Page 7 of Cats Never Fly

Levi’sdrink smelled strong, like he didn’t have a dropof cream in it.Howanyone could drink coffee without cream was a mystery to me, butLevismiled when he took a sip.Thenhe spotted me, and his broad forehead furrowed.

“What’sthe matter,Simon?”

“There… uh… was a… situation…”Istuttered.Hewas totally going to knowIwas lying.

“Hey, it’s okay.”Leviclapped his large hand over my shoulder and gave it a little squeeze. “Calmdown.Tellme what happened.”

Ishoved the incident report at him.Heset down his coffee and took the form.Ashe read over my report, his face flushed, his nostrils flared, and he tilted his head down like he was ready to charge after someone and ram into them.

IfI’dbeen in my cat form,I’dhave ducked under the desk.

“Damnkids,” he muttered and shook his head in disgust.

Ikept my mouth shut.Sweatbeaded along my brow.

“Hey, don’t blame yourself,”Levisaid when he glanced at me.Icould only imagine whatIlooked like.Iwas terrible at hiding my emotions. “Youcan’t be everywhere at once.”

Guiltclawed at my throat.

“Andthanks for cleaning up the mess.Iwouldn’t want anyone to trip over that stuff.”

Nottrusting myself to speak yet,Inodded.

“Ihope you didn’t worry about this all night.Youlook shattered,”Levisaid with a soft voice.

Ibit my tongue.

“Gohome and get some rest.”

Ileft work feeling guiltier thanIhad whenIstarted.But, by some quirk of fate—or perhaps with theEternalMagic’shelp—Ileft theTarbeckMotelstill employed.Buthow wasIgoing to make it up toLevi?Isighed.

Ididn’t go toMama’sfor breakfast.

Shewould have sniffed out my lies the secondIwalked through the door.Instead,Iwent home and climbed into bed.Itried to sleep butIcouldn’t.Bythe time the sun went down,Iknew it was time to act.Myshift at the motel started at midnight, soIhad a deadline.

Still,Ididn’t rush to the police station right away.Ittook most of the evening to work up the courage to go over there.ThenImeandered over to the building, whereIsat in front of the station for a bit untilIfinally sucked in a deep breath and accepted thatIcouldn’t put it off any longer.Ionly had an hour left before my shift started.

I’dheard police stations in human towns weren’t open all night, but luckily a supe ran our police department.Hisname wasVan.Hewas a hellhound and someoneIusually tried to avoid.IprayedIwouldn’t have to talk to him.Icould still remember when he came to talk to my class in elementary school.He’dlooked at me with his eyes all lit up like fire andIsworeIdidn’t breathe again until he left.Iwas ready to confess to anything and everything that’d ever happened inWillowLake, regardless of whether or notIwas involved.Assoon asIgot home,Islipped into my cat form and hid under my bed for the rest of the day.

Ilooked over my shoulder and scanned the sidewalk and the road up and down beforeIclimbed the steps to the front door.Ididn’t see anyone watching me, butIknewMamawould hear about it anyway.Shealways knew where her kittens were and what we did.

Ipulled open the door and forced myself to take those last few steps to the front desk.Ascary looking woman looked up from whatever paperwork she was doing and glared at me from behind a barrier of protective glass.Iswear her pale green eyes were almost cat-like with their thin, vertical, slit-shaped pupils as she stared at me.Exceptone whiff told me she was no cat shifter.Shewas an alligator or a crocodile or something like that.Shecould probably devour me in one bite if she shifted completely.Itook a step back.

“HowcanIhelp you?”Hertone suggested helping me was the last thing she wanted to do.

“I…Ineed to report… uh, something…”Icroaked out.ThenIswallowed.Mymouth had never been so dry.

“Whatis the nature of the incident?”

Igulped. “I… uh…”

AnotherwomanIrecognized approached the window and looked at me.Thisone was wearing a uniform.Sheeyed me curiously.

“Ican handle this,Sandra,” the newcomer said. “Iknow you’re ready for your break.”

“Thanks,Dot.”Sandranodded as she stood. “It’sbeen crazy in here tonight.Ican’t believe they found that hellhound guy out in the woods.It’slike half the town was out looking for him after that bartender had that vision and now everyone and their dog wants to know what’s going on.”Thewoman frowned at me. “That’snot why you’re here, is it?I’veheard about you cats and your curiosity.”

Ishook my head.