by Carmen Fox
Leo reached down and turned on the engine. “Cody’s bad news. He drinks too much, he sleeps around. You know what humans are like.”
Alcoholism and drug addiction were rare in werewolves, so for us, human behavior could be tough to understand. TV and the movies didn’t exactly cast humans in a better light, either.
“I live among them, so I know how to handle them.” I shrugged. “What else do you know about him?”
Leo checked over his shoulder and pulled into the road. “Well, not that much.”
“Why is Cody being human such a big deal?”
“If Birdie and Pike had known about Cody, they would have been upset. Rightly so. She’s from a good family, and after Ralph died, is it fair to disrespect her parents?”
“She’s young. We don’t always know what’s good for us, and if we do, we tend to do the opposite.”
“Oh, the voice of experience?”
“I’ll never tell.” I mimicked locking my mouth and throwing away the key.
Even though it wouldn’t get dark for a few more hours, clouds dimmed the light. I removed my hair band and let my hair fall over my shoulders. Cody might get squirrelly when confronted with uninvited guests, and a softer appearance wouldn’t hurt.
“What did Drake tell you about Cody?” Leo asked.
“Nothing. He and I, let’s say there have been communication problems.”
“He pissed you off already? It usually takes people a while to hate him.”
That’s not the impression Jonah had given me. In all fairness, I didn’t hate Drake. He was funny, easy on the eye, and certainly wasn’t stupid. In fact, if he stopped bossing me around, we might get on well.
“Let’s say he keeps challenging me and throws his dominance around like confetti at a wedding.” I shrugged. “No big deal.”
Raindrops stippled the windshield, and Leo turned on the wipers. “Don’t take it personally. Drake’s got a chip on his shoulder about being a babysitter, while I get to sit in on the important meetings. He doesn’t get that I have more experience. Jonah took me on as a protector when my father retired.”
“Your father was Marlon’s protector?”
The smile left his face. “Well, those were tough times. We were practically at war, and Marlon barely kept up with his pack duties, you know, making sure the territory was safe, handing out emergency loans.”
“So he stepped up?”
“Someone had to.”
Leading a pack wasn’t only about power, but also about the admin and order within the ranks. Dad spent many late nights grappling with red tape and minor disputes. He could delegate much of it, but he insisted doing the small stuff helped him keep up with the main issues.
“And Jonah wanted you to walk in your dad’s footsteps?” I asked.
“Yes. He appointed Drake and me at the same time, about a year after we finished high-school. Drake’s loyal to Jonah, no doubt, but he lacked the experience. My father trained me in all aspects of being a protector.”
A tough gig. Around that time, our age-slowing genes that allowed us to live longer than humans were setting in. This was why werewolves were considered kids until well into their twenties. But Leo and Drake would have still been teenagers when they got appointed Jonah’s protectors.
“Because of my special training, I became invaluable to Jonah.” Leo’s mouth tightened briefly. “In the end, he was glad to have two of us, though. I was okay sharing the gig, but Drake...”
“Not happy?”
“What do you think?” He gave me a sideways glance. “So don’t take his manners to heart. Proving himself has become an obsession with him. Hey.” He pointed with his chin down a one-lane street lined by trees on one side, with a wide grass strip on the other. “Cody lives down this road. If he’s not in, he’ll be in his usual watering hole.”
Each house in this street had a quirk, be it a striking color or an unusual build. One exhibited horizontal stripes of green, white and blue. Shame Chicago didn’t encourage such displays of individuality, but that’s why they invented graffiti.
We got to the end of the road, and Leo slowed the car. The dull light struck his face and gave him a soft complexion. This guy wasn’t here to play top dog, but as a partner. Men like him were rare.
He angled his head to look past me through the window. “The lights are on. You have a plan of attack?”
“I’m going to talk to him.” I chuckled. “There will be little bloodshed, I assure you.”
Leo parked and shut off the motor. “I’ll hold you to it.”
Cody’s house was a washed-out yellow color, with a weed-covered short drive and an old beater parked out front.
The guy who answered the door looked older than he had in the photo. The crush factor had faded. His face had filled out, and his worn dark jeans and wrinkled shirt took his attire from the cool kind of dirty to just dirty.
His tall, slim figure clung to the door, his eyes glazed but wide. “Leo? What the fuck are you doing here?”
“Hey, Cody.”
“My name is Kensi.” I smiled and waved playfully. “We would like to talk to you about Raven.”
“Raven?” He studied me, then nodded. “You’d better come in then.”
He walked off, trusting us to close the door, and sank into a chair. The TV was on, blaring out a quiz show.
Leo gestured for me to sit on the sofa near Cody, while he took a seat at the far end. “You’re not surprised we’re here?”
Cody didn’t move, yet looked as if he was about to fall out of his chair. “I’m surprised to see you, not the police. You’ve hardly changed at all, man.” He wiped his palm across his face before turning his gaze back at me. “You’re the detective chick, right? The one from the TV?”
A handful of empty beer bottles cluttered the small table next to his chair. The stale air inside smelled of wet dog, yet there was no tangible evidence another living creature depended on him. Small mercies, because the man in front of me hardly appeared capable of looking after himself.
I leaned forward in my low seat and clasped my hands against my knees. “You have a good memory. Most remember the Society Strangler’s case, but not the people working it.”
“If you didn’t look like you, I probably wouldn’t have.”
I acknowledged the compliment with a smile, which faded fast. Breaking the ice with witnesses was a delicate business, and Cody could provide valuable clues—provided I handled this right.
“I would like to ask you a few questions about your relationship with Raven. You were in love?”
Cody lifted a bottle from a small table and picked at the label. “Have they found her?”
“No. But we’re taking another run at it, and you can help.”
He scoffed and briefly glanced at the ceiling. “If I knew where she was, don’t you think I would be with her instead of in this shithole?”
I dipped my head. “Is it not possible she’s run away without you?”
“I thought she did at first. Her parents were driving her crazy.”
“And now?” I raised my voice over the applause coming from the TV.
“She would have called. Let me know where to find her. But she didn’t.”
“What do you think that means?”
“Do I have to spell it out? Christ, it means she’s dead, lady. She’s...” His lips trembled. He took a deep breath and looked into my eyes. “She’s dead.”
“You sound sure of that, Cody.” Leo’s voice shot across like a whip. “What are you hiding?”
“What?” Finally, Cody showed some sign of life. “What are you saying?”
Leo moved his hands in an appeasing gesture. “Just asking.”
Cody glanced at me. “Do the cops know about me?”
“No, and no one’s accusing you. You love her, right? You wouldn’t have hurt her. I know that. We were simply wondering why you’re so sure she’s dead.” I shot him a pleading look. “Anything you know, even little details, co
uld help us.”
He slumped back, seemingly depleted of energy. “We had this spot by Lake Marvin, where we met every day. Real private, you know. One day, she stayed behind. Last I ever saw of her.”
“Can you tell me the exact location? Is there a marina nearby or a boat-launch ramp?”
His gaze drifted far away. “First I thought she didn’t want to go home to her old man, always on her to practice that damn violin. For what, right? He’d never let her go to college anyway. Next day, she didn’t come back. Just disappeared.” His voice tapered off to a whisper. “If she isn’t dead, where is she? You know, we talked about running away, starting a family.”
“How were you going to support her, huh?” Leo scoffed. “I think she came to her senses. She probably saw you for the waste you are.”
“Shut your mouth!” Cody’s lips twisted. “You can’t come to my house and talk to me like that.”
The dark gray overall on the radiator proved he could hold a job, possibly even pay the mortgage on this house. Leo was blind to that, though. He didn’t get that, to a young woman whose life had been dictated to by her parents, Cody had offered freedom and affection.
“Leo, go easy. He’s grieving. Can’t you see?” I turned back to Cody, who’d covered his eyes with his hand. “I’m so sorry about that. Leo’s a friend of the family, so this is personal for him. But it’s clear you cared about her. Now, you mentioned a lake.”
“No, I’m not buying it.” Leo tapped his thigh. “I mean, if you’re innocent, why didn’t you come forward after Raven disappeared?”
Drake wouldn’t have got Cody so riled. He knew how to handle humans. Why couldn’t I’ve waited until tomorrow?
Cody surged to his feet. “Fuck off. Both of you.”
“Listen, Cody. We don’t believe you did anything wrong.” I gave him a reassuring smile. “But if you prefer, we’ll leave. No problem. Come on, Leo.”
My tone had turned acrid. Damn Leo had screwed up everything.
Cody stood with his arms crossed, watching Leo and me head toward the exit.
With the door handle in my hand, I turned around one last time. “I want to bring closure to her family and friends, and I know deep down, you want that too.” I extended one of my business cards to him and, when he refused to take it, placed it on a waist-high cabinet. “If you do remember anything, please call.”
Leo gripped my arm. “Kensi, maybe we should—”
I spun out of his hold and glared. “Don’t push me.”
Leo’s dominance rippled over me, an uncomfortable itch across my skin, but my stance didn’t soften. He’d have to roll out more than that to truly challenge me.
The sensation ebbed away a second later.
Why wasn’t Drake so easy to put into his place?
Leo stepped back and glanced down in submission. “Sorry.”
“Come on.” I left the house, sure he’d follow.
The rain had moved up from mild drizzle to full-on shower, which pelted my head and turned me into a mess. I raced across to the car.
Leo unlocked the doors, and we hopped in.
“The thought of Raven with that guy?” He slammed his palm onto the steering wheel. “She was Ralph’s sister. I’ve known her all her life. But the way he talked about her parents got to me. Notice how he didn’t give us any information? If he and Raven were that tight, he must have known something. Right?”
“If he knows anything, we’re not going to find out today.” I wrung out my hair.
“That’s my fault. I’m such an idiot. Ruined it all, and you were doing so well. It’s just, I was so pissed at him, you know?” He breathed hard and shook his head. “No excuses. I messed up.”
Yeah, he did.
But the guy did look crushed. His shoulders slumped, his gaze downcast. Poor little puppy. If he were in my line of work, he’d know that beating yourself up didn’t accomplish anything. Of course, if he were in my line of work, he wouldn’t have behaved like a jerk in the first place.
“It’s done now.” I forced out a smile. “Don’t worry. By tomorrow, he’ll have calmed down.”
Leo had submitted to me. Bowed his head and given in. Weak-ass stamina for a protector. Drake would have stood his ground, whipped out his power, and proven his status. He wouldn’t have beaten me, but Leo hadn’t even tried.
“Thanks for not making me feel worse about it.” Leo gave a soft laugh.
“You seem to do well enough without my help.” My tone had taken on an unnecessarily sharp edge.
“And did you notice? I didn’t push my dominance on you.”
“I did notice.” I glanced out the window, determined not let my expression reveal how I felt about that.
“You said you didn’t like it, and I listen. Unlike Drake.”
If I’d asked Drake politely not to unleash his pheromones every five minutes, he’d unleash them every two.
“Let’s go home.” I smoothed my wet hair. The car’s display read twenty after eight. “I’m actually totally beat.”
“Sure.” Leo turned on the engine and pulled onto the road. “Let me make it up to you. Breakfast tomorrow morning is on me. What do you say?”
I eyed him from the side. “Where I come from, that’s a forward thing to say.”
“What?” His face went pale. “Hey. I didn’t mean that. I’m sorry. I would never assume that of you.”
“Never assume what?”
“That you’d sleep with someone you’ve only known for a day. You’re way too classy for that.”
“True.” I cocked my head. “How classy?”
“What do you mean?”
I stretched out my legs and shifted deeper into my seat. This was getting fun again. “How many days do you think I usually wait?”
“You’re teasing me. All right.” He hmm-ed. “At least five dates.”
Leo was an honest country guy who made an attempt to be nice. To top it off, he was awfully handsome, with his straight mouth and slightly jutting chin. And judging him because he hadn’t pushed his dominance after I’d told him how I hated it? Jeez, I could be such a bitch.
“Still, I’d like to see you again.” He held the steering wheel firmly while he navigated the wet road. “If you’ll let me.”
At the beginning of the evening, his invitation would have left my heart beating faster. Now, as I listened for a thud or a bang, I wasn’t even sure if I was still alive. That flutter was gone. The urge to flick my hair or make my voice more girly, nowhere to be found.
I exhaled sharply. “You know that I’m here to work, right? Even with five dates, nothing’s going to happen.”
His lips tightened, the air shifted, but he reined himself in before his dominance exploded. “I only meant I’d like to make up for my behavior.”
We pulled up to my house. Maybe I’d got Leo wrong from the start. His flirting could have been well-disguised attempts at befriending me. Not exactly a boost to my ego, but not a surprise either. There was a reason I hadn’t been kissed in months. Dad wanted me to smooth myself out more, be less abrasive. In other words, be mate bait twenty-four seven. Pity for him, I wasn’t built that way.
“Okay.” I released the seatbelt and let it retract into its housing. “Breakfast it is. Pick me up around nine?”
“Sounds great.” He swiveled in his seat to face me. “And Kensi. This isn’t my place, but don’t close yourself off to new experiences. Living among humans is one thing, but here, you can be who you really are. At least with me.”
“That’s sweet.” I gripped the door handle. “I don’t mean to come across as aloof. Being a woman in a male-dominated world is a scary thing, though.”
“I’m just saying, if you want to hang out, have fun for a while without judgement, that’s okay.” His chest lifted, and he blew out a stream of air. “Anyway. Nine o’clock?”
“I look forward to it.” I stepped out of the car, then leaned back in. “And I appreciate your taking the evening off to help me.”
<
br /> He touched his forehead in a salute. “It’s my job, ma’am.”
I closed the door, and he sped off.
A complicated man. Certainly a temperamental man. He’d said all the right things, even submitted to me once, but at Cody’s place, he’d almost exploded with uncontrolled frustration. What was beyond doubt was that, in his own way, Leo presented a challenge. Another mystery to be solved.
Goodie.
Nine
At eight fifty-five a.m., I sat dressed in a pair of blue capri pants and a strappy top on the swing on my porch, with my jacket draped over my lap. The rain had cleared and been replaced by fresh air and a strong breeze, which tickled my bare shoulders. My bra’s thin straps showed, but going without wasn’t an option. My tits might not appear massive on my tall frame, but my cup size told a different story.
To help sell my look of debonair visitor, I’d put my hair back up in a bun and covered my eyes with shades.
Leo pulled up in his sleek black sedan a few minutes later. After last night, I still wasn’t any clearer on how he regarded me. As an investigator, a friend, or a woman he might have a shot with?
I made a beeline for the passenger side and got in.
“You look nice.” Leo steered the sedan into the road and accelerated. “Did you sleep well?”
“I did. Where are you taking me?”
“A diner in Denville.” He shot me a glance and waggled his eyebrows, man-of-mystery style. “It’s owned by one of us and makes the best breakfast in the state.”
“Sounds promising.” I stretched out my legs and crossed my feet at the ankles. “I meant to ask. How do you get on with the humans? As Jonah’s protector you work with them, don’t you?”
“Well, tricky question, that. Marlon’s old tactics of creating an uncomfortable environment for the humans died with him. Since then, they’ve been taking more and more of our land, but it doesn’t stop there. One school between three towns means humans and werewolves mingle, yet lessons are of course geared at human history. My father told me about our origins, but not everyone is as lucky. No surprise that many of us dream of living like humans.”
