by Fawn Lowery
“I won’t let anything happen to you, Janna. I promise. I’ll go back to the office with you.”
“I can’t go back there.” She jerked out of his hands suddenly, jumping to her feet and whirling around to look at him. “He’ll sense my fright and know that I know he’s an impostor.”
“I won’t leave your side.”
She caressed the side of his head with one palm. “I appreciate your offer to play bodyguard, Rick, honest I do. But that were is a murderer—a vicious murderer. He killed—mangled—almost a dozen people in Dover Run.”
“Whoa.”
Rick levered himself off the bed and paced across the room. Janna lowered herself to the bed and watched him, biting nervously on her bottom lip.
“I should have told you earlier, Rick. I’m sorry.”
He halted his pacing and came to her. “We’ll think of something, babe. I promise.”
“If only I’d stayed in Dover Run and continued to investigate. Maybe I could have uncovered his real identity and he’d be in jail now.” A plan began to form in her head.
“A werewolf in jail?” Rick pulled in a steadying breath. “We have to kill the son-of-a-bitch.”
Chapter Thirteen
Janna’s knees were shaking when she walked into the newsroom. And just as she feared—Nick Austin—or whoever he was—met her gaze the second she entered the room. He was seated at her desk, as he had been the first time she laid eyes on him. She tried to swallow down the nervousness assaulting her senses. It was imperative that he not know she was on to him.
A number of reporters were at their desks, typing, or talking on the phone. Surely he wouldn’t try anything with other people around. He wasn’t that stupid.
Hell! He’s not stupid at all!
He had managed in some way to assume the identity of a private investigator from Dover Run—a man that her father knew and had assured her was a competent professional. He had been in her house; he had tried to seduce her; he had lied and made her believe him.
She tried to steady her pulse as she drew near him. His silver gaze was pinned on her face, accessing. She knew he could sense her unease; it was a trait of all werewolves. She cringed at the thought that he could know her most inner emotions. She clenched her fists, willing her heart to stop hammering so viciously against her ribs. She had to pull this off—had to convince Nick Austin that nothing had changed since he last saw her.
How long had she been gone?
Damn!
Glancing at the clock hanging over the office door, she realized three hours had passed since she hid in the bathroom. It did no good to remember the heated sex she had shared with Rick for those hours—the fact that she was rapidly approaching a murderer was quickly taking precedence over the erotic episode with Rick.
She tried to look Nick Austin in the eyes, then immediately realized that was the wrong thing to try. His gaze burned into hers, forcing her to turn away, to pretend she needed to watch where she was going, weaving her way amid the numerous desks in the room.
Rick had returned to the newsroom with her—despite her warning to him that Nick was mad enough at him to tear his head off. Rick had merely shrugged, not admitting fear of Nick at all. His courage bolstered her reserve—somewhat. They had agreed that Rick would enter the building from the front offices, while she returned to the newsroom in the usual manner.
She arrived at her desk and Nick rose from her chair where he had been seated. She decided to play the offensive role, instead of taking the defensive role she knew he would put her in if she wavered the slightest. She propped both hands on her hips and glared at him, hoping for all she was worth that her belligerent frontage outweighed the frightful side she was trying to cover up.
“Why don’t you go find someone else to harass?” she snipped at him.
He looked at her with a cunning leer that nearly burst her good intentions of trying to fool him. She looked away quickly, refusing to let him win.
Damn him! She would fight him to the death!
“Where have you been?”
His voice was demanding, threatening. He stood as rigid as a statue, his jaw set in a tight clamp.
Janna turned an indifferent face to him.
“None of your damn business.”
He grabbed her arm and for a second, she thought his grasp would surely break a bone.
“Turn loose,” she ground out, her teeth clamped tightly together. She jerked free, glancing about to see if others noticed his anger toward her.
“It’s time you left.” She rubbed her arm and lowered her body into the desk chair he vacated. “People are beginning to ask about you.”
“Fuck the people!”
She was almost weak by the enormous amount of rage he was sending her way. Her keen perceptions were picking up threatening vibrations that sent her stomach churning. She tried to think of something to busy herself with; wondered where in the hell Rick was—she needed his strength right then.
Get a grip!
She breathed in deeply, steadying her senses. She had almost lost sight of her plan, but then the look on his face had sent her senses scurrying for cover. She had to be brave—she had to get a grip!
“If I need you,” she informed him with a voice so calm it surprised the hell out of her, “I’ll give you a call.”
He leaned on her desk, pushing his face almost against hers. His teeth gritted together in a threat.
“I’m not going anywhere. I’m here to protect you. I told you from the beginning that I wouldn’t run from trouble and now your fucking boyfriend has pissed me off. I know you’ve been with him for the past three hours—I can smell his cum on you so don’t try and lie your way out of it—get your ass up—you’re coming with me.”
He took hold of her arm and physically lifted her from her chair. She grimaced at the force of his strength—bracing her feet wide apart; she prepared to call his bluff.
“Take your hands off her.”
She glanced around, hearing Rick’s stern tone and felt a measure of relief travel through her insides.
“I’ll rip your fucking head off right here—if that’s what you want.”
Nick’s hand clenched, then unclenched, on her arm. She jerked free.
Nick turned slowly in Rick’s direction, a snarl on his face.
“Well, well, well.”
“You said it, Austin. It’s time you took a hike.”
Rick reached for Janna’s hand and pulled her toward him, then urged her in the direction of the office. She left without further words, leaving Rick to deal with Nick. It was then she realized they had managed to garner the attentions of everyone in the newsroom. All eyes were now pinned on the two men as they faced off across her desk.
She headed toward Elmer McCoy’s office and realized he wasn’t in the room moments before she pushed through the door. Relieved, she entered the office and closed the door, leaning her back against its solid wood surface.
This is not going to be easy.
She rushed across the room and picked up the telephone. Dialing Lieutenant Barton’s number, she chewed on a fingernail while she waited for him to answer.
“Marlow, I’ve been leaving you messages all morning. Don’t you ever turn your damn cell phone on?”
“I’m sorry, Lieutenant. I’ve been rather busy.”
That’s an understatement!
“We have a name on the latest victim. I thought you’d want to know.”
Janna reached for the notepad and pen lying on Elmer’s desk and hastily scribbled the man’s name and address. She’d be expected to interview members of his family to get a bit of background for an article.
“Lieutenant, can you meet me? I need to ask a favor of you.”
“Sure. Come down to the station.”
He hung up abruptly. Though not a surprise to Janna, she couldn’t help but wish he’d agreed to meeting with her somewhere besides the police station. But then, maybe Nick wouldn’t be so apt to follow her once
he saw where she was going. But did she dare go alone? She bit her lip, contemplating.
Momentarily, she called the lieutenant back.
“I have suspicions about a man named Nick Austin. Can you run a check on him for me?”
“I suppose so. But why should I, Marlow? Unless this guy has something to do with these murders—you’re asking me to waste time.”
“Lieutenant, he might be the man we’re looking for.”
There was a pregnant pause on the line.
“How much do you know about him?”
Janna told him she thought he came from Dover Run and might be a private investigator.
“I’ll get right on it.”
Janna hung up the phone just as Rick came through the door. She rose and rushed into his arms, trembling.
Rick caressed her back, whispering reassuring murmurings in her ear.
“Trust me, baby. Everything will be all right. Did you call Lieutenant Barton?”
“Yes. He’ll run the check on Nick.” She swallowed, easing her dry throat. “Once he does, he’ll find the real Nick Austin has been murdered and he’ll be easy to get on our side.”
“Nick thinks I’m a jealous lover,” Rick said, smiling slightly at her. “He thinks I locked him in the storeroom so I could be alone with you last night. As far as he’s concerned, he’s right.” He shrugged his broad shoulders. “He doesn’t know we’re on to him. He’s too pissed to see much else right now.”
Janna felt her cheeks pink. “He smelled your scent on me. He knows I was with you this morning.”
He ran his palms up her arms. “Then he isn’t aware that you know he isn’t Nick Austin. The longer we can keep him in the dark, the sooner we can set a trap to catch him.”
“I worry about him killing again, Rick. He’s vicious.”
“It’s time you leveled with me, babe. Why did he follow you from Dover Run?”
She pulled in a long steadying breath. “I was obviously too close to finding out who he was and exposing him.”
“So he fooled your dad too?”
She shook her head. “No. Nick Austin and Dad were working associates. The real Nick Austin did some investigative work for my dad’s law firm. The impostor must have found out that my dad was sending Austin to guard me. He must have stolen the letter my dad wrote to identify Austin, and then killed him.”
“Then the impostor must have known the real Nick Austin otherwise he couldn’t have gotten close enough to learn of your father’s plans.”
Janna’s brows pulled together in contemplation. “Then we need to find out who Nick Austin’s friends were.”
Rick placed his palms on her shoulders. “Honey, he may be a friend of your father’s. He may have learned of his plans firsthand.”
A tremor of fright raced along Janna’s limbs. She felt her knees give way.
“I have to call my father—I have to call the compound. My family may be in danger.”
* * * *
Janna described the man posing as Nick Austin to her father then waited for him to try and think if he knew anyone resembling that description.
“He’s not someone I know, Janna.”
She let out a relieved sigh. “We think he may have killed the real Nick Austin and stolen his identity. But he had to know where he could find me, Daddy. He had to have some inside information about me.”
She could feel the palatable silence on the phone line.
“He’s sly, honey. Watch yourself.”
She felt the need to be completely honest with her father. She began telling him about Rick and how he vowed to protect her. She finished by revealing that Rick was a werewolf.
“And you’re not suspicious of him?”
She sensed his worry because she could feel the concern in his voice.
“No, Daddy. I trust him completely.”
She felt relieved at her admission. Even though she had only known Rick for a short time, she felt safe in his presence. And the sex—
Oh God! The sex!
She refrained from saying more to her father about Rick, leaving it that he would protect her and that she felt safe around him. She also withheld the plan to trap Nick Austin at his own game. She promised to be very careful, and got off the phone. She had to get back to being a reporter—before Elmer McCoy did any more snooping into her background.
She told herself that Elmer had little authority over her—since Rick was owner of the newspaper, but she knew that Elmer had friends in high places and should he decide to talk about her, whether in an innocent comment or a professional aside, her reputation as a reporter could be on the line.
She heaved a long sigh. Ever since she was a kid, she had wanted to report the news. Now, with the killings in Dover Run and in Madison, she was having doubts whether her lifelong ambition was worth risking her life for.
I should buy a gun.
The thought gave her gooseflesh along her spine. She was scared of guns in general. But since she knew there was a killer in her midst—one that was set on killing her—she was beginning to think about changing her mind.
Rick had vowed to stay by her side—but could he really protect her day and night? Was Nick Austin the cunning murderer she suspected he was?
Does a bear shit in the woods?
Chapter Fourteen
“Marlow, I’m at the coffee shop around the corner from the newspaper office. Got a minute?”
Janna grabbed her purse and headed for the door of the newsroom. Nick Austin was leaning against the doorjamb at the entry of the room and pushed himself erect when she approached. Since the little skirmish with Rick earlier in the day, Nick had stopped hanging around her desk as if they were bosom buddies. He had spent the time since leaning against the wall in various spots in the room, sipping coffee, and chatting with some of the women reporters in the room.
“I’m meeting with a cop—are you sure you want to follow me?”
Nick gave her a scrutinizing look and fell into step beside her. “You seem to forget. Your father sent me here to keep you safe.”
“I’m certain the policeman will keep his hands off me.”
“You can’t be too sure these days.”
Janna slid her gaze toward him. “That’s for sure.”
She saw him clamp his jaw in response to her comment, but he didn’t turn back. He kept pace with her and she stepped up her pace in order to end her closeness to him. The coffee shop was two doors down the street, and it was broad daylight—still she didn’t trust Nick Austin as far as she could throw his ass. She pulled in a deep breath. Since she had learned who he really was she had thought numerous times of the incident between them when she transformed and knocked him to the ground. Just the thought of her doing such a dangerous thing made her stomach knot. When Nick Austin transformed into werewolf form, he was well over seven feet and hulking. He could have killed her easily that day—one slash from his powerful forepaw and her head would have been lying on the ground.
She spied Lieutenant Barton through the window of the coffee shop. She pulled up short and pointed one hand toward him.
“There’s the policeman I’m meeting,” she said to Nick. “Still want to tag along?”
He released a large huff of air and poked his hands into his slacks pockets.
Janna left him on the sidewalk and entered the coffee shop. She hoped he stayed in plain sight—she intended pointing him out to Lieutenant Barton.
“Coffee is on me,” Barton announced waving over a waitress.
He turned a curious face to Janna as she settled in the chair across the table from him. “I have a feeling you already know about the murder of Nick Austin.”
She stared at him, not admitting anything. Suddenly she glimpsed Nick Austin about to cross the street in front of the coffee shop and jumped on the opportunity to point him out to the policeman.
“See that man right there? The tall man in the navy blue jacket—the dark haired guy getting ready to cross the street.”
/> Lieutenant Barton followed her pointing hand with his gaze. “The tall skinny guy?”
“Does he look familiar? Can you investigate him? Can you put a tail on him?”
“Whoa. Slow down, Marlow. What’s your interest in him?”
I can’t tell him everything.
“He says his name is Nick Austin.”
Lieutenant Barton shook his head and frowned. “You’re losing me, Marlow. What’s this guy got to do with the recent murders?”
“Maybe nothing—maybe everything. I’m not sure right now. But I have my suspicions about him.”
A bushy gray eyebrow lifted. “If you’ve got boyfriend trouble—“
“Good grief! I don’t have boyfriend troubles. Will you help me out here or not?” She rolled her eyes at the ceiling in annoyance.
“You’re being pretty evasive, you know it? First you give me the name of a dead guy to check out, and now you want me to investigate a guy with the same name—only I can see he’s alive. Why don’t you level with me?”
She pulled in a steadying breath and gulped the last swallow of coffee in her cup. “I think this guy is an impostor and a murderer.”
“He doesn’t look like he has sharp teeth or claws.” He chuckled at her.
You should see him when he transforms! You’d shit your pants!
“Look, we agreed to go along with the pack of wild dogs theory for the time being—to keep the public from thinking the worse—“
“Are you telling me this guy is some sort of vicious animal?”
She stared at him, silent.
Barton locked gazes with her for a few seconds, then turned his eyes back on Nick Austin standing on the curb. He rubbed his chin with one finger in a thoughtful gesture.
“Why don’t you introduce me? I’ll see if I can get a good look at his face.”
Relief traveled through Janna’s body. She grabbed her purse and rose from the chair. “I’ve already told him you’re a cop so don’t be surprised if he runs off when we approach him.”
Janna exited the building and at once Nick walked over to her. She stalled, waiting for Lieutenant Barton to pay the check and come out of the café. She pretended to search for something in her purse, aware that Nick was growing anxious for her to get moving.
