“Sure thing,” Danzig said, his friendly face not wavering. Bec started to get out, but I put a hand on her shoulder to keep her still. The tinted windows kept us hidden, and I didn’t want this aggressive stranger even looking at my mate.
Danzig opened the driver door and pulled Hugo out. “This is Hugo, my best buddy. I’m afraid he doesn’t have a driver’s license, but I promise, I only let him sit in the driver seat when we’re parked.”
Not even Hugo’s sweet face made the cop relax. He glanced at the dog, then back at the car. “Are there more people in there?”
Danzig ignored the question. “What’s going on? I didn’t think having Hugo with me was a crime.”
“Someone called in to complain about a strange man sitting in a car for several hours and not moving,” the cop said. “Do you live here?”
Danzig did his best to be charming, but the cop wasn’t interested in chatting. Finally he gave up and agreed to leave the neighborhood.
Climbing into the driver seat, Danzig set Hugo in the passenger seat and started up the car. The cop got back into his cruiser and sat there, watching us.
“It seems that the stakeout is over for today,” Danzig said. “I think the neighborhood is spooked after what happened to Jim. The cop said the guy in that house saw him get hit and freakedout. Now they’ve formed a neighborhood watch to record and report any suspicious activity.”
I was only half listening to Danzig. Bec had retreated to her seat, staring blindly ahead. She looked a little pale and there was definitely something wrong.
“Bec?”
She looked over at me, her expression troubled. “Huh?”
“Are you okay?” I asked.
“We got in trouble,” she whispered.
Danzig shook his head. “We weren’t really in trouble.”
“I’ve never had an interaction with an officer before,” she said.
“Never?” I asked, surprised.
“I interacted with Child Protective Services when I was a kid. Someone at school or in the community would call them at least once a year. They’d come out, talk to Mom and Dad, then leave because there was never enough reason to take me into custody. I’ve never had the police talk to me before. I’ve never been in trouble. Not even a speeding ticket.”
“They talked to me,” Danzig said. “They didn’t even know you were in the car.”
“That’s not the point,” she said with a little shake of her head. “What if he’d insisted you open the doors? What if he’d taken down my information? If I have a criminal record, I can’t be a practicing attorney.”
I felt Danzig’s confusion, and it matched my own.
“Nothing happened,” I reminded her. “And we’ll be back at your condo soon. A place that’s safe and familiar.”
Hugo whined and tried to get into the back seat. I leaned forward and lifted him over. He wiggled out of my grip and pushed himself into Bec’s lap. She wrapped her arms around him and held him against her chest.
I wished I could either pull her into my lap to cuddle or shift into my snake form and wrap myself around her arm or neck. I didn’t understand her distress and that was upsetting.
“I’ve been so focused on finding out what was going on with Gale and everything that I didn’t think about the fact that I was breaking the law,” she whispered. “I didn’t report a crime. No, several crimes, including murder. That’s bad.”
“There aren’t any bodies,” I reminded her. “It’s hard to prove anything when there’s only piles of dust.”
I hoped that would reassure her, but she shook her head. “What if someone found me with all those exotic animal parts and thought I was involved? I’d spend my life savings on attorney’s fees fighting the charges, and I might be convicted anyway. All my future plans will be over.”
I met Danzig’s eyes in the rear-view mirror. He looked equally confused by Bec’s overreaction.
I must’ve thought that too loudly because she turned her head and pinned me with angry eyes.
“I’m not overreacting!” she snarled. I felt a wave of frustration coming off her and knew better than to say anything.
Danzig pulled into the condo parking area, parking in a spot near his motorcycle. Mine was parked at the place where I’d rented the vehicle. I’d collect it later when I took this car back.
