I stand, swing a leg over the bike, and strut up to him. I shove my sunglasses back on my head and lift my chin in defiance. “I’ve been to the library doing some research. Do you know there’s hardly any information about deaths in this town?”
Channing forces a smile, his lips turning up at one corner. “That’s no surprise since nothing like this has ever happened here before, don’t you think?”
“But not even the recent deaths have been documented. That’s a little odd, don’t you think?”
Channing dismisses my question, turns and heads into the station with me following at his heels. “There’s just something unusual going on in the town now. We’ll get to the bottom of it soon enough.”
“But there’s been two deaths so far since I arrived. How many more killings will it take before the killer is found and stopped?” I ask, following him.
Channing whirls around, his eyes squinting beneath a deep frown. “I have men working on the case. And I’m looking into every possibility. I don’t want to hear any more about it from you.”
I wasn’t expecting this sort of response from Channing. My lips part. What is up with his attitude? No one can tell me what to do. I will continue searching for the missing pieces to the deaths. Bite me, Will Channing.
CHANNING
I awaken with the deaths on my mind—young women from out of town. At first, the cases appeared to be unrelated, but now, I find a very unusual connection and I struggle with the thought all the way to the station.
Everyone inside is busy, so I head for my desk and click onto the internet. I haven’t managed to get a lot of research done when I feel someone watching me and look up. It’s Rafe. He’s standing over me with a scowl. “Anything new?” he asks, sitting on the side of my desk with a fistful of papers.
I rear back in my chair and nibble my lip, wishing I could tell him what I know. He would never understand—how could he? He isn’t a shifter. He doesn’t even know that creatures like that even existed! He’d just freak out seeing one.
“Actually, yes.” Bracing myself with my elbows, I pull myself up in my chair and look into his eyes. “I have found a link between the two victims. It might just be a coincidence, but it is worth keeping it in mind both of them were wearing something red. I’m not sure how that ties in with all the deaths, but I will soon.”
Rafe shakes his head. “Got ya. Now at least, we have something to go on. Maybe we can do a little more research and break this case wide open.”
I nod. Rafe returns to his desk and begins researching other small towns in the surrounding area. I have a few other ends to tie up before I can concentrate on finding the killers. Grandfather always said a little prevention goes a long way. I would put his advice to work.
With the latest bodies turning up around town, I can’t take a chance on Tala digging up any dirt. She could spoil my plan. I have my two best men on the case for Pete’s sake. Who does she think she is—Veronica Mars? Well, she isn’t. She’s fresh on the force. She’s untrained. She’s just a local girl with an attitude. Although a pretty one. Without any experience or background in law enforcement, she is more of a liability. If she sniffs around too much and the wrong person gets wind of it, she could end up in the morgue with the others. And that pretty little mouth is meant to be kissed, not killed.
I have my work cut out for me. And I am looking forward to it.
TALA
It’s dark outside, wolves are howling, and Witherfell is ripe for the picking. I’m working late at the station, following up on a small lead when a tall, very husky-looking man walks in and stands over my desk, his shadow falling around me like a net that’s been cast for its prey.
“The deaths, what’s being done to catch the suspects? Do you even have any leads yet?” he says, rolling his eyes. I push back in my chair to avoid the harsh, almost overpowering smell of him.
A lot of people come in asking questions all the time, so I don’t think anything about it. I explain that all the officers are on the case. All the while he’s looking down at me, his eyes blazing. And all I want is to get far, far away from this guy.
“I know what you think you’re doing,” he tells me. And initially, I have no idea what he’s talking about. But then, he continues, “You need to stop looking into these deaths, before you find yourself as one of them. Do you understand, girl?” He leans in close, his breath hot and lingering. I nod, too shocked to speak. I’m completely shaken.
When the man leaves, I rise from her desk trembling and amble into Channing’s office. I must look as pale as a ghost. My cheeks feel flushed. My heart races. I’m trembling. When Channing sees me coming, he straightens in his chair.
I drop into a chair, my palms sweating. “I have to leave early—I don’t feel well.”
“What’s wrong? Anything I can do?” he asks, rising from his desk, looking concerned.
“No. Nothing. I just need to get out of here...and go home.”
Channing knows something has gotten to me. And this is his chance to get me out of the picture and away from the investigation. “Sure...take a couple of days off and rest up. I’ll call if we need you.”
How easy was that? I gather my things and get out of there as fast as I can before Channing figures out what really happened. I have more unanswered questions now, but the stranger showing up when he did plays into my plans. I made a mental picture of the man and took a few notes. But the thing is; the one thing that stood out about him was his scent— so strong and wild.
I shiver remembering the threat from the stranger, but my main reason for leaving work is to find out why he had been so bold to show up at the station to threaten me. I take Channing up on his offer to rest up. This will give me extra time to investigate the murders and find out why someone threatened my life to keep a secret. Without the Witherfell police looking down my back, I can do a little snooping around town. Apparently, there are lots of secrets to be uncovered in this town.
I don’t go straight home when I leave work. I have a hunch and want to follow it through. I’ve seen the guy who confronted me somewhere before. After a little digging and a conversation with Gracie describing him, I find the answer. Turns out, the stranger is Mayor Pendleton’s pool boy, Jon. And he’s been working right under my nose the whole time. I’ve known exactly what to say to pull Gracie’s strings since grade school. Good old Gracie never had a clue.
That day while everyone, including Mayor Pendleton is working, I pay the B&B a little visit to find out why Jon is working for Gracie’s mom. I know he’s her pool boy, but I think he’s more than that. I think he’s there to watch the Mayor.
I sneak into the house while Gracie and her mom are gone. I feel a bit guilty for snooping, but I can’t very well do it while they are home. It’s simple really, I use my key to open the door and go straight into the mayor’s office. I rummage through the papers in her desk, check the titles on the bookshelf, and examine the closet. There is nothing suspicious. But just to ease my mind, I go down to the basement for a quick look. It looks like a normal basement, except for another desk and a huge wall filled with books.
Just as I begin searching through the books, I hear voices upstairs. I’m startled and fear being caught in an awkward situation, so I dart up the stairs, close the door softly, and slip into my room. Good thing I live here. That evening, I ask a few questions at the dinner table, but everyone is vague with their answers, and I still come up short. I hope they are as innocent as they look and not hiding something. They feel like family to me, I grew up with them.
After Gracie and her mom go to bed, I sneak outside. I push my bike to the curb and jump on. I need to talk to Grams.
The sky is full of stars and the cemetery is lit enough to see clearly so I hurry to Grams’ grave and squat to lay a few wildflowers near her headstone. I push my hair back from the breeze that’s blowing across the graves and run my fingers across her name. My last visit didn’t seem real, I didn’t feel like she was really gone. Now, after
all that’s happened, the reality is all too real. Tears flood my eyes, and for the first time since I returned, I’m filled with an unbearable heartache. Loss. I sob, knowing she’s gone forever. Then, I stop breathing when a hand touches my shoulder. I stiffen and turn, but no one is there. Unless…it’s a ghost. “Grams? Grams is that you?” The graveyard is as quiet as death itself. But it was Grams, I know it was. “Grams, I know you’re there. I just came to let you know that I’m still searching for answers. And I won’t stop until I uncover the truth. I’ll let you know what I learn. I wish you could talk to me.”
As the days pass slowly in Witherfell, my questions go without answers and all my leads without evidence. I visit Grams’ again. The house seems bigger now, and very charming, and I’ve began fixing it up a little at a time. All too soon it’s time to return to work and I’m drawn back into researching the deaths. Soon I discover a disappearance has been reported. I ask more questions, fearing the cases are all related.
Rafe and Channing keep giving each other side glances whenever I mention a word about the murders. I assume they think that I’m just a rookie and don’t know what I’m doing. That’s okay, I’ll use their male chauvinist attitudes to work in my favor. By playing a helpless, clueless female maybe I’ll get my answers. The other officers are not asking any questions.
I would go to Gracie’s mom, the mayor but she would probably look at me in the same way that the other officers have. I don’t have any substantial evidence to tell her. What could I say? I think something mysterious is happening in town. The mayor would get a big laugh out of that. I must keep investigating the murders until I get some facts. I’ll just keep a low profile from now on. I’ll keep my head down and my eyes open.
That evening when I’m leaving work, I see Rafe and Channing huddled near the officers’ restroom in deep, whispered conversation. They don’t see me, so I press myself to the hallway wall and listen. Their words are muffled, but I do hear something; my name for one, and the repeated words, ‘keep to ourselves,’ and ‘hush, hush.’
A knot twists in my stomach thinking that they are hiding the facts—and from me. They have no right to keep evidence from the other officers.
I’ll get to the bottom of this.
Chapter 9
TALA
A few days later, I’m on the couch with a stack of library books to research. If anyone has documented events from the past, I will find them. Maybe I’ll discover why this is happening and how to stop it. I’m deep in thought and don’t notice when Gracie walks in.
Gracie takes one look and takes a deep breath. “Look at you piled up on the couch slumped over a stack of books. Don’t you know it’s a beautiful day and there is still life out there? If you like books so much, you should get yourself back in school and join your friends—even if you do have a GED.”
I find out fast that I’ve been set up on a date by Gracie with someone that she works with. She gets right to the point. “You need a distraction from all this talk about death, murder, and wolves. I’m worried that you’re too caught up in investigating the case, and it’s turning into a bit of an obsession.”
I huff, but don’t look up. “Life without a boyfriend, you mean?”
Gracie dumps her bag and keys on the bar. “Life, period. You know what? You’re depressing me. And that has got to end. It’s time for you to get over your grief and move on.”
“I thought I had when I moved here with you,” I say, giving in and listening to what she has to say. Maybe if she gets it out of her system, she’ll lay off me. “If I’m worrying you so much, I can go anytime you want—just say the word.”
Gracie smacks her head. “Now that’s what I’m talking about. You’re moody and taking it out on me. You know I love having you here. But...let me help you get back into the swing of things.”
“Go on.”
My BFF hesitates, shifting her body and pursing her lips. “Now there you go jumping to conclusions. You know I don’t want you to go. You’re my BFF. Just hear me out, and don’t say no, just listen for once. I have someone I want you to meet. He’s a nice guy who works with me. He’s dark and handsome and sweet. And when I told him about you, he asked to be introduced.”
My gut says no, but just to get her off my back, I accept and pretend I’m okay with the blind date. Which I’m not. Blind dates are always awkward and end up messy. And I hate that. But if she is happy, she’ll be off my back long enough for me to do some more snooping around.
It’s Saturday night and with Gracie’s coaxing, I am ready ahead of time for my date. His name is Ian—he’s cute and charming just like she said he was. After we have a drink, we head out for a fun night on the town. He reminds me of my brother, Josh, in Germany. He smiles and pulls out my chair. And even when he orders, he doesn’t take his eyes off me. What more could a girl ask for?
But I am just a disaster, my mind is elsewhere. I drop my pizza on the floor, and he has to call the waitress over. I can’t possibly hide my red face. While pretending I’m having a good time, I knock his drink into his lap like a total klutz. Now I’m so mortified, I want to disappear. Everything that I can possibly do to mess it up I do. But this time, I’m so ashamed of myself, I just want the evening to end already. What is wrong with me? I’m not at all turned on by Ian so why the case of nerves? That’s it, I can’t stop thinking about the savage killer wolves long enough to relax and enjoy the evening.
Ian drives me home, but I’m not the best company in the world. I’m just not ready to be dating anyone—yet. I can’t get the deaths off my mind, and I’m starting to think that maybe I’m in over my head. On the way home I see something on the road and have Ian stop the car. He stops so fast, the wheels squeal and the car skids sideways.
This time I take a close, careful look, looking at all the details, and know for sure it is the same wolf. He walks in front of the car, stops, and looks straight at me. Then the wolf leaps off into the woods and disappears.
Ian is shocked at what just happened. His eyes flash. “Why do you think that wolf acted so boldly?”
“I have no idea,” I murmur. “But I’m going to find out.”
Ian faces me, his dark eyes staring into mine, as if looking into my soul. “What do you mean? How will you find out? What’s there to find out about a wolf for Pete’s sake!” Then his voice becomes soft. He places his hands on my shoulders, and for the first time I notice his strong, muscular arms. “There’s nothing for you to worry about. I have an axe in the trunk of my car that will take care of him.”
I breathe in the moist night air. Tasting the darkness. Feeling the fierce protectiveness of Ian. “Oh, I’m not afraid of him. I’m just trying to figure out why he keeps following me. There is something curious going on in town with all the killings and disappearances. Don’t worry about it. It doesn’t matter now. But I will find some answers one way or another.” Even if I hunt that wolf down myself.
When Ian walks me to the door, I keep apologizing. Ian’s dark eyes twinkle. “I told you it’s okay, Tala. It wasn’t your fault or my fault. We all have days that we regret. All in all, I had a great time. An unusual time, but a great one.”
A quarter moon is shining down directly overhead. Ian’s eyes widen as he steps in closer. His cologne nearly takes my breath during a moment of silent anticipation as he lowers his face toward mine. I step back. “I’m…sorry. But it’s not going to happen.”
He slowly pulls away with a smile as if nothing really matters. “No problem. I have a long day tomorrow anyway. Come down and see where I work some time. It’s the mill down below Trundledown Bridge. See you around?”
I shove my hair back and step inside. It’s like this—I’m not going to be hurt again. “Yeh, sure,” I say closing the door. Not likely.
But when I close the door, I pray to God I never have a night like that again. I don’t think my nerves could take it. Not to mention, my heart.
The next day, during a break at the station, Rafe asks me about th
e blind date that I had gone on. How does he even know? I wonder. Small town gossip? If he knows about my date, he probably knows how it went, too. I don’t care, it isn’t like it’s a town secret. And I’m a big girl now. I don’t worry about gossip.
“It was a disaster, everything that could go wrong, did, from spilling food over myself and his wine over him. From talking about mutilated bodies—to having him look at me like I had two heads.” Rafe laughs.
“And oh, did I forget to mention being stopped on the way home by the same raving wolf that I saw in the park a few days ago? Yeah, the date was something, but it wasn’t fun. The only real excitement that interested me was when the wolf showed up. I’m making notes by the way, and I will get to the bottom of all this, sooner or later.”
Channing overheard our conversation and butts in. “Maybe you should just drop it. You shouldn’t be sticking your nose into things you have no business being in. We have the police force for a reason, Tala.”
I don’t agree. I return to my desk, fall into my chair, and throw my feet on the desk. “I think we should all be checking the facts and that includes me too. If I feel like sticking my nose into it, then look out—here I go. Ever since I arrived, I’ve felt like there’s something pulling me into this crime situation. And I can’t stop myself.”
Channing scoffs at me, his face turning red.
Rafe shakes his head, knowing that this is going to end up with the both of us butting heads, but Channing cannot let it go. “Face it, Tala, you don’t know what the hell you’re doing, or what the hell is going on.”
I grit my teeth to stay calm and lean forward. “That’s why I can’t stop. I have to know what’s going on. I’m sure it somehow involves me.”
The Shadow Moon: Wolf Awakenings Page 5
