by Terry Spear
Her sister. Oh, God, and her parents, too, were dead.
Tears filled her eyes and her heart lodged like a lump of stone in her throat. She sobbed with a strangled whimper and a teary haze blurred her vision. Yanking at the restraints, she fought the mounting frustration, her body heating by degrees.
Closing her eyes, she licked her dry lips. What she wouldn’t give for an icy pink lemonade. Summer heat had returned with a vengeance, and she felt like she’d been burned to a crisp under the broiling sun like she had at the beach in South Padre Island a few years back.
A rustling noise caught her attention—Silva searching through Lelandi’s purse.
Silva smiled, her ruby lips glistening with fresh gloss, a coating of brown eye shadow emphasizing the darkness of her coffee-colored eyes. “No driver’s license. How’d you get to Silver Town? No rental cars unaccounted for. Deputy Sheriff Trevor checked the cars parked around town, and none belong to a Larissa Catterton.”
It finally dawned on Lelandi. Her sister had switched first names with her. What a mess. “Catterton?”
Silva tsked. “So that wasn’t Lelandi’s last name.”
No, and Lelandi wasn’t her first name either, although no one had listened to her the times she’d corrected them before.
“So what is your real last name?” Silva poured a cup of ice water for her, then set it on the table.
With her wrists secured, Lelandi couldn’t reach the water. “Lelandi.” She wasn’t about to reveal her real last name. “I’m…I’m burning up.”
Silva’s eyes widened, and she hurried over to the bed. Her long, icy fingers touched Lelandi’s forehead, instantly sending a chill streaking down her heated nerves. “You’re burning up.”
“I already said that,” Lelandi whispered, annoyed.
“Okay, okay, I’ll get some help.”
“Can you unfasten my chains,” Lelandi said sarcastically, “help me to sit up, and give me some ice water to drink?”
Silva shifted her worried gaze to the wristbands confining her. “I’ll get the doc.”
“Doctor Weber,” Lelandi said, firmly.
“Uhm, you’re at the hospital in Silver Town, sugar. I’m sure Doctor Weber wouldn’t want to come all the way here from wherever you know him for one little ol’ patient.”
Lelandi yanked at the leather wrist bracelets to no avail.
If it had been a regular hospital, they probably would have used Velcro restraints, and those she could have tugged loose. She pulled at the restraints again, rattling the bed railings, but her movements were dulled and of no use, making her skin heat even more.
Satisfied Lelandi wasn’t getting loose, Silva left the room. Within minutes, her worried voice echoed down the hall while she spoke to someone about the fever. But before she or the doctor returned, a woman wearing blue scrubs walked into the room.
“I’m Nurse Grey.” The woman’s face was matronly, with kindly gray eyes and lips that were pale, but slightly turned up. “Looks like you’ve been rather cantankerous.”
“Not me,” Lelandi mumbled.
The nurse chuckled, the sound good-hearted, while she read Lelandi’s chart. “Busy girl. Heard some wild rumors. You’re looking into your sister’s death and already stirred up a heap of trouble.”
Lelandi had made a royal mess of it, but whoever had killed her sister was bound to slip up. When he did, she’d make him suffer for what he’d done. She closed her burning eyes.
“Seems a lot of trouble for a little red lupus garou to get into first time in Silver Town.”
Although the woman seemed nice enough, Lelandi didn’t trust her. Lelandi was probably giving their pack leader prime grade heartburn, and she wasn’t going away. Some would be wary, some outright rude, and some, sweet like Sam, Silva, and this Nurse Grey, but only on the surface. Deep down, pack mates stuck up for pack mates, and she was an outsider investigating them. Tom was another story. He definitely indicated he had the hots for her, but she wasn’t biting.
“If you’ll behave, I’ll remove the restraints.” After Nurse Grey took her temperature, she frowned. “Hundred and three.” She changed her antibiotics and removed the restraints.
Lelandi let out a low growl, and the woman smiled. Yeah, wolves didn’t like confinement, and she was ready to bite anyone who’d helped restrain her, including Ritka and the doctor.
“Doc wants you to drink fluids, but slowly. You might feel nauseous from the surgery and pain medication.”
“Nurse Grey,” Silva said, walking into the room. “I thought you were off today and tomorrow.”
The nurse shrugged. “I thought so, too. Seems we had some trouble during the night.”
Lelandi hid a smile, then sipped cold water from a straw, shivered, and slumped back under her covers. If she didn’t get more energy soon, she’d scream.
“She sure isn’t like Lelandi.” Silva studied her as if she could see her insides, too.
Nurse Grey refilled Lelandi’s water cup. “Looks the same, except for the hair.”
“Can you imagine Lelandi taking on Ritka and her gang?”
The nurse smiled. “Guess I ought to go to the Silver Town Tavern more often. Sam said when he saw her walk into the joint, he knew it would shake Darien out of the pit of despair he’s been wallowing in.”
“Yeah, but in a good way, or bad?” Silva raised her brows to punctuate her statement. “You should have seen the way he kissed her.”
Nurse Grey glanced at Lelandi. “Already?”
“Hell, he wanted to kiss her in the tavern, but he was trying to keep up appearances.” Silva pushed her hair back over her shoulders and placed her hands on her hips. “She started talking about lupus garou, and he had to stop her. But the kiss lasted longer than necessary and made her pass right out. I’m sure when the other eligible bitches hear about it, they’ll be fuming.”
Nurse Grey’s eyes sparkled with intrigue.
“So, is she going to be all right?”
“When are we not? She’ll be fine. However, the fever makes it more of a setback. I notice on the chart, Doc says he’ll release her tomorrow. Might be too soon.”
“She should be in jail for popping Ritka in the eye,” a dark-haired man said as he strode into the room, his eyes black, his police khaki uniform perfectly pressed, a jacket slung over his shoulder. His Stetson shaded his eyes, giving him an even darker-tempered appearance.
Silva smiled at him. Well, more than smiled at him, nearly melted in his presence.
Truly smitten. Lelandi wondered if the same love bug had bitten him or if it was only a one-way street. He didn’t show the same kind of moonstruck attraction when he looked at Silva.
“Why, Trevor, you done with that mess on the highway?” Silva asked, her voice sweet as spun sugar.
“Sheriff chewed my butt for not taking care of her mess.” He jerked a thumb in Lelandi’s direction. “Said shootings take priority over mud slides. Hell, they needed someone to reroute traffic. Four accidents out there. Six injuries.”
“Silva stuck up for you when she didn’t need to.” Lelandi glowered back at the deputy. Silva’s mouth dropped open. “Seems you owe her thanks. No one else bothered to defend your actions.”
Trevor shoved his hands in his pockets and continued to glare at Lelandi. “Who was the man who shot you?”
She closed her eyes. Question the bastard! How would she know who he was?
“He shot you in the chest twice—”
“Three times,” she said, her breathing still ragged, “but who’s counting?”
“You’re one of us, well, kinda, and you can see as well as we can in the dark, so who was he?”
Silva tsked. “Can’t you question her later, when she’s not so bad off?”
Trevor’s face reddened. “That’s another thing,” he said, his voice elevating. “Who the hell shot him dead, and why didn’t anyone question him first?”
Silva cleared her throat. “Trevor, we’ve given the sheriff our s
tatements. Someone shot him from a distance. We never saw who it was, and after he did the deed, he never came down to see if Sam was all right. Unless he did, but just blended with the men who came to investigate the shots fired. The word is Darien might be so mad at whoever the shooter was for not just wounding the gunman, the guy’s not telling.”
“Yeah, anyone would be afraid Darien would be pissed, especially the way he’s been acting lately.”
“Did anyone tell you that you’ll be guarding us at my place?” Silva asked, her tone sweet and innocent.
Trevor scowled at her. “Babysitting?”
“Never know. Trouble seems to follow her. You could be in the thick of it this time.”
Nurse Grey shook her head. “You can’t mean the young lady will be going to your town house, Silva. She needs to remain here.”
“I think Doc’s worried the hospital isn’t secure enough for her.”
“Jail cell will do the job.” Trevor shoved his hat back and crossed his arms over his broad chest.
“Ah, Trevor.” Silva furrowed her brow at him.
“Hell, I saw how she beat up Ritka.”
Lelandi smiled. The woman couldn’t have been more outraged when paramedics wheeled Lelandi into the hospital. Luckily, the doctor ordered two men to watch over her, making sure Ritka didn’t finish what the gunman had begun.
“Hell, look at the way she’s smiling about it. No remorse or anything. Criminal behavior if I ever saw it.”
“They started it,” Silva argued. “Three against one, and every one of them is bigger than her.”
“Ritka said this one started it to prove she’s after Darien, like her sister had been.”
“Ha! Darien did the chasing. Hell, Lelandi didn’t stand a chance.”
Trevor’s face grew crimson again. “I’ve got work to do, straightening out this mess. Then I guess I’ve got babysitting duty later.”
Lelandi swore he looked hopeful something bad would happen so he’d get in on the real action this time and be able to prove to his boss how important he was.
He stalked out.
“I’ve got to check on Tom, but if she needs anything, just holler,” Nurse Grey said, then left.
“Guess it’s just you and me, kid.” Silva sat in the vinyl chair against the wall. “You look like you can barely stay awake. Why don’t you get some sleep?”
“My sister didn’t chase Darien?” Lelandi squeaked, hating that her voice was so out of control like the rest of her.
“Hardly. Darien doesn’t like women who chase him. He likes to do the pursuing.” Silva leaned back in the chair and rolled her sun-streaked chestnut hair between two fingers.
She really was a striking woman and Lelandi wondered why Darien didn’t seem attracted to her.
Silva smiled. “So if you’re interested in getting his attention, don’t go hunting him down.”
“Wouldn’t think of it.” Lelandi wanted to roll onto her stomach, the way she normally slept, but she couldn’t with the IV in place. Plus, she had a sneaking suspicion her wounds would give her fits if she tried.
“On the other hand, if you want him to leave you alone…”
Lelandi stopped struggling with her thin white cotton blanket and looked over at Silva.
“Act really interested in him.”
“Not happening.” This time Lelandi’s words came out loud and clear, to both her surprise and Silva’s amusement.
“Uh-huh, well your choice.”
“Listen.” Lelandi’s voice did the raspy, hoarse bit again. “I’m here for one thing only. Finding out who killed my sister and why, and terminating him. I’m not interested in some alpha gray pack leader who just buried his mate who happened to be my triplet. End of story.”
“Triplet? Ohmigod, don’t tell me there’s another one of you. The news will put Darien in an early grave for sure.”
“My brother, and if he were here, he’d search for our sister’s killer.”
“Oh, he must be a rogue, an alpha male, and must have left your pack. So, where is he now?”
Lelandi’s eyes misted and she shrugged, wishing to hell her brother or even her uncle, who was seven years older than them, would help her.
Silva chewed on her bottom lip. “What if the dead gunman killed your sister?”
“He didn’t.”
“You sound so certain. How do you know?”
Darien walked into the room, making both Silva and Lelandi gasp. How long had he been listening in on their private conversation?
“How do you know he wasn’t the one who killed Lelandi, assuming she didn’t commit suicide?” he asked, his voice harsh and accusatory.
“She told me.”
Darien’s jaw tightened. “Don’t tell me. You had secret triplet communication.”
“If you mean she sent me a letter, yeah, she did.” Lelandi swore he looked sicker than she felt, which had to be pretty hard to do the way she was feeling.
“You okay, boss?” Silva asked.
An alpha male did not faint. But his face had turned paler than her sheets, and she figured he was on the verge.
He gripped the doorframe for a minute, then growled, “Where’s the letter?”
She wanted to fold her arms to prove she wasn’t afraid of his alpha wolf posturing, but she thought better of it when she remembered the IV. Instead, she closed her eyes and listened to the hammering of his heart against his ribs.
“Tell me, damn it! Where’s the letter?”
His voice grew closer, his breathing hard. She might have been afraid of him if it wasn’t for the medicine making her loopy. Opening her eyes, she tried glaring at him when he gripped her bed railing, glowering at her as if he wished to kill her himself, but she wasn’t sure she was sharing her meanest look with him the way her eyelids kept drooping. She hadn’t an ounce of energy to spare.
“She’s in a bad way, Darien. Let her rest and you can question her later.”
“Now, damn it. I want some answers now.”
As a wolf, she could imagine his teeth would be dangerous, but as a human, they were beautiful, straight, white, clenched, and…
She yawned and closed her eyes.
“Damn it, speak!”
A small laugh sounded. It wasn’t from her, but when she opened her eyes, both Silva and Darien were staring at her. She realized that it was from her, after all.
Chapter 7
GOD, SHE WAS EXASPERATING, AND BEAUTIFUL. BEAUTIFULLY exasperating. But Silva was right, the woman was barely out of surgery, pumped full of dope, and scarcely able to keep her eyes open. Yet she could manage a pitiful laugh at Darien’s expense.
Darien gripped the bar tighter on her bed, then released it and stalked out of the room. Seeing his uncle questioning some others, he motioned to speak to him.
“Yeah, Darien, what’s up?”
“Search Larissa’s room. She must have been staying at Hastings Bed and Breakfast since she was headed in that direction when the gunman shot her. If she got a letter from Lelandi, bring it to me.”
Pack laws ruled, no search warrants needed.
“And, pack up her things. She’s staying at my place when she leaves the hospital. But until then…hell, I’ll go with you.”
“Not falling for another one of them, are you?” Uncle Sheridan’s voice reflected stormy censure as they walked outside the hospital.
Darien rebuffed his comment with humor. “Not this time. Hell, I don’t care for women who chase after me.”
Uncle Sheridan shook his head. “Good thing she doesn’t know any better.” He cocked a dark brow, but his expression was still scornful.
Darien wasn’t getting involved with the woman!
When they arrived at the Queen Anne Victorian bed and breakfast, Mrs. Bertha Hastings hurried to greet them, wearing one of her more colorful floral dresses. Didn’t matter the time of year, she always dressed in flowery patterns. Told everyone who would listen she was probably a garden fairy in another life. Even now h
er lobby and check-in counter were filled with bouquets of flowers, ivies trailing down plant stands, and small ficus trees cuddled next to the big windows, leaning toward the sun, making it appear she’d brought the great outdoors inside.
“Is the young lady going to be all right?” Mrs. Hastings handed them a key to room five.
She shook her head before Darien could respond. “I know, I should have told you right away when she arrived. At first, I didn’t recognize she was Lelandi’s sister. But I caught her without the glasses and hat, and then I could see the obvious resemblance, despite the rest of the disguise. Oh, and her voice of course. Same sweet tone. How’s she doing?”
Darien cleared his throat. “After a couple of days, she should be fine.”
“Good. Tell her I’m saving her room for her.”
He was going to tell her Larissa was leaving here for good, as soon as he found her pack and they came for her. But Uncle Sheridan beat him to it.
“She’ll be going home to her pack as soon as she’s well enough.”
Mrs. Hastings’s mouth dropped slightly. She hurried to pluck dead flowers from a vase of mums. “I’m sorry to hear it. I’d hoped…” She quickly glanced at Darien, but didn’t say anything further.
That he would take Larissa as his mate? He shook his head. “Did anyone come here looking for her?”
“Deputy Trevor already asked. Some guy accosted her behind the house. I had my phone ready to call for backup when he grabbed her arm, but she swung her arm down and around, freeing herself. Just as quickly, she kicked up her knee like she was going to hurt him you know where. Looked like kung fu or something. Anyway, before he began to sing soprano, he jumped back, and that was the end of the confrontation. He stalked off toward Mervin’s barbershop, and she headed for the tavern to see you. At least I presumed that’s why she asked where you’d be on a Friday night.”
Uncle Sheridan gave a derisive snort, his expression mirroring his response. “Chasing after you like you said, Darien.” He pulled out his notepad. “Can you describe what the guy looked like?”
“Maybe five-foot-eight or so, lanky. He was wearing jeans, hiking books, a copper-colored coat. His hood was up, hiding his face.” She shrugged. “Couldn’t see much more.”
