The Severed Thread by Dione C. Suto

been layering glue on the cracks of my psyche since yesterday.  It was likely that when I discovered who the killer was all those patches would be as effective at holding back my wrath as a piñata around a detonated pile of explosives.  I would be lucky if I could keep my berserker from killing anyone.
    “I will give you some time,” he agreed grudgingly.  I could tell he still didn’t like it.  I was just relieved that he was going along, at least for now.
    “Thank you Sal, for trusting me.”
    “Don’t thank me,” he said gruffly.  “It was never a question of trust.  My hesitation has more to do with your experience.”  I must have made a puzzled face because he continued before I could ask what the hell that meant.
    “You may have a good nose on you Abigail, thanks to your heritage” he explained, “but I don’t think you have much experience with the smell of an impending storm.  My nose tells me that this stinks of a disaster in the making.”
    “You may be right Sal,” I agreed.  “But I have to try to sort this out on my own first.”
    “I respect that,” he said.  “Just don’t leave it till too late to take the help that is being offered.”  We sat quietly for a moment.  Both of us lost to our own thoughts.  I was thinking about how Sal was right about the impending disaster but wrong that I did not see it coming.  My problem was really that I couldn’t figure out how to navigate around it.   I shook my head in a futile attempt to clear my thoughts.   There was something else important I needed to discuss with Sal while I had him.
    “Sal, I wanted to ask you if you knew who Jason would go to if he needed to get something done off the books.” 
    “What type of something?”
    “Something that had to be shipped without certain authorities noticing,” I explained.
    “Christ,” he said, rubbing one if his paw like hands over his face.  “Like I said, disaster,” he muttered to himself.  There was nothing to say to that really.  He was right.  He glanced at me and I just raised my brows in inquiry. 
    “I’m not sure but I will ask around for you,” he finally answered.
    “I don’t know if you should do any actual asking ,” I suggested for his safety.  “What I really need you to do is listen to the scuttlebutt and let me know if anything sounds helpful.”
    “I will do my best to help,” he replied nodding. 
    “Thank you,” I said.  “Between the authorities looking into Jason’s death, the funeral, the press and running things here, I need all the help I can get.”
    I got up and gave him another hug before he left.  Assuring him that I would keep him up to date on anything I found out.
    “Ms. Lassiter?” Johanna’s voice came over the phone’s intercom just as I was sitting back down at my desk.
    “I’m here, what’s up?”
    “There are two agents here from the Interspecies Bureau that would like to see you.”  I was wondering when they would show up.  I looked at my watch; it was nearly time to go to my mother’s. 
    “I’ll be right there,” I told her before quickly calling Samantha.
    “Can you meet me at Johanna’s desk?  The two agents from the Interspecies Bureau are here and I need to leave soon.  Do you think you can play hostess and keep an eye on them?”
    “Sure.  Is there anything that I should be wary about them searching?”
    “I don’t think so but if they request anything that makes you hesitate, call Joshua,” I suggested.  “Otherwise, I trust your judgment.  Mostly I think they are going to want to interview the staff.  If they want to do any real searching, I think they need a warrant, or we should at least clear it with Joshua.”
    “Alright, see you in a sec,” she said before hanging up.
    As I make my way to the reception area, I could hear Johanna offering the agents something to drink which they both politely declined.
    “Agents,” I said offering my hand first to Agent McCabe.
    “Good