Free The Wolf's Daughter (The Tala Chronicles 1) by Patricia La Barbera Page B

by the way, Maeve cornered a rat tonight in the
kitchen, and Edgar came over and shot it.”
    “Gross! You’re
lucky he was willing to do that.”
    “Yes, and I
asked him why he was being so nice to me. He said I reminded him of his
daughter. Did you know that Jenny Bolton, the murdered woman, was his daughter?”
    “Yes.”
    “Why didn’t you
tell me?”
    “Tala, I just
didn’t think about it. Listen, I probably can’t talk you out of going on your
little caper tomorrow, but—”
    “No, you can’t
talk me out of it.”
    “Oh, I saved the
best for last. Matt was brought in for questioning today.”
    “Poor Matt. I
hope he’s not guilty. I just can’t get over him, Vanessa.”
    “I know, but it
doesn’t help that everyone in the restaurant saw his odd behavior that night.”
    “I can’t argue
with that. Vanessa, I have to go. I’m falling asleep.”
    “Okay. Please be
careful tomorrow. Call me while you’re on the trail, and let me know you’re all
right.”
    “Sure.”
    Tala drifted off
into a sleep interrupted by her flopping from side to side, unable to get
comfortable. Maeve purred loudly, pressed up against her back, whichever side
she was on. The clock registered two fifteen. Tala almost took a pill, but the
need for morning alertness won out.  
    The next thing
she knew, she was walking through the woods. She could barely see in front of
her, the fog was so thick.
    “Stay close to
me.” It was Edgar’s voice.
    Tala stumbled,
and he reached back and helped her up. They walked a little more before twigs
cracked near them.
    The sky grew
darker. Then wolves surrounded them, about three times the usual size. Their bloodied
fangs exposed, they stared with eyes from hell, glowing red. The largest
approached. So close, the hot breath on her face. The wolf leaped, fangs
sinking into her neck. “Edgar!”
    Tala woke to the
sound of Maeve growling. The room had become a black cave.   
    Then a slight
sound like footsteps from the stairs. She grabbed her cell phone. Opening it
resulted in feeble light. Someone stood in the doorway. The intruder wore a
black ski mask...and had a knife in his hand.
    Tala dialed 911
and scrambled to get out of bed on the opposite side, dropping the phone in the
process. Darkness overtook the room again, and hands grabbed her.
    She pulled away
and found the phone. Tala screamed, “Help.”
    “What is the
nature of your emer—”
    “Help!”
    “Get it off me,”
the intruder yelled. “Get it off me.”
    Maeve yowled and
spat with the sounds of a struggle unmistakable. Then a noise as though Maeve
had fallen. Then footsteps pounded down the stairs.  
    “Maeve.” A
little mew answered her. “Oh no, you’re hurt.” She scrounged around for the
phone.
    The dispatcher
said a squad car was on its way. In what seemed like hours, the police car
drove up. She used her phone again for light and went downstairs to let them
in.
    “I won’t answer
any questions until you make sure my cat gets medical assistance.” 
    The officers called
an emergency vet clinic that would pick Maeve up. The EMTs then arrived and
tried to get Tala to the hospital.
    “No, I’m not
going. I’m fine.”
    She cried when
the vet’s emergency van took Maeve. The police then asked her what happened.
She told them, having to stop intermittently, realizing then how upset she was.
    “He cut the
wires to the house and then broke into the window in the kitchen,” the
dark-haired officer said. “I know someone who would probably help you with
fixing that window right now. Do you want me to call him?”
    The doorbell
rang fifteen minutes later, and Edgar walked in.
    “Edgar, you came
to my rescue again.”
    The cop said, “Hey
Edgar, still saving the world, huh?”
    “All in a day’s
work, Harry.”
    Edgar took tools
out of his bag and while measuring the window said to Tala, “You’d better try
to get some sleep. I’ll let the police out and make sure the door’s locked.”
    Tala rubbed