by Ella Grey
EVERNIGHT PUBLISHING ®
www.evernightpublishing.com
Copyright© 2019 Ella Grey
ISBN: 978-1-77339-957-7
Cover Artist: Jay Aheer
Editor: Karyn White
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.
This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
DEDICATION
There are many people behind a story. This is dedicated to all of those who helped get The Criminal and the Wolf to where it is today. You know who you are.
I owe you a coffee.
THE CRIMINAL AND THE WOLF
The Coldwater Pack, 2
Ella Grey
Copyright © 2019
Chapter One
Beth Cooper rolled onto her side, her dark hair falling across her face. Even after a long shift at Fallon’s Rest she hadn’t been able to sleep. The date had been looming on her calendar for weeks. It was impossible for her to think about anything else.
There was barely any light outside. The whole street still slept, but it wouldn’t be that way for long. People would be waking up in an hour or so. She reached out to look at her watch. Thirty minutes, that was all she had before her partner in crime, Kelvin, planned on knocking on her door and she would have to leave with him.
How did I end up in this situation? she mentally grumbled. Her life hadn’t been simple, but it had never been quite as bad as it was now. The town of Harper was supposed to be her fresh start. A place to make a new life and memories, she’d needed that after her mom died. Luck played the major part in her getting a job at the tavern: Fallon’s Rest. The current bartender had left the day Beth walked through the door in search of a job. It wasn’t perfect, and the clientele had checkered pasts and grabby hands, but it was the job that kept the roof above her head. Or at least it was until Temple found her there. That was when it had all gone to hell.
She rolled over onto her other side. Next to her watch, on the nightstand, was a gun, and looking at it made her feel sick. There weren’t any bullets in it. That would only make the whole situation worse. Kelvin had called her an idiot. If anyone started shooting at her she was dead. Beth didn’t want to fight back, and she certainly didn’t want to hurt anyone. If people died today because of what she had to do, she didn’t think she could live with the guilt.
Her father had passed on a long time ago. The debt he had accrued should have died with him, but Temple didn’t believe in that. No, Beth had apparently inherited it, and it was now her responsibility.
After a few more minutes of listless discomfort, she sat up and leaned against her pillow. Even if it was empty, she still picked up the gun carefully. The gun felt heavy in her hands, the metal smooth underneath her fingertips. She had no experience with guns, which was one of the reasons she kept it empty. With her currently terrible luck she’d probably shoot off a toe.
You don’t want to do this, but you don’t have a choice. Temple didn’t give you one. Beth touched her stomach, cursing the feeling of nausea of a like she hadn’t felt before. The mob boss wanted his money, and it was either this way or he’d claim the payment in some other, even less compassionate way. Beth was lucky she had been given a choice of sorts. At first, Temple had been sweet. Handsome and considerate. She’d even entertained the idea of dating him.
A bitter laugh escaped her at the unsolicited memory. Her libido had skidded to an abrupt stop when she realized that he not only knew who she was but wanted something from her. One night, when she’d been closing the bar, he arrived and kept her company. He’d done it before, but this time there was a look in his eyes. For the first time since Beth had met him, she’d been afraid. That was when he told her about her father, the money he owed Temple and how she, Beth, would be the one paying it off. For a second, she hadn’t believed him. Then he struck her. Beth gingerly touched her chin. It had happened weeks ago, but the memory was still fresh in her mind. If he’d hit her any harder, she would have likely lost a tooth.
Maybe I could take the money and make a run for it? As soon as she thought it, she dismissed it. Temple is a powerful man, and he’d find me. Then I’d wish I was dead.
Kelvin had promised her that this would be simple. He’d done most of the legwork already. All he needed was someone to watch his back. That’s all Beth would have to do, and the debt would be repaid and then she’d get out of town.
Carefully, she put the gun back down and started to get dressed. Thoughts rolled through her mind. Everything that could go wrong. The worst-case scenarios. She moved as if she was on autopilot. If her father wasn’t already dead, she might have killed him for thrusting her into this situation. He was a man that she knew little about. Her mother hadn’t really been forthcoming with any information, except that he had been a mean drunk and he liked to bet on the horses, and now that she was gone, Beth didn’t have anyone else to ask.
When Kelvin knocked on the door almost exactly thirty minutes later, she answered, dressed and nursing a warm cup of coffee, the cup shaking slightly in her hands. Beth smiled at him even as she wanted to kick the door shut in his face. What had he done to be roped into this, she pondered, what debt that he needed to repay to Temple?
He was somewhat handsome, in a thuggish kind of way, with black hair that was seriously in need of a cut. Five days’ stubble was on his chin, the start of a beard. Blue eyes were slightly deep set in his face, making him look gaunt. A man in need of a few good meals. Maybe in another life they could have been friends instead of criminals in arms.
“You ready?” His voice was gravelly, deeper than one would expect from the man behind it.
Instead of shaking her head like she desperately wanted to, she nodded, walked to the kitchen, and put her cup into the sink. For the first time she noticed how bare her house looked. She’d barely made an impression on it. A blank canvas. Whatever way the day ended, there would be nothing that tied her to the town of Harper anymore.
****
How did I end up here?
David Parr wasn’t surprised when nobody answered him. There weren’t any shifters in the tiny town of Harper to catch his thoughts. It was one of the reasons why he’d chosen this place, in the middle of nowhere. The last assignment given to him by his contact had taken a lot out of him. He needed a break from pack politics and the slightly judgmental face of his Alpha and friend, Adam. It’s only for a few more weeks. I need to finish this job, and then I’ll go back home. It’ll be nice to see some friendly faces. He strapped on a bulletproof vest. It was a little overkill. Nothing much happened in town, and a bullet or two wouldn’t permanently hurt him. It would sting like a bitch and wouldn’t be easy to explain away, but rules were rules, and it wasn’t like his boss would believe he didn’t need one.
He strapped the shoulder pieces into place as he held the front plate to his chest. Then he picked up his stun gun, checked the safety, and put it into its holster. He finished his second cup of coffee when there was a knock on the door. After retrieving his hat from the desk next to it, he opened the door. Carlos smiled at him.
“Hey, partner.” He raised his hands. “I brought donuts.” The elderly security guard had been in the business for thirty years, and he had a deep love of the sugary treats in his hands, which explained his ever-expanding gut. His cheeks were rosy, even under his tanned skin. He resembled a man who loved life, and it was a rare sight n
ot to see a smile on his face.
“Mornin’, Carl. Didn’t Maria say you needed to give those things up?”
Carlos shrugged. “My wife says a lot of things, but what she doesn’t know won’t hurt her, eh?” He might have said it flippantly, but David knew that while Carlos loved his wife dearly, his love for donuts could easily be described as a mistress. One that had a tight hold on his wallet and an even tighter grip on his heart.
“All that sugar will end up being the death of you, and if Maria finds out, well, she’ll be the death of you first.” David gestured at the treat before he closed and locked the door behind him. They walked down the communal garden path to the security van, which Carlos had left next to the path.
“You’re not going to tell her, are you?” David caught the moment his friend’s face paled, and he fought against the urge to smirk. Maria was a small woman but pray to God for anyone who crossed her. Her husband didn’t want to be on that list. Neither did he, come to think about it.
“She loves you, and she wants you to be around for a long time. If she catches you eating those things, she’ll break your legs with a rolling pin, and then she’ll be able to keep an eye on you.” David walked to the passenger side and got into the van.
“Okay, you’ve made your point. These will be my last ones.” He placed his hand on his chest. “I promise.”
Smiling at the sheer insincerity of Carlos’s oath, David peered around the street as Carlos started up and pulled the van away. If he hadn’t been looking, he would have missed the small black car that pulled away at the same time. It was probably nothing, but something pricked at his senses, and he watched the car mutely as Carlos drove to the first collection point.
Chapter Two
Beth held her stomach as another wave of sickness swept over her but fortunately stopped herself short of asking Kelvin to pull over. The man probably wouldn’t be impressed if she had to empty her guts on the side of the floor.
The van was running on time. They’d followed the driver, a man named Carlos, as he picked up his partner. He was new at the job, and Beth didn’t know what his name was. She’d managed to get a good view of him, even from where Kelvin had parked: tall, powerfully built, with short, dark hair. He looked young. Closer to her own age than to Carlos’s. She’d never seen him before. He had to be new in town.
“I still don’t think this is a good idea.” she murmured.
Kelvin sighed. “I know you don’t, but this is what Temple wants, and it’ll be a stupid idea to back out now unless you want to be fitted with concrete shoes.”
“Nobody actually does that.”
He raised an eyebrow. “I wouldn’t be so sure of that, sweetheart. Lake Valerie probably has quite a few bodies calling it home.”
She didn’t want to believe it, but Temple was a scary man. He never got his hands dirty, but he had people he hired, or coerced, like Beth and Kelvin now. Any one of the tall, looming men on his crew looked like they could snap a neck without any problem.
“It was different when it was just Carlos. He’d probably hand the money over, but the new guy is an unknown variable. If it all goes to hell, I don’t know if the two of us can take on the two of them.”
“We might if you loaded that gun.”
“I’m not going to hurt anyone, Kelvin, and neither are you. Temple would own both of us for life if someone ends up hurt.”
Beth watched as Kelvin’s knuckles turned white as his grip tightened on the steering wheel. “If it’s a call between me and them, I’m picking me. Anyway, it’s too late to back out now.” He parked the car a few spaces away from the van as the new guy got out and walked into one of the shops. The van was a secure transport and collected money that was destined for the bank. To make it worth their while they would need to wait for them to make a few more stops, then strike. As soon as they had the money, Kelvin planned to drop it off with Temple, and Beth would collect her stuff and get out of town. She already had a plan: get on a bus and make her way up to Canada. She didn’t have anyone she knew up there, but they wouldn’t think of searching there for her. The fake ID in her pocket would be her life after that. No Beth Cooper, just Laura O’Brien until the day she died.
They sat in silence as the new guy came back out and looked up and down the street. It had to be her imagination, but it was like his eyes lingered a fraction too long on the car. Had they been made? No, it wasn’t possible. They’d been careful.
“Wait a little longer for them to get to their next stop.”
“Why?” Kelvin glanced at her.
“What does it matter? We know where they are going.” Beth frowned as she watched the van. “I can’t be the only one who has a bad feeling about this.”
“You probably woke up with that feeling.”
She shrugged. “I can’t believe you’re being so calm about this. Has Temple made you do something like this before?”
Kelvin didn’t look at her. Instead he tapped his fingers in an almost restless manner on the steering wheel. “Nobody is going to get hurt. Nobody would risk their lives over money. I doubt that Temple even really needs it. He wants to prove a point. A debt should always be repaid.”
Aren’t we about to do that? Beth didn’t say what she was thinking. Maybe Kelvin was right. It was too late for her to back out. He didn’t pull out to go after the van straight away, so at least he listened to her. The plan was to rob the van after the partner went into the last store. The only candy shop in the small town. It would be better if there was only one person to worry about. The new guy looked strong and confident. He might try to be a hero.
“Maybe we should change the plan,” Kelvin suggested, catching Beth by surprise.
“What do you mean?”
“Maybe you should distract the new guy in the last store. I’ll rob the van. If I make sure I keep away from his mirrors I can get into the back, grab a couple of bags and get out of there without him even knowing until it’s too late.”
“I thought you wanted me to watch your back.”
Kelvin sighed. “Beth, you don’t even want to take a loaded weapon. You’re not going to be much backup. No, the more I think about it, you’ll work better as a distraction.”
She looked down at the clothes she’d chosen to wear. A pair of dark blue jeans and a black t-shirt, with a hoodie. It wasn’t exactly the best outfit for a distraction. If anything, it was more suited for semi-armed robbery, which was why she’d chosen it. She didn’t like what Kelvin was suggesting. Could she trust him not to do anything stupid?
“Promise me that you won’t hurt him.”
“If everything goes to plan, Beth, he won’t even know I was there.”
****
“I don’t suppose you can pick up a few things for me while you’re in there?” Carlos asked hopefully as they parked up outside the last stop. David couldn’t help the bark of laughter that escaped him. The elderly guard looked at him with big brown eyes and a hopeful expression on his face.
“Please tell me you’re kidding. Didn’t we have a full conversation about how sweets would be the death of you about an hour ago?”
Carlos smacked him on the side of his arm. “I don’t want something for me. I want you to pick up something for Maria. That woman married down when she met me, and she deserves a treat.”
“What does she like?” He didn’t see any problem with that. Ingrid, the owner of Sweet Delights, usually liked to chat his ear off whenever he went there. Why does a sweet young man like you have no girlfriend, I have a granddaughter, young thing, likes to read. Maybe you should meet her?
David had managed to be deflect most of the questions. He wasn’t interested in a relationship with a human. There were rules to why relationships between them were strictly forbidden. And he had no interesting in having a relationship built on lies. When he got back to the pack, he’d start to search for a mate then.
“Toffee and not the normal kind. It has to be with a hint of vanilla and have walnuts in
it.”
David glanced around the street. The odd car he’d seen that he thought had been following them had vanished. Maybe it had only been in his imagination, but his wolf side didn’t believe that. “Okay, but you’ve got your radio. Put it on and let me know if you see anything weird.”
Carlos laughed. “I’ve been working this job for twenty years and never had a problem before.” But he reached down to his side and pulled his radio free anyway. He twisted the dial on the top, and a little red light flashed on. “Okay, I’m all set.”
David opened the door and glanced back over his shoulder to see that Carlos was eating another donut, the white powder on his lips, which were curled into a smile. David sighed, shook his head, and walked up the path to the shop. As soon as he opened the door the sweet smells hit him. They nearly overwhelmed his rather sensitive nose, and he rubbed the palm of his hand against the tip of his nose. It did nothing to stop the smell, but it did stop the sneeze in its tracks.
“David, it’s good to see you.” The owner of the shop, Ingrid, smiled at him warmly. “Violet made some cupcakes and wanted me to give you one.” He walked up to the counter. Sweet Delights had been in her family for generations, and when she eventually retired, Violet, her granddaughter, would take over from her. Apparently, she took after her grandmother as a talented baker. David would miss this place when he left. There wasn’t anything like this at home with the pack.
“You know I can’t say no to one of her cupcakes.” He glanced over his shoulder at the door. The security van was clearly visible through the door. “I can’t stay for long. Carlos’s waiting.”
The elderly woman hobbled into the kitchen and returned, rather slowly, with a trayful of vividly violet frosting-covered cupcakes. He picked one up as the door opened behind him. Another scent hit him like a ton of bricks. Blown in by the light wind from outside, it was one that destroyed the other scents in the room. For a split second he couldn’t place it. Intently female but it wasn’t perfume. No, it was natural, and his wolf howled in recognition. It took a second for him to catch up with the rest of him.
