Jeremy

The next morning, the Crawford siblings checked into the motel in the small town of Blanding, Utah. Tossing their duffle bags onto the two queen beds, they began their routine.

"Get dressed and we can leave," Jeremy said, exiting the bathroom dressed in a suit. Sarah sighed, closing her laptop.

"I was kind of hoping to go as the other me."

Jeremy stared at his little sister. Since they had been together, he had taken on a more dominate role, but often she resisted. Sometimes she didn't think of the dangers her other form could present. "No," he replied flatly.

Sarah started to protest. "I don't want to hear it," Jeremy chided. "What if we run into Hunters? Then you're stuck as a dog and I'm stuck with you."

Sarah clenched her jaw and stalked off to the bathroom with her pantsuit in hand.

Jeremy lifted the laptop cover. Sarah had several internet tabs pulled up. Two were to deal with the case, records of dog attacks and home invasions with dogs. The lists were short, a small blessing, but the other two tabs worried him. One was a site about skin-walkers. Sarah had been obsessed with lore on them. In her four years on her own, she had spent most as a dog, or so she said. The other tab was a Facebook account. The profile was for a woman named Clare Raleigh. Several pictures were up showing her with her family. A simple family of four and a dog. They had a collie.

"Damn it, Sarah," Jeremy growled, slamming the laptop closed. He paced the room until Sarah appeared in the bathroom doorway. "Ready to go?" Sarah nodded.

Sarah

Talking with people was Sarah's strong suit, and she enjoyed it. The canine part of her connected with humans' emotions better than she or Jeremy knew. It surprised her sometimes. Like when she walked out of the bathroom to find Jeremy furious. He, of course, didn't say anything. This tended to happen a lot on cases. Sarah knocked on the door of Emmett Hardy. A man no more than twenty-six opened the door.

"Mr. Hardy, my name is Agent Black and this is my partner Agent Harrison, we are with the FBI."

"Is this about my sister?" Mr. Hardy was less than friendly. "Because if so, you're going to have to come back, this isn't a good time."

Jeremy blocked the door before Mr. Hardy could close it. "Sir, we need to speak with you."

Mr. Hardy looked at Jeremy. The two locked gazes, the Mr. Hardy pulled the door open to let them in. "What does the FBI have to do with this?"

"We were in the neighborhood and decided to help out." Sarah told the lie easily. "Now, Mr. Hardy did your sister have any enemies?"

"No, everyone liked Emily."

"What about her husband or any of the family members?"

"I couldn't tell you about the husband, never really met him." Jeremy eyed Mr. Hardy. "I mean, we didn't really get along so we avoided each other."

"Why didn't you get along?" Jeremy asked.

"I didn't do this, if that's what you're asking!" Mr. Hardy glared at the siblings.

"Of course not," Sarah said attempting to calm the situation. "Mr. Hardy, your sister had a dog correct?"

"Yeah, Buddy, why?"

"The murders have all involved families with dogs. We think it might be a connection." Sarah said. "Now, when did your sister get Buddy?"

"About a year ago, maybe two."

"In this town?"

"Yeah from the pound," Mr. Hardy started to give them the look. "What's this all about?"

"Just checking a few things, that's all. Thank you for your time."

Sarah and Jeremy left the house. "The pound, just like the others." Jeremy muttered.

"Let's go pay a visit."