Butterfly Assassin

by Annabelle Jacobs

“Fuck, no.” Foster looked at him like he was mad. “I got the text about last Friday’s fight, but no way am I ever going back there.”

  All they had was Foster’s word that it happened like he said it did. No proof to corroborate any of it. Arlington would laugh at them if they tried to present this as enough evidence to go after Smith.

  Standing abruptly, Michael said, “I need to speak to DS Coldwell outside for a second.”

  “Take your time. I’m in no hurry to get back out on the streets.”

  They left him fiddling with the plastic coffee cup he’d had earlier and closed the door behind them.

  “Fuck.” Frank leaned against the wall next to the door. “For a minute there, I thought we’d found a breakthrough.”

  “Yeah, me too.”

  “You believe him?”

  “I do. As far-fetched as some of it sounds, I think he’s telling the truth.” Michael slapped his palm against the wall. “But he gave us nothing we can use.”

  “But at least we know how Crossford ended up in that alley.” Frank let out a sigh, and Michael felt exactly the same. “It’s got to be the missing shifter that’s doing the killing though, right? I don’t care that they couldn’t trace his scent to the other crime scenes. It’s too much of a coincidence not to be him.”

  “Agreed.” Alpha Wallace might not want to accept that idea just yet, but it was the most obvious explanation. “Maybe…” And he couldn’t believe he was saying this. His gut instinct still said Smith was involved somehow, but… “Maybe we should start looking at him instead of Smith?”

  “Hmm.” Frank let his head fall back against the wall with a thud. “This doesn’t have anything to do with Harper, does it?”

  Michael bristled. “What are you implying?”

  “Nothing, Arch. I’m just asking, as your partner and friend, if there’s even a slim possibility that you want to ditch the investigation into Smith so that Harper’s no longer involved in this case.”

  He fought the urge to snap out an answer, instead taking time to consider Frank’s question. He had a valid point after all. One which Michael would have raised if he was in Frank’s shoes. It deserved an honest answer.

  “I don’t think so. We have no tangible proof connecting Smith to any of the murders. Running an illegal fight club? Yes, guilty as charged, and we can pass that over to Miller for him to deal with. But we’ve seen nothing to put either him or any of his associates at the crime scenes.” Taking a breath, he chanced meeting Frank’s gaze. “But I can’t say that the thought of Aaron no longer working with us isn’t a bonus, nor can I say with one hundred per cent certainty that he hasn’t altered my thinking, even subconsciously. But we have a missing shifter, and three dead bodies all with their throats ripped out. Sometimes the obvious answer is, in fact, the truth.”

  Frank stared at him for a good few seconds before nodding his head. “Fair enough.”

  Everything he’d just said had been the truth, but it was easily possible that Aaron had a bigger impact on his rationale than he wanted to admit. Maybe they should just let things fizzle out naturally—probably the better solution for both of them. Even if the thought depressed him.

  “Arch?”

  Focusing on the present again, Michael looked up. “Yeah?”

  Frank nodded in the direction of the door. “What do we do with him?”

  “Fuck, I don’t know.” God, another headache they didn’t need right now. Arlington was going to be pissed off with them as it was for making little to no progress. They now had to somehow protect a potential witness, whose evidence would probably never see the light of day. They were going to be his favourite two people ever. “Keep him in there for now, unless he wants to leave.”

  “Let’s go find out.”

  As it turned out, Foster was very much against leaving. He couldn’t access either the labs or the upstairs offices from that room, only a couple of other meeting rooms and the toilets, so Michael and Frank left him there for the afternoon and night with sandwiches, drinks, a cushion and blankets they’d managed to rustle up, and the promise that security would check on him constantly.

  Frank went back upstairs to finish his day, and Michael went home.

  They’d fill Arlington in tomorrow. And wouldn’t that be fun.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Harry arrived at Aaron’s flat just after 3.00 p.m. for their usual Sunday dinner get together.

  Aaron opened the door and managed a smile despite not feeling the least bit cheerful.

  Taking one look at him, Harry sighed. “It’s not that bad,” then handed him a Sainsburys bag that smelt like chicken. “Here, I figured you wouldn’t have cooked anything.” He sniffed the air and huffed. “And I was right.”

  “Sorry. I kind of lost track of the time.” Aaron rubbed his chest and glanced up at the ceiling. “I hate this part, Harry.” The part where he started to like someone, felt the stirrings of… something. Shifters didn’t bond with humans, at least it was extremely rare, but that didn’t mean Aaron felt nothing—far from it. And it was even worse this time because, in some cruel twist of fate, his wolf liked Michael too.

  “Yeah, I know.” Harry walked in and clapped him on the shoulder, shutting the door behind him. “But it doesn’t last forever. Remember that.” He had another carrier bag with him and he held it up. “This is veg and other stuff.”

  “Thanks.” Aaron had veg, he wasn’t totally useless, but he took them with a grateful smile. At least he thought it’d been grateful, but Harry stopped him with a hand on his arm. “Hey.”

  “What?”

  Harry peered at him, closely. “Ah fuck,” he whispered. “Your wolf likes him too?”

  “Yep.” With a sigh, Aaron turned and led the way through to the kitchen. He placed the bags on the counter. “An SCTF detective, for fuck’s sake. I clearly have shitty taste in men.”

  Nudging his shoulder, Harry smiled at him. “Oh, I don’t know. He’s hot, and Detective Sergeant Michael Archer rolls off the tongue nicely.”

  Aaron grinned back. “Yes, he does.”

  It took Harry all of two seconds to get his meaning, and he scrunched up his nose, giving Aaron a shove. “Not before we’re about to eat.” He pointed at the carrier bag with the veg in it. “Stick those in the microwave and I’ll carve this chicken. Then you can tell me what happened after I left Sam’s flat. Just because I was at work all day yesterday doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten.”

  “Fine.” Aaron had actually thought he’d got away without having to relive it all.

  Arse.

  Being lectured by Sam and frowned at by Isaac had been bad enough. In no way did he want to give Harry all the gory details and get a similar reaction. And then there was his chat with Michael after. Did he want to tell Harry about that part? He wasn’t entirely sure, for some reason.

  They ate in relative silence. Only when Harry sat back and rubbed his belly did he fix his gaze on Aaron, intention obvious.

  Aaron groaned. “Do you really need to know?”

  Raising both eyebrows, Harry stared at him, then frowned.

  Bollocks.

  Aaron ran a hand over his face and sighed. “Sorry, I didn’t mean that.” They told each other everything, always had, right since they met in hospital and Harry became his best friend and then pack mate. “I’m just all…” He waved a hand to indicate something, everything.

  “I know. I’ll let you off.” He gestured to Aaron’s face. “We need to talk about that too.”

  The marks had all healed with sleep, but Aaron knew what he meant.

  “Ugh.” Aaron rolled his eyes, and Harry laughed. “I hope you’re sitting comfortably.”

  Grinning, Harry made a show of settling back in his chair. “I’m all ears.”

  Aaron started with Sam. He told Harry all about how their alpha had cautioned that getting involved with a member of the SCTF might be problematic for him.

  “Did he forbid you from taking it further?” Harry asked.


  “No.” Aaron didn’t believe Sam would ever do that. “But he wanted me to take a few days and think hard about Detective Archer’s motives and whether it was worth all the possible risks.”

  “Seems fair enough. I mean, the two of you were sort of forced into it.”

  Aaron scoffed. “We weren’t forced into it. Smith’s idiots were waiting outside; we could have faked it. But—”

  “But you were caught up in the moment and didn’t want to?”

  “No. And neither did he.” Aaron smiled, remembering, and Harry kicked him gently under the table.

  “Knock it off.” But he smiled back. “You really do like him, huh?”

  “Yeah.” Aaron glanced up at the ceiling, restlessness making him fidget. With the full moon late tomorrow night, the pull was already affecting him. He wanted to run, let his wolf free and feel the wind through his fur, rough ground under his paws. Maybe then he could get some perspective on this thing with Michael. Fuck knew he needed some.

  “Did Isaac say anything?”

  “Yep.” Aaron smirked. “He was pissed off that Michael put me at risk by coming back to find me after the fight when you’d told him not to.”

  Harry nodded like that was what he’d expected. “It’s good to have a beta again, right?”

  “Yeah. It is.”

  Having Isaac get angry on his behalf had left him with that warm feeling of belonging, one he’d never experienced until he’d been bitten and changed. He’d loved his family, his human family, but this was different in a way Aaron struggled to describe with words. He felt it on a primal level, and his wolf responded, calmed.

  “So…” Harry tapped his fingers on the table. “How did it end with you and the detective?” Before Aaron could answer, he added, “I saw him hanging around when I left, and I heard him talking to his partner. I know he waited for you.”

  The memory of that last kiss, bittersweet as it was, stirred something inside him that Aaron was doing his hardest to ignore. Of all the shifter traits, the possessive streak was what he struggled with at the moment. If he closed his eyes and concentrated, it was like he could still smell Michael’s scent. Still feel the warmth of his body as they kissed. He wanted Michael to be his so badly. It would pass if they kept their distance, he knew that. But for now, it hurt.

  Meeting Harry’s gaze, he sighed. A sad smile was all he could manage. “There won’t be a repeat performance.”

  “Now or ever?”

  Aaron shrugged. “I don’t know.” And that was the part that unsettled him. “Definitely nothing happening while we’re helping the SCTF, but afterwards… Yeah, I’ve no idea.”

  “Do you want it to? Do you want to get involved with a human?” Harry scowled, and Aaron marvelled how quickly he forgot that they used to be human not so many years ago. Harry pointed a finger at him. “I know what you’re thinking, and it’s not that. I’m not saying that because I think you’re better than him. But we are different. And you know what I’m referring to.”

  Aaron did, but he didn’t have to acknowledge it.

  “You’ll fall harder, get more attached, and no matter how much you want him to, he’ll never experience the same depth of feeling that you will for him. And if things don’t work out, it’s going to hurt you way more.”

  “I know all that, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth a try.” He scraped a claw along the edge of the table, and fuck, when had that happened. Bloody full moon. Aaron cracked his neck from side to side, suddenly aware of the tension in his shoulders. “Look at that guy from the Regent’s Park pack. He got involved with a human, worked out all right for him.”

  Harry scrunched up his nose—his thinking face. “You mean Nathan Kohl?”

  “I think so?” The name sounded familiar.

  Scoffing, Harry leaned on the table. “Rumour has it that Kohl bit his human first and then they fucked.”

  “Where did you hear that?”

  “I have my sources.” He tapped the side of his nose. “Apparently that’s how they’re bonded, but his mate’s still human. Sort of.”

  “Sort of?” Aaron snorted. “You’re so full of shit.”

  “It’s the truth.”

  “Hmm, whatever.” If it was, then it didn’t help his case at all.

  Harry bit his lip, then offered, “Will says their alpha used to have a human partner.”

  Raising his eyebrows, Aaron motioned for him to continue.

  “Don’t give me that look. We chat sometimes when I’m waiting for you.”

  “I’m sure you do.” Aaron narrowed his eyes. “I thought you were trying to put off the idea anyway.”

  Harry shrugged. “I’m just telling you what I know. Anyway, his alpha and his partner were as close as they could be without actually bonding.”

  “Were?”

  “Will said she died in the pack wars, and he’s mated to one of his betas or ex-betas now, I think.”

  “So it does happen.”

  Not that it would necessarily happen for him and Michael, but if it worked out for an alpha…

  He sat forwards, matching Harry. Then immediately sat back, unable to decide. His wolf was just as unsettled. “I need to get out of here.” They couldn’t do the full moon run yet, but they could go outside, get some much-needed fresh air.

  Harry glanced down to where Aaron still had his claws out. “I think that’s a great idea.” He cracked his neck and shook out his shoulders, the upcoming full moon affecting him too. “Come on.”

  *****

  Monday morning Michael set two coffees down, one on his desk, one for Frank. “Foster looked surprisingly chipper considering he spent the night here.”

  “He thinks Smith’s after him. He’s happy to be off the streets.”

  “I guess.” He glanced over at Arlington’s empty office. “D’you reckon he’s going to be pissed?”

  Frank snorted. “I don’t think he’s going to be happy about it.”

  “Happy about what?”

  They both jumped, Michael spilling coffee down his shirt. “Morning, sir,” he said, wiping ineffectually at the wet spot. “Didn’t hear you come in.” Again. Christ.

  “Evidently.” Arlington looked between them and raised his eyebrows. “Well, spit it out. I assume you were talking about me.”

  Frank cleared his throat and sat up straight. “We’ve got Foster, Charles Crossford’s mate, downstairs.”

  Arlington narrowed his eyes, then looked pointedly at his watch. “It’s barely past nine. Why is he downstairs already? And why are you two up here?”

  Michael swallowed a huge mouthful of coffee and then explained. Arlington’s expression darkened with each word, particularly when they got to the bit about the missing shifter.

  “Foster can stay where he is for the time being. I assume you have someone keeping an eye on him?”

  Michael nodded. “Stewart agreed to watch him while he catches up on paperwork.”

  Pinching the bridge of his nose, their boss heaved a sigh. “We need to call Alpha Wallace. Be in my office in thirty minutes.” He stalked away without waiting for a reply.

  Frank blew out a breath and leaned back in his chair. “He took that far better than I expected.”

  “Didn’t look all that surprised.” Michael tapped a pencil on the edge of his desk. “I bet Wallace won’t be either. She’s got to have seen this coming.”

  “Doesn’t mean that she’s going to like it though.”

  “No.” They had no proof, just circumstantial evidence, but come on… “I guess we’ll find out soon enough.”

  They finished the rest of their coffee, keeping an eye on the time. Michael went from tapping his pencil to chewing it, unable to concentrate on anything while they waited to see their boss.

  “D’you think we should let Alpha Thomas and the others know what’s happening?” Frank asked. “Give them a heads-up that we might be scaling back the investigation into Smith?”

  Michael bit his lip. As much as he wan
ted to see Aaron again, they didn’t need to tell them yet. “Nah, let’s wait and see how this plays out first.”

  Arlington’s thirty minutes turned into an hour and thirty, and it was almost eleven o’clock by the time he called them into his office. “Close the door,” he said as Michael followed Frank in. “I thought about including Alpha Thomas in this, but I’d rather not bother them until after the full moon run, if we can avoid it.”

  Michael automatically glanced out of the window, not that he could see much from his vantage point—more from force of habit. He’d forgotten the full moon was tonight.

  I wonder what he looks like as a wolf.

  The thought sent a shiver through him, and he almost missed Arlington saying his name. “Sir?”

  “We’re ready to talk to Wallace, or is there anything else I need to know?”

  “I believe you’re up to speed on everything we know, sir.” And why weren’t the council busy doing full moon stuff?

  “Good.” Arlington reached for his phone and dialled the number for the alpha council. “Alpha Wallace, it’s Detective Chief Inspector Arlington, and I have Detective Sergeants Archer and Coldwell with me. We apologise for interrupting your full moon preparations.”

  Soft laughter on the other end of the line. “Thank you, Detective Chief Inspector, but we’re well used to the full moon runs by now. Our control is excellent, and our preparations are minimal. What can I do for you, Detectives? Do you have any news on Dale Wilson?”

  “Not exactly.” Arlington paused, and Wallace sighed on the other end.

  “You think he’s the one committing the murders, don’t you?”

  “It’s looking increasingly likely, yes.”

  Michael held his breath, hoping she wouldn’t close ranks.

  To his surprise, she sighed again and said, “I agree.”

  Arlington’s eyebrows rose, as did Michael’s.

  “I hoped you’d find him and it wouldn’t be the case. His family and alpha are adamant he wouldn’t do anything like that, but… we can’t ignore the fact that he’s missing in a city where a shifter is killing humans.”

  “How would you like to proceed? Would the council like to be involved from this point going forward?”