowed her to go first.

“Where’s your boyfriend?” Butch asked.

“Don’t you say it like that.” Charlie pointed his finger. “I swear, Butch, I won’t put up with taunting.”

“What’d I say?” He acted innocent.

Vernon waved the men into the kitchen. “Go eat. Connie has it on the table.” Vernon waited for the rest of the men to leave the living room and approached Charlie. “I take it he doesn’t feel welcome.”

“No. It’s not that.” Charlie met gazes with Suzie before she joined the rest of the group in the kitchen. “Make up a plate for me, Suzie.”

“I will, Charlie.”

He asked Vernon, “Boss, you ever hear of the Indian tribes practicing any black magic type or things in this area?”

“No. Quite the opposite. The tribes here have nothing to do with black arts. Why?”

“Just somethin’ Roman and I were discussin’, that’s all. So? That cut up deer?”

“That’s some satanic cult. There ain’t no way that’s got to do with the nations.”

“And how do I figure out which cult is doing that?” Charlie gestured in the direction where he had found the cut fence and deer.

“Be best if you talk to the sheriff’s department. I don’t know who else. That’s the first incident I’ve heard of in these parts.”

Suzie brought him a plastic sectioned plate with a foil cover. “Here you go, Charlie. Should I stop by after dinner to help you with the research?”

Vernon looked intrigued. “You’re looking deeper into this, Charlie? I felt since it was only one deer, and that’s it, that they had moved on.”

Charlie put on his hat and coat, opening the front door. “No sense in not bein’ careful.” Charlie thanked Suzie for the food. “I’ll call you if we can’t figure it out.”

“Okay,” Suzie replied.

“If you need the computer, just holler.” Charlie stepped outside.

“You can borrow it. I know Sherlane has one.”

Hearing the sound of tire on gravel, Charlie glanced down the long driveway as two vehicles approached. “Son of a bitch, he was right.” He raced to the cabin shouting for Roman.

Vernon yelled, “Who are they, Charlie?”

“ATF agents! Tell ‘em to hang on!” Charlie pushed back the door of his cabin. The sweatpants and t-shirt were in a pile on the floor and the plate of food was eaten and left beside it, obviously by an animal. “Oh, hell no!” He put his own plate down on the kitchen table and raced around his cabin. “Roman!” He ran outside peering through the darkness. “Shee-it! Roman! The agents are here!” Charlie had no idea what they would think of his explanation.

When Charlie heard the low murmur of men talking as they approached, he wondered how much Vernon would be able to take of this new problem. It kept getting worse.

The two agents were trailed by the entire household, all curious to see what was going on.

“Are you Charlie Mosby?” One of the men showed his ID and badge. “I’m special agent Nick Hoffman, and this is agent Phil Dean. We’re both with the ATF.”

“Yes, sir.” Charlie removed his hat.

“We need to speak to you.”

“I know, sir.”

Charlie gestured to his cabin. The two men entered, immediately looking at the floor and the pile of clothing and empty plate. Charlie rubbed his forehead and said to Vernon, “I’ll fill you in later, all right? Can you get everyone back to the house for me?”

“Okay, Charlie. Are you in any sort of trouble?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think so.” He caught even Butch looking concerned as he stood behind the women.

“Come on, folks. Let’s go back to the house.” Vernon corralled them, making sure no one hung behind to eavesdrop.

Charlie took a deep breath and closed the door. “Have a seat, gentlemen. Can I get you anythin’? Coffee?”

“We’re fine.” Agent Hoffman removed a pad from his suit pocket. “We traced a cell phone number back to you and this location.”

“I know, sir.” Charlie sat down. The men didn’t. Agent Dean walked around the cabin checking it out.

“Since November first we’ve been looking for a missing agent.” Agent Hoffman finally sat across from Charlie. The open laptop was sitting in front of him on the coffee table.

“Yes, sir.” Charlie shook off his jacket and ran his hand through his hair.

“You say that like you know something about it.”

Charlie felt Agent Dean standing behind him. He looked up at him and said, “You were the guy Roman was tryin’ to find.”

“Where is Roman, Mr. Mosby?” Agent Dean came around the sofa and sat on the arm of a chair.

“He’s close by. I just don’t know what to say or do to convince you what’s happened to him.”

“Were you involved with his kidnapping?” Agent Hoffman asked.

“No, sir.”

“You better tell us what you know from the beginning.” Agent Dean appeared slightly menacing.

“I will, sir. I will do my best.” Charlie cleared his throat. “But you’re not goin’ to believe a word of it.”

“Give us a try.” Agent Hoffman smiled but it wasn’t a friendly gesture. More of a grimace.

“I…” Charlie cleared his throat. “I was up at the west edge of the ranch, repairin’ our fence.

Someone had cut through and killed a doe, messin’ her up bad.” There was no reaction. Charlie wished Roman would walk through that door a man and help him out. “Well, we brought the carcass to Doc McMurray—”

“What’s this got to do with our missing agent?” Agent Dean leaned towards him, his jaw muscles twitching over his clenched teeth.

Charlie assumed he and Roman may have been close, judging by both men looking for the other.

“It does in a roundabout way.”

“Cut to the chase. I don’t have time for this.”

Agent Hoffman made a slight wave of his hand at Agent Dean to calm him down. “Continue, Mr. Mosby.”

“The doc said the killing of the doe was satanic or cultish in nature. The doe had her heart cut out.” Charlie felt sweat bead on his top lip and wiped at it with the back of his hand. “It was soon after that incident I found Roman.”

“Found him?” Agent Dean asked, “Found him dead?”

“No. No, sir. Naked and lyin’ in the woods. He had blood on him, but no wound that I could see.”

“What did you do with him? Did you take him to the hospital?” Agent Hoffman asked,

scribbling notes.

“No, sir. He didn’t want me to. Begged me not to.”

Agent Dean immediately acted like he didn’t believe it, blowing out a loud blast of air and shifting his posture on the arm of a chair.

“What date was this?”

“Last Monday, sir.”

“What did you do with him?” Agent Dean asked sharply.

“I brought him here. I tried to keep him warm. I took care of him.”

“Where is he now?” Agent Hoffman asked while Agent Dean began another look around the cabin.

“He comes and goes. I wish he were here now. He
was
here a minute ago. He ate that meal.”

Charlie pointed to the empty plate and clothing on the floor. “Right there, he was using my phone to call you.” He waved at the computer. “He asked me and Suzie to find your website for the phone number just an hour ago. He called looking for you, Agent Dean. But he couldn’t remember your number.”

“You buying this?” Agent Dean made an expression of disbelief at Agent Hoffman.

“Mr. Mosby,” Agent Hoffman spoke softly, “Agent Burk has been missing. He was kidnapped under very suspicious circumstances.”

“He told me. Well, he wasn’t kidnapped. He said a shaman changed him…” Charlie rubbed his jaw because he knew this would not go over well. “…into a wolf and a crow.”

“I think we need to take him to the office, Hoff. This isn’t getting us anywhere.” He stood over Charlie and puffed up in anger. “Where’d you hide his body?”

“I wouldn’t harm a hair on that beautiful man’s head.” Charlie met his eyes. “I’m right attached to him.” He didn’t know if Roman had explained his sexual preference to these men or not. “I want to help him.”

“You can help Roman by telling us where he is being held captive.” Agent Hoffman stood over Charlie as well.

“He’s not being held.” Charlie shook his head. “I knew no one would believe me.” He spotted the clothing. “You see that?” They glanced briefly at the pile. “Roman was wearing that last time I saw him. Suzie handed him a plate of food. That plate.”

“Go question the girl.” Agent Hoffman tilted his head to Dean. Agent Dean stormed out, leaving the door ajar.

After he left, Charlie took a deep breath. “Sir, I know it’s crazy. Believe me.” Charlie pointed to the computer again. “Suzie and I were tryin’ to help Roman figure out who cast a spell on him.

He swore it was a female shaman from the Ute tribe. But Suzie said there were none. So, we got to lookin’—”

“Mr. Mosby.”

Charlie held out his wrists. “Go on and arrest me. I know you want to. Go on.”

“Did you kill or kidnap Agent Burk?”

Charlie’s eyes burned with tears. “No. I love the man. I wouldn’t hurt him.”

“Can you bring me to him? Show me where he is?”

“I wish I could. You have no idea. He can’t control the changes. They come on and the poor man is in agony.”

“The changes?”

“Yeah. Crow to man, man to wolf, wolf to man…”

“Is that the story you’re sticking to?”

“It’s the truth, so help me God.” Charlie crossed his finger over his chest.

The door moved.

Charlie expected to see the second agent. Instead, a long black beak and feathers appeared. “It ain’t no good, Roman. He doesn’t believe me.”

The agent stood straight and said, “Are you trying to tell me that’s Agent Burk? What do you think I am, an idiot?”

“No, sir.” Charlie slouched over his lap in defeat. ~

Roman was angry with the way they were treating Charlie, but knew all he could do to help was flap and hop on the floor.
Poor Charlie. They think you have something to do with me vanishing.

How did I get you into this mess?

He flapped and squawked, trying to get his supervisor to pay attention. The man was staring at him like he wanted to swat him.

“Is that your bird?”

“No, sir. That’s Roman Burk.”

“You realize the more you lie, the more serious this becomes.”

“I’m not lying, sir. If you wait long enough, you’ll see Roman as a man or a wolf next. You have my word.”