Wild Keepers

by Dee Bridgnorth

  Thad blinked rapidly. “It’s more involved than I first thought. They must be making billions of dollars. But the question remains—where are all the originals? They haven’t appeared on the black market. What is the organisation pulling the strings on this doing with it all? Where are they keeping it, and why?”

  “All good questions.” Shay slugged back his soda. “And I intend to find out. I ran a background check on the corporation that owns the building and the studio that Tess works in this morning. But it doesn’t seem to lead anywhere.”

  “What do you mean?” Thad was frowning.

  “A corporation owns it, but it’s a shelf company,” he answered. “With no headquarters and no information about who owns it. It seems to be a dummy, set up for this purpose. I should have known. It would have been too easy to trace. But I’ll keep investigating it.”

  “Good,” said Thad. “A trail always leads somewhere, although sometimes it takes a bit of digging to find it.” He stared at Shay, hard. “And you need to find as much information from this woman as possible. She could know something that might lead us to her employer.”

  Shay stiffened. “She doesn’t seem to. She said that she doesn’t ask many questions, for her own protection.”

  Thad laughed. “Well, she would say that, wouldn’t she? She might know more than what she is saying and is scared to admit it to you. You guys have only just reconnected after many years, Shay. She’s probably sussing you out as much as you are sussing her.”

  Shay nodded slowly. “Yeah, I know you’re right.”

  “Of course I am,” Thad said. He stared hard at Shay again. “Remember, don’t let your personal feelings about this woman cloud your judgement. You already know she works for a criminal organisation. Her morals are impeded. She might be a liar and a manipulator, as well. You would be well to take anything she says at face value, and investigate it afterwards.”

  Shay swallowed his drink, painfully. He knew that what Thad said was right, but it was still hard to believe that Tess could be such a different person from the girl that he had once known. The girl that he had loved.

  “Always have your guard up with her,” continued Thad. “Never give anything away more than you have to. Be strategic with the information you feed her. You must make her believe that you are exactly who you are claiming to be. That way, she will be lulled into thinking you are trustworthy, and might let slip information that could be useful.”

  Shay digested this slowly. He knew it all, of course. It wasn’t any different to any other case he had worked on, where he was undercover and trying to extract information. Not in the slightest. The only difference here was that it was Tess he had to play a part with.

  He took a deep breath. He could do it.

  “Shay,” said Thad hesitantly. “There is another angle you could take with her. Only do it if you feel you can control your feelings, though.”

  “What?” Shay stared at him.

  “Seduction,” said Thad pointedly. “It will establish trust quicker. You know that bed talk can reveal a lot.”

  Shay reddened, balking at the idea of calculatingly seducing Tess for information. He couldn’t go that far…could he?

  “She wouldn’t be interested,” he said quickly. “She only ever thought of me as a friend, all those years ago. And I wouldn’t be surprised if she was still in love with Eric, deep down.” He was amazed again at the anger that flared to life in him at the thought that could be true.

  “Things change,” said Thad dryly. “People change, as you know. Just keep it in mind. But it’s probably not the way to go in this case, anyway. You are too involved, and it could muddy the waters. You need to keep focused, Shay. Eyes on the prize.”

  “Eyes on the prize,” repeated Shay.

  “You can do it,” said Thad slowly. “You are beta shifter in our pack. My right-hand man. An integral part of the Wild Keepers. Never forget that. Our band of brothers is stronger than anything.”

  Shay nodded slowly. Yes. The Wild Keepers were everything. The band of brothers that had given his life its only meaning after what had happened all those years ago.

  He would never betray it. Not even for Tess, or rather, the girl that she had once been.

  Chapter Eight

  Shay sat at the bar, nursing a rum. He couldn’t think when he had last been this nervous.

  He cast an eye over the place. Not one of his usual haunts. This bar was in a hipster part of town, and it looked the part. There was a lot of stainless steel and exposed wood. The bartenders weren’t guys who looked like they had just served time, like where he frequented. Rather, they were all young and looked so cool he could imagine they had spent hours primping for their shift. Although they had as many tattoos as the ex-crims, he thought sardonically.

  He glanced down at himself. He had attempted to dress up, just a little. Well, a better pair of blue jeans than he usually wore, and a crisp green shirt. He didn’t look the part in here, but what the hell. He wasn’t a hipster and never would be.

  He took a sip of his drink. He was carefully controlling it; he didn’t want to be one-eyed by the time she finally walked in here. He glanced down at his watch. She had told him she would be here fifteen minutes ago. Had she gotten cold feet and stood him up?

  He had saved her phone number, of course. Should he text her, and just make sure he’d gotten the time and place right?

  But at that moment, the door opened, and she walked in. He watched her scanning the room, coolly. And then she saw him. She smiled slightly, then strolled slowly towards him. He felt his heart beginning to thud violently.

  She had changed out of her work clothes, of course. She was wearing a short, black lace dress that clung in all the right places, with high black boots that accentuated her long legs. Her long auburn hair had been twisted up into a casual top knot. She looked stunning, and she knew it. She was aware that just about every guy’s eye was on her as she walked towards him.

  His included. He could barely drag them away, and had to force himself to look down at his drink so she wouldn’t accuse him of gaping. He wouldn’t have been surprised to see his tongue starting to loll out of his mouth.

  She didn’t say anything as she climbed up on the stool next to him.

  “White wine, please,” she said to the bartender, flashing the guy a bright smile. Then she turned and studied him, her eyes narrowed.

  “Tess,” he said slowly. “Thanks for meeting me again.”

  She took a sip of the wine she had just been given. “Don’t be too thankful, Shay. I’m still not sure about you, but I thought I should give you a chance.” She paused. “For old time’s sake.”

  He raised his drink towards her. “To old time’s sake.”

  Tess stared at him then raised her wine glass. “Indeed.”

  They clinked glasses then both drank deeply.

  Shay could feel the drink starting to work its magic, taking the edge off his nerves. In a million years he would never have dreamed he would be sitting here beside her. For so long, she had been an impossible dream. The one that had gotten away. And now, she was a flesh and blood woman, even more beautiful than he had imagined.

  A woman who was a criminal, he reminded himself. He had to keep focused on that, and not let the powerful attraction that she still exerted on him take over. Even though he had told Thad that he was up to the task, it was different being here, sitting so close to her. Completely different. Harder than he had even thought it was going to be, and that was saying a lot.

  “Cat got your tongue?” She was staring at him. He could see the long line of her eyelashes, and smell her perfume. Something musky and sensual. “You are the one that wanted to keep in contact, Shay. And here I am.”

  “Here you are,” he said slowly, taking a deep breath. “You are looking wonderful, Tess. Even more beautiful than I remember.”

  She blinked rapidly, obviously not expecting that. “Thanks,” she said quickly. “Not bad for an old girl, hey? Hardly
sweet sixteen anymore.” She paused. “I’ve got a few battle scars, believe me. Life hasn’t exactly been easy, but I do my best.”

  He nodded. “None of us are young and wide eyed anymore,” he said. “I’ve been down a few thorny roads myself. I guess that’s to be expected.” He smiled. “I’m staring down the barrel of thirty. Now, that’s old.”

  She laughed. “Unbelievable, isn’t it? When we were teenagers, I couldn’t have ever imagined turning thirty someday. I thought it was ancient.”

  Shay nodded. “So did I,” he said ruefully. “I thought if you reached thirty it meant your life was over. But I suppose we should be grateful that we are still here, alive and able to talk about it in a bar.”

  Tess exhaled. “Yes. Eric never made it this far, did he? I wonder what he would have done with his life if he had the chance?”

  Shay laughed again, but it sounded brittle. “I’m not sure if Eric had any ambitions,” he said shortly. “Other than living in the moment. He wasn’t a guy who made grand plans for the future.”

  Tess gazed at him. “No, he didn’t. But that was what I liked about him—what everyone liked about him, really. He was so present, always wanting to wring as much fun or meaning out of an experience as he could.” She paused, looking down at the bar contemplatively. “Maybe he wasn’t meant to grow old. I couldn’t imagine him the age we are now. He will be forever seventeen, in his leather jacket, climbing onto his motorbike.”

  Shay swallowed painfully. That was the vision he had of Eric, as well. The guy who always tore through life, without giving a damn for the consequences. Bright-eyed and mischievous. His best friend since he was a child.

  Why had he changed, in those last few months of his life? He had always been reckless, but it was as if there was something else going on. Like Eric was a comet, burning through the sky, losing a little of himself at every step of the journey. Shay had tried to talk to him, but Eric had brushed it off. And done exactly as he damn well pleased, as always.

  And Shay had followed him, trying to pick up the pieces. Trying to stop him from self-destructing. It had been a useless task, of course. Eric was on his own trajectory through the sky.

  Shay cleared his throat, trying to fight back the memories. “Yeah, that’s how I remember him, too. He loved his bike.” He gazed at Tess. “I got a bike in his memory, when I was twenty-one. Now it’s a passion of mine as well. The guys that I live with are always ragging me for leaving parts around the place.”

  Tess stared at him. “Really? I can’t imagine you on a bike.”

  Shay laughed. “I’m actually a good rider, as it happens. And I sometimes go to meets around the country. I hit the road for a few days and talk to other bike nuts. I think of Eric being by my side, riding the highway with me.”

  Tess smiled slightly. “I’ve got a confession,” she said. “I know how to ride as well, Shay. And I learned for the same reason as you. Back at my place I keep a Harley in the garage, which I take out on holidays. A little thrill.”

  He stared at her, open mouthed. He would never in a million years have thought that Tess would be a motorbike enthusiast, let alone own a Harley Davidson, the king of all bikes. She had always been so…delicate, back in the day. Screwing up her nose at anything reckless along with the other cheerleader types. But then, he remembered how she had jumped him the other night, swinging him over like he was a piece of putty in her hands.

  Tess had changed, in more ways than he had even imagined. She was tough now.

  “Have you ever done the Pacific Highway from Carmel to Morro Bay?” He stared at her. “That’s fantastic.”

  Her eyes gleamed. “Yeah, I did that a couple of years ago,” she said. “And the Peak to Peak highway in Colorado. That was like a dream come true. The roads are so twisted—you really have to keep your mind and reflexes sharp. But riding past the Rocky Mountains is spectacular.”

  Shay gasped. “I’ve always wanted to do that one! But I have done the Tail of the Dragon.” He paused dramatically, waiting for her reaction. “The famous US 129 in North Carolina and Tennessee. Man, that is one awesome ride.”

  “No!” Her eyes widened. “That ride is legendary. I have wanted to do that for years. It is like the pinnacle for riding.”

  “Maybe we could ride it together one day,” he said slowly.

  She stared at him, her eyes wide. “Maybe,” she said. She took a long sip of her wine, then turned back to him. “So, tell me what happened after school ended, Shay. Why didn’t you end up becoming the lawyer you always dreamed of?”

  Shay drained his glass and ordered another. What could he tell her? With a sinking heart, he realised that real conversation had ended, and it was time to start playing his part. He wished with all his heart he could just sit here with her and talk about motorbikes, instead of what they were both doing with this art forgery operation. And his invented background, which was a part of the whole charade, of course.

  Wouldn’t it have been wonderful to truly be here with her, as themselves? But then he pulled himself up short. Tess was a criminal now. There was no way any of this could end well.

  He picked up his fresh drink and shrugged his shoulders. “I just didn’t have it in me,” he said. “After graduation, I just drifted for a while. And then I fell into this line of work. It pays well, and hasn’t let me down.”

  Tess’s eyes were wide. “But you were so passionate about studying law.” She paused. “Was it Eric’s death? Is that why you threw it all away?”

  Shay felt his heart hit the floor. It was true. That was the reason he hadn’t gone to law school. He just hadn’t been able to focus on it, and it had all seemed so pointless. He recognised now that he had still been grieving his best friend. And then, the opening with the Wild Keepers had come up, and he had never looked back.

  But Tess didn’t know about all that, and never would. She was just asking him, in a roundabout way, if he ever regretted being on the wrong side of the law.

  “Maybe,” he said, staring at her. “But let’s get one thing straight, Tess. I don’t have any regrets. I’ve chosen my path in life, and I’m okay with it. You must be the same, surely? I don’t think you dreamed of being an art forger back at high school, but you look happy now.”

  Tess’s eyes narrowed. “Of course not,” she said flippantly. “I was going to be the next Monet, remember? But thing’s change, and it led me down this road.” She paused. “I don’t have any regrets either, Shay. If people are stupid enough to buy forgeries, why not profit from it? And if I wasn’t doing it, someone else would be.”

  Shay nodded. “Agreed. I think you are smart. Using your talents to get yourself the lifestyle you want.” He paused. “It’s a dog eat dog world out there, Tess. We’ve just worked out that to survive we need to be a little…creative.” He smiled at her.

  Tess picked up her wine glass. “I’ll drink to that.” She took a long swig of her wine, then called the bartender over for another.

  Shay stared at her. One part of him still wanted to grab her and shake her. Demand to know what the hell she thought she was doing, playing with fire like this. Tell her that these people she worked for were dangerous, and that it wasn’t just a matter of making easy money with no risk involved. How could she be so flippant about it?

  “Is this your first job?” he asked, abruptly. “Doing forgery, I mean.”

  Tess gazed at him for a while then took another sip of her wine. “Yeah, my first. The opportunity came up and it was too good to resist.”

  “How did you get into it?” he asked. “I’ve established a network for this line of work, but if you were on the straight and narrow it would have been hard to find it.” He waited for the answer, staring at her steadily.

  Tess’s eyes narrowed. “What is this, the third degree? I didn’t realise when I suggested this meeting that I was agreeing to be interrogated.”

  Shay put his hands up in a gesture of surrender. “Just curious, that’s all. You never struck me as the type to
get into this line of work, and I was wondering how you managed it.” He paused. “Are you familiar with our employer?”

  Tess stared at him. “As familiar as I need to be. I’ve already told you I’ve got no idea who the person is. I deal with Mr. Gee, and that’s it.” She twirled the bracelet on her wrist. “I was kind of thinking that you might enlighten me. Seeing as how you have been in this line of work for so long.”

  Shay finished his drink. “The person, or persons, are unknown to me. I was given Mr. Gee as a contact point, and that’s all.” He sighed. “It’s often like that—the employer doesn’t want to reveal who they are, for security reasons, of course.”

  “So, how come you thought I would be familiar with them, then?” She stared at him.

  “I didn’t,” he replied. “It was just a question, Tess. We don’t know each other anymore. For all I know, you could be the person’s niece or something. I was just making the point that it’s hard to get into this line of work if you’ve never done it before. Especially something of this magnitude.”

  She smiled. “Well, I got lucky then, didn’t I?”

  Shay frowned. “Tess, I just want you to realise how risky this is,” he said. “It’s not just a matter of taking your wad of money and living happily ever after. If you do anything wrong, there will be consequences. It’s not money for nothing. If it was, everybody would be doing it.”

  Her smile widened. “Are you trying to warn me off it? I’m touched, Shay. It seems that you still have that protective instinct, which isn’t a bad thing.” She finished the last of her wine. “Are you trying to make amends for running off on me and leaving me to face the music all those years ago?”

  He flinched, almost as if she had struck him. “It wasn’t like that, Tess. I was only young myself and didn’t know how to handle the situation. I was trying to protect you…”

  “Until you didn’t,” she said, her voice hardening. “Don’t get me wrong—I didn’t need you to anyway. I saved myself that night. I just think it was a crappy thing to run off on me, after insisting that Eric didn’t need our help either. That he was brave and strong enough to handle it by himself.” She glared at him. “Except he wasn’t. He died that night.”