“I’ll take care of it,” Sam replied.
Bradley’s expression was pretty benign, but the coyote detected a hint of fear beneath his bravado. Mallory couldn’t put her finger on what the animal was picking up, but she wasn’t willing to dismiss it out of hand.
Sam got to her feet, and Mallory followed suit. She led the way out of the room into the wide corridor with its dim lights blazing a trail to the door.
“What was that about?” Mallory asked Sam. “I expected the Coalition to let those two railroad you.”
“Me, too,” Sam replied. “Maybe this is just the calm before the storm.”
“I don’t get what Bradley hopes to gain by seeing the footage of those murders,” Mallory murmured. “I think he’s up to something.”
“So do I,” Sam agreed. “We’ll step up surveillance on him. I don’t really want to take on the Coalition.”
“Me, either,” Mallory mused, deciding they all needed to be investigated. This could just be a ploy to put them at ease before jerking the rug from under them.
If Jerry had had something on them, then Bradley likely knew where the dirt was. He’d use it and the Coalition would turn on them to keep their own dirty laundry from being aired.
****
“That didn’t go too well,” Isaiah told Bradley once the meeting room was empty. “I thought you had the papers.”
Bradley gave him an amused look, sensing the man’s anxiety. “I do but now wasn’t the right time to present them.”
“I thought you and Jerry were going to make sure the Coalition sided with us.”
“I will. They will.” Bradley smiled. “You just worry about holding up your end of things.”
“There’s nothing to worry about,” Isaiah retorted. “I the family is still interested, and the longer things drag on the more nervous they become.”
“Stay calm and deal,” Bradley muttered.
“How are you going to make sure Jenner continues to pressure Blacklaw into betraying Summerfield?”
“I’m already on it,” he retorted. “Nothing will make him so determined to end both women as what I’m going to do next.” He chuckled. He had thought about it, and after today, he really enjoyed the idea of the next moves he would make.
“I want to know your plans,” Isaiah demanded.
“Don’t worry about my business,” he snapped. “Let’s go. I don’t want to risk being overheard here.”
“You’re stalling,” Isaiah retorted. “Fine. Just do what you have to do.”
“I will,” Bradley replied softly.
Chapter Twenty
Cordelia picked her way through the dark, deliberately refusing to allow her eyes to go nightglow. She didn’t want the thin light cast by her eyes to give her away.
The man she’d met down on the docks, had been passing through which had waylaid her departure. The good thing was, he’d had the order she’d put in two weeks ago ready.
She always put one in when her gut started telling her it was time to move on. That way she didn’t have to stay longer than she felt was safe. The papers in her pack would allow her to get a fresh start in Canada and with the glamour spell she’d come up with, she’d no longer be white.
Cordelia liked it here. However, if Mallory was looking into her past or did start, Yamamoto would get wind of it and come looking. She didn’t want to put the few friends she’d made here in danger, especially Mallory.
She started to stroll past the old cannery that faced the ocean and the lighthouse when a dull thud stopped her in her tracks. Not normally squeamish, since there wasn’t much a human could do with a cat, it wasn’t fear riding her, but the sudden sense of terror the cat was sensing.
“No.” The voice was muffled, but definitely a woman’s.
A laugh followed, the sound masculine. A grunt followed that, and Cordelia headed in the direction of the trouble. She didn’t want to get involved, so she hoped she could do something to get the man to leave the woman alone long enough for them both to escape.
A growl lit the air, and she picked up her pace, urgency churning inside her.
A loud shriek followed. Then, something fell inside the cannery—she could hear it through a broken window high above her.
Cordelia put on a burst of speed and reached the door. A blur of blood stained fur shot through it and raced away from the cannery without looking back. She quickly stepped inside in case the animal did look back. She didn’t want him to know she was out here.
“Help!” a feminine voice begged. “I can smell you.”
Cordelia moved through the dark, eyes lighting the way.
“You’re going away from me. Left. Come left and watch the glass if you’re in animal form.”
She recognized the voice. It was that reporter. The pretty one who’d been in the club right after Isa’s murder.
“Carleigh?” Cordelia stopped moving and drew in the air. She picked up dank musty building, fear, and blood.
“It’s me,” she said weakly. “Call for help. I’ve been attacked by a wolf.”
Cordelia reached her within moments to find Carleigh sprawled on the dingy floor, bloodied and red pooled around her. The girl had been mauled and help wasn’t going to reach them in time.
“Cordelia?”
“Yes.”
“Call for help,” she said. “I’m not going to last too long without—” she coughed, and blood droplets flew from her mouth.
She knelt next to the girl and removed her bag, to take out her phone. “What happened?”
“Bastard attacked me,” she muttered weakly. “I have to tell my brother what I found out.”
“Okay. What?”
“I can’t tell you,” she said and winced. “Hurry. Call my brother.”
“I don’t know his number.” Cordelia turned on the phone. “Tell me.” Carleigh did, and she tapped it in. The phone rang and rang and rang.
“No,” Carleigh gasped, and fear slammed into Cordelia, a fresh wave of agony. “God. Jen.”
“Honey, it’s okay,” Cordelia murmured. “I’ll give him the message. I promise.”
Tears spilled down the corners of her eyes. “Cordelia. I-I’m so cold.”
Cordelia fought back tears, the sight reminding her of her mother’s death. “What can I do?” she asked as she ended the call and put in one to emergency services.
“You have to retrieve the originals,” she whispered. “He took my phone, so he’ll erase the cloud copies, but I have the original taped beneath my desk at the paper.”
“I’ll tell him.”
“Tell Kamari she was right, but to be careful,” she said as tears slid down her cheeks. “They’re ruthless enough to kill anyone who gets in the way. He said he was going to kill me anyway to turn my brother against Mallory.”
“He’s setting her up.”
“He left her scent here. I walked in on him killing another girl,” she said weakly. “She’s a dancer from the club.”
Shit.
9-1-1was busy?
Damn it!
“Who was the girl?” Cordelia asked as she ended the call and punched the number in again.
“April, I think,” Carleigh said. She gasped, her face a mask of pain.
“9-1-1, what’s your emergency?”
“I’m down at the old cannery, in Snowbury. I’m dying. Come quick.”
As she ended the call, Carleigh gripped her hand. “Wait with me?” she begged slipping something warm into Cordelia’s hand. “Give this to Kamari. I found it.”
Cordelia nodded. “Carleigh, who did this?”
She sniffed. “He’ll—” she trailed off, eyes closing. “Tell my brother I love him, and this wasn’t his fault. He couldn’t protect me.” Her breathing slowed and then stopped.
Cordelia got to her feet and took off. She had to find the items that belonged to Mallory before they got here. Then, she had to get out without being seen.
****
“Are they in the club?” J
enner asked the officer sitting on Coyote Closet.
“Yeah. Mallory went back to the den, but she’s been here for forty minutes,” the man said. “You want me to go in?”
“No. Just hang tight.”
“Gotcha.”
Jenner sighed and glanced at his watch. Carleigh wasn’t answering her cell phone, and she wasn’t home yet. He dialed the number of pack security and waited for an answer.
“Hello?”
“It’s me,” Jenner said. “Is my sister in the den?”
“She was, but she ran out a couple of hours ago. She said she had to check out a lead about her story,” he said. “Someone who could prove your video had been doctored.”
“What?”
“Yeah. She also said to tell you that the girl whose body was found this morning, was the victim of a serial killer,” the man told him. “She didn’t tell me how she knew, she just said she’d been combing through a file with Kamari, and she knew.”
“The agent?”
“Right.”
“Thanks. I’ll check with her then.” After ending the call, Jenner leafed through his file to find her number. He called it.
“Yes?” Kamari asked coolly.
“Where are you?” Jenner demanded.
“Jenner?” Kamari asked.
“Where are you and is my sister still with you?”
“No. I’m at the club, tending bar,” she replied. “I can’t talk right now.”
“Did she tell you where she was going?”
“She should be home,” Kamari said and there was some concern in her tone. “I told her not to go out there on her own. I’d be able to go in the morning.”
“Go where?” he snarled, his entire body was tight now.
“The old cannery.”
“What—why were you going there? What the hell kind of games are you fucking coyotes playing?”
“Look, I can’t talk. I have customers. If—”
He ended the call and leaped to his feet. Grabbing his gun from his desk drawer, Jenner holstered it and headed from his office. He ran into Rowel on his way out into the parking lot, nearly knocking him over.
The other man growled at him.
Jenner growled back. “What are you still doing here?” Jenner called as he headed to his car.
“Covering part of Toby’s shift. I’m off now. You need back up?”
“No.” The man’s footsteps were coming up behind him. Jenner didn’t have time to argue. He unlocked the door of his cruiser and jumped in. Rowel was in on the other side.
“Where are we going?”
Jenner cranked the car and backed out. “The old cannery. My sister was going down there.”
“Are you kidding? At this time of night?” Rowel demanded. “She has no business snooping around that place on her own.”
“I know that,” he muttered, peeling out of the parking lot. “Mallory or Sam is behind this. They knew she was writing a story to prove that video was doctored, and Kamari lied on Jerry.”
“Get over your alpha, man,” Rowel replied calmly. “It’s not like they cared. In fact, they’d want the truth to come out.”
“You tell me they aren’t behind Jerry’s death.”
“I didn’t ask if they were,” Rowel told him. “If I did, that would mean I’d be obligated to tell you and report to the Coalition.”
“Jerry—”
“Was a son of a bitch who was involved in the murder of Cambrie’s family because he thought he could then get Gray Tail’s land. No one knew Cambrie was alive, Jen.”
“Jericho would never have been so callous,” he snapped.
“With Cambrie’s family dead, Gray Tail’s alpha could have given Jerry the land.”
Jerry was rumored to have been working with the hyenas who’d attacked Gray Tail, though they had been planning to attack Snow Fur first. The hyenas had been defeated and some wolves of his pack had died.
Jerry had said they’d gone against him and fought with the hyenas.
Jenner shook his head as if that would shake the truth loose. But the fact remained, he still didn’t know who to believe, so absent of proof, he believed Jericho.
Chapter Twenty-One
Cordelia climbed out of the bathtub, but she was still too cold. Shivering, she reached for the fluffy towel to dry herself. Tears formed in her eyes, and she began to cry anew.
The girl had died just like her parents. Some guy had decided his way, his needs were more important, and anyone was expendable to his cause.
A sob tore from her as she briskly rubbed herself.
“Mallory?”
The masculine voice had her wrapping the towel around herself and the cat going on high alert. Hissing, her heart raced.
The guard was supposed to wait—oh, yeah. He was supposed to kill her.
“Alpha, are you back? Cordelia?”
Two scents floated on the air and Cordelia reached for the gown she’d brought in with her, and the half-closed door slid open wide.
“Hello, darling,” McDaniels murmured. “I see you were expecting me.”
“How’d you get in?”
“The guard’s a friend of mine,” she said. “Well, a friend of my employer.” She smiled. “Wait outside.”
“Just do it, so we can get you out of here before we’re both caught,” the man called.
The guard from this morning.
Larue moved toward her. “You know, I really do want you,” she said.
“Don’t come near me, Larue,” Cordelia snapped. “I’m not in the mood to be nice.”
The other woman laughed. “Fine. As he said, I don’t have time.” She unclipped the holster at her hip and slid a blade free. “I like to work up close and personal with a target.”
“I’m sure you do.” Cordelia made a face.
“Looks like you’ve been crying. Has Mallory finished with you already?”
“I used to hate that I was like this,” Cordelia admitted as her blood cooled. “I thought my family had to be evil because of what I am.” Her skin chilled.
“What is that?” Larue curled her fingers around Cordelia’s throat.
“Different.”
“Are you wearing contacts?”
“Why?”
“Your eyes are pale blue,” she said. “With white swirls.”
“You wanted my body, why don’t you kiss me,” she said.
Larue gave her a slow smile. “Don’t think giving me some pussy is going to save your life.”
Cordelia chuckled. “Just one kiss before dying.”
Larue’s eyes darkened, the fever of lust filling them quickly. She lowered her head.
“Just one.”
Their lips met, and Cordelia parted her lips as ice swelled inside her. Larue drew back, and Cordelia chased her, pressing her lips to the other woman’s as she put her hand on Larue’s wrist.
Cordelia watched the woman’s eyes widen as the arctic cold breath invaded her body. Cordelia felt a rush, her heart beating fast, the animal snarling inside her mind.
Larue tried to break free, to use the knife, but Cordelia’s fingers were frozen around her skin and the fingers of Larue’s hand cracked and shattered, causing the knife to clatter to the floor.
Cordelia put her free hand on the back of Larue’s head, and her cat fed off the woman’s fear. She could hear the rapid pounding of Larue’s heart in her own ears.
The woman froze and then shattered from the face down into icy cubes of human parts.
She shifted into her cat and crept silently from the room leaving what was once Larue to thaw. Cordelia tracked the coyote’s scent to the living area.
“McDaniels?”
Cordelia growled, and he turned.
“Shit.” He reached for a weapon, and she sprang forward slamming him into the wall next to a window.
Cordelia exhaled, and snow fell on his skin, turning his face white. Then, she bit him, and he let out a cry and shifted to animal form, but he was already dying. T
he coyote shivered, and she lunged for its throat taking it out in an efficient move.
She shifted back and padded into the bathroom to rinse the blood from her body.
“Being a freak has its advantages,” she mused as she tugged the gown over her head.
When she was done, Cordelia cleaned up the bits of Larue and dumped them into the trash before heading into the bedroom to call Mallory.
Her phone rang as she reached for it.
“Hello, Mallory,” she said with a smile.
“Is everything okay?” Mallory asked.
“It is now,” she said.
“What do you mean?” Mallory demanded.
“I mean, the guard tried to kill me,” Cordelia said. “He’s on the floor of the living room dead now.”
“I’ll send security, but I’m on my way.”
“Okay.” She ended the call and sat on the bed. Cordelia couldn’t just leave without doing what she’d said she’d do.
****
“Mal.”
“What is it, Rowel?” Mallory said into her phone as she started her car.
“Jen wants to see you. He’s certain you or Kamari killed his sister.”
“He’ll have to wait,” she muttered. “I’m headed out to the den. Cordi’s guard tried to kill her.”
“What?”
“I know,” she said tiredly. “Tell Jenner I’ll deal with his issues later.”
“He’s not going to want to wait. Carleigh was badly savaged.”
“Too bad for him,” she retorted. “Cordi could still be in danger, and she’s alive. So, she’s my primary concern, not Jen’s dead sister.” She ended the call.
Mallory hadn’t meant to sound so harsh, but the fact was, she really didn’t give a damn about Jenner right now. If he’d listened, his sibling might still be alive. However, he was hell bent on trying and convicting the wrong people for crimes they were innocent of.
She was careful not to break the speed limit getting to the den. When she arrived at the cabin, Brynn was there sitting on the chair, her face a study in compassion as she talked to Cordelia.
Cordelia looked up and their eyes locked. Mallory went to her, heart heavy. Her coyote howled inside her as if calling to its mate. Cordelia gave her a faint smile.
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