by Vella, Wendy
Brad shook his head at his brother’s words. They stopped talking as the car slowed about hundred yards on from the shade houses.
“I won’t see anything from here,” Lani said, getting out of the car. “I’ll follow you to the perimeter fence.”
Noah made a sound in his throat but didn’t add any words. Soon they were creeping along the road with the bag he’d retrieved from the trunk. They then moved down the fence line away from the road to the rear, away from the security lights.
The facility was set up like a compound with security gates. The fence was tall and would be hard to scale.
“What is the penalty for breaking and entering?” she whispered to Brad.
“Not sure, but I think as it’s our first offence we’d likely get off.”
“Will you shut up!” Noah hissed.
He dropped the bag and pulled out some wire cutters. Snipping the bottom of the fence, he lifted it. Everyone crawled through, even Lani.
“I said stay!”
“I am not a dog.”
“Dogs are far more obedient.” His nose was an inch from hers.
“We’re wasting time.”
“You do realize that if we’re caught you will be charged, and your name will be on record?”
That gave her pause.
“Go back, Lani. Wait out there for us.”
She knew when she was beat. Lani could not afford to draw attention to herself in that way.
“I’m giving you twenty minutes, then coming looking for you.”
“Good girl.” He leaned in and planted a kiss on her lips before she could move, and then they were gone.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
There was enough light to see where they were going. Noah saw no sign of security guards, which was a win for them, but thought it likely someone would be on patrol, so they needed to move fast.
“Let’s start at the first house and work back,” Noah whispered to the Texans.
“We can’t go in there, Noah. Can’t risk the contamination,” Brad said.
“All I want is to look through the plastic. I don’t think we’ll find anything in these big houses anyway.”
They entered from the rear and found themselves in a small room that held the clothing obviously worn by those monitoring what was growing. Noah pressed his face to the plastic and saw rows and rows of potatoes but not much else.
“Nothing here to see, let’s move to the next one.”
It was identical. Rows of potatoes.
“So maybe they are just growing potatoes,” Tex said.
“Maybe. But I still have a feeling something’s off here. I mean, those drugs Mikey got came from someone he didn’t know.”
“And there’s your hatred of scientists too.”
“I don’t hate all scientists,” Noah snapped, remembering the conversation he’d had with Lani.
“Sure you do.”
He walked to where another smaller building stood. Supplies, he thought; it wasn’t big enough for much else. Looking at the door, he noted it was locked with several bolts and padlocks.
“Someone’s coming,” Brad whispered.
They moved into the shadows. Noah watched as Dr. Trask passed them. He pulled out a set of keys and opened the locks. Closing the door behind him, he didn’t relock it.
“I wonder why he’s out here at this hour?”
“Maybe he has to do some readings or something at this time of the night?” Tex said.
“That guy didn’t strike me as the type to do the legwork on anything,” Brad added. “He struck me as someone who took all the glory, but rarely got out of bed before the sun rose.”
“Exactly.” Noah moved forward.
“Twenty minutes is up.”
“Jesus! You scared the crap out of me.” Noah grabbed Lani’s arm and gave her a little shake. “Go back to the car.”
“So I’m guessing you came up blank on the first two houses and now you’re following Mr. Pompous into there.”
“Mr. Pompous is actually a great name for that guy,” Tex whispered.
“Shut up, all of you.”
They fell silent.
“Tex, you and Lani stay out here and keep watch.”
“Done.” His friend grabbed Lani as she made a move to follow him. “I get scared easy. You stay with me.”
Tex was in fact a decorated vet who had been in some bad situations fighting for his country. Noah doubted anything would scare him. He smiled as Lani started to argue with the Texan in furious whispers. That would keep her busy.
Brad was at his back as they entered the small building. They could hear Trask’s voice as he talked to someone on his cellphone. Luckily, he had it on speaker so they could hear the conversation. Moving closer, they found him seated at his desk.
“You promised me a delivery by now, Dr. Trask. I am still waiting.”
Noah pulled out his cell and began to record the call. Something told him that this was serious.
“It needs adjusting, but we’re on track,” Trask said, crossing his feet as he leaned back in his chair. “The locals that I’ve sold to are happy enough. A few ended up sick, but that happens when you’re testing.” Trask shrugged, and Noah wanted to punch him. Mikey could have ended up a lot worse if Lani hadn’t found him.
“I just need to pull back on the psychoactive drugs I’m using. I think it will be ready for me to ship out to you in the next week or two.”
“All right. Two weeks, but no more, and if it’s not arrived by then, I’m finding a new supplier, Trask.”
“You’ll have it. And believe me when I say this will hook them like no other batch has before. It will be more addictive, and consequently we can demand a higher price. Tell your suppliers it’s coming.”
Noah thought about just walking across the room and planting his fist in the man’s face but knew that wouldn’t help anyone.
Brad tried to muffle a sneeze, and failed.
Shit.
“Who’s there?”
They slipped outside and into the dark. Trask followed, heading their way. Cubby was not going to be pleased if they were caught.
Trask stopped when he heard a noise from the other direction. He turned, and both Brad and Noah exhaled as he walked back inside. They heard the conversation start up again.
“Sorry about that, some wild animal was sneezing,” Trask said.
Noah slipped back in with Brad behind him and continued to record the call.
“Will you be able to keep me supplied, Trask?”
“It’s the perfect place to grow it, actually. The house I set up is in the trees behind us, and the bush dense around it. No way will any of these locals find it. They’re simple, and if anything, stupid. Real country folk,” he added, laughing. “In fact, this is the perfect place for the operation. Plus the potatoes are growing well, so Professor McClyne will be happy and want me to stay on.”
Brad squeezed his shoulder, and they both backed out of the room. Reaching Tex and Lani, he grabbed her hand. “Let’s go.”
They ran back to the fence. Once through, Brad and Ethan repaired it, and they all hurried back to the car.
“What did you find?” both Tex and Lani demanded.
“Evidence that what Mikey smoked was grown here,” Brad said. Noah stayed silent while he explained what they’d heard.
“Bastard,” Lani hissed.
“And then some,” Tex added.
They drove back to town, and Noah cooled his anger. Mikey could have been killed and that asshole didn’t care.
“I’ll put a call in to Cubby.” Brad pulled out his phone and soon was talking to the sheriff. “He’s meeting us at the Lair,” he said cutting the call. “Drive there.”
It was still dark, the hour creeping toward 4:00 a.m. The only idiot around at this time would be Buster in the Hoot.
“Buster,” Noah said into his cellphone. “Bring coffee and food over to the Lair, we got stuff to tell you.”
“Buster is reall
y nosey. He’ll come purely because he won’t be able to help himself,” Brad said. “Biggest gossip in town, for all he’d deny it.”
Cubby and Katie pulled in ten minutes after them.
“This better be good. Today is my day off,” Cubby said, jangling his keys.
“I’ll just head back to the shop now,” Lani said.
“Nope. You’re part of this, you stay.” Noah wrapped his fingers round her upper arm.
“I don’t like police stations.”
“Not many people do, but this one is nice. Wait till you see the color they’ve painted it.”
“Not they,” Cubby said. “The previous sheriff, and as yet I’ve not convinced the book club to change it.”
“Noah, I need to get back and let Buddy out.”
“Which you don’t usually do until the sun rises, so stop with the excuses.”
Cubby opened the front door, then sprinted into the building.
“What is he doing?” Lani asked.
“Some idiot put the alarm keypad at the rear of the building,” Katie said. “That too needs updating.”
They all heard the sheriff of Lake Howling curse.
“Tank, one of his deputies, has left his chair out again,” Katie added.
“All clear!”
They filed in after these roared words. Light flooded the interior.
“Is that pink?”
“Cantaloupe,” Noah said as Lani looked around the walls. “The last sheriff’s wife picked it.”
“Come into my office.”
They did, and Noah felt the tension in Lani climb. Had she spent some time in a police station? Was that what was scaring her?
“Drag in some chairs. And why the fuck is your face painted in those stripes, Tex? Furthermore, why am I feeling really sick in my gut about now?” Cubby said, glaring at his friends. “If you fuckers have been breaking the law, I will arrest you.”
“Wait!” Buster hurried in, loaded down with coffee trays and a bag over his shoulder. “Don’t start yet, I have coffee.”
“Well hallelujah, at least I’ll have my caffeine fix before you tell me how you broke the law in my town.” Cubby grabbed a cup, flipped the lid, and added sugar. Katie moved behind the desk to take her cup and sit on the edge.
“Right, now spill,” he said after he’d taken several mouthfuls.
Noah forced Lani into a seat, then grabbed her a coffee. Taking his, he pulled out his cellphone.
“Listen to this.” Lowering it to the desk, he stood back.
They all listened while sipping coffee.
“Again.” Cubby rotated his finger. Katie began to take notes.
“Mikey could have been killed!” Buster roared.
“Someone needs to teach that asshole some manners,” Tex said, opening the bag Buster had brought. A lovely smell wafted out, making Noah’s stomach rumble.
“How did you get this information?” Cubby glared at Noah, then the rest of them.
“We broke in,” Noah said. “And it was all my idea.”
“Oh, now I object,” Brad said with his mouth full. “I went along knowing what I was letting myself in for, as did Lani and Ethan.”
Cubby raised a hand as he walked out from his desk. He paced a few feet and returned.
“You do realize I can’t use this, don’t you? It was obtained illegally!”
“Settle down, Cub.”
“Settle down! Jesus, Noah. If you’d been caught, I’d have arrested you. Not entirely sure how I can get around doing that now.”
“Oh, but they have found out something valuable, Sheriff. Dr. Trask is going to supply people with this laced substance. Surely that’s the most important thing here.”
Everyone looked at Lani in surprise. She didn’t usually speak without someone directing a question at her.
“I understand that, Lani, and just quietly, I thought you were better than this lot.” Cubby swept a hand around the room.
“I don’t like people pretending to be one thing when in fact they’re not.”
Noah had a feeling this was about more than Trask.
“Me either, but the point here is that you four should have told me what you were doing.”
“And you would have stopped us,” Tex said.
“Annabelle know what you’re up to? Because if not, I’m telling her,” Cubby said.
“She painted my face.”
Katie giggled.
“I’ll work out how to punish you lot later. Right now, I need to wake up Judge Render and get a search warrant to go take a look at a certain facility.”
“On what grounds?” Katie asked scribbling notes on her pad.
“Suspicion of growing and distributing marijuana illegally. But first, tell me if you left any traces you’d been there?”
“No. We rewired the fence after Noah had cut it to get us in,” Tex said.
“Okay, good. Now go before I change my mind and lock you all up.”
They got out of their chairs.
“Don’t think I will forget either.” Cubby’s words followed them out the door of the Lair.
“What do you think he’ll do?” Lani asked.
“Not sure, and I’m too tired to think,” Brad said.
They walked back across the street as the first streaks of dawn filtered through the Redwoods. Buster went back to the Hoot. Once they reached the parking behind the shops, Brad and Ethan jumped in a car, then with a wave they were gone.
“Okay, so see you,” Lani said to Noah as she opened the back door of the shop and Buddy sprinted out and leapt at her.
“Settle down.” Noah grabbed his collar and held him back. “You’ll knock your owner over if you keep that up.”
“Thanks, but he’s all good, I don’t mind.”
“You ever had a dog before?”
She shook her head, and he filed another piece of information that was the Lani Sullivan puzzle away inside his head.
“Thanks for coming tonight. I didn’t want you involved, but I am grateful. I’ve also been thinking about what you said the other day, about losing the baby.”
He needed to thank her for that too. Her words had started him thinking and made him face up to the fact he held a lot of resentment inside him. “I talked to Faith about it yesterday. Really talked.”
“That’s good to hear.”
She didn’t back away when he moved closer and picked up one of her hands.
“She listened, then punched me hard in the shoulder for not telling her sooner.”
“It must be nice to have someone like that in your life.”
“If you ever need to talk to anyone, Lani, you know I’m here.”
“I know, and thanks.”
He gave her fingers a little tug, and she ended up pressed into his chest.
“This is a bad idea.”
“And yet it feels like a good one.” He lowered his head. “A really, really good one.”
The kiss was like the others but had something more to it. Noah knew later he’d put the label “emotion” on it. For now, he just wanted her in his arms.
“I don’t know what this is, Lani, but it feels good.” He rested his forehead on hers. “Promise me you’ll stay around a while. Promise me you won’t leave without telling me.”
He would normally run a mile before asking someone this, but he’d changed since they’d talked. Opening up had unlocked something inside him, and the thought of Lani leaving Lake Howling was really unsettling.
“I promise.”
He exhaled with relief. If she promised, he knew she’d keep her word.
“As much as I want to take you up those stairs and strip you naked, I know Mrs. C will be arriving soon.”
“You really shouldn’t speak like that.”
“No one but Buddy heard, and I’m sure he’ll keep it to himself.”
Her giggle was sweet.
“And let’s face it, no way would Mrs. C be shocked.” He kissed her again, soft, sweet, and lingering. La
ni’s fingers curled into his shirt as he took them under once more.
“Damn,” he whispered as a set of headlights appeared. “Okay, so you go on up now, and I’ll see you later.”
Before she could speak, he turned her and sent her gently through the door. He heard Lani’s feet on the stairs seconds later.
“Morning, Noah.”
“Mrs. C. Your back made a quick recovery.”
“You know I only faked that to keep Lani in town. She was getting jittery and I thought she was going to leave.”
“I do and I’m grateful.”
“You just leaving?” She wore lemon today. Not the soft color, this shade was bright enough even in the dim light to make him wince.
“You look hot.”
“I try, boy. Now stop evading the question. Did you and Lani spend the night together?”
“That is none of your business.” He kissed a soft check. “You have a good day.”
Noah was humming as he let himself into the Howler. He felt good, better than good actually. He felt free, and he put it down to her, Lani Sullivan. She had secrets and issues, but she’d promised him she wouldn’t leave town without talking to him, and for now that was enough.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
The talk around town the next two days was about the arrest of Dr. Trask and what it meant for the facility.
“So I thought this was a nice little town. No dramas.”
Lani heard the words from beyond the shelf of soft dog toys she was examining. Her basket was so far filled with two tea towels that had Lake Howling written all over them, a sweater that was hand-knitted, a pair of matching socks, and an oven mitt with a large dog face on the front.
She’d woken this morning and decided that she would spend some of her cash and get a few things that made her small space more homely. It was scarily like putting down roots, and yet she knew she could easily pack up in the time it took to bake a cake and be out of town before anyone knew it.
“It’s a nicer little town than that place you call home.”
Lani knew that voice. Peering over the top of the shelving unit, she saw Jake McBride with Rose in his arms. Beside him were two men she didn’t know, but clearly by the way they were conversing, he did.
“The hell you say,” one of the men said.