Sleuth

Recovery

Jacklynn's funeral happened in the middle of week, but the ceremony was truly just a formality. Scottlin Reik had her body loaded onto a truck and shipped back to the east coast.

Now, four days after her body had been sent out, the two sleuth's had finally returned their attention to investigation and an attempt at frivolity.

Outside the Grayson home, Rory Daggart, Chance Gore, and Porter Alment rested against the wall, deep in conversation, while BB, Sarai, Lizbet, Jarren, and Kyrrian spent time sparring.

"Ha! You lose!" BB yelled, getting off a frustrated Lizbet.

"Congratulations, you beat the worst hand-to-hand combat fighter in our sleuth. We all know that as a bear, I kick your butt every time" Lizbet retorted.

BB laughed and held her hand out to Lizbet. If BB was honest, that was completely true. BB knew that she was at a disadvantage because she was not only small for a bear, but Lizbet was an unnaturally large bear for a human of her size.

Kyrrian stood on the side as Jarren and Sarai fought. By now, everyone had figured out that the two were mates, and had been expecting Jarren to make a gallant move, however he had not. And even as they watched the two sparr, it was apparent that there was a lack of sexual tension between them that should have been radiating in waves.

The two finished fighting with Jarren's victory, and without a word, Sarai stood up and stormed off.

"Nice going" Kyrrian chimed snidely.

"Be quiet" Jarren said, out of breath as blood ran from his nose. He wiped it off and replied, "Let's go" right before he took his first swing at Kyrrian.

Rory, Chance, and Porter watched Sarai walk past them but did not halt their conversation.

"I feel like this is an inside job" Chance Gore pressed.

"I don't think thats possible. We are too close for someone to be committing these crimes without our realization" Daggart argued.

"They'd have to be close to have the inside knowledge. They killed Jacklynn because they knew we were investigating deeper. That's an inside job" Chance Gore was steadfast in his belief.

Porter Alment listened to both men's points but couldn't bring himself to voice his own speculations as his own mind was distracted. Without a word, Porter slipped away from the conversation, not that either man noticed due to their entrancement in the growing argument.

Porter stepped around the corner and searched for the Sarai's noticeably blond hair. He saw her a little bit away from the house, laying in the grass at the edge of the forest. He made his way to her side and gently sat down, resting one arm on his propped up leg.

"What?" she growled. Her forearm was laying over her eyes, her other arm sprawled out in the grass to her right.

"I wanted to enjoy the soft grass" he replied.

"Can't you see I'm a little angry right now?" she steamed.

" I can, but I've never been one to favor extreme anger" he admitted.

"How can you say that? We're bears" she finally pulled her arm from her face and looked him in the eye.

Porter merely shrugged with a smile.

Sarai sighed and stared at the sky. "Is there something wrong with me?"

"No" Porter replied curtly.

"Then why doesn't he make a move or do... something" she asked, sitting up abruptly.

"Jarren" Porter began with a hesitation, "Jarren has had a very hard life. And he has recovered by becoming the sleuth's local jester, but I think he has intense emotions and he stifles them when he doesn't feel like sharing them. His main source of comedy for the last two years has been that he has feelings for Kyrrian, something that has probably given him frustrating disatisfaction because of the way Kyrrian is. He probably has been having issues finding a way to forget his feelings for her with your arrival."