“What? Why in the hell would he do that?”
“Isa!” Collier snarled. “What the hell were they doing down here that night? What did you say to Amy that finally pushed her too far?”
“Nothing,” he said. Amy was a little pissed. She seemed to believe he was the reason she couldn’t have Isa and he was.
He hadn’t wanted them together now especially after what had happened four months ago. One of the club members had gone hunting on his own and gotten caught. He was going to be convicted of rape and murder of an FBI agent.
None of them could allow him to go to trial.
“Are you sure she didn’t find something at Clive’s?” Collier asked. “She wasn’t holding it over you? I know he kept souvenirs, we all do, but you two had a bond.”
They hadn’t had a bond really, just a fondness for two of the same women. Jerry had his own memories of the times with those women, but he couldn’t be sure Amy hadn’t found something damning on him at Clive’s.
“She could have found something on us all,” Collier cut into his thoughts. “You need to check it out.”
“I’m on it,” he gritted.
“Amy sent a file that night, and it’s still out there,” Collier said. “She saw.”
“Trace the electronic trail,” Jerry ordered at the knock on his office door. “I’ve got to go. Get back to me with what you find.” He ended the call, glad he’d elected to hire a human secretary. She wouldn’t have heard a single word if that busy-body was even at her desk. “Come in.”
The door opened and Cadillac strode in clad in a cheap suit, but he didn’t pay the man for his suits. He was security and deceptively kind.
Jerry’s eyes narrowed as they swept over him. He didn’t see anything that looked like a box or an envelope in his hands and his stomach tightened in apprehension.
“Where is it?” Jerry demanded.
Cadillac came to a stop before his desk and reached into the back pocket of his brown uniform pants. He removed something and tossed it onto the desk.
“What is that?” Jerry demanded. “It’s too small to be a journal or anything else.” He jerked the folded sheet up and carefully unfolded it thinking there had to be a microchip or SD card.
Amy had been good with computers. She’d know how to hide information without it being found by the not too tech savvy like him.
Jerry,
Amy was right. I can no longer ignore the kind of man you are. I won’t allow you to continue to try to control my life. I think it’s time I shared the truth of what you really are with the pack.
Your killer boys club will be exposed, and you’ll all pay for the lives you’ve taken. Amy has more than enough proof to ensure you all get what you’ve dished out.
I have put some safeguards in place, in the last few days in case you get me. I know Amy must be dead by now, or she would have come home. Those texts you’ve been sending me to make me think she’s still alive is what made me certain I needed to remove all information and hide it someplace else. I think Mallory will find it eventually.
I’m sure she and Samarra will love watching you hang.
Goodbye.
“Shit,” he muttered and smashed his fist against his desk. Bitch was trying to reach out from the grave to fuck with him.
Jerry got to his feet wiping a hand over his mouth. He’d suspected Amy had known more than she’d let on. She’d been too smug. He’d planned to find out after he returned from Hartsland to make sure she didn’t interfere in his plans to take over the former Gray Tail den.
Now, he had to find the proof and his guess was that waitress might have it.
“This was all there was?” Jerry demanded as he shoved a hand into the pocket of his slacks.
“Yeah, but Amy’s sister said she’d been to Mystic Storage a few times recently with Amy. I’ll call Tucker and see if I can get access to her locker.”
“Do that,” Jerry told him tightly. He had to get that information before the waitress did or Mallory might not be the only one in a cell.
“I’ll take care of it on my lunch break,” he said. “I need to get on shift.”
“You do,” Jerry agreed, but he didn’t sit down when Cadillac exited. He was a little too tightly strung. The animal in him needed to run off some of this tension, but he couldn’t. He had a meeting in less than fifteen minutes with someone wanting a loan to build an addition to their home.
Jerry paced behind his desk as he repeated a calming mantra.
This was not over.
Chapter Thirteen
After giving up her DNA, Mica headed outside to wait for Kamari. On the stoop, she found Samarra finishing up a call. The anger in her eyes matched the tension pulling Mica’s body tight.
“What’s going on?” Mica asked.
“Mal was arrested, and I’m waiting for her to be arraigned,” she said. “Our lawyer thinks she’ll get bail, but all of her accounts will be frozen to ensure she doesn’t skip town.”
Mica nodded. “Will she be able to make bail?”
“Not without liquidating some of her assets, but I’ll cover her,” Samarra said.
“What about the meeting with the Coalition? How did that go?”
“Before her arrest, the Coalition was on her ass about turning Sydney over to Connie’s family for animal justice. I got a call from the chairman, screaming about sanctions against Snow Fur after she was arrested.”
“What are they talking about doing?” Mica asked tightly.
“They want to take the pack over and place one of their own people in charge,” Samarra said. “They’re also considering voting to sanction me for taking over Gray Tail. They said in light of the charges against Mallory and the suspicions that I might be involved, an inquest will be conducted against Sydney and me.”
“And if found guilty, they’ll take the pack from you,” Mica said and growled. “That fucking bastard.”
“Not only that, they’ll enact animal law against the three of us and Cambrie.”
“To kill her, so they can gain the land legally,” Mica muttered. “We can’t let this happen.” Cambrie had power no animal did, so she’d possibly survive, and so would Sydney. But Mallory wasn’t a shadow.
She was alpha-tough, but she might not be able to take on all of Isa’s family at once and live.
“I know,” Samarra said. “Normally we’d be bound by the Coalition’s findings, but I’ll withdraw to protect both packs.”
“But you won’t be able to call on them for help or prevent them from moving against us.” And the wolves will seize the opportunity to take down coyotes since none of them were too keen on women alphas.
“It’s a risk but if we can’t get the killer, whoever it is, I’ll be taking it,” Samarra told her evenly. “I’m not asking anyone to come along for the ride. You’ll all be free to walk.”
Mica snorted. “Like that will happen. Sydney and I aren’t going to leave you hanging. Anyway, I just left Kamari, and I think Isa was killed to shut her up as well as create this mess.”
“By?” Samarra shifted her weight from one foot to the other.
“I don’t know. We’re still at square one on that, but Kamari did take the keys, and she went to the storage locker. She didn’t tell me everything she found, but she gave me an SD card with some video on it.”
“And?”
“I haven’t had a chance to check it out yet, but there could be a problem,” she said.
“Something worse?”
Mica told her about Kamari’s sister and the tie.
“That’s the last thing we need,” Samarra muttered. “Help her find the killer, don’t, but don’t be taken in by this girl, Mica. I still think she’s a plant, and you need to do whatever it takes to get that tie.”
“I’m not sure I agree with that,” Mica said. Just looking into her eyes, Mica knew she’d do almost anything for Kamari except bottom or allow Kamari to destroy her pack.
“Just don’t forget where your tru
e loyalties lie,” Samarra told her. “I have to get to the bank. We’ll talk later.”
The soft scent of orchid-rose drifted to her and Mica turned as Kamari stepped out into the sunshine. The wind caressed her, blowing the soft strands of her hair around her face.
Kamari brushed it back and her blouse lifted, giving her a view of a swatch of skin exposed by the ride-up of her shirt. Mica swallowed tightly, getting wet just thinking about Kamari naked.
“Ready to go?” Mica asked huskily. Her wolf just might be the real problem here. The damned animal was so wet for Kamari, Mica could drown the bastard in it.
“I can find my own way home,” Kamari commented coolly.
“I don’t doubt it, but let’s go,” she said. Damn it. The woman was too hot for words and such a pain in her ass.
Kamari descended the steps with Mica next to her.
“What did he want to talk to you about?”
“Last night,” Kamari answered. “I didn’t tell him about the tie. That would profit me nothing at this stage.”
“Or ever,” Mica said moving closer to her.
“Believe it or not, Mica, I don’t want to hurt you or your pack,” Kamari said softly as she looked at her. “I just want the person or people who killed my sister to pay.”
“And they will. Whoever these people are,” Mica told her, leaning closer to her, the coyote wanting to drag her scent in and roll around in it. She did have pretty eyes, too.
“Then you don’t have to worry about me betraying you.”
Mica reached to tuck a strand of hair behind Kamari’s ear. She shivered and Mica forced herself not to taste her soft lush mouth.
“We better get moving,” Mica said withdrawing from her.
“I agree,” Kamari said breathlessly. “Anyway. I have some research to do.”
“On what?”
“Isa. Amy. I get the feeling there’s more information out there, and I want to beat Jerry to it.”
“I have a few things to do. I’ll see you later,” Mica said.
****
After dropping Kamari off, Mica headed to Mystic to check out Isa’s apartment. She didn’t know what she might find, but sneaking in was easy. Their alarm system was too basic to keep her out, and once she was in, Mica wasn’t surprised to find the mess of the living area.
The desk in the corner was messed up, with the chair turned over. A plant had been knocked over and the cushions left in a rucked-up heap. The curtains were neatly closed, refusing to allow even a peek out.
Mica pulled a pair of black driving gloves from her pocket and went through the desk. There was nothing to find. Any computer that had been there was gone, along with anything that could have been external storage.
Mica checked the kitchen not thinking there would be anything there. She spied a note on the fridge along with a calendar. Mallory’s name was penciled in for the day of her murder.
That’s when Mica decided to look for anything connected to Mallory. She headed to the bedroom which was less of a mess with dresser drawers open, but no clothes tossed on the floor.
The room was frilly in red and white and smelled of fading perfume and sweat. Someone else had been here and from the scent, it had been a man. Men’s sweat smelled different than women’s.
Mica glanced around then pulled open the drawers on the bedside table. She found nothing of interest and moved on to the dresser and then the closet. With rumpled blankets on a shelf, it was clear the place had been searched.
She started to step out and the floor creaked beneath her foot. She thought it was just a loose floor board at first then bent for a closer look and found the carpet slightly damaged. Mica felt around attempting to remove or lift it, and finally it gave.
Inside a small box, she found a journal along with a scrapbook. Opening the scrapbook first, she found it filled with pictures of Isa and Amy and love notes to Isa.
Mica set it aside for later and opened the journal to the marked page. It was dated the day before Isa was killed.
I’ve accepted the truth. Amy has to be dead and I am next. I have to get out of the state, but I’m not sure that will even be enough distance to keep me safe.
Everything is in place. I don’t think he’ll find the rest of the items before he kills me. And he probably will get me before I can leave. I’ll have to contact Mallory. There’s no choice, but I don’t know if even she can protect or help me. Jerry already wants her dead or in jail. If she gives me sanctuary, he’ll go after her.
But what choice do I have? I have to tell someone what Jerry and the others do, what they did. The monsters have to be stopped before they kill someone else and the Coalition destroys our town.
Chapter Fourteen
Kamari turned off the whistling tea kettle and poured water over the tea bag before retrieving lemon. As she squeezed some into the cup, there was a rap on the door. She set the bottle down and went to look out the peep hole.
With a frown, she pulled the door open. Mica stood there, hair a little damp with a bag in hand. She wore faded jeans cinched with a gold belt and a gold button-down.
“It’s after eight. What are you doing here?” Kamari asked.
Mica’s gaze swept down her, taking in the slip she used for a gown and socks. Her hair fell over her shoulder in a ponytail.
“Is it too late for a little dessert?”
Kamari lifted her brows in query, her mind working furiously to try to figure out what Mica was up to. She’d told her earlier she couldn’t be with her on her terms, so why was she here?
“Sure. Coffee with that?”
“If you have it,” Mica said. “Don’t go to any trouble.”
“No, it’s fine,” Kamari replied as she stepped back to let Mica come in. “It shouldn’t take more than a minute or two. I was just having some tea.”
“Really?”
Her voice was low, almost strangled and Kamari threw a look over her shoulder to find Mica’s eyes on her ass. She knew the slip didn’t really cover much but was sure it covered her backside and the lacy little cheeky panties she’d pulled on after her bath.
Underwear was one of her guilty pleasures. She didn’t just reserve it for hot dates either.
“So, what brings you by?” she asked after entering the kitchen and going to the counter to make the coffee.
“Just taking a break,” Mica said. “I went to Isa’s to snoop around. Someone else had beat me there. The scent smelled vaguely familiar, but I couldn’t place it.”
“Oh?” Kamari turned after getting the coffeemaker going and Mica was leaning casually against the counter. The very counter they’d had sex against mere hours ago.
“Someone broke into her place, but I’m sure Jenner has been there. His people just aren’t as thorough as they should be. Either that or crooked cops went tearing through the place.”
“Which do you think?” Kamari asked keeping her eyes on Mica’s face with effort, but her body was remembering the feel of her hands, the taste of her kiss and her blood was turning to lava in her veins.
“Crooked cops,” she murmured and her gaze wandered. “I found a journal and scrapbook. Isa was not sleeping with Mallory. Mallory was training her to be a submissive for Amy.”
“That’s not a surprise.” Kamari smiled. “She didn’t strike me as Mallory’s type.”
“No.” Mica agreed. “Mallory likes submissive girls with a little more fire. So do I.”
Kamari cleared her throat. “Cream? Sugar?”
“Both would go good with a taste of you,” Mica said softly, but didn’t unbend.
Kamari shot her a look, and caught her breath, heart racing at the heat in Mica’s eyes. She tore her gaze away deciding to ignore her comment as she poured coffee and retrieved cream and sugar.
After all, Mica was probably just playing her and had been from the beginning. Now, she had an even bigger reason. Get the tie and scrapbook. But somehow that didn’t matter. Woman and wolf coveted another kiss, another stroke of M
ica’s hand.
Kamari set the items on the counter with a spoon and turned her attention to stirring her tea.
“Well, you probably can’t take the journal to Jenner, and it’s clear he’s not going to listen to reason without more proof.” Kamari hand shook a little on the spoon.
“No.” Mica straightened and Kamari looked at her, aware that Mica’s eyes were the color of storm clouds. “You’re not going to put on any clothes?”
“Should I?” she asked flippantly.
“Not on my account,” she drawled. “I like what I see. I’m even thinking how nice it would be if you came a little closer or danced for me.”
Kamari held her gaze, breath lodged somewhere in her chest.
“There’s no music, and I thought you said you brought dessert.”
“I was hoping that would just be you,” she murmured. “I really want another taste of you so bad it hurts.”
Kamari swallowed. “I—you’re really fucking with me, aren’t you? You think you can get me to hand over the tie and the other items I found.”
“So what if I am?” She removed her cell phone from her pocket. “There’s no harm in us both getting something sweet and hot out of it. I shared, now it’s your turn.”
Kamari shook her head. “Why bother with a dance?” she asked stroking the counter top.
“Because I want it. Now, give it to me.” Mica hit a button on her phone and set it on the counter. Music issued from the speaker.
For a moment Kamari considered refusing, but the hungry look in Mica’s stare was a match to the gasoline of lust already pooled in her belly.
She closed her eyes to catch the beat. She knew the singer’s work, had several of her songs. The beat cycled through her and her hips moved to the quick beat of their own accord and Kamari stroked her fingers along the back of her neck bringing them around to glide between the valley of her breasts to the hem of her slip.
She lifted the edge only slightly as she moved against the counter sinking down only to gracefully rise back up and cross her arms over her chest. As she withdrew them, she did a little shimmy and turned, dancing a few steps away and gliding her hands up the backs of her thighs, dragging the slip up to reveal the panties.
Getting Nawty With the Coyote Page 7