The Bloodhound

Can't escape Him

“What a day” Jensen reflected ,as she drove back into her hometown. The sheriff’s office was in the middle of town, of course. She parked her orange jeep renegade behind the jail, heading into her part-time job. 

Gunner greeted her with a big hug as soon as she entered the building. This was his full time job, and he loved it. Unlike Jensen, he never expressed a desire to further his education. He was content working for the sheriff’s office, hoping to move up to detective one day.

She slipped in the bathroom, quickly changing into her deputy’s uniform, camo green pants with a tan shirt, shiny black shoes and a very thick gun belt strapped with a 9mm Glock and various other items. Pulling her hair into an official Sheriff's dept. hat, and placing her thick black glasses back on, she was ready for work. In the office, a large dog with floppy long ears, and a black and red coat waited for her.

“Hey Roxy,” Jensen bent down to pet her enthusiastic dog, who nearly barreled her over when she saw her. “How’s my girl?, she ruffled her loose jowls and ears ,eliciting a few moans from her faithful bloodhound.

“Jensy, how’s my little bloodhound?” Owen came over and pulled her up into a big old bear hug.

“Good, but can’t breathe…”

“Sorry,” he chuckled as he eased up, “How was your first day at the big university?”

“Interesting .I think I made some friends,” she said, leaving out the details of her domineering professor. What would be the chances that Owen actually knew the man? Probably high since he was on Owen’s father’s property when Gunner nearly shot him, so she chose to keep quiet, hoping no one would know.

“I’m proud of you, girl,” he grinned, ”Maybe we will finally get our “Jensy” back” he pulled the bill of her hat down, in an affectionate jest.

“Thank you,” she blushed. Owen was a good man, in his early thirties, with his wavy brown hair and big gray eyes. He had always been there for her ,but she knew deep down in her heart she would never be the same. Maybe she could try though, for him.

“Ok, you and Roxy can work the desk today.”

Jensen tried to hide her disappointment, but a tiny frown formed on her face. Even though she was just part time, she wanted to go out on calls, like her brother.

“I need you here,” Owen said, noticing her disappointment, “In case anyone goes missing, and we need our bloodhounds,” he winked.

“Wait, “ her eyes grew big,” Is something going on?”

“No, but I just have a feeling,” Owen pressed his lips in a thin line,”

“What feeling?” Jensen raised her brow. This was not good, coming from Owen.

“Well, the Smoky Mountains national Park is a great place to hide a body, or keep someone hostage if they know the area. It’s just a hunch, but I hope I’m wrong.”

“Have any of the girls been found?”

“As of yet, no,” Owen looked at her with worry in his eyes. ”Jensen, you be careful. I know you can take care of yourself if it comes down to it, but it seems obvious by now, that one person is

responsible for the disappearances. I want you home every evening before dark, if possible ,and you call me if you need anything. Don’t take any chances.”

“Owen,” she grinned ,”Look at me. Do you think I am really the sort of girl a man would want to kidnap?”

‘I don’t think he cares, Jensen,” he said using her full name to emphasize the seriousness of the situation.”

“Well, do we know anything about him?”

“Not really,” Owen crossed his arms, “of course, we can only suspect he is a he, and working alone, after all that’s most serial killer’s modus operandi. But we do know the girls had nothing in common.”

“Oh,”

“Who knows, he may have just moved here from somewhere else. The TBI has already reached out to other police forces in the area, cross referencing anything they think might be helpful .We can assume he is a male, anywhere between the age of 18-35, with a vendetta against women. The only clue they have is a witness saw a tall, muscular man lurking around one of the areas where a girl was abducted.”

“Well s**t,” she muttered, “That’s not much to go on,”

“It’s a start,” Owen’s bright gray eyes lit up. ”The witness said the man had long dark hair, and bright yellow eyes.”

Jensen’s mouth dropped ,”A wolf?”

“Possibly, that’s why we are concerned. As far as we know, my pack is the only one in the area ,so it’s possible he lives among us, or is a rogue who once did.”

Jensen shuttered. If this was true, it would be hard to take him down, and even harder to find him, or the girls, if they were still alive. This was bad, real bad.

“Does anyone in the pack fit your description,” she asked. Jensen didn’t want to broach the subject, but she felt she had to.

“No,” Owen said flatly .”The only wolf to return to our pack is my cousin ,but it’s highly unlikely that he had anything to do with it.

“Ok,” she hummed, waiting for him to finish..

“He was on our lands every time the girls disappeared ,not to mention he is a professor, and a former FBI profiler.”

Jensen’s shoulders drooped. No, it couldn’t be, but she had first encountered her professor in the woods on pack lands. It seemed there was no way of escaping Connor Evans.

“Jensy, what’s the matter?” Owen asked when he noticed her odd behavior.

“Nothing, it’s just..”

The bell rang, announcing someone came through the front door. Jensen could smell him before she ever saw him. Her intent was to run to the back and hide, but that was nullified when

she heard a loud growl and a howling bark.

“What the hell ,let go!” Jensen jerked her head up when she heard the familiar voice. Great, just great. This day was getting better and better.

She and Owen ran into the front office to see Connor being held down by Roxy.

“Roxy! She screamed,”Aus!”

Connor raised a brow when the dog let him go. 

“Komme Hier,” the German accent rolled off Jensen’s  tongue. Roxy tucked her tail between her legs, as she ran to her master.

“Sitz!” Jensen continued in Deutsch. The dog immediately sat down right by her feet.”Bleib!” her last command. 

Owen approached his very surprised friend, helping him up off the floor. His green eyes glared at Jensen before he chuckled.

“You trained her in German,” he smiled, ”Very impressive.”

“S, Sorry about that,” Jensen stammered, “She is very protective,”

‘I can see that, Miss Jones,” Connor rose a brow.

Owen looked at the two, wondering what was going on.

“She is one of my students,” Connor explained,

“Aww, how cool,” Owen’s face lit up with a smile, which slowly turned into a frown when he noticed the tension between the young woman and his cousin.

“Um, I almost shot him, and now my dog attacked him, and he thinks I’m ugly.”

Jensen shrugged her shoulders. She just added the last part to get under Connor's skin, but she could tell by the scowl on his face that she disgusted him.

“So, Jensy, you have met my cousin,” Owen smiled again, attempting to break the ice.

“Yes she has,” Connor smirked, his rich baritone voice sending tingles down Jensen's spine.

“Well, come on in,” Owen ushered his cousin forward, using his best Appalachian accent, ”It’s about time my new deputy showed his face around here.”

New deputy? Jensen just couldn’t catch a break! First out in the field, then at college, now this! The asshole wolf was everywhere she went. How was she supposed to live like this, with this man who hated her breathing down her neck constantly. Moreover, she realized he just may be the person she feared the most, as he had obviously returned home after a sabbatical.

“Jensy,” are you alright,” she seemed to be in a trance, eyes staring out into nothing as Owen waved his hand in front of her face. It was becoming increasingly harder to breathe, and she suddenly felt the urge to run ,but Owen caught her by the arm when she tried to bolt.

“Connor, you are scaring her,” he turned and growled at his cousin.

“Well, the little thing did try to kill me!” he growled back.