Rereid of Fool Moon, Part 2

Rereid of the Dresden Files

Book 2: Fool Moon

by Jim Butcher

Part 2

Chapter 4

Internal Affairs has been investigating Murphy since last spring, thinking Murphy was in cahoots with Marcone and helped take out his competition. Because Murphy issued and then rescinded a warrant on Harry and then he was at the scene were Victor Sells died. That's why she's had to stay away until now and why Murphy did not make an issue over Agent Benn trying to shoot her.

Murphy gives Harry a rundown on the Lobo killings. As she explains, Harry begins to suspect that there being followed. They started one day before last month's full moon with the death of a couple of gang-bangers. It appeared they were killed by wolves, but there were some inconstancy with the tooth marks and paw prints and the police figured someone was making it look like a wolf attack, possibly a cult or pack of psychos. The next night, three bums were killed in park, the next night an old man, and the fourth night a businessman and his driver in a parking garage.

Harry asks about the businessman since his death was indoors. Murphy tells him he was James Harding III, a business partner of Marcone. After Mr. Harding, the attacks stopped until tonight when another victim tied to Marcone shows up. That leaves four more nights for the assailants to attack.

Harry asks Murphy why she thinks there is more than one werewolf. Forensic thinks there is more than one perp. They identified three distinctive bite marks and that means there is a pack of werewolves. Since Marcone is involved, Murphy is afraid if she doesn't solve the case they will blame it on her being involved with Marcone and charge her with obstruction and complicity and probably come after Harry as well.

Murphy asks for what Harry knows about werewolves. Harry will have to do some research and will give her a report in the morning. As Murphy exits the JFK Expressway, Harry notices the car he suspects is a tail, also exit. Murphy drops Harry off at McAnally's. Harry notices the suspected tail is a woman dark brown hair. The car followed Murphy's to the end of the block but turned the opposite way and Harry wonders if he's just imagining things.

I got into the Blue Beetle and thought for a minute. I was feeling guilty and a little queasy still. It was my fault Murphy had gotten in trouble. I had put her in the middle of extremely questionable circumstances by not telling her what was going on last spring. The pressure she was under now was my responsibility.

I have what might be considered a very out-of-date and chauvinist attitude about women. I like to treat women like ladies. I like to open doors for them, pay for the meal when I’m on a date, bring flowers, draw out their seat for them—all that sort of thing. I guess I could call it an attitude of chivalry, if I thought more of myself. Whatever you called it, Murphy was a lady in distress. And since I had put her there, it only seemed right that I should get her out of trouble, too.

Harry's pulls out the bloody glass he stole from the crime scene. With it, he can perform a tracking spell and locate the whomever shed it. Harry is sure Murphy will be pissed that he's going off on his own, but the older and drier the blood gets, the less effective the spell will be. Harry opens his trunk, gets his .38 revolver, blasting rod, a shield bracelet, and a few other “wizardly implements.”

Then I made with the magic.

My Thoughts

So, Murphy freezing Harry out is because of the rumor that Harry was working for Marcone when he took out Victor Sells. This is the consequence of going half-cocked into a night club and blowing shit up with civilians to witness it. You forced Marcone to save face and now Murphy is under investigation.

Killings happened the day before and the day after the full moon. Tonight's killing was the day before the full moon. Seems a little weird for a werewolf.

Sucks for Murphy. If she solves this case, not in league with Marcone. If she doesn't then her alleged connections with Marcone will make her into the perfect scapegoat to the public on way these killings haven't been solved. Stakes are already high.

Harry, you had the opportunity to tell Murphy about the tracking spell and you still choose to go off on your own. The idea came to you in the car, talking with Murphy when you asked her if the police had any blood or hair. Come on, Harry. Chapter 4 and you're already violating her trust. This will not end well for you, buddy.

Chapter 5

Harry draws a circle in chalk on the ground and uses a compass as the spell focus. The compass stops point north and now points to the person whose blood is on the glass. Harry works his way through the streets of Chicago following the compass and winds up near the University of Chicago in a rundown neighbor hood. The compass leads him to an abandoned store. Harry consults a map and sees that two of the murders last month were less than a mile a way and thinks this is a good spot for the Lobo Killer to hide.

Harry's plan is just to watch the killer and let Murphy know where he is. Harry cautiously aproaches the building and finds a window he can crawl through. He also finds a string with bells attached to it that would jingle if he tried to get through. Harry is able to carefully lower the string to the floor without jingling the bells and climbs on through. The place is filled with empty shelves. Harry hears voices coming from the back.

Harry creeps back to the voices and finds a group of young people gathered around a Coleman lantern. They all looked like college students and their leader is a pudgy guy with glasses. He's arguing with a woman and Harry learns they are Billy and Georgia. Billy wants to be out on the street to “found them all and torn them apart.” Georgia says they need to be cautious or they'll get caught and she told them to stay put and threatens to hog tie Billy. Billy and Georgia continue to fight and Harry learns the group calls themselves the Alphas.

Harry is unsure these are the killers because they seem more like “a group of computer nerds geared up for Leather Night,” but his compass points into the room. Harry is prepared to leave and call Murphy when the woman who was following Harry and Murphy from the crime scene walks in. The woman begins to berate Billy and Georgia and then tells the group she was followed here. Harry's compass points unerringly at her. The woman has an “animal vitality” and Harry thinks she could be the killer.

The woman breathes deeply through her nose and takes a step towards Harry. The coleman lantern goes out and Harry is blind in the darkness. Harry tries to leave and crashes into an aisle. A wolf slams into Harry, knocking him to the floor. Harry strikes the wolf with his blasting rod and the wolf rips it from his hand. Harry pulls his gone and backpedals into a corner, reading for an attack.

Nothing happens and Harry pulls his amulet out to shed light and finds the building empty. Harry retrieves his blasting rod and exits the building into an alley. Harry is hit from behind and knocked to the ground. A gun is pointed to his head and a woman says, “Drop the gun, or I blow your head off.”

My Thoughts

Harry's tracking spell is a lot better than the last book. Using a compass is a better idea than that weird scent way. All though, it would fit thematically into a book about werewolves to give yourself heighten scent.

The Alphas are a puzzle. They are young, all look out of shape, but they're hanging out in a back room of an abandoned building. Billy and Georgia fight is like the leader of a pack fighting with a rival for power. Then the woman who followed Murphy and Harry enters and she instantly takes charge. Possibly there some cult.

And then when the lights go out, there is clearly a werewolf running around but instead of killing Harry it disarms him and distracts him long enough for the Alphas to escpae. Not quite the behavior of our killer.

Chapter 6

Harry drops his gun and its Murphy who knocked him down, who is pissed to find Harry here and accuses him of following a lead with out her. Harry protests that there wasn't time, it was a hot lead.

Murphy grunted. “How did you find this place?”

“I’m a wizard,” I told her, and waggled my arms as best I could. “Magic. What else?” Murphy growled, but hunkered down behind me and unlocked the cuffs. I rubbed at my wrists after they were freed. “How about you?”

“I’m a cop,” she said. “A car tailed us back to McAnally’s from the murder scene. I waited until it was gone and followed it back here.”

Neither Harry or Murphy saw the group leave and Murphy thinks they got out on the roof and goes inside to look. Harry warns her that they're werewolves and the woman is their leader. Murphy asks if their the killer and Harry isn't sure, they didn't feel, “Cold enough. Mean enough.” Murphy puts out an APB for the woman and tells Harry her car was a rental. Harry tells her not to put out the APB, that they're not the murder.

Murphy is getting annoyed. The woman followed them from a crime scene and according to Harry's spell, her blood was on the glass. That's good enough for her to bring the woman in. Harry warns her there could be consequences to the police harassing a pack of werewolves. Plus, whoever tore apart spike was not the same creature that was attacked Harry because it could have easily killed Harry.

Murphy is skeptical that Harry couldn't take a wolf with his magic and Harry goes on a rant about the hunting ability of a wolf and in the dark the wolf wins. Harry advises her to hold off the APB and Murphy reluctantly agrees to hold off until Harry delivers his werewolf report tomorrow morning. If there's nothing in the report of substance, she's going to pursue the only lead she's gotten.

Murphy’s flashlight flickered and then went out as the filament burst with an audible pop.

Murphy sighed in the darkness. “Nothing ever works right when you’re here. Sometimes, Harry,” she said, “I really hate hanging out with you.”

My Thoughts

See Harry, already in trouble with Murphy. Chapter six. Really breaking some records here. Lucky for you, she bought your excuse. And Harry gets defensive that she followed a lead without telling him. She's the cop, Harry. You're just the civilian consultant. I know you're the main character and all, but come on man.

So, we have a group of teenage werewolves led by an older, far more dangerous woman. They are definitely involved and after someone. But, the werewolves spared Harry so they maybe good werewolves?

Hey, Harry explains why he thinks its a bad idea for Murphy to put on APB instead of telling her its just supernatural stuff he can't talk about. Making progress, Harry.