by Terry Spear
Brock whistled. “Hell, he’s got some money. I just located information on a Eugenia Jones residing at the same house as the one where Marek lives in Amarillo. In fact, it shows they’re co-owners.”
“A mate? Or the aunt he supposedly has?”
“Looks like she’s the aunt or some other relative. According to her driver’s license, she would be the right age to be his aunt or mother. The house isn’t a new purchase. Eugenia bought the home fifty years ago, and she’s the original owner.”
“Who owns the fancy ranch Marek visited?” she asked.
“Let me look.” Using the address Natalie gave him, he found the record. “Dexter Cartwright. And you’re right. According to property values, it’s worth $3.5 million, which includes the main house and two other ranch houses on the property.”
“Wow. Okay, that’s one of the men Lettie said hung out with Marek in Denver. What’s he doing here?”
“Living in a big ranch house, it appears. And it makes me think Lettie might have given us some good information. Maybe she’s not as bad as I thought after all.” Brock was looking for the name of anyone else who lived at the residence. “Dexter has a wife. And he has a black Ford pickup and a red Porsche. Got the tag numbers too.” He did another search and swore. “Damn it.” He rubbed his chin, frowning, deep in thought.
Natalie glanced at the driver’s license picture of Dexter Cartwright—black hair, black eyes, unsmiling, clean-shaven, tan, tall. She didn’t recognize him. “What’s wrong?”
“He shot me three times, and I thought I’d killed him.”
“What?”
“Yeah, last year. He was dealing drugs, and Vaughn and I took down his ring. We had a hell of a firefight, and I shot him five times. The bastard. I can’t believe he made it out of the warehouse alive.”
“How bad were you hit?”
“It wasn’t good. The only good thing was I wasn’t as bad off as someone who doesn’t have our healing genetics. I was hospitalized for a week in my cousin’s clinic. Luckily, Dexter hadn’t hit me anywhere that would have made me bleed out at the scene. Even our healing genetics won’t work fast enough to stop that from happening.”
Still, it meant Brock had suffered significant wounds, or he wouldn’t have been hospitalized for that long. “You didn’t seem to recognize his name.” She wondered what other injuries Brock had suffered over the years in the line of duty.
“He had a different name back then.”
“Was his brother into all this?”
“Not that we knew of. From what we learned, we’d gotten rid of all of them. But I guess his death was faked so I wouldn’t go after him again.”
“Once you were healed up.”
“Yeah, right.”
“What if Dexter’s the boss? If his property is an indication of his wealth, he should have the money to set this all up.”
“True. Unless he’s in debt up to his eyeballs. Why would Marek be transporting the money to Denver?” Brock was looking through his databases for Dexter’s old residences.
“Maybe Dexter had a couple of houses. One in Denver, and one in Canyon. Dexter knew Marek in Denver—and his brother is the middleman still living there. And that’s who Marek was transferring the money to,” Natalie said. “Then Marek has this aunt in Amarillo, so with the breakup between him and Lettie, he moves to Amarillo for good.”
“Could be. Yeah, here’s what we’re looking for. Dexter had a home in Denver, and now he has the ranch in Canyon, newly purchased. He sold the one in Denver, so it appears he’s not living there any longer. I wonder why Marek would have to invest his own money in the venture when Dexter lives so well.”
“Maybe because he had to do something big to participate in this venture,” Natalie said.
“I’ll ask Vaughn to check out the other two friends Marek hung out with in Denver. It makes me wonder if they’re all in on it.”
“You should call Marek too.”
Smiling, Brock rubbed his hand over her leg.
“Yeah, call him and ask if he’s got the printing press at his house and that’s where he makes the money. Or if it’s at Dexter’s place. We could set up surveillance and see if anyone tries to move it.”
He laughed. “Not happening.”
She let out her breath. “I don’t think I have the patience for this job. I’d want to push it forward. Get a reaction. Take them down right away. Like gardening, doing something physical, getting the job done.”
He chuckled and rubbed her back.
She ran her hand over his leg. “I’m sorry for what my dad said during dinner. I’ve only dated a few human men, for the most part, nothing I planned to make permanent. I think Dad was always afraid I might turn one of the guys into one of us. I had no intention of doing that. But finding wolves in the places we’ve lived has been difficult, to say the least. Then I dated the wolf who was really into gardening. He treated the whole family like they were his best friends and he adored them. He brought my mother flowers when he came to dinner, brought my dad’s favorite brandy. He was—”
“Almost too good to be true?”
“Yeah. Exactly. I’d never been with a wolf who acted like he wanted to court me. I thought, well, I thought maybe this was what it was supposed to be like. That we had this connection because we were both wolves. And because of our shared love of gardening. He was so caring and considerate. But…I…didn’t feel the emotional attachment for him like my parents feel for each other. I kept thinking it would happen, like, someday soon. Then I…I don’t know. I began to get suspicious. He’d have mysterious calls that he had to answer when he ate with us. And once he took me to a movie and left in the middle of it for another phone call. I started thinking he was concealing some secret life—a girlfriend, criminal activity, something. I asked who was calling, but he would just say it was business.”
“What did he say his occupation was?”
“He was an investment broker, but he knew everything about plants. He said his mother was big into gardening and taught him everything he knew. Kind of like Shawn. I was thrilled to meet another wolf who knew so much about gardening. Since I had my suspicions, I began to follow him to see where he hung out during the day. I saw him pull into a new construction site for a business. He was there, looking over the foundation they were pouring. I didn’t know what it was for though. It could have been for anything, and he might not have been the owner.
“When he left, I parked and asked one of the men working on the building what they were putting in there. He said they were building a garden center. One of the superstore franchises. And he told me the name of the owner—the guy I was dating. We were a small, privately owned garden center, and we couldn’t stand up to the competition. I don’t think I’ve ever been angrier in my life.” She knew she should let go of the resentment, but she couldn’t.
“Hell, I would have been too.”
“Even though we didn’t think we’d be able to match their prices or the stock they were carrying, we tried to compete with him. Some of our loyal customers continued to shop with us because they liked the family-run business and the personal touch, but it wasn’t enough. The betrayal was what hurt the most. After that, I wished I could read minds and know just what a guy was thinking so I wouldn’t be used like that again. It wasn’t just about me though. He ruined our business, and we had to move. He hurt my parents too.”
“You didn’t tell me you were into PI work on your own earlier.” Brock smiled.
She chuckled. “Yeah. That was my first case.”
“And you learned just what you needed to know and didn’t get caught at it. That’s something to be proud of.” Brock stretched out his legs. “I felt the same kind of betrayal from Lettie, so I know how you feel about someone lying to you.”
She frowned at him. “Have you investigated my family to make sure we’re all on th
e up and up?”
Brock smiled. “No. Vaughn did ask Aaron if he wanted us to look into Angie and her family, just to hassle him. He said hell no, and if we did, he’d disown us. We all just laughed.”
“Good. If you had run a check on us, you’d be finding a hotel and heading back home tonight.”
Brock smiled again. “You have to admit after what we both went through, it makes you feel like you need to check out other wolves you’re dealing with.”
“Other wolves. Not mine.”
He chuckled. “You’re cute, you know. You’re some of the good guys, just like we are.”
She cuddled against his shoulder. “Tomorrow will be here soon enough. I guess it’s time to go to bed.”
“Which bedroom did you want me to sleep in?” He sounded hopeful she’d have him stay with her, but he was letting it be her call.
“I only have two. The first one is yours.” Natalie had to keep her mind on business and ensure her parents were all right with the pack before she got too tangled up with Brock. She got off the couch, and he grabbed his bag. She led him to the first of the bedrooms. “Night, Brock.” No matter what she wanted, she needed to give them a breather.
He pulled her in for a hug and a kiss. So much for some distance.
“Hey, we’re not just connected by being wolves. There’s a hell of a lot more to us than that,” he said.
“I agree, but I want to make sure my parents feel comfortable with your pack before you and I go any further.”
He gave her a frustrated sigh. “All right. It’s going to kill me, but…all right.” Then he gave her one of his charmingly wolfish smiles.
She chuckled, kissing him, then left him at the guest room.
But later that night, while she was sleeping, the motion-detector lights came on, and she was fully awake in an instant.
Chapter 12
At two in the morning, Natalie heard the wolf door squeak open and shut. Immediately, her heart began pounding. She yanked off her pj shorts set, shifted, and ran to the guest room. The door was wide open, black boxer briefs were on the floor, and Brock was gone.
Maybe he was a night prowler, couldn’t sleep in a new place, and went for a wolf run outside. But she was certain the motion-detector lights had woken him too, and he was in full wolf-protector mode.
As soon as she was outside, she saw the motion-detector lights shining all over the garden. She headed in their direction. It could be just the cats, an armadillo, or any number of things. Nothing sinister.
If someone was trying to steal something, she didn’t want Brock dealing with it on his own and possibly getting hurt. She still couldn’t believe he’d been injured so badly that he had been laid up at the clinic for so long. It was a reminder that their kind were not invincible.
As a wolf, she preferred moving through the darkness and sneaking up on would-be thieves, but now she was setting off the motion-detector lights herself. Brock suddenly came around a hedge, likely checking to see who had set off the lights in this direction, as Shawn abruptly appeared as a wolf to join them.
Brock shifted into his glorious naked human self, and Natalie couldn’t help but eye his whole gorgeous body—from his broad shoulders and chiseled muscles and six-pack to the dark curls surrounding his semi-aroused cock and his well-muscled legs.
Brock smiled at her. “Did either of you see anyone?”
They shook their heads.
“I heard a car door open and shut, and tires crunching on gravel.”
Shawn shifted. “All I saw was the lights going on all over the place. I told your parents to stay inside their home, Natalie, and I’d check it out. But I didn’t hear anything.”
“All right. Well, I looked for a vehicle, but it was gone. I suspect I didn’t hear it until they were leaving. Probably the lights scared them off,” Brock said.
“Did you smell anyone?” Shawn asked.
“No. Which bothered me. I didn’t smell anyone. Humans or wolves.”
Natalie wondered how that could be when Shawn said, “Hell, they’re wearing hunter’s spray?”
“Yeah, they had to have been, or I would have smelled them. Which means they’re wolves and they know we are too, or they wouldn’t have bothered. They’re up to no good,” Brock said.
The only wolves in the area that they knew of were Marek and his cohorts. How had they discovered where Natalie lived? Where her parents lived?
“Should we pull guard duty the rest of tonight?” Shawn asked.
“No. Just stay in the house, and be alert and watch over things there. I suspect they were checking out the security here and realized it was a little more than they’d bargained for. The lock on the front gate was cut. Do your parents have another?” Brock asked Natalie.
She nodded.
“I’ll get the lock from her parents, since I’m staying there, and replace it on the gate,” Shawn said.
“I’ll go with you,” Brock said.
Natalie wasn’t walking back to the carriage house on her own.
Both men shifted, and they all headed for the main house.
Shawn went in through the wolf door while Brock and Natalie stayed outside and watched for any movement. When Shawn appeared, he was dressed in jeans and boots, carrying a gun and a padlock.
“Come on. Let’s go,” Shawn said.
They ran a ways from him so they were all spread out. When they reached the gate, Natalie saw it was open, the padlock cut and thrown onto the ground. She growled in anger.
Shawn quickly locked the gate. He grabbed the cut lock, and they all went back to the house.
“Night,” Shawn told them.
Both woofed at him, and Brock and Natalie ran off to her house. Now the rogue wolves knew they lived here. Just great.
After she and Brock were inside, Natalie raced to her bedroom, threw on her pajama shorts set, and went into the guest room, where Brock was already dressed in his boxer briefs.
“If it’s Marek and his men, how did they learn about us?” she asked.
Brock pulled her over to the bed, and they sat on the end of it. “The problem is criminals can access information as easily as we can, if they have the means. That’s the unfortunate truth of the matter. They must have learned who you were at the airport and that you didn’t live with me in Colorado. Marek probably assumes you’re just dating me. They could smell my scent here and probably realize we’re coming after them.”
“What about my folks leaving tomorrow to check out your pack? Should they stay instead?”
“No. I think them leaving for Colorado is the best for everyone concerned. They’ll be safely away from here, and the rest of my pack can watch out for them. They’ll be fine. It would be safer there for them than being here.”
Natalie sighed. “I’m not sure my dad will go along with it after what happened here tonight. And if Dad doesn’t go, Mom won’t either.”
“It’s up to them, but I believe they’d be safer in Greystoke. And we’ll deal with these men here.”
“No ulterior motives, right?” She smiled at Brock.
“Oh, hell yeah there are. The sooner your parents meet with the pack and agree it’s the one for them, the quicker you and I won’t have any obstacles in our path to courting.”
She sighed. “What do these men hope to do? I mean, like you said, some members of the pack are out to get them, but if they hurt you, the whole pack will come down on them.”
“They probably don’t have any idea how big the pack is. Lettie didn’t know. She never wanted to meet anyone. I should have realized there was something wrong there. I think she figured she had me so wrapped around her little finger that I wasn’t thinking clearly. But if any of the pack members saw her, they’d straighten me out about her.”
“And me?”
“All the bachelors would love to get to k
now you better. And they can. Once we’re mated.”
She laughed. “If we don’t get some sleep, we’re going to be worn out when it’s time to work in the gardens before customers arrive. I didn’t hear anyone or anything, not until you went out the wolf door.”
“The wolf door squeaks.”
“On purpose. I don’t ever lock it, but if anyone came in, I’d hear them. That’s why I don’t apply oil to the hinges. Not that I’d ever expect anyone to show up and barge through my wolf door. Speaking of which, I guess with wolves on the prowl, I should lock it.”
“I’ll get it.” Brock left the room.
Fully intending to share the bed with Brock this time, appreciating his dedication to caring for them and not wanting to be apart from him, Natalie climbed under the covers of the guest bed.
Brock returned and stared at her lying under the covers, then smiled and joined her.
“Since I can’t seem to hear anyone driving up the drive, but you can, I’m sleeping in here.” As if that was the only reason.
“With me, right? You don’t want me to switch rooms with you, do you?” Brock sounded as if he was afraid she hadn’t intended to join him in bed.
She cuddled next to him. “You stay right there. If you hear anything I don’t, you can wake me.”
* * *
Natalie’s phone ringing in her bedroom woke Brock, and he realized he was still snuggling with the she-wolf of his dreams. She stirred. They’d cooled it last night, but he was damn glad she had wanted to stay with him, to share the space, to maintain the intimacy. He glanced at the clock. Holy hell, it was seven already. They were supposed to be having breakfast at six. He pulled free of Natalie and headed for the bathroom.
She was right behind him. “I can’t believe we overslept.”
