Chapter 59: The Warrant

I kept walking. Steady. Calm. Like that text didn't just scare me half to death.

A warrant. For me. About my mother and James.

Think. Stay calm.

My mother died in a ritual. No human can explain that.

James was murdered by Brian. But Brian was dead now too.

To human eyes, two deaths connected to me. No clear answers. Just a girl who walked away from both.

That looked very bad.

Morris walked through the gym slowly. Looking at everything. Her officers spread out.

"Nice place," she said. "You fixed it up since last time."

"We're always improving."

"New cameras everywhere." She pointed. "Those new?"

"Yes. After the break in."

"Smart." She stopped by the ring. "You train here? Fight?"

"I train. I don't compete."

"You know how to handle yourself though. We saw that when Brian attacked you." She turned. "By the way. Brian's death. Still listed as suspicious."

"I heard. I don't know anything about that."

"No? Because people close to you keep dying in strange ways." Her voice stayed too easy. Too friendly. "Brian. Your mother. Your brother."

"My brother died here. Ruled accidental. Before I even joined this gym."

"Ruled accidental at first. But we reopened the case." She reached into her jacket. Pulled out papers. "Miss Dillard. I have a warrant. Questions about the deaths of Margaret Dillard and James Dillard."

Cole stepped forward. "She didn't kill anyone."

"Sir, stay back please."

"She's my partner. I'm not going anywhere."

"Cole." I touched his arm. "It's okay."

"It's not."

"Not arresting. Not yet." Morris looked at me. "This is a material witness warrant. You come in for questions. Voluntarily or not."

"What's the difference?" Stacey asked.

"Voluntary means she walks in and out. Not voluntary means cuffs and a cell." Morris kept her eyes on me. "Your choice."

I looked at Cole. His eyes flickered. His wolf was close to the surface.

"Don't," I said quiet. "I'll handle this."

"Lita."

"Trust me." I turned to Morris. "I'll come in. No cuffs."

"Lita, no," Alex said.

"It's fine. I did nothing wrong. Answering questions proves that." I grabbed my jacket. "Can I call a lawyer first?"

"You can call from the station."

"No. I call now. Before we go." I looked at Morris. "That's my right."

Morris nodded once. "Five minutes."

I stepped away. Called Cole's pack lawyer.

He answered fast.

"Material witness warrant," I said quiet. "Deaths of my mother and brother. I'm going in voluntary. What do I do?"

"Say nothing until I get there. Not one word about either death. You understand? Nothing."

"Okay."

"I'll be there in twenty minutes. Don't talk. Don't explain. Don't be friendly. Just wait."

"Got it."

I hung up. Walked back to Morris. "Ready."

"Lita." Cole grabbed my hand. His eyes scared. I'd never seen him scared before. "I'll be right behind you. Every second."

"I know." I squeezed his hand. "Feed the dogs. Storm, Shadow, and Frost. They haven't eaten." A look. Code for keep the story going.

He understood. "Okay. Go. Be safe."

I walked out. Got in the police car.

Through the window, I watched my pack. Standing outside. Watching me leave.

Backwards. I was supposed to protect them. Now they watched me get taken away.

The ride was quiet. Nobody talked.

I kept my face blank. Luna face.

Inside, I was terrified.

They thought I killed my mother and James. Two people I loved. Both dead in strange ways.

My mother died in a ritual. I couldn't explain that to humans.

James died because Brian killed him. But Brian was dead. Couldn't confess.

We got to the station. Morris led me to a small room. Table. Two chairs. Camera in the corner.

"Water?" she asked.

"No thank you."

She left. I sat. Folded my hands. Stared at the wall.

The camera watched me. I kept still.

Twenty minutes passed.

The door opened. Not Morris. A man. Older. Hard face. Dark suit.

"Miss Dillard. I'm Detective Ray Collins. Homicide."

Homicide.

Not missing persons. Not general crimes.

Homicide.

"My lawyer isn't here yet," I said. "I have nothing to say until he arrives."

"That's fine. We can wait." He sat down. Opened a folder. Put photos on the table.

James. His body at the gym.

My mother. The ritual site. White clothes and blood.

Then a third photo. Me. From a security camera. Time stamped the night my mother died.

"That's you," Collins said. "At the ritual site. Same night your mother died."

I stared at the photo. Said nothing.

"And your brother. You were the last person to contact him before he died. Phone records show three calls that night."

I said nothing.

"Miss Dillard. Silence looks guilty." Collins leaned forward. "Help me understand what happened. Both times."

I looked at him. Said nothing.

The door opened. Cole's lawyer. Breathing hard. Briefcase in hand.

"Not another word," he said to me. Then to Collins. "My client is done. If you're charging her, charge her. If not, we're leaving."

Collins closed the folder. Smiled. "Not charging. Yet." He looked at me. "Don't go far though. We'll talk again."

"Noted," the lawyer said. "Let's go."

I walked out.

In the hallway, the lawyer grabbed my arm. "Outside. Then we talk."

We got to the parking lot. Cole was already there. He'd driven straight over.

He pulled me close. Held tight. "You okay?"

"Fine. No charges. Just questions."

"What did they ask?"

"Nothing. I said nothing until he arrived."

"Good." The lawyer looked serious. "But this isn't over. Collins is homicide. He's building a case. Two deaths. Both connected to you. No clean answers."

"Can he prove anything?"

"Right now no. But if he digs deep enough. If he gets forensics from your mother's body." He stopped. "It could get bad."

"How bad?"

"Murder charge bad."

Cole's jaw got tight. "She didn't murder anyone."

"Innocent people get charged all the time." The lawyer looked at me. "I need to know everything. Both deaths. Every detail. Leave nothing out."

I looked at Cole.

How was I supposed to explain a supernatural ritual? A demon sacrifice? Pack magic?

How much of the truth could I tell a human lawyer without exposing the wolf world?

"Okay," I said. "But what I'm about to tell you will sound crazy."

"Miss Dillard, I've practiced law for thirty years. Nothing surprises me."

He had no idea.

"Let's find somewhere private," I said. "This will take a while."