“I’m perfectly safe,” she responded.
“I got your text,” he said. “Have you seen Garren at all today?”
Emery and Jax had begun a muffled conversation, so she plunged her finger in her ear to block it out. “No. The last time I saw him was in animal form yesterday morning.”
“I see.” Based on the tone of her father’s voice, she could tell he was concerned.
She looked up, sensing herself at the center of attention.
Jax asked, “Has he sent someone to his place? I can go...”
Her father heard the question through the phone and said with considerable edge in his voice, “Who is that? Jax?”
Aerilyn took a breath before answering, “Yes.”
Alaric exhaled, creating a hissing sound. “Deane’s on the way there now. Garren’s girlfriend hasn’t seen him either. We’re hoping it’s just an oversight. Maybe he forgot to check in at his assigned time and is taking a really long shower.”
“One can hope,” she muttered back, knowing he was just trying to keep her from stressing out. Aerilyn bit her lip. “Dad?”
“Yeah?”
“I have a bad feeling,” she said.
“Me too,” was his response. She could hear other voices through the receiver and her father hurried to ask, “Is Emery there with you now?”
“She is.”
Emery took another swig from the beer at the table and waved.
“Until we figure out what happened to Garren, she’ll be keeping an eye on you at work. I gotta go—”
Before she could say goodbye, he’d already hung up. Aerilyn stared at the screen, seeing her own concerned frown reflected back at her.
“So?” Jax asked.
“Deane’s on his way to Garren’s place now. No one’s heard from him or can get a hold of him.” Aerilyn set her phone on the table.
Jax’s eyes widened as the pot of noodles began overflowing and sizzling on the burner. He switched it off and set the pot in the sink. Jax rubbed his temple and said, “Hopefully his phone’s just dead.”
They all shared a solemn glance before staring into space. These were the kinds of things people said to stay positive. Aerilyn replayed the last time she saw Garren wagging his tail and grinning his crooked grin and had a sinking feeling he was in danger.
Seventeen
Jax had lost his appetite. He looked at Aerilyn, who had gone to sit at the table beside Emery, and he knew from her troubled expression that she wasn’t thinking about dinner either. The music pouring from his speaker filled the silence as they waited for information.
Out of nowhere, Emery’s face pinched up, and she started singing along with the music. After a moment she stopped and sighed. “C’mon guys. I’m sure he’s just manscaping his beard and his phone’s dead. Deane will call me once he’s over there.”
Aerilyn unsuccessfully forced a smile and nodded at her friend. “Sure.”
There wasn’t much to do until the call, so Jax pulled out his strainer and set it in the sink and drained the noodles. He asked over his shoulder, “Anyone hungry?”
Emery sniffed the air. “Gotta love a man who can provide a tasty meal. I’m in.”
Jax turned off the stovetop. The sauce had been simmering for a while and was more than ready.
He glanced at Aerilyn, and she shook her head. “I don’t think I can eat.”
He’d never known her to shy away from filling her belly, which made him uneasy. He knew she relied heavily on her instincts. It was clear she was anxious about Garren.
Jax piled noodles on a plate and ladled sauce onto them. He set the food in front of Emery and watched her dig in. She was mid-bite when her phone started ringing. She lifted it and answered, still chewing, “What’s up?”
Emery swallowed and listened in silence. Jax looked for any indication of relief, but only noted a deepening frown. She braced her fingers against her temple and muttered, “What about his car?”
Jax couldn’t take it any longer. Garren may not have been a close friend, but they’d gotten to know each other and had bonded over the hood of his Chevy Nova. He didn’t want to stand around doing nothing if something was wrong. He leaned on the table and looked at Emery. “What’s going on? Tell us.”
“Hold on, Deane,” Emery said and took the phone away from her mouth. “I’m putting you on speaker. Can you bring Aerilyn and Jax up to speed?”
Jax turned around to switch off his music as Emery touched the screen. Deane’s deep voice filled the trailer. “I’m at Garren’s place, and there’s no sign of him. His car isn’t here, so I’m not sure what to think.”
“When was the last time his girlfriend spoke to him?” Aerilyn asked.
Deane responded, “Alaric spoke to her just a bit ago. She said she hasn’t heard from him since early yesterday morning.”
Aerilyn put her hands in her lap and leaned forward. “And I saw him before school yesterday at seven.”
Emery looked at her friend. “You may have been the last person to have contact with him.”
“Hold up.” Jax pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed his voicemail. When he’d listened to Garren’s message yesterday, he hadn’t bothered to delete it. He cleared his throat and said, “I missed a call from him yesterday afternoon. Listen to this…”
He turned up the volume on his phone and played the message for everyone to hear. When it was done, Deane spoke up, his voice reverberating through the Emery’s speaker. “When was that message left?”
Jax checked the timestamp. “Three fifty-two.”
Deane asked, “Aerilyn, have ye seen Ramsay around?”
She took a deep breath and rubbed her forehead. “I haven’t seen him at all. I’m beginning to worry about Riley. He didn’t come to school today.”
“Is that the son?” Emery questioned.
“Yeah,” Aerilyn breathed out.
There was a pause before Deane’s voice filtered through Emery’s phone. “I need an address, whatever ye have for this kid.”
Aerilyn lifted her phone and mumbled, “I can log in to the district site and see what’s there, but he doesn’t live with his dad. That much I know.”
Everyone waited in silence as she continued to search for any relevant information. Aerilyn found what she was looking for and said, “I only have a name and address for Mom, but nothing for Dad. What are you going to do, Deane?”
“See if I can track the kid down. Maybe he knows something that would be helpful.”
Aerilyn stared at Emery’s phone on the table. “And why would he talk to some stranger?”
Deane answered, “Love, I’ve been doing this a long time. Leave it to me. Just text me the address, and I’ll let ye know.”
Emery picked up the phone and touched the screen, taking it off loud speaker. “Want me to let Alaric know what’s going on?” She paused and adjusted the red bandana around her head. “’Kay, talk soon.”
She hung up and took another bite. Jax and Aerilyn just blinked at her. Emery slurped up a noodle. It flicked the tip of her nose, leaving a splash of sauce. With a full mouth, she explained, “I eat when I’m stressed.”
Jax leaned against the counter and thought about the turn of events. If Garren had been following Ramsey before he’d disappeared, the house he’d described seemed to be the obvious place to look. Maybe he’d confronted the guy and it hadn’t gone well.
“I don’t like just sitting around waiting,” he mumbled.
“Me neither,” Aerilyn chimed in.
Emery chewed another bite and cleared her throat. “It’s not your job to put yourselves in danger.”
Aerilyn caught Jax’s eye and asked, “Is it really that dangerous to drive around looking for Grecian statues?”
She stood up and joined Jax, who’d already moved all the food from the hot surfaces. He grabbed a jacket and his keys.
Emery sat at the table, blinking at them in disbelief. She set down her fork. “Wait. Where are you going?”
&n
bsp; “We’re helping,” Jax said.
“Your dad isn’t going to like this,” Emery said, but got up and beat them outside. She led them onto the driveway and stopped before Jax’s truck. “Neither will Deane.”
“Good thing they aren’t here.” Aerilyn smiled at Emery and brushed past her.
While Jax started up the engine of his truck, the women climbed into the cab. He carefully avoided Emery’s vehicle as he backed down the driveway. “I don’t know my way around—where are we headed?”
It was Emery who responded, her phone already lit up, displaying a map. “He said something about heading to Lakewood and turning off Hampden. Get on the highway, and we’ll go from there.”
He did as she said, and before long, they had made their way out of the foothills and were driving through Morrison. Aerilyn peered past him to look out his window as they went past the Rusty Tack. She shook her head. “Don’t see his car. Just thought I’d look.”
He went onto the highway, and barely ten minutes passed before Emery told him to exit. They went through neighborhood after neighborhood scanning the homes for anything that fit Garren’s description. They were backtracking when Emery’s phone rang. She put it on speaker.
Deane’s voice filled the cab. “No one’s answering.”
Emery said, “That’s no help.”
His voice rasped through the speaker. “Ye’re telling me.”
Jax crossed the road, passing a strip mall and continued down the street. They went by small brick homes until the properties got larger. They’d nearly reached a dead end when he took a right into a new neighborhood. Split rail fences lined a number of wealthy homes.
“We’re out looking for the place Garren described,” Emery said.
Deane’s response was immediate. “We?”
“Sorry, man,” Jax said. “We couldn’t just sit around.”
“Look!” Aerilyn pointed ahead and grabbed Jax’s shoulder.
At the end of the street was a walled-in mansion. At either side of the closed gate were two ghostly statues, so pale they cut through the darkness. Jax pulled over in front of a neighbor’s home and turned off his lights.
“What’s happening?” Deane demanded with an edge in his voice.
“We may have found the place.” Jax craned his neck, looking down the street.
“Don’t do anything,” Deane ordered. “I’ll be right there. We can’t have anything happening to ye. None of ye are as discreet as me.”
Jax didn’t know what forms Deane or Emery took, but he had to agree that it might alarm people if they saw a wolf or cougar strolling through the neighborhood. He shared a glance with Aerilyn as Emery sent Deane their location. She ended the call and squinted through the windshield into the dark.
Little remained from the last snow. It had melted away except for a few piles alongside the pavement. If there had been a fresh sheet of powder, it might have helped illuminate the night. Clouds covered the moon and stars from view, leaving only the single streetlight to see by at the other end of the road.
Jax stared at the home in question. Tall brick walls and evergreens surrounded the property. A long angular roof and an upper level of windows were visible through the murk. It was the sculptures on either side of the ornate gate that drew his interest. From where he sat, they looked like something you’d find among the ancient columns in Rome. He wanted to get out and take a closer look but reminded himself that Garren might have done the same thing when he should have had backup. So Jax drummed his fingers on the steering wheel while they waited for Deane to show up.
They didn’t have to wait more than fifteen minutes before headlights turned down the road and a white work van pulled up behind them. Emery was the first to jump from the cab. Aerilyn and Jax followed. They piled in one by one through the back doors of the van. It might have appeared to be the sort of vehicle a plumber, electrician, or upholstery cleaner might have used, but inside there was a curtain strung up and not much else.
Deane parted the canvas screen and joined them in the back. His accented voice filled the van in a deep whisper. “Garren’s description seems to match up. If only he’d followed procedure and called Alaric first.”
“You going in for a closer look?” Emery asked.
Deane nodded. “Aye.”
He cast a glance around at all of them and closed off another set of curtains, separating him from view. The canvas jostled, and Jax heard a zipper sound, followed by fabric rustling. When the noises subsided, Emery slipped her arm through the part of the drapes.
Jax watched in curiosity, unsure what to expect. Deane wasn’t the sort of person he’d want to get in a fight with. There was a dangerous edge to him.
So, when Emery parted the curtains and held up a feathered owl on her arm, Jax was surprised. She carried the wide-eyed bird to the back of the vehicle and opened the door. Emery held out her arm into the night. Wings flapped and soft hooting came from Deane’s beak. In moments, he was gone.
Jax swallowed, now understanding the value of the vehicle. He never would have imagined Deane would drive a utility van by choice. When the Society was bound to enforce their rules, it would be paramount to conduct themselves in secrecy.
He waited a moment and looked at Aerilyn. “Didn’t you say shifters take the form of animals most like their personality? I didn’t see that coming.”
Aerilyn shared a glance with Emery. “Well, Deane’s what you might call multifaceted.”
“What’s that mean?” he asked with a frown.
Emery closed the back door and went to open the curtains all the way. A pile of clothing lay on the floor of the vehicle. She crossed her arms and raised a brow. “Count your blessings you’ve never seen Deane in a fighting mood.”
There was no way an owl would be a threat in that circumstance. Then it dawned on Jax. “Are you telling me he has more than one form?”
A smile crept across Emery’s lips, and she shrugged. “It’s been known to happen.”
Jax remembered what Aerilyn had told him and muttered, “Then what trauma or changes has he gone through?”
Aerilyn peeked through the front curtains, looking out the windshield. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Deane doesn’t like talking about his past.”
Again, Jax got the sense there was a lot he still didn’t know. Instead of pressing for more information, he quieted, knowing this wasn’t the time or place. He checked his phone. It was well past ten, and they’d arrived over an hour ago.
They waited in the vehicle for another hour before Aerilyn whispered, “The gate’s opening—a car’s coming out!”
Emery pressed in beside Aerilyn, and they both looked out from the slit in the curtain. Light came through the parted fabric. Tires on pavement moved past slowly. Aerilyn backed up and looked at Jax with a wary expression. “It was him—Ramsay.”
“Are you sure?” Emery asked with wide eyes.
A thump sounded on the roof of the van followed by scratching, startling everyone within. Emery shook her head with a chuckle and went to open the back.
A dark form flew down and swept into the vehicle. The owl’s talons tapped on the floor, and it tucked its wings to its side. It tap danced between them casually. Emery stepped in front of Aerilyn and Jax, closing the second set of drapes.
The owl disappeared behind the curtain, and once again the sound of shuffling and movement filled the van. Deane’s deep voice muttered, “Now’s a good time to take a closer look.”
“It was him,” Aerilyn said. “I recognized him.”
The curtain parted, revealing the Irishman. He was drawing his fingers through his hair and was dressed all in black once again. Deane directed his attention to Emery. “Ye ready?”
Her eyes shined with excitement, and she nodded. “Ready as a dog in heat.”
Deane moved between them to the back of the van and unlatched the door. Emery trailed after, not doing a good job of suppressing her enthusiasm. A cool burst of air rushed into the
open compartment as the two stepped outside.
Jax and Aerilyn went to follow, and Deane raised his eyebrow. “Where do ye think ye’re going?”
“Garren’s my friend.” Jax brushing by him. “I’m not sitting by when I can help.”
Aerilyn jumped down and slipped her hands in her pockets. Her voice came out in a whisper. “I’m not staying behind. I want to make sure Ramsay doesn’t have anything to do with Riley not coming home.”
Deane’s lips pressed into a frown, and he growled, “Ye best listen to me, or ye might as well stay in the van. Ye hear?”
They all stood staring at him in silence. Deane closed the back doors and moved past the van and the truck with the three of them following behind. He looked at the homes nestled into the large plots of land before walking briskly toward the walled-in estate. Trees and bushes outside of the perimeter provided good cover, and they soon were squatting behind them.
“Ramsay may have left, but I don’t know if there’s anyone inside for us to worry about,” Deane whispered. “There’s a sensor floodlight positioned on the driveway, so we should approach on the back side of the building.”
He followed the brick wall around the side of the home, moving in the shadow of the trees. A wide expanse of rolling hills extended behind the estate. Many times Jax had prowled as a cougar through secluded areas, skirting the edge of properties just as they were doing now. But never with the intent to break in.
“Here’s good.” Deane stopped and muttered, “I need a leg up.”
Without pausing, Jax interlaced his fingers and held them out to Deane, who lifted his foot to step onto them. Jax’s muscles engaged as the enforcer’s full body weight pressed down, and Jax propelled him up. Deane reached for the top lip of the wall and was straddling it and looking down at them within moments. He sat on top and reached his hand over for the next person.
One by one, Emery, Aerilyn and Jax climbed over the wall. Deane dropped down beside them, brushing off his hands. The back side of the home was dark, except for a window that glowed with soft light. He crouched over and moved through the spacious yard to a door that led into the garage. Everyone huddled around him as he pulled something shiny from his pocket.
Half-Blood Descendant: A Paranormal Series (Half-Bloods Book 1) Page 18