McAllister Justice Series Box Set Volume Two

by Reily Garrett

  “Its already been dumped in my lap, and the sooner I straighten it out, the sooner I stop enjoying dog hair as a condiment. What else do you know?”

  “If I don’t tell you, you’ll go at this anyway. Am I right?”

  “You got it, babe.”

  “Let’s set the record straight. First, I’m no one’s babe. You can save the endearments for your groupies. Two, I call the shots because I understand a lot more of this shit than you, and I don’t want to involve anyone who isn’t necessary.”

  “Fine, you’re not the babe type anyway.” The lie tasted foul on his tongue. It’s just abstinence making me cranky.

  “Because I can read and write?”

  “Because you carry a gun and encourage your dog to bite people. Do you keep her on your payroll as an assistant? Sounds expensive.”

  “No money changes paws. I just reward her by letting her bite the next asshole we come across. Today was your lucky draw.”

  A long pause ensued, her mental wheels spinning yet obviously finding little traction for refusal of his help.

  “All right. Jackie was contacted by a doctor at CSV Pharmaceuticals who specialized in studying theta and other brain waves. He gave her information to blow the whistle on the biggest attempted coup ever. The next day, he was killed during a mugging—by a street bum who had no former record or known inclination for violence.”

  “Coup? What are they trying to control?”

  “Anyone they decide to microchip. With the research and players involved, I imagine Portland is a testing ground after the failure in Dover. As far as their grand plan—I don’t know.”

  “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry about your friend.” Flashbacks of his partner dropping in slow motion after taking a slug in the neck made him pause. Lucas hadn’t felt the bullet slamming into his leg until he crumpled to the ground. That video clip replayed in his dreams on a nightly basis.

  “What division did you work?”

  “Drugs.” He couldn’t discuss his current situation without erupting in barely controlled rage. “Let’s eat this on the patio.” He accepted the plate of eggs, toast, and scrapple after pouring them each a cup of coffee.

  “You mean the patch of churned-up grass?”

  “Yeah, well, I’ll get around to finishing it, eventually.” Even a small change of scenery would help divert his attention from the bloody incident instigating his impending retirement. “We can tackle this mess better on a full stomach.”

  Following him outside, his guest deigned to leave her tranq gun behind, apparently deciding he wasn’t an imminent threat. The fact she’d regulated the dose for an average-sized man put her either in the category of medical worker or hunter. Despite her threat to end him, she didn’t have the killer instinct. She’d defend her life, but not take another unless forced. The way she fidgeted and pinched her lips between her teeth were the most telling cues.

  Correct assessment of body language in his work meant the difference between life and death. And Millner’s dead.

  Scrambled eggs suddenly tasted like ash.

  “So, what do you do when not snooping on deviant corporations?”

  “Train dogs.”

  Lucas cast a glance at Leyna, busy digging a hole in his back yard. “I see. How’s that working out for you?”

  “How’d you get hurt?”

  He should’ve expected the offensive yet wasn’t prepared to go into detail. “Tripped while fighting an old lady.”

  “Uh-huh. She get the jump on you that quick, did she?”

  The low rumble of a familiar engine ended with an expectant quiet. Matt’s visit wasn’t anticipated so soon. Megan’s quick gasp and lurch to her feet brought her canine friend to attention. Growls and stiff posture foreshadowed a hostile encounter.

  “Hey, take it easy. It’s just my older brother coming to babysit. He’s probably bringing Damien, his dog, so I hope your excavating mutt is friendly.”

  Shaking fingers grabbed the shepherd’s collar. “No, Leyna. Sit.” Instant obedience didn’t sway the dog’s obvious thoughts or the slight rumbling from her chest.

  Lucas crossed his feet at the ankles and waited. Several minutes later, Matt opened the slider and watched as the two dogs sniffed their greeting.

  “Sorry, Luc. I didn’t know you still had company. Where’s all your shit?”

  “Hi, bro. What a surprise.”

  Without hesitation, the elder McAllister approached Megan with outstretched hand. “Hi. I’m Matt. You must be Shelly?”

  “Um, yeah. How are ya?” The slight twang and slouching posture wouldn’t fool a painter, much less a seasoned detective.

  “You can call her Megan.”

  “Megan?” Matt’s sotto voice and pointed stare indicated he’d wait until Hell froze over for an answer.

  “Just go with it, dude. She’s gonna be here a while.” Lucas rubbed Damien’s chest and scratched behind his ears after the dog rubbed his good leg.

  “Sounds like…fun?” Turning to Megan, Matt added, “Are you a therapist? I didn’t see your car parked out front.”

  “She checked her ride in the broom closet.”

  “Very funny, Lucas.” Megan’s scrutiny zeroed in on her housemate. “Does he need a therapist? I assumed he wasn’t dangerous.”

  “As long as you don’t feed him after midnight, expose him to sunlight, or get him wet.” Matt tilted his head, studying his younger brother.

  “Why, does he have an aversion to bathing or working outside?”

  “No. That’s just my obnoxious brother needling me.” Irritation wouldn’t cut his sibling’s visit short. For the life of him, Luc couldn’t fake his pre-injury persona.

  “Is that why there’s a dart gun on the kitchen counter? What the hell’s going on, Luc?”

  “Not now, Matt. Go away and let me sort this out for myself.” Lucas stood, not wanting to take the time for explanations. “I’ll call you later. We’re gonna need some help from you guys and Lexi. But for now, I need to figure out how big this thing is and get my shit together. Meanwhile, don’t go snooping. It’s not safe.”

  Matt looked from Luc to Megan, then back. “I’m not leaving until I know what’s going on. Does this have anything to do with your partner’s death?”

  “No! Now leave it be. I’ll call when I’m ready.”

  Whether to irritate his younger brother or following an established pattern, Matt sat in a chair and rested one ankle on the other knee. “Well, Megan. Have a seat and I’ll tell you all about my obnoxious little brother. First, someone explain the broken window.”

  Megan sat in the opposite chair, a half grin signaling her willingness to listen. “Well—”

  “Her dog did it.” Lucas grinned.

  Sitting back in her chair, Megan opened her mouth and shut it, twice.

  “I see. Now explain the gun.” Matt looked to Megan, expectantly.

  “Lucas called the local animal shelter and said he had raccoons raiding his trash cans. I came out to set traps. I like to be prepared.”

  Matt hiked an eyebrow up and snorted. “Come across anything yet?” Matt offered his hand out for the white shepherd to sniff. Leyna approached and received the obligatory chest rub.

  Megan’s reply and direct eye contact belied her assertion. “I heard a grizzly, but haven’t seen anything that got me excited.”

  Luc shook his head. “Maybe something’s wrong with your eye sight.”

  “Leyna’s a white shepherd?” Matt studied the dog, nodding his approval. “What lines?”

  “Hungarian working, but with a straight back.” Megan smiled at her protector before tilting her head and asking, “Tell me, what’s it like to grow up with Luc as a brother?”

  “I’m the oldest of five. I—”

  “And the unofficial inquisitor, caretaker, and meddler of all.”

  “Has he always been such a sourpuss?”

  “No. That’s a recent acquisition. You work for animal control?” Matt asked, trading
question for question.

  “Hmm, I’ve learned that some animals can’t be controlled, no matter what tactics you employ.” Megan smirked in Luc’s direction.

  Matt sighed and relaxed in his chair, obvious frustration with Megan’s lack of pertinent disclosure furrowing his brow. “How’s life on the other side of the coin?” Disapproval ceded to grudging respect as conversation wended through antics of the past and some of Luc’s more embarrassing adolescent moments.

  “Matt, she doesn’t need to hear about a bunch of teenagers skinny-dipping.”

  “How else will she determine you’re not always so prickly?”

  “She’s not going to give you the information you want. She’s smarter than that, so you may as well give up.” Luc sighed. Knowing his brother’s intentions upon arrival, he had hoped Megan would hold her own. She did. And then some. Yet at no point had she offered a glimpse into what made her into the woman capable of fending off an attack, shooting her aggressor, and then binding him for interrogation.

  Grumbled admonitions about stubborn asses trailed Matt and Damien through the slider. It went against every grain in his older brother to walk away from a sibling in trouble, especially concerning an ill-defined threat.

  Luc’s struggle to regain his mental equilibrium had jostled everyone around him. He needed time to define his new path.

  “Sounds like he just wanted to help. You sure are touchy.” Megan finished the last of her coffee.

  “He sticks his nose where it’s not wanted.”

  “Is that hereditary or just a familiar trait?”

  “You’re talking to me about familiars? You’re the one with the dog. Though I thought black cats were more common, not to mention smarter.” Luc found goading his new guest a most welcome diversion. A lithe body and sharp wit proved an enticing combination. When her eyes flashed in anger, the trifecta of attributes monopolized his attention.

  It wasn’t until he and Megan had gone back inside that he realized the reports which had been neatly stacked were now strewn across the counter. Megan’s two identities lay side by side.

  “Oh shit. I know he used his phone to take pictures.” Luc read Matt’s note beside the research. “What the fuck?”

  The meddling had just begun.

  Megan’s plate thumped on the counter as her face paled with each successive breath.

  “Don’t faint. I’ll call and tell him to stay off official channels.”

  Chapter Six

  A month ago, Lucas dominated the playing field in detective work and wouldn’t have left himself open to discovery. Now, he’d have to call Matt, which meant giving information to obtain silence in return. “Shit. Shit. Shit.” He glared at Megan. Damn knit fabrics.

  “Hey, it’s not my fault. I was guaranteed privacy when I rented this place.”

  “From a fraudulent or nonexistent company.”

  “There was no way I could have known that.” Megan opened the slider. “I’ll be out on your nonexistent patio while you make your call.”

  Cool air whisked her hair back and brought color to her cheeks when she turned to add, “Life continues to lob hand grenades at every turn. Why is that?”

  “I’ll let you know when I figure it out.” It seemed her only constant was a dog, who didn’t understand the concept of deceit, probably kept her warm at night, and loved without a barter system. If Leyna were human, she’d be the perfect partner. Regardless of their initial meeting, the animal was starting to grow on him.

  Sudden snarling directed their attention to the dog bolting toward the woods with tail out and snarls filling the air. The predator had her objective in sight.

  If he wasn’t fast enough, Luc would shoulder the blame for the dog’s mishap. He couldn’t see what the animal had targeted.

  “Leyna, no!” Megan’s third step ended with her freezing in place, her right foot three inches off the ground. “What is that?”

  With a bum leg and worse attitude, Luc couldn’t stop the collision. The firm grip on her waist kept them from landing in a tangle of limbs while her softer form just fit. Reminding her of her substantial strength now wouldn’t be seen as a compliment.

  Despite his earlier taunts using the phone, he knew better than to mix business with pleasure. He would no more admit to the begrudging, mutual attraction than she would.

  “Oomph, klutz. Pay attention to where you’re going.”

  Megan’s pointed regard warned him to remove his hands. “Sorry. Is she after a deer? I thought you said you trained dogs.”

  “Not unless your deer use field glasses. The sun glinted off something metallic a good bit off the ground. Probably binoculars.” Patting her thigh, she again called her dog.

  Lucas thrust Megan behind him. “Leyna. Come!” Though Luc had dealt with his partner’s killer, they’d not rounded up the gang’s ring leaders. Due to his injury and involvement, his brothers kept him updated on the continuing investigation. As a result, all could have targets on their backs.

  Leyna’s forward momentum slowed, ending with a growl before returning to Megan’s side.

  Luc hauled Megan back into the house, closing the door after Leyna trotted over the threshold. “You and furface stay here. Keep the doors locked until I return. Got it?”

  Dubious consent came in the form of a frown and pursed lips.

  Minutes later and with gun in hand, he eased out the front door. All I wanted was a few weeks peace and quiet with no family or friends telling me how sorry they are. Instead, I come home to a gun-wielding nightmare. He’d never been a whiner.

  Fifty yards of clear space surrounded his cabin centered in thirty wooded acres, the home deemed secluded enough to deter visitors. Three other nearby cabins stood empty with the approach of winter.

  He’d anticipated family being his biggest obstacle to serenity until used to the idea of his early retirement. The constant projects requiring his special attention had grown old. His PI brother had already made room for a partner. As if I wanna spend my evenings peeking through windows watching elbows and assholes.

  Morning sunlight had burned off mist shrouding low-lying shrubs. Absence of the foggy blanket would allow a trespasser sight of any figure darting for the northern tree line.

  His fading limp slowed progress and offset any attempt at stealth. Universal anger forged a shield reminiscent of cheesecloth. In his current mindset, he’d rather take another bullet than admit to a physical deficiency.

  Narrow deer trails offered less grabbing thorns and reaching briars until a ravine hampered his progress. Its passage would have challenged an athlete. Pain in his knee shot up his thigh and hindered his gait, while silent curses filled his mind with each stumble.

  The dog’s acknowledgment of an intruder made furtive movements a wasted effort. The quarry would be long gone. Angling toward the visual marker, Luc stopped near a large elm towering over smaller saplings. Among the dead branches at its base, an array of smudged footprints caught his attention. One set remained intact, made in haste during retreat. Its distinct pattern detailed the path of his uninvited guest. His brother would make a cast, and it would probably be the most common tread in the US. A scan of the limbs overhead showed several cut and removed to provide a better sight line.

  He was in no shape to track and realized he’d have to involve his brothers, sooner rather than later. “Shit. Not that it matters. Matt’s probably all over it by now.”

  After canvassing the surrounding area, he found another tree used for spying. Distinctive boot prints around the base would remain shaded throughout the day. Unlike the first set of tracks, dirt around the edges had begun to dry and had lost a bit of detail. They also contained frost crystals which the first set lacked. Considering the difference in tread, they were under surveillance by a two-man team.

  If the intent was to capture Megan, they could’ve accomplished that task upon her arrival. Not only was there a significant amount of broken foliage where they’d made their climb, they’d come prepared
to increase their perimeter for surveillance.

  In returning to his cabin, Luc pondered the facts. Megan could be the target, but if someone waited for Luc’s return, she was in danger by staying.

  The picture greeting him when entering the lodge gave him pause. Megan stood, half sheltered by the fridge, with dart gun in hand. It was aimed waist high. He hadn’t remembered her fingers shaking when he’d looked down its barrel.

  “Either you think I’m incompetent of protecting my home or I’m in league with the mysterious them. Which is it?”

  “Hey. They killed a friend of mine. One who knew how to cover her tracks and hide. They also murdered one of their own doctors. What makes you better than Jackie?”

  “How about years on a drug task force.”

  “What kind of bonehead marches out into the open?”

  “They were long gone, scared off by your fearless mutt.”

  “Wait…they? You think there was more than one?”

  “Unless the perp wears a different set and size of boots for each tree he climbs—then yes. There was more than one.”

  “Shit.”

  “I’m surprised Fido hasn’t kicked up a duster before today.”

  “Well, she has. I just thought she wanted to chase a deer or wild animal.”

  “Humph, only the ones using modern technology.”

  “Why haven’t they come for me?”

  “Maybe they’re looking for something in particular. Maybe it’s someone after me.”

  “It’s the chip. Jackie sent a chip with the reports, but it wasn’t in the package.”

  “Maybe she couldn’t get it to send.”

  “No, the package had been opened before I got to it. Someone has it.”

  “But not the thugs from CSV Pharmaceuticals.” Lucas again wondered about the scope of the conspiracy surrounding them.

  “No, not CSV. Who else would want it?” Megan ran her fingers through her hair, a distracted gesture ending with the waist-length locks wrapped around her fingers. “A rival company?”

  “Don’t know. That’s another thing we have to figure out.”

  “Yeah, before they get tired of waiting and decide to ask about it. It’s a good thing I have Leyna, otherwise we wouldn’t have known they were out there.” Megan knelt by the shepherd’s side, throwing her arms around the dog’s neck and hugging her tight.