Shifters: A Samantha Reece Mystery Book 1, Jaime Johnesee [i have read the book txt] 📗

he was a little less dangerous. I have parishioners in and out all day and I don't want any of them targeted, so when he chose to run out I figured I wouldn't stop him."

"Probably smart that you didn't, padre. He isn't exactly in a delusion. We believe he's got a physical illness that causes extreme amounts of aggression. He didn't just stab or shoot a couple folks, he stripped them down into pieces, tiny bits, actually."

"Oh, my."

"That's a lot more polite than what I said when I first heard."

"I'll tell you anything I can."

"You recounted all of your conversation with the suspect to Officer Joshua Hahn, correct?"

"Yes, ma'am. I told him everything the man said to me, word for word. I have an eidetic memory."

"Excellent! Do you know which way the man went when he left here?"

"No, he didn't clue me in on any of his plans except he was going to kill more of these bad people he thinks God sent him to kill."

"Did he really seem to believe that God chose him to be His warrior?"

"Yes. He was absolutely certain his lot in life was to track down demons and destroy them. Should I alert the women in my flock?"

"No, I think that would be just a bit premature. The women he's targeting are believed to be prostitutes."

"I do have a couple working girls in here—”

"Not necessary to say anything. He's looking for a certain type of hooker."

"You mean shifters—like you?"

"What?"

"I can smell it on you. Cat of some sort, yes?"

"How did you—”

"It's a gift the Lord graced upon me. I can smell supers. Don't worry, I'm not some crazy. I don't think you guys are evil or unclean. I think you got poor lots in life."

"You're far kinder than the last priest I spoke with."

"Very few of us know about the different beings we share the world with. Those who are aware tend to stick with Old Testament thou shalt not suffer a witch to live crap. I don't find much difference between species and races. A black man is as much a person as a white, and a shifter is as much a person as a human."

"I'd love to hear more about your beliefs. I might even pop by one Sunday to hear what you really have to say about God and the bible." I doubted it, but having people accept me for being me was a rarity, especially with the God squad.

Most of them really did think we deserved death for being different. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, religion was behind a lot of deaths, historically speaking. At one point in Europe's witch hunting history, redheads were hunted and killed after being labeled witches.

I wasn't a fan of organized religion, not since I was a kid and had been stuck with a foster family—for the third time—that were uber-religious. They made me kneel on a broomstick for hours and pray. To this day my knees hurt like hell when the rain rolls in. Add to that I'm now considered by most faith leaders to be a monstrous demon bent on destroying the world and you can see why religion and I were never going to get on well.

"If there is anything else I can tell you I'll call the Bureau office again."

"No worries." I slipped him my card through the opening. "Call me directly. This case takes priority for me."

"I'll be glad to help, Agent Reece. It was lovely chatting with you." I silently inhaled and passed his scent over my palate trying to ascertain what sort of creature he was.

Humans didn't have the ability to sniff us out. The fact that Richmond did made me think he wasn't entirely human. He may not even know it. He could be a partial vamp or shifter. It had been known to happen in the past. As I rolled his scent around it came up as nothing more than human. That surprised me some.

"It was great talking with you, too, Father. If he comes back in, please let me know immediately, and be very careful not to disagree too much with him."

"I will heed your advice, thank you. Oh, and Agent Reece?"

"Yes, sir?"

"He's not human. He's a shifter, like you."

"Oh, you were able to get his scent?"

"Yes, I won't admit it in court, you understand."

"His species won't even come up in court. It will never get mentioned."

"Thank you."

"No, Father, thank you. We will send a sketch artist down for you to work with." I smiled at him, stood, and left the confessional, allowing the curtain to drape back across the doorway behind me.

I walked toward Quinn, who was still standing at the back of the church.

"So, was he able to help us?"

"Yeah, aside from assuring me that what he told Josh was a word for word convo, he also mentioned he has the ability to smell supers. He said Grisly is a shifter, like me."

"Well, not like you, Sam. You haven't killed anyone."

"I've killed bunnies." My biggest fear since I turned is that I'll go full jaguar and start attacking people.

"Despite what PETA would say, bunnies aren't people." Quinn reached over and patted the hand I had rested on the back of the pew.

"True enough." I turned and started walking out of the church. Quinn caught up quickly.

As I walked outside a scent hit me. It was a shifter. They hadn't been by for at least a day, but the smell was still strong and I recognized it from the motel room as Grisly.

"Quinn! I've got his scent." I followed it to the parking lot but lost it again.

I couldn't tell if Grisly had gotten into a car and drove away or if the asphalt wasn't holding his scent as well as the grass had. I needed to change.

"Why'd you stop?"

"I have to shift."

"Here? In the middle of a church parking lot? Is that a good idea?"

"Probably not, but if we really want to nail this guy I need to get a better whiff. I