Caden

by Tl Reeve

  Caden shook his head as they walked through the underground corridors of the courthouse. They turned the corner and found the door open to where they’d be watching the coming interrogation. He stepped into the room first and sat down in one of the open chairs. Across from him in the next room, Allen had his head down on the table. The cuffs they brought him in with had been replaced with the set on the table. The reinforced steel would keep any shifter, let alone a human, in their place.

  He studied the man. The guy was unremarkable, but it usually was the one that didn’t stand out. He’d been a paramedic for at least ten years and last summer spent countless hours at the hotel helping with search and rescue. So, what changed? What happened in a year’s time to turn him into a stone-cold killer? What switch did those bitches flip in his brain to do something so heinous? A growl built in his chest, and he swallowed it down. He had to be in control. If he lost his shit, they’d never know why this happened and what more could be coming.

  Kalkin and Jerome joined him moments later as the door on the other side of the glass opened and two agents entered the room with a state investigator as well. Hauser closed their door behind him. He stepped over to the small camcorder mounted beside Caden’s chair and hit record.

  “Let the record reflect O-eight-thirty-five Wednesday, May 17th, 2018,” one of the agent’s said. “This is the interview of Allen Pendergrass, suspect in the firebombing of the Window Rock Sheriff’s Department on Friday, May 12th, 2018. Agents Timothy Rogers, myself, and Michael De Susa are present along with Arizona State Police officer Julian Ramirez.”

  The other agent spoke next. “Even though you were advised of your rights before you were placed in the police vehicle, I will read them to you once more for the record. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say, can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. Do you understand these rights as stated to you?”

  “Yes,” Allen said.

  “With these rights in mind, do you wish to speak to me at this time?”

  Allen nodded. “Yes.”

  “What happened on the morning of Friday, May 12th, 2018?”

  Allen glanced up at the agents then at the man near the door. “This shouldn’t have happened. I don’t know how it got this out of control.” He shook his head. “I only meant to...” He swallowed hard. “I don’t know what I meant to do.”

  “Did you tell anyone about your plans?” Agent Rodgers hedged.

  “No, it would have gotten back to the Rafertys. They would have stopped us.” Allen didn’t raise his head as he spoke.

  Damn straight they would. Kalkin was looking for a reason to kill Raymond, and Caden wouldn’t mind going a round or two with the bastard, just to work out some pent-up aggression. Beside him, Kalkin snorted, shaking his head. They couldn’t speak. It would interrupt the investigation and interfere with the recording.

  “Who else was involved? There’s no way you planned and executed it on your own,” De Susa stated.

  “Three people, Tiffany Burke, Marjorie Burke-Pendergrass, and Raymond Quincy.” Allen then looked up at both agents. “Just give me the damn pad of paper, I’ll confess to everything. All the whys and hows.”

  Oh. Hell. No. He didn’t get to just write it all down and think he’d be good to go. Nope. Caden dug his fingers into the arm rests of the chair he sat in. He wanted to hear everything. He needed to hear the man squeal like a pig and vomit up their real intention. They’d already heard part of it when they eavesdropped on their conversation in the old trailer park. But, he had to hear Allen confess to it.

  “Sorry, Mr. Pendergrass,” agent Rogers said. “You’ll have to walk through it with us from the top. We have to understand why.”

  Allen placed his forehead to the table then bounced his head a couple of times. “I’m good as dead if I tell you.”

  “Oh, you have more important things to worry about right now,” De Susa said. “Not only did you murder two sheriff’s deputies, you murdered two innocent people and it was premeditated if I’m understanding you correctly. You’re looking at four counts of murder in the first with special circumstances, and the attempted murder of four others in the firebombing. Today, with your little stunt at your residence, you’re looking at another two counts of attempted murder as well.”

  “Do yourself a favor, Mr. Pendergrass,” agent Rogers said. “Tell us what happened and how this whole plan came to pass.”

  A whimper fell from Allen. “All she wanted was her son.”

  Caden tensed. Aiden.

  “Who wanted their son?” Agent De Susa prodded.

  “Tiffany,” Pendergrass answered. “She said some free-range bitch came waltzing into town and stole her son. Said the Alpha took the kid from her for no reason. She wanted him back.”

  Caden started to stand, but Kalkin placed a hand on his arm and shook his head. Don’t, bro. We both know Tiffany would have said anything.

  No one is touching my son. Caden glared at his brother.

  You’re right, no one is. Kalkin nodded. You need to calm down. Watch.

  Agent Rogers flipped through all the paperwork he had in his binder. “Ah. Here we go. A boy. Three months old at the time. Severe neglect including several puncture holes, broken bones, and a few burn marks. He was malnourished, and the list goes on...”

  “Bullshit! Tiffany said she wanted her son!” For the first time since Caden sat down, Allen showed some kind of emotions.

  Rogers slid the report across the table. “It’s all there, along with pictures. Did you know other pups were found buried a few days later at the same site this boy was found?”

  Allen didn’t say anything.

  “Tiffany didn’t want her son. I’m sure if we did a DNA test on him, we’ll find out who his father is.”

  Hell no. They weren’t touching Caden’s son. When they found Emmitt’s body, then Caden would allow it, but not until then.

  Easy, bro.

  He cut his gaze to Kalkin. I’m in control. I won’t subject Aiden to any more pain than he’s already suffered.

  Don’t worry. I’ll make sure he doesn’t.

  “Do you still want to go with Tiffany loved her son?” Rogers placed the other report with pictures of the makeshift grave site for the other pups Caden found in front of Allen.

  Allen swallowed hard and shook his head. “No.”

  “Then, why don’t you make this easy on yourself,” De Susa replied. “Tell us everything from the beginning.”

  * * * *

  Caden pulled into their driveway and turned the engine off before he got out. At one point during Allen’s interrogation, he stepped out to call Danielle, letting her know meeting her for lunch was out of the question. He didn’t want her in town anyway till this bullshit with Marjorie and Quincy was over. He didn’t tell her, though. He preferred to wait till they were face to face. Thankfully, Danielle told him to come home when he could, she’d make lunch for them and so he had.

  “Hey!” Danielle stopped his forward progression to the back door. She lay on one of the lounge chairs, reading something from her e-reader while getting some sun. He could already see where tan lines were forming along the hem of her short-shorts. Caden took a moment to appreciate the beauty of his mate.

  “Hey, yourself.” He sat beside her.

  “Rough morning?”

  “Little bit.” He picked the cup up beside her and took a long drink of the cold lemonade. “Where are the boys?”

  “Napping.”

  “Kind of early for a nap, isn’t it?” He fiddled with the rim of the plastic container.

  “Aiden got Nicolas to shift into his wolf form and they played that way all morning.”

  Caden nodded. That would do it.

  “I made lunch. It’s in the fridge. We could eat out here if you want,” she said, gesturing to the patio table off to the left on the deck.

  Being outdoors while
he told Dani what he learned today would be best, in his mind, because outside would be out of the range of the boys being able to hear.

  Dani nudged him with her foot, gaining his attention. Her blue eyes swirled with trepidation. “Don’t shut me out, Caden.”

  “I’m not, promise, just got a lot of thoughts trudging through my mind.” He gave her a reassuring smile. “I’ll tell you everything over lunch.” Caden rubbed his flat stomach. “I’m actually hungry.”

  “Good.” She got to her feet. “Help me bring everything out, and we can eat and talk.”

  It took two trips into the house to bring out everything for lunch. Dani had outdone herself. Fresh cut tomatoes, cantaloupe and half rounded scoops of homemade chicken rested on a bed of salad on each plate. She also made a pitcher of fresh peach-flavored sweetened tea to go with their meal.

  The last thing brought out was the monitor, placing it in the center of the table so they could hear if the boys woke. They ate in silence at first, both contented to fill their bellies before having their conversation. Danielle finished first, pushing her plate away. She kicked off her flip flops and brought her legs up on her chair, cuddling them to her chest. She did it often, and he suspected it was a protective gesture. One he hoped, over time, she’d need less and less. When he was finished, he stacked the plates, moving them out of the way. He then wrapped his hands around her ankles and gently tugged, laying her feet on his thighs.

  “Starting at the beginning always works wonders,” Dani said.

  Caden began to rub her feet, something he also realized she enjoyed. “They found a partial print on a piece of one of the bombs CSI located. It belonged to Allen Pendergrass.”

  Dani’s brow furrowed. “The name sounds familiar.”

  “He’s a pack member and full-time firefighter for the county.”

  Dani whistled. “So, he had easy access to the lot and the Sheriff’s building.”

  Caden snorted. “Bastard was there the day of the bombing, willing to help. He provided Kal and me with oxygen once we cleared the building.”

  “Ballsy.”

  “No shit.”

  “What’s the connection though?” Danielle placed her empty glass on the round metal table.

  “Well, this is where it gets interesting.” Caden was still trying to process everything he heard. “According to him, Allen’s mated to Marjorie.”

  Dani jerked back her feet, placing them on the ground. “The bitch gets around.”

  “That ain’t no lie,” he replied

  “Do you believe him? I mean, she’s lied before.”

  “She has,” he acknowledged. “Another agent, who’s a shifter, said Allen smelled of a mating. We also found out Tiffany and Marjorie are sisters.”

  “Get the hell outta here, although it explains a lot.”

  Caden snagged his mate’s feet, forcing her to sit back. “Touching you keeps me focused.” He shrugged. “Anyway, they feed him a bunch lies, pumpkin, telling him Tiffany only wanted her son back and we were keeping Aiden from her.”

  “Stupid bitch,” Dani grumbled.

  “It broke him when the agents showed him the reports of Aiden’s condition and the graves of the other pups she killed. He saw the part he played in the deception.” Deep down, Caden felt sorry for the poor schmuck. When they left the viewing room, Allen Pendergrass was a broken man, having given up everything he treasured only to have the one person he trusted betray him. Caden could relate, having experienced something similar over a year ago when he listened to the lies Simon spewed about his mate and child.

  “You feel sorry for him.” Danielle’s tone filled with understanding.

  “More like, I can relate to him,” he admitted. “He was, unfortunately, thinking with his dick, fed a line of bullshit, and turned his back on his family for pussy? He should’ve come to talk to Kal. He could’ve found out the truth, but instead, he believed them.”

  “He should have done a lot, Caden, but he didn’t and that’s on him,” Danielle remarked.

  This was true. He knew it because he fell into the same trappings over a year ago. “Tiffany was shot and killed this morning during the serving of the warrant.”

  She gave no indication Tiffany’s death bothered her. He didn’t know if he should be worried about her, or if she had to process all he had to say. The babbling of the water over the rocks from the stream not far from the house filled the silence which ensued.

  “I hope she suffered. Who am I fooling, I hope she’s still suffering, in hell,” his mate snarled.

  “Dani—”

  “No, Caden. I don’t feel a damn bit of remorse at her death. Not after what she did to Aiden and her other pups. She should’ve, in my opinion, been put down like the bitch she was. I hope she suffered.”

  He leaned forward, wrapping his hand around hers. “All I was going say, is it had been a clean shot. Right between the eyes. Doubt she even knew what hit her.”

  “And it’s all a real shame in my book.”

  He didn’t blame her for her bloodthirsty tendencies. She had firsthand knowledge, having healed Aiden’s wounds and growing to love and care for the boy as her son over the last year. “And the others? What happened to Quincy and... what’s her name?” Her shoulders and back were so tense, he worried she’d snap her spine in two.

  Caden fought the grin he felt twitching. One thing he knew, if Dani ever had the pleasure of meeting Marjorie, it wouldn’t end well for the other shifter. Not like he cared if Danielle beat the shit out of the other woman. He didn’t, he just wanted a front row seat to the epic beat down Marjorie would receive from her. “You can say her name, you know. I won’t freeze up on you or shut down on you.”

  She huffed, rolling her eyes at him. “Saying her name makes me want to vomit.”

  He chuckled, and she ignored him.

  “What else?”

  He rubbed the back of his neck in contemplation. “Not a whole helluva a lot more I can tell you, pumpkin.”

  “Bullshit,” Danielle scoffed. “You think the big, bad Alpha isn’t going to tell Keeley everything?”

  “Can’t say for my twin, but you keep giving me ‘tude, I might just have to take you over my knee and paddle the sass right out of your ass.”

  She smirked. “I dare you.”

  Fuck, he loved her.

  “Focus.” She attempted to remove her feet from his lap in protest. He didn’t let go. “Urgh. I’m over the Quincy pack and those bitches screwing with our family.”

  “Trust me, I’m totally focused,” he assured her. “Stop kicking your feet before you damage the family jewels.”

  She settled. Somewhat. “You’re annoying.”

  “You won’t be saying so later when my dick is buried balls deep in your sweet pussy.”

  “Caden, be serious,” she muttered.

  “I’ve been, pumpkin,” he said. “Listen, baby, I’m not allowing Raymond Quincy or his merry pack of assholes to take any more of my time or energy. I’ve lost too much of it already. I’m telling you what happened, what I’m going to do to protect you, and then we’re going to forget about them for the rest of the night, focusing on the boys and us. I’m going to deal with them tomorrow when I go to work, or when my twin calls with further information.”

  “They want Aiden.”

  “They do,” he affirmed. “I doubt Tiffany dying is going to change Marjorie’s focus. She’s kind of a bitch like that. It won’t help with her mate being held in protective custody, going down for murder for the entire pack. Knowing I’m involved, I suspect, it’ll make her even more determined to get our son. I imagine it’s added salt to the wound with her knowing I’m mated to Aiden’s mother. Marjorie might want to hurt me, in any way possible. She’s in for a surprise. I’m no longer the scared, snot-nosed fifteen-year-old boy without a lick of common sense. I’m a grown-ass man, who can’t and won’t be governed by fear.”

  “I know.”

  “Our pack, our family is strong, and I’m g
oing to do everything in my power to protect you and the boys. You know that, right?”

  “I do,” she whispered.

  Caden put his hands around her narrow hips and lifted her onto his lap. He placed one hand on her hip, the other he burrowed into her short hair, anchoring her to him. “Good.”

  “Why do they want him though? Tiffany threw him away like he was trash,” Dani cried.

  “They believe, if they have him, they can control us. They’re going to learn the hard way, you don’t fuck with a Raferty. It doesn’t end well,” he bit out.

  She was quiet for a while. “I need to tell you something. Don’t get mad.”

  Caden grunted. Whenever a woman said not to get mad, he got mad. “Spit it out.”

  “Keeley and I have been trying to find your daughter,” she said.

  All the protective instincts he felt for Aiden and Nicolas reared themselves for his unknown daughter. A child he had refused to even see the fateful day. Caden had no clue what she looked like or even her name. “Fuck, baby, that’s sweet and all, but I need you to stop. Now. Kalkin hid her for a reason, and I need for her to be as far away from Marjorie’s clutches as she can be. Her own mother wouldn’t hesitate to use her.”

  Dani breath hitched and he knew, without looking at her face, tears were rolling down her cheeks. “There isn’t a trace of her. Kalkin…he hid her well.”

  “He made sure she’s safe. Protected. Like he promised me. Kal wouldn’t fuck around with the protection of one of ours.” He struggled to keep his own emotions in check.

  “No, he wouldn’t lie to you.”

  Caden shifted her body, so he could capture her gaze. “Now it’s time to get serious. Your ass is to stay at the house. If you need to go to town, it’s either with me, another Raferty, or a deputy. You understand? Sage is being assigned to watch the house when I’m on duty.”

  “Can you really spare the manpower now?” Her eyes filled with concern.

  “Not your problem, it’s Kal’s and mine. She can protect you better if you allow her inside the house. If you want to have a wild hair up your ass about having someone on your six all damn day, she can sit in her cruiser in the driveway. She’ll have to come in the house from time to time, though. You’re going to allow it. If you’re in the mood, you can take her a drink and some food. I’m sure she’d appreciate it.”