Bear: A Dark Shifter Romance

by Delta James

  “Sounds good, you want me to stop for anything?”

  “Martinelli’s should be open. Why don’t you stop for cannoli and biscotti?”

  “Yum. I haven’t had Martinelli’s since I’ve been home. See you in a bit.”

  Halley grabbed her things and headed out the door. She thought about stopping to tell Cade her plans, but figured he would object to her going alone and insist she wait until the installers were finished. Instead, she opted to leave him a note on the door to the fridge, went to the garage and unplugged her grandmother’s electric car, and headed down the driveway and into town.

  Twenty minutes later she pulled up in front of Kaye’s house. Halley thought it odd that the dogs were out in the kennel building. Normally if Kaye was in the house, so were they. She knocked on the door. Finding it unlocked, she opened it and entered the house calling to her friend.

  The sight before her was terrifying. Kaye was gagged and tied to a chair. Two of the men from the night before were sitting on the couch and one of the others closed the door behind her. There were tears streaming down Kaye’s face.

  * * *

  Cade was just coming through the back door when the phone rang. “Hello?”

  “Cade? Thank God it’s you. Is Halley there?”

  “I think so. I’ve been out in the barn.” Cade walked to the front window and was reassured to see Halley’s truck right where they’d left it. “What’s wrong?”

  “They found Worthington’s body this morning in an open field. He was shot execution style and they didn’t even try to hide the body. We think they know we’ve got the goods on them and are shutting down and tying up loose ends so to speak.”

  “And you think Halley is one of those loose ends.”

  “I’m afraid I do. It’s best you keep her close to home and a gun handy. If you want, I can send some people out there or you guys can come into town.”

  “We’ll be fine here. Halley?” he called up the stairs. He called again. When he received no answer he started up to the bedroom. It was empty.

  “Charlie, she isn’t upstairs.”

  “Check for a note on the fridge.”

  Cade rushed into the kitchen and found it, swearing under his breath. “She says she’s headed to Kaye’s. Now how the hell does she think she’s going to get all that way without my catching up with her?”

  “Did she take her grandmother’s car?”

  “I didn’t hear a motor.”

  Charlie said, “You wouldn’t; it’s electric. They’re very, very quiet. Look, I’m headed back from the crime scene. I can swing by and we can both go have a little chat with our girls.”

  “Right about now, I’m wishing I’d brought my strap with me.”

  Charlie laughed. “I’ve got a nice hairbrush I’d be happy to loan you. I’ll be there in about five minutes.”

  Cade hung up and went out to advise the installers he was going to have to leave for a while but would be back before they needed to get in the house. He was waiting for Charlie when he came down the drive. They immediately headed for Kaye’s.

  “Now what on earth did she have to talk to Kaye about that was so important she’d defy you like that or is Halley just having trouble reconciling that she has someone to answer to?”

  “A bit of both. She needed to talk to Kaye about something Kaye needs to talk to you about.”

  “You mean like the fact that she believes you’re Cade Devereaux, the mountain man from the eighteen hundreds, who became the Spirit of the Bear?” Charlie laughed when Cade was stumped as to how to respond. “I didn’t believe it at first and thought it was just one of Kaye’s fantasies, but I have to tell you I ran a background check on you and you don’t exist... not in this time at least. I said something to Kaye and she told me about the note that Halley’s grandmother left for her. I was going to wait until I saw if we needed your statement because if we do, we’re going to need to come up with ID.”

  Cade nodded. There was no use denying what Charlie already knew. “Halley seemed to think Kaye might be able to help with that, but if you want her kept out of it, I understand.”

  “Look, Cade, I can’t presume to know what happened to you or how you came to be here. But from what Kaye said and I observed being around you and Halley, you’re good for each other. Fake IDs are a lot more complicated now, but Kaye can probably come up with something that will pass casual interest and I have no problem helping a friend. You haven’t done anything wrong. In fact, I feel like I owe you. I’m the one who left Halley alone in those woods. If she’d died, it would have been on me.”

  Cade shook his head. “No, Charlie. You could have acted differently, but so could Halley. She said she sees changes for the better in you. I’m inclined to agree with her. Let’s fetch Halley home and deal with her willfulness. There will be plenty of people around until the new security system is installed and then we’ll have it. I can keep her safe, but I think the four of us need to figure out where we go from here.”

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  They drove the rest of way with Charlie sharing stories about Halley’s childhood with Cade. They arrived at Kaye’s and headed inside.

  Kaye was still tied and gagged, but was out cold. Halley was nowhere to be found. Charlie ran to his car, called for backup, and got his emergency medical kit. He returned to Kaye, who had been untied and laid out on the couch. Charlie used the smelling salts to wake her.

  “Halley?”

  “No, baby, it’s me and Cade. Halley isn’t here.”

  “They’ve got her, Cade. They’ve got Halley.”

  “Who?” he asked gently, mindful of her distress and concern for her friend.

  “The guys behind this. Halley gave them some song and dance about being able to help them locate the oil reserves and how they could get them without anyone knowing. She told them if they left me alive, she’d take them.”

  “Did either she or they make any indication as to where it might be?” asked Charlie.

  “No, just something about at the base of a waterfall and a cave behind it. I think she said they’d have to leave from their development site.”

  Cade smiled. “She’s taking them back to my place. She’s got them on foot. You can’t get back there except on foot. Some of it, if you were experienced enough, would allow you to use a horse, but not all of it. Halley is leveling the playing field. By taking them further away as a starting point, she’s giving us the time and ability to cut them off.”

  “You have to save her, Cade.”

  “I will... or die trying. I can’t ask you to break the law, Charlie, but if you could give me a couple of hours...”

  “To hell with that,” interrupted Charlie. “You sure you’re okay, sweetheart?”

  Kaye nodded and kissed him. “Go.”

  “You heard the lady, Cade, let’s you and me go get these guys. Kaye, you tell them they’re headed for the development project.” He turned back to Cade. “You think we can catch them?”

  “I don’t know. But I do know we have a better chance if I’m a bear. I’ll shift and Charlie, you get one of Kaye’s dogs to track me. You can bring an extra rifle and my clothes. If I can locate them and wait for you, I will. If I can’t wait...”

  “You do what needs doing to keep your girl safe and we’ll figure out how to explain it later,” Charlie finished for him.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Halley had managed to convince the three men who had been holding Kaye hostage that she could get them the info they wanted and they could easily start at a different spot to get the oil reserves. She offered to help them in exchange for Kaye’s life. They arrived at the development project.

  “So, there’s just three of you? Cade thought last night there were six,” said Halley.

  “The other three were from our business partners who had no appreciation of the long game. They have opted out of our dealings. They cut all ties with us when they executed that idiot they had installed here to work on our beha
lf.”

  “They killed Worthington?” whispered Halley.

  “Yes, he was their last tie with this place. The others they sent here have disappeared and Worthington told them they had been killed by a bear. Foolishness.”

  “More money for you then,” said Halley, trying to keep from being sick. “We’d better get a move on. No telling how long we have, but they’ll have to be coming on foot as well.”

  She led the three men toward the back of their development’s boundary line and up into the woods. She prayed Cade would figure out she wasn’t home and called Charlie and that the two would head to Kaye’s. If Kaye remembered what Halley said, Cade would know they were headed for their home behind the waterfall.

  Halley set a good pace over the rough terrain.

  “Hold up,” said one. “You are moving too fast. If you are trying to lose us, you will never outrun a bullet.”

  Halley stopped and turned to face them. “I’m not trying to do anything. Those guys that are missing? They’re buried in my back yard. As I said, my hands aren’t exactly clean. I just want to get you gentlemen what you need and send you on your way. You’re done here, but there are better places to base your operation anyway. I figure you’re reasonable people. I’m not going to be an obstacle anymore and by showing you where to look for the reserves, I’ve proved I’m worth letting live.”

  The three men nodded. “You have a point, Dr. Jordan. Lead on, but not so fast.”

  “No problem,” said Halley. “I didn’t want you to think I was stalling.”

  The fact was that she was stalling but not by leading them too slowly. She was taking a very circuitous route back to the cavern, praying that Cade would have enough time to intercept them.

  * * *

  Kaye had assured Cade and Charlie that she would be fine until the backup arrived and would then send them to what had been the proposed site for the hotel and casino. They had made haste back to Halley’s and taken one of Kaye’s dogs so that Cade didn’t have to worry about Charlie slowing him down. The two men and the big bloodhound, who oddly enough was named Bear, headed into the woods behind the house. Once there, Cade had removed his clothes and changed into the Spirit of the Bear.

  “Jesus,” said Charlie in awe. “I don’t know that I would have believe it if I didn’t just see it. That’s really you, isn’t it, Cade?”

  The enormous bear nodded his head.

  “You take off; Bear and I will be right behind you. I’m going to keep him on his tracking lead so he can’t get in the way.”

  Charlie picked up both rifles, checked his handgun, and slipped Cade’s knife into the backpack that had his change of clothes and a couple of sticks of dynamite Charlie had grabbed in case they needed it. Seeing Charlie was ready, Cade turned and took off, loping through the woods. His singular focus was Halley. He had to get to her. Cade knew she had to get to the base of the falls to lead them up into the cave.

  It took several hours, but at last Cade could see the cliff side. He sniffed along the ground to ensure no human had been there recently. He decided to wait to see how far Charlie was behind him. He could smell the dog and Charlie before they arrived. Cade shifted back into human form.

  “You made good time,” he said and reached to pet the big hound, who was a bit shy and then seemed to decide Cade was a friend.

  Charlie handed him his buckskins; Cade declined to take them.

  “How long do you think we have until Halley leads them here?” asked Charlie.

  “I suspect we’re an hour, maybe two, in front of them. Their starting point is further than ours, and I suspect Halley won’t bring them the most direct way.”

  “Do you think it’s better to wait for them or do we head toward them and try to narrow the gap?”

  “I think there are a couple of places along the trail that are better for ambush than here and the less time Halley is left alone with these men, the better I’ll like it.”

  “I agree.”

  Cade shifted back to the bear, making Charlie simply smile and shake his head. Cade turned and headed down the trail toward Halley. He knew there was a spot perhaps ninety minutes from them that went along a steep cliff that fell to the deep, rushing river waters below. If the bodies ended up there, they’d be swept downstream, through a series of rapids and over another set of falls even more impressive than those that guarded his home.

  * * *

  Halley set a regulated pace that the men behind her could keep but that would be taxing on them in the long run. She knew that the only help she could be in the upcoming fight was to have those who held her captive exhausted and not as sharp as those who were coming for her. And Cade was coming. She could feel it in every fiber of her being.

  She led them up to the trail that ran along a steep ravine. She glanced over the side to the fast-moving river below them. Halley was on alert; if Cade was going to intercept them, this was one of the natural places for him to do so. The second one would have required that he wait for several hours. Halley knew Cade wasn’t a man to just wait.

  There! She heard the snapping of branch under a heavy foot, or rather paw. She strained her ears and could hear the distinctive huffing of a grizzly bear. She nodded almost imperceptibly and the noise was gone. She lengthened her stride just a bit to get out in front of the men following her.

  Cade, in human form, came crashing through the thick underbrush with an angry roar. The three foreign investors who had been following her never had a chance to even raise their guns before they were hit broadside. Cade threw open his arms in order to encompass them all. Halley screamed as Cade and his three victims toppled over the cliff, plunging toward the deadly white water below them.

  She flew to the edge of the cliff and scanned the scene below her. She could see nothing but the swift-moving, deadly current of the waterway. She swung around as Charlie and one of Kaye’s hounds bolted from the same place Cade had come.

  “Halley? What happened?” asked Charlie, the fear in his voice evident.

  “Cade... he rushed them and sent them all off the cliff. I can’t see them, Charlie. The river is moving far too fast at this time of year and there’s nothing.”

  Charlie folded her in his arms. “Oh, my God, Halley. I’m so sorry. You hang onto the dog a minute and let me look. I have binoculars with me.”

  He drew out the field glasses and scanned the water below. Halley watched as he surveyed the entire area. When he turned back to her, what he had seen, or not seen, was written all over his face.

  Halley sank to her knees and screamed her grief and rage to the heavens. Charlie squatted down beside her and hugged her close, rocking her gently. Halley wasn’t sure how long she sobbed, but it wasn’t until the bloodhound with Charlie nuzzled her and licked her face trying to offer his own brand of comfort that she was able to stop.

  “He can’t be gone, Charlie. He can’t.”

  “I’ll organize a search party as soon as we get back.”

  “For what? The bodies? You may never find them; the current is deadly and what would you tell them to look for? A bear or a man?”

  “I don’t know, Halley, but I’ll let them look. You’re right, they probably won’t find anything but they might find something and they might not. But we have to let them look.”

  Charlie stood up and gently helped her to her feet. She took a step forward and stumbled.

  “You go on, Charlie. I want to stay here for a while. I just can’t leave. I may head up to the cavern.”

  “You can’t do that, Halley. We’ve got to report this.”

  “Am I under arrest?”

  “Of course not. But Cade was my friend and I’m not leaving his woman out here alone in the wilderness.”

  She smiled sadly as silent tears started to fall. “Okay. Head on back. I promise I’ll follow in an hour or less. I just need to be alone for a little bit.”

  “I have your word?”

  She nodded and watched him turn reluctantly to leave. Halley
found a rock to sit on and hugged her knees to her chest. How would she go on? How could she mourn the loss of someone who had been in her life less than a week? She had no answers and the questions brought only pain. It seemed to her that Charlie too grieved the man who had been the Spirit of the Bear for more than two hundred years.

  “I will love you forever,” she whispered to the wind that had started to blow. Slowly she got up and turned for home.

  Halley was never really sure how she got back to the house. She only knew that when she arrived, the lights were on and both Kaye’s Jeep and Charlie’s patrol car were parked in front of her house. Kaye must have spotted her first and came rushing out the kitchen door.

  “Oh, Halley, I’m so sorry. I can’t believe it.”

  Halley knew she should say something, do something to reassure her friend that she would be all right, but she didn’t believe it to be true. Halley struggled to break from her friend’s embrace. She didn’t believe she ever wanted to be touched again... by anyone.

  Kaye reluctantly let go but wrapped her arm around Halley’s waist as they walked back to the kitchen door and went inside.

  Charlie hugged her again as Halley stood with her arms hanging limply by her side. She needed them to go. She needed just to be alone. She couldn’t bear to feel their sorrow. Her own was enough to deal with.

  “Halley,” said Charlie gently. “I put together a statement for you. Do you feel up to reading it and signing it? If so, I can get this handled and give you some space.”

  “Sure,” she said, walking to the table and looking down at the paper. Without reading it, she signed. “Just leave me a copy so I know what you said. I want to go upstairs and take a shower.” She started toward the staircase. Without turning back, she asked, “Do you think it’s over?”

  “Yes. Between the evidence you gave me and what happened today, the sheriff will be happy to close the case. Can we do anything for you? Do you want Kaye or both of us to stay with you?”

  “No. Really. I just want to be alone for a while.”

  She headed up to her room, pulling her clothes off. Before walking into the bath, she heard Charlie and Kaye leave. Halley turned on the shower and stood letting the hot water pelt down on her skin. She leaned against the wall crying until the water ran cold. She got out, dried herself off, and crawled naked into the bed. She tossed and turned and sleep eluded her.