"What the heck is that?" Jamie asked as she leaned forward to look out the windshield, her head twisted back at an unnatural angle.
Alex glanced up at the giant yellow oil worker with his hand on an oversized oil rig that stood at the entrance to the fairgrounds. The flakes of snow were collecting over the statue’s shoulders and somewhat obscene pectorals. "That's the Golden Driller. Never been to the state fair?"
"I moved here two weeks ago from Denver."
Alex navigated the truck through the maze of snow-covered parking lots to the Mustang arena. Rows of matching aluminum horse trailers, pulled by equally identical white pickup trucks, filled the parking lot behind the arena. Alex parked the truck behind one of the trailers to help protect it from the winter storm.
The temperature had dropped several more degrees and his face stung where the wind blew half frozen snowflakes against his skin. He grabbed a leash and collar out of his pocket and slipped it over Mike's head. Mike growled, his eyes narrowing. "Leash law," Alex said, shrugging. "Try to look like a dog." They hurried to the barn, slipping and sliding where their feet found thin sheets of hidden ice under the snow.
The warm air in the arena was sweet with the smell of horse sweat and Alex could hear the shifting and low mooing of cattle penned up outside. They climbed the rickety stairs to the stands. Several people were setting up two small pens made of pipe panels in the center of the arena while several others cantered horses around the outside of the construction.
"Who are we looking for?" Jamie asked.
Alex nodded towards a heavy set man on a horse at the far end of the arena talking to a woman on a short stocky bay. "Don's the one on the Arab."
Jamie stared at him.
"The big chestnut with lots of chrome?" Alex offered.
Jamie continued to stare, her eyes clouded with confusion.
"The brown horse with the big blaze on its face and high white on its legs. Haven't been around many horses, have you?" Alex waved at Don, catching his eye, and the guy turned his horse towards the gate.
"Been a while since I've seen you around," Don said as he led his horse out of the arena. "See you're keeping Mike in line."
"I try," Alex said, shaking Don's hand. "How are things with you?"
"Same old, same old--can't complain."
"Kind of crappy weather for a horse show."
Don shrugged. "Clinic, not show. It's January in Oklahoma, could be 60 and sunny or could be snowing. This year it snowed. Looks like everyone got in before it started and it will be melted by the end of the weekend." They headed up the ramp to the stalls. "Horse people are crazy anyway. Who's your friend?"
Alex blushed, realizing he'd forgotten about Jamie. "This is Jamie. She's helping me out with a case."
"Nice ta' meet ya'," Don said, tipping the brim of his cowboy hat. "Sorry Alex drug you all the way out here in the cold.” He turned back to Alex. “You wouldn't say over the phone what it is that you're looking for."
Alex sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's a long story."
"Always is." Don stopped at the second aisle of stalls. He dropped the reins he'd been carrying on the ground and started to loosen the cinch on his saddle. Alex ran his hand down the horse's neck. The thick winter coat still had some dampness to it where the horse had sweated during its workout. The horse nuzzled at his side, looking for treats, and Don handed him a peppermint. Alex barely got the plastic wrapper off before the horse inhaled it.
"Haven't seen this one before," Alex said.
"He's one of my reiners. Thought I’d try him on some cow work. Roads still passable?" Don pulled the saddle off and set it into a stall full of feed bags, hay, and miscellaneous tack.
"Enough."
"Good, I'm starving. Tally's?" Don asked, throwing a cooler over the horse and leading it down to an open stall.
"If we have to."
"Dinner first, then dowsing. You guys go ahead. I've got to toss the ponies some hay and I'll meet you up there."
* * *
Tally's was mostly deserted thanks to the weather and the odd time of the afternoon--past the lunch rush, but still too early for dinner. Alex slid into an open booth. It was a nice change. Tally’s was Don's favorite but usually whenever there was a horse event going on at the fairgrounds the place was packed to capacity--which made for less than private conversations.
"We've got one more coming," he told the waitress as she approached. "We'll take some water though and you might as well bring a Coke. Don's gonna need the caffeine." The waitress nodded, jotting a note down on her order pad. "How much do you know about werebeasts?" Alex asked Jamie when they were alone again.
"A little." She glanced out the window to where the truck was parked along the street. "Is Mike going to be okay?"
"He's got a fur coat, he'll be fine." The waitress returned with their drinks and Alex waited until she'd disappeared back behind the counter before he spoke again. "There are several types of werebeasts stemming from all sorts of animals. Werecats and werewolves are the most common around here, though there are others."
"They keep some human form, right?" Jamie asked.
Alex nodded. "They're grotesque animal-human hybrids that look like they were pieced together with the left over bits someone found in hell and they only change according to the moon cycle."
"Lycans are different, aren't they?"
"They’re a different breed of Shifter--cursed same as the werewolves, but they have a bit more control over their form. They can change outside of the moon cycle and can turn all the way into a wolf."
"Charming," Jamie said.
The bell above the door jingled and Alex waved Don over. The man smiled when he saw the soda waiting for him on the table. "I was thinking coffee given the weather, but this will do." Don caught the eye of the waitress. "Burgers and onion rings all around."
"I'm not hungry," Alex protested.
"Give it to Mike then," Don said. "You're pretty serious today."
"Been kind of a rough twenty four hours." Alex fiddled with the straw in his glass of water.
"What day isn't?" Don asked.
"Rougher than most. There are wolves in the city limits."
Don was silent for a few minutes. "Lycans or weres?"
"Both I would say. And something else as well." Alex set the necklaces down on the table.
Don picked one up, turning it over in his hand. "You shouldn't have these."
"You know what they are?" Jamie asked, joining the conversation.
Don nodded. "Better than you two do, I'd say. You're lucky you only have lycans and werewolves in town. A lot worse would like to get their hands on the owners of these."
"There are worse things than werewolves?" Jamie asked.
"Much," Don and Alex said at the same time.
"The owners of the necklaces are both dead," Alex said.
"That’s too bad, there aren't many of their kind around anymore." Don smiled at the waitress as she sat three plates of food down in front of them. "I know you're in a hurry, Alex, but I haven't eaten all day and there's no way I can do what you're going to ask me to without some food first."
"I know, that's why I haven't pushed."
"How are you and Mike holding up? This is the first time we've had werebeasts around since...."
Alex stabbed a knife at his hamburger with more force than required, slicing the burger into uneven halves. "We're fine."
Don snorted, nearly choking on a onion ring. "I can tell. I know some good Mindhealers...."
"I'm fine," Alex interrupted him.
"If the owners of the necklaces are dead, what are you looking for?"
Alex sighed, shaking his head. That was a good question. What was he looking for? What did he care if the lycans and the werewolves had taken the pups? Now that they had what they wanted, they'd move on and, so long as they didn't stick around the city, it wasn't any of his business. "There were pups."
"Nope," Don said.
"There were," Jamie insisted. "Two cute little fluff balls."
"I'm not disagreeing that there were, miss," Don said. "I'm saying that Alex doesn't know why he's looking yet...and if he doesn't know why he's looking, then I can't help him."
“Can’t?” Alex asked.
“More like won’t,” Don answered.
Alex kept his eyes focused on his food, examining every detail of the burger and onion rings, to keep from having to meet Don's intense gaze. Damn Dowser had apparently lived with his Empath boyfriend for far too long. He was right though. Why was he chasing them? The smart thing to do would be to forget the pups. He had promised the woman that she and the pups would be safe and he'd failed her. Maybe he was feeling guilty? But she wasn't the first person he'd ever let down...nor the first to die because of him.... Maybe he was trying to impress Jamie. Or.... Alex glanced at the animal control truck parked outside. Grey ears were just visible through the snow that had accumulated on the windshield.
"And there's your answer," Don said. "It's a bad reason."
Alex turned his attention back to his food. "Best reason I got. I said two years ago that I wouldn't let another Shifter leave my jurisdiction alive."
"They didn't ask to be cursed," Don said.
"Doesn't matter," Alex said.
"What about the pups?" Don asked. "They may not be lycans or werewolves, but they're still Shifters."
"I haven't decided yet." Alex picked at the onion rings on his plate.
"Not hungry, hon?" the waitress asked him as she cleared Don and Jamie's plates. "I'll bring you a box."
"How far do you think they are?" Don asked, sucking down the last of his soda.
"They couldn't have gotten too far in this weather. I brought you a state and a city map." Alex pulled two road maps out the interior pocket of his jacket.
"Let's start with the state one," Don said.
Alex spread the state map out over the table. Don placed one hand over the two necklaces and let the fingers of his other hand lightly brush the surface of the map. Alex sat quiet as he watched Don work. Don had helped him out countless times but the man's talent never ceased to amaze him. Don could find a black cat in a coal cellar, so long as he had the cat's collar and a rough map of the area...and the cat didn't move around a lot. Don had never failed him. His quarry had moved before he could get to them a time or two, but Don had never really failed him. Course this time Don didn't approve of his motives which could complicate matters a little.
Don's hand slid back and forth over the map, finally coming to rest over the dot labelled Tulsa. Alex unfolded the city map and laid it on the table, smoothing out the creases. Don started his search again.
When Don's hand came to a rest, Alex leaned over the table to see where he'd settled on. One of the old industrial areas.
Don looked down at the map. "There are worse places."
"Better ones, too," Alex said. "Thanks."
"Don't be stupid, Alex."
Alex stood up, dropping a few bills on table to cover their meal. "I'll try not. Stay warm this weekend."
Don patted his belly. "I've got plenty of extra padding and we're headed down to Arizona after this for the Scottsdale show. I’m looking forward to a few weeks of sun and warm weather. Don't make me change my plans because I have to attend your funeral."