by Sky Winters
“Uh, okay,” Barron said from the other end.
Thad hung up and called his office, asking for Randy over in legal. He sat on a bench, listening as the receptionist spoke on the phone to the police nearby.
“No. He doesn’t seem dangerous. He’s sitting down and talking on the phone to someone. I think he’s just waiting on you to get here,” she told whoever was on the other end.
“Randy here. Go,” he heard from his own phone.
He casually explained his situation and waited for a response.
“Well, the boss ain’t gonna be happy about that, but I’ll be there. Have Barron swing by and pick me up when you call him, and I’ll get your stupid ass out.”
“Thanks,” Thad said.
He stuck his phone in his pocket and raised his hands above his head as he stood for the police now coming through the front door. This was not how he had seen the day panning out.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Jaycee
“I’m afraid I can’t make our date tonight,” Jaycee told Aaron over the phone.
“What? Why?”
“I got fired today and I just don’t feel up to it.”
“Oh, God. Are you okay?”
“I don’t know. It’s kind of a relief. The guy I was interning with was an asshole anyway.”
“Yeah. I’ve heard Nasteau is a real piece of work.”
Jaycee paused for a moment. She couldn’t remember ever telling him she worked for Nasteau. She’d said she was an intern at NIH, but it was a huge company, and she could have been working for anyone. It seemed a bit odd, but she told herself that maybe she had mentioned it and let it go at that.
“That’s an understatement.”
“Are you sure you want to be alone? I can take you out and try to cheer you up, or I could come over, if you prefer.”
“Thanks, but I think I need to just stay in and decompress. Raincheck?”
“Sure. I’m not going anywhere,” he replied.
“Great. I’ll talk to you tomorrow then.”
“I’ll call later to check on you. See if maybe you’ve changed your mind.”
“Okay. If I don’t answer, I probably just went to bed or out for a run or something.”
It was code for she wasn’t going to answer, but she didn’t want to hurt his feelings when he was only trying to be nice. They said their goodbyes and she hung up, turning her phone to silent mode and laying across the sofa to wallow for a bit. At some point, she dosed off. When she awoke, it was dark outside.
She thought she caught sight of a shadow outside her window, but it was quickly gone. Probably just a bird or something. She’d only seen it for a second from the corner of her eye as she awoke. Might not have been anything there at all. Picking up her phone, she saw several missed calls from Aaron and finally, a text.
Been calling, but you must be out or something and not picking up.
She blinked down at it. It was a weird thing to say after she’d already told him she just needed some alone time and was going to stay in. Then she remembered she had said she might go for a run. Maybe that’s what he meant. Still, she didn’t answer. He was a nice guy, but he had to learn some boundaries and give her space when she needed it.
A knock on her door startled her from her thoughts and she went to answer it. A man in a brown uniform stood outside with a large box beside him.
“Jaycee Carmichael?”
“Yes.”
“I have a delivery for you.”
“A delivery of what?”
“It’s either a TV or something heavy in a TV box,” he said with a laugh.
“I didn’t order this,” she told him.
He glanced down at his paperwork and then back up at her.
“No. Looks like someone named Aaron Golding did, but he asked that it be delivered here.”
“I can’t accept that. Take it back.”
“No can do, unless you want to pay the round-trip fare.”
“How much is that?”
“One ten.”
“A hundred and ten dollars? That’s mad!”
“Don’t know what to tell you. It’s based on weight, and I’ve had to haul this thing up the stairs because your elevator is out. Give me a break and just take it. You can hash it out with the dude who sent it later, and he can pay the return fee.”
“Fine. Bring it in.”
He brought it inside and leaned it against the wall. It was huge. She looked at the side of the box indicating that it was a sixty-five-inch LED curved screen with a lot of other stuff on it. Who buys such an extravagant gift for someone they’re just dating? Then again, men like Aaron were used to having money and didn’t think much about things like this. Regardless of that fact, it was getting returned.
There was obviously a tracking option on its delivery; no sooner had the driver left than her phone flashed. She still had it on silent but saw the light from the corner of her eye.
Do you like your gift?
She still didn’t answer. Instead, she went to shower. When she came back, she made herself a sandwich and a quick cup of instant soup, sitting on the sofa to eat. She glanced over at the television. It was tempting. It wasn’t like he couldn’t afford it. She could take it out of the box, and have it set up in minutes, though she might have to drag it across the floor to the right place.
She dismissed the thought, considered going downstairs to the communal area, and then dismissed that too. Instead, she opened her laptop and began searching the classifieds. A pop-up from her news app blinked across the top of the screen. She caught Nasteau’s name, but then it was gone. Opening the app, she found the headline and read it with wide eyes.
Gary Nasteau found dead outside his home. Aging billionaire suffered violent death, details still unfolding. Police have not yet named a suspect in the case. Stay tuned for updates.
She was still staring at the grainy photo of a much younger-looking Nasteau looking back at her from her computer screen when there was a loud knock on her door. Startled, she closed the laptop and went to the door, answering from within.
“Miss Carmichael? Police. We’d like to have a word with you.”
Jaycee’s heart skipped a beat. Surely, they couldn’t think she had anything to do with this. She opened the door and found herself looking at two men in dark suits. One of them was holding up his badge.
“Detective Tom Oliver. This is my partner, Detective Jared Horowitz. May we come in and speak with you?”
“I guess,” she replied, letting them in and closing the door behind them. They looked around and then back at her.
“Is there somewhere we can sit and talk?”
“Um, just have a seat on the sofa if you like. I’ll stand. What’s this about?”
“It is our understanding that you were fired by Gary Nasteau earlier today.”
“Yes.”
“Are you aware that he was found murdered in his backyard this evening?”
“Yes.”
They both looked surprised, glancing at one another and then back up at her.
“You are?”
“Yes. I do get the news here. I just saw it moments ago on my tablet.”
“Oh. I see. Can you tell us where you were today between about five and seven pm?”
“Here. I came home and laid on my sofa. I fell asleep for a while.”
“Can anyone corroborate that?”
She scratched her head and thought about it, finally realizing that Aaron might have unknowingly done her a favor. She picked up her phone and glanced at it, then held it out to the officer.
“I was here, accepting a TV delivery just before six ten. This is the guy that sent it, asking if I got it right after it arrived,” she said, holding out her phone for him to see.
“And before that?”
“Like I said, here − alone. I’m sure the cameras downstairs will show me coming in and not going back out.”
Thank God for security footage.
“We�
��ll check into all of that. Your friend. What is his name?”
“Aaron Golding.”
“The artist?” one of them asked.
“Yes. That one,” she replied.
There was another quick glance between them and then they stood to leave. She walked them to the door and opened it.
“One thing. Mr. Nasteau, how do you know it wasn’t just some sort of accident?”
“Accidents don’t leave a man ripped to shreds like a wild animal got hold of him,” Detective Horowitz replied, garnering a sharp look from his partner. He quickly added, “You’re not a suspect. We just needed to eliminate you for the record. We’re pretty sure we’ve already got the guy who did this. He had assaulted Mr. Nasteau earlier.”
“Oh, that’s good then. Let me know if you need anything else.”
“We will,” they replied, almost in perfect unison.
Jaycee closed the door and leaned against it for a moment. What a weird day. Nasteau was a complete asshole, but she hadn’t wished death on him, especially not such a horrible death. It was especially strange that he would have been attacked by a wild animal like that, especially in his own yard. Of course, it might not have been an animal at all, but to think it was another shifter was just too far-fetched.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Thad
“I just got home. What is this about?” Thad demanded.
“Where did you go after you were bailed out of jail this afternoon, Mr. Ulrich?”
“I came home, Detective ... Horowitz, was it?”
“Straight home?”
“No. I had dinner first.”
“Can anyone corroborate that?”
“Yes. My driver. He ate dinner with me tonight. It had been a dreadful day. You know, after getting arrested and all.”
“Did you leave after you got home?”
“Yes. I went for a run.”
“What time?”
“I don’t know, about five or six. What is this about, anyway?”
“Did your driver go for a run with you too?” the other detective said sarcastically.
“What? No. Don’t be absurd. Listen, tell me what this is about or get out of my house. I can have my lawyer here within minutes if I need to call him again.”
“Why did you punch Mr. Nasteau today?”
“Because he’s a dick and he deserved it.”
“Care to elaborate?”
“No. I don’t. Like I said, unless you tell me why you’re here, we’re done.”
“Mr. Nasteau is dead. He was found in his yard, ripped apart by some sort of instrument, and so far, our estimated time of death seems to coincide exactly with your little run, so you might want to drop the attitude and answer our questions.”
“You think I killed him? Are you fucking kidding me?” Thad grunted at them.
“Give us one reason we shouldn’t believe you did. You punched the guy for some unknown reason, and you can’t account for your whereabouts during the time of the murder.”
“Look, he insulted a friend. I was defending her honor. That’s all.”
“Jaycee Carmichael?”
Thad raised an eyebrow toward Horowitz at the mention of her name. Jesus, it hit him. They said he had been ripped apart by some sort of instrument. It was human speak for every wolf attack he’d ever seen take place in their world. They had no concept of what they were looking at. Had Jaycee done this? Was she even capable of such a thing?
“I don’t have anything else to say. You can arrest me, or you can talk to my lawyer. Leave my house.”
“You’re not doing yourself any favors by being uncooperative, Mr. Ulrich.”
“Fuck you. Get out of my house. Now.”
Horowitz shrugged and threw up his hands. “Your funeral, man.”
The two detectives left, and he sat on a nearby chair to calm himself. He needed to talk to Jaycee. He would protect her with everything he had, but he needed to talk to her. No phone calls and no record of him visiting her. He’d have to do this the wolf way.
Stripping off his clothes, he shifted and let himself out, running through the darkness until he arrived at her apartment complex. There was a fire escape on one side of her building, which was, thankfully, dark. He shifted and climbed it, using the surrounding trees and limited light from security posts to hide his presence. This side was unfinished, so there was no one to see him.
The other side was a bit livelier with late night star-gazers hanging about. He didn’t intend to go quite that far. Instead, he went to the edge of where the roof dropped off down the back of the building and looked down toward her windows. There was a gap between where he stood and the rows of glass. He wasn’t sure if he could access her apartment from this little recess above it, but it might get him onto her balcony.
Slipping off the edge of the roof, his heart raced as he catapulted himself sideways from his freefall off the building, onto the small roof area, landing with a thud against the concrete. He looked at the door on one side and hoped it wasn’t locked. A gentle tug brought it to him, and he crept inside, quietly making his way down the stairs. At the bottom, he pushed the door handle and eased the door open. Success. He was at her balcony.
He closed the door and stood there for a moment, trying to decide what to do from here. It might freak her out even more if she found him knocking on her window, naked, especially given their history. He’d have to talk fast to explain himself. Then again, if she were a killer, he wasn’t sure why he was here to save her. He supposed he just couldn’t believe her capable of such a thing and even if she was, she was still his natural mate. He knew he’d do anything to protect her.
Slipping out the door, he edged toward the window, surprised to find Aaron Golding standing in her living room. Neither of them was looking his way and he was still fairly well hidden to one side of the large bank of windows, but she had a few of the small panes open to let in air, so their voices were clear as they floated out to him.
“Why did you give the police my name?”
“What do you mean? They asked if I had anyone that could verify that I was home when Mr. Nasteau was murdered, and you were the only one I could think of. Well, you and the delivery guy, but I didn’t know where he worked. I figured they could get that from you.”
“I don’t appreciate it one bit.”
“Okay. Well, I’m sorry. Listen, thanks for calling and telling me you would come over and keep me company. I’ve been really upset about this since the cops told me about it, but I think that maybe you should go.”
“Do you? You think I should just go?”
“Yes,” she replied, but her voice sounded shaky.
“After everything I’ve done for you?”
“What? What are you talking about?”
“I’ve taken you out. I’ve spent time with you. I’ve played Mr. Nice Guy, just hoping you’d give me a shot, but no. I even bought you a fucking television and gave you an alibi to protect you from the police.”
“I appreciate that, but it’s not like you could have known I’d need one.”
Golding’s mouth curled up into a sickening smile, and Thad saw the realization shine as she glanced toward the window. She couldn’t possibly see him. She was looking for an escape.
“That’s right. I took care of your horrible boss for you. You’re welcome. Alphas aren’t the only ones who can protect their mates, you know.”
“Mates? We aren’t mates.”
“The fuck we aren’t. I killed for you, bitch. Now, you’re about to show me a little gratitude.”
“No, Aaron. You don’t have to do this. Of course, I’m grateful. You’ve really gone the extra mile to make me happy. How can I not be thrilled with that?”
“Don’t fucking patronize me!” he said, raising his hand to hit her, but he never got the chance.
Thad shifted, crashing through the window in full attack mode and pouncing on Aaron. Aaron tried to shift, but it was too late. Thad was already on him, his powerful jaws
snapping his neck like a twig and slinging him sideways. He raised a paw to attack and Jaycee stopped him.
“No!”
Just as she was calling him down a loud crash filled their ears from the other side. The door flew off its hinges and Barron emerged, in full wolf form, from the hallway. He stopped in his tracks when he spotted Thad’s wolf on top of Aaron’s motionless body. Blood trailed across the floor.
Behind him, a woman screamed.
“I’ve got this. Just go,” Jaycee hissed at the two large wolves standing in her living room. Neither moved. “I said you need to go or we’re all going to be in the shitter explaining this.”
The two of them turned and jumped through the broken glass, quickly shifting, and taking the stairs up to the roof. Thad stood at the edge, contemplating how to lift himself back up to the roof or if he should just stay here.
“Come on,” Barron told him, walking toward the back of the balcony and pulling down a ladder to the roof. They climbed it and crept back across the way he had come.
“I wish I’d have known about that damned ladder earlier. I saw my life flash in front of me hurling myself over the edge of the roof.”
“Sorry I missed that,” Barron chuckled, climbing down the ladder and dropping to the ground once he reached the bottom. Thad dropped right after him. “You’ve got blood all over you. Stay right here while I get us some clothes.”
“You just going to walk across the lobby naked?”
“No. I picked up our new suits from the dry cleaners today. They’re still in the car. I’ve got a key fob hidden for emergencies.”
“You’re like an overgrown boy scout.”
“Yep.”
Barron retrieved the clothes and they both dressed by the building. Thad wiped the blood from his mouth with a wet nap and they went to the car to talk, deciding if they should stay or go. Was it going to be harder for her to explain what happened with them there? Thad wasn’t sure, but he hated just leaving her to deal with it.
“Just trust her, man. She’s a smart girl and she’ll manage it.”
“Maybe, but I want one of us near.”
“Come on. You can come up with me and we’ll wait in my apartment. The cameras will catch us coming in for the first time together and it won’t be tied to her.”
