The sound of her mom’s voice pulled Grace out of her thoughts, and she looked up to see the police Captain summoning her to the office. Grace rose from her desk, feeling like a misbehaved student being called up by the principal.
“Still no movement on the case?” her mom asked, ushering her into the office and closing the door behind them.
“No. Nothing.” Grace flopped into the seat opposite her mom and raked her hands through her shoulder-length strawberry blonde hair.
Her mom gave her a sympathetic smile. “I thought as much. Which is why I think you should have some help.”
The suggestion came as no surprise to Grace. What was more shocking was that her mom hadn’t suggested it sooner.
“I agree. So, who will you assign to partner with me?”
Captain Louise Alcott bit on her bottom lip, taking a moment before answering her daughter. “After giving it a lot of consideration I contacted Ben Stokes.”
“The chief of the fire department?” Grace asked, her voice rising a notch. “How could he help me?”
“It’s not his skills as a firefighter I was hoping he could offer us. We both know the firefighters up at Shadowbrook have other abilities that could be useful in a missing person’s search.”
Growing up in Lenox, the Shadowbrook Estate was always something of an urban legend. She remembered being a tween and playing dares on Halloween where her friends had challenged her to sneak through the gates and onto the estate without being caught by the ‘ghosts.’ As she’d gotten older she’d learned that while the tales of a haunted house weren’t true, there was indeed something supernatural about Shadowbrook. At first, Grace had found it difficult to believe that not only did shapeshifters exist, but that a pack of them lived at the mansion on the edge of town and served Lenox as the fire department. As time went on, she got used to the men who could transform into wolves. They kept mostly to themselves, and rarely came into town, and when they did they were polite, good-natured guys. She even though some of them were cute, with all those rippling muscles and chiseled features.
Despite her acceptance of the firefighting wolf-shifters as part of the community, that didn’t mean she wanted one of them assisting in her case. It was bad enough that she hadn’t been able to find the teens on her own. Grace had been willing to partner with another officer for the good of the missing kids. But someone not on the force? The suggestion left a sour taste in her mouth. She could see the logic in her mom’s suggestion, wolves could track scents humans couldn’t, but it still didn’t make the idea any easier to accept. Working with the fire department in an official sense was one thing, but enlisting the help of a shape-shifter because she wasn’t good enough at her job felt like an insult.
“Why does it need to be someone from Shadowbrook? Can’t you just assign me a partner from the station? Or if we need a better than human sense of smell, we could contact the police department in Boston and ask them to send us some of their sniffer dogs.”
“I’m not assigning you a partner from the department because I honestly think, even with more manpower, we won’t find the kids. You’re right, we need something with a better than human sense of smell, and while requesting sniffer dogs is an option, after giving it consideration, I think a member of the Shadowbrook pack would be the better option. You can’t have a conversation with a sniffer dog and discuss your findings, you can with one of the shifters. And, if I’m being entirely honest, I feel like this case is beyond us. Beyond the police department. Beyond mere humans. You’ve said it yourself, these kids have vanished without a trace. I think something supernatural is happening here, and I think we need supernatural help to solve this case.”
Grace remained silent for a few moments, considering her mom’s words, and thinking about how she’d already chased down all the leads she’d had, and exhausted every avenue available to her. She thought her failure to find the kids was her fault, that she was lacking in some way. But maybe her mom was right? Maybe this wasn’t a case she could solve alone. Perhaps it wasn’t even a case a human could solve alone. Maybe her failure to find the teens wasn’t a sign she wasn’t good enough, it wasn’t a sign it would be better if she’d been paralyzed instead of Will.
The mere thought of her twin brought tears to Grace’s eyes again, and she swallowed them down and replied, “If you think our best chance at finding the missing kids is to enlist the help of the Shadowbrook pack, then I’ll support you. What’s important is finding those kids and reuniting them with their families.”
Louise Alcott smiled proudly. “I knew you’d see this is for the best, Grace. And I’m sure you and whoever Ben Stokes sends over will be able to find the kids.”
“It won’t be Ben helping me in the search?” Grace asked. She’d worked with the chief of the fire department a couple of times in the past, most recently when his girlfriend, Lana’s bookstore and apartment had burned down. Since then, she’d seen Ben and Lana around town and recently noticed the usually slender Lana had a small, rounded baby bump. She’d idly wondered if shifters and humans could have babies together… apparently so, judging by the recent revelation.
“No, I don’t think so. He mentioned something about a change in leadership. I think he intends to send whoever is now leading the pack here to speak with me.”
This gave Grace a pause. Aside from Ben and his brother Josh, she didn’t really know anyone else from the pack. She hadn’t worked with them in an official capacity and they mostly remained at the estate. Although the pack never caused trouble, she felt a little apprehensive at the idea of working with an unknown man that could turn into a wolf.
“Oh, erm, okay. I just assumed it would be Ben, but I’ll handle it. Just let me know whenever the guy comes to speak with you, as I’d like to talk to him too.”
“Of course,” her mom said. “I spoke to Ben this morning, so hopefully he sends someone over the next day or so.”
That evening, after dinner, she made her way over to Will’s. She visited him every evening at the self-contained apartment on her parents property that they’d had built when he turned 21 to give Will a sense of freedom and independence. What little freedom and independence he could have given he needed around the clock care, and couldn’t feed himself or use the restroom on his own.
His care assistant, Mike, was just heading to the kitchen to put Will’s dirty dishes in the dishwasher when she entered the apartment, and Grace was pleased to note her twin had eaten all his meal; usually a sign he was in a good mood.
“How is he today?” she asked the older man, who was a large muscular African-American guy who’d been taking care of Will since his accident ten years ago.
“He's good. We went out into town, and he bought some audio crime novels from Lana’s store. He’s even thinking about getting a special voice-activated computer.”
Grace raised her eyebrows in surprise. It’s something she, her parents and even Mike had suggested to Will in the past, and he’d always shut down the suggestion, so to hear he was thinking about it now was a positive sign.
With a smile, she made her way into the lounge where her twin was listening to one of the audiobooks he’d bought.
“Hey,” she greeted, coming to sit down on the couch next to where Will’s wheelchair was situated.
“Hey,” he replied cheerily, before instructing his virtual assistant AI to pause the audiobook.
Grace couldn’t help but smile. Technology had come so far since Will’s accident that he could now do things they’d never dreamed possible. Then a hollow feeling settled in her gut knowing there were still many things he’d never be able to do.
Because of me.
She pushed the negative thoughts aside, not wanting to bring down her brother’s apparent good mood.
“Mike told me you visited the bookstore today. Is that one of your new purchases?”
Will smiled. “It is indeed, but that’s boring compared to who I saw in the bookstore. Ben Stokes. You know, for a shapeshifter, he�
��s a really normal guy.”
Grace laughed. Growing up Will had been awed and fascinated when he’d learned a pack of wolf shifters lived in their town and had even wondered if they could turn him into a wolf until someone had explained shapeshifters were born with their abilities, and they were passed on genetically from parent to child.
“You think running into Ben Stokes in town is impressive? Wait until you hear what I have to tell you… Mom thinks it will help find the missing teens more quickly if we enlist the help of the Shadowbrook pack. She’s asked Ben to send someone to partner with me.”
Will’s smile widened. “That’s so cool. You’ll have to tell me all about it so I can work it into one of my novels.”
“One of your novels?” Grace asked, her curiosity piqued.
“Yeah, I’ve decided I’m going to get one of those voice-activated computers and become a writer.”
For the first time in years, Grace’s heart felt lighter. After the accident, when Will’s dream of becoming a police officer had been cruelly snatched away from him, he’d spiraled into a deep depression and gave up on all hope in life. At one point she and their parents had even worried he might seek to take his life. But in the past couple of years, with medical technology improving all the time, Will had become more hopeful and started seeing that while he might not be able to live the life he imagined, he could still live a life.
That did little to ease the ball of guilt that constantly lived in the pit of Grace’s stomach though.
He wouldn’t even need one of those special computers if it wasn’t for me. It’s my fault he isn’t the one partnering with a shifter to find the missing kids.
48
Derek
Derek made his way into Lenox and to the police station, not sure what to expect. Even though he’d decided to help find the missing kids, he still wasn’t sure how he’d be received by the police force. He’d dealt with Captain Alcott a couple of times and she was always professional, but he hadn’t had many dealings with anyone else at the station.
He approached the reception desk cautiously, the dream from the night before still ringing in his ears.
“Murder!” the voice echoed.
Derek suppressed a shudder. In his teen years, after he’d first discovered he was a shifter - after he’d become a killer - he’d thought about turning himself in and confessing to what he’d done. At fifteen, he’d talked himself out of it and instead hidden in the forest, until Ben found him. For a fleeting moment, he considers confessing now and handing himself over to the authorities. He shook the insane thought from his head and focused on the task at hand.
“Hey, I’ve been asked to come to speak to Captain Alcott,” he said to the young woman on the reception desk.
Her eyes trailed up and down his muscular body, and her cheeks turned faintly pink. Derek smirked. Even though he had no interest in relationships, it was still flattering to see the effect he had on women.
“Sure,” she replied pleasantly. “Can I ask your name please?”
Derek paused for a moment, the earlier feeling of uncertainty filling his chest, but then he figured he was here now, he might as well get it over with. “Yeah, it’s Derek Hargrove, from up at Shadowbrook.”
The receptionist’s eyes widened for a moment before she composed herself and then picked up the phone on her desk. She punched in a series of numbers and spoke into the handset.
“Captain Alcott, I have Derek Hargrove here to see you.”
There was a pause, and Derek, with his supernaturally enhanced hearing, clearly heard Captain Alcott reply, “Thank you. Please send him through.”
The receptionist placed the handset down and returned her gaze to Derek. “You can go through,” she said, pressing a button to unlock the security door that led to the main station. “Her office is at the far end of the main room.”
“Thank you,” Derek said, making his way through the door and into the main room. Multiple pairs of eyes raised to stare at him as every officer on duty looked up to see who had entered.
Derek bowed his head, unused to so much human attention. From the corner of his eye, he noticed a young woman with strawberry blonde hair staring at him intently. For a moment, he forgot where he was and why, and instead lifted his gaze to meet the woman’s eyes. They were a shade of green that made him think of the forest and entranced him for a moment. As he watched her the woman’s expression turned from curiosity to annoyance, and Derek turned away.
He cleared his throat and knocked on Captain Alcott’s door and a woman’s voice called, “Enter.”
He stepped into the office to see the police Captain behind her desk. Louise Alcott was a woman in her mid-forties with a steely gaze and auburn hair cut into a severe a bob. While the smile she greeted him was pleasant, the hardness in her eyes remained.
“Hi, I’m Derek Hargrove, Alpha of the Shadowbrook pack,” he said, although the Captain obviously knew who he was, as he’d given his name to the receptionist. “Ben Stokes said you wanted to speak to me about a case?”
“Yes, please take a seat, Mr. Hargrove. I’ll just be a moment fetching the officer working on the case, who I hope you’ll be able to assist.”
Captain Alcott left the office for a moment, and Derek took the chance to look around. Spread out in front of him was a large oak desk, behind which was Captain Alcott’s leather seat. On the desk was a computer, a number of files and what appeared to be three framed photos, though as they were facing away from Derek he couldn’t see what they were of. On the wall behind the desk was a large framed map of the town.
Derek’s attention was drawn back to the door as Captain Alcott re-entered, following behind was the young woman who’d stared at Derek so intently. She regarded him slowly, her eyes narrowed, and then she sat in the chair beside him, as they both faced the Captain.
“Mr. Hargrove, this is Officer Alcott,” Captain Alcott said, pausing for a moment to allow the revelation that she and the officer were related to sink in. “She has been investigating the disappearance of several teens from Lenox Memorial High School. Officer Alcott, this is Derek Hargrove, the… um, Alpha of the Shadowbrook pack. He has kindly agreed to lend his time and abilities to help locate the missing children.”
“He’s the one who offered to help us?” Officer Alcott scoffed, turning away from Derek and raising her head as though she were too good to be around someone like him.
Derek clenched his jaw, trying not to explode in rage at the ungrateful officer. He was willing to give up his spare time to help her, the least she could do was be polite, and not show her obvious prejudice against shifters.
“I’m sorry if my status as Alpha bothers you, if you’d rather I didn’t help, I’m sure there are plenty of other useful things I could be doing… like my job as a firefighter.”
Captain Alcott opened her mouth to speak, but Officer Alcott beat her to it, turning to Derek with narrowed eyes. “I don’t give a rats ass if you’re a shifter, a vampire or Frankenstein's freakin’ monster himself. What I have an issue with is you staring me up and down like a conquest. I don’t care who you think you are, our partnership will be entirely professional and you’d do well to remember it.”
Derek’s eyes widened for a second and then he suppressed a chuckle.
Oh, so that’s what’s got her so riled up? She thought I was checking her out earlier?
“Grace, that’s enough,” Captain Alcott said sternly. “I’m sure whatever you think you saw was a misunderstanding. Mr. Hargrove is here in a professional capacity, and I’d remind you to act the same.”
Grace Alcott looked suitably reprimanded and sank into her seat, gazing at the ground.
“Mr. Hargrove, to catch you up to speed, here’s a quick summary of the case so far,” Captain Alcott started to explain how over the course of four weeks, four teens had all vanished on their way home from Lenox Memorial High School. However, people in the area had seen nothing suspicious, there were no signs of the children bein
g taken in a struggle, and testaments from parents, teachers, and other students confirmed none of the missing kids were involved in gangs or anything else that could explain their disappearances.
Derek tried to listen to what the Captain was saying and took in the details of the case, but out of the corner of his eyes, he couldn’t help watching Grace, who still had a scowl detracting from her beautiful face. She really was attractive, even if she looked a little haughty currently. He wondered what she’d look like out of her uniform, in casual clothes and in a more relaxed setting. Then he realized he’d lost the thread of what Captain Alcott was saying because he’d been checking out a woman... a human woman!
What the hell is wrong with me?
Derek shook his head and focused on the Captain in front of him.
“Now that you’re up to speed, I’ll turn the case over to Officer Alcott so that you two can arrange how best to work together.”
The Captain looked pointedly at the officer, who in turn trained her face into a mask of impassiveness. She turned to Derek slowly, and asked, “When would you be available to visit the areas the children disappeared from?”
“I have to be back at the fire station soon for the second half of my shift, but I clock off at seven if you’re free then?”
Grace opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again, staring blankly ahead. When she didn’t reply, Captain Alcott said, “Don’t worry, Grace. I’ll visit Will this evening and let him know you’re busy.”
Derek watched the exchange between the two women with curious silence, wondering what their relationship was and who this Will they spoke of was. Knowing he wouldn’t like people prying into his business, and also that whatever was between the officer and Captain had no bearing on the case, he gazed at the map behind the Captain instead.
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