Alpha Micah Black: Homecoming

Chapter30

“Good. Grab whatever you think you will need for a few days and meet me by the door,” I instructed. “George, notify your landlady about your absence, but try not to freak her out.”

“I’ll say it’s police business,” he mused. “Frankie, go grab our overnight bags from the hallway closet. I’ll grab my clothes while you gather our toiletries. Then you can grab your clothes.”

“I’ll be out in the living area waiting,” I stated, dismissing myself from the awkwardness.

Nine and half minutes later….

George and Frankie, both slightly out of breath with travel bags in hand, met me at the door. Two police cruisers pulled up and partially blocked the road. This maneuver prevented the rental car from moving or IDing us easily. It created the perfect opportunity to sneak into the SUV to get away. Don’t tell Hanna, but maybe I do have some feathers growing… Wink.

“Okay, now’s our chance,” I observed. “Let’s go!”

“Wait!” Frankie exclaimed. “I forgot my suede jacket.”

“Leave it. There’s no time to get it,” George scolded. “We’re not going on vacation.”

“But—”

“No buts. Move!” I commanded.

I held the door open, letting the love birds out first. We ran down the steps and to the vehicle. I remembered I had the keys and pressed the button to unlock the doors. George reluctantly went to the passenger side. We quickly got in and got the hell out of there. The SUV went ka-thump, and we bounced in our seats. I may or may not have hit the curb pulling out of the driveway. Oops. Sorry.

“G-ddness, Mike!” George hissed. “Watch your driving!”

“Notify dispatch and disclose our 10-20,” I rattled off to George, ignoring his nags.

“And where would that be?” he inquired, returning to cop mode.

“The university. There’s a certain botanist we need to speak with,” I replied as my stomach growled. “Dammit! I left my hoagie in your apartment.” I griped, banging my palm on the steering wheel. “Better alert your landlady about that, too. I don’t want to be responsible for ants.”

“I’ll contact Mrs. Hill and let her know what’s going on,” Frankie volunteered.

“Thanks,” I muttered, looking at her through the rearview mirror.

March 25th, 3:19 PM, Wolfdale City University, Biology Building

Her class was in full session when we arrived. The three of us waited patiently outside the door. Well…two of us did, anyway. I wasn’t one of them. Instead, I fiddled with my regulation necktie while attempting to ignore my empty stomach. George held his mate close to him, keeping her calm. Dr. Lila Montgomery could intimidate anyone–student or otherwise. Ten minutes before the bell dismissed all the classes, Botany 102 let out early. Her students, as usual, mumbled and grumbled, exiting the room.

“Well, don’t just stand there, let’s head into my office and talk,” Lila mused.

We walked through the door single-file. I went first, followed by Frankie, then George. Frankie trembled, passing the botany professor. She held her head down, almost in shame.

“Have a seat, please,” she instructed as we entered her office.

Her office was still decorated in a moon garden theme. The artificial moonlight illuminated the large space with a soft glow. Moonflowers climbed a dividing screen. Fancy upholstered chairs, two single and one double seater, surrounded a square-shaped coffee table. It had a floral decorative cloth for the cover. George and Frankie chose the double seater, and I sat in a single one.

Dr. Montgomery stood by a countertop and flipped a switch on a hot plate to heat water for some tea. Then, grabbing various containers from the cupboards above, she added a little from one and a few spoonfuls from two others to a large mixing bowl. She thoroughly mixed these ingredients and scooped the final mixture into each teacup. Just in time as the kettle whistled.

“Yum, that tea smells wonderful,” I gushed, surprising myself and our host.

“Odd…especially coming from you, Sergeant,” she stated. My stomach rumbled loudly in her presence. “Ah, that explains it. Drink your tea, and I’ll find something to help that bottomless pit of yours.”

With the water poured into each cup, she placed them and a deck of cards on a tray. Setting it down on the table, she gave us a specific cup. Once she sat, she grabbed the last cup for herself.

“Drink up,” she said.

If I didn't know Lila Montgomery already, I would’ve hesitated to do as instructed. Remember, her fetish is with plants that can kill you. We don’t know what was put into the cups!

“How quaint, Sergeant,” she balked, rolling her eyes. “Do you think I would risk harming a member of the Wolfdale City Police Department?”

“How?” George stammered, lifting the teacup slowly toward his mouth.

“Contrary to popular belief, Detective Harper, I’m not a mind-reader,” Lila began. “But I can easily read the hesitation written on your face.”

“Of course, sorry,” he apologized and took a sip. “Hmm, good.”

“How can you drink that?” Frankie whined. “Things are floating in my cup.”

“You let them settle down to the bottom, and then you can drink it,” George instructed quietly.

“Oh, thanks,” she whispered. “I forgot.”

While we were slowly sipping the tea, Lila went to another row of cabinets with a countertop. She opened a door and pulled out a hidden countertop extension. She then opened a mini-fridge and pulled out a large platter filled with varieties of hoagies! My stomach growled in approval. The mini-refrigerator reminded me of either the inside of Snoopy’s doghouse or a Mary Poppins carpet bag… and my stomach–a bottomless pit. She placed the food on the extension table and pulled two stools from another cabinet.

“Detectives, when you’re finished with the tea, please place your cups back on the tray,” she instructed us. “Then come get some sandwiches while Ms. Harlow and I chat.”

George and I nodded and promptly placed the cups on the tray. Then we removed ourselves from the sitting area to eat. Lila Montgomery sat, patiently sipping her tea until Frankie finished hers.

“Danks, nomforthdanomsamwitches, DocNomgomamry,” I mumbled around the bite of the sandwich.

George immediately choked on his sandwich, while Lila choked on a sip of her tea. Frankie’s eyes widened, watching the spectacle, not knowing what to do.

“You’re welcome, Sergeant. But they were not there for your benefit,” she explained. “They were for a regularly scheduled faculty meeting. But it strangely became canceled ten minutes before my class began.”

“Oh—” I feel like a heel.

Dr. Montgomery set her teacup down and picked up the deck of cards. She shuffled them thoroughly–seven times. With a steady gaze at Frankie, she drew three cards and placed them on the table.

“Ms. Harlow, please hold out your right palm,” she instructed George’s mate.

With a shaky hand, Frankie did as requested. Lila Montgomery gently held it and ran a finger sideways over the palm.

“Hmm, uh-ha,” she muttered. “Interesting indeed.”

Frankie swallowed hard and placed her teacup down. “W-wha? What is it?”

“You have an item in your possession that jeopardizes the oath you took,” the botany professor observed.

“I do… It’s a photo of a large wolf's paw print,” Frankie confessed. “I’ll delete it now!”

“Best get on it then.”

Frankie pulled out her phone and did as she said. Lila, having Frankie’s permission, double-checked to make sure and then handed the phone back to Frankie. She looked over the card spread and sighed, leaning into her chair.

“The photo isn’t why you’re here, Sergeant?” she inquired.

“No..” I said, almost choking on the last bite. “It isn’t. Frankie saw something…disturbing. Detective Harper and I would like your insight into what she saw.”

“Ahh,” she mumbled, looking over the cards again…thinking. “That makes sense…”