Snippet #2602999

Anna stared at the telegram operator for a long moment, her gaze a deadly cold calm. Part of her wanted to lash out, it would not be the first time a Dog had done so against someone who did not respect their God given authority, but to do so would only prove the fool's point that a woman was weaker for such an emotional outburst. She inhaled slowly, quietly, before she spoke.

"Tell me, sir," Anna said, her voice sharp to a razor's edge, and her hands resting on her belt to clearly display her whip and revolver, "Do you remember what the Prophet said? Blessed are those who follow the path the Lord has set before them, let them be judged only by the Lord. My mother's path was to raise a Faithful daughter. Mine is to hunt down the enemies of the Faith. Are you so free of sin as to judge those around you? Tell me, are you an ordained preacher? A member of the Holy Family?

"Do you consider yourself wiser than the Prophet?" She continued to stare hard at the operator, not waiting for a response. "I think not. If you give even the slightest concern for the lives of your Faithful brethren, you will do as I say. If you do not, then I do not see why you are not among those suspect of these crimes. Now, if you would be so kind as to fetch the records of the past week's telegrams."

Anna turned back to the Sheriff, giving him a polite smile as if she had not just stared down the other man with her look of cold fury. "I understand your concern, Sheriff, and I would certainly hope and you and your people could apprehend anyone who attempted to escape. But you must understand, and you must convey this do them, that there is a serpent lurking in this town, who murdered Jacob Cobbs, who is with those who have butchered innocents and taken children. Once the rest of the Pack has returned we can search the town more efficiently, but for the moment I need to ensure that the culprit will not escape. You will only need to do this for a few days, at most. The Lord's justice is swift."