FIRE ON HIGH
“Fire On High” is a work of fiction, and any resemblance to any person living or dead is purely coincidental. All characters and settings © Tigermark 2003-2010 unless otherwise noted. Request permission before using them, please.
The characters of Anatol Altaisokova and Melinda Altaisokova are my names for characters © Max Blackrabbit. They appear in this story with his permission. The characters of Brandy, Maxwell, Tonya and Zig Zag are also © Max Blackrabbit and appear here with his permission. Events and information relating to Tonya, Anatol, and their family are presented here, but are not to be considered canon to those characters or any other story but this one. ZZ Studios, and all characters associated with ZZ Studios, James Sheppard, and Marvin Badger © James Bruner and appear here with his permission. Although characters from and events referring to Zig Zag the Story appear here, this story is not canon to that one, and the author will disavow any knowledge of this story. Wanda Vixen © Chris Yost and appears here with his permission. Sabrina Mustidalae © Eric W. Schwartz and appears here with his permission. This story is not canon to Sabrina Online the comic, or Sabrina Online the Story, either. Matt Barstock, Angie Rockwell, Intermountain Charter, The Bitch, and her crew, and Jerry Kitt © Silver Coyote. See their story HERE. Gail Rutherford © me and is not canon to any other story involving ZZ Studios. Gabrielle Ryder and Jean LeBrun © Aslaug, from her Transitions stories. See them at her site, The Axe Shed, available from the links page.
Author’s Note: Lewiston, Maine’s airport, identifier KLEW, is actually uncontrolled. That is, it has no control tower. Poetic license was used for this story, so Alex and company talk with a control tower whilst aviating there.
Chapter 58
Ins and Outs
“Thank you for coming so quickly. I want to give you a list of things to do while we’re gone.”
Jack looked at Jenna, his golden eyes showing how perplexed he was. “Uh, no problem, I guess. You’re really going to Cincinnati to help the femme who posed as you in FurFemme?”
Jenna smiled up at him and caressed the side of his muzzle. “Yeah, I know, but I did tell her to call, and Tia thinks it sounds like a setup. I really doubt that she shot Randy Biggs. If she were going to do that, she’d have done it when he threw her over for his next starlette.”
“If you say so. Are you sure I can’t talk you into letting me fly you up there?”
Jack had offered earlier, but Jenna had declined. If they flew up, they’d have to rent a car anyway. The distance was close enough so that driving her minivan was more efficient and economical.
“No, this way we’ll have our own transportation. I just need you to check on a couple of things and confirm with the photographer for our announcement picture to go in the newspaper.”
With a sigh, Jack acquiesced, “Okay, no problem. Is that the list?”
Jenna gave him a sheet of paper with several things written on it. He looked it over and nodded. Jenna hugged him and kissed him soundly.
“Thanks. Love you, we better get going.”
“Drive carefully. See you soon,” Jack replied as she turned and walked to the minivan where Tia was waiting. Jenna climbed in as Tia settled herself for the drive.
“Mom, we need to talk about what we might find when we get there.”
As Jenna pulled out onto the road, she replied without looking over. “Yes we do. First of all, I’m sure you already have all kinds of ideas, but you have to realize most adults won’t take you seriously. In fact, they could get irritated if you press too hard.”
Tia nodded. “I know. I’ve got my best wide-eyed innocently curious look ready. How easy this will be all depends on how well the police investigated and how interested the prosecutor is in actually finding the shooter.”
“What do we need to be looking at or for?” Jenna asked.
“Uhm, well, do they have the firearm involved? If Kelli didn’t do the shooting, her fingerprints and scent shouldn’t be on it. Have they checked her fur for gunshot residue? Are there any witnesses? Er, I guess the first thing is if Mr. Biggs is still alive. If so, he may be able to say who shot him.”
Jenna looked thoughtful for a moment. “You know, Kelli didn’t say, and I didn’t think to ask.”
Tia nodded and went silent, thinking about various possible scenarios. Jenna was silent also, wondering what would await them in Cincinnati.
# # #
“She said WHAT?”
Alex was in mid-step in the middle of Corrie’s living room. The flight to Maine, other than dodging a few thunderstorms over Pennsylvania, had been uneventful. They’d talked about the weekend and finally got back to the meal with Talia as they arrived at Corrie’s apartment. He’d just told the lioness what his aunt had asked when she’d gone to check the weather.
“Uh, take it easy, Love. I think she was mostly teasing. She said as much a moment later.”
Corrie stood by the couch, her travel bag dropped on the cushions. She had her paws on her hips and her ears half back as her tail lashed agitatedly.
“Here I thought it’d gone so well, and she thinks I’m a lesbian. And you, all you can come up with is we’ve nevah discussed it? I thought we settled it. Well, what do you think, Jet Jockey?”
Alex crossed his arms, his expression neutral. “I think it was my aunt attempting to tease with me the way my father used to. For the record, no, I don’t think you are. You haven’t said anything to lead me to believe you are. You sure don’t kiss me like you are. Why is my aunt’s off-paw comment so upsetting?”
Corrie’s ears came up and she looked down. Alex thought she looked, perhaps, a little guilty. He waited her out, unsure if anything he said would help or hurt the situation. After several moments, Corrie gestured vaguely toward the door.
“You’d bettah go for now. I need to calm down and think a bit.”
When a minute went by and Alex didn’t move, Corrie looked up crossly.
“I mean it, Alex. I don’t want to talk right now. Go on and I’ll see you before, oh bloody hell!”
Alex was looking at her with a mix of concern and infuriatingly innocent curiosity. Corrie lost her anger as she gave him a sheepish look. Most other males would have yelled back at her. He’d just stood there and let her realize for herself that he couldn’t leave. She had driven out from town, so he had no vehicle. With a sigh, she pointed to the couch.
“Have a seat, Luv. I’m sorry. I need to take a walk and think. I’ll be back in time for us to go eat dinnah. Make y’self at home.”
The lioness turned and walked out the door and down the steps, heading for the place a short distance away where she liked to sit and think. Alex looked around a bit and noticed Corrie had a weight bench and set over in the corner. He occupied himself with doing some sets of upper body work while he thought, too. What upset his love so much about the mock-accusation? He recalled the speculation amongst the Old North pilots when he first arrived there that she might be a lesbian. Ben Stevens had squelched that rumor very quickly. He tried to recall Corrie’s reaction at the time, but for once he was stumped.
As he started on another set, Alex just let his mind relax. There was nothing else he could do right then.
# # #
Jenna and Tia walked into the lobby of the Cincinnati P.D. headquarters. The call from the secretary at Beagle, Beagle, Barker and Wags had said the lawyer they recommended would meet them there. The two felines had only gotten a few steps in when a marten femme in a businesslike pantsuit stepped up to them.
“Mrs. O’Whitt? I’m Mikhela Marten. Jackson Wags told me you requested a criminal defense attorney here in Cinci.”
Jenna stopped and looked the femme over. She was probably in her early thirties, slim, dark hair, around 5’6” with hazel eyes that gazed at the world with a cool, neutral expression. Her body language, in contrast, bespoke someone who was intensely curious. The tigress extended her paw.
“Ms. Marten, thank you. Did Mr. Wags tell you anything about all this?”
The marten shook paws, her grip professional and courteous. “He only said you needed a defense counsel, and that I was to get the details from you.”
Mikhela was mentally evaluating Jenna while she waited for her to reply. The femme was slim and fit, but she seemed a bit out of her element. The lawyer doubted the tigress had ever seen much of the inside of a police station other than on television. Jenna had nodded in response, but then smiled sheepishly as the young tigress with her cleared her throat.
“Oh! I’m sorry dear,” Jenna said hastily. “This is my daughter Tia. She’s a mystery buff, and she’s taking a class in forensics in school. She also has a knack for catching details that others miss.”
Mikhela mentally gave the young tigress the same evaluation she’d given Mrs. O’Whitt. The teen was doing her best to look the wide-eyed innocent, but the marten’s experiences in court allowed her to be a pretty good judge of a fur. Tia was very inquisitive and curious, and this was aided by a very keen intelligence. Both were tempered by a calm control and maturity beyond her physical age. This was no giggly teen to be taken lightly, and Mikhela saw immediately how Tia could be a great asset in whatever the case turned out to be. She decided not to play coy as she extended her paw to the tigress.
“Hello Tia, you can drop the act. You do it quite well, and we may use it, but let’s not play games against our own team.”
Tia arched an eyebrow, and then dropped the act. She squared her shoulders and looked the attorney in the eye as she shook paws.
“Okay, I’ll let Mom tell you the whole story as we know it. I’ll add in anything she might forget when she’s done.”
“Good. Let’s go sit down and you can tell me what the case is. Then we’ll go see whoever it is you called me to defend.”
Mikhela led them to some chairs along the wall. There was a counter toward the back of the lobby that had thick plexiglass from countertop to ceiling, and several uniformed officers waiting behind it to direct furs or answer questions. The marten pointedly ignored them as she sat down with Jenna and Tia and pulled out a legal pad and pen to make notes.
“Now,” Mikhela began. “Who is the client?”
“Kelli Killiarski,” Jenna answered.
Mikhela looked askance for a moment, and Jenna spelled the name for her. She nodded and continued.
“What is she accused of?”
“Shooting Randy Biggs, the owner of FurFemme magazine.”
Mikhela paused and looked at Jenna and Tia for a long moment before continuing. “Well, this is certainly a surprise. Ah, what exactly is your interest in this?”
Jenna proceeded to tell the attorney the whole story. When she was done, Mikhela was looking at her incredulously.
“You’ve come up here, gone out of your way this much, for someone who posed as you in an adult magazine. I’d think you would be happy that Bigg’s was shot and the poser jailed for it.”
Jenna looked offended. “Ms. Marten, I don’t hold grudges. Kelli is as much a victim of Randy Biggs as I was. She seemed a bit naive and I knew she’d need a friend one day, so I told her to call me. I offered my help, and help I will. If you don’t want the case, just say so and we’ll find another lawyer.”
Tia gave a short laugh. “Mom, she’s testing you. She was fishing for what your motive is. You wouldn’t be the first to try and rig a case to make sure someone got convicted by sabotaging the defense.”
Mikhela looked impressed. Jenna looked askance at her daughter and then found her voice.
“Tia! I’m shocked! That’s so twisted, how did you ever think of that?”
Tia just smiled. “What’s my hobby, Mom? I’ve read a lot of mysteries. I know they’re all fiction, but the authors base the characters and situations on real behaviors.”
“You’re how old again, Tia?” Mikhela asked.
“Fifteen, Ma’am.”
The marten whistled low, shaking her head. “Almost spooky. Okay, we need to go see Kelli and see about bail. Tia, I don’t know if they’ll let you in to see her, but if you have to wait out in the office keep your eyes and ears open.”
Tia nodded. Mikhela motioned for them to follow her, and they stood and went to the counter. The officer there spoke through a voice slot in the plexiglass.
“May I help you?”
“Yes,” Mikhela answered. “I’m legal counsel for Kelli Killiarski. She’s up in Homicide, I believe.”
The officer tapped a few keys and consulted a computer screen.
“Yes, we have her in custody there. Let me see a photo ID and sign in on the Form Six Ninety. You’ll get Identification badges you must wear at all times in here. I’ll have an officer escort you up to the Homicide unit office.”
Mikhela and Jenna showed driver’s licenses and signed the visitor log. The officer ran a computer check on them and gave them a standard briefing on what was allowed and what wasn’t in the building. When Tia showed her student ID, the officer looked a bit surprised, but then did the same with her when Mikhela stated she was part of the team. He issued them visitor’s badges, and another officer opened a side door and escorted them up to the third floor. From the elevator, a short walk down the hall brought them to a door marked “Homicide.” Jenna and Tia took a deep breath and followed Mikhela and the officer through the door and into a maze of cubicles, offices, and interrogation rooms.
# # #
Jack looked crossly at the list Jenna had given him. He’d called about the first five things on it and been given the run-around each time. Apparently, wedding vendors were to males what some auto shops had the reputation of being to femmes. The florist who owned the greenhouse had started quibbling about the date and the fact that Penny was going to do the arrangements. The tuxedo rental place had waffled about size availability. The baker had questioned him about the cake top, and the photographer was trying to get more money because he claimed to have had another offer of a shoot that day. So far everything he’d called about that was just supposed to be verified had ended up in question.
With a sigh, he accepted defeat. Jenna would be very hard-pressed to deal with everything if he waited until she got back, but it looked like they would have to.
At least, it looked that way until an idea occurred to him. Jack grinned to himself. Penny Panelli was helping Jenna with everything. Perhaps he should solicit her help in dealing with the vendors. Still grinning, he picked up the phone and dialed. Shortly, Penny answered.
“Penny Panelli.”
“Hello Penny, Jack Lazarus. Sorry to bother you, but Jenna left me with this list of conformations for the wedding, and they’re giving me the runaround. Can you give me a paw?”
Penny took on a perplexed look, which would have gotten a laugh out of anyone who’d been in her office to see it. “Ah, hold on, what? Left for where? I’ve been busy today, and hadn’t noticed her gone.”
Jack told Penny the story as far as he knew it. Penny ended up giving a short laugh.
“Yes, that’s Jenna, alright. I hope things work out. Now, about your list, bring it by here and we’ll see what we can do.”
Jack sounded very relieved. “Thank you, I was sure you’d help. The news is just breaking on Biggs’ shooting, so I hope they keep a low profile. See you in a bit.”
“Bye, Jack.”
Jack hung up the phone and grabbed his jacket and the list, silently praying for Jenna and Tia and what they might be facing.
# # #
“Can I help — oh Christ, it’s you!”
Mikhela stopped and looked the stocky bull terrier over before answering.
“Hello Detective Pardue, yes, it’s me. Glad to see you, too. Who’s got the Biggs shooting?”
The detective looked sour. “Me, lucky dog that I am. S’not a homicide yet, though. Biggs is at the hospital in a coma. Let me guess, you’re here to defend Little Miss Sunshine. C’mon and follow me, she’s in Interrogation Room Two.”
The officer escorting them gave the detective a nod and headed back downstairs. The canid turned and led the way, the lawyer right on his heels. Jenna and Tia kept up, both feeling a little out of their element. The detective continued talking over his shoulder on the way.
“So Ms. Marten, you take on a staff or something? Who’re the two with you?”
“Friends of Miss Killiarski. They called me in on this one. What have you got on her? May as well tell me, I’ll find out in discovery anyway.”
Detective Pardue gave them a neutral look, but then shrugged. “Guess it can’t hurt. You’re gonna tell her not to answer anything anyway. She hasn’t told us a thing. Polite, plain-spoken about anything and everything except Biggs’ shooting. The CSI crew recovered a pistol from the crime scene, and there are prints on it that match hers. Story is Biggs dumped her as his flavor-o-the-day and she shot him out of anger or vengeance.”
Before anyone else could comment, Tia stated what to her seemed obvious. “Gee, didn’t he cancel her contract over two weeks ago? That seems like a long time to wait if she was going to shoot him in anger.”
Detective Pardue came to a sudden stop, turned and looked at Tia. She was doing a brilliant “innocent look,” but he’d seen a lot of those in his time. He answered her crossly.
“Listen Nancy Drew, leave the police work to those who know what they’re doing. I said vengeance or anger. Furs’ll wait a long time for vengeance.”
Jenna was looking defensive, but Tia played her part to the hilt. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to overstep my bounds. Uh, Kelli’s a bit too young to own a pawgun, where did she get it?”
The terrier glared a moment and then smirked. “It belonged to Biggs’ business. The guy we contacted there said it was used as a prop. He’s on his way in to verify that it’s theirs.”
Tia nodded, deciding it was time to keep quiet. Mikhela, though, was right on track.
“So, Biggs was shot with a prop gun? Real bullets or blank, how many shots, and how many furs had access to it?”
Detective Pardue took a deep breath, controlling himself before answering. He didn’t like all these questions so early in his investigation, especially since he was barely ahead of them in asking about these things himself.
“The CSI’s said the gun was loaded with blanks. We won’t know for sure until they do surgery. We’ll have to wait until the guy from the magazine gets here to find out how many furs had access to it. As it stands, we got your client’s fingerprints on the weapon. That’s enough to hold her on.”
The terrier started to turn back toward the interrogation rooms, but Tia risked another couple of questions, still looking innocently curious.
“Detective Pardue, I’m not trying to be out of line, but I’m very curious. We’ve been studying forensics and the criminal justice system in school, and I wondered how it all worked in real life. Where was Mr. Biggs shot?”
The detective stopped in mid-turn, looking askance. “Ah, in the head? Didn’t I already say that?”
Tia looked hurt at the inference that it was a dumb question. “No, no you didn’t, but that wasn’t what I was asking. What location was he at? Who reported the shooting?”
Without realizing it, the detective’s eyebrows went up, indicating he was slowly becoming impressed. “Biggs was shot in his office. His secretary made the call. Said she came back from lunch and found him. She showed the appointment book with Killiarski’s name as the last one there before her lunchtime. Said she didn’t look too happy when she arrived, but Biggs saw her and sent the secretary on to lunch anyway.”
“Hmm,” Tia replied. “Did you check to see if any of the prints on the weapon belong to the secretary?”
Detective Pardue gave a snort as he continued on to the interrogation rooms. “Now why would I do that? She called in the, oh geez! F’get it! She’s worked for Biggs for over fifteen years. Now, your client is in here, so Q&A is over for now. Geez, like she’d do him in after this long,”
Before the detective opened the door he stopped in front of, Tia made a last observation.
“Well, you did say furs would wait a long time for vengeance.”
Detective Pardue gave her a hard look, but then smirked and went into the room. A uniformed officer was standing by the door, and Kelli sat in front of a table with a Styrofoam cup and a bottle of water in front of her. The detective dismissed the officer.
“Okay Terry, thanks.”
The officer nodded and left, closing the door behind him. Kelli had perked up as soon as they’d entered. Jenna looked over the Cairn terrier. Her poodle cut was growing out, and the last vestiges of the pink dye job were fading. The tracks of tears were clearly evident, as were the red rims around her eyes. She stood and stepped up to Jenna, wrapping her in an embrace as she began to sob.
“Oh Jenna, thank you, th-thank you. I d-didn’t do it! I haven’t been anywhere near Randy since he cancelled my contract.”
Mikhela looked over the distraught femme, and then looked at the detective. “This is your suspect? You guys really are getting desperate. Anyway, Kelli, I’m Mikhela Marten, your attorney. Have you been questioned by the police before I got here?”
Detective Pardue, who had quickly jotted down a note of Kelli’s statement to Jenna, answered. “Yeah, she was questioned. Hasn’t said a thing about the shooting until just then. Sorry Kelli, but we have a witness and a log entry that puts you with Biggs when he was shot.”
Kelli released Jenna and held her paws out to her side, palms forward. “But that can’t be! I haven’t—”
“Kelli!” Mikhela interjected. “You don’t have to say a thing. Jeff, do you have any corroboration on that? Seems to me the witness and the log are the same source.”
“Nah, nobody else there remembers anything,” he answered.
“Ah, excuse me?”
Everyone turned toward Tia, who was looking very meek. Kelli smiled at her a bit.
“You must be Tia. You look so much like your mother, except for your tail.”
Jeff Pardue wasn’t so well-favored toward her. “What now, Nancy Drew? Have it all figured out yet?”
Tia looked a bit offended, which took the detective by surprise. “You say that name like an insult, Detective. I happen to have enjoyed every Nancy Drew novel I’ve ever read. No, I don’t have it figured out, but I did want to ask if Mr. Biggs’ office or his secretary’s, or the building had security cameras? If so, the tape would show if Kelli was there or not, and possibly show who shot Mr. Biggs.”
Detective Pardue opened his mouth to reply, and then just stood like that for a moment looking at Tia. He then blinked and shut his muzzle, spun on his heel and left the room. Before the door closed the uniformed officer stepped back in to take his place. The three femmes stood looking at each other, and then Mikhela broke the silence.
“Tia, you know you’re almost scary. You’ve either made or broke my defense, depending on if there are any tapes and what they show.”
Tia shrugged. “Security tapes saved my fur once, so I remembered that these days, cameras are everywhere. No big deal.”
Kelli spoke up at the same time as Jenna. “To me it is!” they said in unison. They looked at each other and had a much-needed laugh.
“Now,” Mikhela said as she sat down at the table. “Let’s wait this out. Kelli, sit down and we’ll talk about what happens next. I’m sure the fur behind the mirror over there will tell us if anything comes up.”
Kelli looked askance, as did Jenna. Neither had realized there was likely someone behind the one-way glass monitoring everything that happened in the room. Mikhela and Tia just smiled at each other as they all had a seat to wait for Detective Pardue’s return.
# # #
Corrie sat on the big rock in the little clearing in the woods she called her “thinking place.” The sun was near to setting, peeking out between some scattered clouds. As the shadows had grown longer, the evening insects and birds began to call out. All together it looked to be a pleasant evening. This was in sharp contrast to how she felt. She realized she’d reacted very badly to Alex’s aunt’s comment, and she wasn’t even sure why.
When she’d first met the tiger, he’d told her some of the pilots at Old North had suggested she might be a lesbian. They weren’t dating then, and she’d point blank asked what he thought. He’d said no, and she’d confirmed that she wasn’t. Why had his aunt’s statement bothered her so much?
With a sigh, she mused to herself. “Well ol’ gal, you knew there’d be a bungle in the works soonah or latah. Was it because his aunt came across as more like his mother or something? And why do furs keep thinking that? Just cause I don’t jump on every male I meet, and act like a tomboy? Sure, I’m an ol’ roughout, but do I act like I like femmes?”
The voice in her mind reminded her that it wasn’t that she liked femmes, it was that she had problems with males. She thought about that for a bit, and decided she needed to go back and talk with Alex. He’d been very understanding before, so she hoped he would be now, too.
“Besides,” she chided herself. “I need to take him to his hotel. We can talk ovah dinnah, and maybe get this sorted out before it ruins us.”
She didn’t add, “Like all the ones before.”
She didn’t want to jinx it.
End of Chapter 58