by Crissy Smith
“Good,” Jamie said. “I’m glad you’re happy. But, hey, I need some help from your neck of the woods.”
Logan chuckled. “Sure, man, what’s up?”
“I got a missing person report from the head of a fox troop about thirty minutes from here,” Jamie explained. “The guy’s sheriff in a town called Baylor. His girlfriend was taken after two men attacked him.”
“Shifters or human?” Even if the sheriff was a fox, he would be stronger than any human.
“Shifters. Some kind of large cat. He wasn’t sure what species the other guy was, though. Something as strong, he guesses.”
“Ah,” Logan said.
The feline species remained one of the largest and it was difficult to tell the different types apart if someone wasn’t used to their scents.
“He got the license plates of the men’s motorcycles and passed them along to me. I’m sure he did his own search as well. The address registered to the suspects is located about an hour from you. The place is called Brookside.”
“Doesn’t sound familiar,” Logan said. “But if you send me the details, I’ll check it out. I can even drive out there tonight if you want.”
“That’d be great.” Jamie sounded relieved. “I can’t get away right now. I’m working a case of a woman who took her two kids from her shifter husband and disappeared.”
Logan growled. “She human?”
“Yeah, and I want to get those boys back to their dad.”
“Email me everything you have and I’ll take this off your hands. I’m closer and if we’re dealing with the felines, I’ll probably have better luck getting close.”
“That’s what I’m hoping,” Jamie admitted. “I’m sending you my report now.”
Logan moved his mouse to his email and clicked it open so he’d see when the file arrived. “I’m still at the office. I’ll call you after I know something.”
“Thanks, man. I really appreciate this.”
“It’s not a problem,” Logan assured him. “I’m happy to help.”
“There’s just one more thing.”
“What’s wrong?” A chill went through Logan as Jamie dropped his voice and spoke seriously.
“Something’s not right with this sheriff’s story,” Jamie told him. “Or maybe just off about him. I added the search I did on him as well. I don’t trust this guy at all, so be careful.”
Logan was grateful for the warning. Jamie had the best instincts of anyone Logan had ever met. If Jamie said something was wrong with the sheriff, then Logan would be wise to listen. “I’ll be careful.”
“If you run into any trouble, let me know. I can send one of the other team leaders if I need to.”
“I’ll keep you informed, but I have a pretty good group that I work with here,” Logan said. “They’ll back me up if I need it.”
The ding of an incoming message sounded. “I got your email. Let me look this over.”
“Sure,” Jamie said. “And thanks again for helping out.”
“I’ll talk to you soon,” Logan replied, distracted. He was already clicking the attachment open.
“Later.”
Logan held the phone for several moments after Jamie had hung up. It appeared that Jamie had only gotten the call from the sheriff five hours ago, and already the Intel that he’d gathered was impressive. The dial tone blaring from the phone surprised him and he laid the instrument in the cradle.
“Let’s see what we have,” Logan murmured.
The first page was the report Sheriff Frank Nunez had made. Logan read through it twice before moving on. All the answers the sheriff had given were what they should be—perfect. Too perfect.
Samantha Jones was a pretty young woman who didn’t work and had been living with Frank for five years. She had one sibling who did construction but with whom she didn’t seem close. Jamie had tried to locate some of Samantha’s friends to speak with in case they knew something about her disappearance, but he hadn’t been able to find any.
A feeling of dread filled Logan.
Staring at the driver’s license photo of Samantha Jones, Logan saw a sad woman who had a look of defeat in her eyes. Logan wanted to find her. Not to reunite her with the boyfriend, but to make sure she was all right.
The sheriff had called in a kidnapping, but Logan had to wonder if the guy, Frank, hadn’t done something to harm Samantha. It wouldn’t be the first time that a killer had called in, saying their spouse was missing.
That led to the two men who Sheriff Nunez was fingering for the crime.
Logan clicked through the pages until he got to the two suspects’ information.
Calvin Montgomery and Douglas Gordon. They had the same address in Brookside, California. Logan opened his Internet browser and typed in the address. He expected a residence and was surprised when it pulled up a bar called the Den, owned by one Mackenzie Gordon. Has to be a relative of Douglas.
He printed out directions to the bar before returning to the email attachment. Jamie had also requested several cameras’ feeds from the route home the two bikers would have taken from where they’d snatched Samantha. The feeds hadn’t come through yet, but they would help Logan in his investigation. He’d at least see if Samantha had left with the two men or if the sheriff was full of shit. In the meantime, he’d do a little poking around where Calvin and Douglas lived. Logan printed out the entire file Jamie had sent, to put in a binder.
It looked like he was going for a drink.
Chapter Two
Logan pulled his Dodge truck up in front of the bar and shut off his headlights, letting the vehicle idle as he stared at the front of the Den. It didn’t look like much. Logan didn’t know what he’d actually expected, but the rundown wood building wasn’t it.
During the drive, he’d had his computer running searches on the two shifters who were his suspects, plus anyone with a known connection to them. There wasn’t much information about Calvin Montgomery—only that he’d grown up in Wyoming and graduated from high school there. He’d then moved moving on. He’d worked various types of labor jobs before finally settling in Brookside.
Douglas ‘Duffy’ Gordon owned a tattoo shop in Brookside, although his home address was the bar. His mother had been killed several years ago by his father and he’d gone to live with an uncle.
Neither man had any criminal record, so Logan wasn’t sure how’d they gotten mixed up with a fox troop.
The other name that had popped up in his research was that of Mackenzie Gordon. Mackenzie had served twelve years in the US Army before buying property in Brookside. He owned the land the bar sat on, along with Duffy’s tattoo shop, plus a couple of other buildings. He’d made a life for himself and his nephew. Logan admired what Mackenzie had accomplished. But he had to push that aside and find a missing girl.
He’d pulled over right before he’d reached the town population sign and changed clothes. Luckily, since he did quite a bit of driving and he never knew when he’d be called out to an investigation, Logan kept a packed bag in his trunk. He’d figured he’d get a warmer welcome in jeans and a T-shirt than his suit.
Logan turned off the engine then opened the door and climbed out.
The first thing that caught his attention was the abundant mixture of shifter scents. Several different species.
A chill raced up his spine. It was not common for shifters to congregate together. Too many dominant urges and fearful responses. The predators and the prey. Logan picked up the scent of both here.
This was a very interesting town.
He strode to the door with long, sure strides. He was one of the most powerful shifters in the world. He was also a trained agent of the Shifter Coalition, and he had a mission.
There was no one hanging around, so he pulled open the wide door, preparing himself for anything. Stepping inside, Logan relaxed immediately. There was no threat waiting to jump out at him. Instead, he walked inside a regular-looking bar. Music played quietly from a jukebox in the corner.
The décor was mostly rock-and-roll memorabilia and neon beer manufacturer signs.
A few people glanced up at him then returned to what they’d been doing before he’d entered. No one appeared to care much about him.
Two coyotes, bobcat, bird of some kind… He noted all the different species of shifters quickly. There was even a human drinking a dark ale. Unbelievable. Logan stalked toward the bar, where a breathtaking black-haired beauty was cleaning glasses. She glanced up at him, giving him a long once-over, and smiled.
“What can I get you?” she asked.
There’d been interest in her gaze. A slow curl of arousal spiraled down his spine to settle into his balls. What a lovely find here in the middle of nowhere. He gave her his best grin. “Whatever you have on tap,” he replied, taking a seat on one of the stools. He breathed deeply. Feline. Good, but there was a tint of something he couldn’t place. An unusual aroma of…bark? He didn’t know what he picked up.
“You got it,” she said.
When she turned around and bent to grab a cold pilsner from a cooler, he couldn’t resist checking out her ass. It was a very nice ass. She poured the gold liquid from the tap for him with expertise.
Before he got distracted by his cock or curiosity about her animal, he angled himself so he could look around the room. The bar wasn’t big, with only half a dozen men drinking. He didn’t spot the men he was looking for.
“Here you go.” The bartender slid his beer in front of him. “Get you anything else?”
“You sell food here?” He probably should have stopped on the road and picked up some fast food, but he hated eating and driving. Actually, he hated having any kind of food in his truck. He’d grown up in filth and would never live that way again.
“Sure do.” She reached under the counter and pulled out a laminated menu. “My name’s Annabelle. Just holler whenever you’re ready to order.”
“Thanks.” She really was quite pretty, with her long dark hair cascading down her back, and bright, expressive green eyes. Her makeup was heavy around her eyes, but the flawless skin seemed natural. Annabelle was probably in her mid-twenties, which put her at least five years younger than him. He considered making a play for her, but he needed to concentrate on the job first. There would be time later.
She nodded, picking up a coffee pot then walking out from behind the bar. A large man with a full beard and a sharp gaze sat at a table in the corner with an unopened book in front of him. Logan hadn’t even noticed the biker, which made him uneasy. Years of training had taught him to be aware of his surroundings, to know when a threat was near, and he’d somehow missed the biggest danger in the room.
Logan swiveled around to face the bar but kept his eyes on the mirror behind the bottles. He could track Annabelle’s movements as she stopped by several tables, saying a few words while making her way to the lone guy.
The man watched Logan, though. Their gazes met in the mirror. Logan sat still, waiting. If there was going to be trouble, then it would be with this guy.
Annabelle reached the table and poured coffee into a white ceramic mug. The biker said something to her, causing her to lean down to hear him better. Logan ignored the glimpse of her breasts from her low-cut top. Or at least, he tried to. Sitting with an erection was not comfortable, but he had bigger worries at the moment.
Her gaze shifted to him before she nodded and straightened.
Logan wasn’t surprised when she walked directly behind the bar. She set the coffee pot back and turn to him.
“Did you decide?” she asked.
That wasn’t what he expected her to say. Caught off guard, he simply nodded. He hadn’t actually even looked at the menu, so he glanced down quickly.
“Can I get a bacon cheeseburger with everything and fries?” he requested.
“Sure.” She took the menu from him, replacing it under the counter. “I’ll put your order in. If you want to take your beer over,” she nodded in the direction of the biker, “Mac would like to speak to you.”
“Mac?” he questioned.
“He owns the place,” she said as she left him. Her demeanor had changed. She no longer looked at him with interest, but instead concern filled her gaze.
Ah, Mackenzie Gordon. The photo Logan had seen was an old one, from when Mac had still been in the service. Mackenzie was almost unrecognizable now.
Logan picked up his glass then slid off the stool. He kept his gaze on Mac’s as he sauntered across the room. Mac lifted his head and nodded toward the seat opposite him.
“Have a seat, Agent.”
It took all his control not to flinch in surprise. Instead he pulled out the chair and sat. “Good evening.”
“Well, it was,” Mac said. “Until a member of the Coalition showed up in my bar.” Mac leaned forward and his gaze hardened. “What’s the Coalition want here?”
Suspicious fucker. Logan liked that. “Can’t a guy stop in for a beer?”
“The closest office is over an hour from here,” Mac said. “Try again.”
Logan leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest. “How’d you know?”
“I have my ways,” Mac replied.
Logan snorted. “Really? That’s what you’re going with?”
“It’s my job to protect the shifters in this town,” Mac told him. “I take that responsibility seriously.”
“Quite a bit of responsibility,” Logan stated in disbelief. “For one man.” He sniffed. “Even if you are a bear.”
Mac didn’t appear impressed. “I have help,” he admitted. “A pack of sorts.”
“Your bartender is feline and the woman in the kitchen some sort of bird. I’ve also picked up hyena, deer and wolf strongly. They’re here a lot.”
“Yes, and it works,” Mac said. “Without any interference from the Coalition.”
Okay, so Mac had issues with authority. Logan wasn’t really that surprised. “I’m not here to cause you any problems.”
This time Mac snorted. “You just being here is a problem. So I’ll ask you again, what do you want?”
He was disappointed but wouldn’t let it show. The place was so interesting and he wanted to learn more about it and its occupants, especially the pretty little waitress.
Logan leaned forward to pull his cellphone out of his back pocket. He scrolled through his email until he got to the picture of Samantha Jones, then slid the device across the table.
Mac reached down and picked it up.
“Have you seen her?” Logan questioned.
“No,” Mac replied, looking him in the eye.
Logan didn’t detect any dishonesty. When someone lied, it was easy to tell. Their body gave off signs. Mac’s heartbeat hadn’t changed, he wasn’t sweating and there was no change of pitch in his voice. Still, Logan knew Mac was hiding something. He just didn’t know what or why.
“Bacon cheeseburger and fries,” Annabelle said, coming up behind him.
“Thank you,” he told her, leaning back so she could set his plate down. Before she left, he reached and snagged his cell back from Mac. “Have you seen this woman?”
Annabelle took the phone from him, brushing her fingers against his. Her eyes widened at the touch and she actually shivered. Damn. He bit down a growl. He didn’t know what kind of feline she was, but the lion inside him wanted to see her submit to him. Logan licked his lips, leaning forward. Annabelle stared at him in surprise. Oh yeah, he liked the way she eyed him.
“Ah-hem.” Mac cleared his throat and Annabelle recoiled from him.
Logan glared at the bear shifter and tapped the photo on his cell. “Have you ever seen her before?”
Annabelle glanced down and frowned. “No, should I have?”
“I guess not,” Logan said, retrieving his phone. Again, he didn’t detect any dishonesty. She didn’t look away from him, didn’t glance toward Mac. So why did Logan still feel that they had been prepared for him? Like they’d expected to see him. There hadn’t been any surprise on Mac’s part.
“That was interesting,” Mac commented.
Logan watched Annabelle until she was behind the bar before he turned his attention back to Mac. “Is this where you warn me away from her?”
“I won’t have to,” Mac said. “She doesn’t know who you are, but when she learns, you won’t stand a chance.” He rose then. “Enjoy your meal.”
Mac strode across the room, heading toward the kitchen. Logan really wanted to follow him and demand more answers. To see where he went. What are these people hiding? Instead, he pulled his plate closer to him. Mac might have left, but that did give Logan full access to the woman.
“Do you need anything else?” Annabelle asked, setting his fresh beer down.
“Some answers,” Logan requested.
“Answers?” she repeated slowly.
“How long have you worked here?”
Annabelle’s head snapped up. “What?”
“I believe you heard the question.” He was growing tired of this game. Yes, he was an agent, but he was also a powerful shifter. Respect, especially from another feline, should be given. It took all his control not to order Annabelle to do his bidding. It was hard, but he did manage to push down the instinct. He wasn’t a bully. He might have grown up around assholes who abused their power, but he wasn’t like them. He’d joined the Coalition to prove himself better than them. He relaxed his shoulders and tried to smile. He’d been too harsh, he knew, but before he managed to apologize, she spoke.
“Why are you asking me that?” She took a step back. “Who are you?”
Annabelle deserved to know why he was there, too. Guess I’ll find out if what Mac said is true. He pulled out his wallet and flipped it open, revealing his badge. “Agent Logan Coldwell, Shifter Coalition.”
She paled while jumping away. “A cop?”
“An agent, actually,” he corrected gently. “And I’m looking for the woman I showed you a picture of earlier. Are you sure you haven’t seen her?”
“I haven’t,” she said quietly. “She’s very pretty. I’m sure if she came in here, I would remember.”