Secrets (24 page)

“Fine.” Michelle stepped aside and let Casey enter the office, while Ben and the sisters gathered in their private office.

Casey made a phone call to Jackson that lasted two seconds. When he set down his cell phone his pensive expression made Michelle's heart pound. Whatever he had to share, it was serious.

“I asked Jackson to pop over. He needs to be brought up to speed. He has a vested interest through his business regarding his father's endeavors.” Casey paced across the office, back and forth, waiting for Jackson to arrive. Michelle watched him, uneasiness growing in intensity with each of his steps.

When Jackson walked in, he went to Lacey and kissed her. “What's up, Casey? You sounded scary sober on the phone.”

Casey laid it all on the table, literally and figuratively. Each one ruffled through the papers, having their individual reaction of shock and anger. Except for Michelle. She gave no outer indication of how the news hit her.

From orchestration of the acquittal of Michelle's rapist, to the creation of the manifesto, the organization of The Nexus Group, to the consistent land acquisition that locked Michelle's home inside a group of Carter's properties, to his drug studies with the cats, to his goal for achieving ultimate local power, Casey spelled it all out.

“He sounds outright demonic.” Ben put his arm around Lacey, flexing his biceps.

“More like insane.” Jackson said the word as though realization had just pierced his mind that his father's malicious and criminal activities came from a very sick mind, collapsing any hope of goodness in him.

“He's definitely off the charts when it comes to lack of boundaries,” Lacey added. “I'm sorry, Jackson. I mean, he's your father. But there is nothing he won't do to get what he wants.”

Casey eyed each of them, landing a soulful gaze on Michelle. She was speechless. Her pattern had popped up, just as it had in the past, and she got lost in it. She'd formed her opinion about Casey's activities with Carter based on fear.

“There is one more thing. From talking with the lab guy this morning and reading the papers he gave me, I see that Carter's drug research on the cats was always leading to something bigger.” He stubbed his shoe on the wooden floor and looked as though he was measuring his words. “Heck with it. I'll just say it. He plans to produce a drug that will enhance feline traits in humans.”

“What?” Jackson was the first to respond, but each one wore the same shocked expression. “That can be done?”

“The lab guy said they have perfected the drug with cats. Now they've moved on to larger felines. They're already experimenting on a lynx.”

“Well, I'll ask it. Why?” Ben flashed wide eyes at the idea.

“His drug, according to the papers, prompts a rapid onset of clinical paranoia and aggression. It also enhances muscle mass and provokes the growth of longer claws and teeth.”

“I missed that in reading the papers,” Ben said. “What is Carter going to do with the drug?”

“And what does this have to do with Pretid's electronic diary?” Jackson fisted his hands.

Casey sighed. “Pretid's device uploads data to a program that stores everything about a study subject. That information tells Carter who carries a recessive gene for were-animalism. That fits into his larger scheme. The insulin pump is being tested as a delivery system for subjects chosen for the project. He's engineering warriors. I don't know why.”

“Wait a minute. Were-animals? What are we talking about, something like a werewolf?” Jackson looked stunned. “They don't exist. Do they?” He exchanged glances with Lacey and Lacey looked at Sterling, and Sterling's look landed on Ben.

“They do.” Casey nodded his head. “Hang in here with me. I know it's unimaginable, but the truth is, I'm a were-lynx. Michelle can attest to that.”

Michelle swallowed. “It's true.”

“And I am the leader of a colony of other were-lynxes.” Casey slanted his head. “I don't know about werewolves. But I do know about were-lynxes.” Jackson stared at Casey. “Want proof?”

Jackson rubbed his chin and smiled a half-smile. “No. I believe you, Casey. You're my friend and you have no reason I know of to concoct such a story.” Jackson slapped him on the back. “Did you know Lacey's first husband lived with her as an embodied spirit after his death? Accepting that took a stretch of the mind, too. ”

“We know things about life are way more complicated than typically believed,” Ben said. “Thank you for telling us.”

“So back to why Carter would want to create half-mad were-lynxes,” Lacey prompted.

“He doesn't need a reason,” Sterling said. “But he probably has one and it's something that needs to be stopped. ASAP, no doubt. I'm sorry, Michelle. I agree with Casey about the order of protection. I certainly understand your need for one. I admire your willingness to thwart Carter's intention to ruin your life. But there is something huge lifting its ugly head. You need more than just your own feet to trample it.”

“Friends who investigate, remember?” Lacey said. “We're here for you.”

All the encouragement and advice penetrated Michelle's impulse to throw caution to the wind and address Carter herself, alone. “Thank you.” Michelle dared a glance at Casey. “I'm sorry.” She dropped her gaze to the floor. Before he could speak she continued, quietly. “It was too easy to fall back into my fears. When I saw you sitting with those people, I shut down. The last thing I want to do is turn you away. Thank you for finding out more useful information to stop Carter.

Casey closed the space between them and pulled her close. “I thought I'd lost you.” He nuzzled her hair, his breaths caressing her cheek. “I understand, sweetie. I'm sorry for what happened to you and that I wasn't there for you.” Casey's eyes glistened, full of sincerity.

“You were doing the right thing. Carter needs to be stopped.”

He dipped his head to bring her back to life with a warm kiss. “So we're good?”

“Very.” Relief swelled in her heart. This was one time she was happy she'd been wrong.

“Okay, everybody is good.” Ben flashed an unsteady smile. “Now what?”

“So I can introduce everyone and if you're willing to help, you can help with the rescue of the animals at Carter's lab. Meet me at my house in an hour. I'll text you the address.”

The hour everyone at the Aegar office agreed on gave Casey time to meet with his colony before the others arrived. He told his fellow were-cats all the details he'd gathered in his investigation, including the latest—Carter had captured a were-cat and was planning to make him something unnatural and fierce, then produce more of his kind.

Instinctively, lynx who live in the wild respond to threats by displaying their power and by hiding. But as part of the evolving human population, were-cats had evolved out of the hiding tendency. They tackled problems head on. Rarely did that call for violence. Until now, that is.

Ideas floated around as they all brainstormed for a final solution to Carter's plans. One in which they all survived and didn't become hyped up jungle cats.

It stacked up pretty simply. Step one, one group would get inside, using Jackson's security badge and the help of Walker, who was more than willing to help with a rescue, just as Casey had suspected. A second group would follow Booker's way in, slipping unnoticed through a passage door at the receiving docks. His lock-picking skills would help and Casey would shut down the alarm system. Step three, begin removing cats and securing them in their vehicles. Thankfully, Quinn and Asher owned pickups, so with everyone pitching in his or her vehicle, there would be enough room to rescue all the cats. Step four, release the lynxes, the one Casey had seen and the one Walker said had just been brought into the facility. Step five, confront William.

But first, Casey had to introduce his colony to Ben and Sterling and Jackson and Lacey.

“Are you sure you can trust them?” Asia flipped her silky brown hair behind her shoulder and arched her brows. “This is not our way, to share our existence with humans. You know the stories from the past. When humans have learned about were-anything, they have responded with violence, feeling threatened.”

“I agree with Casey,” Asher said. “We can't sit by and let Carter change the world. It's unnatural and just wrong.” He walked to the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of chilled water, twisted off the cap, and downed it in seconds.

Around the room Booker, Lara, Tizzy, Conrad, Quinn, and Asia added pros and cons to revealing themselves to four more humans, but ultimately the decision was made just as a knock sounded at the front door.

The five walked to the family room behind Casey, Michelle by his side, their arms brushing. It felt good, more than good. His body's response to her was so swift. She glanced at him and his heart melted. He'd do anything to protect her. But the Carter problem reached beyond Michelle.

He motioned Ben, Sterling, Lacey, Jackson, and Michelle to chairs and couches.

“This is a very nice home you have,” Sterling exclaimed. “Nice property, too. You have a couple acres?”

“I own one hundred acres. I need a lot of space.” Casey cracked a smile, hoping to ease the tension in the room. Lara gave him an empathic expression, then nodded.

“Yes, it comes in handy to have this kind of seclusion and undeveloped land,” Lara added.

“Handy for what?” Ben looked puzzled and turned to Casey.

Casey cleared his throat and proceeded to tell the humans in the room about their true identities. Names, job titles, and true nature.

The four sat silent, taking furtive looks of the members of his colony. Studying them himself, pride swelled in his chest. His were-lynxes were good individuals. And they'd been open to extending the small circle of humans who knew of their existence. They'd remain cautious but to him, willingness to accept good humans meant they felt secure.

“Any questions?” Casey asked.

Ben burst out with a hearty chuckle. “What do you eat? I don't mean to be rude, but I was just wondering.”

“It's a good question.” Lara nodded her head. “We eat what humans eat. We're part human, remember.”

Sterling's brows knitted. “You said Booker is married to a human, so … that's possible? No problems with interspecies whatever?” She glanced at Michelle and grinned a tiny grin.

Booker shook his head. “No. We're every compatible. When we're ready we'll have children and those children will inherit the were-cat genes. Our lifestyle is pretty normal, with added aspects that don't impinge on our relationship.”

“I know it's a lot to contain,” said Michelle, “but it's just one of those things in life you've never encountered before. It may be hard to accept as natural, but it is.”

Lacey and Sterling chuckled. “I agree. We have to be open to other possibilities.” Lacey shared a look with Sterling.

“Want to share with the group about your extraordinary experience that makes this easier to take in?” Michelle arched an eyebrow at the group.

“Nicholas, my first husband, was killed on duty as a policeman. He returned to me as an embodied spirit. Only I could see him. So, yes, we believe in things most people don't.”

While the group fired questions at Lacey, Casey left the room. Moments later, he strolled back into the room, fully lynxified. Shouts ensued, while Michelle smiled to herself.

“He's actually harmless,” she said. “He's a were-cat, a human who can shimmer into a lynx and back again to human. He can hear you if you want to talk to him, but his lynx vocal cords don't work like his human cords do.”

Lacey reached a tentative hand toward Casey and he trotted closer to her, close enough to rub her leg. “Casey, you can hear me? You can understand me?”

Casey nodded emphatically, twice. He chuffed quietly and sat on his haunches, surveying all four of them.

“This is too much, man.” Jackson rubbed his head and stared into Casey's eyes. “Why didn't you tell me before?”

Asia explained the need for privacy and the socialization of were-cats in her colony. “Lynx, not were-lynx, live alone most of the time. But it's better for us, with human abilities and human needs, to live peacefully in a group of our own kind. Other than that, we keep our lynx-selves hidden.”

While Asia was talking, the other members of the colony left the room and Casey slipped away, too. When he returned he was in human form and was followed by the other were-cats.

“You're all so beautiful,” exclaimed Sterling, and Ben and Jackson nodded.

Casey sat alone on the couch watching while the others mingled with the human guests. His life-long companion, loneliness, thrummed throughout him in great contrast to the warmth of possibilities, and the danger of sharing with Michelle and the others sat quietly in his mind. He wanted guarantees that nothing would turn bad, but now was not the time to get stuck behind that road block.

Now was the time to put the group's plan into action.

“If I could please have everyone's attention I'll go over the plan for tonight.” He stood in front of his colony and his friends and knew he was asking them to put themselves in danger. Grave danger that could end their lives. “I appreciate everyone's willingness to take action. It's important that we do this. But if anyone would rather not participate, don't feel obligated. Just say so and you can leave.”

Casey surveyed the faces around the room and found determination in each one.

He nodded, knowing everyone had a stake in the outcome of their plan and a willingness to do the right thing. “Okay. We each have our assignments. We enter, we put cats in carriers, and secure them in the vehicles.”

“You can bring them all to my house for now,” Michelle said. “I've got the room.” Her eyes were wide, but she looked unruffled. Eager.