The Wolf Code

“Do you think that one person did this alone?”

“The thought has crossed my mind that it could be two, but this type of brutality is usually extremely personal.  I don’t know that two people could have this much hatred for someone.”

“The world is a scary place,” Ty said.

“I’ll say.”  She cast a glance at the men milling about on the other side of the fence, laughing and talking as if a woman hadn’t been violently murdered just a few yards from where they stood.  “I don’t know what’s worse: the killer or the people that are sworn to protect Addie and others like them.  I don’t think the Sheriff is sorry that Addie died.”

“Don’t let him give the rest of us a bad name.  He’s known to be a complete ass, and he hasn’t got an empathetic bone in his body.  He’s more concerned with speed traps and getting the department funded with frivolous citations.  He wasn’t a good person long before the badge, and he’ll be that way long after.”

Senora shook her head.

“I just can’t see being so callous and crass.  Even the way that he spoke to you was rude.”

Ty shrugged his shoulders. 

“I would have to care about his opinion to be offended by his ignorance.  If he wants to believe that indigenous people have some sort of mystical powers when it comes to talking with animals, more power to him.  It’s fine with me if he wants to be an idiot.”

Senora laughed in spite of herself.  At least she was in good company with someone who saw the Sheriff for who and what he was.

“What about the Coroner?  Is he going to treat her with respect, or should we do this ourselves?”

Ty looked at her, obviously taken aback by her suggestion.

“Are you sure you’re alright with that?” he asked.

Senora looked over her shoulder at the Coroner, who was looking pale and as if he was ready to bolt at any minute.

“They got extensive video with the drone, right?”

“They did.”

“There’s nothing we can gather out of here, and any tracks that were on the road were likely destroyed when the Sheriff and his men drove over them.  There’s nothing here that we can use, so let’s get her out of here and back to the Medical Examiner’s office.”

Ty nodded. 

“It will be safer if you get the bag and some gloves while I stand here,” he said.

“Safer?” she started to ask, then she remembered the animals pacing not too far from them.  “Oh, right.  I guess I would be a sitting duck if you walked away.”

“A tasty duck,” Ty teased. 

Senora stood and walked to the gate, talking to the Coroner briefly.  The man was more than happy to hand her what she needed, and only one of his men was willing to help them move the body.

Senora bit back her disgust.  It was clear from the moment she’d stepped foot in this town that no one cared for this poor woman.  At least, not the people that were morally bound to protect her.  Senora was angry on Addie’s behalf.  While she normally used the local law enforcement to help her solve the murders that happened during her case, this time, she was going to run the investigation alone.  The Sheriff was useless, and his men weren’t much better.  She needed people that were dedicated to justice for everyone, not just the rich and the favored.

The three of them worked quietly and methodically, rolling Addie onto her side and sliding the bag beneath her.  The body was warm through the gloves, leading Senora to wonder if she’d been out here as long as they thought.  Before she could even ask, the Coroner’s assistant took Addie’s liver temperature then scowled.

“I hate Texas summers,” he said.  “I’m not going to be able to give you time of death, but the Medical Examiner will.”

“I appreciate your help,” Senora said to the young man who only nodded politely.

They carried the black body bag out of the enclosure and to the back of the van.  The woman in khaki hurriedly locked up the enclosure, and before Senora could thank her, the woman was in her own vehicle, driving away without a backward glance.

“That was interesting,” Senora said.

“There aren’t a lot of murders here,” Ty said.  “This is the kind of place where people leave their doors unlocked without worry.  Once word spreads, the people in this town are going to be shaken to their very core.  You’ll see a lot more people acting like that woman.”

“As long as they don’t act like him,” she said, casting her eyes toward the Sheriff.

“I don’t think anyone is that big of an ass.”

Senora and Ty removed the gloves and tossed them in the biohazard bag in the van, then got into the car and waited for the van to pull out.  The Sheriff jogged over to the car and handed Senora a flash drive.

“What’s this?”

“The footage from the drone.  I assume you’re going to see your case through to the end.”

“Are you removing yourself from the investigation?” she asked, a little shocked at his lack of interest.

“There was never an investigation.”

Senora’s face colored, and she opened her mouth to give the man a piece of her mind before she thought better of it and smiled.

“I’ll let you know when I find out who did it, and you can make the arrest,” Senora said, turning the key in the ignition and wishing she was already watching the Sheriff disappear in her rearview mirror.

“Don’t worry your pretty little head about it.  I would be willing to bet that Addie thought it was a good idea to climb into the wolves’ den, and it didn’t go the way she planned.  I didn’t see anything that suggested that there was any foul play involved.  I’m sure your thorough investigation will turn up the same, but there’s no need to broadcast it.  That girl caused her mother enough heartache.”

Senora felt a hand on her knee an instant before Ty leaned over her seat to look up at the Sheriff. 

“It’s a pleasure, as usual, Cliff,” he said, sticking his hand out the window. 

The Sheriff took Ty’s hand in the gesture of a hearty Texas farewell.  The handshake seemed to go on forever, but when the Sheriff grunted quietly and pulled his hand away with great effort, Senora bit back a smile. 

    “We have work to do, so you go on back to writing tickets to fill your coffers.  We’ve got it from here.”

Ty’s hand was still on her thigh, a silent plea to keep her temper in check as she struggled to resist the urge to run the Sheriff over with her rental car.  The Sheriff waved them off and left, getting into his SUV without another word.  But his stiff shoulders and the red that crept up his neck until it reached his ears said all Senora needed to hear.  Ty had hit a nerve, and the Sheriff couldn’t wait to get out of there and away from them.

It was a satisfying end to the morning that had left her feeling more than a little defeated.

“I guess you hit a nerve,” Senora said as they bounced down the road behind the Coroner’s van.

“I guess the truth hurts,” Ty said, winking at her.

“You can take your hand off my leg now,” Senora said.

He smiled, moving his hand slowly. 

“Sorry.  I was afraid you might climb out the window and slap him silly.  I didn’t want to see you spend the week in jail.  I figured you had better things to do.”

“I do.  I have a murder to solve and a family to notify.”

“Don’t you mean we have a murder to solve?” Ty said with a raised eyebrow.

“I wasn’t expecting to have help on this,” she said, not really knowing what to say.

“Think of it as an unexpected surprise.  I want to find the person that did this to Addie, too.”

“I work alone,” Senora said.

Why are you being so insistent? Senora wondered.  Just let him work with you.

“Not this time, you don’t.”

Senora let out an audible sigh.

“Fine.  Where is your car?”

   “I didn’t drive here,” he said.

“How did you get here?” she asked, laughing.  “Magic?”

Ty laughed, eyes crinkling at the corners as his lips spread into a generous smile.

He never answered, and Senora was left quietly wondering if he had indeed arrived there by magic.  Maybe the Sheriff hadn’t been that far off about Ty.