The Wolf and The Sensitive (closed for Tighe and _kyrie_)

[tighe]

Rafe was surprised to hear the voice of the woman who ran the socials on his phone. "Are you alright?" She asked him. "Yes, why?" He asked, turning from the others. "Vanessa said you had a few issues last night." He did not reply. "Rafe, you know these parties are to help, not make things worse. She said you seemed very upset." "Well, ask her how upset she would be if she had these cuts on her back like I do. And tell her she can keep my damn belt." Rafe almost let himself get angry again. "Listen, Belle, please, don't worry. Tell Vanessa thanks for trying, but no thanks." He glanced at the vet checking the body, watching her reactions as she touched the girl. Belle kept talking. "Please, be sure and come back next month. In fact, we have started having them every couple weeks now, so I'll let you know when the next one comes up." "Okay, thanks." He hung up. Suddenly he saw Dr. Farrell swoon and go to the floor with Nora next to her, holding a tissue to her nose. This was not going to be an easy case, he decided. He went back inside and knelt down. "You alright?" He asked her.

 

[_kyrie_]

Jamie fought to control her surprise at Rafe's concern, or apparent concern. She had watched him through the window of the morgue, whomever he had been speaking to had ruffled his feathers. He had not wanted to continue the conversation, it was obvious even without picking up on his agitation and anger.

"I'm fine, thanks." Jamie tried to nod but found the entire room swam around her head when she did.

"I just need to get away from her and get some air. I'm having trouble breaking the connection completely. There's deep benevolent energy still stored within her body and it's looking for a way out. Unfortunately, it wants to use me as it's ride and I'm not very happy about that myself."

Jamie was far from the image of the swooning, weak doctor she seemed to portray every time Rafe Williams was around. She'd have to work on fortifying the safeguards she had learned to keep in place, some meditation and a good meal would probably help.

 

[tighe]

Rafe was with the good doctor on this one. He had seen enough and been bombarded with plenty too. He hesitated to touch her, but finally took her elbow, that was covered with sleeves, and helped her from the floor. "Lets all go get some food. I'm starved. Maybe we can Talk bout it and not starve." He told them As soon as she was standing he turned loose of her and held the door. "Let us knew when you file your final." He told the doctor who stood by the body. "We're still looking for family too, Rafe." The doctor called to him as he followed the women out. "Where to?" Nora asked. "Anywhere you guys want. I'll buy." He leaned gently against the backseat and pinched his nose with his thumb and forefinger, trying to stop the tension he was feeling. That girl seemed so familiar. Where had he seen her? Was it possible she was someone from the parties?
He remembered the screams from last night at the social, but the screams were a normal part of the sounds there. He pictured the people he had passed and the general atmosphere, but nothing stood out for him. Belle would know if she had been there. Did he ask her to come in?
His stomach let out a roar. Nora laughed and sped to a diner with good food. She was eating especially if Rafe was buying.

 

[_kyrie_]

Rafe Williams was the most confounding, complicated, confusing man she had ever met. Being around him was like riding an out-of-control roller coaster. Jamie couldn't decide if she liked the huge down hill rides better than the slow, creeping uphill climb better or not. Either way, he kept Jamie off-balance which something she despised.

The diner was small and cozy but a bit crowded. Of course, it was Sunday afternoon so that wasn't unexpected. Jamie was a bit quiet while they ate, sorting through all of the images in her head and what she had seen down at the morgue and also in the Captain's office with the photograph's.

Jamie heard the voices around her but didn't concentrate on them. Something was niggling at the back of her brain and it was driving her crazy.

"I wonder why she was with the guy, the were? Did she know he was a were? Especially being that it was the night after the full moon phase?" Jamie looked up at Rafe and blushed hotly.

All young girls fantasized about being with a were on the night after, everyone knew that's when they were the hottest. Especially the sexy ones. Even when Jamie had been in college, girls gossiped among themselves about how it would be to be with one on that most special of nights. Most didn't understand the danger involved nor what could happen after.

Obviously their victim hadn't.

 

[tighe]

"That's a good question." Nora told her. "It's the same as the girl the other day. She wanted to know what it was like." He said, then suddenly almost blushed as he realized he had said that out loud. He knew how it was. Many had approached him to be with him the night after. Rafe was wary of girls for that reason. He had always been careful. There were actually groups of girls who sort of followed weres around and offered themselves up for their pleasure. It had been a very big thing for a long time. He thought with the parties they had been done away with, but maybe not.
He stared at Jamie. "What?" He asked her. "You look like you might have a loaded question." He cut the steak and took a bite. The rare meat was tough, but he didn't care. It didn't matter to him. He chewed as he watched the vet. She looked angry at him all the time. He was beginning to enjoy agitating her.

 

[_kyrie_]

Jamie looked straight into his sky blue eyes, she refused the temptation to let him rattle her.

"Is it that difficult? To control yourself I mean? The night after. Nora says you were born a were so you of the three of us should be able to explain to us what it's like."

Jamie fought the urge to blush and avert her eyes. She held his piercing gaze, trying to decide whether he was going to lean across the narrow table to strangle her or kiss her. She licked her lips nervously but didn't look away.

Not until she heard Nora fussing at Rafe. Jamie looked from Rafe to Nora, who extended her hand, a small tuft of coarse dark blond hair in her hand she have removed from Rafe's jacket. Jamie reached for it instinctively, as she would have in her office.

The images slammed into her. Rafe's deep anger and frustration at the young blond laying spread beneath him. Jamie saw him slap her at least twice. The images flashed on and off, the violence nearly overwhelming Jamie in its intensity. Her fingers curled around the fur as she watched the girls fingers scratched horribly at his sides. Was she trying to get away? Is that why Rafe was still so frustrated and angry this morning? The ramifications had Jamie shaking visibly.

Rafe reached over, trying to pry Jamies fingers apart and retrieve the tuft of fur he knew had to be flooding her mind with hundreds of images.

 

[tighe]

"Is it that difficult? To control yourself I mean? The night after. Nora says you were born a were so you of the three of us should be able to explain to us what it's like."

He knew she wanted to look away from him, but she refused. Stubborn. Her tongue on her lips very nearly sent Rafe over the table after her in front of Nora and the diner crowd. "Maybe you could tell us the attraction, doc. Not like I would know why women are so eager to come on to us" He said, also refusing to back down.
Suddenly Nora was pulling a tuft of blonde hair from the zipper of his jacket. The vet took it from her and he saw her eyes glaze over. She was living it, gaining information even he could not from the memory wrapped up in it.
Rafe came over the table, reaching for her hand and prying her fingers from the fur. Suddenly he was worried about her senses being overwhelmed and he knew he had to get it away from her or risk losing her expertise on his case. Hell, he had to take to keep her safe. He wasn't sure if it was his or Vanessa's, but Dr. Farrell did not need to know what went on with them last night.
A small tussle ensued and Nora reached in as well, trying to stop them both. A glass of tea was sent to the floor with a crash and Rafe grabbed Dr. Farrell by the wrist.

 

[_kyrie_]

Jamie was angry. She was angry at Rafe for disrupting her life, making her dream and think if things she should never be considering. She was angry at herself for allowing him to get under her skin. She was angry at the Universe for creating these half animal half human creatures that suffered like she did, caught in a world that didn't understand them.

Rafe was hurting her wrist. His fear that she might discover what he was hiding, made her head hurt even worse.

"Let go of me!" Jamie hissed. Angered and embarrassed by her reaction to his touch.

"I have no clue why anyone would want to be around you ever, much less during the time you act like even more of a bastard than usual!" Jamie glared at him, hating that her eyes threatened to spill tears formed by anger and something deeper she didn't understand.

 

[tighe]

That was it. She hissed at him as he held her.
"I have no clue why anyone would want to be around you ever, much less during the time you act like even more of a bastard than usual!"
He dropped her wrist and saw the tears threatening to fall. "I have nothing to hide from you, Dr. Farrell. Like it or not we are on this together and I'm sorry you hate me so much, but I don't have a clue about what I have done to cause it, but us being at each other's throats won't get it over any sooner." He was finished eating, his appetite for food suddenly gone. He sat back in silence as they all tried to calm down. He knew what it was like. He knew she didn't want to feel everything she felt, but she had to be able to pull back sometimes. He knew she was seeing something she was afraid of, but he had no clue how to get her over that fear. Nora finally stepped up and put them back on track. "What's our first step then?" She asked the tow of them as they sat glaring at each other. "We need to find out if she has any family." Rafe offered. "Maybe they can help."

 

[_kyrie_]

Jamie sat back rubbing her wrist and picking at her food. She had no desire to eat but knew she had to in order to fight the headaches. God she'd be glad when this was over. She nodded at Rafe, acknowledging the temporary truce.

"She has parents, both living. I got the impression they were upper class, fairly affluent. Doting mother, strict father. Possibly an only child, college student. Maybe a senior. Does that match any of the more recent missing person reports?"

Jamie looked from Nora back to Rafe, fighting to school her emotions while her brain worked frantically to put the missing pieces together.

 

[tighe]

"Well, that's a start." He told them. Nora jotted ti all down and Rafe took another bite of the steak. Suddenly the truce felt pretty good. They went back to the precinct together and found what they were looking for in a stack of missing persons reports. Her room mates had called it in the morning after she didn't come home after a After Night party. Nora wrote down the address and they went to visit for some reports.
A very dark haired girl opened the door to the knock. She let them inside after Nora introduced them. As expected she had a reaction to Rafe when he came in and so did the small red haired girl when she joined them. The red head smiled up at him. He thought she looked familiar, though he couldn't be sure. Nora asked all the questions as he avoided the glances from the women. He was certain he was more of a hindrance sometimes than a help. "Can we see her room?" He finally asked. They nodded and led the way. As Rafe stepped in they watched closely. The red head finally had to speak. "God, Sher would be so stoked knowing there's a were in her room." She meant it as a compliment. Nora shook her head. "Your friend is dead because of a were." She looked around at the pictures, the pinups all of wolves and were wolves. Had they been photographing them personally? Rafe went to the wall and looked at some actual photographs. He suddenly recognized the background. "Who took these?" He pointed and asked. The dark haired girl smiled sadly. "I did. They were at a party. It's Sher and a guy there she was really hot for." "So she was into the wolves, huh?" He asked. "You know there are no cameras allowed at After Nights." They both nodded. "You went to these parties a lot?" Nora asked. The red head nodded. "Who do you know there that got you in?" She asked. The girls tried to look surprised. "No one. We just go and are let in." Rafe shook his head. "Nope, you have to be escorted. For your own safety. When did Sher last go to a party?" He asked. "Two nights ago." The dark haired girl admitted. "This werecat, Sean, took us to this one." "Did you all stay with him?" The red haired girl shook her head. "No, Sean just gets us there. We are on our own after we get in." Belle would be so pissed, Rafe thought. "So you hook up with anyone?" He kept looking around, going through a drawer where he found some thong underwear, a bottle of lube. He shook his head. The dark haired girl nodded. "I met a bear, named Anthony. We partied in a public room with another couple. They were both were I think." The red haired girl nodded shyly. "I never have been with a were. I just go to be going." She admitted. "There was some kind of weird thing that went on though. This girl and another guy went to a private room. I heard it got a bit out of hand." Rafe's head moved to the side." "Out of hand how?" Nora asked. "Well, I was told they were both were, so you know, whatever, but I heard the girl went a bit out there on him, like she was strapping him and got a little carried away. He kinda freaked and then left. I think they said the girl was okay though, just pissed. She was a cat, so you know..." Rafe frowned. Nora glanced at him, gaging his reaction. Of course if she didn't know him she would not notice the slight twitch he gave. The marks on his back. It had been him. They had been at the same party.
So it was a story now. He thought the girls looked vaguely familiar. Now he wondered what had happened to the 3rd girl. 'And what about Sher?" He asked. "Who did she hook up with?" They both shrugged. "I never saw her again." The red haired girl told them. "After the guy left I never saw her again." Rafe looked closer at the picture of Sher and the guy. He had never seen him before and he picked the shot off the wall.

 

[tighe]

hiccupped

 

[_kyrie_]

Jamie wondered around the girls room, loathe to touch anything but knowing she had to do so. They all wore surgical gloves, on the off chance the killer had actually been in the room, but Jamie was sure he hadn't. He had picked her up somewhere else, probably at this club they were all talking about.

The girl had obviously been obsessed with wereanimals, in particular the wolves. Wolves were also one of Jamie's favorite animals, she even volunteered at a wolf reserve once a year but she was certainly not going to mention that either to Nora or to Rafe. But this girl seemed almost, possessed by the myth of the werewolf. Books on her shelves displayed the old werewolf stories as well as the newest journals citing the discovery of and classification of werewolves as humanoid and therefore, as having the basic human rights all humans are afforded.

Sitting on the girl's nightstand was a carved figure of a wolf, wooden, made out of what looked like dark walnut. It was exquisitely done, the detail fine and obviously carved by someone with a steady hand and many years of experience. Jamie forced herself to pick it up.

Immediately, images swam through her mind. The girl at this club, dancing, laughing, having fun. She felt the girls emotions. She definitely had a crush on someone there at the club and was watching him while she danced. She felt the girls heartbeat quicken as her eyes followed him across the floor. The moisture between her legs thickened, her imagination running wickedly wild as she watched the man, a werewolf enter a private room with someone else.

Jamie strained to change her perspective. She wanted, needed, to see through the eyes of the dead girl, to access her memories. The picture was hazy. The girl had been drinking heavily. The club was noisy and the energy within it was overwhelmingly sexual. The smell of leather and sweat and sex as well as the musky smell of wereanimal's in heat affected Jamie as well. She knew her own body was reacting just as the younger girl's had to all the scents and swirling energy around her.

She caught long hair swinging above a pair of hips that were definitely male. The butt was well-shaped and firm, Jamie noticed mens butts on a regular basis. One of her favorite parts of a man actually. She couldn't catch sight of the female leading the way, probably because the young girl was much more interested in - Rafe! It had to be. No one else walked like that or wore his jeans like that. No one else had that silky long hair she had thought about since the first day she met him.

Jamie dropped the wooden carving and stepped back with her hand on her mouth. The young girl had a crush on Rafe and had hoped to snag him the night after the full moon. Jamie had trouble breathing. She couldn't lift her head or make a sound as the ramifications of what she'd just seen may mean to this case and more importantly, to her personally.

 

[tighe]

Rafe's head whipped around at the sound of the statue dropping and clattering on the floor. Dr. Farrell was struggling to breathe as she held her hand to her mouth. Nora ran to her and grasped her shoulder. "What is it?" She asked. Rafe picked up the carving and replaced it on the table. Lifting his camera he took pictures of the room for documentation. They all returned to the living room. "Do you have any idea who she was there to see?" He asked. "Any idea at all?" The girls looked at each other. "All I know is it was a werewolf. She had seen him around before, but he never really noticed her. His hair was light. That's all she said besides he had the most beautiful almond shaped eyes." Rafe knew that was the normal shape for a born werewolf. His own were shaped the same. Nora thanked them and they left, getting into the car. "Wow. Playing with fire aren't they?" She sighed. She checked the doctor. "You okay, Jamie? What the hell did you see back there?"

 

[_kyrie_]

Jamie had not said much. She was trembling and hating this cursed gift with a passion. If she had some way of stopping it or getting rid of it, she'd do it in an instant. She had tried to ignore it as a child and had almost died, keeping the images at bay completely had caused too much pressure within her brain and cause some internal hemorrhaging. That's when her parents had sent her off to the private school, supposedly for tutoring and training and to protect her but in reality, Jamie knew it was because they were afraid of her. What parents wanted their child to be able to see into their minds, know their every feeling, every fantasy and memory? Jamie knew she couldn't blame them, but that rejection still hurt sometimes.

In a quiet voice, almost devoid of feeling, Jamie looked up at Nora, Rafe was leaning forward so far, she could see his gorgeous hair brushing the back of her seat.

"I saw Rafe."

Jamie turned, looking at Rafe with tortured eyes. Eyes that did not want to have seen what they did. Jamie did not want to believe what the pieces of the puzzle were telling her. She was afraid and sickened by the thought that Rafe could have done that to the dead girl. A part of her wanted to scream, "See I told you so," while another part wanted to stand up in his defense and make it all go away.

What was the truth? How could she report this to Rafe's Captain? How could she not?

 

[tighe]

Rafe wanted to explode with the doctor's statement, but it would not be the thing to do. Instead he shook. It was not him. He would know if that had happened. He would know if he had killed anyone. Shaking his head he stared at her. "How can you think it was me?" Then he felt it. He felt fear and he felt it not just from the doctor, but also from Nora. That had never happened before. He turned to her. "Nora, come on, you know better." Nora just looked at him. "Of course I do, it's just..." She shook her head. "Rafe, she described you. And you were at that party." He saw Dr. Farrell's head jerk back upright. She had not known he had been there. Rafe didn't really want it known that he attended the parties. He fell back in the seat. "I guess arrest me now. If you think it was me I'm sunk." He could stand the vet not believing him, but to have Nora doubt him cut him very deeply.

 

[_kyrie_]

Jamie felt his frustration and his own fear at being accused. She felt horrible, sifting through her visions and memories, she tried to come up with a reasonable explanation.

"Rafe, I said I saw you there. I didn't say I saw you ... saw you with that girl. Only that she wanted to be with you. You seem to have a quite a following that you are unaware of ... somehow."

She tried to look into his eyes, but looked away. She couldn't stand the pain and recriminating look he was giving her.

"Look, there must be some explanation. Apparently you ... you go to these clubs when the ... ummm, need arises. Do you remember seeing the girl? The dead girl? Come on Nora, help me think. You're the investigator here. If we have put this much together, then someone else is going to as well."

 

[tighe]

Her words didn't help. He shook his head. The idea he had a "following" was ludicrous. "I do go to them some, but I never saw her. If I did it would have been in passing. There are lots of people there." He didn't say it was only Vanessa he had seen. That might be too much to explain. Rafe leaned back, careful again of his back. "Lets go." He told Nora. "I'm sure we should report to the captain." He sat there hating that she knew. Why he didn't know, but it bugged him that she knew he attended. Rafe shifted in his seat. What was he smelling? It was faint, but it was there. It wasn't Nora. He knew her scent. His eyes went to Dr. Farrell. It was unmistakable. He smelled her and realized she was actually turned on.

 

[_kyrie_]

The sexual energy transmitted by the delicate wolf carving along with what Jamie was picking up from Rafe was playing havoc with her body. The image of him walking so confidently through the club, Jamie knowing what hag gone on there or at least imagining it, had her squirming uncomfortably in her seat.

She looked out the glass window of the car door and met the reflection of Rafe's eyes there. They caught and held for a long moment before Jamie looked away. She did not feel any evil or insanity immanating from within Rafe. She was sure she would have, even without touching him. Something bothered her. It tickled her sixth senses, but when she tried to pull it from her memory it was either gone or the headache returned in full force.

"Nora, turn around. We're not going to the Captain yet. We're going to the parents house. I made a promise and ... and I feel like we're missing a piece."

Jamie caught Rafe's eye again. She couldn't tell without opening her senses whether he was grateful or angry but either way, she was not about to open her senses to him right now. It would be too dangerous, for both.

 

[tighe]

Rafe heard her as she told Nora to turn the car around. He thought it would be a good idea as well, but hadn't a clue about any promises. He had been too wrapped up in trying to remember who he had seen at the party that night, but his memory had been stalled by the beating he had taken. Then the thoughts of the belt across his back began to make him feel a stirring deep within. Suddenly he was craving the feel again of the leather slamming into him. Perhaps Vanessa would be available again sometime, even before the next full moon party.
No. He drove the thought away. What was he thinking with a sensitive in the same car. He closed his eyes and when he opened them he saw her staring at his reflection in the glass. She didn't blink as they sat looking at each other. The reflection seemed somewhat safer than a direct gaze. He suddenly remembered the old story of Medusa and how the reflection was the only way to be safe in looking at her.
He tried looking away form her, but he could not break the gaze. Something about the vet attracted him, he admitted it to himself. Her scent was sweet and alluring, so different than that of Vanessa. Her musky scent made him think of violence and release and giving in, which Rafe never did.

 

[_kyrie_]

Jamie became more and more uncomfortable on the long ride to the girl's parents home. Rafe was projecting so strongly, it was all she could do to concentrate on keeping her safeguards up. Even so, she caught glimpses of his desires, not true pictures, more feelings and the need within him to give himself over to someone. She felt anger and lust and such heat that she had to roll down her window to keep her face from becoming overly flushed.

Nora remained quiet as well, somehow sensing it wasn't the time for a quick jibe at either one of them. Jamie had to remember to thank her later for that, it would have been very difficult to carry on a casual conversation while fighting her own bodies reaction to Rafe.

Jamie wondered why it was so different for her with him. She had been around many wereanimals before, those in heat, those on the night of their change, sometimes their first change. Others on the night after, though that was the most uncommon. Something within him called to her, pulling her from the comfortable shell she had erected not only around her heart but her feelings. Her thoughts turned to the girl that now lay dead and cold in the morgue. Had she reacted the same way? Was it Rafe's own charisma that led the girl to her death?

She couldn't believe, she wouldn't believe it and yet, she wanted to believe it. She wanted to point the finger at Rafe, the wereanimal and say, "See? I told you," but she couldn't do it. Something stopped her, some kind of pull from him, whether it was because he was a cop or because of something deeper and more basic, she had no idea.

The girl's home was located in one of the most upper class neighborhoods in the area. Nora was forced to show her badge and credentials in order to gain access through the security gate. Jamie's eyes met Rafe's. He knew what she was thinking, only someone with credential's such as Nora's and Rafe's could have gotten to the girl if she had been home or close to home before the attack. Jamie shook her head. She was sure the girl had been snagged from or gone willingly from the club that Rafe, and other wereanimals, frequented.

Nora had phoned ahead, the parents were expecting them. They had been notified of and made a positive identification of the girl right after the missing person's report was located. Jamie hated that they had to do this, hated that she had to be a part of it, but she had promised and Jamie, never, ever went back on a promise.

 

[tighe]

The ride was long to the upper class neighborhood where the girl's parents lived. They were obviously well to do as the gates were secured and they had to be let in by security. All of them showed their credentials and Rafe knew what it would have taken to gain entry here. But the girl was, by all indications, taken from the club, not here.
They stood on the doorstep of the parents of Sher Gray. Rafe shifted from foot to foot as they waited. Finally the heavy door opened and he showed them his badge and introduced them all. "We're very sorry for your loss." He told them. Nora stepped in and began a conversation with them regarding the investigation so far. Mr. Gray was angry. And bigoted. They had no idea Rafe was were as he spat hatred about the integration of the race. "If they hadn't mainstreamed them all this would never have happened. Who could possibly think it was safe to have their kind walking among us?" He was angry and Rafe understood, not holding it against the man. He would be devastated as well. Mrs. Gray kept staring at him, almost as if she recognized him, which began to make him a bit uncomfortable. "I'm sorry, detective, it's just your eyes are the strangest color I have ever seen. Tell me, do you see well?" Rafe tilted his head at the question, which always reminded Nora of his canine tendencies. She wished he would stop it but knew that would be impossible. "Yes ma'am, I see just fine."

 

[_kyrie_]

Jamie did not shake hands with the Gray's. They didn't seem to notice and Jamie was thankful for that. Mr. Gray's hatred of werenaimals ran deep. Jamie had thought she was prejudiced against that race, but of late, had come to reevaluate her views and opinions. She knew it was because of Rafe. She wanted to hang onto her distrust of them, of him, but with each passing moment, she became more and more sure that he was innocent. At least, of this heinous crime. She was sure he was less than innocent in other aspects. Rafe looked up at caught her staring at him, she blushed hotly and looked away, shielding her feelings and thoughts as best she could.

That man had the most annoying knack of knocking down all her walls, including her safeguards and she was really going to have to work on that, somehow. Jamie looked to Mrs. Gray, waiting for an opening in the conversation. Odd that Mrs. Gray had asked Rafe about his eyes.

"Are you an Ophthalmologist Mrs. Gray?"

Mr. Gray turned on Jamie, his anger hitting her full force. If not for Rafe's hand on her arm, she would probably have fallen backward.

"Why are you questioning my wife about her line of work at a time like this? What are you doing here anyway? Going to hold a seance and call Sher back, ask her who or more like, what did this to her? You're no better than the thing that killed her. A freak, just like they are. You've no place in this world and if it were up to me, you and the rest like you would be put six feet under before you could take your next breath!"

 

[tighe]

Rafe felt strange to have the older woman staring at him. She looked at him very close until her husband unleashed on Dr. Farrell. Rafe caught her by the arm as the vet reeled back with his tirade. He really wasn't trying to do anything except steady her, then he stepped between her and the man. "Mr. Gray, Dr. Farrell is a forensic specialist in this field. Attacking her will not be productive in solving your daughter's murder. If you aren't willing to cooperate we can leave now." Nora watched as Rafe stepped in to protect Jamie. She knew he didn't even realize he was doing it, just acting on his nature. "Mr. Gray, we really want to help you. We want to find this predator and take it off the streets. If we are fighting it won't make anything any easier. You have suffered a great loss. You're hurt and angry. Please."
Rafe looked back at Dr. Farrell and took his hand off her arm quickly. He walked away from her and looked out at the well manicured pawn. As Nora spoke with Mr. Gray, Mrs. Gray came closer to him. "Detective, may I ask you something?" She asked. "Of course." He told her. She laid her hand on his arm, much as he had earlier on Dr. Farrell's arm. She moved in front of him and looked up into his face. "What type of were are you, Detective?" Her eyes were kind, not angry at him. He felt her warmth for him, her genuine concern. He shook his head and looked at her. "Mrs. Gray, I'm sorry, this is not relevant to our investigation."

 

[_kyrie_]

Jamie's skin burned where Rafe's hand had been. She kept her shield's in place, but she still felt his heat, his strength, through the thin material of her blouse. They stood that way a brief moment, eyes locked, both feeling the heat until he released her, walking away and turning his back to her.

Jamie wanted to place both of her hands to her face, to calm her nerves and the deep flush she felt rising from deep within her. Mr. Gray backed away, still glaring at her. She didn't believe it was only his daughter's death that caused his reaction, he held a deep seated prejudice against anyone and anything that didn't fit neatly into his ordered world. She wondered how he felt about his little girl dating a were?

"Mr. Gray, how long have you know that Sher preferred a were animal over a full blooded human? Had you forbidden her to see them, date them? Was she seeing anyone in particular that you had restricted her from seeing recently? Someone that might have wanted to retaliate against you? Perhaps even hated you because of your personal convictions?"