Thank you, God.

Dodie Rae stood with the other inmates, awaiting her time before the Judge. She scanned the benches in the small courtroom, where friends and loved ones were waiting to post bail. She noticed Bay Lynn sitting in the back. Before she could lock eyes, her grandmother lowered her head.

"Shit!" she whispered. This confirmed her suspicion that something was wrong.

The Judge considered Dodie Rae's recent trauma and released her with a reasonable fine and a lecture about assaulting police officers and how there would be no further tolerance for such crimes. Dodie Rae thanked the Judge and exited the courtroom. Bay Lynn paid the fine and waited for her granddaughter's release.

"Let's go, Mama," she said, hurrying towards the door. She was anxious to discover what had transpired during her lockup.

Bay Lynn, purse in hand, silently followed her granddaughter to the car. Once inside, they turned onto Main Street, and Dodie Rae shifted her head toward her grandmother.

"Riley's dead!" Bay Lynn shouted before her granddaughter had the chance to speak. "I killed him last night, just after dark. I followed him home, and I killed him." She sobbed.

Dodie Rae shifted her eyes back to the road, at a loss of words.

"I was just so damn mad at him, Cher," she said as her granddaughter remained silent. "Say something, Baby Girl."

"He was mine, Mama," she growled. "Mine to kill, not yours."

"I know he was, Cher. But I think I killed an innocent man."

"What do you mean, an innocent man?"

"I think his wife was abusing him."

"Impossible!"

"It's not unheard of, Baby Girl."

"Why in the hell would you think that?"

"It was the way that she cursed at him, Cher."

"Cursed at him?"

"Yes. She told him to keep his Bitch Ass down. Her words, not mine. I heard them fighting in the house, listened to a loud crash, and thought he was hurting her. So I stripped down and became the wolf. Riley came out the back door and turned the corner of the house the moment I'd transformed, and I attacked him. This all took place right before his wife shot me."

"She shot you?"

"Yes, dang near point blank. She shot at me again and missed."

"What did you do, Mama?"

"I ran into the woods and became me again. I watched the gunshot wounds heal themselves. Oh, and get this, the blood, both his and mine, disappeared into my skin."

"Did you go after his wife?"

"No, I heard sirens and figured I'd better get out of there while I still could. I barely got inside the car and laid low before the policeman sped by."

"Oh, my God. Did he see you?"

"No, just my car. Once I knew he was gone, I high-tailed it toward the house and stayed there the rest of the night."

"Fuck, he saw your car!"

"Language, Cher."

"Mama. Police cars are equipped with cameras."

"So," she said.

"So, they would find a car on the side of the road suspicious, especially near a murder scene. If the officer of that car remembers seeing it there, he'll want to look at the camera," she said, pausing. "Oh, my god."

"What?"

"I'm sure the cop noticed your car wasn't there after he left. If he did, he'll surely look at the cameras."

"You're overthinking this, Cher."

"No. I've seen what these cops are capable of, and we need a good reason why your car was on the side of the road near Riley's house last night."

"Maybe my car ran out of gas, and someone stopped to help. They gave me a ride to the gas station for fuel and brought me back."

"No, the police would ask the attendant if he remembers seeing you, or he would want to view the store cameras."

"Okay, maybe the person that stopped had a gas can and put the gas in my tank."

"Better, but you would've been in your car when the policeman passed you."

"Good lord, you've been watching too many cop shows, Baby Girl."

"Maggie," she said.

"Maggie?"

"Yes, she's seen my wolf and hasn't told anyone. Maggie would say she noticed you on the side of the road, broken down or out of gas, and took you to her house to get the gas can out of her garage, which was full. She brought you back to your car, helped you pour the gas in your tank, and then you parted ways."

"Do you think she'll do it?"

"I do. If you'd seen the relief on her face the night her husband and his friend died, you'd think she would too."

"I'm going home for a few days, Cher. I'll pack and head to my house in a couple of hours. That'll give you time to call Maggie and see if she'll be my Alibi."

"When the police ask you why you were out near the Riley's place, what will you tell them?"

"I'll tell them I was angry at you for landing yourself in jail and decided to return to my home in Lafayette. They can't prove different," she paused. "So we have a plan, Cher?"

"We have a plan." Dodie Rae smiled at her grandmother.

"What?"

"Nothing. I never took you as a liar, is all, Mama."

"Well, when I'm backed in a corner," she said, smiling back.

Once they were back home, Dodie Rae called Maggie and found she was more than willing to help. The two women solidified their story, and Dodie Rae reviewed it with her grandmother. Bay Lynn then packed her things, loaded the car with her granddaughter's help, and left for Lafayette.

After a much-needed shower, Dodie Rae dressed and visited Helen at the hospital, who seemed to be in good spirits.

"Hey, Dodie, Rae," she said. It was apparent she was still on pain medication. "Did you hear the news?"

"Hey, Helen, what news would that be?" she said, thinking she would be told about Officer Riley's demise.

"Just down the hall, in intensive care, there is a cop."

"A cop?"

"Yeah. Rumor has it the cop is Riley," she said, closing her eyes.

Dodie Rae realized Helen had fallen asleep and decided to investigate her story. She entered the hallway and followed the signs toward the ICU, which stands for intensive care unit. Two Orange County police officers stood outside the ICU entrance. She knew better than to ask questions, so she turned toward Helen's room and noticed Officer Carey walking toward her.

"Mrs. Cooper," he said.

"Officer Carey."

"What brings you to intensive care?"

"I came to visit with Helen. She told me an officer was in ICU, and I came to investigate. I'm pleased to find it's not you."

"Thanks," he said, turning towards the ICU entrance."

"Where's Officer Riley?" she said, noticing the tension in Carey's back at the mention of his partner.

"Why do you ask?" he said, looking over his shoulder.

"Is he alright?"

Officer Carey turned, and the look on his face was disturbing.

"Why do you ask, or even care for that matter? You've done nothing but antagonize that man from the moment you met him," he shouted, pointing at the ICU wing.

"I'm sorry," she said, backing away. "I pray he'll be okay." Dodie Rae felt his pain and started walking toward Helen's room. She looked back in time to watch the ICU doors closing behind the distraught man.

He's alive. Thank you, God. If he is innocent, please let him live.