Silver Moon (Hot Moon Rising #6)

by Merryn Dexter

  She’d been planning to leave her job in a few weeks anyway, so it wasn’t like there was much to give up in all honesty. It was just the assumption that she would walk away without a second thought. He’d even been muttering about the search for Razor being a waste of time now the human world was no longer her concern.

  Living with Kirk, loving him, that was the easy part. What bothered her was not knowing what she would do, what she could do to make a positive contribution to her new community. As traditional as her parents had been, they’d still raised her to be independent. To think for herself. To work to support herself. Kirk couldn’t see the problem. If he had his way, she’d never leave the cabin. Would be barefoot and pregnant, keeping house and raising his kids. Kids? Puppies? Oh God! What if she got pregnant and they came out furry?

  A gentle hand rested against her arm. “Talk to us, Silver. Something just freaked you the hell out. Tell us what you’re worried about,” Alexa urged.

  Damn wolves and their super-noses.

  “I was thinking about babies.” She sighed. Two weeks and she was thinking about raising a family with a near stranger.

  “Oh boy, you two would have the cutest pups.” The woman next to Alexa sighed. Liana was a wolf, same as Alexa. The two women had mated humans—Jesse and Charlie, the two detectives who’d saved her life. In more ways than one.

  By bringing her to Moonlight, they had introduced her to a world full of wonder. That hadn’t been their intent, of course. But it didn’t matter. In Kirk’s arms, she understood the difference between living and existing. So why am I looking for reasons not to embrace this new life?

  Liana’s words sank in. “Pups? Like, four legs, wagging tail, cold nose pups?” Her hand fluttered over her stomach.

  Alexa snorted. “You won’t give birth to anything with fur. Is that what had you worried? I’m half-human. Any children you and Kirk may have in the future would be born in human form.”

  Alexa tilted her head. Kirk had the same mannerism, and now Silver knew the truth; she could identify a number of animalistic traits the wolves showed. “You love him?”

  There was a hesitation, a question mark in Alexa’s tone, which made her uncomfortable. She bristled, wondering why she felt a need to defend her lover. “I do. Very much.”

  Whatever the other woman had been about to say got interrupted by the phone in her pocket. “Hi, Jesse. Yes, were still in the diner, just about to order something to eat. What’s up?”

  Silver lifted her menu. Browsing the lunch choices would give her a chance to calm her irritation. Kirk had his faults, sure, but the wary way the other members of the pack behaved around him pissed her off. Alexa tapped on the back of her menu, and she lowered it to find the other woman staring anxiously at her.

  “There’s a problem with your evidence. I don’t know the full details, but the tape got damaged somehow. Talk to Jesse.”

  Taking the proffered phone, Silver lifted it to her ear. “Hello?”

  “Hey, Silver. Damn, I’m so sorry, but someone screwed up here. Your evidence was submitted; Charlie and I checked the recording on the way to the station and it was fine. The clerk signed out the tape to transcribe it, and it’s wiped.”

  A dull ache spread through her gut. It had taken everything she had to relive that night, and for nothing. “What does that mean for the case?”

  Jesse sighed heavily in her ear. “Without your statement, we’ve got nothing. I’m sorry to ask, but could you come in and redo it?”

  “Come in? As in to the station?” She bit her lip. Kirk would go ballistic if she left town without him. “Can it wait?”

  “We’re running the suspect down, Silver. We’ve got everyone on it, including The Defenders. Charlie thinks we’ll have him in custody today, so time is of the essence. Without any evidence, his lawyer will have him out within an hour of booking.”

  What to do? It was Kirk’s first day in his new role, and scared as she might be, she couldn’t expect him to come running and hold her hand. Hadn’t Jesse just said they were close to catching Razor? “Okay. I’ll do it.”

  “Great. That’s great. I’m on my way to pick you up now. You’ll be there and back before you know it.” The phone went dead. She held it out to Alexa, trying to quell the nerves fluttering in her belly.

  “Do you want us to come with you?” Riesa, the alpha’s mate wrapped an arm around Silver’s shoulder.

  For a brief moment, she considered it. These four women were ready to do whatever she needed to feel safe. Pack. This is what it means to be part of the pack. Her doubts about the future melted away in the face of that realization. She had friends here; she just needed to give it time and settle in. They would help her to forge a place, to find a purpose.

  She lifted her hand, squeezed Riesa’s fingers where they held her, and smiled. “I’ll be fine. Jesse and Charlie will be there to look after me.”

  Riesa opened her mouth, paused for a moment, then shook her head. “I’m sure they will take good care of you. Just promise me one thing. Tell Kirk where you are going. He needs to feel in control of things.” She removed her arm from Silver’s back and tapped her menu. “You need to eat. I really want a burger, but I’m going with the chicken salad. I wish I had a wolf’s metabolism.”

  “Salad sounds good,” Silver agreed. “And maybe just a tiny slice of pie.”

  The tension around the table relaxed into laughter and appreciative coos over the Moonlight Diner’s legendary key lime pie. She knew Riesa was right, but that didn’t mean she was looking forward to Kirk’s reaction. I’ll call him from the station.

  ***

  Jesse tried to be reassuring, but the more he told her there would be no problem, the more nervous she felt. He pulled the truck into the parking lot at the back of the station and led her through a security entrance. Showing her to a shabby-looking waiting room, he patted her arm.

  “I’ll just check on Charlie, darlin’, make sure everything is set up for your statement.”

  She perched on the edge of the dark-green couch and dug in her purse for the disposable phone Kirk had given her. He’d programmed in his number. Taking a deep breath, she connected the call. The nervous feeling in her stomach increased with every chirp of the ring tone in her ear. Pick up, pick up.

  “Leave a message,” his gruff voice said, followed by a sharp beep.

  “Oh, um…hey, Kirk, it’s Silver. I’m fine, everything is fine, so don’t get mad when you pick this up. There was a problem with my statement, so I’m at the station with Jesse and Charlie to do another one.”

  She paused, checking the clock on the wall. “It’s a quarter after one. I shouldn’t be more than an hour. Maybe you could come and pick me up? I have to go. Love you.”

  Swallowing down the lump in her throat, she forced a smile she didn’t feel as Jesse stuck his head around the door. “Ready to start?”

  The station was busy. People hunched over computers, talking into phones, shouting information to each other across the room Jesse led her through. She ducked her head down. After the peace and quiet of the cabin, the hubbub unsettled her.

  It was a relief when they entered the interview room, leaving the noise behind them.

  “Hey, Silver.” Charlie grinned at her, his long dark hair tied off his face in a tight cue at the nape of his neck. “Take a seat.”

  She sat on the opposite side of the scarred table, huddled against the wall. You’re being foolish. You’re in a building surrounded by cops; there’s nothing to be afraid of. She sat straighter in her seat, ignoring the urge to check her phone. She hadn’t anticipated Kirk wouldn’t answer when she called. He’s busy.

  A knock on the door interrupted the train wreck of her thoughts, and she turned toward it. An overweight man filled the open doorway, sweat beading on his forehead and darkening the pale-blue shirt he wore beneath the arms. The smile on his face didn’t reach his eyes. She glanced at Charlie, then Jesse. They both looked pissed at the interruption.

&nb
sp; “Ray.”

  “Hey, guys, sorry to bust in, but I thought you’d want to be in on it. I’ve been pressing my informants, and I’ve got a solid lead on Razor. I know it’s your case, so figured you’d want to be the ones to take him.” He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket. “Damn this heat.”

  The detectives went on point, their attention all on their colleague. Jesse checked the gun on his hip. “You’re sure the information is solid?”

  “Absolutely. My guy hasn’t let me down yet. Your suspect is holed up in an empty apartment on Cherry.”

  “I know the place,” Charlie said, eyes shining with excitement. “It’s on the list I drew up of possible hideout locations.”

  The men were halfway out the door before they stopped. “Shit, Silver. I’m sorry,” Jesse said.

  She could see the conflict in his face. His need to do his job, to catch the killer. That’s what they all wanted, right?

  “It’s okay. I can wait. If you catch him, then you will need my evidence straight away. I called Kirk and let him know where I was, so he should be here soon.”

  “Hey, Jesse. I can keep an eye on, Silver is it?” Ray said. “You hungry, sweetheart?”

  She shook her head. “I could do with a coffee, though.”

  “Great. No problem. I’ll take you to the break room and get you one.”

  Jesse hesitated still.

  She gave him a smile, making a shooing motion with her hand. “Go. Catch the bad guy. The sooner he’s in custody, the sooner things can get back to normal.”

  With a nod of thanks, he was gone, leaving her alone with Ray. He flashed her that insincere smile again. Suppressing a shudder of dislike, she allowed him to usher her into the corridor.

  “It’s just up ahead, on the right.” He nudged her in front of him, and she moved forward. “Here.”

  Silver stared in confusion at the thick steel door. “It’s the emergency exit.” Something hard dug into the small of her back.

  “Don’t do anything stupid, bitch. I’ve been looking for you for a fucking week.” He jabbed her again. “Hurry up before somebody sees us.”

  Oh, God. I’m sorry, Kirk. She gripped the push bar in her shaking hands and opened the door. Ray grabbed her shoulder, forcing her down the stairs and out into the parking lot.

  “Over there. The blue sedan. Don’t try anything stupid now.”

  The muzzle of his gun poked her again, catching between two of her ribs. Pain drove the breath from her lungs, and she staggered forward. He forced her into the car, rounded the hood with the gun tucked against his side. He climbed in, the tortured shock absorbers doing little to cushion his weight. The car sank lower on his side.

  “What are you doing? Jesse and Charlie will be back soon. How long do you think it will take them to put two and two together?” She tried to keep her voice calm. If she could reason with him, maybe he would change his mind. “If you take me back inside, I won’t say anything. I promise.”

  The engine started, and he steered one-handed out of the lot, keeping the gun trained on her. “You think I’m stupid? Those two glory hounds won’t be coming back. They’re going to get more than they bargained for.”

  Stomach clenching, she leaned her head against the window as she absorbed the enormity of the situation. Jesse and Charlie were heading for a trap. This wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment thing. They’d planned this. Whoever they were.

  She turned her head to look at him. “Why are you doing this?” she whispered.

  “I needed the cash. The taskforce is fucking everything up, disrupting the gangs, and cutting off my income streams. When they turned your tape in last week, I saw my chance. I gave your details to Razor, but you’d disappeared.”

  He glanced at her. The dark circles under his arms were spreading. The sour odor of his sweat filled the car, making her want to heave. He flicked his eyes back to the road, took a left turn, and risked another quick look at her. Fear widened his eyes. She recognized the look, had seen it on her own face too often those first couple of days after the murder.

  “He’s not someone you want to be on the wrong side of, girl. I had to do something to draw you out, so I wiped the tape. Set things up with the gang, told them to be ready.”

  They passed through a quiet neighborhood, turned again, and the number of houses lessened giving way to a more industrial landscape. She didn’t recognize the area at all. The few months she’d been in Florida, she’d stuck close to home. Everything she needed had been within a handful of blocks. Her original plan had been to spend the summer exploring, and then it didn’t seem worth bothering to go farther afield once she’d decided to leave town.

  Ray cut down a narrow road between two large buildings and pulled up around the back next to a loading dock. The paint on the doors had split and peeled. The high windows of the warehouse were either broken or boarded up.

  “Get out.”

  His voice made her jump, and she fumbled with the lock of her seatbelt. He climbed out of the car, waving the gun toward the large double-doors. She edged around the rear of the vehicle and winced when he grabbed her arm, dragging her across the cracked concrete. He rapped on the door with the butt of the gun, looking over his shoulder ever couple of seconds.

  “Come on, come on.” His fat cheeks glistened with sweat, his shirt practically soaked through. He’s not as sure about this plan as he’s making out.

  It might be sheer bravado on her part, but Silver seized on the tiny thread of hope. Jesse and Charlie were smart guys; maybe they would get out okay. And then there was Kirk. Kirk would find her. He’d tear the world apart to get to her, she just needed to hang on, not do anything stupid.

  The door swung open, and Ray shoved her forward. She stumbled, blinded for a moment by the contrast between the dark interior and the bright sunshine outside. Hard hands grabbed her arms, pinning them behind her back. Fear surged, sending her heart racing.

  She couldn’t let it take hold, had to keep calm, stay focused. Stay alive as long as she could. My name is Silver Ellis. I live in the town of Moonlight. Kirk Matheson is my mate. He will come for me. She repeated the litany in her mind, slowing her breathing.

  The shadows within the warehouse resolved themselves. A pile of trash in the corner gave the impression someone had made an attempt at cleaning up. Wooden crates cluttered the space, their tops ripped open, contents spilled on the floor. She risked a look at the man holding her arms. The boyishness of his face surprised her. He was just a kid, seventeen, eighteen at best.

  “Hi, my name is Silver.” She gave him a tentative smile.

  “Shut up, bitch.” He shook her arm, and she lowered her eyes immediately.

  Ray looked around the warehouse. “Where the fuck is Razor? I need to get out of here before anyone notices I’m missing from the station.”

  “Chill, fat man. He’ll be here soon.” An older, rougher-looking man stepped forward. He chucked an envelope at Ray. “There’s your money. Now get the fuck outta here.”

  The detective caught the envelope, glanced once at Silver, then turned away. “Pleasure doing business,” he called over his shoulder.

  A third man closed the warehouse door, sliding a thick bar into place to secure it. He didn’t even glance her way as he walked past, heading toward a group of old chairs that looked like they’d been rescued from the local dump. The money man studied her, clicked his tongue behind his teeth, and shook his head.

  “You’ve caused us way too much trouble, bitch. If I had it my way, you’d be dead already.” The hard look on his face told her he spoke the absolute truth. He would kill her and not think twice about it. She shrank back against the younger man holding her.

  Money-man bared his teeth in a mockery of a smile. “Razor is a vindictive bastard. He wants the pleasure of bleeding you out himself.” He looked past her to the man holding her captive. “Take her over there. Tie her up.”

  Come on, Kirk. Find me.

  Chapter Ten

  Kirk stood
among the ruins of Silver’s living room. He’d called in to collect a few more things while he was in the area, wanting to surprise her. Found her home violated. The guts of her cozy furniture lay spilled out over the floor, her television smashed. Books shredded and defaced. Obscene threats were scrawled across the walls. The bedroom looked worse. The devastation before him was personal, not the product of punks looking for things to steal. Her clothing had been slashed, her bed used as a toilet.

  Rage built within him. Expanded with every beat of his heart until there was nothing human left. He was death. He was vengeance. Whoever had done this would not survive to see the sunrise. The phone in his pocket chirped. He pulled it out and stared at the screen. Silver. He tucked it away. He couldn’t speak to her, not right now.

  He’d go to her tonight, with the blood of her enemies hot on his tongue. Show her his true nature and hope she could accept him. He might be enough of a bastard that he wouldn’t let her go even if she couldn’t, but she needed to know the truth. The man she thought she loved was a sham. Kirk Matheson was the devil in human form.

  Time to get to work.

  Glass crunched beneath his feet. He crouched, tugged a crumpled photograph from the shattered frame he’d stepped on. A much younger Silver stared shyly from the picture, bracketed by an older, smiling couple. He straightened the corner carefully and tucked the photo away in the inside pocket of his leather jacket. Without a backward glance, he walked away from one scene of destruction, hell-bent on creating another.

  He threw himself into the driver’s seat of his truck and grabbed the notebook from the dash. There were a couple of locations left on his list to check—an apartment block in a rundown part of town and a warehouse to the north. Charlie had been busy digging into the gang’s background and had drawn up a list of potential hideouts. Derek had divided up the list; he and Rand were checking the other possibilities.

  Corralling his fury, Kirk retrieved his phone to call the alpha. If the others had already tracked down the gang, he needed to move fast. He didn’t have any beef with Jesse or Charlie, but they wouldn’t be allowed to stand in the way. Silver belonged to the pack now, and Kirk delivered justice for the pack.