Checkmate

by Elyce de Reefe

  Millie shook her head and gave Marten an exasperated look.

  He shrugged back. “What?”

  She rolled her eyes.

  “Okay. Will do,” a feminine voice called from behind the door.

  “Um, sorry to disturb you,” Millie called, feeling utterly ridiculous. “Have a good night,” she added, then rolled her eyes. Have a good night? Millie, have you lost your mind?

  She grabbed Marten by the arm and dragged him back toward the cars as fast as she could.

  “You too,” called the female voice.

  Millie was still shaking her head when they reached the SUV. She had her work cut out for her. That was for sure.

  ** *

  Elizabeth blinked as the men all climbed back into their trucks and left. She turned to Mari and shared an incredulous look. Mari had joined her as soon as the shouting stopped, and together they’d watched the show. They couldn’t hear what the woman had been saying to Marten, but she’d clearly been arguing with him.

  “Well, I guess he bonded the strong one, then,” Elizabeth said.

  “I guess so,” Mari agreed.

  They stood there for a moment, watching the red taillights disappear down the driveway. Elizabeth shook her head.

  “Okay, the show’s over.” She pulled out her phone and grimaced. Eleven missed calls. Cray was going to be so pissed. She pressed the connect button and put the phone to her ear.

  “Hi, honey. It’s okay, they left. Everything is fine. Um… How’d your mission go?”

  There was a long silence. “Cray?”

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” Cray’s words were more growled than spoken. He sounded like he’d been chewing rocks. Rrut rrow, Scooby Doo.

  “Yup. We’re fine. They’re gone. Everything’s fine.”

  “We’ll talk later,” he ground out and hung up.

  Well. Really? Elizabeth turned to make a smart comment to Mari but found that she wasn’t really up to it just then. She walked into the kitchen and got herself a glass of water. She was about to ask Mari if she wanted one when her phone vibrated in her hand. A moment later, it started emitting that annoying beep, beep, beep sound again.

  Now what?

  She clicked on the app, feeling a shot of alarm at the thought that this time it might actually be Greg. But no. The picture showed a dark sedan and a police car. Elizabeth let out a breath.

  Detective Anderson. Wonderful. What else was she going to have to deal with tonight?

  At least it’s not Greg. Or any of his goons. Yeah, there was that. She wondered if Anderson was going to have trouble getting through Lyla’s spell. Now wouldn’t that be interesting? “I don’t know, Detective, why can’t you come any closer?”

  The dark sedan pulled to a stop followed by the police cruiser, lights flashing but fortunately without the siren blaring. Detective Anderson’s tall frame emerged from the sedan and two uniformed officers joined him on the walk up to the mudroom door. Since Elizabeth was still standing there like an idiot, she unlocked it and pulled it open.

  She watched with a little shiver as the detective stepped right over the invisible line of Lyla’s spell. Had it only been her imagination that the spell had stopped Marten? The two police officers followed right behind him with absolutely no problem.

  “Ms. Brown. Everything all right? Your husband called and said there was some kind of intruder on the property?”

  “Everything’s fine, Detective. There was… um, a case of mistaken identity, I guess.”

  He gave her an assessing look. “At three in the morning?”

  She shrugged. Come on Elizabeth, you’ve got to be able to lie better than this. “Well…”

  “You don’t mind if I come in, do you? Take a little look around?”

  “Oh, no, of course not,” she said, feeling like an idiot. “Come right in.” She backed up and let them into the house, almost knocking into Mari. “This is my friend Mari. Mari, this is Detective Anderson. He’s in charge of my… case.”

  “Pleased to meet you, Detective,” Mari said in her sweet Southern drawl, and Detective Anderson gave her a brief, appreciative once-over before offering his hand.

  “Pleased to meet you, Ms… ?” He left the end hanging in the air, obviously waiting for Mari to fill in the gap. Shit. He was a detective after all. Dear Lord, don’t let him have heard of Mari’s missing husband…

  “Johnson,” Mari replied without batting an eye.

  Wait. Was that her maiden name, or her married name?

  Detective Anderson introduced the two officers, but Elizabeth was too busy panicking to catch their names. As they turned and preceded the law enforcement trio into the house, Mari shot Elizabeth a wide-eyed look that the detective couldn’t see. All Elizabeth could think was, no shit, Sherlock, but in terms of actual actions, she had nothing.

  Mari turned right when they reached the hall and headed back toward her room. “I’m gonna just go change,” she said over her shoulder, indicating her skimpy camisole and sleep shorts.

  “Good idea,” Elizabeth said, and breathed a sigh of relief as she turned left into the great room. And immediately spotted Lyla, asleep on the couch. Just great.

  “Who’s that,” Detective Anderson asked, not a second later.

  “Oh, that’s Lyla. We had a bit of a girl’s night and she didn’t want to drive home.” Elizabeth hoped like hell she sounded convincing because if he went over there and discovered that Lyla was actually out cold—

  What would happen if paramedics were called and they administered some kind of medication to a witch who was sleeping off an over-exertion of magic? Things to put on your list of items to double check before anyone leaves you in charge again. Right up there with a crib sheet on how not to get your husband arrested for murder…

  “You sure she’s okay?”

  “Oh, she’s fine. She’s a heavy sleeper anyway.” Oh my God. I’m going to start hyperventilating.

  “Where does she live?”

  “Not far,” Elizabeth said, thinking of the cabin just a little to the north through the woods. But wait. Lyla had an actual house. A real address. Okay, breathe. Relax. He is here to check on the intruders—

  “I’m so sorry we got you all out here in the middle of the night like this. Cray is away on business, and because of the situation— well, he gets nervous when he has to leave me alone. That’s why the girls are here. You know, so I wouldn’t be… alone.”

  Elizabeth tried not to look worried as the two uniformed officers spread out around the great room, obviously looking for clues without touching anything. Could her life get any more difficult? At least they don’t have any luminol.

  “But they never came inside,” she said brightly. Too brightly? “They got out of their trucks, but since they were looking for someone else, they just left.”

  “They just left.” He gave her a disbelieving look.

  “Umm hmm,” she said, trying to look innocent.

  “And who was it they were looking for?”

  Shit. “Lucas. He’s the owner of the house. But he’s… away on business, so…”

  “Away on business.”

  “Right.” She nodded, hoping she didn’t look like some kind of bobble head.

  “Rogers, Peterson,” he said, addressing the two officers, “take a look around the yard, would you?”

  “You got it,” one of them, the stouter of the two, replied, and they both trooped back out through the mudroom. Elizabeth tried not to take an obvious breath of relief. She still had Anderson to deal with.

  “So. Let’s go over the facts just to make sure I have this right. Your husband called me and told me that three black SUVs were pulling up to your door at three in the morning. He was justifiably alarmed, and asked me—” the detective broke off with slight smile, “or maybe I should say told me to ‘get my worthless ass over here,’ I believe were his exact words.”

  Elizabeth winced.

  “And you’re telling me that the occupants of thos
e vehicles were looking for someone else and when they discovered he wasn’t here, they just left.”

  “That’s right.”

  “And you don’t think that’s odd.” He said it as a statement, even though it was clearly a question.

  “I think it’s extremely odd. I mean, who does that? It’s three in the morning. And they were… I think a little upset with Lucas about something, at least I assume so, but then when I wouldn’t let them in, they left.”

  “And they didn’t try to get in the house?”

  “Not really. No.”

  “Not really? Or no?”

  “No. They didn’t.” She sucked in a deep breath. “I thought maybe they were going to, but then… they didn’t.”

  He nodded. “And you feel confident that they weren’t connected with your case at all.”

  “No. I’m sure of that. They didn’t even know who I was.”

  “Still, pretty scary.”

  “You’re telling me.” Elizabeth wiped her hands on her yoga pants. “The one night I’m here alone…” She glanced around. “Well, with the girls.”

  Anderson glanced around, too. His gaze lingered on Lyla for a moment, making Elizabeth’s heart stop, before coming back to her. “So this is your safe house.”

  “Yup.”

  “Pretty nice.”

  “Yeah.” Elizabeth forced a smile. It was nice. It was very nice. But right about now, she wished she were anywhere but here.

  “And how is it you know this Lucas?” He pursed his lips, obviously trying to put the pieces together.

  “He’s a good friend of my husband’s.”

  “Ah.”

  Mari emerged from the hall, wearing fluffy pink slippers and a matching pink robe.

  “And here is— Ms. Johnson, was it?” His sharp eyes zeroed in on Mari’s face. “And where might you be from?”

  “Oh, I live here.”

  He blinked at her. “You do.” Again he said it as a statement, but meant it as a question.

  “That’s right. I’m the housekeeper.”

  “The… housekeeper.”

  Mari rolled her eyes at him. “The housekeeper. They’re not selling drugs here or whatever else it is you’re wondering about, Detective Anderson, so you can just give it a rest.”

  He straightened. “Sorry. Occupational hazard.” He gave Mari another quick, almost imperceptible once-over and then smiled. “Please, call me Dave.”

  Oh boy.

  “Okay, I will. Elizabeth, you haven’t offered the good detective here some coffee yet? Don’t you know that’s the first thing you do to make sure you don’t seem guilty?” She gave the detective a saucy smile. “Some coffee, Detective. I mean… Dave?”

  “That depends.” He turned back to Elizabeth, and she tried to wipe whatever expression she might be wearing off her face. “Do you want me to stay, Elizabeth? I can wait here with you until morning if you’re worried. I want you to know I’m taking your case very seriously.” He glanced down at his watch. “I have to be back at the station by eight, but I can stay until seven or so.”

  “Oh. Thank you, Detective Anderson—”

  “Dave. Call me Dave.”

  “Thank you, Dave. But that’s not necessary. Cray should be back… soon, so it’s really not necessary.”

  He gave her an assessing stare. “Your husband told me he was about four hours away.”

  Elizabeth wilted. Four hours? She could not keep this up for four hours. She gave the detective a weak smile. “You know, I’m beat. I really just want to go back to sleep. If you don’t mind.”

  He nodded. “I understand. But I’ll leave the cruiser outside the front gate until he gets home, just in case. Can’t have him thinking I’m worthless, now.” He gave her a smile and winked at Mari. Mari smiled back.

  Oh boy. That is not good.

  He pulled out a business card and scrawled something on the back. “That’s my cell. Call it any time. I mean that.” He gave Elizabeth a hard look. “These guys your ex-boss is mixed up with are not nice people. If you feel the slightest bit unsafe, do not hesitate to call me. Understand?”

  “Um… sure,” she said, feeling slightly dazed. “Thank you.”

  “Just part of the job. I’m not going to write up a report about this, since the intruders were already gone. I don’t want to jeopardize your safe house here. No need to leave a paper trail.”

  Elizabeth swallowed. She hadn’t even considered that. “Okay, thanks,” she said weakly.

  He nodded and turned to Mari. “Thank you, Ms. Johnson, but I’m going to pass on the coffee this time.”

  “Any time, Detective. I mean… Dave.” She was laying the Southern drawl on a little thick, Elizabeth though. “And call me Mari.” Then she broke out that saucy smile again. “I make a mean cup of coffee.”

  Elizabeth almost fell over.

  Detective Anderson—Dave—seemed to pause for a second. Then he smiled. It was an easy, charming smile, and Elizabeth had to admit that he was a very attractive man. “I’ll have to take a rain check.”

  “You do that.”

  He gave Elizabeth a quick chin lift and then gave Mari one too.

  “Ladies,” he said, and headed for the mudroom. “Come lock this door behind me.”

  Elizabeth hurried to follow him and caught Mari fanning herself as she rushed past. “Mari!” she hissed.

  Mari giggled.

  Elizabeth returned from locking the door and faced her young friend, hands on her hips. “Mari Jo Johnson, are you flirting with my detective?”

  “I had to do something. You were acting more nervous than a cat in a rocking chair factory. I had to get him off the scent.” She smiled mischievously. “So to speak.”

  Elizabeth felt her mouth drop open. Mari’s peal of bubbly laughter had her shaking her head. “Elizabeth. If you could see your face…”

  “Very funny. I can’t believe you, Mari. I was sure you were flirting with him.”

  “Oh I was, Elizabeth. Believe me. Do you think he would come if I invited him to my birthday party?”

  Elizabeth’s mouth popped open. She couldn’t think of a single thing to say.

  “Oh, Elizabeth— not for me. But you have to admit, the man is dreamy. He has a good job, and I like the way he said that, about taking your case seriously. No wedding ring, either. I checked.” Her smile turned sly. There was just no other way to describe it. “And Lauren is going to be at my party, you know.”

  “Mari Jo, you little minx. I never knew you had it in you.”

  That set them both off, and even though Elizabeth knew it was the release of tension, it still felt good to laugh with her friend about something so trivial as a good-looking man.

  Chapter 30

  En Prise is a term that comes from the French that is often translated as ‘in taking’ but it actually means closer to ‘in capture.’ That is, in the state of being vulnerable to capture, just as ‘in check’ signifies the player’s King is in jeopardy. However, it is used to mean that a piece can be taken for free. Any piece left unprotected, that is, open to capture without reprisal, is said to be En Prise.

  — From the Journals of Aster Ardennes

  Jesse knelt on the tiny back porch of the former title company and inserted his lock pick. Lucas and Boaz were standing watch. Jesse could tell right away the locks had been changed, but so far that was the only evidence of extra security.

  That had not been the case at the medical facility though. It was a good thing Aaron had called when he did, and that they had decided to hit the office building first, which had proved completely uneventful. Otherwise, things might have turned out very differently.

  But two humans, even armed with handguns, were no match for three of the People— at least once they knew what to look for. Especially with Boaz on their team. The man was big. He’d taken one of the guards out with a single punch to the side of the head.

  Gage and Eli had reported back. They’d also gotten the word in time, since they’
d had the farthest to travel. There had two armed humans at their facility as well, but apparently it hadn’t been a problem.

  At first, Jesse had been a little surprised to be included in Lucas’s team when the assignments had been given out. He wasn’t sure if it was meant to indicate he’d been forgiven or that he was still on probation. More likely, Lucas was just being practical, since he and Boaz were familiar with the facilities in question. Because Jesse knew why Lucas was here. Dr. Evans was a threat to the People.

  They’d discussed it down in the basement before joining the women. Dean had determined that the rest of the lab workers weren’t really an issue. The guy had done his colleagues a favor by being so secretive. He seemed to have three different projects going on, only one of which—the pheromone stuff—was for his actual boss, and he’d been pretty careful not to let anyone in on the fertility stuff. Probably looking to make a mint on the patent if he pulled it off.

  But it was his work on the other project that was going to get him killed. Because it was hard to think that anyone could be doing research on the Sickness and not have forbidden knowledge. Knowledge that was too dangerous to be allowed to exist outside of Pack. The Law was very clear on that fact. And Lucas, as Alpha, would have to be the one to rectify the problem.

  Right now, finding him was the issue. The only address they had for the guy was an old one back in Syracuse, and a young woman in her twenties lived there now. Gage and Eli had checked it out on that same reconnaissance trip they’d taken to examine the facility in Auburn. So that was a dead end.

  And Jesse hadn’t been able to pick out his scent from the first two facilities. The only overlapping scent so far had been female—the female—the one who’d eaten the chocolate, and its unusually powerful nature seemed to be masking everything else.

  Lucas thought they’d be able to pick the scent up here, at the third and final location. The one he’d found Aster in only a little more than a week ago. Jesse had hoped that would be the case. With Aster injured, no one wanted to spend any more time tracking this guy than necessary.

  But so far, it wasn’t working out that way. The only thing Jesse could smell was that same female. Her scent seemed to permeate everything. Boaz was so tense Jesse was afraid he might snap. But he’d kept it together, following Lucas’s instructions without question, so maybe Jesse wasn’t giving him enough credit. Boaz knew what was at stake, just like the rest of them.