A/N: Thank you all so much for the sweet reviews, favs, alerts and so on. I suppose I should apologize for the long hiatus in posting this second chapter. I'd decided to write several chapters then post so that I'd get the time line correct. I noticed a screwup in the first chapter I posted and I didn't want that to happen again. I was nearing halfway done with the entire book as Evanovich has written it when I lost everything. Needless to say I took a break and have been sulking ever since. I'm finally ready to get the pen back to the paper though.

I hope you enjoy this next installment of our favorite little Jersey girl in the big bad world of the supernatural.

All of the characters you know and love were borrowed from the lovely Ms. Evanovich. They will be returned to her in due time.


Chapter Two: Lost Dog: Reward 10K

I WALKED TOWARD the nearest park bench and sat down after checking for gum, bird droppings and other treats I didn't want on my butt all day. I rested the file in my lap and smoothed my hands over it. Paper had never felt so good. I couldn't believe yesterday's trauma had lead to this gem; I was not only employed but I had a chance for round two with Morelli. A round two that was going to be even more satisfying than breaking his leg. I wasn't even nervous anymore about meeting Connie the vampire. I was actually curious about her and I had a feeling that if I did a little show and tell with her and my coyote, that I might learn more about vampires from her. Not only had I learned that she had a reflection but it was also daytime and she was out. Scorching hot, blinding daytime. I would have thought all the vamps would be in their coffins.

I shook off my curiosity, vowing that next time I saw Connie that I would be a brave little walker and interrogate her...kindly. I opened the file and began absorbing everything it held. The pictures came first. A scent for me to track would be best but Beyer's obviously hadn't bottled one up for me, so I'd have to settle with sight for now. The mug shots filled me with glee, Morelli's misfortune was a sure way to brighten my day. There were some other pictures, a few candids then one's clipped from old newspaper articles. He looked tougher, more hardened and less carefree and not just the in the ones relating to the case. If I were feeling a little less vindictive, I might have been a tinsy bit sorry that experience had taken it's toll on him but I was just glad that I wasn't the one accused of murder and on the lam. He had a few scars that would help me identify him until I had a scent refresher. The one cutting through his right eyebrow was the most distinctive. It was the frosting on the cake to his unsettling look.

I closed the file then my eyes as I visualized his face. I had better recall than most people for things relating to my senses. Morelli didn't have a forgettable face and our colored past allowed me to further engrave his face into my memory for hunting. Screwing me over was going to be a wonderful motivator for me. This time I wasn't going to give him any chances to humiliate me.

As if on cue, my stomach gave a fierce grumble. After all of this morning's coercing and working I decided my stomach deserved a treat and Fiorello's happened to be right across the street. I locked the file up in my gorgeous rust bucket then strolled over to get an ice cream. Fiorello's only had cheap packaged ice cream truck variety but my stomach would settle to just about anything that had sugar so I was in luck. After purchasing and devouring my ice cream in the store, I returned to the Nova and climbed in.

I hadn't seen Morelli other than passing by in eleven years. Catching him and tossing his ass in a cell was a pretty good reason to break this streak. I almost thought about trying to convince myself that this was just about money but my wicked grin in the side mirror loudly proclaimed otherwise. Money, at this point, just happened to be the best side effect of finding him. I was all about revenge right now.

I broke open his file again and began reading the bond contract. I skimmed hoping that a good place to start would jump out at me. His apartment off of Route 1 seemed like the most logical place. I could get his scent there and maybe catch him if he was suddenly brain dead and thought that would be a good hiding place. Maybe I would even question his neighbors. If by chance he got cleared of murder, I could at least turn all of his neighbors against him.

It took several tries and even more growls and threats from me before the car started. Morelli's apartment was only a few minutes away so I didn't bother going home to change out of my skirt even thought my legs were sticking together. His building was nicer than mine by a long shot. I could smell bengay from my parking lot; I couldn't even smell the dumpster from his. I grabbed the bond contract and set out to find his apartment feeling a little sad for myself. He had a ground level rear apartment which would be good for window snooping.

Suddenly what I was taking on became real for me. While it was revenge and a detective game, I could be happy and excited but now that I was actually outside Morelli's door, I felt like a fool. I had no clue how to go about finding someone who had committed murder who also happened to be a cop, what was I thinking? Bravado had gotten me to his door but it definitely wasn't doing anything else for me. The knot in my stomach and the sudden urge to upchuck my ice cream rolled over me. What if Morelli actually was home? Even if he wasn't, what was I supposed to did if I ever found him? I could ask him nicely to accompany me to the police station and possibly end up in body bag too. He wasn't going to come with me just because I found him and asked, especially since he didn't show up to his first hearing. He was a man running from a murder charge and I was an ex-lingerie buyer.

I didn't think Morelli would kill me on purpose though, he had actually liked me enough at one point I guess. I wasn't sure I wanted to count on any of those romantic feelings he once had especially after my digression with the Buick. Maybe I could cow him with my coyote form, I could get lucky and he'd be allergic or something. That thought triggered my allergic reaction to being homeless and living with my mother, and suddenly I was bolstered with false courage. Morelli was a lot less scary than my mother.

I checked his mailbox first since there was no chance he'd pop out of that. His box was stuffed so I figured it was safe to assume he hadn't been around for a few days. Feeling a little bit better about my chances of surviving, I squeezed my eyes shut and knocked on his door. I waited for a few second but I heard nothing, no movement inside the apartment and definitely no one answering the door. Before I began harassing the neighbors, I got down on my hands and knees and stuck my face in the gap between the door and the floor. I'm sure I looked crazy with my butt in the air but I didn't want to break in to get his scent, plus I was pretty sure I hadn't suddenly acquired lock-picking skills. Morelli smelled a little different than I remembered so I was glad that I risked the sniff. He'd added the smell of gun power to his natural scent of pine and city.

For the most part, people smell like what they live around. They pick up the scents of where they spend most of their time until it becomes their own. Everyone's scent is unique even if they are often fairly similar. I smell like confectionery sugar and the wild. In human form my coyote smell wasn't very obvious, if even there at all. A shower was usually able to get rid of it completely. Weres on the other hand, always smell like their wolves. I think this is one of the reasons why they tend to avoid me, that and simple snobbery.

I stalked around his building keeping an eye out for anyone who might think I'm a burglar or a pervert. Seeing no one, I counted off windows until I reached Morelli's. I was disappointed to find that all of his shades were down but I pressed my face against the glass of each anyway hoping to catch a glimpse of something. I didn't see much of anything, just a bit of floor and wall. I considered the mission successful anyway though because I didn't get caught and, more importantly, I hadn't wimped out.

I went back to the little lobby to try his neighbors. There were three other doors, I tried the one right across from Morelli's first and came up empty. Only one of the neighbors was home to answer their door. She was a walking corpse and not of the undead variety. I had to yell my questions at her and only managed to learn that she was relatively new to the building and had never seen or heard of Morelli in her life. She didn't invite me in for a drink but she also didn't ask me why I was asking her questions.

I went back to the Nova and turned it on to sit in the air conditioning to regroup. I wasn't sure what to do next since Morelli's had been pretty much a total bust. I tapped my fingers against the steering wheel and looked around, maybe I'd catch Morelli skulking back to his apartment if I waited around long enough. Patience was not my middle name and after only a few minutes I started getting antsy and bored. There was nothing going on outside to keep me entertained.

I dozed off for a few minutes when the soft purr of an expensive sports car woke me up. I hoped it was another one of Morelli's neighbors so that I would have something to do. I waited to see what the fancy car owner would do, wouldn't want to strain myself for no reason if it was just a lost tourist. After I'd nearly lost interest, a man slide out of the car and nearly gave me a heart attack from both excitement and panic. The guy was Joe's cousin, Mooch.

Mooch wasn't his real name but it was all I knew him by. I'd known him for a long time too. I'm glad I'd never been given a shitty nickname that stuck with me for life especially since I was stuck in Trenton for the unforeseeable future. Mooch had lived near St. Francis Hospital growing up. I never hung out with him but I knew him because he follow Joe around everywhere. His presence here might have been just the stroke of luck I needed. Morelli trusted Mooch and he was also family so that made him someone that might pick stuff up for Joe. I hoped he wasn't here to pick up Joe's mail, that would be relatively harmless. It would be more exciting to see Mooch break in to Morelli's apartment and steal a wig or something for Joe. I liked the idea of Mooch breaking in to Joe's apartment, I liked the idea of reporting the crime even more-anything to make trouble for the Morellis. To my disappointment, Mooch came around the side of the building holding a key and let himself into Joe's apartment.

Motherfucker probably had a hide-a-key rock that I'd stepped right over while peeking in windows. I mentally added 'check for extra keys' to my to do list if I ever had another skip to catch. Everyone locks themselves out every once in a while and either gives a neighbor a key or cleverly hides one. I lock myself out of my apartment all the time, especially in the mornings when I'm lucky to even be dressed correctly because I haven't had my wake up doughnut.

Confronting Mooch in Joe's apartment didn't scream brilliant idea to me, so I decided to wait in my car and see what he did. I'd just really gotten into singing along with the radio when Mooch came back outside with an oversized black duffel bag. I held back a squeal of pleasure because, come on, a black duffel has it all. Black is a don't notice me, criminal color and a duffel bag that size could have anything in it. I hoped it was something for Joe and not dirty laundry that Mooch felt like helping out with or something lame like that.

Mooch hoofed it to his car, threw the duffel bag into the bag seat and then pealed out of the lot. Totally suspicious; I was surprised he didn't notice me though. I was facing him and my car was on and I was the only other person in the parking lot. I'd seen a few movies where the good guys tail the criminal and hoped I'd be able to pull it off. There were only a few rules to tailing, know where the other car is and don't get caught. Easy enough. I pulled out of the parking lot a few second after Mooch had keeping a few cars between us. I would have lost him if it hadn't been for my superb eyesight. After my mother spotting the snacks in my car at yesterday's dinner I wasn't sure if the eyesight was just inherited or another coyote trait.

The longer I followed Mooch, the closer I felt to that ten grand payday. The first thing I was going to buy was another TV. I was already missing mine and I hadn't even been back home to mope about not being able to watch it yet. Mooch pulled onto State Street then a private drive. I didn't follow him and instead parked a ways down on State Street. I had to see what Mooch was up to and a new TV and extra cash allowed me to ignore the little common sense voice that occasionally tried to force me not to act stupidly. I flopped into the back seat of the Nova and began undressing. I locked all of the doors except one then huddled down while peaking out the window to see if anyone was nearby. I was clear so I opened the door a crack then shifted.

Holy shit, it was hot. Four legs and a boat load of fur sucked. New TV, new TV, new TV... I was ready. I nosed the door open with my muzzle and hopped down to the pavement. The car door clicked shut softly behind me. I high tailed it to one of the shrubs lining the private drive Mooch had taken. Thankfully I wasn't too out of place on this street; most of the houses had boarded up windows because it wasn't worth it to replaced windows that dumb kids kept throwing rocks at and the yards were overgrown. I was more in danger of getting tics than I was getting caught out of place.

I kept my body low to the ground and crawled towards the house Mooch went into. I perked my ears and hoped to catch the sound of multiple voices. I was too far back to be able to identify or decipher words and speakers but two voices meant that this probably wasn't just Mooch returned home, last I'd heard Mooch was still a bachelor anyway. I wasn't able to catch anything more than thumps of things being moved around, probably that massive duffel bag, before Mooch exited the house sans duffel. Hell yes, Mooch just picked up a duffel at Joe's and left it here, how lucky am I?

Once Mooch had completely left, I stepped out of the foliage and shook myself off. Morelli could be in that house right now emptying the duffel bag. He wouldn't be expecting anyone and why would it worry him if a coyote happened to look in to his window? I'd pranced a few steps toward the front porch when I froze. Smart Stephanie was telling me this was how little coyotes got hurt but homeless and mother fearing Stephanie said do it. The problem with smart Stephanie was that she remembered Grandma Mazur telling her all about taxidermy last month and how she had suggested I try dying in coyote form so that I could be stuffed. After all, she'd never been to a funeral that had a stuffed body. Smart Stephanie kept suggesting that Morelli might have picked up hunting in his spare time. Personally I did not want to be a head mounted on a wall and sneaking up to peak in his windows gave me the shakes.

My stomach growled again and I remembered that I'd missed lunch time. I sighed realizing that soon I wouldn't be able to afford lunch unless I wanted to have lunch at my parent's every day. That got my paws scrambling toward the house. Looking in the window was no big deal. I just had to look and then go. I peered into the first window I came to and realized my mistake. This wasn't a house, it was another apartment...stupid. I began checking all of the windows along the wrap around porch. Almost no one was home and thus far I hadn't seen anything that made me want to claw my eyes out. I struggled up the fire escape to the second floor. Each apartment had connecting balconies with fairly low iron fencing separating them, perfect. The very first window I peaked in had me scrambling back down the stairs and toward the Nova. Morelli had been right there and was on the verge of looking up. His window had been open and he probably heard my nails clicking as I walked. I'd nearly been caught and even I couldn't come up with an explanation for a coyote on a balcony.

I dry heaved from nerves a few times by the car. I laid down and covered my face with my paws to pull myself together. I could do this. I'd found Joe, now I just needed to bring him in. I shifted back and quickly got back into my car and redressed. I didn't want to give myself time to think this through and come up with a million reasons why it was a bad idea, so I got right back out of the car and went into the lobby of the apartment. There were names on each mailbox so I scanned the names for the second floor. Apartment 201 didn't have a name and the rest weren't Morelli so I assumed that was him. I climbed the stairs while my feet said up but the rest of me wished I'd faint.

Once on the second-floor landing I began to notice when I felt like this before. In high school we had to act out Shakespeare scenes in English class. I hadn't memorized my lines and was a failure at public speaking. When it had been my turn to go, I'd thrown up and had been excused for the day. My life was glamorous even then. I'd already dry heaved out on the lawn so that option was out, so I had to go through with it. I knocked on the door quickly hoping that maybe he'd dismiss the sound thinking it had been nothing, then I'd be able to leave having done my best.

I heard movement behind the door and the scent of pine increased. I hoped I was crazy and that Mooch was really behind the door. Maybe because they were cousins they would smell similar. Maybe it wasn't me hyperventilating. Suddenly the movement stopped and I noticed the peephole on the door. Maybe he wouldn't answer when he saw it was me...or maybe he'd have a gun ready for payback. I wished I'd stayed in my car and waited until he left, maybe then I could have just mowed him down and caught him that way. Thinking about young Morelli gave me a little bit of courage. After all, would the asshole who wrote the details on the men's room wall at Mario's Sub Shop about our foray in the bakery really harm me? He never wrote about any of the other girls, I guess that made me special. I gave the peephole a pathetic finger wave and hoped that even if he was mad that he would at least consider me harmless.

I heard him groan "Jesus Christ" before he slid the bold back and yanked the door open. He crossed his arms and learned on the door frame, "What?"

I could feel my inner coyote tucking her tail between her legs and whimpering. The photos hadn't done Morelli's menacing look justice, he was down right scary. He definitely didn't look like a first time killer.

I took a moment to reevaluate the situation. Fact, there was no way in hell I was even half as strong as him, the only way he was going to the police department with me was if he wanted to. Fact, he didn't look happy to see me but he also looked confused...almost as if he didn't know me. Fact, I was on the verge of peeing myself and wanted nothing more than to redo this day. Needless to say, I didn't inform him that I wanted to haul his ass down to the slammer and collect the money from his bond. "Umm... I'm looking for Joe Juniak? He, uh, told me he was moving into this building but I couldn't find his name on the mailboxes but this one didn't have a name...so here I am. Is he-" Oh, God. The word vomit had commenced.

Morelli cut me off, "You got the wrong apartment. There's no Juniak here. I don't know my neighbors so I can't help you."

I forced a smile past my grimace. "Oh, um, thanks anyway. Sorry for bothering you." I turned and nearly ran toward the stairs. I made it halfway there before I felt a hand on my shoulder than spun me around.

Morelli had apparently recognized me because he had a completely dumbfounded expression across his face. "Shit... Stephanie Plum?" It burned me a little that he hadn't recognized me right away. Anger, good, I could use that. His tone had me on edge too. It was the tone my mother used whenever she caught me doing something I shouldn't be, condescending and bitchy.

I squinted at him and put a hand on my hip while shifting my weight back and forth. A good lie comes with body language to back it up. Now that my head was clear and I'd stopped word vomiting, I felt a whole lot better. "Who...? Oh. Joseph Morelli. Surprise...surprise."

He apparently didn't like being forgotten either. He narrowed his eyes then chose to bring up my shining moment, "Mhmm, almost as surprising as being run down by your father's car."

Since I planned on maybe one day getting him into jail, I decided to clear this incident up for him. I didn't want him tattling or anything like that. "I swear it was an accident. I wasn't used to that car and my foot slipped." My foot slipped? Did I really just say that? Way to go Steph, he won't call you on that.

He blanched then scowled, "There is no way that was an accident. You jumped the goddamn curb and I was practically running away from you when you nailed me. I could have died!" His voice had been steadily increasing though out his rant. I rolled my eyes at him and he glanced at the other doors clearly hoping we hadn't been overheard. "Why are you here, Stephanie? Are you here to break my other leg? Maybe you're here to finish me off this time?"

I stifled a growl, "Yeah, I've been plotting all this time, waiting until I thought you wouldn't expect me before I came to strangle you."

Realization flickered in his eyes, "You know about my trial don't you? And what, you thought 'how can I fuck up Joe's life even more'?"

My sense of hearing in person form isn't usually good enough to pick up heartbeats but I could hear Joe's thundering. His face was turning red from anger too. Before he got any angrier about nothing, because it's just business, right, I blabbed, "Like I give a crap about you. I certainly don't spend my days looking for Morelli news in the paper and plotting how I can possibly use it to my advantage. I don't even read the newspaper!" I continued getting a little huffier, "I happen to be working for Vinnie. You're in violation of your bond agreement."

Like magic his anger smoothed away into a grin. He rocked back on his heels and looked me over. I'm sure the only frightening thing he saw was my hair and most likely that just added to his amusement. He actually had the nerve to chuckle before he said, "Vinnie? He sent you?"

I bristled and considered shifting just to bite him. Giving my secret away is a big no-no though, so I settled for using my bitchy voice and a good glare, "It's not funny!"

"Trust me, it is. I haven't had a good laugh in a while so I know one when I see one."

Well, any sympathy I might have had for him just flew out the window. I know I looked like a joke but it was a completely uncalled for him to actually tell me that. I pinched the bridge of my nose and took a deep breath in. Yeesh, he smelled like he'd been on the run. Didn't he have a shower in there? The smell made my nose wrinkle as well as calm down a bit, he did have a point after all. "Why don't we talk about this?"

He considered for a second than said, "Okay, talk."

It sounded like he was spoiling for another joke so I went with my best reason to turn himself in, guilt. "What about your mother?" Morelli was a big momma's boy growing up. I hoped that hadn't changed.

"What about her...?"

Really? He needed me to spell it out for him? Maybe he thought the bond fairies released him. "You mother signed the bond agreement. You know, the one for a hundred grand? She can't afford that, she's going to have to mortgage her house. Won't that be an interesting topic for the burg grapevine? She would be humiliated." The burg gossip is deadly, no one wanted to be the center of gossip, especially not Mama Morelli.

His grin was instantly gone. I crossed my fingers behind my back and hoped that his mother was like mine and that he feared her wrath. "Not gonna work, Stephanie. She bailed me out to keep me out and I have no intention of going back into custody. A possibly dirty cop thrown in with criminals, I'll have everyone gunning for me and won't live to see the weekend. Even if I was thinking about turning myself in, I wouldn't let you collect my bounty money. You'd have to be a lunatic to believe I would. You ran me over with a goddamn Buick. Why would I do you a favor?"

I was not crazy. I may have psychotic looking hair and sprout fur every once in a while, but I was not crazy. I also wasn't stupid and he was certainly insinuating that. I was just hopeful and impulsive. I jabbed my finger into his chest, "You're a jerk. You deserved to get run over. I hardly hit you anyway. You would have noticed that if you hadn't been running and tripped breaking your leg."

"I should have reported you then. I could have saved myself a whole lot of trouble."

"I should have put the Buick in reverse and backed over your skull. Then I wouldn't be here causing you trouble."

Morelli turned and strode back into his apartment yelling back at me, "See ya. I have better things to do than argue with a nutcase."

I walked in right after him. "Excuse me? I'm not the one running from the law. I'm sorry that you're a worse criminal than I am."

Morelli pulled on a wind breaker and zipped up the duffel Mooch had dropped off before I got a peak inside. I stood blocking the door, demanding his attention. "Look, I have to go. Leave me alone."

Yeah, right. His was my ticket to my old life, I definitely wasn't backing down now. Curiosity got the better of me as he swept around the apartment grabbing various things. "Where are you going?"

I was less concerned about keeping him in his apartment than I was about where he planned on going so I let him nudge me out of the way. I followed him back onto the landing then took several steps back as I watched him shove a gun into the back of his jeans as he locked the door. I never did understand why men feel the need to put guns into the waist of their pants. What if it went off? I can imagine so many less painful places to be shot.

He gave me a look before saying, "It is none of your business where I'm going." He then turned and made his way down the stairs carefully with the duffel.

I didn't really care for that answer so I continued following him. "I'll just find you again. This may be my first go at apprehension but I think I'm doing pretty good so far. Beyer's couldn't even find you and I did in only a few hours. You should just give up now before I do something we all regret. I'm not afraid of you and I promised Vinnie."

I honestly wasn't sure if I was crazy or not when I realized I truthfully wasn't scared of him anymore. I went from nauseous at the sight of him to picking a fight and threats. I was also pretty proud of myself. I had done a good job finding him. I wasn't sure how I planned on actually apprehending him though. Unless he sat still and let me tie him up than walked on his own to my car, I didn't really see it happening. I'd need to think on this, maybe Connie had some ideas.

I continued following him out into the back parking lot to his beat up car. Sadly even a fugitive had a better car than me. I thought about offering to trade, he was less likely to get caught by someone else in mine after all.

He popped open the trunk and tossed the duffel bag in. Finally he turned and faced me again. With a sigh he said, "Don't bother tracing the plate, I won't have this car in a few hours." Well, isn't he Mr. Helpful. I hadn't planned on finding out the owner of the car, it wouldn't help me find him later anyway. I was a little happy to know that I'd need to search for another car later on though. He opened the driver's side door and turned toward me one last time before getting in, "Don't bother tailing me either like you did Mooch. I'll know and lose you." I had no doubt he'd able to lose me if I followed him in my car but he didn't stand a chance when I searched by smell tonight. I just smiled.

I started walking away when he rolled down his window and called out, "I like your hair curly by the way." I immediately stiffened, turned around, snarled and gave him a favorite Italian hand gesture.

He laughed, pleased with my reaction. Definitely not what I was going for. "It suits you. A dash of crazy, no control, incredibly sexy."

I turned my back on him and continued making my way toward the Nova. My hair was a sore subject for me and I didn't like him using it to define me.

Morelli drove up along side me and rolled down the passenger window. "Maybe I did deserve to get run over. You aren't going to try that again, are you?"

I kept walking. "That was a shitty apology. You'll need to do better than that if you really want to make sure I don't bump you again."

He laughed then drove off.


IT WAS A little after two by the time I returned to Vinnie's and I still hadn't eaten any lunch. Letting Morelli get away, hunger and the heat were putting me in a sour mood. I flung myself down on the couch across from Connie's desk, subtly squirming to wipe the sweat off of me and onto the worn leather. Walking from the Nova to Vinnie's had been hellish and a mother had dragged her son across the street to get away from me. I was a mess.

Connie was tapping away on her computer and hadn't bothered to look up at me yet. Vampires must be good at scent identification too because she had mumbled out a "Just a second, Steph" when I'd come in. I closed my eyes for a few minutes while waiting. Warm weather tends to make me sleepy. It wasn't long before I was startled by a shriek from Connie, "Holy shit! Who raised you from the dead? You could be a stunt double for the bride of Frankenstein."

I narrowed my eyes at her and tried to look intimidating, which was hard to do when she was flashing her fangs around laughing. Her laughter was infectious and I soon found myself smirking back at her. "You really think so? I'm trying to find a look that won't attract Vinnie. He hasn't had a chance to try out incest yet and I don't want to be the first."

She laughed even harder. "Don't worry, I'll keep him in line for you." She then clicked her teeth together. I'd need to remember to stay on Connie's good side. She was a lot of fun while I was amusing her but I had a feeling her enemies saw a whole other side to her. I really liked her though. Most of the others push me away when they realize friendship with me will gain them nothing.

"Can I ask you a question about vamps?" I felt a little nervous asking because some of the older ones consider questions to be insulting their need for secrecy. "You don't have to answer, I'm just curious about the whole sun thing and you not melting like the Wicked Witch of the West. I don't really know much about how the other side lives."

Connie gave me a friendly smile then in a flash was seated next to me holding one of my hands in both of hers. My question had apparently given her the go ahead to start seriously trying to discover my secret. I hadn't bothered to shower either so I'm sure I reeked of coyote. Not many recognize the scent luckily because there just aren't very many around here to compare my scent to. She took in my wary expression before slowly saying, "I will answer any of your questions about me...that I can, if you answer a few I have about you."

That seemed fair and I knew that she would eventually figure me out anyway so there was no obvious harm in telling her now. "Okay. I actually don't know much about myself though. I'm one of a kind as far as I'm aware."

Connie squeezed my hand then beamed at me. "Forget everything you've been told about us, most of it is probably just encouraged lies. The more mysterious and dangerous we seem, the better." I could understand that. I had a feeling that vampires were just as dangerous as I thought they were though, and nothing she said was going to make me think they were cuddly puppies. "See, we have the whole super strength, vision, healing and so on but it's weakened during the day. Most of us chose to spend our days sleeping so that we only go out when we're at our prime. I'm not sure how the whole bursting into flames or the corpse by day rumors started." I knew how, it was people like my mother who would make up worst case scenarios about everything supernatural she didn't like. For a long time she had me convinced that if I willingly shifted, I would get stuck that way.

Connie waited a few beats for me to digest her information before hammering me with questions. "What are you? I can tell you're like me. You know, one of the others? You smell like the forest but I can't tell exactly what. Ugh, it's so frustrating! No, wait! Don't tell me! Let me guess. Forest...forest... you have to be a shifter of some sort. Am I right?"

No way in hell was she going to guess a walker but maybe I could at least lead her toward guessing a coyote. I smiled then nodded.

"I've been trying to figure you out ever since you first came in. You're definitely not Were...not aggressive enough and you aren't playing dominance games with me. Are there just regular non-were shifters out there? Well, duh because here you are. Okay, wait... do you have four legs?"

I laughed, this had definitely become 20 questions. I'd never met a vampire who was willing to play silly games let alone one who clearly reveled in it. Vampires in my experience were all about business and blood. "Yup, I have those."

She tapped a pencil to her chin while thinking, "You're not something bizarre like a platypus or exotic like a jaguar are you? I don't think so but I just want to rule out all of that."

I was no platypus, the thought made me giggle though. "No, I'm not bizarre or exotic. I'm more desert than forest though, I suppose."

"Oh!" She practically bounced out of her seat. "Camel!" She gave me a huge grin knowing that I would be offended by her guess. I gave her a scowl and yanked my hand back. She wiggled her eyebrows, "You do have two humps though."

Ha, a vampire comedian. I hoped she was referencing my chest and not my ass. My unemployment pity doughnuts had been filling it out these past months. "Aren't you a riot?"

"Sorry, I couldn't help myself. Coyote though?" I nodded. "Shit, I bet that gets you into a lot of trouble. The wolves are territorial and frankly I don't think you'd do very well pitted against any of them." Didn't I know it. I got the short end of the straw big time, no added strength and no fast healing for me and they got them both.

While I was feeling sorry for myself I remembered why I was really here. "Patheticness is actually why I'm here. I think I was a little overzealous when I left before. I have no clue how to capture someone against their will. Do you have any tips for me?"

"Well I've never actually tried skip chasing and my prey catching methods are a little unique... Do you wanna try talking to an expert? I have someone in mind but he, uh, is like us. A little more like you actually." She made a face as she beat around the bush. I really didn't care who she set me up with as long as they could help me.

"Whatever, that's fine. I'd love to talk to someone."

"Okay well, his name is Ranger... Ricardo Carlos Manoso but don't call him that unless you want trouble. He's Cuban-American and was Special Forces. He's real good. He takes the upper tier bonds for Vinnie. He can be a little unorthodox in his captures though, but really who cares if it works."

Unorthodox sounded a lot like a euphemism for illegal, but Connie was right. Who would care if I caught Joe because I threw a rock at his window or something? "I guess I can live with that. I'd never do anything I wasn't comfortable with." Blatant lie right there, I could smell it. I did things all the time that I didn't want to. Things my mother made me do, things that stupid Stephanie suggested...

"He's just a little Old West in his methods. Guns blazing and all that." Oh, now I wasn't sure. Guns seemed like a bad idea especially if he had one and I didn't. Then again I knew Morelli had one too so maybe I needed to get used to that.

Before I was able to change my mind, Connie was at her desk scrolling through her contacts and had dialed Ranger's pager. I sighed and laid back down on the couch remembering that I could always quit. Quitting was always an option. Not my favorite since it didn't involve money or besting Morelli, but it was still a choice.


A little ending A/N: There wasn't much space in the time frame for me to add in my own scenes so this chapter was fairly close to the original. I'm very excited about the next chapter. You can probably expect both a Steph and Ranger version of the events. Who knows when you can expect the next chapter though. I would say soon, but last time I committed to that, my computer decided to get a virus.