Beta: Breathesgirl.

Disclaimer: No, thanks. I quit owning a few months ago, but I still have an urge to own from time to time, so please don't tempt me. You know how easy it is to fall off the wagon.

Reviews: Is that all you got?

Previously:

"My name is Jack Leeds," he said, putting a business card on the table, "and I'm a private investigator. My wife and I are working on a case and we would like to ask you a few questions."

"And what case would that be?"

"The disappearance of Debbie Pelt."

"They haven't found her yet?" I asked with mild interest; even though I wasn't any closer to becoming Debbie Pelt's fan than I had been a month ago.
"You knew that she was missing?"
I shrugged, "Yeah, a mutual acquaintance asked about her a few weeks ago."
I meant Amanda. Now, technically I wasn't lying. The fact that I didn't tell them that it was a member of the local werewolf pack conducting their own routine investigation only proved my sanity – while everyone was aware of vampires' existence, mentioning the two-natured could send me to the mad house or worse if my furry friends thought I was talking too much.
"No one has heard from her since the party you were both invited to," said the woman, Lily Bard Leeds. "Her family is worried."
The party was a cryptonym for the meeting that took place at Pam's place the night before the battle, but that was something the detectives didn't need to know.
"The police aren't looking for her?"
"No, they think that she most probably took off of her own free will."
I nodded, though Jack Leeds's mind told me he didn't believe that was the case.
"You don't seem surprised."
"I'm not. Debbie is rather… wild."
"So you don't think that something might have happened to her?"
"Oh, I didn't say that. I think it's very possible that she got herself into some kind of trouble."
"Aren't you concerned?" the blond asked, thinking: You're the one she hated so much.
"It's not a secret that Debbie and I were not what you might call close," I said, looking her right in the eye.
"Miss Stackhouse, you saw her the night she disappeared," Jack Leeds interjected. "Would it be possible for us to visit you after work? To talk some more?"
In that moment I felt the belated sense of worry for the first time – how was I supposed to answer questions about the events I had no idea about?
Or maybe it didn't matter since it was obvious that I couldn't tell them the truth about that night anyway, even if I knew it myself? Would it help me at all if I remembered the evening in question in detail, if there was really no party at all, but a powwow of sorts called to figure out the best way to kill a bunch of witches?
No, none of that would be useful – but the fact didn't exactly calm my nerves.
I hesitated and pretended that I was just thinking about my answer.
"I'm visiting a friend in the hospital after work," I remembered, much to to my relief.
"An accident or illness?"
"No, he's injured, actually. Someone shot him."
Their interest suddenly piqued and I realised that I had just stumbled on a good way to divert their attention. If you think about it, it really fit quite nicely into the story. Who knows, maybe Debbie was, in fact, somehow involved in this whole mess? A sarcastic voice in my head asked immediately if I meant it in a sense that she might be a victim, or a shooter, but I told it to shut up.
"Was the shooter someone local?" The question brought me back to reality.
I shook my head.
"A few people in the area have been shot by an unknown shooter recently."
"Did any of the victims disappear from the scene?"
"No," I admitted. "They were left on the ground. Of course, it might be because there were always witnesses."
Lily asked if they could visit me the next day and I had no choice but to agree if I didn't want to become the main suspect: We agreed to meet at 11 AM.
After the detectives left the remaining part of my shift was monotonous. I chatted a little with Arlene and told her that Pam was coming to take the late shift. By the time I was free a drizzle had turned into a downpour so I wrapped myself tightly with my raincoat.

I remembered that I should give the cell back to Sam so I ran across the wet yard and knocked on his trailer door. He opened the door and was leaning on his crutch.
"Hi, I came to return your phone," I said trying to keep my voice neutral.
"Sookie," he hesitated, "I'm sorry for yesterday."
His eyes were full of regret.
"Okay," I said, relieved.
I didn't like arguing with Sam. I didn't say there was nothing to be sorry about, because I still thought he overreacted, but I gave him a small smile.
"I was an asshole," he admitted, but then he added: "but I don't think I need to explain why."
Mmmm, not what I expected. I looked at him in consternation.
"I'd rather you did because, honestly, I don't know what's your deal."
He averted his eyes, "It's just… Sookie, you know that you can always count on me, right?"
I looked at him in surprised silence.
"I don't think I understand what you're trying to tell me," I said. "I don't know why you would say something like that and I don't know what was the matter with you during last night's call – but you're my friend so I accept the apology."
Sam smiled back at me and I instantly felt better.
"When are you coming back to work at the bar?" I asked.
"I'll try to check on things tomorrow. I'm not much of a help right now but I'll see how things are going and take a look at the books."
"See you tomorrow, then. I gotta go. Jason's taking me to Grainger to visit Calvin at the hospital."
"See you."
I turned toward my car.
"Hey, Sookie!" Sam called after me.
"Yeah?"
"Did Eric…" he frowned and paused for a second, "say anything else?"
"Hmm, no, I don't think so."
Was he supposed to tell me about something? What did Sam expect to hear? When it came to Sam, the only thing Eric said on the topic was that…
"He said that you were smart to send me to ask for a favour," I chuckled a little at the memory, but Sam's scowl deepened.
"Did he now?" he muttered, as if he read something different and much less funny in Eric's comment than I did. "Of course he would."
He sighed, "I won't hold you any longer," he said. "Until tomorrow, Sookie."
It would be a waste of gas to take two cars so I jumped into Jason's truck since he said he would drop me at the bar on the way back so I could switch to my own car. I was watching the wipers working non-stop and listening to the radio and thinking about the conversation we needed to have. We didn't talk too much during the drive, but when Jason parked in the small lot in front of the hospital building and killed the engine I took a deep breath and gathered myself.
"Jason, wait," I said before he could jump out of the truck.
"What's up, Sook?" he asked light-heartedly.
"We need to talk."
Something in my voice must have alarmed him because he looked at me intently.
"I think you should be really careful these days," I started in the gentlest way I could.
My brother stared at me pleadingly, asking me with his eyes for an explanation.
"Careful? What do you mean?"
I stifled a sigh.
"It would be good if you could find yourself a sound alibi for all those times when there were sniper attacks, especially for when Calvin was shot," I put it all on the table.
"What are you talking about? Sookie, you don't think I had anything to do with that, do you?"
"No, no, Jesus, Jason, of course not!" I assured him hotly. "I know you would never do that! But not everyone is going to be so sure about that! I'm just saying that you should keep your guard up."
"Why are you telling me this?" Now he looked scared. "Does someone suspect me? Did you hear something?"
"I didn't," I tried to calm him down. "Just take precautions, okay? That's all I'm asking for."
"But why, Sookie? Where did you get this idea from? Why would anyone think I shot Sam or Calvin?"
"I'm not talking about police."
"Then who?"
"I'm talking about your pack."
Jason fell silent, taking time to digest my words.
"You're new among them," I said quietly. " Most of them have known each other their whole lives. You'd been kidnaped and hurt by one of them. They had turned you against your will. It wouldn't be hard to believe that you would want revenge."
Jason still didn't utter a single word.
"No," he said finally, stubbornly, and hopped out of his track, shutting the door behind himself and for a moment leaving me alone inside the truck. I followed him when he marched quickly across the wet lot, with his hands dug angrily into his pockets, without sparing me a glance. I looked after him sadly. I felt for him. I knew that Jason had been excited about his new supernatural condition and that after the initial shock he had been curiously exploring the world of the were-panther community. The thought of his new 'brothers' not trusting him had to be painful. I only hoped that he wasn't going to do anything too stupid.
The hospital was crawling with weres. We stumbled on the first two in the corridor – I guessed they were standing guard. Jason walked over to them and stuck his arm out, determined to give them a handshake. He introduced me and asked them which room we would find Calvin in. The guards didn't seem thrilled with Jason's presence. They were watching him closely. Jason stepped back with an unhappy expression on his face. I knew he was thinking about what I had just told him, but if it was going to make him take my warning seriously, I was glad. Fortunately, despite the wary glances, they let us through.
The next guard awaited us outside the packmaster's room. This one, to my surprise, was a werewolf – a huge man with a lot of muscles. Werewolves are known to be great bodyguards, but it still struck me as unusual that the panthers hired someone from outside of their own circle. Jason explained to me in a hushed tone that the guy's name was Dawson and that he owned a repair shop somewhere between Hotshot and Grainger.
"Jason Stackhouse," came Dawnson's greeting; he recognised my brother.
"We came to check on Calvin," Jason explained. "This is my sister, Sookie."
We exchanged hellos with Dawson and he looked me up and down professionally.
"Would you mind taking off your coat, Miss?" he asked.
I listened to him without a word of complaint. These were security procedures and Dawson was doing his job. I could only be happy that he was taking it seriously. I didn't wish for Calvin to get surprised in the hospital by his attacker coming back to finish the job. After he was done with me, Dawson repeated the procedure with Jason and then he knocked on the door.
"The Stackhouses," he announced, still not letting us go inside.
I didn't hear the reply but there had to have been one because after a few seconds he turned back to us and said: "Miss Stackhouse, you can go in."
Jason tried to join me but the werewolf stopped him:
"Only Miss Stackhouse," he said firmly.
Jason's face fell even more, but he didn't attempt to argue: There was no room for discussion with Dawson.
"Go on Sookie," Jason told me.
I nodded, getting more and more concerned by the minute; I turned toward the hospital room.
Calvin Norris looked like death itself. He was covered in bandages and hooked to various machines. He was shot in the chest, below his left clavicle. His face was pale and ashen, his hair dull and matted.
"I'm so sorry," I exclaimed.
We were by no means close friends, but in that moment it hit me that Calvin would already be dead if it wasn't for the fact he was two-natured.
Calvin turned his head with an effort and looked at me.
"It's not as bad as it looks," he assured me in a quiet voice.
I stepped closer.
"There were others," he husked.
I nodded.
"The police will never figure it out. We can't tell them what to look for."
I nodded again slowly.
"It won't be easy," I agreed, "but maybe they'll find this person anyway."
"Some of my people are wondering if the shooter isn't a were himself," he added.
My heart started hammering. Suddenly I knew where he was going with that line of thought. I wasn't wrong: "Someone who became a were against his wishes."
Eric had been right. I started crying when it became clear to me that my hope was in vain and that Calvin really did suggest what I feared. I shook my head as if trying to chase off a bad dream.
"No, no, no," I begged, getting all teary. "Please, don't let them hurt him. He didn't do it. I know he didn't. Calvin, Jason is my only family, please…"
I used all my arguments to point out Jason's innocence and I was leaking like a fountain. Calvin assured me that my brother wasn't in any danger as long as there was no evidence against him, but I could see in his mind that he had already had to openly argue the issue with some members of the community to secure my brother's safety and that there had been votes for killing Jason. I was terrified.
"You're an extraordinary woman," Calvin said unexpectedly. "I wish you could love me."
I stiffened. An icy shudder ran down my spine. I suddenly realised that Calvin was in perfect position to blackmail me – Jason's safety for my hand. Sam had told me before that Calvin was seriously interested in me.
I was trying to reign in my panic. A selfish part of me was screaming at me to run away and non't look back. God, whatever made me think it would be a good idea to come here? Maybe we should have both laid low instead of showing up with Jason and poking the panthers with our presence?
"I wish it was something I could decide about," I replied, carefully choosing my words.
I waited with baited breath to see if he was going to say anything more on the topic, but he only looked at me with knowing eyes and I cautiously allowed myself to relax a little.
"You're a good man," I said gratefully when he didn't continue down that dangerous path. "I will pray for your recovery. Thank you for giving Jason a chance."
When I walked out of the room Jason looked up at me with a scared expression on his face and I realised that there were tears on my cheeks. It made him think of the worst possible scenario, so I smiled at his reassuringly, but I still couldn't get out of the hospital fast enough for my liking.
In the car I tried to calm Jason down by telling him about Calvin's promise. That cheered him up a bit but I knew that if the attacks didn't stop before the next full moon even Calvin's good will might prove not be sufficient enough to protect my brother. It was clear to me that the case had to be solved and the sniper locked away in prison before the moon would shrink and grow again.

I know, not much is new again. Sorry. I forced myself to go through with the Hotshot storyline, but now it seems a little boring to me, but since the can is already open, we need to close it. Luckily, there isn't much more of this side-plot left.

I would have probably written this story differently now, but it's just too much work, so I'll stick to translating and writing new stories. On the bright side, with Pam in Bon Temps and Sookie not remembering, some clashes are inevitable and they're coming. Soo...

Next time: We had werepanthers. How about a werewolf for a change?