I didn’t retract my offer of my house as asylum to the werewolf. That seemed childish. However, I didn’t set out any clothes for him that night, nor did I set out the quilt. He would stay as a refugee, not as a guest. And surprisingly, he did come. He had the balls to whimper at my door, and I was stupid enough to let him in.
I had had the satisfaction of talking to Jeremy again that day, talking about the roast and the trouble.
I left the dog in the living room. I went to sleep. I got up, cleaned, and was out the door before the mutt even woke up.
*************
I was on my way to the market when out of nowhere, Jeremy appeared. He seized my hand, and dragged me into an alley. For a moment I was deathly afraid that Windsor’s fears had come true, but then I saw his playful smile.
“Hello dear,” He said softly, looking around, “Where are you off to?”
I smiled, shaking my head, “Market. What about you? Kidnapping girls off the streets?”
His eyes twinkled and he took my hand again, “Who says I’m kidnapping? Maybe I’m rescuing them. You don’t know.”
“I don’t? Well, good sir,” I took a chance and leaned in towards him, playing my most charming smile, “What indeed would you be rescuing me from, my knight?”
His face suddenly fell, and I frowned. Jeremy lost his playful mood, “That’s why I snagged you Kingsley. I heard about, about you and…” His eyes slid to the street and back quickly.
I smiled kindly, and carefully. How to explain this? How to explain without blowing Windsor’s secret? I sighed, but what do I owe him anymore? “Anthony and I have a special arraignment. It’s nothing, really Jeremy. He stressed himself out with this whole wolf business and wanted someplace quiet. We had talked during my cousin’s discovery, and had agreed. He’s paying me. It’s just like an overnight inn really.”
“Really?” Jeremy asked, dubious.
“I swear nothing is going on between me and Anthony.” This was the worst lie I had ever told, and it almost seemed as though Jeremy was buying it. But how? He wouldn’t play this game if it weren’t for…
“Jeremy?” my breath quickened, “What is it?”
He shook his head, “It’s nothing.”
“Tell me,” I tugged on his jacket, impatient, desperate. What did he know? “Please Jeremy, no secrets.”
He heaved a great sigh, rubbing his clean shaven face, so different than that of his best mate. His eyes were twinkly and merry, or solemn and severe. Windsor was either one of two things; impish or haggard, like a drunk.
“I don’t know how to tell you this Dandelion,” Jeremy put his hand on my shoulder, “But I think Anthony might be the killer.” His eyes were all cold. How sad? I thought,“It’s terribly selfish of me, it’s so awful to think… but yet, how could it not be?”
I gasped, my eyes searching his face, “You know I’ll be honest with you Jeremy,” I breathed, how could I be doing this? “But I thought the same thing.”
He smiled, “I knew you were smart Dandy! I mean, Anthony’s got the means, he’s got the protection, and he’s got the motive-.”
“Wait, what motive?” I could never think up Windsor’s reason for killing the girls.
He bit his lip. He stood even closer to me, looking all around the street, back into the alley, to the barred windows. “Dandelion, swear to me you won’t tell anyone else.” His face was frightened, “Swear!”
“I swear, Jeremy. You can trust me.” Oh my Lord, what did Jeremy have on Windsor?
He opened his mouth once, then shook his head, “Swear you’ll believe me.”
“I swear Jeremy, now please, stop playing games with me,” I was getting impatient. I was getting even more nervous. Would I even tell Windsor that Jeremy suspected him?
“I think Deputy Windsor’s a werewolf.”
That did knock the breath out of me. How do you know? The words were on their way off my lips when I caught myself and shut my mouth. He took the sudden gasp and gaping as a sign of surprise, thankfully.
“I know, I could hardly believe it myself,” He shook his head, his eyes searching, “But… the other night, he went into his house. I came in after him, I needed to talk to him about your cousin.” He explained quickly, “And, I came in, and called after him, and he didn’t answer. His mother said he was out, when I had just seen him walk in. I ran upstairs to his room, but his father then blocked my way, insisting that Windsor was out and about. I told him that I saw him come in, and slipped past him to Windsor’s bedroom. He wasn’t in there, only a dog that looked like it had just been through hell. It was shaking and yelping, as if it was being beat up by invisible fists.” I remember Windsor, so graceful and collected, exiting the bedroom. Was that what he was like right after the change? “I knew it was him. I can’t describe the feeling, but I knew it was him. His mother denied everything, saying the dog was a friend's, it was sick, but the Father…” he said it like a disease best sent through the mouth quickly, “he just stared. He knows I know.” He licked his lips, and I cautiously touched his arm. I could see he was scared.
“It’s… it’s okay Jeremy. I’m right here.” I tried to act surprised and supportive, but really I was frightened myself. “What are you going to do?” I asked him. Jeremy was shaking a bit himself.
“Don’t you realize it Dandy?”
“What? No, I don’t… I mean, what can we do? He’s got a reputation behind it…” I hoped to deter him from making any trouble with Anthony, but it was futile. Not when such a fire was in his eyes as it was now.
“No! Dandy, no, we can’t let him go on killing girls. Not like this.” He took me by the shoulders, his hands keeping a death grip on my arms. “We have to expose him. We have to catch him in the act.”
“How?” I asked, heat flooding to my cheeks. Not because of the sudden excitement, but of the sudden shame. I was going to betray Windsor. How could I? How could I not? No murders have taken place since he came into my house; how else to explain it?
****************
The next day was the roast, so that evening I set out preparing. My heart thumped painfully in my chest as I laid out the dress I was going to wear. I heard a door open by itself, and shut again. Ah, the werewolf was here early enough to let himself in. I gritted my teeth and continued laying out stockings and a bonnet. Most of it was my mother’s but even still it was pretty, albeit sad. I could remember the days that she wore that particular dress.
I heard a creak of floorboards behind me, but did not turn around. He was not real to me. Not anymore.
“Dandelion?” He asked softly.
“My name is Miss Kingsley to you, Mr. Windsor.”
I felt him start to protest, but he decided rightly and didn’t say anything. Then, “Miss Kingsley, I am so sorry for the trouble I have caused you. Tonight will be the last night I stay over, as I have decided to risk sleeping in my own bed until the hunting party has run its due course.”
I peeked over my shoulder; his eyes were on the ground, a hat in his hands. This surprised me. “Why?”
He lifted his eyes a mere moment, and then dropped them again. “I have disrespected you in your own home, intruded upon your kindness, and used up my welcome plenty. As such, this will be my last night.”
I found myself wanting to persuade him to stay, my something made my tongue sit still. It didn’t want to move. It was still hurting after what he had said to me. I forced out the words with great difficulty, “It might just do to apologize.”
“I’m sorry. I truly am, Miss Kingsley.” He stood there a long time, staring at my shoes. Why couldn’t he look me in the eye? He seemed to be debating something, and I turned around to face him fully. What was he thinking? His eyebrows contracted with concern in his own thoughts, roving over ideas and plots. He stood there so long, he started to twitch, the first sign of his changing. After about the third muscle spasm, he gasped and grasped his side, apologizing again and slinking off to the bathroom. I tried to put him out of mind, but it was surprisingly hard to do. I gave up and got into bed myself, not even bothering to go into the kitchen. My own insides were doubleing up on eachother.
