“Connie,” Scarlet said slowly. “Go to my place. She’s there today and I have my computer in my pack and Lucas has a really nice set up in his office there.”
“My question is if Connie knew, she’d tell her sister,” Lily said, thinking out loud of Amelia and Connie. “Why wouldn’t they tell the guys?”
“Since half the town knows it was happening…but we don’t know when the town began to get a hint something was cooking,” Lexi pursed her lips. “The people we talked to weren’t all that surprised at the influx of visitors, until they started talking among one another and came to the conclusion the visitors were all female.”
“And all of them were interested in the single males in the area,” Lily recalled thoughtfully. “Interesting non-violent way to take over a territory.”
“So you’re telling me these things began happening about three weeks ago,” Scarlet stared out the front window as they went through the open gate to the house.
“That’s what we pinned down,” Lexi answered. “And maybe one in four of the people we spoke to thought something was off with all the females exploring their town. And it was interesting because according to Geraldine in the Clips ‘n Nails shop, not all of the girls were keen on the idea.”
“Hell, can this whole thing get any stranger?” Scarlet shoved the door open and walked onto the porch. She could smell something really good with lots of tang to it so she knew Connie was inside cooking.
Chapter Twenty-Two
“Scarlet,” Connie looked up from the laptop when the three younger women entered the main area of the large house. “I was just leaving you a note about dinner.”
“I know my laptop is around here somewhere,” Scarlet answered with a smile.
“I heard you were inspecting the old Tracker building,” Connie said with a little nod. “It’s in good condition. Jerry Tracker took care of his buildings.”
“News sure travels fast around here,” Lily opened her jacket and let it fall from her shoulders.
“Some does,” Connie laughed. “I’ve got friends in a lot of places where people talk. Add to that the design of the town center. Hard to hide much around here.”
“When did you find out females were staking out your nephews?” Lily met a pair of brown eyes filled with honesty.
“Ami and I have been talking about that for the last week or so,” she looked from Lily to Scarlet. “The day before you returned with Lucas, we’d finally talked to enough people to realize it was more than casual that all these pretty girls were visiting our town.”
“When did it begin?” Lexi asked quietly.
“We’re not sure. I mean, we pay attention to that kind of thing, but it’s just a little past end of summer. We figured some had to be last ditch tourists,” Connie shook her head slowly. “But then I started asking questions and Ami began paying more attention at the Inn. They weren’t staying, but they were on the prowl. They dropped some money, got chummy with some of the store owners and asked questions. It’s not like my nephews are the only guys unattached in the area, but there seemed to be an unusual attention paid to them.” She grinned. “I could have just easily believed it was because they’re good-looking and established, if it was local females. But these girls were all ages, some even a bit older. Most far too young where my nephews would be interested in them.”
“They didn’t know about it,” Lily prodded carefully.
“Have you ever been around them when something in their job has their attention?” She laughed. “It’d be like trying to re-route a river. It’s different with you three. They’re aware and alert if you’re anywhere near them. But strangers…they’d notice threat or fear or something off. But interest?” She shook her head, her lips pursed. “Never entered their heads or scope of attention.”
“Do you have any names?” Lexi asked, lips drawn into a pout as she accepted the laptop Scarlet held out to her. She went to the other side of the table and began powering up, attaching cables and thinking.
Connie shrugged. “Only a few who stayed over a night. Most were in and out the same day and giving information wasn’t on their agenda. They were definitely on a learning mission. Ami and I were talking about it this morning,” she sighed and recited the few names she knew from the registration forms at the Inn. “We didn’t want Alex or the boys to think we were paranoid. We don’t really have anything but…”
“Instinct,” Scarlet supplied with a little nod. “I understand that.”
“You haven’t been in town that long,” Connie looked from one to the other. “How did you hear about this already?”
“Trying to get a feel for the gossip,” Lily answered honestly. “And I’m getting just a little tired of being stared at because of who we’re involved with.”
Connie waved a palm in the air. “That’ll settle down with time. You’re news, ladies. These boys have been single a long time; on purpose. Then one after another you arrive and…” she laughed at the tint of color on all their cheeks. “When it’s the right one, it’s fast and confusing as hell.”
“That’s legends and lore talking,” Lily said with a sigh. “It doesn’t make sense. From what I understand, the female would leave her pack and become a member of the mate’s pack. Right?” She looked around to each of them.
“Not really. And there is a lot of…” Lexi searched for a word as she typed.
“Fine print,” Scarlet supplied dryly.
“Mostly what it does is set things a little less adversarial,” Connie said after a long minute.
“Okay…this isn’t the twelfth century. We don’t have to form marital alliances to have peace,” Lily felt the frustration keenly.
“The packs are moving away from that kind of thing. But it’s something that takes time and willingness,” Connie said simply. She leaned back in the chair, jean covered long legs stretched out before her. “We always hope the new generation will learn from the mistakes we’ve made.”
Lily crossed the large open space, standing with slightly parted feet in front of the double sliding doors.
“What’s the gossip since we showed up, Connie?” Lily asked quietly, the answer already forming in her thoughts. And she didn’t like the conclusions.
Connie closed her eyes, drawing in a deep breath.
“Depends on who you listen to,” she looked at Scarlet. “Some have just shrugged it off. Some figure the answer is to get rid of the competition.”
Lexi looked over the top of the computer, brows knit together and ponytail swishing behind her head at the insinuation.
“I really don’t like the sound of that.”
“That’s what I thought,” Lily ran two sets of fingers through her hair, blond curls clinging when she repeated the process. “And if we’re targets, so are the guys.”
“Lily…” Scarlet met the tawny eyes over the laptop.
“Why hasn’t anyone told them?” Lily asked quietly, not turning from the plate glass window or the spreading panorama of nature.
“We talked about it this morning, Lily. We also…” She exhaled slowly. “We didn’t know how…that you would be staying. We didn’t want to just jump into a bunch of rumors and gossip without some kind of proof.”
“One of us dead would sure be proof.”
“Alex is talking to his sons tonight,” Connie pushed air between her lips. “The actions of the council on this were seriously out of line.”
“We want the names of the council members, Connie,” Scarlet met the puzzled look without betraying a thing. “Please.” She crossed to the room off to the side, returning with a notepad and pen. “Someone isn’t being loyal to the pack. You know that as well as we do.”
“Alex is checking into things.”
“So are we,” Scarlet said, motioning to the pen. “Please.”
Connie printed out the names they wanted and slid the paper over the table. She couldn’t blame them. She knew if it were her and her sisters, or friends, they’d be doing the same things. Mal
es didn’t get that you couldn’t claim equality without each of you wanting to protect the other. Love made sure that never changed, she realized.
Lily turned from the patio doors, both hands in the back pockets of her jeans as she paced. She looked at Scarlet.
“How many packs are involved?”
“I’m guessing four,” Lexi answered, pulling her lower lip between her teeth and taking the list Scarlet slid her way.
“That’s what we figured,” Connie agreed.
“That’s how James is getting allies,” Lily frowned. “Is the pack worth that much trouble? Aside from the territory itself?”
“None of them are strong enough to take on our pack on their own,” Connie said confidently. “As for worth…Eli has been investing for us since he was about twelve. He’s brilliant at it. Alex isn’t sure where he got that trait, but he loves it. So as far as worth goes, yes, the pack would net them a lot financially. Add to that the fact that the ranch provides unique meats to half the shifter restaurants in the country. That is very lucrative.”
“So it comes down to the power and money. Typical greed,” Lily nodded, satisfied with that conclusion. “That – I can handle. That makes sense to me.”
Scarlet just sighed and sunk onto the sofa, her head back and eyes closed.
“And don’t even think that none of this would have happened if you stayed in Morning Star,” Lily spoke her friend’s thoughts out loud. “They used Lex for a reason.”
“I could have hidden Lex and stayed out of it.”
“No, Scarlet, you couldn’t have,” Connie shook her head. “The pair bonding brought you into the middle. They can’t force Lucas to take a mate if he’s already bound to you.”
“Having a mate isn’t stopping any of it,” Scarlet threw back angrily.
“Any of the females could have forced a mating,” Lexi said quietly, wincing at the looks from her friends. “If the guys had allowed them close enough.”
“No, it didn’t stop anything. But what it is doing, is forcing them into playing their hand upfront. We need to find the alpha females of these other packs,” Lily said sharply, pale lashes narrowed. “We need to have a face to face and find out how they really feel about sending their females out to troll for them. I’d bet somehow their males are doing the same thing. That would make more sense.”
Connie straightened up, looking at her curiously. “We’d rarely notice truckers coming through. We’re used to them gassing up here or stopping for food. Let me make some calls,” she said abruptly up from the chair and pacing into the kitchen, her cell phone out and voice low.
“So basically they have a few different ideas on how to get their hands on the money and territory,” Lexi looked up from the names she had searched out, sliding the paper she’d written on across the table to Scarlet.
“But they had to have an instigator,” Scarlet looked over the list. “It didn’t just pop out of the air. So who’s running the show? Mitch James? Somehow I don’t think so. I think someone got to him with a little shiny…”
Lexi leaned back in her chair, one foot up on the edge.
“He doesn’t have that kind of ambition. Or nerve. I mean, he’s real brave if he’s alone with someone he believes weaker than him, but a whole pack?” She shook her head, hands clasp around her knee. “It has to be the alpha of one of the other packs.”
“Three of which border the Daniels’ pack territory,” Scarlet laid out a sheet of paper and did a little rough drawing. “Or mine.” She looked over at Lexi. “Can you find photos?”
“Hmm…let me see what I can do for you…” Lexi moved her fingers over the keyboard, glancing now and then at the names she’s written down. Brows creased a little; full lips pulled into a taut pout. “Don’t you just hate people who think they have something to hide…or the knowledge…damn it…to keep it hidden…”
“Problem?” Lily leaned over her shoulder, grinning and winking at Scarlet.
“Just back off,” came the very cat like snarl, her ponytail twitching in irritation.
“That tail thing is still too creepy,” Lily shook her head at her friend.
“You know I can’t stop that,” Lexi growled, the corner of her lip curling. “Fine. I know where you have photos…”
Scarlet was up and around the table, peering down at the screen as Lexi tapped on keys. She groaned softly.
“Please be careful,” she rolled her eyes.
“The DMV?” Lily asked with a chuckle.
“Best photo collection. Everyone drives these days,” Lexi returned. “Hah! Got ‘em,” she collected the three photos she wanted and quickly backed out of the site. She opened the photos, displaying them on her screen.
Scarlet felt her blood run cold. Abe Morrison.
Lexi looked over at Lily.
“You know one of them?” Lily went to the kitchen and came back with some cold water. “Drink. Now.”
“He’s been to my Inn. Several times in the last three months.”
“He was more than a visitor.” Lexi didn’t like the pale features on her friend. “You told me someone just didn’t like taking no for an answer.”
All three of them jumped when the slamming of a car door echoed into the house. Connie came out of the kitchen and looked at the three young women barely breathing when the door was shoved wide. She wasn’t surprised to see tension on her nephew’s faces. For a very long minute it looked like a quiet stand-off.
“You’re early,” Scarlet finally said in the middle of the silence that was becoming too unsettling.
“If I hear anything, Scarlet, I’ll call you,” Connie said, gathering her jacket.
“Thanks, Connie.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
“Escaping from ground zero,” Lily said as the door closed behind Connie. She went to the breakfast bar and pulled a stool over for her to lean against. “Have you seen your father?” She hadn’t directed the question at any one of them but wasn’t surprised when Lucas responded.
“He came for a visit, dragging them with him. You want an explanation for why I was too dense to notice females throwing themselves at me?” The whiplash of anger in his words echoed loudly around the room.
The girls raised an eyebrow.
“I wasn’t looking for an answer to that particular question,” Scarlet said carefully.
Jess moved behind his brother, his head shaking as he brought a palm up and smacked him on the back of the head.
“Don’t mind him. If he’s dense, it’s genetic and we should be grateful you’re not running for the hills at this point,” he crossed to Lily, his palm beneath her chin and mouth down gently. “Hi.”
“We’re going hunting as a pack and I want you to come with us, Scarlet,” Lucas chose to ignore his brother for the moment, tossing his jacket to the sofa.
“I don’t think you’re dense,” she said flatly. “Evidently lacking in sensitivity, but hey, what do I know?” She snarled back at him, looking at the silent Lexi. “You’re part of this. Are you coming along?”
“I’ll stay with Lily,” Lexi moved to close the laptop until Lucas placed his hand on the lid.
“Why do you have those up?” He looked from one to the other. His jaw tense and eyes narrowed.
“Research.” Lexi answered just as flatly.
“Try again.” He knew his canines had slid free of his control, green eyes cruising the stubborn tilt of his mate’s head. “What the hell are you doing?” His eyes widened when Scarlet pulled the jacket off and tossed it to the sofa, her tee shirt up and following. So there she stood in jeans and bra.
“You ordered me on the pack hunt, remember? I’m getting naked so I don’t lose any more clothing,” Scarlet opened the snap on her jeans, their eyes locked on one another. She ignored the choked coughing from her friends and the carefully averted glances and cleared throat from her almost brother in laws.
“I did not order you…” Lucas crossed the room and picked up her shirt. “Will you put that on
.”
Jess shook his head and sighed, looking at Lily. “Some people without someone to watch out for them are at the town hall while we hunt. Would you mind?”
“I can do that,” she nodded easily. “And we don’t think you’re dense or stupid. We think you’ve been involved in what’s called life and that means you didn’t give a rats ass if girls you did not find appealing, were sniffing around you. Until the right one came into your life, of course.” She looked at Lexi. “Lex? Town hall?”
Lexi nodded and closed the laptop before packing it into her bag.
“You could come on the hunt, Lex,” Eli stared into the bright blue eyes as she came to stand in front of him.
“I’m a stalker…not a runner. I’ll be more useful in town with Lily,” she kissed him, a slow lingering kiss that promised a lot more. Later.
“Why were you looking at the alpha’s of the other packs?” Lucas finally let himself breathe when Scarlet pulled her shirt over her head.
“Because we’ve done a little investigating of our own. Because somehow information is getting about. Because someone is wanting your territory and your bank account, which we’re guessing goes with the alpha position,” Scarlet nodded to herself at the look in all the male eyes watching her. “And because for whatever reasons, someone has chosen to involve us. If I’m good enough to hunt with the pack, I’m good enough to be nosy and ask questions.”
Lucas felt his teeth grating. An hour with his father asking about females sniffing around followed by another hour listening to Hank tell him about the males that had come sniffing around and he wanted nothing more complex then to tear something apart.
And he didn’t want Scarlet thinking it was her.
“I’ll be right back,” Scarlet went upstairs without looking back.
“We’ll be in town,” Lily looked at Lucas. “We don’t like being pawns and we’re not used to being helpless.”
“Do you have any idea how damned hard it is not to ship the three of you off to god-fuck nowhere until this is over? Just to keep you safe?” Lucas demanded hotly, dragging both hands through his hair and pacing the large room. He didn’t notice the woman standing on the stairs watching him.
Devil Hills: #1 Scarlet, Lexi & Lily Page 19
