Page 36 of Cats Never Fly

Wesleydidn’t speak for a long beat.Iimagined my little heron friend to be welling up with joy. “Holdon, let me get somewhere quieter,” he said.

Theloud and boisterous background noise suggested the bar was hopping.Itwas too badIhad to end it.Amoment later, it was quieter on his end.He’dprobably gone into the office.

“Ogden?Isthat you?”Wesleyasked.

“Theone and only.”Igrinned.

“How…”Hepaused and cleared his throat. “Whereare you?”

“I’vehad the strangest day.Youwon’t believe what happened.”Ilaughed.

“Oh?”Itsounded more like a squeak or thatawksoundhis kind usually made when they took on their shifted form.

“Areyou okay,Wesley?”

“Me?”Hesqueaked again. “Yes.Yes.Ofcourse.Youwere saying?”

“I’mat a police station of all places, can you believe it?Iwas abducted during my swim last night.Itwas the strangest thing.Areyou okay?Whatabout the rest of the staff?Isanyone else missing?Hasanyone shady been hanging around today?”

“No.Noone thatInoticed,” he said quickly.

“Areyou sure you’re okay?Yousound a little breathless.”

“Fine.Justfine.Busynight.”Icould hear him swallow. “Yousay someone abducted you?”

“Yes.ButI’mfree now.Obviously.I’vemade my statement to the police.They’vealready contacted theAspenBayPolice, so someone will come poke around shortly.Don’tworry.Theyhave my blessing to do anything they like.Givethem full access.Iwant these bastards found.”

“Ofcourse.Whowould do such a thing?”

Hesounded squeaky again.Heronsdidn’t usually squeak.Atleast not in my experience.Whatwas wrong with the guy?Unless…?No.Wesleycouldn’t be involved.Couldhe?Inthe past, my kind ate his kind.Ihoped he hadn’t done something stupid.Hewouldn’t want to earn my wrath.

IfonlyIwasn’t so damn blank about what had happened to me.

“Whoindeed,”Isaid.

Anotherlong pause followed.

“WhatcanIdo?”Wesleyasked eventually.

“Weneed to shut the pub down for a bit.Makeapologies to the staff.Everyonewill receive their full pay.Butuntil we know what happened,Idon’t want to put anyone else at risk.Idon’t know how my abductors chose me, but if they usedTheDrunkenDrakeas a hunting ground,Irefuse to let them do it again.”

“Closed?”Wesleysquawked. “Wenever close.”

“Needsmust,Wesley,”Isaid firmly.Hisattitude was annoying me. “Closethe doors.”

“But…But…”

“Doit.Itis my money and my business.Iwill return as soon asIcan, but there are a few thingsIneed to deal with first.”Whatan understatement.

“Okay.”Sullenand sulky didn’t suitWesley.Cometo think of it, pouting didn’t suit anyone.

“Good,”Isaid.

Afteranother few minutes of discussing logistics,Iended the call.

IwavedVanback into the room.Iconsidered letting my suspicions go untilIknew for sure whetherWesleywas involved or if he was just coming down with a throat infection that was making him sound weird, but too many other supes were at risk.Ifhe was innocent, he had nothing to fear.Andif he wasn’t, well…Iwasn’t about to protect him.Nomatter how longI’dknown him or how muchI’dtrusted him in the past.

AfterIexplained my strange conversation to the hellhound,Iasked to make another call.Atthe moment, my will listedWesleyas the recipient ofTheDrunkenDrakeifIdied.Mostlong-lived supes didn’t worry about things like wills, butIliked to be prepared for all eventualities.Givingmy business to an employee might seem bizarre to some, but neither my parents nor my sister would want it.Theplace wasn’t particularly lucrative or worthy of adding to a hoard; it was simply something to keep me amused for a few years.