“I’ll do them,” Marcus offered, taking the dishcloth from Sage.
“It’s my turn,” she replied, but something in the look they exchanged made her hand over the dishtowel. “If you insist.”
Nana glanced over her shoulder as she ran the hot water into the sink. As soon as Sage left the two of them alone, she said, “Is there something you want to say, Marcus?”
“There is.” He sighed and moved closer to Nana, keeping his voice low. “Are you sure he’s gone? Is Vito still a threat?”
Nana dropped her hands into the hot water and scrubbed at a coffee cup as she considered the question. “I don’t know.” She looked up at Marcus. He was breathtakingly handsome but behind his soft brown eyes was a vulnerability that made him stubborn and high-handed at times. “That’s the honest truth.”
“You knew him well…before?” Marcus took the cup from her hand and dried it thoroughly.
She sighed and closed her eyes, remembering the charming man she met on the street. “I thought I did. When I first met him, I thought I loved him. But only because that’s what he wanted me to feel.”
“He used you.” Marcus’s voice was soft as he spoke.
“Yes. I soon learned that was his MO. He has this ability to home in on the most vulnerable of people and give them what they want. For me, it was love and a safe place to live. I cut all ties with my parents. I became dependent on him and when he had me right where he wanted me, he dropped me.” She dropped a cup into the sink and the soapy water slopped up the sides.
“And he knew you would do whatever it took to get his attention back.” Marcus watched Nana closely, she nodded, her face filled with sorrow as her bottom lip trembled. “What happened?”
She swallowed hard and closed her eyes. “You mean why did I leave?”
“Yes.” Marcus looked over his shoulder. “Sage and Luke don’t want to know.” He gave her a sad smile. “I don’t want to know. But I need to know what we’re up against. Because men like Vito don’t just walk away. Do they?”
Nana shook her head. “No.” She lifted her head and stared out of the window as she handed the next cup to Marcus. “But he’s older now.” She paused, thinking it over. “He hasn’t confronted me, it was all done through text. The Vito I knew would have been in my face making certain I knew what would happen if I didn’t do as he asked.”
Marcus nodded. “What did he want you to do?”
“He wanted me to smuggle drugs into the country for him.” The words tumbled out of her mouth. “I’d have done it to keep you safe.”
“What hold does he have over you, Nana? Is it because he knows your past? What could be so bad that you would walk away from us?” Marcus pressed for information.
“Do you really want to know?” Nana asked.
“No. But I also want to be prepared, so I can protect you and the others.” Marcus placed the dry cup down on the counter and placed the dishcloth next to it before gathering her into his strong arms.
“I made a mistake, I was so wrapped up in myself that when Vito moved on to his next victim, I didn’t warn her. And she wound up dead.” Marcus’s arms tightened around her and she added quickly, “A guy named Hut strangled her.”
He let out his pent-up breath. “Vito wasn’t responsible?”
“In a way we were all responsible, but it was Hut who was arrested. The evidence pointed to him. But he wasn’t convicted.”
Marcus pulled away from her and looked into her face. “He got off?”
“He was murdered in prison.” She saw the same doubt in his eyes as she now held in her heart. “At the time I didn’t think much of it. I was just relieved to get away from there. Then your parents took me in and I shut it all out.”
“But you think there’s a chance Vito might be the murderer?” Marcus asked.
“I don’t know. Hut and Marianne were the only people in the room. I was on the other side of the door watching TV. No one went in and no one came out. We were on the fourth floor, no one could have gotten in any other way. I think I want Vito to be guilty, so he’ll go to prison for a long time.” Nana stroked Marcus’s cheek, remembering the times she’d held him as he sobbed over the loss of his parents. “I’m sorry I brought this on you.”
“It’s not your fault. And anyway, we owe you so much. We’ll get through it, just like we always have.”
“Together,” Nana said.
“Together.” Marcus sighed theatrically. “Even if that together means I have to get to know George.”
She hid a smile. “You always come around. Eventually.”
Chapter Fourteen – George
George’s bear snarled in his head. There was someone at the front door. It wasn’t Nana. It wasn’t Thorn. It wasn’t any of the people who normally visited him this late at night.
Flexing his fingers, he curled them into fists, ready to fight as he yanked open the front door. “Marcus.” George inhaled his unique scent and saved it to his memory, so he’d recognize it in future.
“George. Can I come in? We need to talk.” Marcus kept his voice polite and friendly, but that didn’t mask his mood. Anger simmered just under the surface.
“Is Nana all right?” George asked, still barring the way into his home. Marcus nodded and looked over his shoulder. “She doesn’t know you’re here, does she?”
“No, I left her talking to Sage while I went for a run. I needed to clear my head. And we need to talk,” he repeated.
“Come in.” George stepped back and allowed Marcus to enter his home, before taking a look outside and shutting the door securely.
“You’re on edge,” Marcus stated.
“Earlier I got the feeling someone was out there, but I scouted the area and nothing. No sign, no scent of anyone.” George fixed his attention on Marcus. “Drink?”
“Got any beer?” Marcus followed George through to the kitchen.
“Sure, help yourself,” George said as if they were old buddies.
“Thanks.” Marcus opened the fridge and took out a beer. “Want one?”
“No, not for now. I plan to keep a clear head.” He folded his arms across his chest and leaned back against the counter as Marcus opened his beer and took a large gulp. “Oh, that’s good. Bear Creek Honey Beer, I should have known.”
“Only the best.” George smiled, friendly, letting Marcus relax and take his time before he got to the point of his visit.
“I spoke to Nana this evening.” Marcus studied the label on his bottle, before meeting George’s eyes. “I’m assuming she told you all about Vito.”
“Yes, she wanted to speak to the three of you alone. Otherwise I’d have been there for moral support.” George’s mouth turned down at the corners. “Is Nana okay?”
“She is. She gave a brief rundown of what happened before she came to live with us. After dinner, I questioned a little further.” He took a slug of his beer. “Did you see this Vito character?”
“No.” George shook his head. “He was behind me at the museum and I only heard him drive away when we were at the diner. At that point Nana hadn’t told me anything. Although I picked up on her change in mood. If you’re asking whether Vito is real and in Bear Creek.” Did Marcus think Nana had made the whole thing up?
“No, that’s not what I’m asking,” Marcus’s tone was cutting. “If Nana said he was here, I believe her. What I want to know is how much of a threat he is.”
“She told you about the texts?”
“Yes. But the guy hasn’t confronted her. Texts are risky, it means she has proof to show the police. Is he simply trying to use their past relationship to get Nana to do what he wants? Is he capable of hurting anyone?” Marcus pushed himself away from the counter and walked to the window, staring out into the gathering darkness. “What if it’s all talk?”
“Or more importantly, what if it’s not?” George asked.
Marcus nodded. “That’s what we need to find out.”
“Any ideas?” George asked. “I figur
ed I’d take a drive around the local hotels and see if anyone with a motorcycle had rented a room.”
Marcus swung around to face him. “I had the same idea. I also figured an internet search would be a good idea. Maybe he’s on social media.”
George wagged his finger at Marcus. “I have something to show you. Something I looked for earlier.” He beckoned, and Marcus followed him into the small alcove he used as a study. “I searched for the young woman who was murdered.” George looked up sharply. “Nana did tell you about her?”
“Yes, she did. Although no names except for Hut.”
“Arnold Hutchins.” He tapped the mouse and a news article appeared on the screen. “The young woman was named Marianne Hiscock.” He stood back so Marcus could read the news article. It was a sorry story about a young girl from a broken home who had fallen in with the wrong crowd.
“What a waste of a life.” When Marcus spoke, his voice was tight as he fought with the need to hit something.
“This is the article about Arnold Hutchins’ death.” George clicked the mouse and a larger image of Hut appeared. “It says they had enough evidence that they closed the case on Marianne after his death.”
“I was kind of hoping Vito had killed her, so he gets to spend the rest of his life in prison,” Marcus admitted.
“We think the same way. But Hut’s DNA was found under her fingernails, and he had scratches on his face. The timeline fits, too. And she was strangled with Hut’s belt.”
“Doesn’t mean he wasn’t set up and then murdered to keep someone else out of prison.” Marcus looked up at the sound of a vehicle approaching. “Shit, Nana is here.”
“You don’t want her to know you’re checking up on her.” George ushered Marcus toward the back door.
“I don’t want her to know we’re looking for Vito. She thinks he’s left her alone because of you. She doesn’t need to know we’re looking into him. The last thing we need is for her to leave to keep us safe.” Marcus slipped out of the open back door. The air shimmered as he prepared to shift, but before he disappeared from this world, he said, “You’re all right, George.”
George grinned. “You’re not so bad yourself, Marcus.”
Marcus’s human body disappeared before the large body of a bear appeared in its place. Without a backward glance, his bear loped off into the night just as George sensed his mate approaching.
He closed the back door and locked it, before going to the front door. Nana was just about to knock when he pulled it open. “Hello.”
Nana gave him a lopsided smile and looked over his shoulder into the hallway. “Has Marcus left?”
George shook his head. “How did you know?”
“I raised him. I know him better than he knows himself.” Her smiled widened. “Were you going to lie to me, George?”
“No. I told you, I can’t lie to you.” He stood back and invited her inside. “Of course, that doesn’t mean I have to admit everything to you.”
“If I hadn’t asked, you wouldn’t have told me.” She nodded and raised her eyebrows. “I see.”
“He was worried about you.”
“You are changing the subject,” she said bluntly.
“I am,” he admitted. “He only came by to ask what I knew.”
“And what do you know?” Her eyes narrowed as she studied him. “You’ve been researching my past.”
“No, I’ve been checking the news reports about Hut and the murder. But I do plan on digging around in Vito’s past, too.” He might as well admit it.
Nana nodded. “Come on then, we’ll do it together.”
George led her to his desk and held the chair while she sat down, then he fetched a chair from the dining room and placed it next to her. “These are the two articles I showed Marcus.”
She read them carefully and then sat back, her face pale. “That’s what I remember.”
“But you thought Vito might have been responsible.” George placed his hand over hers. “What made you think that, Nana?”
“Wishful thinking?” Nana shrugged and closed her eyes. “I don’t know. Hut never seemed the murdering type, you know? But he was high, and anything could have happened. Plus, the police were satisfied with the evidence.”
“Is that why you were so worried when you knew he was following Sage?” George asked gently, coaxing the information out of her. “In case he was a murderer?”
“I swore when I adopted the children that I’d protect them. I was scared I wouldn’t be able to protect Sage. In the same way, I failed to protect Marianne.” She looked at him through eyes filled with tears. “In some ways, I did make the same mistakes by not speaking out and telling the children, all because I didn’t want to hurt them.”
“That’s not true. You told me you were willing to give up everything, to walk away from this life to protect them. To protect Sage.” He sighed, wishing he could make her see she had done the best she could under the circumstances. “The shock of seeing Vito must have been incredible. Don’t let him sit on your shoulder and scream guilty at you for the rest of your life. Don’t be his latest victim.”
She groaned. “Why is he still inside my head? He left. He’s gone.”
“And if he hasn’t?” George placed his hand on the mouse and loaded Google. “Why don’t we do some investigating?”
“Yes. If Vito comes back, I want to have some kind of ammo. I want to fight back. He has no hold over me. He has no hold over my kids. If he dared try anything, they are all capable of ripping him to shreds.”
“They are. He is not the same man, and you are not the same woman.” He placed his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close, dropping a kiss on her head. “There’s not a chance he’ll succeed.” Nana groaned, only this time it was at his humor. “Sorry, couldn’t resist.”
George looked directly at his mate. Nana was irresistible, too.
She lowered her eyes, her cheeks flushed. “So where do we start?”
George typed in Vito. “I need his last name.”
“Jerrell.” Nana stared at the screen as he typed and then hit enter.
Google did its thing and returned a list of related results. “Let’s start with the news articles.” George clicked on the first one, which briefly described Vito’s arrest for drug offenses. The next couple were for arrests for petty theft and threatening behavior. Then nothing.
“It’s like he disappeared off the planet.” Nana stared at the screen. “These articles are from twenty years ago. What did he do after that?”
“Perhaps he got a job, or changed his name?” George stared at the screen. “There has to be some way of tracking him.”
“All I have is his cell phone number.” She dug her phone out of her pocket and tapped the screen to unlock it. “Here.”
She showed George the number and he entered it into Google. “Nothing.” George thought for a moment. “What about asking Brad? He might get more information. If the phone is registered to anyone, he can find out.”
“Only if I make a formal complaint.” Nana thought it over. “I don’t know if I’m ready to do that. What if he really has left town?”
George looked toward the window, recalling the sense of being watched. “Was he a shifter?”
Nana looked at him sharply. “I don’t know. But I didn’t know about shifters until I moved to Chance Heights.” She stared back at the computer screen. “Do you think he met his mate and changed his life?”
“Perhaps. Or the heat got too much for him and he changed his name and started again.” George shrugged. “One thing I do know is if he comes back to Bear Creek, we need to corner him and question him.”
“Question him? You mean threaten him?” Nana asked.
“Let’s see what happens.” George had never broken the law in his life. He’d never hurt another, human or shifter, but he sure as hell was not going to allow someone to hurt Nana or her kids, even if they were grown up and likely able to look after themselves.
Nana got
up from her chair and stretched. “I want to put all thoughts of Vito, or whatever he might be calling himself, out of my head.”
George closed his computer and rose to stand beside her. “Good idea. What do you suggest? Coffee?”
“Or wine, or beer.”
“I have both.” He led the way to the kitchen and opened the fridge, retrieving a bottle of chilled white wine.
“Perfect.” She watched him as he fetched two wine glasses and poured the cool liquid. “Cheers.”
“Cheers.” Their glasses touched, and George drank half a glass in one go, trying to quell his need for Nana. His desire for her rocked his body, and he struggled for control.
“You look hot, George.” Nana came to stand in front of him and took his glass from his hand, placing it on the table.
“Nana, I’m just about hanging on to my self-control,” George admitted.
She cocked her head to one side. “I know. I can see it in your face, and in the tension in your arms.” Nana stroked a fingertip along his bulging bicep. Her eyes dropped down to another part of his anatomy that was bulging. He was a teenager all over again, at the mercy of his hormones. “Why don’t we take our wine upstairs?”
He nearly choked at her words. When she arrived on his doorstep this evening, he’d expected her to need comforting, and soothing. But once she’d determined Vito would not win, Nana had rediscovered her courage and strength. “You’re sure?”
“Absolutely.” She locked eyes with him. “This is inevitable. We both know it.”
“Do we?” He leaned in, inhaling her scent. “Do you?”
Her lips twitched at the corners. “I do.”
George slipped his hand over her shoulder and stroked the nape of her neck. “Who are we to fight fate?”
Her tongue slid out and moistened her lower lip, their actions mirrored as their lips met and they kissed, sealing the bond between them.
Chapter Fifteen – Nana
His bedroom was functional, as if it were a place to sleep and dress, no more. She liked that. It told her that her mate didn’t bring women here to seduce. Why that mattered, she couldn’t tell. Until the moment they met he’d been free to pursue any woman, any relationship he chose.
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