Don struggled to get away from the man, but the boy didn't have a chance. The stranger had an iron grip on the his arm.
Don pretended to be resigned to his fate, and stopped fighting. "If I only had my powers, you'd be begging for mercy," he thought.
Sedately stepping closer, Don sniffled. He kept his eyes down, and moved slowly.
"Ouch!" the man exclaimed, jerking his leg without loosening his grip.
Don grinned at the effect Taspirin's needle sharp puppy teeth had. He also took it as his cue to get away.
Simultaneously kicking the man's shin as hard as possible and jerking his arm loose, Don was free in an instant. He sprinted away without a backwards glance.
Taspirin released the ankle he had been chewing on, and moved in front of the man. Officer Colmes tripped over the puppy, and landed hard.
Taspirin streaked away, joining his partner in crime.
The two demons stopped behind an old gas station and store combination. Don grimaced as he looked around at the trash strewn area.
"There's probably cops all over the place. That guy knew us, and knew what I did. We need to get out of here, now. I'll have to get some hair dye, for both of us."
The puppy's eyes glowed an angry red, but he nodded.
Don casually strolled to the front, and entered. "This place is a dump, but at least nobody's around," he thought.
After tucking two dusty bottles of hair dye under his arm, one black and one blonde, he headed out the door. "I wonder why they didn't lock the door," he mused.
When he was several yards away, he heard something behind him. Turning partway without stopping, Don saw two uniformed officers blocking the entrance.
Preparing to run, Don was grabbed by a young officer. She had been waiting behind a grey pickup, which was missing its front left tire.
As she tightened her grip, she spoke. "Don't be afraid, we're here to help you."
Twisting, kicking, and cursing, he almost managed to escape again. She snapped a handcuff to her own wrist, then his.
When he stopped struggling, Don saw Taspirin in the arms of an older officer, trying unsuccessfully to squirm his way to the ground.
Officer Colmes walked up to Don, obviously still hurting from the sharp kick. "I've phoned your parents, and your Dad would like to talk to you."
Don glared at the man, and the sleek black phone he was offering him. "Well I don't want to talk to him."
The woman to whom he was handcuffed looked thoughtfully at the boy, then the puppy. "Excuse me, Mr. Colmes. I know this might seem unbelievable, but I've seen something similar. I have good reason to suspect the boy and dog might not be human."
His eyes widened, for just a second. "It's certainly a strange case. What is your theory, Miss Russels?"
She looked around at the growing crowd, and moved towards the gas station. Nobody tried to follow. "I think the boy and dog are possessed by demons," she whispered.
The undercover policeman considered the facts, going over the events in his mind. "That would explain a few things... if this is the case, what would you suggest?"
She looked down at her chest, where an antique looking gold medallion rested, almost invisible. "I know a priest in Stoneville who studied in Rome. He specializes in exorcisms."
The instant she said the word exorcisms, Don tried unsuccessfully to drag her away with him.
Officer Colmes grinned. "Seems you hit a nerve."
To read the whole series, click here
Cover image made in Canva Pro using their gallery