Guardian Wolf

by Linda O. Johnston

“Got it. You playing doctor today?”

  “Yes, this afternoon.”

  “Talk to you later, then.”

  By that time, Tilly was ready to go back inside. Grace had over an hour before she needed to report to the hospital. She decided to spend some of it on the Internet, to see what the media had glommed on to about last night’s incident.

  She returned to her unit and booted up her computer—and was pleasantly surprised to find nothing at all about a theft at Charles Carder Medical Center last night.

  Even if security was faulty and something as potentially devastating as the theft of biohazardous materials had occurred, at least the public wouldn’t learn of it…yet.

  Grace hoped that they would never need to.

  “Captain Scoles would like to see you,” said a nurse on duty when Grace finally reported for her shift that afternoon.

  “Thanks, Jen.” Grace headed for the office of the chief physician at the infectious-diseases center.

  Moe Scoles was not alone. Simon Parran sat across from his desk in the compact room. Both men stood when Grace tapped on the door and walked in.

  She took a deep breath. Simon’s expression was neutral. Remote. As if they had never shared anything in their lives.

  Probably a good thing. He would surely show some emotion if he’d any idea what she had seen last night—unless he was one damned good actor. Which could be the case.

  “You wanted to see me, sir?” Grace addressed Moe.

  “Please sit down, Grace.” Moe pointed to a chair beside Simon.

  Both men retook their seats, too. Grace didn’t look at Simon again. She didn’t have to. She was so aware of his presence that she felt almost as naked as she had seen him last night.

  “First, I’m assigning you to an office in this wing.” Moe described where it was—a small one not far from this one. Then he said, “We were just talking about the theft. I understand from one of the hospital security people that you and Sgt. Norwood were the ones who discovered it.”

  “I just wish we’d taken our walk earlier,” she replied. “Maybe we’d have caught the thieves in the act.”

  Moe ran his hand over his stubble of hair. “This has to stop. Maybe it’s already too late. You might not know it, but this wasn’t the first time that some of the biological wastes set to be incinerated have been stolen. Much of it has been pretty nasty stuff, but those shigella bacterial samples—well, the disease has some benign forms, but this didn’t seem to be one of them. Shigellosis isn’t as transmittable as some of the worst diseases, but since there’s no vaccine against it this could be the worst theft from here so far.”

  “I understand, sir,” Grace said. “If there’s anything different that you think we should be doing as we collect samples, or afterward, please let me know.” She looked toward Simon, as if seeking his agreement. He gave a brief nod under her gaze.

  “We’ve notified the Centers for Disease Control, but they’re leaving it up to us, at least for now,” Moe said.

  That could be because Alpha Force had been called in on behalf of the federal government, Grace imagined, although Moe Scoles might not know that.

  “We need to come up with a plan,” he continued. That sounded familiar. Major Drew Connell had said so, too. The plans might be coordinated, but since Alpha Force and its mission here remained secret, Grace could not tell Moe that either. She could only discuss it with Colonel Otis—and even that had limits.

  “Do you have any ideas?” She included Simon in her question.

  “Working on it,” Simon said shortly.

  She couldn’t resist a dig. “I’d imagine that even in a hospital like this, with its military affiliation, there are a lot of people—staff and patients—with agendas of their own. Secrets, or whatever. Not that I have any idea who the thieves were, but I don’t think the investigation should just concentrate on people from the nearest Phoenix communities.”

  “You have reason to believe it was some kind of inside job?” Moe sounded incredulous. But why should he be surprised?

  “I don’t know, sir. But it never hurts to keep an open mind. As I said, secrets can exist anywhere.” She aimed a look at Simon that bordered on accusation. “Now, if it’s all right with you, I’d like to look at my new office, then start my rounds.”

  “What do you think, Parran?”

  Simon dragged his gaze away from the retreating back of Grace Andreas and back to his boss.

  “I think there’s something she isn’t telling us,” Moe continued. “Do you agree?”

  Simon agreed that Grace was hiding something in the obscurity of her comments. It was too much like the old days, when she had pushed to get him to blurt out things he didn’t intend to say. She never succeeded.

  She wouldn’t succeed now, either. Even so, she had sounded somehow more sure of herself.

  He needed to talk to her, see if his impression was right.

  “I don’t know,” Simon told Moe. “I got the impression she was rattled by the theft, and the fact that she had come so close to catching the bad guys in the act. Maybe she’s just scared.” A good thing to tell Moe, he figured, but it wasn’t the truth. Simon had detected irritation in Grace’s attitude. Smugness and frustration, perhaps. But not fear.

  “Maybe…” Moe sounded dubious.

  “I’ve a case I’d like to consult with someone else on. I’ll make it Dr. Andreas—and see if I can learn what she’s really thinking.”

  “Go for it.”

  Simon actually did have a case he wanted another doctor’s opinion about—especially Grace’s.

  The six-year-old son of an army private currently deployed overseas had been brought in with a nasty ear infection. Tests indicated it was strep, and the prescribed antibiotics, administered intravenously, seemed to be working well.

  The kid, however, was not thriving in the hospital environment and was still too sick to go home. He turned away when nurses or physicians entered his room and refused to talk to anyone.

  His mother visited but could not stay long. She was expecting another child, and hanging out in the Infectious Diseases Center was not a great idea. She’d told them that little Eddie was extremely shy. Patience was needed, and maybe some kind of diversion. She’d seen magicians and clowns on TV who sometimes visited kids in the hospital, and one of the other mothers had mentioned a dog who’d come in recently. Was something like that possible?

  Simon had made no promises but said he’d see what he could do—a good reason to approach Grace.

  He caught up with her in the hall, where her head was bent next to a nurse’s over a chart. “May I speak with you, Dr. Andreas?”

  “Sure. Hold on a moment, though.”

  While he waited, Simon inhaled her scent. It was softly floral and more, just as he’d remembered it from before and experienced it again since their reunion.

  She finished her discussion with the nurse, then looked at Simon. Did he detect a hint of trepidation?

  “I’d like your help on a case,” he said. “Room 2046.” He explained the situation as he led her down the hall, passing nurses and visitors mostly going the other way. He stopped outside a nearby room. The odor from there suggested that the patient within had something dire going on. It wasn’t his patient, though, but one being treated by another specialist. The smell wasn’t heavy, perhaps not noticeable here without his enhanced senses.

  Grace seemed to hesitate outside that door too. Interesting.

  “Is it your patient in there?” he asked.

  “I believe it’s Dr. Scoles’s. But—” She signaled to an approaching nurse. “I think I heard something in this room. Maybe one of the patients inside is vomiting. I’d suggest someone check.”

  Simon hadn’t heard anything out of the ordinary, but at least the patient would get attention.

  Why had Grace reacted that way? One more puzzle about her… Or was this just another way of goading—testing—him?

  They soon reached the room that was their
destination. “The patient’s name is Eddie. He was too ill to put into the children’s ward, although he’s improving. But he needs some special cheering up, soon, if possible.”

  Grace peered inside. Simon saw that Eddie was asleep. “Let’s not bother him now,” Grace said. “But maybe we can work out some very special cheering up—like a doggy visit.”

  “Exactly what I was hoping you’d say.” Simon grinned into those amazing sable eyes.

  “Of course my dog and my friend Kristine’s aren’t the only canines around here.” She was still looking into the room, past his shoulder. What was she talking about? Was it the same old teasing she’d done in the past?

  Or was there something else on her mind?

  He thought again about the canine presence he had sensed while he attempted to learn the fate of the shigellosis materials in a way no regular human could—with wolfen senses. He’d seen no further sign since then of the wolf he believed he had smelled and heard—unsurprising, of course, if it was wild.

  Back in college, he hadn’t pushed Grace as she had pushed him, even when she had hinted that she, too, was a shapeshifter. She had acted as if she was joking, and that was something he had learned to take very seriously after what had happened to his family.

  But what if…? It would explain her reaction outside the room they had just passed.

  Should he push the point now, or just pretend to play along with her?

  Without really deciding, he heard himself ask, “How about joining me for dinner?”

  “A date?” She sounded amused.

  “A quick bite shared between colleagues to discuss a patient,” he countered, figuring she was more likely to agree that way. “In the cafeteria.”

  “Sure,” she said. “What time?”

  Too easy, Grace thought. An opportunity to get Simon alone and talk to him?

  Well, not exactly alone. They’d be surrounded by staff and visitors. She’d have to be careful what she said, not only to make sure she didn’t annoy Simon too much to keep him from talking to her, but also to make sure no one eavesdropped on anything that shouldn’t be overheard.

  She arrived right on time. The cafeteria was large, with areas serving different kinds of foods as well as drinks. Since it was dinnertime, the place was crowded and noisy, but Grace’s limited experience was that the staff was efficient and lines moved fast.

  Simon was waiting near the entrance. “What are you in the mood for?” he asked. “Gourmet burgers, exotic salad?”

  She laughed. “I’ll have a mediocre deli sandwich. How about you?”

  A short while later, they’d gotten their food and drinks, and sat at a table near a window.

  “When can you visit Eddie with your dog?” Simon asked.

  A neutral question, and she answered it neutrally, too. “Tomorrow or the next day. How long do you anticipate he’ll be here?”

  “At least another four or five days. With his mother expecting a little brother or sister, we want to make sure he’s not contagious when he leaves.”

  “Right.”

  Grace watched Simon take a bite of his sandwich. How eating could look sexy, she didn’t know. Or maybe his presence just kept reminding her of how he had looked naked…this time. His body was so much harder, more mature, than when they had been in college.

  Involuntarily, her gaze traveled from his face down his chest, which was covered, unsurprisingly, by his buttoned white lab jacket.

  She reminded herself of the circumstances that had led to her glimpsing the gorgeous body that lay beneath. She couldn’t just let it go, even though she knew, from experience, what happened when she tried to get him to admit what he was.

  And that was when she had only suspected the truth. Now, she knew it.

  But how to get him to own up to it…?

  The way she had gone about it when they were both in college hadn’t worked then, and she doubted it would work now. Besides, back then she would have been able to admit the truth about herself if he had been honest with her. But now, she was an Alpha Force member, and nearly everything about the organization was highly classified—including the special abilities of its major operatives.

  She decided to try sincerity, setting aside the pushiness generated by frustration that had governed her approach before. “It’s really sweet of you to care about Eddie that way, Simon. I know how some patients can really get under our skin, make us care about them even more, somehow, than the other people we try to heal.”

  He nodded, his expression becoming grim. “I want to heal them all, damn it.” He looked into her eyes as he shrugged his shoulders lightly. “I sound like some kind of save-the-world do-gooder, don’t I, not just an ordinary physician who’s dedicated but realistic.”

  One who just happens to be a shapeshifter—even when the moon wasn’t full. That might be something else Simon dedicated himself to: figuring out some way of enhancing his abilities.

  Had he also somehow enhanced the very human—sexy—abilities of his she had learned about in the old days? The idea sent a tickle of warmth through her insides that she ignored. That wasn’t a distraction she needed.

  “You seem both professional and caring to me—a good thing, Simon. You’ve impressed me so far.” She took a sip of iced tea and let the cold, sweet liquid run down her throat while she thought of what to say next. When she glanced up, Simon was watching her, a hint of a smile curling his lips.

  “Glad to hear it,” he said. “I had the impression… Well, that our memories of the past were hanging over us, ready to interfere with our ability to work together now.”

  “I can deal with it,” she said quickly. “How about you?”

  “Definitely.”

  For a while, they discussed the Charles Carder facility in general, and how Simon had ended up here. “I did a lot of research, thought this place had a great reputation. I hadn’t initially considered working in a military environment, but the fit made sense, so I applied and here I am.”

  Grace knew there had to be more to it than that. Had he chosen Arizona because wild wolves lived in the area so his being seen while shifted wouldn’t draw undue attention? What else about this place had attracted him?

  She could come right out and confront him. Tell him what she knew, what she had seen. Ask the underlying truths to all he said to her. But not here, even with the possibility being unlikely—in this large and noisy crowd—that anyone would be eavesdropping on them.

  Besides, even if he admitted to being a shifter, that didn’t preclude his having something to do with the theft of the biohazardous materials, as much as she hated to imagine the possibility. She had to do all she could to rule him out—or not—as part of her mission.

  She pondered her next step. Why not be direct—about some questions, at least? “Do you have any ideas about who stole the biohazards?”

  “No, but I wish I did. Infectious-disease specialists like us know too well what those kinds of materials could do in the wrong hands.”

  Grace nodded. “And since they were stolen, they’re more likely to be in the possession of the worst kind of tangos—terrorists—than a little old lady who thought she was borrowing some kind of cleaning solution.”

  Simon’s wry grin caused Grace to smile back as she watched him. They hadn’t been talking suggestively. Their discussion had been on an especially serious topic. Even so, his expression grew hot as they looked at one another, and she knew hers did, as well.

  He took a drink of his cola, his eyes not leaving hers. Waves of heat started pulsing inside her that had nothing to do with the Arizona temperatures outside. She tried to shake off her sense of wanting to touch him, and be touched.

  Not an easy transition while looking at the man who had driven her so crazy with lust all those years ago. But maybe she could use their attraction to take a look around his quarters, see if she could find any answers there.

  Then leave, fast, before she did something she would regret. Not that she had ever regrette
d making love with Simon before—only its aftermath.

  “I’ve had enough to eat,” she said. “I wouldn’t mind a glass of wine somewhere quiet, though. Do you happen to have any at your place?”

  “Sure do.” The huskiness in his voice was also tinged with surprise.

  “Do you live in one of those really nice, up-scale residential buildings at the other side of campus? I’ve heard that most of the nonmilitary doctors have apartments there, even if they’ve got another home somewhere. It helps having a place to catch some sleep after busy days and nights on duty. I’ve been hoping to see what the apartments look like.”

  “Yes, I’ve got a place,” Simon told her, “and I’d be happy to give you a tour.”

  Chapter 6

  Was he nuts?

  Getting involved again with Grace was way off his agenda. Simon knew that as well as he knew his own name.

  Although in her presence, after that suggestive look they’d shared that had gotten the attention of some of his most critical body parts, he might have stumbled over his name if asked to identify himself.

  The walk from the hospital, where the cafeteria was located, to one of the farthest reaches of the property comprising the Charles Carder facility should have cooled him off, but it didn’t.

  He tried to blame it on the desert heat, even now, after sundown, yet he knew better.

  They walked along the wide path lined by drought-tolerant plants that dotted the sand. They didn’t touch at all, which was a good thing. If Simon had felt even the warmth from Grace’s body from her shoulder brushing his arm, he’d have to fight the urge to grab her, kiss her—hell, do even more here, in the open, with the few other pedestrians on the pathway observing them.

  When they reached his building, he grabbed his security key, but Grace had stopped on the pathway and was staring at the structure. “Nice place. A lot better outside, at least, than the boxy quarters on the air-force base.”

  “Supposedly, the original Charles Carder, a doctor who retired from the military and started this place, paid to have an architect design all the structures here.”

  “I do see some similarities to the hospital’s style. Which wing do you live in?”