Breathe Into Me

by Nikki Drost

  Carlos seems to consider Micah’s request. “You know I can only share a specific amount of information, but I promise if you’re honest with me and you can prove without a shadow of a doubt that Mr. Scott is innocent, then I’ll have the charges dropped immediately.”

  Micah runs his hand over his jaw. “It’s a deal, go ahead, Andy.”

  I take a deep breath and begin my story. “The killer’s name is Oscar Farron he’s about six feet and around one hundred eighty pounds, athletic build with dark golden hair and blue eyes. I met him at The Boondocks two weeks ago. The day after, he accosted me in the parking lot of the hospital. He told me to tell Adam to leave town with his friends or it would get bloody and I didn’t tell them and now Vanessa is dead.” Tears threaten to fall, but I do my best to hold them at bay.

  “This is everything we have on him. His last address was the trailer that went up in smoke early yesterday morning. All of his known aliases are there and his employment records for the last ten years.”

  Carlos accepts the file and starts to sort through its contents.

  “Okay, but what I don’t understand is what started all of this. Why did he single you out, Andy? Did something happen?”

  I begin to fidget causing Adam to answer for me.

  “Yeah he hit on her and when she refused him, he disrespected her so I punched him in his jaw.”

  Carlos seems to consider Adam’s statement. “Is that when you got your shiner, Mr. Stone?”

  Adam shakes his head. “Nope the black eye was work related, and he never had a chance to lay a hand on me.”

  Carlos scratches his temple. “Okay so what you’re telling me is this guy hit on Andy, got his ass kicked, and because you didn’t leave town he killed Miss Clark? I’m sorry, but there has to be more to this story.”

  Crap now what.

  “Have you seen him since that night at the hospital, Andy?”

  I shake my head no.

  “Okay I’ll check the security tapes at the hospital, I’ll need the date and time of the occurrence. Maybe we’ll get lucky and see this guy leaving with Miss Clark, because as helpful as all of this is, it’s still not enough to prove he’s responsible for murder.”

  I can feel my anger rise at the notion that the bastard may actually get away with this. “Well Lincoln sure didn’t do it. All you have is his DNA and of course, it would be there, they were dating. You need to let him go Carlos, he didn’t do this.”

  Carlos’s face softens. “Andy we checked his alibi. Mr. Scott said that he was at the bar until closing. Both Mr. McDermott and Henry here confirmed this, but Keith doesn’t believe either of them. It might have something to do with the bartender hurling what I can only assume were insults in his native tongue. And despite who Henry’s father is, Keith thinks he’s lying because he’s your friend. I’m sure some of you can corroborate his alibi.” Everyone, but Adam nods, he knew Lincoln was there, but he never went into the bar that night.

  “Wait does Finn have camera’s in the parking lot?”

  If so then there would be proof of Lincoln’s whereabouts. Not to mention proof that shape shifters exist. Shit, I had forgotten about Micah changing into his wolf form.

  “Nope the owner said he hasn’t had time to install any.”

  Thank god, that could’ve been bad.

  “Linc didn’t have any marks on his body, how do you explain that?” Adam asks.

  “Honestly we can’t. By all accounts, he should be covered in defensive wounds, but I’m sure Spence has some explanation that he’s not sharing. Look, I’ll start on this and if I find anything I’ll let you know and I’ll see what I can do about getting the charges dropped.”

  I take in the appearance of my old friend and notice the stress lining his chiseled features. His hazel eyes appear tired and weary.

  “Carlos why don’t you go back to the hotel and get some sleep, you look exhausted.”

  Carlos runs his fingers through his hair. “Believe me, Niña, the only thing I want more than sleep is to go home and take care of, Carmen. I didn’t have the chance to tell you earlier that we’re expecting. Our son will be arriving in two months.”

  “Oh Carlos, that’s wonderful news. I’m so happy for the both of you.”

  Carlos’s expression becomes grim. “I hate being away from my wife, but I have too many open cases that need my attention. Between Boston, Westhaven and Bar Harbor, Maine, I’m up to my neck in dead bodies and missing persons. I’m not sure if you’re aware that there have been surges of disappearances and murders across the eastern seaboard over the last few weeks. All of them reported to be animal related. The entire situation baffles the hell out of me.”

  An awkward silence fills the room.

  “Well, Kelsey, I think our work here is done. Let’s get you back to your hotel.” Henry makes it to his feet and holds his hand out for Kelsey to take.

  “Wait a minute. I thought you were staying with your grandparents?” I narrow my eyes on my best friend.

  “Yeah, about that, I lied. My grandparents are on a cruise for their anniversary.”

  “That’s it. I’m following you to your hotel, princess. You’re packing your stuff and coming back here.”

  Cass starts to protest. “Ah, Jamie, I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”

  I hate to agree with Cass, but with Kelsey around they won’t be able to shift or talk freely about their lives, kind of like before I knew what they were.

  “Fine, Cass, we’ll just leave her unprotected in a room that anyone can break into.”

  Kelsey jumps up and makes her way over to, Jamie. “Look I enjoy men fighting over me as much as the next girl, but I’m perfectly safe at the hotel and it’s only for the night since I’m going home tomorrow. Besides, you’ll have to do better than that if you want to spend the night with me,” Kelsey taunts with a smile.

  Jamie’s expression darkens. “Did you forget about the body on your lawn? The killer knows where you live. You’re not going back home until he’s caught, and you know as well as I do that if I wanted you in my bed you’d be there.”

  Kelsey plasters on one of her sexy smiles. “Please, the only thing we both know is that you’ve been trying and failing, for weeks I might add. It just burns your ass that I haven’t come crawling on my hands and knees like all of the other women in town, huh? Now I’ll be perfectly safe at home, I have an alarm and Henry will be there. You are just going to have to deal with the fact that you can’t tell me what to do big guy. You are not my father or my boyfriend, not that it would matter anyways.”

  Jamie’s massive frame looms over hers as he licks his lips. “Be happy I’m not your man, because if I were I’d take you over my fucking knee and give you the spanking you so obviously need.”

  Oh god he did not just say that to her did he? Jamie’s naughty words don’t even faze my best friend.

  “Be honest, this isn’t about my safety, not really. This is about the hard-on you get every time you see me. Oh, and just so you know,” Kelsey leans her petite frame closer to Jamie, “I enjoy being spanked.”

  Dear god, just shoot me now. These two are like a horrific car accident. You know it’s going to be awful, but you just can’t look away.

  Adam slowly leans over to whisper in my ear, “It’s like watching one of those documentaries on Animal Planet. I’m guessing this is some sort of weird mating ritual. Don’t make any sudden moves, luv, we don’t want to startle them.”

  I can’t contain my laughter and neither can the rest of the men in the room. Of course, our amusement doesn’t even slow the two of them down. They really should find a room and just get it over with.

  “Andy, tell this jackass that I’ll be fine at home with, Henry.”

  Oh jeez, I really don’t want to get dragged into the middle of this.

  “I’m a jackass because I’m trying to protect you? Has the dye in your hair fried all of your brain cells?”

  Kelsey gasps at his insult. “You son of a bitch,
I happen to be a natural blonde. I also happen to have a master’s degree in international business and I can speak ten languages. So save the dumb blonde jokes for the skanks you sleep with.”

  “Call me all the names you want just remember that I’m the man who’s trying to keep you safe.”

  “All right enough you two!” Micah shouts while trying to hide his amusement. “Kelsey despite my brother’s attitude, he’s right you aren’t safe at the hotel. You are more than welcome to stay here. I also appreciate what you two did tonight.”

  “Oh, I’m sure her rich daddy would have bailed her out. Isn’t that right, princess?” Jamie scoffs in her direction.

  “Probably, but it would never get that far. Have you taken a good look at my cleavage? With these babies I can talk my way out of anything.”

  Cass throws his head back in laughter. “Can we keep her? She’s hysterical.”

  Jamie lights another smoke. “No, fucker, you can’t keep her. She’s not a damn puppy.” I turn my attention to Carlos who is eyeing Adam with suspicion.

  “I don’t suppose that you’re related to the Stone’s from Bar Harbor?” Adam stiffens underneath me.

  “You are aren’t you? Well, well the plot thickens.” Carlos stuffs the file with the evidence against Lincoln into his briefcase replacing it with another, this one is marked FBI and DEA. He passes the thick folder to me with a smile. “Consider us even. I’m going into town to have some dinner. I’ll be back in an hour so read quickly.”

  He starts to make his way to the door and stops short. “Miss Collins, Mr. Ross, I don’t suppose either of you would like to join me?” He flashes Kelsey one of his pantie dropping smiles.

  “Sure why not.”

  Henry and Kelsey say their goodbyes before heading toward the front door.

  “You’re really going to have dinner with him?” Jamie asks.

  Kelsey turns to face him and smiles sweetly. “I never turn down an invitation from a handsome man, especially one that carries handcuffs.”

  Carlos holds the door open for her.

  “Agent Rivera, how about we skip dinner and go have a few drinks?”

  Carlos throws his head back in laughter as he walks out the door.

  “I don’t fucking believe her!” Jamie yells.

  I ignore the impulse to laugh at his obvious annoyance with my best friend, this is not the time for that. I pass Micah the folder since he’d probably understand its contents better than I would.

  He scans the contents of the file quickly before running his hands through his dark hair. Micah pulls a surveillance photo from the file and holds it up for the room to see.

  “Does this motherfucker look familiar?”

  Several curses ring out.

  “Who is it?” I ask.

  The photo is in black and white, but two men are clearly visible. Micah points to one of the men in the photo.

  “This is Terric Shaw and the man standing next to him is his father, Tavish. Both of these men are well known Alpha’s and according to this file, major drug runners. What really blows my mind is the fact that Tavish supposedly died over a hundred years ago in Scotland.”

  I don’t get it. “Why is it a big deal if this guy is alive?” I suddenly find myself being lifted off of Adam’s lap and placed onto his couch cushion.

  He looks like he’s about to explode.

  “It’s a big deal because my father is married to Tavish’s widow. I knew something was going on when Liza showed up at my father’s doorstep begging for clemency. The second my father married that bitch he signed his own death warrant, and the birth of my sister was the final nail in his coffin. FUCK!” he shouts.

  I start to stand, but Adam holds his hand up to stop me.

  “Kid, you need to calm down before you manifest a category five hurricane.” Micah lights up a cigarette of his own. “Jesus, this explains the werewolf activity in Maine. This must have been what Brennan was talking about today. I’m going to kill that fucking cat for not bringing this to my attention sooner.” Micah turns his attention back to the file. His head suddenly snaps to attention, his eyes change from sapphire to emerald in an instant.

  “We’ve got a major problem. You may want to sit down, kid, you’re not going to like what I’m about to tell you.”

  “Just say it,” Adam snaps.

  “As of a week ago you have several missing family members. Liza, Terric, and Landon have all disappeared. According to this police report, there was an altercation between Landon and Terric last Saturday afternoon. Later that same day the local police received a 911 call reporting a high-speed chase with gunfire. BHPD located your brother’s car at Arcadia State Park. The body of a young woman was found in the trunk. She sustained a GSW to the head. The victim’s family reported that she had been in a relationship with your brother. I’m sorry, kid, but the authorities have put out an APB’s and issued a warrant for his arrest.” Micah tosses the file on top of the coffee table obviously annoyed with this situation.

  Adam takes a drag off his cigarette and continues to pace. God this is a freaking nightmare. This situation was bad enough with Vanessa’s death and Lincoln arrest, but now Adam’s brother is missing and wanted for murder? I’m worried that this will push Adam over the edge and he’ll become reckless with his life again.

  “So setting up my father wasn’t enough, now they’ve dragged my brother into a feud that has been going on for centuries. I’m going to kill every one of those bastards. Is there anything in there about my sister?”

  Micah shakes his head. “There is basic info on her and pictures of her with your family, but nothing saying she’s in any danger.”

  Adams sighs in relief. “Thank god for small favors.”

  I lean over and pull a picture out of the folder. It’s a surveillance photo of a beautiful woman with dark auburn hair standing with a tall good-looking man with dark curly hair.

  “Is this Landon and Izabella?” I ask as I show Adam the picture.

  He nods.

  “You two look alike.”

  Adam reaches for the picture. “If you ever meet Landon, don’t tell him that,” He chuckles. He sits next to me as he gazes at the photo of his siblings.

  “You miss them, don’t you?”

  He takes one last look before handing the photo back to, Micah. “I think about them every day,” he whispers as I lean into his open arms.

  “I’m sorry this happened, kid, but don’t worry we will find your brother and do whatever we can to help your father.”

  Jamie and Cass nod in agreement. I can’t imagine what Adam’s going through. I wonder why he never mentioned having a step- brother.

  “Your friend risked his career leaving this here. Why would he do that?” Micah asks.

  My answer is instantaneous. “Because I saved his life, that’s what he meant by we’re even.”

  The men in the room look questioningly at me.

  “Keith and Carlos were in pursuit of that suspect he had mentioned the other day. They had him cornered when Carlos was shot in the chest. He almost died in the ER.” I can still see Keith’s face, he was so worried. His hair was messy and he had blood all over his hands and stark white dress shirt.

  “I just figured you’d met Carlos through your ex,” Adam says sarcastically.

  “No it was the other way around. I was the one who revived Carlos and kept him alive until we got him to surgery.” I remember how grateful Keith was, he repeatedly asked me to dinner to show his gratitude for saving his partner. I kept turning him down, but he eventually won me over.

  “Is that why he used deadly force on that guy?” Jamie asks.

  I nod my head. “It took Keith three weeks to find the suspect. During which time that sick bastard had kidnapped, raped, and murdered another little girl. Keith was consumed with guilt for letting him get away in the first place, but he didn’t have a choice. If he had gone after him, Carlos would have bled to death. Between the girl’s death and almost losing Carlos he
just snapped.”

  Adam sighs loudly. “Damn, you’re making it really hard for me to hate the guy.”

  “We need to find that coyote and get Linc out of jail and then get our asses to Maine. In the meantime, I’m going to send them some reinforcements. Adam, get on the phone with your dad and find out why the hell he didn’t call us.” Micah stands and makes his way downstairs. He’s probably heading to his office.

  “Just when I think things can’t get any worse. What the hell are we going to do?” Cass asks the room.

  “We do as Micah says and pray to god my brother is still alive when we find him.”

  Chapter 18

  It’s been two days since we talked to Special Agent Rivera. Lincoln’s still in jail and my dad still hasn’t returned my phone calls. I take a sip of SoCo and reach for my smokes. The sun is starting to rise in the horizon, its golden rays reflect off the lake making the water sparkle like a pool of diamonds. It looks like it’s going to be a beautiful day.

  I’ve been sitting out here on my deck for hours trying to figure out what to do about my family. I am so mad at my father. He should have called me the moment Landon went missing. I’m sure my dad believed he could handle this on his own.

  Besides being one of the most respected shifters in existence, he’s also the pack master for the entire Bar Harbor area. He not only governs over wolves, but every type of shifter that resides in that little ocean town. If they have a problem, he’s the man who solves it. But this is my domain, finding missing shifters is an Enforcer’s job, especially when they are taken by Omegas. I should have known Terric would do something like this. That son of a bitch has always hated my family. From the moment, I met him I knew there would come a day when I’d have put him down. God how could my dad not have seen it? Liza is just as bad as her son is.

  Maybe if I hadn’t left home I could have talked my father out of marrying that bitch, or at the very least been there to protect my brother. I remember the day I decided to leave. Landon was so mad at me, he wanted to come with me, but I had refused.