"Alvin Hannity," Edgar interrupted, “would you please explain why you hired a private investigator to tail Miss Sloan from January to February of last year?"

That got everyone's attention.

Alvin had gone noticeably pale.

"I didn't —-"

"I just got done talking with a man who we had uncovered over the course of our investigation into the recent kidnappings. After a follow-up interview, he was very forthcoming. Amazing what the words ‘serial kidnapper’ and ‘tortured teenagers' do to make a closed mouth open up." Ed looked at the Councilman.

"It seems that a private investigator was hired by young Mister Hannity here to follow and report on the activities of Miss Sloan. The man said that it was the strangest job he had ever had, because all he had been told was to follow her and see ‘what she was up to.' For a PI, that's pretty much free money. Who knows how long it would have gone on if the guy hadn't gotten sloppy and gotten picked up."

"Bullshit!" Alvin said, though his voice wavered.

“My son does not have access to that kind of money," Mr. Hannity said.

"And to what end?"

"As I said, the PI didn't know. And the investigator provided printouts of the cashed checks. Amazing thing, on-line banking. ALL checks were from Alvin Hannity, signed by Alvin Hannity. I'm perfectly willing to get a hand-writing analysis done, but the PI also identified him from several options I showed him while scanning through different MySpace pages.”

"Do you have the scans of the checks?" William Hannity asked.

“Of course."

“William! I cannot believe that you are willing to even entertain this lunacy!" his wife screamed.

"I am quite familiar with my sons bank numbers and signature. I can quickly disprove this evidence if warranted," Mr. Adler replied, taking the copies from Edgar. After a few moments, his face grew grim.

"Son, would you care to explain this."

"Dad ——"

"I said explain!"

“William --" Meghan Hannity started, then was cut off by a look from her husband.

"You. . . you gave him the money for this. I thought that you were just coddling him as usual, but this is what those ‘gifts’ were for, wasn't it? Oh yes, I know all about them. Why would you help our son participate in stalking?"

“After 22 years of marriage, I do not feel any need to respond to these --"

"Oh, you will respond. I have tolerated a great deal from Alvin, and perhaps I have always been lenient towards him because he's your favorite. But this is intolerable." He Looked back to his son.

"Alvin, are this young woman's accusations true?"

Heda knew that tone. Her mother had used a similar one on the few rare occasions where one of her children crossed a line, but this one was much more chilling.

Alvin looked like he wanted to deny everything, but he was also practically radiating fear. More than one shifter in the crowd was beginning to lick their lips, as his fear was bring out their predator natures.

"Yeah," he whispered.