by C. D. Hersh
He glanced at the napkin. It had an address printed in all capitals with LJ’s name in a big heart. “Yep. We made up.”
“Great.” Rhys slapped him on the back. “Now forget her. We’ve got work to do.”
After parking Rhys’ pickup in the employee lot, Hugh and Rhys made their way to the dock. As they approached the knot of men, a flash of lightning surged through the black night sky, followed by an ominous rumble of thunder.
“Sounds like we’re in for a helluva storm,” said a feminine voice at Hugh’s elbow.
Turning, he saw Fiona Kayler dressed like a dock worker, her curly, mahogany hair jammed under a baseball cap. Even with no makeup, she was a beauty. “What are you doing here?”
“My company. My dock workers. My problem.”
“Go home,” Rhys said. “We’ll give a full report tomorrow.”
“Not happening. My father built this company from the ground up, and I’m not going to let it slip away from me. I want to see firsthand what’s going on.”
“You hired Rhys, Ms. Kayler. I think you should let him handle this. It could get rough.”
“You look pretty strong, Mr. Allen, and so does he.” She jerked her thumb toward Rhys. “I’m safe enough.”
“Then get behind us,” Rhys ordered. “And stay there.”
“Getting,” she replied.
The voices got louder as they approached and more angry. By the time they reached the outer fringes of the group, the crowd had grown. Someone stood on a crate addressing the workers. The trio hung back, close enough that Hugh could hear, but not close enough to be heard.
“I say we strike and take the rich bitch for more money. She sits in her ivory tower eating caviar and drinking expensive champagne while we eat baloney sandwiches and drink city water. We work hard, and we deserve a better wage.”
Pumping their arms in the air, a bunch of the men in the crowd yelled, “Yeah! Make her pay!”
Behind him, Fiona surged forward. “I do not eat caviar. I’m a vegetarian.”
Hugh grabbed her, whirling her to face him and shoved her back a few feet. “Steady. Don’t take it personally. They’re just trying to rile them.”
“It’s working. I’m riled. And I’m not a bitch.” She struggled to free herself, but he held on tight.
“We’ve got a problem,” Rhys said, stepping back to where they stood.
Pressing Fiona behind him, he gave Rhys his attention. “Those people?” he said cryptically to hide the fact Rhys might be seeing shape shifters.
“Yeah. A lot more than the last time. Get her out of here. I’ll stay and keep an eye on things.”
“Where should I take her?”
“Can you get into your office, Ms. Kayler?”
Patting her pocket, she said, “Got my key right here.”
“Take her there and check out the warehouse we investigated the other night.”
Looping his arm through hers, Hugh dragged Fiona away from the crowd. As they made their way back to her office, he checked a few warehouse doors. None appeared to have the same electronic lock as the one he’d seen Owen Todd open. When they neared the warehouse in question, Hugh glanced around. Seeing no one, he headed between the buildings toward the warehouse door.
“My office is this way.”
“I want to show you something.” When they reached the door, he pointed at the lock. “You have a key for this door?”
Leaning forward, Fiona scrutinized the lock. “I don’t recognize this type of lock. We mostly use keypad locks and change the codes on a regular basis to prevent theft.”
“This lock is a highly sophisticated lock which requires an RFID key.”
“RFID?”
“Radio Frequency Identification. A lot of the cars today have these types of locks. The radio-frequency signals create a locking system. A chip sends a string of encrypted radio frequencies which create a code which is sent to the car when the key is inserted in the ignition. If the car doesn’t get the code, you can’t start it, even by hotwiring.”
“So how do you open this lock? There’s no key slot.”
“This particular lock was opened the other night by someone who held his wrist against the surface.”
“And you let him go?” Even in the dim light, he could see the distress in her face. “Why?”
“Sometimes investigation requires watching and not acting, Ms. Kayler. We’ve got him under surveillance. Besides, it didn’t appear he’d removed anything.”
He searched the area beneath the rooftops of the surrounding buildings. “There’s a security camera on the corner of the building across from us. Let’s go see what the recordings have on them.”
When Rhys entered the office, they were accessing the recordings. “Did you recognize the man inciting the crowd?” he asked Fiona.
“No. Dad knew every worker by name, but they haven’t all taken to a woman boss. After the first few months of trying, unsuccessfully, to connect with them, I stayed out of their way. Hence the ivory tower comment, I suppose.”
“What are you two doing?” Rhys asked.
“Checking the security cameras around the warehouse we scoped out the other night. Ms. Kayler—”
“Fiona,” she interjected.
“Fiona said she doesn’t use that type of lock.” Hugh returned his attention to the computer screen and then crooked his finger at Rhys. “Look at this.”
Coming around behind the desk, Rhys asked, “What am I looking at?”
“A video loop, I think. See this daytime shot of one of the workers picking up trash?” Tapping the computer keys, he said, “Here’s the night shot from the same day. The trash is still caught in the corner of this building.” More key tapping. “The next day it’s gone, and then it’s back in the same spot.”
“Clever,” Rhys said. “They’re running a loop. What time? Maybe we can figure out when they’re planning whatever it is they’re planning.”
“The loop time varies.” Hugh swiveled toward Fiona. “Can you get a second camera installed in the area?”
“Might take a day or two. Shouldn’t we consider bringing in the Coast Guard? I’ve got heaven knows what stored in a warehouse with a lock I did not install. My workers are ready to riot, and you both have mentioned smuggling.”
“Give us a couple more days,” Hugh said. “We’ll see if we can find out what’s inside.”
“Meanwhile, you lay low,” Rhys instructed her. “The speeches tonight appeared to target you, as well as inflame unrest among the employees. In fact, I think we should walk you to your car and follow you out the gate.”
Hugh saw a shudder run over Fiona. She was scared. Maybe fear would keep her in line and out of their way. The rogues wouldn’t hesitate to take out anyone, even an innocent.
After they’d delivered Fiona safely out of the gate, Rhys and Hugh headed back to the Dew Drop Inn where they had left Hugh’s car. Nearly two hours late, he considered calling LJ. Then he decided if she was asleep he wouldn’t want to wake her, so instead, he hurried to the address she had given him.
As he parked the car across the street, a man exited the house and came down the pathway. When he reached the sidewalk, he stood beneath the streetlamp, glancing up and down the street. As the man turned toward him, Hugh did a double take.
It was him!
He sat glued to the car seat, not believing his eyes. Then the man shifted into an animal. Blinking, Hugh scrubbed the mist off the window as the animal howled. A coyote, definitely a coyote. With a bound the creature disappeared through the yards. What had he just seen? A shifter!
Scrambling from the car, he dashed to LJ’s front door and pounded on it. “LJ! Are you okay? Open up!”
The door opened, and she appeared wearing a thin, silky wrap,
her hair tousled. The smooth line of the garment told him she had nothing on underneath.
He stepped through the doorway and gathered her in his arms. “Are you okay? You’re not hurt are you?”
“You came back to ask me that? How sweet.” She wove her hands into his unbuttoned coat and caressed his chest. “You were a little rough, but I liked it. All three times.” Slipping his coat off his shoulders, she urged him into the hallway. “Did you come back for more?”
Panic filled him at her words. She thinks we . . . I . . . Holy shit! That shifter screwed her! And he did it as me. I’m going to hunt that imposter down!
Shrugging his coat back on his shoulders, he said as gently as he could, and with as much control as possible, “No sweetie. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.” Clasping her tightly to him, he kissed her softly on the top of her head. “I’m so sorry,” he mumbled into her hair.
“Don’t be. I wanted you to.” She tipped her head and cupped his face in her hands.
Tears welled in his eyes when he saw the tender, yet passionate, look on her face. Who would do a thing like this? And why? “I’m going to protect you. I’ll make this right.”
Confusion clouded her features. “It was right.” She stepped back and searched his face.
He tried to hide his fear, but as her eyes widened he realized he’d been unsuccessful.
“What’s wrong, Hugh? You’re scaring me.”
He wanted to gather her in his arms and show her how he felt. Treat her tenderly. With respect and love. The fact that some deceitful shifter ruined what should have been their first time together sickened him. She deserved better.
Was he to blame because he had let her spy for him? Guilt and remorse fanned the desire he had for LJ. He would protect her from now on no matter the cost.
Her gaze swept over him, and a frown wrinkled her forehead. “Where’d you get the coat? You weren’t wearing it earlier.”
Backing away, he said, “In my car. It’s colder so I put on a coat.” With a quick step forward, he planted a kiss on her cheek. “Gotta go now. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
He spun on his heel then rotated back. “Lock this door. Don’t let anyone else in tonight, even me.”
She nodded, confusion still wreathing her face.
Especially me.
Chapter 27
Hugh knocked on Alexi’s front door before breakfast, feeling disheveled and bone weary. He’d spent the night in his car guarding LJ’s house. The shifter had not returned. Thank God.
“What are you doing here so early?” Rhys asked when he answered the door.
The smell of toasted bread rushed out of the house into the chilled morning air. Hugh’s stomach growled, reminding him he hadn’t eaten in a while. “We’ve got a problem.” Without waiting for an invitation, he shoved past Rhys into the house. “Got any coffee? I’m frozen.”
“And wrinkled. What did you do? Sleep in your clothes?”
“Slept in the car.”
“What’s wrong with your hotel?”
“Nothing. I was guarding LJ’s house.”
“Start from the beginning, buddy.” Rhys closed the door behind them and took his coat from him.
“LJ slept with me last night.”
“Way to go.”
“Not with me. With someone who looked like me. Someone impersonating me. A shifter.”
Rhys’ jaw dropped open, and he fumbled for the hook on the hall tree behind him, his gaze locked on Hugh. “You’re sure?”
“I saw him change into a coyote. He howled at the moon, and I swear the howl sounded victorious.” He smoothed his hair back with shaky fingers. “Who’d want to impersonate me and screw LJ? Doesn’t make any sense.”
“Come into the kitchen. I’ll get you some Irish coffee.”
A shot of whiskey sounded good. He’d skip the coffee and go straight to the strong stuff. “Make it a double, and you’ve got a deal.” The patio door at the back of the entry opened and two men entered. “You got company?”
“Lots. Eli’s protection detail for Alexi. They’re camped out in the backyard. Fortunately we’ve got a high privacy fence to keep out the nosey neighbors.”
Hugh swiveled toward the front door. “I should come back later.”
Giving him a gentle poke, Rhys steered him back to the kitchen. “They’re here for the long haul. Get used to it.”
Eli and Alexi sat at the kitchen table slathering butter and jam on a stack of English muffins. As they entered, the old man looked up, his jam-covered knife hovering in the air.
“We dinna expect ye fer breakfast. What brings ye here sae early?”
“Shifters,” Hugh replied.
“His girlfriend got screwed by a shifter impersonating him,” Rhys explained.
“Sounds like a Sylvia trick to me,” Alexi harrumphed.
“Alexi,” Rhys said in a warning tone.
Swinging his gaze between the couple, Hugh said, “What’s the story there?”
“She impersonated me and then tricked Rhys.”
“A story long done and o’er with,” Eli interjected. “Sae, does yer lady friend know ’twasn’t ye?”
“No, and apparently he did a great job.”
Nodding with a sage expression on his face, Eli said, “And ye dinna like it.”
“No! I didn’t like it. Who would do this?”
“The shifter I chased at the Dew Drop.” Rhys held out a mug of coffee. “The one with the black aura whom you said flirted with LJ all the time?”
Hugh took the mug and wrapped his cold fingers around the warm ceramic. “He did shoot me a pretty jealous look after LJ promised to stay away from him. But to mimic shift me just so he could get up her skirt? Pretty big leap, don’t you think? Thing is, I’m worried whoever it was is connected to this terrorist thing or the shifters at the dock and has found out she’s spying for me. What if she pillow talked and spilled something?”
“You’re not telling her anything are you?” Rhys asked.
“No. But she knows I’m FBI. She spotted my business card. That’s how she started snooping for me. I gave her an innocuous task to listen to the dock gossip and report back to me. If she said anything to the shifter, and he’s connected to the dock, our whole operation could get blown.” He set the cup on the table and cradled his head between his hands. “This is worse than I thought.”
“Ye have tae tell her, laddie.”
“What? That a shape shifter made love to her last night? What if she freaks?”
“Ye havetae tell her she’s in danger. That ’twasnae you last night. Warn her nae tae say anything tae anyone.”
“Give her some kind of code word to use when talking to you,” Alexi suggested.
“Find out if she said anything tae him. At least ye’ll be able tae rest easier when ye ken.”
“I’ll tell her tonight. Alone. At her house.” Hugh raised the mug then plunked it back down as another thought hit him. “What if he comes back today? I can’t tell who’s a shifter.”
“I’ll send one o’ Alexi’s guards tae keep watch o’er her today. Ye get some sleep afore you fall intae yer coffee.”
“I’ll go,” Rhys said. “I know his aura. If he shows, I’ll recognize him. I’ll keep guard tonight, too.”
After everyone but Alexi’s guard detail had left the house, Eli helped her with the dishes. “We’re using paper plates and cups from now on,” she said finishing the last cup. “I’m not washing all these dishes anymore.”
“I dinna disagree.” Eli watched her as she wiped her hands dry. “Ye look peaked, lassie. Come sit agin.”
“I should get to work.”
“In a minute. I have something I need tae discuss with ye.”
The solemn exp
ression on Eli’s face worried her. “What’s wrong?”
“How’s Rhys doing with the loss o’ his brother?”
His question surprised her. Eli had chosen mostly to ignore Roc, saying not speaking of the dead, and the bad, was the quickest way to get through the grief. Now he wanted to know?
“He still feels the loss. And the guilt. Roc sacrificed himself for Rhys. That’s not something he’s going to forget easily.”
“Family ’tis important tae him?”
“Well, yes. It’s important to both of us.” She glanced at the clock on the wall. She was going to be late. “Do you have a point to this line of questioning?”
“If he had another sibling do ye think he’d want tae know?”
Her mouth dropped open and then she snapped it shut so hard her jaw hurt. “Does he?”
“’Tis highly possible.”
“Another shifter, like Roc?”
“O’ a shifter line, but nae a shifter. Do ye remember the woman Rhys said had the Turning Stone ring but nae aura?”
“Fiona Kayler from WK Shipping?”
“Aye. I’ve been doing some investigating o’ the lassie, and I’ve discovered she and Rhys have the same mither. Seems when their mither ran from Falhman she nae only hid the boys, but took another name and hid herself.”
“How did you figure that out?”
“Fiona Kayler is the spitting image o’ Rhys’ great-grandmother McCraigen. It took a bit o’ doing but I tracked down her heritage. ’Tis nae doubt they are related.”
“Fiona has no idea?”
