Pulling out a folder from his bag, Archer then spread the contents over the coffee table. “Now, we plan.”
“I DON’T understand.” Aaron pointed at the photos spread out over the table. He’d been listening to the two detectives talk for the last hour. “If you already know so much about Smith, or Daryl White, whatever, why do you need me?” The photos showed Smith/White and his bodyguards walking into one of the clubs Smith owned. The same bodyguards that accompanied him to the fights. Aaron recognised them all.
Archer glanced up at him, eyes shining with excitement. He’d been far more animated once Aaron had agreed to fight, eager to explain what they wanted to happen. “These guys.” He tapped a finger on one of the photos. “Are legally employed by White, and he takes them everywhere. That information’s easy enough to find out. We know he runs illegal fights and gambling, but we have no proof—nothing that we could use in court, anyway.”
“And the murders? Why do you think he’s involved with them?”
Archer looked at him like he was stupid. “Well, for starters, there’s everything you’ve told us about the last victim. And White has some connection—albeit tenuous with one of them—to the other victims. I know in my gut that he’s involved somehow. And at this stage, I believe he’s the key to finding out who the shifter is.”
“Your gut? So it’s instinct that’s telling you to investigate him further?” Out of all the things the two detectives had told them so far, this was the one that resonated with Aaron the most.
“Is that a problem?” Archer asked, eyebrows raised in challenge.
Aaron smiled, a big genuine smile, the first one he’d managed for a while. “Nope. Not at all.” He gestured to the other members of his pack. “We all understand instinct.”
Archer huffed out a laugh, and even Coldwell’s lips twitched. “I guess you do.” His expression softened for just a fraction of a second, but it was enough for Aaron to want to see more.
“So, as far as Thursday night goes…” Archer looked at Harry. “Do Smith and his men know that you’re a shifter?”
“Um…” Harry frowned. “I’m pretty sure they do, yeah. Rob had to tell them who he was bringing, and I think he had to declare if he was bringing a shifter or not. They don’t like surprises.”
“Right, in that case, it won’t come as a shock to them if you turn up on Thursday night with backup. Unless they specifically told you not to?”
“No, they didn’t. They just said they’d get the money from Rob if I don’t show. And I’m guessing they wouldn’t be asking him nicely.” Harry bit his lip at Archer’s expression, and Aaron sensed the despair in his friend.
“I wouldn’t have thought so, no.” Archer hesitated, then asked, “Do they have contact details for you or Rob?”
“They have Rob’s. He had to give it to become a member. But they only have my first name. And now my phone number.”
They’d have no trouble finding Rob if Harry was a no-show. Aaron knew Rob well enough. He was a nice guy, but Aaron had gone off him a bit for getting Harry involved with all of this. Not that Harry hadn’t made his own choices, but still.
That said, Rob wouldn’t be any match for Smith’s bodyguards, and the thought of them going after him set Aaron’s teeth on edge.
“Okay, so I’d suggest you take Isaac with you on Thursday.” Archer turned to Aaron as though sensing he was about to object. “You can’t go for obvious reasons.” He gestured to Isaac. “But they won’t know you. Especially if you wear a hat and hang back a little. Just let them know what you are, enough to ensure they don’t try anything.”
Sam frowned. “The people Harry’ll be meeting. How likely is it that they’ll have guns?”
“If they know that Harry’s a shifter, I’d say with one hundred per cent certainty that they’ll be armed.”
“Fuck.” Sam’s sigh was loud in the suddenly quiet room. “I don’t like it.”
“I know it sounds dangerous on paper, but they’re not going to do anything to Harry if he pays on time. Especially not for the sake of a couple of hundred quid.”
“You can’t know that for sure.”
“No,” Archer conceded. “That’s true. But Harry’s a source of income for them. If he’s borrowed money once, odds are he’ll do it again, and as long as he pays up each time, then he’s a cash cow. They’re not going to jeopardise that.”
Sam didn’t seem all that convinced, but Aaron thought Archer made a good point. That was how people like Smith made their money, wasn’t it? Letting people borrow money when they were caught up in the excitement of gambling and then charge extortionate amounts of interest. As long as they paid, they were fine. “Makes sense to me,” he said when the silence stretched too long for his liking. “And if things look to be going wrong, then Harry’s quick enough to get out of there before they have chance to get their guns out.”
Isaac flexed his hands, claws out. “I was thinking they’d be dead before they had chance to shoot at us.”
“You’re going to go with him then?” Aaron asked, feeling better already at the prospect of Isaac agreeing to go.
“Yeah, of course.” He said it as though there was never any doubt in his mind. “Even if you weren’t part of my unit now, I wouldn’t let Harry go alone.” Glancing at the detectives, he added, “And I’m assuming the fewer people who know about this, the better?”
“Yes. Someone, some shifter knows who’s doing the killings. And I’m sure you’re going to tell me that it’s no one in your pack, but I’d rather not take that chance, if it’s all the same.”
Sam put his hand on Isaac’s arm. “You sure? As alpha, the welfare of the pack is my responsibility.”
“Yes, it is.” Placing his hand over Sam’s, Isaac gave him a pointed look. “And as one of your betas, it’s my job to do it when you can’t. And accompanying Harry on Thursday is one of those times.”
Sam slid his hand up to Isaac’s throat, left it there for a second, and then stepped back. “Since Isaac’s happy to accompany Harry on Thursday, then so am I. Harry?”
“Yeah. I’ll feel much better with Isaac there.” He visibly relaxed as he said it, and Aaron wondered if he’d thought he’d be going alone.
Nudging him with his thigh, he whispered, “We wouldn’t have let you meet those arseholes on your own. Regardless of whether the SCTF are involved or not.”
“I know.”
Aaron wasn’t convinced he did, but the main thing was that Harry wouldn’t be going alone and had Isaac as backup—with his beta strength. Aaron pitied anyone who decided to mess with him. Guns or no.
“Right, I think that covers things for now. We’ll be back Thursday afternoon with the money you’ll need for membership and to make sure you’re ready.” Archer stood, and Coldwell did the same. “See you Thursday.”
Isaac saw them to the door.
Aaron watched them go, then collapsed back against the sofa cushions. It might only be lunchtime but it felt like they’d been at it for hours. And he was starving.
His stomach rumbled as confirmation.
Rolling his head so he faced Harry, he said, “Fancy going out to get food?”
Harry gestured to Aaron’s face. “Won’t you need to fix a few things before we go out in public?”
He doubted they’d actually see anyone from Friday night, but there was always a chance. And now he needed to keep up appearances more than ever. “Yeah, I guess.” He blew out a breath, not looking forward to making himself look beat up again. He’d thought he was done with all that. Thank God he hadn’t thrown all his stuff out like he’d been tempted to. “Give me twenty minutes when we get back to our building and I’ll be ready.”
Sam cleared his throat, staring at them both. Aaron had been so relieved the morning was over, he’d forgotten where they were for a minute. “I would suggest you get yourselves ready and then go with Isaac to meet your new unit since that was your goal for today. I’m sure he’d be happy to include lunch in that, and
I think a little pack normalcy will do you both good.”
Aaron happened to agree. The last few days had left him feeling vulnerable and on edge. Being around pack was exactly what they both needed.
“Yes, Alpha.”
The sound of the front door closing was followed by Isaac’s voice moments later as he entered the living room, phone in hand. “I’ll pick you both up in half an hour. We’ll be meeting most of my unit for lunch at one thirty. Okay?”
Both Harry and Aaron nodded.
With that decided, Aaron stood and offered his hand to Harry who took it and hauled himself up. “See you in a bit,” he said to Isaac. Then he turned to Sam. “I’m sorry for putting us in this position.”
“Me too,” Harry added.
“I know you are.” Sam sighed and stepped forward. He laid a hand on each of them, palms resting at the base of their throats. Aaron relaxed immediately under his alpha’s touch. “And I’m proud of you for coming to tell me in the first place, even though you could have kept quiet. If I’d had to find out about all this first from the SCTF detectives, I’d have been disappointed in both of you.”
Which would have sucked.
Thank fuck they came to see him when they did.
“I’m also glad you decided to cooperate with the police. Whoever’s killing humans needs to be stopped. I don’t care what pack they’re from, they’ve crossed a line and no longer deserve our protection.”
I really hope it’s no one from our pack.
He couldn’t see it. Sam ran a tight, law-abiding pack, but then every alpha probably thought that.
When Aaron’s stomach rumbled for the second time in quick succession. He gestured towards the door. “We’d better get going.”
“Of course.”
Isaac followed them out into the hallway, much to Aaron’s surprise. “I need to change,” he said when Aaron looked at him.
One flight of stairs later, they parted ways. “I’ll see you in thirty minutes outside your building.” Not waiting for an answer, Isaac opened the stairwell door and marched off down the corridor in the direction of his flat.
When they got outside, Aaron took in a big lungful of fresh air and closed his eyes for a second.
Harry elbowed him in the ribs. “I wasn’t expecting that to happen when we walked over here earlier.”
They started walking again and Aaron sighed. “Nope. Me neither.” Though in hindsight, maybe he should have. “But when you think about it now, it seems kind of an obvious choice. Don’t you reckon?”
“I guess.” Harry shrugged, his shoulder brushing Aaron’s. “You did tell them all about Charlie and how he’d had a run-in with Smith, or White, or whatever we’re supposed to call him now.” Harry rolled his eyes. “I wish they’d never mentioned his real name. I don’t want to accidentally blurt it out when I shouldn’t.”
“I know what you mean.” Of course, he’d always known that Mr Smith wasn’t his real name. No one actually thought that. Well, no one who Aaron knew, anyway. But Smith didn’t advertise his real name. Aaron had never heard it mentioned before, and he doubted them knowing it would be seen as a good thing by anyone other than the SCTF. “Let’s stick to calling him Smith.”
“Yeah, okay.”
“At least you have Isaac going with you on Thursday.”
Harry smiled. “I know. Makes me feel a whole lot better about it all.”
“Me too.”
As they reached the entrance to their building, Harry glanced over at him. “What do you think of Detective Archer?”
Aaron eyed him suspiciously. “In what way?”
“Oh, come on, don’t tell me you haven’t noticed how hot he is.”
“Fuck no!” Aaron scoffed. “Hot is so not the word I was thinking when he threatened to arrest me earlier.”
Harry laughed at him, clearly thinking he was full of shit. “What about before that? I saw you eyeing him up yesterday afternoon.”
“When?”
“At the crime scene. You might have thought you were being subtle—and for fuck’s sake A, we were standing near a huge bloodstain—but I caught you taking a peek. There’s something to be said for a man in uniform.”
Aaron’s cheeks heated because Harry was spot on. He had noticed. “I might’ve given him a second glance, yesterday. But that was before he asked me to carry on fighting.” He refrained from using air quotes—just. “And they don’t wear uniforms.”
Harry waved him away as he reached for the door. “You know what I mean though. It’s that air of authority they carry with them.”
“They’re SCTF. Their sole purpose is to arrest shifters, report them to the council, and make sure they end up in Krillick Hall. Why would I find that attractive?” He walked inside after Harry and followed him to the stairs.
“They’re just doing their job. And anyone who ends up in prison usually deserves to be there.”
Aaron hummed in response. Harry made a good point, but still. They were SCTF. They weren’t shifter friendly.
“All that aside, he is really hot. Admit it.”
That coaxed a laugh out of him and he looked up to see Harry staring at him over his shoulder. “He’s all right, I guess.”
“And I reckon he thinks you’re a bit of all right too.” Harry grinned as he said it.
“Fuck off. Now you’re just talking out your arse.” The thought of Archer liking him was more appealing than he was comfortable with. It was a terrible idea to even entertain. Making a shooing gesture, he added, “Hurry up, I’ve got to fix my face before we meet Isaac.”
“Yeah, got to look pretty for our new beta.” Harry laughed and ran up the rest of the steps as Aaron lunged for him.
“Wanker.” Aaron glared as they parted ways and headed for their respective flats, but Harry just waved and grinned.
“I’ll be round in twenty.”
“Whatever.” Aaron could still hear Harry’s laughter until he closed his door, shutting out everything.
Leaning against it for a second, Aaron attempted to absorb everything that had happened that morning and not get overwhelmed by it. He concentrated on the relief at not being arrested, and not the way both he and his wolf were seemingly drawn to an SCTF detective.
Blowing out a breath, he gave himself a little pep talk. One step at a time, Aaron.
First, meet his new unit—a splash of normalcy in their suddenly chaotic lives.
Second, get past Thursday. It would kill him not being able to accompany Harry, but Isaac was probably a far better option. He and Harry couldn’t be seen together by Smith’s men.
And after that? Who knew?
He’d be taking it one fight at a time and praying someone in that inner circle was a talker.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Wednesday morning, Michael trooped into his boss’s office with Frank hot on his heels.
“What have you got for me?” Arlington barely waited for them to sit down.
“Harper agreed to carry on fighting,” Michael answered, getting straight to the point like his boss. He went on to explain about the money they needed for Harry’s membership and how they planned to proceed.
Arlington listened to all of it without comment, and Michael might have thought it was a bad sign if he wasn’t used to his boss’s way of working.
When Michael was done explaining and Frank had outlined their plans for getting into the fight venues, Arlington sat back in his chair and regarded them both. “You have a month to see how this pans out. After that, we need to re-evaluate the situation.”
Pretty much in line with what they’d told Alpha Thomas and his pack. “Yes, sir.”
“And I want a written report after every fight.”
“Yes, sir.”
Arlington rested his forearms on his desk. “I hope your instincts are right on this one. We need to catch this shifter before things escalate further.”
Taking that as their dismissal, Michael stood, but Arlington’s voice stopped him in his tracks
.
“Oh, and just so you know, I’ve had to inform the alpha council.”
Damn it. At least he sounded as pissed off about it as Michael now felt.
“We’ve held off for too long as it is. With solid evidence that a shifter’s committed three murders in the city, they needed to be notified. As it was, Alpha Wallace wasn’t exactly pleased we’d waited so long to let them know. But,” he added, and his voice was a little lighter, giving Michael hope that it wasn’t all bad news. “After I detailed our proposed plans for the investigation, they agreed to give us two weeks’ grace before they come to London and start to question the packs. But that will all change if another body turns up.”
Michael suppressed a groan. “Of course.”
With nothing else to say, he and Frank left Arlington’s office and returned to their desks.
“Fuck.” Michael leaned back in his chair, hands clasped behind his head. “You know once the council starts throwing their weight around, it could scare our shifter off.”
“Or, it might force someone to come forward and tell us the truth,” Frank countered. “We can threaten them all we like with the prospect of a short stint in Krillick Hall or reporting them to the council, but they all know that lying to the council will result in a punishment of the council’s choosing—up to and including death. I think when that’s on the table, someone’s more likely to talk.”
“You think we should’ve called them in sooner?”
Frank hummed. “Maybe?” At Michael’s raised eyebrow, he added, “We’re getting nowhere. Three people are dead, and we have no leads. Well, we didn’t until Crossford. But maybe we should’ve asked them to lean on the pack alphas a little, ensure they were telling the truth.”
“That’s assuming the alphas know anything. As much as some would like to believe they’re omnipotent, they don’t know every single thing that their pack members get up to. And there’s only twelve members of the council. It’d be a big ask to expect them to interrogate each and every member of all the packs. And again, we’re assuming the shifter we’re looking for is a member of one of the London packs. They could just as well have come here from elsewhere.”
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