What Happened in the Forest

A Meeting with Swan

Mara hummed to herself as she walked into the police station the next day for her meeting with Chief Swan. She felt like she was finally getting somewhere with the story and was determined to push him for more answers.

The families of the victims deserved to know how their loved ones truly died. And if the police weren't going to deal with it, then she would.

"Hey, missed you last night," a voice said.

Mara stopped and nearly jumped, not hearing Mike step up to her side. She glanced over at Swan sitting at his desk in his office, but then turned back to the deputy, pasting a smile on her face. She felt slightly guilty about forgetting to text him.

"Sorry about that. I guess I got so caught in work that I forgot to check in with you," she said, tucking her hair behind her right ear. "Hazard of being a reporter."

Mike smiled and shrugged as he put his hands in his pockets.

"It's not a big deal. Figured as much. We could try again tonight if you're free. Surely even reporters get a night off," he said, leaning towards her.

Mara quickly tried to come up with an excuse. An odd sensation filled her stomach at the thought of meeting him for drinks. Which was ridiculous. She wasn't dating anyone - had literally just met Embry - so why did it matter if she went for a couple beers with Mike?

But still... it didn't set well with her for some reason.

"Can I get back to you?" she asked. "I mean, I've started on some good leads and my editor really wants me to focus on the story right now. He's got me doing overtime just to get updates."

"Not a problem. I understand," Mike said. "Just let me know, yea?"

"Sure," Mara said, watching as he started back towards his desk. She then took a deep breath and exhaled as she turned back towards the chief's office and walked in, shutting the door behind her. "Morning, Chief Swan."

"Take it you're here about the coroner's report," he said, sitting back in his chair as Mara sat across from him.

"It was a bit scant, like the others," she stated.

"Thought it was pretty straight forward. They're all animal attacks," he said.

Mara studied him a moment before leaning towards the desk.

"There's something else going on here, Chief Swan. I know it. And I'm pretty sure you know it too," she said, fixing him in a stern scowl. "Now, I've been nice and I'm grateful for all the information that you've been giving me, but I think it's time that we were straight with each other."

"Just want makes you think something out of the ordinary is going on?" he asked, keeping his face neutral.

"This isn't the first time you've had strange deaths," she said bluntly. "Did you tell everyone out in La Push to keep things from me as well?"

"You went out to La Push?" he asked, his eyebrows rising.

"Stop playing with me. I know you know I was there," Mara replied.

Charlie sighed and looked around his desk.

"Look, Ms. Winslow. Truthfully, I don't know what's out there doing this. I know they look like animal attacks. And I've got an entire town on edge afraid to go out of their houses," he said. "I understand why you may think there is something strange going on or that there's some sort of cover-up, but the last thing Forks needs is some newspaper reporter riling everyone up with conspiracy theories."

Mara frowned as she straightened up in her chair.

"They're not conspiracy theories," she replied.

She didn't have much evidence other than what she had felt at the crime scenes, but she didn't want him to know that. And it wasn't as though she could tell him how she knew they weren't animal attacks.