Briar on Bruins' Peak (Bruins' Peak Bears Book 7)

by Erin D. Andrews

  “My friend the detective! Oh, and a surprise.” She reached down to Harper’s stomach and touched it gently, then drew back in shock. “Oh! I felt it. Oh, my goodness. You’ll have a pack of little ones soon.” She looked at Grey. “Hello. I’m Dahlia.”

  “So nice to meet you. I’m Grey, Harper’s partner.”

  They shook and chatted for a moment, getting all the pleasantries out of the way. Dahlia insisted they come in, and she promptly sent all her children out to go and run around for a bit while the adults talked.

  “Ma, we don’t wanna go!”

  “I wanna talk to the pretty lady.”

  “Please, Ma? Please? We’ll be good.”

  Dahlia sighed and shook her head. “I know I’ll regret this, but come and sit on the floor. Let our guests have the chairs.” Four little pairs of feet scurried around to find a coveted spot at their mother’s feet and settled in. They grinned up at Grey and Harper, braver now that their parent was nearby.

  “Okay, now,” she said down to them as she took a spot in a rocking chair, “everybody say hello and tell our friends Grey and Harper what your name is.”

  Silence. They waited for one of them to be brave enough to go first. To everyone’s surprise, the smallest – a little girl with her black hair drawn up into a bun on top of her head – spoke up. “I’m Katy, and I’m four.”

  “Hi, Katy,” Harper beamed. “You’re so big!”

  Katy put her finger in her mouth and nodded. “Yeah.”

  “I’m Lance, and I’m eight,” her brother announced, squaring his shoulders. He pointed at Grey. “I know who you are. You made the bridges.”

  “I did help with the bridges. Maybe one day you’ll be a builder,” Grey told him. Lance shook his head.

  “Nah. I’m going to be a scientist.”

  That got Harper’s attention. “A scientist?”

  Dahlia chuckled to herself. “All three of my sons have gone on and on about their future careers in science. I’ve never been able to convince them that being a teacher or a builder or even a writer is just as honorable a path. Even Marcus went on and on about chemistry after he dug up a few books on the subject.”

  Harper’s pulse went extremely fast. She barely heard the next two introductions – Pat and Mary – as they told her their interests and future plans as well. She realized that Marcus’ brothers must have admired him very much. His presence was almost carved out in certain places in the house. She could easily imagine him just to the left of Mary on the unoccupied spot on the floor. One of the beds she could see beyond the dining room would have been his, and that empty chair at the table would have been where he ate every day. She bit her lip as she felt Marcus walking around her, invisible and everywhere.

  “So,” Dahlia asked, tilting her head at Harper, “what brings you two to our home? Do you have any news?”

  “Actually,” Harper said, putting aside her observations of the ghost in the family, “I have some keepsakes for you.” She took off her backpack and unpacked the items she’d found in Marcus’ hiding spot. When she held the blanket out, Dahlia froze.

  “Where did you find that?”

  “In a hiding place he kept over near my part of the forest. Please, I’m sure he would want it to be here in the house.”

  Dahlia reached for the blanket and touched it as if it were a living thing. She pulled it into her chest and burst into tears. The children froze at the sight of their mother’s tears. Katy stood and patted her mother’s knee, and Dahlia promptly pulled her onto her big, warm lap and held her close.

  Lance stood and looked at the blanket in his mother’s hand. “This was Marcus’ baby blanket,” he said to the room. Harper nodded, not sure what to say. Pat approached her.

  “Did you find anything else?”

  “Yes. A tool and a book. There’s a drawing on the back,” she answered. Lance took the items from her and smirked when he saw the monster.

  “Marcus never could draw.”

  She raised her eyebrows. “Did he enjoy drawing?”

  Lance shrugged. “Not really. He was more interested in finding out how things worked.”

  Grey and Harper glanced at one another. Grey leaned in closer to Lance. “So, did he? I mean, was he good at figuring things out?”

  A big grin spread from one of Lance’s ears to the other. “The best! He could pick apart any machine, explain any chemical reaction, you name it. He once explained the biology of the new trees to a teacher and why they don’t have rings anymore. He even broke down why the raindrops are so big now and how the earth is changing. He was a genius.”

  Behind him, his mother took a big, shuddering breath. “Yes, he was. Oh, my baby. Just too precious for this world.” Lance turned to his mother who asked him for something to wipe her face. He went off, leaving the items Harper had passed him onto the empty bed against the wall.

  Dahlia sniffled and rocked back and forth, cuddling her little daughter. “Do you have any idea who did this? Anything at all?”

  Harper nodded at Grey who turned to the grieving mother. “Yes. We know who killed Marcus. We just aren’t quite sure what to do next. This person is,” he paused, glancing at Harper who nodded encouragement, “very dangerous. Very power hungry and, I’m guessing, feels invincible right now.”

  Dahlia’s face went pale with the description, and her eyes flicked back and forth between her two visitors. “But who could that be? And power hungry for what? There’s nothing left!”

  Harper sighed. “You’re right, it’s ridiculous. But this man doesn’t see it that way. He wants to create a population of addicts, drunks specifically, so he’s been manufacturing a special booze from the local fruit. It’s great, gives everyone a good time, no hangover, doesn’t have a flavor so you can drink it however you want.”

  Dahlia crinkled her eyebrows. “So, how does that help him?”

  “It’s only available to those with money. The recipe is a secret, and only people who pay can have access to the stuff. But, once the money runs out…”

  Understanding passed over Dahlia’s face, and she nodded, understanding. Lance handed her a handkerchief, and she blew her nose. “So, how is Marcus involved in this?”

  “Come on, Ma,” Lance interrupted, “they’re trying to tell you. Marcus figured out how to make the stuff. He was going to tell everyone so they could have it for free. The bad guys found out and they…” Lance’s voice left him at that moment, and he walked away to his bed. He threw himself on the mattress and wept softly.

  Dahlia looked at her visitors for confirmation. “Is that true?”

  They nodded. “Yes,” Harper told her. “Your son, in all his genius, cracked the recipe and the means to make this stuff. And if it’s public knowledge, there’s no power struggle. Everyone can just make it at home. So, they considered him a problem.”

  She paused and looked them up and down. “You two know who killed my son, don’t you?”

  They nodded again, and she set down her little girl to cross over to them and grab Harper by the hands. “Who? Who is it, darling?”

  Harper looked at her friend’s desperate, searching eyes and swallowed and pressed her lips together. She took a breath and told her, “We think it was my dad.”

  Chapter Ten

  A Night in a New Home

  After Dahlia had asked all her questions and cried all of her tears, she insisted that Harper and Grey stay for a meal. “I can cook. Ask anyone around here – I make some truly delicious food.”

  The couple glanced at one another. They did like the idea of getting a good meal. Harper shrugged. “It’s getting late. I guess we could eat and crash here and then plan our next move in the morning.”

  He nodded and they offered to help Dahlia in the kitchen. She gave them a little tour.

  “My Marcus designed this little cooker for me. It runs on sunlight and cooks the food slowly, but it works just as well as the oven I used to have. Now, you flip this switch,” she reached to the side and to the b
ack of her little machine, “and that gets it warmed up. Now Grey,” she turned to the only man in the kitchen and handed him a cutting board, “you’re going to be in charge of the sauce. Don’t look at me like that, I’ll walk you through it. Your little lady here is going to whip up the main dish, and I’ll make dessert.”

  Under Dahlia’s direction, they were cutting, whipping, and baking in no time. The children cleaned up around them and then went out to run and play until dinner was ready. With the house a bit quieter, they were able to chat more openly.

  “Harper,” Dahlia said, her eyes narrow, “what was it like growing up in that big palace on the mountain? Did you have jewels all over the place? What sort of food did you eat?”

  She blushed a little as she organized their dinner casserole into a baking dish. “I know it’s hard to believe, but I was very lonely. I actually snuck out a few times with the help of a disguise. I even taught myself how to drive a car in secret to help me get away.” She stepped aside so that Grey could pour the smooth, green sauce on top of their food. Harper took a break and leaned against the counter. “I was actually pining after the life everyone had in the compound. I thought all the teenage shifters with their cave parties and neighbors, their lack of bodyguards was the best thing in the world. Of course, I didn’t understand how much everyone was struggling.”

  “You know,” Grey broke in, scraping out the last of the sauce, “she was actually hiding out in the compound for a while. We managed to keep her a secret until I got her home.” He smiled at her. “That was the first time we kissed.”

  She blushed and looked down. “Shut up, Grey.”

  “I won’t.” He set his mixing bowl down to give her a little kiss on the lips. She giggled at him and kissed him back while Dahlia rolled her eyes on the other side of the kitchen.

  “You kids,” she sighed, taking over Grey’s duty and putting the food in the oven. “All your energy and young love. I remember what it was like before my husband and I got married. It wasn’t until years later that I started wishing we’d never gone through with it, but I guess it’s all right.” She sighed and looked around the house. “I miss him now that he’s gone.”

  The group walked over to the little seating area again. “What happened to him?” Harper asked.

  “I don’t know,” Dahlia told her, shaking her head. “One day, he went to work on some project the president had commissioned. It was a big dig that required some of the strongest, hardest working shifters. Well, we’re a family of jaguars, so we work. We’re fast, energetic, and patient – a rare combination. Anyhow,” she adjusted her skirt underneath her, “my husband got chosen for the crew, and that got us some extra pay. Not much, but a little. He went on time every day, came home telling me about this giant hole they were digging, said no one knew why. Then, one day, he never came back.”

  She fell silent, unable to look at Harper. The girl shook her head and looked at her lover, Grey, who gave her a sad smile. Dahlia looked at both with tired, empty eyes. “I don’t blame anyone. As far as I know, your dad had nothing to do with it. I just wish…” she looked out a window, not wanting to finish the thought.

  “You just wish you could know what exactly happened to him,” Harper offered. “Because until you do, there’s always the chance that he’s alive.”

  Dahlia nodded sadly, still looking away. Harper took a big breath and thought of the shifter boy, Emily’s brother, who had been killed by a human work crew leader because the man didn’t like his attitude. She knew that shifters were said to have “disappeared” or “died mysteriously” all the time when humans could just force them to work. It was likely Dahlia’s husband had done nothing wrong, but for whatever reason, a crew leader had terrorized him, possibly beat him, maybe forced him to shift and then taken a few shots at him. The whole thing turned her stomach.

  “What was your husband’s name?”

  Dahlia looked at her. “It was Al. Short for Alvin.” She smiled a little at the sound of his name. “He wasn’t a perfect man, but he worked so hard. And he loved his kids.”

  “I’m so sorry I didn’t get to meet him in person,” Harper said. “I’m sure we would have been friends.”

  Dahlia stood and nodded. “Yes, I think so. Let me check on our food and make sure it’s cooking properly.”

  She stepped away, and in her absence Harper put her face in her hands. It was awful to hear stories from her own father’s regime – the violence, the disregard for shifter lives, the dark memories he had left as his legacy. She wondered if she would ever be able to move past it.

  “Hey,” Grey whispered, squeezing her knee, “it wasn’t you. Don’t take that on. You had nothing to do with any of that. It was people who were short-sighted. You’re different. You’re the new generation of Bachmann.”

  She didn’t respond, just took in his words without comment. Dahlia announced that their food would be ready in about twenty minutes and asked the two of them to go and collect the children. “Maybe you can get them to wash their hands? If so, I’ll be forever in your debt.”

  Agreeing to get the children clean, they made their way outside and down to the base of the trees. They found the little ones playing a game of Stop/Go and broke up the fun.

  Soon after, everyone was at the table, talking, laughing, and eating together. The food was delicious – baked vegetables in an herb sauce with a fruit pie for dessert. It had been so long since Harper and Grey had tasted cooked food that they ate a little too fast at first. Once they saw that there was no space at the table for seconds, they slowed down as the children devoured their portions in big, desperate bites.

  “Slow down, all of you!” Dahlia laughed. “I appreciate the sentiment, but goodness! Half of you are about to choke.”

  As dinner came to a close, Dahlia folded her hands on the table and addressed her little ones. “All right, my geniuses,” she said, “our friends have a problem on their hands. Who feels ready to help them solve it?”

  Hands shot up all around the table as Harper did a double take. She wiped her mouth and sat up to pay attention.

  “Okay,” the mother of the house continued, “here’s the problem. These two know who killed your brother, but they don’t know what to do about it. There’s no law enforcers here like there was in the city. There’s no jail. All that’s gone. And there’s only two of them, and Harper here is pregnant and needs to protect that little baby inside her.”

  The children listened intently while Harper started to panic. Why was Dahlia asking her kids to weigh in on such a sensitive topic?

  “You know what? This is crazy grown-up stuff. You kids don’t have to…” a chorus of groans cut her off.

  “Why don’t adults let kids help more?” Lance demanded. “I’m smart. You should want to know what I think.”

  The heads around the table nodded, eyebrows up and smug smiles all around to assure Harper that she would be missing out if she were to shut down the conversation.

  “Okay. So, um, what do you kids think I should do about this murderer?”

  All of them fell silent as they gazed off to think. They had some random questions for her: did she know if the killer had weapons? How many people were on his side? Where were they located? She and Grey answered as best they could, but in the course of their discussion, the two realized they had sparse information to go by.

  “You’re not ready to face the killer,” Mary told them in a stern voice. “You would be better of getting some people on your side. You have to be ready for anything.”

  Hearing the words from a nine-year-old girl somehow made them extra threatening. If a child could see that, there was no way around it. They were walking into a trap.

  “Well,” Harper said to the table, “it sounds like we do need some help.”

  “Luckily for you both,” Dahlia informed them, “you are in the middle of some truly talented and formidable shifter community. Why don’t you two take a couple of days to get a team together and do this properly?”


  “But do what?” Harper pressed. “What are we going to do when we catch this guy? My dad, I mean. Like you said, we can’t throw him in jail. We can’t call law enforcement. We can’t even kick him out; there’s nowhere to kick him out of.”

  “What about the Alliance?” Dahlia asked, tilting her head to one side. “Maybe they have a good solution.”

  “The Alliance?” She turned to her partner with her face screwed up. “What could they do?”

  “I don’t know,” he admitted, shrugging, “but she’s right. They’re a creative bunch. They seem to have a few things figured out. And Alex did say we were welcome back there anytime.”

  “True.” Harper thought about, nodding. “Okay, here’s what we’ll do. Over the next two days, Grey will stay here and get a team together to take out the murderer. In the meantime, I’ll head out to the Alliance and spend a day there and ask them to help me figure what to do with the guy once we catch him. Who knows? Maybe they can design some kind of jail or whatever.”

  That last sentence earned her some questionable looks from around the table and she looked back in shock. “What?”

  “You want someone to go to jail?” Pat asked her.

  “Oh. Well, no. I just don’t know what the alternative would be.”

  Little Katy piped up again from the other side of the table. “Every problem has more than one solution. That’s what Marcus said.”

  Her sweet, confident voice made Harper smile. “Of course. Your brother was very smart, Katy. Just like you.”

  “I know,” she said with a head tilt and everyone laughed.

  After they all had their fill of dessert, the whole group pitched in to clean up their plates and the kitchen. The whole family had an order of chores that helped them do their part without getting in the way of the others in the group. Harper and Grey caught one another’s eye as the whole family became a large, functioning assembly line. This was a family. One day, they would have a little troupe of their own.