Midnight Moon: A Paranormal Werewolf Romance (Roadside Angels Motorcycle Club Book 2) (8 page)

He watched her walk gingerly around the bloody ground, and wished he knew what she was thinking.  She made a few notes, and then turned and asked Dave,

“Do we know what did this, chief?”

“Buck was savaged by an animal, Ms. Gibbs, but we can’t know if that’s what killed him till we get the coroner’s report back.  And that could take a while, given where we are, and how things usually get done around here.”  He sounded frustrated but resigned, with good reason, as Lex knew.

“Still, our little town hasn’t seen so much criminal action in a long, long time, Dave.  I can’t believe the Staties won’t push us closer to the top of their priority list.”  Lex tried to sound hopeful, for Tamara’s sake, though he didn’t feel it. 

“Do you think it’s the black wolf come back?”

Tammie’s question filled the air between them.  Lex kept his own counsel, and let the chief field the question.  He knew what Lancaster was, though no one else on scene, aside from Bear, knew that.  He could almost taste the shifter blood in the air.  He had to find a way to let Dave know he was dealing with werewolves, one of whom was a rogue.  His muscles tightened at the thought of how he would explain what Lancaster had become to a man who thought he knew all there was to know about shifters.  It had to be done, if he was to protect the people of Rojo Arroyo.

He came back to the moment to hear Tamara telling Dave what she had discovered about Lancaster, and asking what the chief made of the photos she had sent him.

“I figured those numbers were part of the registration tags for the animals, Miss Gibbs.  Except, when I sent them over to Environmental Services, and they ran them through the system, they didn’t match the animals in that enclosure.  Those numbers are for German Shepherds.  So it seems we’ve uncovered fraud as well as illegal importing of wild animals, Miss Gibbs.  And if, as you suggested the other day, they’re using them in dog fights, we’ve got other charges piling up, now possibly including murder.”  He paused, watching as the body was loaded into the coroner’s van.  “And it seems Tony Lancaster is up to his fucking eyeballs in this shit.”  He looked apologetically over at Tamara.  “Beg pardon, Miss Gibbs, but that Lancaster and his gang of thugs have been a thorn in my side for the last few years, and getting worse every year.”

“So, this Lancaster is the leader of the biker gang?” Tammie asked, and Lex once again noted admiringly how sharp she was.  His woman didn’t need a map and road signs.  She was the perfect one for his mate.  If he ever managed to get to the point where he could ask her if she would have a problem mating with a shifter.

“That he is, Miss Gibbs,” Dave answered her, shaking his head.  “And he’s been bad news since he first arrived.  Lex knows...he’s been the one with his guys on the frontlines helping the police keep these thugs in line.  But there’s only so much civilians can do, you know?”

Tammie nodded in understanding, glancing over at Lex, as though she understood more than had been said.  “Was he the one who told Bret at the diner about what happened to Mr. Rose?”

“Yes, that’s the one,” Dave said.  “Mean-looking cuss, if ever I saw one.”

Lex tensed when he heard she had seen Lancaster up close.  The last thing he needed was for the rogue to get a whiff of her, especially now when she was scent-marked.  Between that and the story she was about to write, she would appear like one big target to the shifter, and Lex wouldn’t allow any harm to come to her.

“Did he see you?” Lex asked her, but didn’t answer the puzzled frown that creased her brow before she answered.

“No, he came in and went directly to Bret and then walked out.  He didn’t look around at all.”

Lex relaxed, though he knew even a whiff of her would set off the rogue on a search for Lex’s mate.  He was certain Lancaster was flushing him out, and he didn’t like being manipulated.  He didn’t like it one bit.  If Lancaster wasn’t after the position of Prime, then he was doing someone else’s dirty deeds.  Someone who wanted Lex dead.  Someone who wanted to keep the Primacy for the One Blood shifters.  Someone willing to risk destroying the sacred traditions of werewolf society, traditions that had ensured the safety of the species, and had secured peaceful coexistence with the vampire species, because of prejudice and greed.  Perhaps someone who wanted war between the shifters and the bloodsuckers.

“Well, I’d best be getting along now.  Paperwork and all.”  The chief’s voice brought Lex back to the moment, and he nodded.  “I’ll let you know if I need you, Lex.  Thanks for coming out.  And if you hear anything, give me a call.”

“Will do, Dave,” Lex replied, and watched the cop walk over to his cruiser, get in and drive away.

He knew it was time to act.  So far, all he had done was react and Lancaster was losing patience.  Lex had no way of knowing how many more people would be sacrificed in order to drag him out of hiding, and he couldn’t permit it. 

“Tamara, I have a few calls to make, so we’ll need to head back home.” 

Without waiting for a reply, he escorted her back to his truck, where Bear was already waiting, and they made the drive back in silence.  Once at the ranch, Lex spoke quietly with Bear.

“Call the guys and have them stay close to town, Bear.  I have a feeling they’ll be needed there.  And call Bret.  Ask if there’s anything else we can do for him.  Oh, and if you can swing by, see how Ginnie is holding up.  She and her mom are going to need us for a while.”  He looked over at Tamara, standing quietly in the corner looking out the front window.  “I have some calls to make, and I’m sure Tamara has a lot to do herself.”

Bear nodded and walked off, and Lex turned to Tamara.

“What are you going to do while I make my calls?”

She looked over at him for a moment before speaking.  “Well, as you know, I have a story to write, and now that I have a face to put to the villain, it’ll make the story even stronger.”

“What do you mean you have a face?  Did you take a picture of Lancaster?” 

Lex’s chest tightened, and he tried to keep the deep disquiet from sounding in his voice.  Shifters did not have pictures of their faces taken, ever.  It was a cardinal rule in all shifter communities, not just for werewolves.  If she had taken pictures of Lancaster, and were to publish them with her story, she would become a target for all shifters, everywhere. 

“No, I didn’t,” she said, looking puzzled again.  “I didn’t know who he was at the time, or what his involvement was in this business.”

Lex inhaled deeply, letting out a sigh of relief in the exhale.  “I wish you had nothing to do with this whole business, Tamara,” he said, to distract from the fact that he had not explained the reason for his question. 

“You know what they say, Lex,” she quipped, her lips slightly curved in a faint smile.  “If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.”  She walked over to stand in front of him.  “Stop fretting about me.  I’m a reporter...it’s what I do.  I’d better get going, hadn’t I?”

She turned and slipped away before he could respond, and he walked into his study to make the calls.  First on his list was his mentor, the unofficial head of his security detail in the homelands.  This man would be his chief of staff if he lived to see his Primacy.  The phone rang once.

“Sir, it is good to hear from you.”

Lex noted with some relief that he had refrained from calling him by his official title.  Still, “sir” was too much.

“What’s with the “Sir” bit, Jeffrey?” he asked, a laugh in his voice.  “We are blood-bonded, spirit-bonded, and we are friends.”

He smiled at the exaggerated sigh on the other end of the line.  “Alexander, have you called me just to harass me about protocol?” 

Lex could read his friend, his blood brother, and knew there was no treachery in his heart.  He sighed inwardly.  That was one off his list of suspects.  He hated to have to do this, but his need to protect his mate now overrode even his concern for his own safety.  He laughed, and heard the echo across the wires.  “No, my friend.  Sadly, I have other business to discuss.”  He paused.  “Tony Lancaster is on the loose down here.”

A longer pause greeted his words, before his friend spoke.  “We knew there would be trouble from that quarter.  He has been rogue for years, and his connection to the One Blood Society has always been a source of deep concern to us.”  He sighed.  “What has he done now?”

Lex gave him the gist of the events of the past month, and asked if he had any ideas.

“If you’re asking me if I have any idea of who is funding this campaign, the answer is no.  I have a suspicion of who it might be, but I’m sure you also have thought about him.”

Lex knew he was referring to the pure-blooded werewolf, Nimrod Chase, who had been his rival since birth, and whose family was one of the oldest of the pure breeds, and one of the wealthiest. 

“Yes.  I thought I’d give him a call, and see what I can rattle loose.”

“That could be a dangerous thing to do, Alexander,” Jeffrey said.  “Although he is not a rogue like Lancaster, Chase has all the inclinations and motivations that would make him one of the best of the worst.  Be careful how you pull the tiger’s tail.”

“I’ll be careful, I promise.  Keep your ear to the ground for me, and call me as soon as you hear anything.”

“You got it, my brother.  Watch your back!”

Lex hung up, checking one name off his list.  His next call was to the current Alpha, whose reign would end when Lex returned to take his rightful place.  His name, ironically, was Wulf Lindgar, though none but those closest to him in his immediate circle called him anything but Your Eminence, or Lord Lindgar.  Lex hated the titles, and would figure out a way to make the practice a thing of the past before his time was up.  Still, protocol had to be maintained, so when the call was answered, he said, “Lord Lindgar, this is Alexander Cole.”

Lex felt the hesitation in the older man’s voice, but he answered pleasantly enough.

“Alexander, it is good to hear from you.  I know better than to ask where you are now, but may I at least inquire as to your state of health?”

Lex could hear anger warring with concern in the elder stateman’s voice, and a frustration that he could not change Lex’s mind about keeping him informed.  But there didn’t seem to be any duplicity leaking through.  However, Lex knew he had to keep his guard up.  This was a man almost three times his age, and he’d had lots of experience in suppressing his feelings.  And given that he knew of Lex’s talent, he would be extra cautious.

“I’m well, thank you, sir,” he replied, choosing his words deliberately.  “How are things there?”  A general question seemed called for.

“There have been sputterings here and there.  You know how it is.  The One Bloods stirring up trouble, making demands, and generally making it challenging to keep the peace.  And especially now, with you in the wings, as it were…”  He let his voice trail off, and Lex could almost hear the question he did not voice.

“As it happens, sir, I’ll be heading home soon.  Which is part of why I called today.  I wondered whether you had heard anything about Tony Lancaster.”

Lex said no more.  He waited, trying to read the silence, but knowing patience would be his best ally in this instance.

“I don’t know if I would call this important or not, but word on the street, to quote you youngsters, is that Lancaster has taken up dog fighting.  Which I must say I find rather ironic.”  He paused, then asked, “Is there any truth to that rumor, Alexander?”

Lex saw no reason to hide the truth.  “I suppose you can call it that, sir,” he answered.  “What else have you heard on the street?”

“Nothing.  His family has distanced itself from him and his activities, and none of them will even mention his name.”

“So how did you hear about the dog fights?”

“It came up at a Council meeting, as a matter of fact.  You know the environmental lobby is very committed to wildlife and forest preservation.  One of them, whose daughter is away at college, came home with word of it.  We have been asked to rule on the question, in the event anyone here decides it’s a good idea for wolves to train dogs to fight.”  Irony laced his tone as he added, “The next thing you know, they’ll be training to fight themselves, which would give the One Bloods the perfect opportunity to set targets on everyone who isn’t pure wolf.”  He sighed heavily.  “It’s past time that you came home, Alexander.  I’m too old for this.  We need fresh blood to fight the baser elements here, which are growing and exerting more influence than in the past.”