by Milly Taiden
Her head snapped up. “What?” His eyes narrowed on her. Shit, could he have heard her conversation? She walked away from him. “Do you know Gerri Wilder?” she asked.
It then dawned on her the type of business Dates & Mates was and that it was a direct competitor with Gerri. Could they be behind the break-in? But that note said it was a human company. Could it have been trying to mislead her?
“Everyone knows Gerri. Even those who aren’t single know of her,” he replied. “Here,” he said, coming around the desk to hand her a sticky note. He put a hand on her shoulder and gently pushed her toward the door. “I don’t think Barry is home. Come back another day to talk with him.”
He opened the door and walked her toward her car. “It’s getting late. You should get back to your home.”
Summer dug her heels in halfway to the car. “Late? It’s barely noon.” This Jared now seemed quite suspicious. “How do you know Barry isn’t home?”
He dragged her toward her vehicle, his eyes darting side to side, scanning the road. “I suggest you leave and don’t come back unless you’re with the alpha.”
At the driver’s side door, she put her hand on the window to keep Jared from opening it and shoving her in. “What alpha?”
A large SUV sped up to the drive and turned in, skidding to a stop at an angle behind her car. She thought she heard Jared mumble something, but the giant getting out of the truck stole her attention.
“Hey, Gus,” Jared said, taking a hold of her wrist. Gus stood in front of his truck and leaned against the grill.
“Hey, Jared,” he said. “Who do we have here?” Gus’s eyes raked down her form, his eyes twinkling as he licked his lips. Cold fright spread through her. She wanted nothing to do with this Gus.
“Did Annabella call you?” Jared asked.
Gus’s eyes didn’t move from her when he answered. “She did. Said the old bear at the historical museum called about an out-of-towner being nosy.”
Summer yanked on her arm that Jared held. “Nice to meet you guys, but I need to be going.”
“Why so quickly, beautiful?” Gus said, coming toward her.
She jerked at Jared’s grip on her, hitting him in the arm. “Let me go.”
Gus clicked his key fob and the back of his SUV rose. She glanced toward it to see what was coming out. Then she realized nothing was exiting. She was going in. She kicked Jared in the shin, getting him to release her, but Gus grasped a hand in her hair, tugging her to him.
“Calm down, little lady. No one’s going to hurt you as long as you cooperate.”
Summer’s heart pounded so hard, it hurt. Her lungs couldn’t get in enough air. “What do you want?” she snarled.
“Why are you here?” Jared asked.
“I’m here to see Barry,” she ground out between gritted teeth.
“Oh,” Gus said, “no problem.” He lifted her around the waist, slapped a hand over her mouth, and carried her to the back of his truck. She kicked and slammed her heels into the bastard, but it didn’t affect him.
He shoved her face first onto the floor of SUV’s cargo area. Her head spun from the impact. Her hands were tied behind her back and her feet were bound.
“You taking her to the cabin or the alpha?” Jared asked.
“Cabin. She can sit there until the alpha figures out what to do with her. Probably just dump her in the lake.” Gus nodded toward her vehicle. “Move her car behind old man Holcomb’s barn. Nobody will see it there.”
Jared nodded as he picked up her purse lying on the gravel. Gus closed the hatch then the SUV started.
Gerri had warned her not to go alone. If only she’d listened.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Quinn hung up with Summer and continued to home where a certain housekeeper had some explaining to do. How much did Ms. Grendel know about his missing mother and brother? He cared for the old bear and didn’t think he would hurt her, but he wanted to hear her side.
His dad sat quietly staring out the side window, Mom’s scarf wrapped around his neck to keep her scent close. He’d been lucid since he first held the bags at the bank. All of this had to be related, but he didn’t know how.
They pulled into the drive to see Ms. G’s car was still there. She said she would be. When they stepped inside, Quinn saw her seated at the kitchen table. The photo from the house sat in front of her. She must’ve found it in Dad’s bedroom with the broken glass and frame.
She looked up. “I guess you found the security box all right?”
Quinn sat in the chair beside her. “We did.” His dad followed suit but didn’t say anything. Quinn wasn’t sure if anger kept him quiet or something else.
Ms. G poured hot water from the pot in the center of the table into the cup with a teabag in it. “It’s time for an old bear to confess her sins and make right what has been wrong for so many years.” She let out a long sigh.
Fear and hope surged through Quinn. Were they about to find out what happened when he was six months old?
Ms. G sat back in her chair while her fingers dipped the tea herbs in and out of the water. “Where to begin,” she said. “So much to tell you.”
His dad’s clear voice startled him. He hadn’t heard it as strong for many years. “From the beginning, please.”
Ms. G nodded. “That’s as good a place as any.”
Her eyes drifted out of focus and her story began.
“There was a time when all bears shared the same land and home. Black, brown, grizzly, Kodiak, all lived together in bliss, sharing and growing as a community. Then came a terrible tragedy, a loss of young life that was no one’s fault.
“All civility gained through the years of cooperation died in one night with harsh accusations, lies, fear, and gut-wrenching anguish. In mere days, the black and brown separated their lives. Just like it had been before they had all come together as a neighborhood. The brown bears didn’t want to be far from those they loved, so they settled nearby.
“The black bears then isolated themselves, letting no other shifter or non-shifter species inside their group. They would take care of their own with no interference from others.
“So that begins your problems, cub. Your mother, Bess, fell in love with your father. When Norm and Dee, your grandparents, discovered their love, they were furious. It was a modern-day Romeo and Juliet. They said the fates were playing a cruel joke and there was no way it was possible.
“Of course, Bess was in love and didn’t care what the old folks believed. She went against their rules and mated your dad.” Ms. G glanced at his dad. “I’m sorry, Anthony, for all that you have suffered.”
Quinn still didn’t understand. “Why were they against the mating? Because of something that happened long ago?”
“Ah,” Ms. Grendel replied, “let me explain. After the death of the young cub, Alpha Blackmon expelled all others using the accident as the reason. But later the truth came out that he was biased toward his kind, the black bear.
“Among the black bears, distrust and dislike of the brown bears had been growing. The brown bears were bigger, stronger, faster, and the blacks didn’t like being second place. They thought they were superior because their bloodlines were purer. Without others in the community, the likelihood of children of mixed blood was low.”
Anthony asked, “But mixed cubs did exist, right? Bess and I weren’t the only ones to ever mate and have children.”
Ms. G’s expression frightened Quinn. “They were never allowed to be born.”
Quinn couldn’t breathe. Did he understand correctly? That his mother’s family would’ve prevented his and his brother’s births? Would they have killed them?
Ms. G sighed then continued. “I don’t know how Bess hid her pregnancy so long,” she glanced at his father, “but she had reached the point to where she gave birth to the boys. The only choice her parents had was to put together a plot, and with the help of a witch, they were able to carry out an evil plan.
“The witch slipped a potion to
Bess when she was eating lunch with her family not long before she disappeared.”
Anthony stiffened. “I remember that day. They asked her to visit, pretending to put their differences aside. Claimed they wanted to see their grandchildren, and Bess being a kind-hearted woman, agreed. Of course, they didn’t want me around.”
Ms. G swallowed and glanced at the two men then continued. “They supposedly put a potion in her drink, one that allowed them to plant ideas in her head. They started with a potion for you that night, Anthony. One that would make you easily influenced.”
“How? I would’ve known,” his father said.
Ms. G shook her head. “Maybe they had manipulated Bess to do it.”
“No,” he replied, running a withered hand down his face. “Bess brought back food for me to eat that night, which I did. It was tainted. Had to be.”
The old lady sipped her tea then set the cup in front of her. “The next day they came over and told you Quinn had a fever and needed medicine. Bess was taking Finn into town to get meds. See, the witch they were working with told them Quinn was a brown bear and Finn was a black bear. So they wanted him. Bess never had any idea what she was doing.”
Anthony smashed his hand on the table, cracking the wood. “But I went over there. Bess and Finn were not anywhere. I never smelled her or my other son.”
Tears filled her eyes. “I don’t know what happened, where they hid her. During that time, I started taking care of one of your hospice bears. Before Quinn hired me. I seldom visited Blisstown then.”
Quinn stood and paced the kitchen. Pain for all the years of never knowing the truth peaked in his heart. He wanted to explode with anger. Where was Summer? He needed her more than ever.
He asked her, “How do you know all this? Why are you just now telling us this?”
“No,” his father said, staring at her, “I want to know what your part in this was.”
Ms. G sipped her tea and Quinn sat to listen.
“I had no part in the beginning. The timing between my past charge passing away and Quinn looking for help was a coincidence. But when Alpha Blackmon found out I was working for the brown alpha, he asked me to report on the happenings of the den.
“My family lived in Blisstown. He didn’t have to say the words directly. I heard the threat in his voice if I refused his order. But over the years, I came to love you and the clan. I told the alpha less and less, but during those years, nothing here was ever mentioned about Bess and Finn. Later on, when the alpha ordered me to poison your food, I told him I would, then dumped the potion down the drain. I would not allow him to harm you any further.”
Quinn felt his pulse double in seconds. The woman he saw as a second mother had been a spy and a traitor to the boy who loved her and would’ve done anything for her. His bear wanted to tear the old sow apart. His dad put his hand on his arm.
“No, Quinn,” he said, “wait until you have all the facts before you pass judgment. There is much more to the story. Without her, I never would have gone to the house to find the photo and key.” Anthony glanced at her. “I suspect Ms. G is the reason I came out of the daze long enough to start all this.”
She nodded, dropping her head into her hands. “It’s time for this to end. It’s time for the past to be made right so the future is better for all. I see that and will do whatever I need to do to make it right.”
“How did you bring Dad back from his daze?” Quinn asked.
Ms. G sighed. “Before Norm and Dee moved inside Blisstown, they lived in the house with their family. They moved shortly after Bess gave birth.”
Anthony nodded. “I remember both places. Been to both. They moved before Bess disappeared.”
“Alpha Blackmon asked me to pack up anything left behind and store it in the attic. I don’t think he intended to resell the house. All that was left were a few baby clothes, cloths, and one of Bess’s scarves. And a photo of Anthony, Bess, and the babies I found tucked away a bedroom closet.
“Anthony, you have a similar photo in a frame in the living room closet. That’s where I got the idea to put the safety deposit box key. I knew you’d recognize those in the picture and hoped you’d remember something crucial.”
“But wait,” Quinn said, “you didn’t come here for years after Mom disappeared. How do you know about the deposit box?”
“I found the key among Bess’s things when cleaning.”
Anthony shook his head. “I never did pack your mom’s things away. I couldn’t bring myself to.”
Ms. G nodded. “I figured as much and slowly started boxing her things so they would be preserved. When I knew it was time to come clean, I taped the key to the photo, and told Anthony that he had to go there and find the trunk in the attic. The few days before, I took the scarf from the trunk and put it in your truck, Anthony, so your mind would clear enough to remember things.”
“How did you know what was in the bank box?” Anthony asked.
“I didn’t,” Ms. G replied, looking at the plastic storage bags with more scarves. “I was hoping it would be something to help. If not, then I was ready to tell you both everything anyway. But it seems your mother knew she would be taken away. She left her scent behind for Anthony to have a clear mind.”
Quinn had had the same thought. Then a realization struck him. He fisted his hands to keep from slashing the woman into pieces. “You’re the one who set the house on fire then? Trying to kill us.”
Her eyes popped wide. “What? The house was on fire? How did you get the key then?”
He didn’t smell any deceit from her. His hands relaxed. Dammit. Then there was still someone out there who tried to kill him, his father, and Summer. And where was Summer? She should’ve been back already.
The closing of a car door came from outside. Finally, she was here. He went to the kitchen window to check on her, then froze. “We have a visitor,” he said. He had a bad feeling about this.
Quinn had never seen the man before. Around his age and height, though. He went to the front door and opened it before the man could knock. Staring at the stranger’s face, he looked familiar.
“Hi,” the guy said, “I’m Jared Blackburn. Your cousin.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Summer tried to kick Gus as he carried her over his shoulder and dumped her on the sofa in a cabin.
After they had driven for several minutes, including some tough terrain and steep inclines, Summer felt like she was beat up with a blunt hammer from bouncing around. Gus had remained quiet the entire trip and she was too busy trying not to slam against anything to ask questions.
From a side door, Barry walked in carrying chopped wood. When he saw her, his face paled and he dropped his load.
“Why is she here?” Barry said. “You said no one would get hurt if I cooperated.”
“Shut the fuck up,” Gus rumbled. “I had no choice. She came here to see you.”
Barry’s eyes grew large. “Me? You came to see me?”
Summer heard the touched surprise in his voice as if he couldn’t believe someone would want to see him. Her heartstrings twanged hard. What kind of life had Barry had to where a nobody like her could create such excitement in him with a simple visit?
Gus rolled his eyes. “Get a fucking life, Barry.”
He sat at a round table set between the small kitchen and living area.
The cabin was a run-of-the-mill old hunting lodge. The furniture was old and a bit musty. Cobwebs hung in the corners and dust covered everything. The fireplace was blackened, but no fire had been started. Barry was probably working on that when she and Gus arrived.
Summer sat up as much as she could with her hands tied behind her back. “Hey, Gus,” she said, “would you please release my hands so I can at least sit comfortably?”
At the table studying his phone, Gus waved a hand in the air. “Whatever. Barry, help her.” Her friend untied her then she slowly stretched her shoulders and arms forward. “Just know that we are miles from anywher
e. If you decide to leave, the wildlife will find you pretty fast. Not to mention I can hunt you down by your scent and kill you without even breaking a sweat.”
She didn’t plan on going anywhere for a bit. Barry sat beside her and rubbed her shoulders. “I’m sorry you’re here. You should’ve stayed away.”
“I want to talk to you about the break-in and the letter,” she answered.
Gus snorted. “You came here for that?” He stared at her. “That was forever ago and the human we hired has confessed in jail. What more do you want?”
“You are behind this?” she said to Gus. “What would you want with Gerri Wilder’s business?”
His hand slammed on the table. “Are you an idiot? Can’t you see this town and every business in it is dying? My mother needs all the help she can get.”
She then remembered the lady at Dates & Mates suggested a guy named Gus go on a date with her. If this Gus and the other Gus were one and the same, that was a big hell no on her part.
The pieces now came together for her. “So you or your mother hired a human to break in and steal Gerri’s client list? Really?”
Gus shrugged. “It was worth a try. No skin off my back.”
“No,” Barry said, “but everyone else’s back.”
“Shut up, pissant,” Gus mumbled.
Summer turned to him sitting next to her. “Why did you resign? Were you involved in it?”
Barry’s eyes turned toward the floor. “Not directly. They threatened to hurt the rest of my family if I didn’t keep quiet. I couldn’t do anything about it, but I made sure Mrs. Wilder wasn’t home to get injured when the human went in. If she’d gotten hurt, I’d never forgive myself.”
“What about the note?” she asked.
Barry sighed. “That was Gus’s doing. He gave it to me to give to the private investigator and Gerri. I don’t even know what it said. After that, I turned in my resignation and left. I couldn’t lie anymore. I couldn’t face anybody knowing what I’d done.”
Gus grunted from the table, “Fucking pathetic,” but didn’t look up from his phone.
