Oakley: Marshall’s Shadow – Jaguar Shapeshifter Romance (Marshall's Shadow Book 3)

by Kathi S. Barton

  He was talking with Harris, as he’d been asked to call her when a man came out of the room he thought his daughter was in. After kissing Harris on the mouth, the big man introduced himself to him as her husband. Good lord, he’d never seen a pair so perfectly matched before. Tall and muscled. It made him wish he’d used the gym membership he had more.

  Shep seemed like a good man. He had a dry wit and was so in love with his wife Frank could almost taste it. Other men came out of the room one at a time, all of them introducing themselves to him as a brother to the one before. Then an older man, who said he was their grandda, Sheppard, introduced himself to him. This man he thought he could enjoy talking to.

  “My family here is trying to make sure nothing more happens to your little girl. Harris here, she’s told us what is going on, and who we should be looking out for. I don’t think there is much going on right now, but we got your back.” Frank thanked Sheppard. “You’re welcome. I do want to ask you something before much longer here. Do you believe in shifters? I mean, people having another self?”

  “My wife was a wolf.” Sheppard told him they were jaguars. “Jaguars are beautiful cats. I’m happy to meet all of you. You must have an enormous food bill to feed all these boys, as you call them. I’d hate to have to feed them all at one time.”

  “They’re good boys, Mr. Russell. The reason I said anything at all right now is that your little girl is the mate to one of my grandsons.” Frank wasn’t sure how to take that, so he said nothing. “My boys here, any one of them would save her from hurting so badly, as she’s gonna. But Harris here, she wanted them to come along and see if any of them were her mate before we doctored her up with a little of our blood.”

  “You’re not going to help her now?” Sheppard told him they couldn’t, but Oakley could. “I don’t understand. How is he going to help her? And what does her being this man’s mate have to do with it?”

  “Cats are a jealous lot. Wolves too. Had any one of them tried to save her, Oakley would have killed them. He’d not want to, but it’s in his DNA to protect what he would consider his own.” Sheppard asked him if he was understanding. Frank told him to go on. “Oakley, he’s staying with her right now on account of you being here. He wants your permission, you see, to take care that she’s not hurt anymore.”

  The monitors went off down the hall. They were loud and scary. It occurred to him that they were saying that the room his daughter was in was the one the staff was rushing to. Standing up, he was asked to wait as all the staff gathered in the room. A tall, good looking man came out just as the door was closing.

  No one said anything for a long time. Then the man he assumed was Oakley came toward him with his hand out. After introductions were made, Frank found himself sizing the younger man up. Whatever had happened in Lach’s room, it had affected the young man quite badly.

  “She was awake for about a minute before she said anything. As you can imagine, I was shocked to see her awake when they told us it would be a few more days before they started weaning her off the meds.” Sheppard asked him why the staff was in the room. “She told me to call them. That she thought she was losing the baby.”

  Frank sat down. He’d not seen his daughter in twenty years and knew he’d missed a great deal. But the child he remembered was now losing her child. It hurt him deeply that she was going through this. Especially, he thought, with so much going on right now in her life.

  “How about you and me, we go and get us some dinner, Frank?” He started to tell Sheppard no, that he wanted to stay close to see his daughter when Sheppard continued. “You don’t want to go and see her like you’re looking right now. You’re hurting, I can see that. I am too, and I’ve not met her yet. But a good cup of tea or coffee with a piece of pie might do wonders for you. It’ll also give you time to figure out what to say to her when it’s time to talk.”

  “I suppose you might be right. I was wondering why the FBI was in on this. Seems like it would be a local thing.” As Sheppard explained it to him, Frank found himself not only going with Sheppard to the cafeteria but also ordering himself two pieces of pie and a cup of coffee. When he sat down with the other man, Harris and her husband joined them. He had a feeling he was going to learn a great deal about his other family.

  “All right, Frank. How do you want this? Rip the sucker right off, or do you want it in bits and pieces? I’m more of a rip it off sort of teller, but I’ll do what you need.” He said he wasn’t sure what he wanted, as he’d not been around for twenty years. “I’m here because a friend of mine called me in. Dutch Jasper, he’s not only a friend of mine but also your daughter. Do you remember him?”

  “Yes. I mean, I remember the name and a little about him. Dutch would come over when they were little and hang out with the family when his mom had to work late. My then wife didn’t like him. I haven’t any idea why, but it didn’t stop him and Lach from being friends. He called you because she’d been hurt?” Harris told him that was part of it. “Why then? I mean, if you can tell me.”

  “Have you seen the papers?” He said not since he left home last night. The paper was handed to him. After reading it, he looked at Harris. “None of that is true. Well, some of it is. Lach was burnt, but not how they describe it. We’re having a retraction put out tomorrow. Fact-checking is a biggy for me. Also, we’ve arrested Allison and her father, as well as a med student, for taking pictures and sending them to the father and daughter duo.”

  Harris told him of the other attempts of murder by Allison, as well as her father buying the victims off. His head was spinning when he thought of all the things going on surrounding this other family. Asking for a moment, Harris didn’t say anything more other than she was sorry.

  “Don’t be. I’m just thinking how very little I knew before coming here. So this, all this with my daughter being hurt, was over a fake order so Allison could have a steak dinner? What is this world coming to?” Harris said she asked the same question every day. “I bet you do. You more than likely see very little good come out of your job.”

  “I see the good when I have someone in jail for something. But this, it should never have been allowed to happen. Someone’s head is going to roll for this. Allison is a danger to people and has been for some time. I’m going to make sure justice is served for Lach.” Frank asked about the baby. “When I came down here, the staff was still in the room. Oakley went back in too. He’ll let me know when he knows anything.”

  They told him what they knew, which wasn’t a small amount. Harris and her family not only knew what Rita had done to her sister to make her carry her unborn child but also how Rita was making sure she only paid half of what it was costing Lach to do this for her.

  “The contract I saw wasn’t signed by Lach. There is a signature in the line where she was supposed to sign, but your ex-wife signed it. Then she wrote that Lach wasn’t of sound mind. I find that hard to believe, but that’s what happened. Rita and her husband have been spending money like they’re drinking it, and they’re not planning to pay Lach for any of this. You’ll have to trust me on that one, Frank. I can’t tell you who told me that, but it’s straight from Rita’s mind.” Frank could believe that. Rebecca and Rita both hated when they were told no on something. “I can believe that too. The two of them are like two she devils fighting over a tiny pea. I don’t think either of them are aware of what sort of shit is going to rain down on them now that I’ve had a look into their lives.”

  “Explain to me how it is you’re involved. You might say you came here for a friend to make sure my daughter wasn’t screwed, but I think it’s more than that. Something you’re not telling me.” Harris nodded. “Is it bad? Is it something I’m going to regret knowing?”

  “I doubt that last part. However, I am here for a friend. Once I got here, things changed a great deal, but that is why I came. So I could see that someone wasn’t getting shafted.” He said he still thought there w
as more. “There is. The fact that this girl tried to kill Lach pisses me off. Then to find out she could have killed the mate to one of my brothers makes me want to see bloodshed.”

  “I have a feeling you’re good at making bloodshed anyway.” They all laughed, and Harris patted him on the back. “I want you to know this, Harris—I’m not going to piss you off in any way. I don’t want to be on the receiving end of your wrath.”

  “Smart man.”

  She pulled out a gun and laid it on the table. He didn’t think she was showing off but had put it there because, as she said, it was digging into her hip. For whatever reason, Frank didn’t think Harris had to show off. She was that good at what she did.

  Chapter 2

  Oakley read over the paperwork he’d been given by the doctor. Doctor Shipley was one of the two men that had operated on Lach. The other doctor, Doctor Wagner, was the one who was caring for the child Lach still carried.

  “Do I know you?” He looked at the bed and smiled at the woman there. They had removed the bandages from her head, and now only her forehead and left eye were covered up. “I don’t think I know who the hell you are, do I?”

  “You don’t. I’m Oakley Marshall.” She asked him if that was supposed to impress her. “Not that I know of. I’m here with my sister-in-law, Harris Marshall, to make sure you don’t get into any more trouble than you are right now. Also, to make sure things don’t go as planned by your sister and mother.”

  “They’re pieces of work. I really don’t want to ask, but what do you know about the baby? You were in here before, so I’m assuming you might know about the baby.” He told her what the doctor had told him. “I don’t think I’m going to be getting up and doing any kind of jig for a while yet. But why the hell did he tell you? I’m assuming we’re not related in any way. Like marriage or worse?”

  “I started to ask you why you thought marriage would be bad, but I’ve been reading about the divorce proceedings of your parents. Your mother isn’t a nice person at all, is she?” Lach told him he was right on that score. “The baby is fine. The bleeding, he said, is from all the stress. That if you don’t get stressed out anymore, you should be fine. I’m to tell you that when you want something, there is pain medication for you.”

  “You’re not human.” He said he wasn’t, and told her what he was. “I have two buddies that aren’t human. Berkeley is the dishwasher at the restaurant where I worked. He’s a vampire. Old one, too, that doesn’t need the job but has a place to hang out when he gets up. Also, CarolAnn. She’s a wolf. Her mate died some time ago, and they’d not had any children. She’s lonely. I think she’s bossy too, but I won’t say that to her face. Am I going to be all right?” He told her they both were. “Rita, my sister, she’d have a cow if she thought I might lose this baby. I haven’t any idea why, but I really don’t know that she wants it. I don’t think motherhood is going to be anything like she thinks it’s going to be. But that’s just me.”

  “She lied to you.” Lach didn’t say anything, but he had a feeling she knew that. “Also, you should know that Harris is working on figuring out a few things on the contract. She’s really glad you didn’t sign anything.”

  “That didn’t matter, now did it?” He asked her what she meant. “I’m still knocked up with this baby. Not that I’d want to hurt it, but it wasn’t my first choice to have my first child this way. My husband being the father of the child, would have been my first wish. And not having myself taken for a ride concerning how I got talked into this. The contract was made after I found out I was going to have the baby.”

  “I didn’t think a contract worked that way.” She laughed a little but moaned in pain. “There are a couple of more things I need to talk to you about. Some of it isn’t all that bad—at least I don’t think it is—and then there are some things you should know too.”

  “My head really hurts. Is that normal?” Oakley told her about the brain wound as well as the stitches to put her forehead back together. “I feel like they might well have left the drill in there when they were finished up. Can you call out or something to see what they can give me? I’m getting sick, it hurts so much.”

  Oakley picked up the nurse call button and called for the nurse. She must have been on her way in because she was there within moments. As Lach was given something for pain in her IV, he waited for the nurse to leave to ask Lach if she wanted any more information. He never got a chance to ask her because as soon as the drug hit her system, she was out.

  Making notes for himself had always been something Oakley did. Things that he needed to do for the day, the things he might have to pick up around town, and also a grocery list. He even made notes when he had to talk to someone about something. It made him feel secure that he was using his time, and that of the person he had to talk to, in the best possible way. At the top of his list for Lach was telling her that they were mates.

  When the nurse came back in to check on Lach, he stood up to stretch. Oakley was surprised to realize it was nearly dinner time. Asking the nurse how much longer she thought Lach would be sleeping, he figured he had more than enough time to run down to get himself smoothing to eat. Suddenly he was starving.

  The cafeteria was nice. There were a lot of people in it, so he figured the food would be good. Once he decided on a couple of sandwiches, as well as some chips and bottled water, he was on his way back to her room.

  Lach was awake. A nurse, not the one from earlier, was reading his note to Lach.

  Sitting down, he didn’t interrupt the two of them. He figured it was just a list—how much trouble could he be in? As soon as the nurse left them, Lach called him a mother fucker. Things, he figured, were about to get bad.

  “Why would you tell me in a note that we’re mates? If that isn’t the most childish thing I’ve ever heard of.” He said it was his list. That he always made lists. “How the hell does that make it any better? You made me a list to read over?”

  “No. I made me a list of things I wanted to tell you. It wasn’t for you, but so I’d not be remiss in letting you know things you might want to know.” She huffed at him. “I haven’t any idea what that might mean, but if you had turned the list over, you would have noticed I also had a grocery list, as well as one of the things for me to do when I get home. No hurry on those things, in the event you want me to stick around with you.” He could tell she was still upset, but he didn’t comment on it.

  “I don’t know what’s going on. My head feels explosive. My arm hurts, and I feel like my back is going to burn through my spine and come out on top of me.” She looked at him, tears streaming down her cheek from her one good eye. “They told me I could have more medication, but you have no idea how terrified I am of hurting this baby.”

  “Babies.” She asked him what he meant. “Twins. I can tell you also that one of them is a girl, the other, of course, is a boy. They’re healthy too, and while they do get some of the drugs you’re taking, it’s not harmed them so far.”

  “Twins. You’re sure? What am I saying? Of course, you’re sure.” She put her hands on her small belly. “The doctor didn’t tell me that. He said the baby was small. I guess I know why now. Why wasn’t that on your list?”

  “I didn’t know if you knew or not. My lists are stuff I need to do or tell someone.” He smiled at her. “If you’re really nice to me, I can give you some ice water. They said you could have some.”

  “Not yet.” She started to cry again. “I feel so emotional all the time. You think it’s from having twins?”

  “I don’t know the answer to that one. I could ask my brother Rodney for you. He’s a doctor.” Lach said that would be nice. “There are other things I could help you with. It wasn’t on the note because I wanted to make sure you were aware of me being your mate. But I can heal you.”

  “Seriously?” He told her he didn’t have much of a sense of humor most of the time. He didn’t ge
t sarcasm either. “I bet that goes over well with the people you live with. How would you heal me? Exactly. I don’t want you to tell me this in bits and pieces, and I still get surprised at the end.”

  “As my cat—I did tell you I was a jaguar, right? As my cat, I could lick the wound on your back and arm and take care of those, so they heal up. The one on your forehead, that one I would have to ask about. But—and I’m not pushing this, because again, I don’t know how it will affect your condition—I could change you into a cat. That is a little more dangerous. However, with you being ill already, it might be quicker for you. I’d have to ask my grandda. He’s been around the longest and would know.” Lach didn’t say anything for several minutes as he ate one of his sandwiches. When she turned to look at him, he paused in taking a bite to see if he was going to have to answer her quickly or not. “Are you all right?”

  “I don’t know. Can I tell you something?” He told her she could tell him anything. “All right, but you might not be so thrilled with it once I tell you. What if I told you I can see things? Things I’m betting no one else can see.”

  He looked around the room but didn’t comment. All sorts of things raced through his mind, but none of them were anything he wanted to ask her about. Putting down his meal, he got up and sat on the side of the bed, careful of not turning her in a way that would cause her pain.

  “While I haven’t any idea what you can see, I want you to know I support you in any way you need. Whatever it is, we’ll deal with it. Is it dead people?” He didn’t know where that question came from, but when she nodded, he felt his heart race just a little. “Are they in the room with us now? I mean, they don’t want to hurt you, do they?”