Lord of the Wings by Donna Andrews Read Free Book Online

corridor.
    â€œTarnation!” someone exclaimed.
    â€œChief’s here,” Vern said. “Maybe I better shine a flashlight down the hallway so he won’t trip again.”
    But before he could act on this plan, the chief limped in.
    â€œI hope all these blasted night creatures appreciate what we go through for their comfort,” he growled. “Is this the perpetrator?”
    He glared down at our prisoner, who flinched as if expecting to be struck. Sterner souls had cowered under the chief’s gaze, but if Justin expected mistreatment, he clearly wasn’t from around here.
    â€œName of Justin Klapcroft,” Vern said. “He seems to be playing some kind of game that involves terrifying the toddlers.”
    Justin uttered a small whimper. Vern showed the chief the small slip of paper with the list of five tasks. The chief read them, then shifted his gaze over to Justin.
    â€œYou want to explain yourself.”
    Justin shook his head.
    â€œHe wants his attorney,” Vern said.
    â€œHave we called his attorney?”
    â€œHe hasn’t given me a name to call,” Vern said. “I told him he could call when he got down to the station.”
    â€œMight save a little time if we have his attorney meet us there,” the chief said. “Mr. Klapcroft, would you like to call your attorney now?”
    Justin just frowned.
    â€œSon,” the chief said. “Do you even know an attorney to call?”
    Justin shook his head vigorously. The chief sighed and turned back to Vern.
    â€œHave Debbie Ann call the Public Defender’s office,” he said. “She can ask them to send someone down to the station. And then take Mr. Klapcroft in and book him for trespassing.”
    â€œAnd maybe disorderly conduct?” Vern sounded hopeful and eager. Maybe a little bit too eager. “And what about child endangerment?”
    â€œTrespassing will do for the time being.”
    Vern looked crestfallen, and the chief relented.
    â€œBut that doesn’t mean you can’t start thinking about other things we might end up charging him with if he proves uncooperative. And get Horace to process his wallet and that piece of paper. Meg, Michael—you want to show me this fake foot?”
    Vern looked cheerful again, and we left him and Clarence to deal with the intruder while we accompanied the chief out into the swamp exhibit. We followed the board walkway till we reached the place where Grandfather and the children had been standing. Then we leaned against the rail and gazed down at the dark water below. Vincent had submerged again, and we couldn’t spot him or any of the other alligators. The chief fished a small flashlight out of his pocket and moved its beam over the surface of the water until he located the fake foot.
    â€œThat thing probably wouldn’t fool anyone if the lighting in here were better,” he said. “But I imagine the little ones got quite a shock. Nasty thing to do, and we’ve had quite a rash of that kind of doings in town lately.”
    â€œJustin did say that there were others who would get ahead of him if you took him down to the station,” Michael remarked.
    â€œTo judge by what my officers have seen, at least half a dozen others,” the chief said. “And that’s only the ones who fooled someone into thinking they’d found a real body part and calling us. Who knows how many more people just wrote it off as a tasteless prank?”
    â€œGrandfather did call you about the fake hand in his lion habitat, didn’t he?” I asked.
    â€œHe did indeed.” The chief shook his head. “Evidently Mr. Klapcroft is not the only game player trying to kill two birds with one stone.”
    Vincent—or one of his cousins—surfaced again and stared up at us with unblinking eyes.
    â€œShoo, you ugly reptile,” the chief said.
    Vincent ignored him.
    The chief pulled out his cell phone and punched