by Vella Day
“Like hacking into their accounts?”
She wagged a finger in front of him. “I don’t kiss and tell.”
He laughed. She was smart not to admit to a stranger that her actions might have crossed the legal line every once in a while. “You like your job?”
“For the most part.” She leaned forward. “But enough about me. Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.” Now she’d intrigued him again.
“Since you’re from around here, I was wondering if I can pick your brain for a second.” Her voice caught. Clearly, what she had to say wasn’t easy for her.
“Sure.”
“I have a…friend who came down to Gulfside for an interview about two weeks ago, and I never heard back from her. I’m thinking she took off for some exciting adventure. What’s there to do around here that would lure her so far away that she can’t return my calls?”
That was a clever question. He pushed aside what he knew to be the truth and went with the typical answer. “She could have found a good deal on a cruise. I don’t know if all the ships have a satellite signal. She might not be able to call.”
“That’s a thought, but she was pretty low on funds.” Mackenzie pressed her lips together.
Brandon waited for her to ask him something else, but she seemed to be struggling with how to really ask her question. To her, he was merely some random passerby intent on hitting on her. What else could she ask without telling him more?
She swiveled to face him. “Okay. Here’s the thing. I think something bad might have happened to my friend.”
That wasn’t what he thought she’d say, but he had to admit, he liked the direct approach. When she leaned close, her scent invaded his nose, causing his cock to harden once more. Not only that, his bones cracked. Fuck.
He nodded to the hair on the back of his hand. “Listen. I’d like to help, but I seem to be experiencing some technical difficulties. How about we step outside and discuss this?”
“Oh, my.” She set her glass on the counter and swiped her palm down her leg. More indication she didn’t understand this mating thing any better than he did.
She paid her bill and stood. On their way out, several of the men shouted some lewd comments at her. Brandon’s protective nature shot up, and he wrapped his arm around her waist as he ushered her toward the front entrance. He was pleased she didn’t pull away, but he had to inhale deeply to avoid the sexual draw.
As they passed Sam, Mackenzie stiffened and glanced his way. Brandon did a mental fist pump. She was attracted to Sam, too, only she probably didn’t realize it.
“Don’t worry, darlin’, that big lug is my cousin. Sam’s here to make sure nothing bad happens to us.”
Her steps faltered, but she didn’t stop. Once outside, he maneuvered them away from the entrance. He’d hoped the fresh air would help calm him, but it didn’t.
“Your cousin is your bodyguard? Why do you need one?”
Brandon laughed. God, but it felt good to let that out. “No. He’s not my bodyguard.” He didn’t know how to explain it. She wrapped her arms around her, as if she were cold. “Here. Put this on.” He slipped off his lightweight jacket and placed it over her shoulders.
“Thanks.”
Sam moved in front of her and smiled. “Hey there. I’m Sam.”
Smooth, Sam.
Mackenzie backed up. “Is this some kind of setup?” She dipped her hand in her purse, pulled out a thirty-two, and aimed it at Sam’s chest. With her free hand, she held the jacket closed. “Stand back. I know how to use this. And these aren’t regular bullets in case you’re wondering.”
Christ, but she was feisty. Sam looked like he was about to shift and charge. “No,” Brandon interceded. “You’ve got it all wrong. He’s here to help, too.” He looked around to make sure they were out of earshot of anyone.
She didn’t lower her arm. “How did he know I’d need help? He couldn’t hear us. Are you wearing a wire or something?”
Shit, but she was a sharp one. “No. It’s nothing like that. We can communicate telepathically. You didn’t know that?”
“Sure. I forgot.”
Brandon hated upsetting her. “We do want to help. We’re with law enforcement, remember?”
“Him, too?” She nodded toward Sam.
“Yes. He’s a deputy with the sheriff’s department.”
She lifted her chin. “Show me your badge.”
Sam’s glance lowered. “I don’t wear it when I’m not on duty.”
“Figures.” Her arm didn’t waver.
“Mackenzie, how about you come with us, away from this place, and we’ll explain everything.”
Her chin jutted out. “I wasn’t born yesterday. We can talk here.”
“Fine, but would you mind putting that weapon away? The next person who walks out of the bar will see it. They just might call the police. Sam’s cool, but the regular ones might ask too many questions.” He hoped she understood what he meant.
She gave in and stuffed the gun back in her purse. “Fine. So talk.”
She kept her hand inside, probably with her finger on the trigger, and Brandon was glad she remained cautious.
He glanced to Sam. Should we tell her we’re members of The Pack?
Not yet. Sam had moved farther away from Mackenzie as if being near her was messing with his mind.
He wasn’t much help. “We’re the good guys here.” Mackenzie glanced to the sky. “Okay, here’s the truth. Sam and I are working on a few missing persons’ cases, and we have reason to believe Cheryl might be one of the women missing.” He didn’t think she was ready to hear that her cousin had been housed in a cage.
You said I was the tactless one? Sam messaged.
Brandon slipped a finger behind his back.
Her eyes widened, and she quickly lifted her gun again. “I never mentioned that my friend was my cousin. Who are you really? And how did you know her name?”
Oh, crap.
Chapter Seven
Damn. Mac had been so attracted to this guy, and here he turned out to be some kind of creepy informant, stalker dude. She didn’t believe in coincidence, which meant these men had to have followed her here.
“How did you find me?” Or had Jay sent them to make sure she stayed safe? That made more sense, but it also pissed her off big time. She was capable of taking care of herself.
Before she could ask Brandon if he knew Jay, the door to the bar opened, and two very loud and clearly drunk men stumbled out, spotted her, and came toward her. Mac hid the gun, not wanting to create a scene.
“Hey, beautiful. These men bothering you?” The men wove over to her.
They weren’t werewolves, and they reeked of beer. “No. Everything’s good. Just came out for a breath of fresh air. It’s kind of loud in there.”
“You’re right about that.” A man with blond stringy hair placed a hand on her shoulder and nodded to Brandon and Sam. “We can take care of them if you want.”
Seriously? The two drunks were a good four inches shorter and had no muscles to speak of. She glanced to Brandon to see if he planned to do something.
He held up his palms. “How about you two move along?” Brandon said, his voice in total control.
Blondy dragged his hand down her arm, and she jerked it away. “These two are my brothers, okay?”
He mouthed her words. “Don’t have to be so fucking uppity. A single no would have been good.” The man gave her the finger, and they both staggered off.
Yuk. Compared to those creeps, Brandon and his cousin were saints.
Brandon stepped closer. “Good thinking on your feet.”
“Thanks.” Those two drunks wouldn’t have been any match against Brandon and Sam anyway, which was probably why neither had made a move. These two didn’t appear to be hotheads, which made her feel a little better being around them.
She wanted someone to listen to her theory about Cheryl, but she wasn’t sure if she could trust them. Yes, I can.
She was highly attracted to both men, which told her these two were okay. “Are you friends with Jay? Is that how you found me?”
“Jay?”
“My cousin.”
“No. Never met the guy.” Brandon glanced around. “I know you want answers, but the truth is, we don’t know where your cousin is. In fact, we were hoping you could help us find her.” His brows rose.
As if he’d stabbed a needle into her balloon of anger, her frustration deflated. “Me? I know nothing. That’s why I was asking you about her.” Mac was taken aback.
It didn’t help that it was really dark out, and the lights from the bar only lit up so much of the parking lot. Her thoughts remained rather jumbled. In fact, she wasn’t all that comfortable being exposed in this scuzzy part of town, but if she left, she might lose a chance to learn about what happened to Cheryl.
“You might know something that don’t even realize is important,” Brandon said.
“I know what kind of person Cheryl is, and that’s all.”
Brandon stepped back as if he understood she needed her space. “What was it about the Barbie Lassiter case that made you think of your cousin? Do you believe Cheryl was murdered?” He hissed out the last word.
“Jay suggested she might have been kidnapped.” The image of Cheryl being possibly drugged or assaulted had her stomach tumbling again. Acid burned deep inside her.
Sam straightened. “Your cousin suggested that Cheryl might have been kidnapped?” She nodded. “Did he give any details?”
“No. He just said Gulfside was a dangerous place, especially for women. He didn’t even want me to come down to Florida, but I had to.”
Sam placed a hand on Brandon’s shoulder. “We need to tell her the truth.”
The man’s tone was filled with concern and authority. “Please tell me what you know.” Her pulse raced.
Sam looked around, but the parking lot was empty. “Like I said, I work for the sheriff’s department. The city has hidden cameras installed everywhere. One was recently placed at Seaside Drive.”
Her blood chilled. She never thought to look for them. “You saw what happened to Cheryl?” Hadn’t they said they didn’t know where she was? Why wasn’t anything making sense?
“Not quite. I’m afraid they were installed just last week. The only activity was when you showed up with a man. Was that Jay?”
“Yes.”
“I studied the tape. You started looking in each of the windows, while Jay hung back. We wouldn’t have thought anything of it, but we had some reports of other women being spotted going into the building near there but never coming out. That was why we ran the facial recognition software on both of you. Your name popped up.”
“Mine? How?”
“Because of the incident in Washington, DC, a few years back.” Sam looked contrite, as if he felt bad for having dug into her personal history.
She’d been arrested for protesting, but she’d been processed and released. “Damn. Okay, so that was how you knew who I was.” The facts tumbled into place. “Did you think I was coming back to the scene of the crime?” She had to convince them that she’d never hurt Cheryl. She loved her cousin. Once more a flood of terrible images filled her mind.
“We didn’t know what to think,” Sam said. “We did a quick background check on you, and figured since you were related to the missing woman, you might be able to shed some light on the case.”
That sounded logical. “I wish. That’s why I came here. When I learned what happened to Barbie Lassiter, I wondered if there was a connection between her and Cheryl. Barbie was found near here, so maybe someone saw her with Cheryl.” She told them how Cheryl’s GPS had led her to Seaside Drive. “My cousin had a job interview, only the secretary at Statler, Reinhart, and Brokaw gave her the wrong address, and Cheryl ended up at that warehouse instead of in downtown.”
Her eyes watered. Poor Cheryl. She was so trusting. If only she’d checked the address, she’d be safe and sound now. Sam’s lips pressed together so tightly she thought he might turn into a wolf in front of her. With one exception, her father only shifted when facing danger. The one time she’d witnessed him become unglued was when she told him how some boy had tried, but failed, to rape her. Sam looked like her dad now.
“You’re positive of the name of the firm?” Sam’s words came out even, but hard as steel.
“Yes. I called Cheryl’s mom. She read the email to me.”
“And the email said for Cheryl to have this interview by the docks?”
Finally, someone else seemed to think that was odd. “I know, right? The temporary secretary at the law office apparently gave Cheryl bad directions.”
“How do you know that?” Sam stepped forward.
“I went to the law office and spoke with one of the partners. His name was Paul Statler.” The men glanced to each other, their faces stern. “What is it?”
“How much did you tell him?” Sam’s tone implied she’d committed a crime.
She didn’t understand why he was so upset. “I just asked if Cheryl ever showed up for her interview.”
Sam chewed on his lip, and then dragged a hand down his chin. If the light had been better, she would have been able to tell for sure that his beard was growing.
“Did you say you suspected she might be missing?”
“Kind of. Why?”
“Because Paul Statler now runs the Colter organization.”
Bile raced up her throat. “Oh, my God. He’s the one who has Cheryl?”
“We don’t believe so.”
Sam looked at Brandon. He held the gaze so long she figured they must be communicating. Brandon spoke up. “There’s a lot we need to tell you, but this isn’t the right place. It’s too public. How about coming back to our house, and we’ll tell you more? I think we can help each other figure this out.”
Mac totally got that this information was sensitive in nature, especially if Colters were involved, but she might be too stupid to live if she went to their house. “I’m not sure that would be such a good idea.”
Brandon looked crestfallen. “You don’t trust us?”
He had to be kidding. “Why should I? It’s one thing to chat and flirt in a bar, but it’s another to go home with someone I’ve just met.” She might be able to shoot one of them, but not both if they attacked, though she sensed they wouldn’t harm her.
Brandon blew out a breath. “I’m not asking you to come back to our place so we can have sex, though I’d be up for that if you are.” Sam punched him in the arm, and she almost smiled.
He shook his head. “This is about finding Cheryl. Will you come?”
She was torn. Sam was a deputy; one of the good guys. To be sure, she pulled out her phone and what she thought was fear streamed across his face.
“Who are you calling?” Sam asked, his stance wide and his fists clenched.
“Does it matter?” She swallowed her fear.
He hesitated then glanced at Brandon who slightly nodded. “No.” Damn telepathy.
“I’m calling the sheriff’s department to confirm you are who you say you are. What’s your last name?”
“That’s smart. Call them. My last name is Crenshaw.”
She dialed information and was then connected to the sheriff’s department. When she asked if a deputy by the name of Sam Crenshaw worked there, they told her he did. Her PI cohorts had taught her not to believe everything. “Can you describe him?”
“Ma’am? I don’t understand.”
“I’m with a man claiming to be Sam Crenshaw right now, and I want to know if he’s the one who works at your office.”
The female dispatcher laughed. “Well, honey, if he’s about six foot three, has more muscles than a man deserves, and is hot as sin, he’s your man.”
That about summed him up. “Thank you.” She looked up at Sam. “Seems you have an admirer in dispatch.”
His face colored. “I bet that was Nadeen. She’s older than my momma and has been married
so many times, even she’s lost count.”
Mac bet Nadeen was quite the character. Two more cars pulled into the lot, the headlights casting creepy shadows everywhere. Even with Brandon’s jacket over her shoulders, she was getting chilly.
She made her decision. “How about I follow you to your place?”
Brandon nodded. “I’ll ride with you if you don’t mind. Sam, here, can drive a bit too fast. Don’t want you to get lost.”
That meant she couldn’t change her mind. Not that she would. “Okay, but remember I have my gun.”
This time he smiled. She prayed she was doing the right thing, but Mac had to put Cheryl’s well being first.
During the ride, Brandon attempted small talk, but she was too distracted to provide a charming commentary. She told him she was an only child and that her dad had been killed three years ago. There really wasn’t more to her life than that.
“He was murdered?” Pain laced Brandon’s tone.
“Yes. Dad was all about helping others. It’s ironic, really. A teenage girl had gone missing. Tammy’s dad worked with mine, and the family was totally torn up. For days, Dad helped with the search. He’d go out late at night after the others had gone to bed because his senses were sharper then.” She didn’t have to tell Brandon about how a werewolf’s senses were more acute. “Anyway, after a long investigation, Dad figured out who’d taken her. When he went to confront the man, Dad was attacked. The coroner said it looked like a whole pack of wolves got him.” She cleared her throat. Mac hadn’t told that story to anyone in a long time, as the memory was still painful.
“I’m sorry.” Brandon reached out and squeezed her thigh.
Normally, she would have jerked away, but being near him had this odd effect on her, one she wasn’t sure how to deal with.
Less than ten minutes later, after they’d driven through town, they entered a nice neighborhood where the trees reached across the street and touched. The homes were well lit, which added a nice cozy glow to the neighborhood. When no warning chills raced up her spine, she relaxed a bit.
A minute later, Sam drove behind a nice one-story Craftsmen style home, and she followed. A four-piece wicker furniture set sat on the porch, along with three hanging baskets filled with geraniums. Given the age of his truck, she hadn’t expected such a nice home.