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I d never think of harming anyone.
 Not even your wife, mayor? Ty cut in before Van could release a ball of curse-filled threats.
The mayor s expression remained innocent.  Sheriff, you know my wife is rather clumsy. He
opened a desk drawer and withdrew a familiar sheet of paper.  As it says in this affidavit, Anna had
quite a few spills this last year. He placed it on the clean desktop and slid it toward Ty.  Here s a
copy for yourself. Smug satisfaction filled the air.
Fucking asshole needed to die for what he did to Anna. The bear inside him snarled, agreeing
with the idea. Again they wanted to go to bat for a human.
 You re right, Mayor. I d forgotten about that agreement. Ty left the page on the desk.
Van nearly snorted. Forget something signed and filed so recently? Not likely.
 Good, good. The mayor leaned back in his chair.  Now, why don t you explain why you re here
and flinging wild accusations? I m a public official. I take disparaging remarks against my character
seriously.
Did he take a claw to the belly seriously? That s what Van wanted to know. He wondered how
loud and hard he could make Davies cry.
 Miss Evans s truck had its brake lines severed. Had she driven the vehicle, she more than likely
would have perished in an accident. Ty s voice was all business.
Perished. Nice way to say murdered. Van s skin prickled, a hint of his bear pushing past his
mental barriers.
 Well, that s horrible. What makes you think I was involved? I have to admit, as an upstanding
pillar of this community, I don t understand how suspicion could have been cast upon me.
Because you re an abusive asshole?
Van leaned forward in his seat.  Lauren intervened in the middle of Anna s most recent  accident
at your home. He made air quotes with his fingers when he said accident.  You then accosted her on
the street. At this time, you re the only suspect.
 I object to your implication. The mayor pushed to his feet and Van did the same. His beast rode
him hard, pushing and shoving, demanding they put the evil man down. That was how shifters were
treated. Evil and insane? Then you re gone. Forever.
 I object to you 
 Object all you want. It doesn t change the facts. Van s phone vibrated in his pocket, buzzing
against his keys, but he ignored it. It took everything in him to not rip out the man s throat. He d never
been this violent before, but it was Lauren&
 I  the mayor tried again.
 Enough! Ty cut through them and silence reigned. Well, except for the ringing of his phone once
again. Ty pointed at him.  Silence. Van seethed, but bit his tongue. He was letting his emotions, his
need for Lauren s safety, cloud his judgment.  Mister Mayor 
Van s phone buzzed again, earning a glare from Ty.
 Mister Mayor, there are certain facts associated with the events of the last forty-eight hours,
which cast& suspicions& in your direction. Davies opened his mouth to respond, but Ty held up a
hand, forestalling his response.  It would be helpful if you could provide an accounting of your
whereabouts last 
This time, Ty s phone rang, the jingle slicing through his speech. His brother breathed deep, his
chest widening the tiniest bit as his biceps thickened. At least Van wasn t the only one annoyed with
Davies and cell phones.
 Where were you last night, Mayor? Ty cut through the nicey-nice bullshit.
 I don t have to account for my whereabouts to you over someone like Lauren Evans, the man
blustered.
Ty pushed to his feet and placed his fists on the desktop.  Yes, you do.
 I m the mayor 
Van s cell phone made itself known again while Ty s phone rang for the second time. Shit.
Someone wanted them.
Ignoring the stare-off in front of him, he dug into his pocket and yanked his phone free. Crap, it
was his own house. He pressed the button to answer the call.  This is Van.
 Oh, thank god. Mia s relief was evident in her tone.  You need to come home. A crash
sounded, something glass shattering.  Right now. Now would be really good.
This time it was a yell, loud and long and filled with fear, and& Lauren s.
Chapter Nine
 Wolves? Mia seemed surprised by the question, but Lauren sensed the lie lingering beneath the
surface.  What wolves?
She gestured toward the tree line.  Over there. Gray. Big as hell.
 Language. Heck. Mia corrected her.  And no, no wolves or bears or hyenas& nothing. Mia
tugged her into the house.  No animals here.
 Except your bear. She stated the obvious while also fishing for a little more of that story.
 Huh? My bear? She smiled.  Oh, you mean Parker. Well, she nibbled her lower lip.  He s
special. Mia licked her lips, a nervous tension overcoming her.  We do have a few special animals
here and there. She waved her hands.  Anyway, we were going to get you patched up. Yes. She
jerked her head in a sharp nod.  Yes, we were.
Lauren allowed herself to be dragged into the house and toward the bedrooms. They passed the
one given to Anna and then the one assigned to her. They kept going until they came to the room at the
end. Mia marched in as if she owned the place. Or, as if she was a frequent visitor. Something inside
Lauren twisted at the idea that Mia came and went through Van s room.
 And here we are. Mia tugged her into the master bathroom and then released her.
Lauren stopped and gasped. Holy cow, the room was gorgeous. The shower was large with glass
walls and more showerheads than she could ever count. A massive Jacuzzi tub occupied the space
beneath a huge window that looked over the open area behind the house. At this angle even more of
the lake was visible, its soothing waters calling to her.
 Isn t that gorgeous? Mia s question interrupted her thoughts and then the woman was beside her,
the two of them staring out the window.  It s actually got a film on it that gives a mirror-like finish to
people outside while it s only a hint of tint in here. That way you can use the tub without flashing your
rear end all over the place. She bumped Lauren s shoulder.  A good thing with all the men around
here. One of the guards got a glimpse of me and Ty went all bear fur and  Mia coughed.  Anyway,
let s get you patched up.
She allowed herself to be led to the counter, a long, granite slab with modern sinks and beautiful
knobs. All of it, from the tile on the floor to the toilet to the sinks& it was her dream bathroom come
to life.
Lauren studied the room, spying the pattern built into the shower wall, while Mia prodded and
cleaned her wound. The first few brushes to remove the dirt weren t so bad, but then she busted out
the alcohol.
 Holy shit! Lauren gritted her teeth, trying to bear the pain from the scrapes.
 Language. Mia bent over her hand and she spared a glance.  Almost there.
Hell no she wasn t  almost there.
 What the fuck? She couldn t hold the curse back. Not when the woman practically dumped the
alcohol on her hand. Okay, really, it was just a soaked cotton ball, but damn.
 Freck or frog leg. We try to keep the cursing down around Parker.
 Parker? Another dab.  He s a frog leg bear. What the Woman! Get your frecking hands 
Lauren didn t do well with pain.
 Don t yell at my mim! A young boy s voice cut into Lauren s tirade and she just got going, too.
 No yelling, Parker.
Parker? The woman had a kid and a bear with the same name? Where the hell did Van leave her?
 What the  This time it was like she dug her nails into the scrape and she glared at Mia.  Ow!
Quit that.
A low growl bounced off the walls and she turned toward the source of the sound. A small, wide-
eyed and definitely angry child stood in the room s doorway. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]