Chapter 9

Your fingers tear at my skin…

As told, Bryn wasn't allowed to go out without a family member or friend of the family. The next day, she decided to go out with her grandmother, her friend Dixie, and Pavel. She hadn't really paid too much attention to their conversations and she wasn't really in the mood to talk anyone. Jenna was quick to notice.

"Bryn, are you okay?" the husky asked.
"Oh…I'm sorry. Yeah I'm fine. Just kinda out of it".
"Is it about what happened yesterday?"
"Wait, something happened yesterday?!" Dixie asked, "Details! What happened?!"

Pavel, though only being a year and a half old, rolled his eyes. His mother was always interested in town gossip, even if, most of the time at least, she was the one starting it. He honestly couldn't see what his father saw in her…

"It's…It's a long story" Bryn looked down.
"Papa said she was holding" Pavel told his mother.
"PAVEL!" Bryn growled a little.
"You were arrested?! Oh, what'd you do?!" Dixie was very interested now.
"I didn't really do anything. I went to go see someone and the police got involved. Nothing major" Bryn answered.
"And who was this someone?"
"Dixie, it's not anyone else's business" Jenna stepped in, "she didn't do anything except back talk an officer".
"Hmm…kinda makes me wonder".
"What?"
Dixie looked over at Pavel. "Go see your dad. I'll be at the station to get you in a minute. Tell him I said love him"
"Ah but mom can't I know what's going on-"
"Move it, mister. This is a private matter"
Pavel's ears lowered. "Yes ma'am…" he slunked off.
"What's so big that you can't let Pavel know?" Bryn wondered.
"The cops have been kinda all over the place recently. Kinda makes me wonder if Steele's death has got something to do with it".
"Oh please Dixie, not that again" Jenna rolled her eyes, "We all know it was suicide. It's best to just leave him in the past".
"Not what I've heard…" the Pomeranian shifted a paw knowingly.

Well, she was the wife of the police commissioner. Chances were, she knew all the goings on of the Nome canine police force.

"Wait, what have you heard?" Jenna asked, very curious now.

Bryn was now interested and listened intently. She'd heard of Steele before, but, thankfully (at least in her father's opinion) never met him.

"Well, when the body was recovered from the snow outside of town an autopsy was done. They found wounds of all kinds on his neck, like someone had bitten him and left him to bleed out. The case has been reopened as murder. They say that rogue Vance is suspect number one".

Bryn and Jenna gasped and Dixie went on.

"That's not all. They also say he got out again late last night and took the keys to the holding cells in the pound. It's just all so odd, you know".

Bryn let out a sigh of relief in her mind. As long as Vance stayed hidden, he was okay. But now she wouldn't get to see him. Better that than find him dead. But…he was dying anyway…

"I don't think he did it" Jenna said, "I mean for crying out loud, Steele was his father".
"So that's what Erik meant!" Bryn thought but said nothing.
"But you gotta take into consideration, Jenna" Dixie replied, "They hated each other. Then again, I've never seen or heard of Vance physically harm anyone. I hear he's a thief but he only takes what he needs, and if he takes too much he either gives the rest back or gives it to other street dogs who need it. So in a way, he's like a dog Robin Hood".
"Then maybe someone should give him stuff so he doesn't have to steal" Bryn proposed.
"Eh, he doesn't take hand outs from anyone, canine or human, from what I've heard. Hm…say, why the sudden interest?" Dixie asked.
"Eh…just curious mostly" Bryn answered, which now, for the most part at least, it was true.

Jenna wasn't falling for it, but didn't say anything. They went on their way to the police station to see Pavel and Jacques…

Vance felt as he imagined Romeo did. He overheard the conversation from atop a shed not too far from the ladies. Dixie had been right on a couple of points. If Bryn knew the entire truth, he'd never be cured. She'd never love him, which he feared far more than death itself. Steele's death was his, Sirena's, and Erik's secret, which made Vance wonder if that was the reason why Erik turned against him so easily.

It didn't matter anymore. For too long Vance had been worried about others, giving little thought to himself. He never thought about having a family or a mate. No one really thought he was all that appealing, not to mention he was blind, and, the greatest (Or worst depending on how one looked at it) deciding factor was that he was the son of the town's shame. Even in death, Steele was ruining Vance's life. The malamute-shepherd sighed.

"I hope you're happy old man…Thanks a lot…'dad'" he spat the last word repulsively.
"Vance?" a lightly accented voice asked.

He turned his head in the direction of the voice and on the wind he smelled a familiar, very welcome scent. Sirena was free, and, from what he could tell, unharmed.

"Sirena! Just the girl I wanted to see!" Vance said, climbing down from his perch to the street below, "Well, metaphorically of course".
"You're okay! Erik said they were gonna put you down!"
"Nothing keeps me down for long. I need your help".
"What do you need help with?"
"I was wondering if you could find Bryn when she's alone and deliver to her a message for me".
"What'll you give me for it?"
"Anything".
"Anything?"
"Anything. Look, at the apartments there's a stash of money I found a week or two ago-"
"I don't want your money, Vance. I'll just do it".
"Thanks Sirena. You're a good friend" he licked her head, "I need you to tell her to meet me behind Murphy's tonight, the same spot we met at, but not to let her family know. Though if you can keep her brother busy, that'd be great too".
"Got it…"
"Thanks again, Sirena" he took off, excited as ever.

The young borzoi whined and fought to hold back tears. It wasn't fair…Sirena had known Vance far longer than Bryn. In her eyes, Bryn was undeserving of him.

"If I can't love him…then who?" she whimpered and went on her way, unwilling to fulfill this hateful charge.