“Well it was a crime scene until a few minutes ago. Where have you been? Do you know what has happened?”
“I know as much as my trusted friend here has told me; my house has been burgled and everyone thought I was attacked and kidnapped or dead. Now that you see that I am not, can we please get the yellow tapes off?”
“Not so easy. You need to answer a few questions first. Where have you been?”
“I was traveling out of town for a business meeting when I met in an accident. I was unconscious until a week ago. When I woke up I remember seeing Samson here. That is as much as I can remember. If my house was burgled, I do not know about that. It is not one of the easiest places to break into.”
“Is there anyone who can corroborate this?”
“My doctor can confirm the checkups. I ran off the road, my car was fished from some ditch. I don’t know what I can use to corroborate anything.”
“Do you know where your daughter is?” asked Steele.
Derek now gritted his teeth. “She is with some friend of hers as far as I understand.”
“Did you give your permission for that? I had him pegged as a suspect in your disappearance.”
“How could I have given my permission? I was in a coma. She had to stay somewhere so I guess she made that call.”
“Would you like to press charges for kidnapping?”
“Kidnapping? I think that’s a little extreme. No detective; there is no case here. Now is that all? I have been away from my home for far too long and right now I could use a proper bath Detective.”
“Sure thing,” Steele said and called the head of the department to inform him that Derek had turned up and would not be pressing charges so he needed the go ahead to drop the tapes and allow him onto the property. “You are good to go,” he said after he had hung up.
“Thank you.” With that, Samson helped Derek to his feet and the two made their way out of the station.
“Why didn’t you press charges? At least you could have had him locked up for a while,” said Samson.
“Charges for what? What was I to say, that he is a werewolf and that I believe my daughter is in danger? They would have me sent to a mental institution as soon as the word werewolf escaped my lips. I want to expose them badly, but not at the expense of my existence so I am at least grateful they didn’t leave any tell tale signs. Besides, I want to get all the credit when they do get exposed.”
“Yeah, you probably have a point,” Samson conceded.
“Now, what time is it? I need to go see Chrissie.”
As it turns out it was just about the time when Chrissie would be leaving school. They parked the car across from the big blue building that represented the private school she went to. They waited for about fifteen minutes before she was spotted approaching the gate.
“Samson, there she is. Go get her.”
Samson alighted from the vehicle and Derek could see as he goaded her across the street and towards the car. He was not sure what the man had told her, but as soon as she saw him, she started turning away. Samson held onto her and pulled her back to the car and shoved her inside. Derek closed the locks for the passenger doors, retaining her inside.
“Let go of me!” she screamed and shrugged Samson from her arm. “Well, if it isn’t Casper,” she said cynically.
“Chrissie, do I mean that little to you? I was presumed dead and no sooner was I so than you shacked up with the dogs?”
“The ‘dogs’ you mention have treated me way better than my ‘father’ has for years. What makes you think I could miss a man I never even knew,” she said while pouting. She kept her eyes pointed out the window so as to avoid the looks of either man.
“Look, I know I may not have been the best father, but when I had your mother, it was easier. She was the one who knew what to do. After she died, I walked around like an empty shell, confused and torn. I was so angry and bent on revenge that I forgot to be a father to you, and for that I am sorry. But don’t you see Chrissie, they are the enemies. They were the ones who took your mother away from us. It may not be the ones you now live with, but there are others out there, including your so called boyfriend.”
“You leave him out of this,” she spat.
“I mean no offense, but you are not like them. One mistake and they could easily turn on you, and what defense would you have? At least keep some of this,” he said, handing her a small pouch.
“What is this?” she asked, even while opening the bad. He didn’t answer, but he didn’t have to. “Silver? You want me to, what, attack them? I am not going to do that. They took me in when I had nowhere else to go.”
“I am not saying you should attack them. I am just saying you need to be prepared for anything. Just like another hungry beast mauled your mother, so too can another who has never heard of you attack you, and I would feel better. It is either that, or you come back home. I am headed there now.”
She didn’t answer. She knew that she was compelled to go home now that her father had returned, but she couldn’t stand the solitude of the place. She was not sure how Wes would take it now that Derek was back, if he would still want her in his home. She was beginning to feel confused about the whole thing, and she just needed some air.
“I will think about all you have said, but for now, I just want to clear my head. The last few weeks have been taxing on my emotions and mind.”
“Fair enough,” said Derek. “I will come back to you in a week’s time, and you tell me what you have decided to do. You are not a child anymore so I will give you the liberty of making your own decision.”
He unlocked the doors and she got out and walked away, without even a glance back.
“I don’t think you convinced her much boss,” observed Samson.
“Don’t be too sure. She loved her mother and that’s the entire image I needed to drive into her head. She will come around.”
“Well I hope so. I can’t imagine you liking the fact that she chose them over you. And I would hate to see you having to kidnap your own daughter,” chuckled Samson.
Derek laughed as well. “I don’t think it will come to that though. She will be back, probably before the end of the week.”
“What makes you so sure?”
“One very simple reason. She didn’t leave the pouch.”
The two gave each other knowing glances. He didn’t die any of the times he had gone up against the wolves, and his goal of exposing them was never reached, but maybe it was his approach that was all wrong. He had tried a full on battle, sneak attack and guerrilla warfare, but he had never tried Chrissie before. Sure he had an obsession with the wolves, but we all know an obsession doesn’t have a cure. He checked his side mirror as Samson pulled away from the curb. The wolves had taken all the other rounds before. This time, he would win.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Wes was sitting having his morning cup of coffee and reading the paper when he was called to the door by Raphael. He wondered what would have the lad summon him this soon, or at all. Raphael had never summoned him before, so he made haste to determine the cause.
“What is it Raphael?” asked Wes.
“Just got wind of some information I think will interest you-that will interest us all.”
Wes waited with bated breath for what the young man was hesitating to say. “Go on, spill,” he said impatiently.
Raphael twitched and looked around him nervously. “Derek isn’t dead.”
Wes felt his center shift after Raphael had uttered the words that slowly seeped into his subconscious like arsenic. “Where did you get that information?” he asked wildly.
“I saw him with mine own eyes,” Raphael continued. “Yesterday evening, he paid a visit to his daughter after school. I was keeping an eye on her and saw the big oaf pull her across the street and into a waiting car. I was about to run over when I recognized him as her father’s henchman. I pulled back behind some cars before they could spot me and looked on. It was then that I not only saw h
im, but could smell him too. He seemed to be in bad shape; his neck was in a cast.”
Wes could hardly believe what he was hearing. Here he had thought that he had been rid of Derek and he and his kind could live on in some form of peace without fear of harassment. He walked back inside the suite and pinched his lips. He would be cleared of all suspicion now, but that was better than fear. It was not that he didn’t think he could take on Derek-he was a wolf after all, and he was a human, but he lived in his world and his world would side with him. He fleetingly contemplated relocating, but then he remembered Lucy. He did not want to disrupt her life with his drama, and he would not allow her to go with him even if she wanted to. Violet had been right, maybe it was a bad idea after all dating someone outside the clan. His legacy had had good reason to live the way they did, but it was about time someone broke tradition.
He was getting so caught up in his mind he forgot Raphael was still standing there until after he cleared his throat. He spun almost in surprise. “Oh sorry Raphael, I forgot you were standing there for a second. That’s alright, you can go now. Thank you for the update.”
Just as he was walking back to the sofa, his cell phone beeped. The caller was Walter. “I take it you have heard that Derek is back,” he breathed into the mouth piece.
“So you have heard,” said Walter.
“Only just. Raphael saw him yesterday when he stopped to visit his daughter after school.”
“So what are you going to do about her now?” he asked.
“I am not sure. I have not spoken to her as yet, but I suppose now that her father is home that she will need to go back there.”
“Damn right about that. This time you could really undergo some pressure in the form of kidnapping. You two aren’t even good enemies, much less his daughter’s caretaker. I suggest you ship her out. It would especially not be a good sign if she knows he is alive, if he knows she is staying with you and does nothing about it. Do not trust that. No matter what, he is still her father and there will be some loyalty.”
“I hear you. I will be careful, but when or if she comes back here, I will have a talk with both her and Luke. Speaking of the devil...”
Just then Luke walked in. “I will call you back in any event Walt. I need to talk to Luke,” Wes said and hung up. “Have you seen Chrissie as yet?”
“No, that’s why I am here. Isn’t she here?” he asked.
“Not sure. I haven’t checked.” With that he walked over to the door and knocked. He heard nothing. Just when he was about to knock again he heard movement inside, and then the knob turned. “You have a visitor” Wes said and walked away.
She closed the door again and emerged after, looking more refreshed than before. “Luke, hey,” she smiled and walked over to the boy and hugged him. He beamed and Wes wondered how often she would need to do that for him to get used to it.
He gave them a few minutes together before intervening. “Luke, Chrissie, a word please,” was all he said before walking back inside the penthouse suite. They followed him with curious stares.
Wes was sitting on the arm of the sofa, his arms folded across his chest. Lucy happened to walk in at that very instant; for some reason he had not thought of awakening her for this, but he was now glad she was here. She saw them all gathered there and raised her eyebrow in question. Wes raised his hand in the air as if to quiet her and then turned to the children.
“Chrissie is there something you should be telling us right now?” he asked. The girl stared at him as if she was seeing him for the first time. When she didn’t answer, Wes repeated the question. “After the attack at your house, we left your father’s body in the basement, but when the guys went back she was not there. He had mysteriously disappeared. Now we have received news about his miraculous return.”
Luke turned now to look at her. “Is this true? Your father is alive?” he asked, with a shocked expression.
She turned away. “I was hoping you had not heard a yet. He came to see me yesterday after school. He basically had his man snag me and locked me in the car.”
“So why did you come back here? Wouldn’t he want you to come back home?” prodded Wes.
“He said he didn’t want to push me and have me run away or something. He told me he will contact me afterwards and I would be free to do what I wanted since I am no longer a child. When he comes to me again, he will expect an answer about what I had decided.”
“Do you want to go back home?” asked Lucy. “You are more than welcome to stay here if you like.”
“Actually that’s not so true anymore. See, since the moment Derek turned up again, we lost any right we had to keep you. After the police’s threat of social services, I don’t want to add kidnapping to the charge. Unless your father expressly gives you permission to stay here, I am afraid it doesn’t matter what we want to do,” volunteered Wes.
The look on Luke’s face was now one of desperation. “Chrissie, will you go back?” he asked.
“I don’t know what to do,” she said with a look of real confusion. ‘If I go back there, you can’t come to me there anymore Luke. He now knows what you are, and he has a dangerous obsession with your kind. If I stay here, I don’t think he will just sit back and let it go. I am forced to choose between you and him, and that is unfair,” she said, as tears began to stream down her face.
Lucy walked over and rubbed the girl’s shoulder. “Don’t cry dear, I am sure we can work something out.” She turned and cast a desperate look at Wes. They all knew not what to do about this predicament.
Wes walked away and Lucy followed him into the bedroom. “What do you make of all this?” asked Lucy.
“I don’t trust any of this. Derek wouldn’t have just allowed her to stay unless he has a plan. She may not know it yet, but she just might be a part of it. He is obsessed and people who are do not stop to think about who they may cross in the process. He is a dangerous man on many levels and as long as she is here, we are in even more danger than we were before.”
“But she is just a child,” begged Lucy.
“Sixteen isn’t what you would call ‘a child’; a child would be five. She is a mature late teen who is capable of adult thinking. She is aware I hate her father. What do you think she would do if she knew we plan to take him down? Do you think she would line up behind the wolves? I don’t think so. She needs to go.”
“Well he did tell her that he would contact her in about a week, so let’s see what happens then,” she suggested.
“I know what will happen then; she will go home. The only person I pity in all of this will be Luke, for he will be devastated.”
“Well I feel sorry for her too. For years she has lived with a man who is supposed to be her father, but when he supposedly died, it didn’t even phase her. She sided with his enemies because she was shown greater love by them. It is her that I feel the pity for. I am sure that she and Luke will find a way to keep in touch, but I fear for their relationship now that Derek knows about Luke.”
“None of this is easy, but I am following my instinct on this one,” Wes said.
Lucy went to get dressed for work and Chrissie did the same for school. Luke accompanied her for some of the way. Wes had no business this early to do. He had hit it lucky on Wall Street, and now served as a broker-dealer, but his work didn’t require daily logging. Most times he could work from home and most times he did. After he kissed Lucy good bye he decided to do some snooping. He had a gut feeling there was more to the story than Chrissie had said. He went inside her room and just stood there for a couple of seconds, taking in the smell of the space. He then walked around to the night tables and pulled out the drawers one by one. He then went over to the chest and did the same, but there was nothing ghastly in any of them. He peered under the bed, lifted the mattress and checked behind the curtains, but nothing was there to implicate her. He was running his hand along the wall behind the chest when his hand touched something silky. Odd. He groped along the wall until his hand was abl
e to grip the piece of fabric enough to pull on it.
When he got it out, he could make out a silk pouch, but what he couldn’t understand was what it was doing behind the chest. He pulled the string apart and opened it and what he saw made him ground his teeth. There were all sorts of contraptions from Derek’s inventions. He had obviously given them to her as protection against him and Luke and their kind, and what was more alarming was that she had taken it. He tightened the string on the bag and took it back with him to his room where he stuffed it in his sock drawer. He would not leave it in his home out of his line of sight when what was in the bag could easily kill him.
It was obvious the side she was on, and it wasn’t his. No matter what, in a week, she was leaving his house, if not sooner.
CHAPTER EIGHT
It didn’t take Chrissie long to discover that she had been discovered and so there was only one recourse now; she had to leave. She did not even know how to face them now. They had shown her a great courtesy by having her stay at their home, even when he had been threatened with social services. Now for this to happen, she would seem like a traitor. She didn’t take the pouch on purpose. She had forgotten she had it until after he was already gone. She didn’t want to discard it on the street for all the problems that could arise that way so she had taken it there. But even when she did, she couldn’t just leave it out in the open, so she had hidden it behind the chest, hoping to dispose of it before anyone could find it. She had known he had distrusted her, but she didn’t know it was so much that he would search through her things. Either way, she had no defense, and when her father contacted her a week later, she went with him.
It tore Luke apart to see her go, and she wasn’t thrilled about it either. She promised they would find ways to see each other. For a few days Luke was angry at Wes but after he was forced to tell Luke about the pouch, he simmered down somewhat. He still managed to find ways to see her, and everything was almost the same for a little while.
The White Werewolf's Love (Interracial Shifter Romance BWWM Paranormal) Page 4
