Waylon Forge

 After school, and knowing Edythe was returning tonight, I was riding an emotional high as I made my way to the station for my evening workout. I knew that without Jasper there I wouldn't be getting an actual workout, but I still needed to keep up appearances. Plus, it was an opportunity to spend time with Charlie. I had a great day on Sunday learning how to fish. It was different from what I had seen on TV. He taught me to stream fish, and it was a whole different thing than fishing a lake or off a boat. He promised to take me out on Billy Black's boat one day this summer and show me how to fish that way. 

 I had also met Harry Clearwater that day as well, he seemed a great guy, very chill. We talked a little, but not enough for me to learn if he knew about me or not. I got the feeling he liked the quiet of the forest and stream, so I didn't want to bug him too much. Though he did seem surprised that I knew Leah, well, that I had met her a couple of times anyway. He gave me an appraising look when I mentioned it, but didn't say much. 

 I was about to pull the police station door open when Charlie came running out, making a beeline for his patrol car. I got caught up in his energy and followed him, but slid into the passenger side. "What's wrong, Uncle Charlie?"

 Without taking his eyes off the road, he replied as he pulled onto the highway. "Someone found a body in the water just off the boat docks. The description fits Waylon Forge, the guy you and Bella met at the Lodge a while back." Then he realized I was in the car with him, "What are you doing? I can't take you to a scene like this."

 I smile sheepishly, "You came running out of the station, and I just kind of got caught up in your pace. I wasn't thinking, but don't worry. I will stay out of the way."

 Before we got to the spot Charlie had been called to, an ambulance caught up to Charlie's cruiser, and they both pulled over into a highway pullout area where I saw Ken's patrol car parked with its lights on.

 Charlie got out, saying, "Stay with the car, Thomas."

 I got out of the car but obeyed Charlie and stayed with it. I strained my ears to hear what was being said, but the running water made it hard to make out too much. All I could make out was what sounded like "Washed into a log pile, and multiple bite marks.". Then a little bit later, I watched Charlie walking back up the trail that went to the riverside. 

 He went straight to the ambulance, "Hey, Brad. The gurney should make it down the trail, and take a black bag with you. Bring the body to the station, I will see if Carlisle can meet you there."

 I looked at the sky out of reflex and saw that there was enough cloud cover for Carlisle to be out, and it would be dark enough soon that it wouldn't matter anyway. Charlie broke me out of my musings, "Let's head back, Thomas. I've got to start the paperwork."

 The drive back to the station was awkward. "I am sorry about your friend Charlie, was it a drowning, did he fall in the river?"

 Charlie let out a deep sigh. "I don't think so, it looked like something got hold of him and tore…" He paused there, "I have known Waylon going on 30 years." He just sighed again, and we returned to the silence.

 Once we got back to the station, I didn't feel like going through the motions of working out, so I just stuck with Charlie but stayed silent. A while later, I watched the ambulance pull into the parking lot, but it went around back, and Charlie went through a door I had never been through before. I tried following Charlie, but he just held his hand up and shook his head. 

 It was just a few moments after that, a dark silver Mercedes pulled into the parking lot, and Carlisle got out and reached into his back seat for a medical bag before making his way into the station.

 "Evening, Thomas. Is Charlie in the back room?"

 I smiled and shook Carlisle's hand, "Yes sir, he went in just a few minutes ago."

 I watched him disappear behind the door and waited in Charlie's office, trying to think of anything I could do. About 20 minutes later, both Charlie and Carlisle walked into the office in the middle of a conversation.

 Charlie was saying, "They sure look like human bite marks, like you said, Carlisle, but… I don't know."

 Carlisle nodded, "That was my first thought too, Charlie. But the depth of the bite is beyond what a human mouth can produce. Humans can't open their mouths enough to generate that kind of force. The arch shape and incisor morphologies are similar as well, but they are too wide, and there is more tearing than compression. Plus, it looked like anywhere from 3 to 5 different bites, though the overlap makes counting difficult. I am leaning toward a pack of dogs, though the lack of defensive wounds on the hands and arms leads me to believe they got him while he was asleep, or maybe they found him after he drowned. I will have to see how much water is in his lungs to know for sure."

 Charlie wrote down what Carlisle had said and sighed, "Heaven knows Waylon was a drinker, so he could have passed out and been an easy target. I will have Jeff check the dock for his boat, we will probably find his jacket there as well, God knows he wore it everywhere." 

 I stood up and walked out of the office to get Charlie a cup of coffee, and on my way back in, Carlisle passed me. "It was good seeing you, Thomas, despite the circumstances. I should let you know that Edythe and the others should be back in an hour or so."

 "Thanks, Carlisle. Drive safe, and I will see you later."

 I walked in and put the coffee cup in the spot on the desk where there was a ring worn into the lacquer from one sitting there so often. Not long after I sat down, Bella came in the door, eyes searching. When she found Charlie at his desk, she came over. "Is everything ok, Dad?"

 Charlie shook his head, "We found a body today, it was my friend Waylon." 

 She made a logical jump that I missed, "Was it the same type of attack as the case you had to go help with last week?"

 He got a light in his eyes and started to think about it. "I don't know, but I can ask for a copy of their report and see. Good thinking, Bella." He reached into his drawer and pulled out a can of personal pepper spray and offered it to Bella. 

 She looked at it and frowned, probably afraid she would try and use it, only to spray herself first. But Charlie's words made her take it regardless. 

 "It will give your old man some peace of mind."

 She took it gingerly, like it would go off in her hand just by holding it, and put it in her pocket.

 "What brought you here anyway, Bella?" Charlie asked.

 "I was passing by with E…A friend and saw the extra cars, so I wanted to check on you guys."

 "Well, let me finish this request for the paperwork from the other case, and we can head to the lodge to eat tonight. 

The meal that followed was not a festive one. Many people at the Lodge were friends of Waylon, his boisterous nature made him stand out, and many would miss him. I felt sorry for Charlie having to answer questions the whole time he was trying to eat with us. I understood that people wanted to know what was going on, but they weren't the only ones to have lost a friend, and Charlie was trying to connect to his family to help with his sense of loss. 

 I turned the subject over to my wanting to get a new driver's license after my birthday. The main reason I had held off was that it made no sense to get one when I arrived, only to have to get a new one after I turned 18. This turned into talking about me getting my own vehicle, and Charlie let it slip that he had been on the lookout for something he thought I would like. 

 We kept the conversation going and changed to many topics, just trying to distract Charlie from the day. But once we got home and started to separate in the house to do our own thing, I noticed that Charlie had sat in the living room with a beer in hand and just stared at the blank TV for a while. Knowing that some things just had to run their course, I went to my room to continue my painting while waiting for Edythe.