by Carmen Fox
I gave a dry laugh. “Okay. You’ve crapped all over the happy options.”
He looked out over the lake. “This isn’t the first time I’ve thought about what might have happened to her. I didn’t know about Cody or about this spot, but we turned the Triangle upside down. Checked into possible motives, train times, placed photos in the Gazette, offered reward money for information. Nothing.”
“Okay.” I lifted my shades up on my head. “Walk me through the suspects.”
“As I said, I can’t believe a wolf had anything to do with her disappearance. We have to look at humans.” He caught my sharp glance and returned it. “I’m not one of those bigoted assholes that hate all humans, so don’t get your panties in a twist, princess.”
“Underwear under these pants? You’re kidding, right?”
He’d be able to see every seam. Especially with a gaze as penetrating as his.
His eyes were so unusual. Pure silver with hardly any dark flecks. As if drawn by an artist. They went perfectly with the subtle flush in his cheeks.
“Cute.” He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
“Anyway.” Leo nudged my arm. “Considering Cody’s admitted they routinely met here...”
Yet Drake held my gaze. Even in the shade of the tree, the heat made my pulse go faster. The temperatures didn’t affect him, at least not on the outside. Not a hint of sweat had escaped his pores.
“Are you listening?” Humor touched Leo’s voice.
“I’m listening.” I turned my attention to the other protector. “So you think she could have been kidnapped?”
“A human would have a hard time kidnapping a werewolf.” Drake groaned. “At some point, he or she would underestimate her strength. And I simply don’t buy that one of us would have done anything like that.”
“That leaves death.” Leo’s voice may have been fact-oriented, but the way he ran his hand through his hair cut deep.
He and Drake had known Raven since their school days and their jobs had made them responsible for her wellbeing. The possibility of death wasn’t just a possibility of failure, but of a personal loss that might leave scars.
“Let’s search the area around the lake, even if only to rule it out.” I leaned back onto my arms, unable to meet either gaze.
The trees’ leaves on the opposite bank of the lake reflected light in places, swallowed it in others, offering a range of greens in a mosaic-pattern.
“That’s why we’re here.” Leo gave a sad smile. “What are we hoping to find?”
“Blood, drag marks, God forbid, maybe a body.” My tone was clinical. If we were talking worst case, no point in sugar-coating it. “The killer, if there is one, could have dumped Raven in the lake.”
Drake tore off a handful of grass, which he held out to be blown off by the breeze. “It’s a natural lake. Real popular with fishers, and the currents are unpredictable. A body would have surfaced by now. And it’s not like you can roll someone in at the shallow end. You’d need a boat.”
I turned my head away from the lake. “The woods, then?”
He swiveled around and got onto all fours. He crawled close to me until his head blocked my view, and his breath grazed my face.
“Care to go for a run?” His voice burrowed deep into me.
The area between my legs went on alert, and I squirmed to calm it. There was no denying Drake was an attractive man.
“He didn’t mean it that way.” Leo sounded piqued. “He meant we should search in wolf form.”
“Leo, you go that way.” Drake pointed to his right. “Kensi and I will look over there.” His finger shot to the left.
Before Leo could voice the objection that was forming on his face, I motioned for both of them to get away. “You two search the woods. I’m going to have a look around out here. If there was an attack, this is where it could have started.”
Leo sat up on his knees and scowled.
Drake had asked me to run with him. Almost always, courting among werewolves began by running together. But if he’d been serious, why had he asked me in front of Leo?
Only one answer came to mind. Keeping our kiss secret was no longer his objective. Getting one over on his rival was.
“Whatever you say, princess. You’re in charge, as you keep reminding me.” Drake got to his feet and towered over me. “Be careful out here. The other side of the lake isn’t private, and someone might see you shift.”
“That’s why I’ll search in my human form.” I waved him off. “Go on. We’ll compare notes later.”
Any warmth left his eyes. Arms crossed at his wrists, he slid off his T-shirt. Apparently it hadn’t occurred to him his sculpted abs might leave me breathless. He kicked off his boots, dropped his jeans—
I almost cried out.
He turned his back to me and slipped out of his boxers.
That ass wasn’t anyone’s consolation prize.
He strode away, and I made an effort to catch every reflection of light off his body, every flex of his muscles. Mid-walk, he hunched to touch the ground with one hand, both hands, then his arched back dropped, and his tan skin turned into dark brown, shiny fur.
Such a smooth transition. I gritted my teeth and got to my feet, my body itching to join him, yet unable to do so. One day I’d succeed. One day I’d let my sleek wolf form transport me across bumpy terrain and through dense forest.
Drake glanced back at me once, before he sprinted off into the undergrowth.
Another wolf’s head nudged me.
I shot Leo, resplendent in light-gray fur, an uncertain smile. “Thanks for helping us. There’s a lot of land here, and without you, we wouldn’t stand a chance.”
He sniffed, like a mini-sneeze, and padded off in the other direction.
I breathed in the crisp scent of the lake and inched up to the water’s edge. The breeze was stronger here, although not strong enough to blow away the sun’s warmth. I picked up a flat stone and skipped it across the slightly rippled surface. It bounced once, twice, before disappearing into its depth.
The lake stretched into the distance and would make the perfect hiding place for a body, but Drake was right. Without a boat or a jetty in sight, hiding a body wouldn’t be possible.
Eyes peeled for any disturbance in the ground, I returned to the tree and, from there, walked in ever-increasing circles, hoping I wouldn’t find a clue. Because I hadn’t given up hope of finding Raven alive.
Did she and I have more in common than looks? Our upbringing wouldn’t have been so different. Mainly surrounded by our own kind, yet separate—she because of her parents’ musical ambitions for her, and me because of my inability to shift.
A growl from behind jarred the tranquility. Drake dashed forth from the trees and transformed into his human self mid-run.
If I were struck blind right now, I’d be grateful to have at least once viewed absolute male perfection. Arms to sweep me up and never let go. A tattoo-free chest that wasn’t ripped, but defined into a hard plate. And legs so powerful they shouldn’t by right fit into pants. And then there was his dick. Even in its current state, it had no need to hide. It swung freely, supported by balls that were big enough to match his attitude.
“I found her.” He breathed hard.
I strode toward him, heat rising in my cheeks, and met his gaze. He knew exactly where my attention had been.
“I said I found her.” He picked up his clothes and got dressed.
“Raven?” A chill gripped me.
“Yes. At least I think it’s her.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Dammit. I knew it. But I was hoping, you know.”
A layer of white veiled his tanned face.
Leo approached from behind. Panting, he picked his T-shirt off the ground to wipe his face. “What is it? Did you find something?”
“Drake thinks he’s found Raven.” I glanced past Leo’s shoulder, whose physique was naturally lean.
“What? Where?” He pivoted his gaze and held up his hand
to shield his eyes.
“Over there.” Leo pointed behind him. “Leo, call Jonah and let him know. I’ll show Kensi.”
“Are you sure she needs to see a dead body?” Leo slid into his clothes, leaving his defined abs for last.
“Seriously?” I frowned at him. “Talk to Jonah.”
His lips disappeared into a thin line, but he nodded. “I can’t get any reception here. I’ll be by the car.”
“Okay. As for you, show me.” I barely waited for Drake to get his boots on before I dashed off to where he’d broken from the trees.
He quickly took the lead. As the trees closed around us, the temperature dropped again, and the scent of damp earth combined with that of fallen leaves.
“Over there.” Drake pointed to his right.
Among the fresh scent of the forest rose the odor of something moldy, something dead, like rotten cabbage, filled with feces and cheap perfume. I lifted my hand to my nose and coughed. With each step, the assault on my nostrils got worse, and my cough turned into gagging.
Drake also held his nose with his fingers and stopped at the bottom of a slope.
A divot ran through the ground, with moist earth scattered around it. In the middle, a gray-blue mottled arm lay uncovered, skin barely hanging on to the tendons underneath. A thin layer of wax gave the gruesome sight an otherworldly touch.
I turned away and retreated a few steps, heaving, but not vomiting.
Drake placed his large, warm hand on my back. “Are you okay?”
I took a deep breath, which only brought back the nausea, and I heaved some more.
“Here.” He retrieved a wrapped candy from his pocket. “It’s mint. It’ll help.”
“Maybe.” I gagged. “If I stick it in my nose.”
“Don’t argue. Go on.”
I slipped the candy in my mouth. Its bite carried into my airways, indeed making breathing that little bit easier.
I cast a glance back to where the body lay. “How do we know it’s her?”
“We don’t. Not for sure. I dug down as far as I could, or as much as I could stand. We have to call the cops.” He slapped the tree trunk. “Fuck it.”
I leaned against a tree, feeling the energy leave my body. Raven was no longer a stranger to me. In many ways, I might have known her better than her parents had. My chance to ask her about her music, about what she really wanted from life, was gone. Was this the end? The cops would identify her and maybe bring her parents peace, but what effort would they expend on getting answers? They’d take over my investigation and probably arrest Cody, guilty or not.
“Maybe we don’t call the police.” I wiped tears from my face. Not tears of sadness, but a reaction to the nausea that still rattled my insides.
“Why not?”
“First, we should find out if it’s her.” I ducked past him and approached the hideous arm. “If we find something that ties back to Raven, like her sweater, it’s up to us to get justice. No one has a more vested interest in solving this than us.” Something shiny reflected the sparse light. I approached and kicked at the soil with my shoe.
Drake joined me. “What is it?”
I pointed with my toes, and he took a stick to unbury the item.
“It’s the necklace. Raven’s necklace.” I shook my head. “The same one her mother wears.”
“Shit.” Drake wiped the back of his wrist across his forehead and eyes.
Why would someone do this? Raven had been so young. She didn’t even have a chance to find herself yet. Who could she have possibly pissed off in her few years on this planet?
He and I exchanged a weighty glance. Someone had put that poor woman in this grave. Why?
“She wasn’t buried deep. It’s possible she was simply dumped in a hollow with earth shoveled on top.” I crouched for a better vantage point. “I can’t see any obvious wounds from here. Her death could have been an accident, but if so, why bury her here?” Saplings dotted the short sparse grass. I pointed further into the forest. “The trees grow denser back there. It would have been easier to hide a body there. Here, a werewolf was bound to stumble over her at some point. You found her within ten minutes.”
Drake crossed his arm. “If you’re human and you don’t know about our sense of smell, you wouldn’t have had reason to fear discovery.”
“And this being private, werewolf land...”
“The killer probably assumed she’d never be found.” He turned and kicked a tree. “Fuck.”
I sidled up to his side and placed my hand on his arm. “I’m sorry. I really am.”
He glanced away, but didn’t shake off my touch. “Me too.”
“Okay, so at this point, I’m inclined to believe a human might be responsible, which means Cody must be our prime suspect. But let’s not rule anyone out. If we get the police involved, what are they going to find? A photo that shows Cody and Raven knew each other. Big whoop. They’ll ruin his life by arresting him, but will never convict him, because being her boyfriend isn’t a crime. Taking this to the cops is a lose-lose.”
“Raven and her family are well liked. I doubt it would make it to trial.” His voice was without emotion.
Old werewolf retribution had little to do with justice, but Jonah would be able to placate his pack by making the human disappear. It all came down to whether the alpha was a fair man—or a practical man.
“We could keep our find secret from the rest of the pack for now.” I stepped away from the body, my stomach heavy with nausea. “Jonah promised answers by the full moon, which isn’t for a while. Let’s take the time to tie this to Cody directly, or an innocent man might be lynched.”
“Innocent?” Drake brushed past me toward the body. “He doesn’t sound innocent to me.”
Yet he was kicking earth and leaves back onto the body and the pendant. Did that mean he was on-board?
“We’ll keep working the case.” I stared at the mound of earth, which now covered the grave. Yet the smell stuck to the back of my throat.
“I don’t know.” Drake returned to me and took my hands into his. “It’s Jonah’s decision.”
I was too familiar with pack hierarchy to think this was a slam dunk for me. My only shot at holding onto this case was to convince the alpha to continue to trust me. After all, I’d made significant progress in only a few days.
“Drake?” I averted my head from the scene and briefly closed my eyes.
“Mm-hmm?”
“Do you have another peppermint for me?”
He handed me a candy, and I sucked greedily to get rid of the stench once and for all.
Drake led me back toward the fence and the parking lot. The family had gone, and so was their car.
Leo approached, his head drooping, his shoulders low. “Jonah told us to come in.”
I nodded.
“Do you know if it’s her?”
“Yes.” I placed my hand on his arm and squeezed gently. “I’m sorry.”
“You saw her?” Leo’s chin pulled up and he glared at Drake.
“I kept my distance, but Drake is sure it’s her.” My smile probably did a poor job of hiding my white lie, but Leo didn’t need to hear I’d been subjected to such a gruesome sight.
For all his talk about equality and respecting me, he was still a man, and a protector to boot.
“Shit.” He spun around and leaned against his sedan, his hands on his head. “Okay. Let’s tell the boss and then get drunk. I’m buying.”
I smiled. “We’ll see.”
We got into our vehicles—Leo into his, and Drake and I into the pickup—and left the area with an understandable amount of haste. My time in Marlontown could be coming to a close. Drake and I might never get to explore our attraction. The personal quest Mom had sent me on might be a bust. But none of that mattered right now, because a young woman lay all alone in the woods, with the bears and the snakes and God knows what else.
Fifteen
The drive to Jonah’s place was filled with though
tful silence. Drake’s face didn’t give much away, although his broad shoulders seemed narrower and his movements less forceful.
Was Cody responsible for Raven’s death? He’d never actually said Raven stayed behind to meet someone. If he was trying to divert suspicion from himself, why tell us about the lake in the first place? He’d appeared genuinely grief-stricken about Raven’s disappearance, so much so he’d resorted to drinking. Or was the booze less symptom and more cause? Had he killed Raven because alcohol had shortened his fuse, and he’d run out of patience?
Leo’s feelings about Cody had been clear. Hard to ignore the protector’s opinion when they’d known each other most of his life.
Either way, before I turned Raven’s boyfriend into puppy chow, I needed to be sure of his guilt.
The location of the body suggested the killer was a human, yet Raven had had the strength of a werewolf. Even though her trust in Cody would have put her at a disadvantage, it would have required luck for him to overwhelm her. For this reason alone I couldn’t afford to discount another werewolf as potential suspect.
The Wild Pack knew only its own people, whereas I’d been exposed to the good and the bad throughout Germany and in many parts of Europe. Dark blood ran through the royal werewolf lines. Murders, rapes, kidnappings—if werewolves went bad, they went very, very bad. My mother was ample proof of that.
“We’re here.” Drake pulled into his parking space outside Jonah’s house.
Keeping to the shade, I exited the truck.
“How are you doing?” he asked.
“Honestly, I have no idea. And you?”
He leaned against his vehicle and exhaled. “About the same.”
“Should we wait for Leo?”
“Jonah would appreciate that.” He drummed his fingers against the body of his truck. “This isn’t going to be easy for him.”
Leo’s sedan arrived ten minutes after us. His face was flushed, with red veins radiation across his eyes. Had he cried? Not that I’d blame him. He too would have taken Raven’s death personally.