Cooley's Panther — Jody Wallace

Miss Nicola Johansen, otherwise known as Cooley, relies on the predictability of her suburban subdivision to keep her feeling safe. When she spies a black panther slinking along her back fence in the wee hours of the morning, her comfortable life is shaken like a maraca. Repeated calls to the cops result in an investigation, and a finger of blame gets pointed at the mysterious man who lives down the street. Like the fact his yard is a disgrace wasn't enough reason to suspect that man of nefarious dealings--the animal pens behind his house are the clincher.

But what happens when Cooley finds out her mysterious neighbor isn't quite the scofflaw she assumed? What happens when she finds out he's absolutely...magnetic?

Length: Short Story (6000 words)