Terry Spear’s Wolf Bundle (18 page)

No matter how frozen she had to be, she was still searching for clues of the killer’s movements.

Feeling waterlogged as the rain penetrated every inch of the clothing he wore, soaking him clear to the skin, Devlyn took a deep breath.
The girl’s blood.
He went into search mode. His gaze glanced at the pine needles and leaves matted on the ground beneath woodland ferns. He breathed in the wet, clean air but also smelled
signs of the girl. She’d worn a flowery perfume, and he smelled blood—her blood.

Bella had separated from him, inching along, searching for clues, her eyes glued to the ground, barely breathing, then taking a deep breath, trying to find the source of the smell. “Here, Devlyn!” she shouted.

But something buried under a fern a few feet away caught his attention. Using a stick, he snagged a blood-soaked bra out from underneath the plant. He lifted the lacy garment to his nose and took a deep breath. Her blood, her fragrance—beyond a doubt.

Bella came up behind him and stared at the bra. “You knew he killed her out here, didn’t you?”

“He probably took her ‘camping,’ wanting to sequester her away from civilization. But his plan to change her and make her his mate didn’t go as expected. He cared enough for her that he took her back to her apartment, cleaned her up, and dressed her in a nightgown before he laid her to rest in the bed.”

“Then stayed with her until we scared him off.” Bella’s voice sounded choked with tears and she couldn’t look Devlyn in the eye.

“I thought he was there because he needed a place to hide. But now I think he didn’t want to leave her until he was forced to.”

“But you knew she died out here.”

“He’d washed her body, but her hair smelled of the forest and wood smoke. They must have had a campfire and she was in the path of the smoke.” Devlyn glanced at the gold necklace in Bella’s gloved hands, finally taking notice of it.

“Hers,” Bella confirmed, shoving it into her jeans
pocket. “Same perfume, traces of wood smoke, too.” She pointed at the bra. “You aren’t going to take it with us, are you?”

“No.” He buried it underneath the leaves beneath another fern. “The necklace will be proof enough as far as the red pack is concerned. I wouldn’t want anyone catching us with her bloody garments.”

He wrapped his arms around Bella and pulled her tightly into his embrace. She was shivering; not wanting to prolong their staying here, he whispered against her ear, “Let’s go home, Bella. We’ve found what we came here for. It’s time to go home.”

Bella knew she was close to being hypothermic again and, even though Devlyn wanted to return to her cabin first, she wanted to go home instead. “I don’t have any dry clothes for you, and I used the last of the wood for the fire. The rest of the firewood is too wet to use. And firewood is the only kind of heat I have at the cabin.” She couldn’t say a word without her teeth rattling together and she clenched them tight, but the shivers continued to shake her to the core.

But when she saw the SUV, her spirits lifted and her pace quickened. Devlyn opened her door in a flash, and cold, wet, and tired, she somehow managed to climb into the vehicle with his help. How he could not be shivering, she couldn’t imagine.

He slammed her door shut and hurried to the driver’s side. Then he turned the engine on and switched the heater on high, the first cold air chilling her further until
they were halfway down the gravel road and the car began to warm up.

She peeled off her gloves, her hands shaking and numb, and held her icy fingers up to the vent. “If we show the necklace to Alfred and his buddies, one might react to the sight of it,” she said, her whole body still trembling. She struggled with her jacket zipper, annoyed that her fingers still weren’t working right. “I know none of them are the killers, but they might know who is.”

Glancing over at her, Devlyn gave her a worried look. “Are you going to be all right, Bella?”

“Yeah, I just need to remove these wet things.”

His lips curved up a smidgeon. “I can warm you up a bit.”

“I hoped you’d say that. What about you? Aren’t you freezing?” She jerked her drenched jacket off and tossed it into the backseat. Even her turtleneck was wet, and her jeans were soaked.

“I could use some warming up, too.”

“Hot chocolate should do the trick.”

He chuckled, dark and seductively.

She smiled and fumbled with the leather ties on her boots. Having a devil of a time untying the wet laces, she finally managed and sent the boots flying into the backseat. After peeling off her socks, she unfastened her seatbelt, and Devlyn gave her a raised eyebrow look.

“I’ll help you take off your coat,” she said, unable to control the shivers still, even though the interior of the Suburban was warm now and, because of all of the wet clothing inside, the windows began to fog.

Devlyn switched the heater to defrost while Bella
unbuttoned his jacket. “That hot chocolate’s sounding better by the second.”

She helped him shrug out of his jacket and threw it over the seat to join hers. Then she started to work on the buttons on his shirt; his face was etched in a permanent wolfish grin.

“Something tells me you aren’t going to wait for me to make some cocoa when we get home.”

“Something tells me you’re right.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek, his lips cold.

She’d definitely have to warm them up.

By the time they arrived home, Bella had managed to remove his shirt and, in a comical maneuvering, his boots and socks. As soon as he pulled into the garage and shut the door, they both shed the rest of their wet clothes. Then together, they gathered them up and dumped them in her dryer where she put the load on high heat for an hour.

Shaking hard, she hurried with him toward the door leading to the kitchen, the ice-cold garage doing a number on her already chilled blood.

Devlyn yanked the door open, intent on getting Bella in a hot shower and taking the warming up process to new sexual levels, but the sight of zoo man Thompson sitting at the dining room table, sipping hot cocoa with Chrissie, nearly compelled Devlyn to have a stroke.

I
N HER NAKEDNESS
, B
ELLA GASPED
,
AND
D
EVLYN
’
S
temper spiraled when he saw the enemy—zoo man Thompson—seated at her dining room table, cozy as could be. Devlyn shoved Bella behind him, hiding her nudity from the wolf lover, and slammed the kitchen door on their escape. He hit the button for the garage door opener and then met Bella at the SUV before she could open the door. He yanked it open and she scrambled into the car. As fast as he could, he raced around to the driver’s side.

If it wasn’t one damn thing, it was another. Why in the hell had Chrissie brought Thompson back to Bella’s house?

Damn.
Thompson thought Chrissie was Bella, and it
was
her house. She probably couldn’t get rid of him without arousing suspicion. Or maybe she hadn’t wanted to get rid of him so awfully bad. Devlyn growled deep inside.

He jammed the keys in the car’s ignition and turned the engine on, but Chrissie hurried into the garage, waving at them. Devlyn rolled down the passenger’s window and scowled. If Chrissie delayed their escape—

“I told Henry everything.” Chrissie winked at Devlyn. “About how you and Bella were old friends who were in love with each other. How Volan Smith—you know, the
guy you worked for, Devlyn—wanted the red wolf and how he had the goods on you so you had to release her from the zoo. Only you didn’t. Volan set the red wolf free when you refused to go along with it. But he had taken Bella hostage and left her naked in the zoo’s wolf exhibit in the wolf’s place. He thought it was funnier than hell in his sick twisted mind, except that she could have died.”

Devlyn clamped his gaping mouth shut and then finally said, “And?”

“Well, Henry’s really a pretty great guy. He wants you to give a description of this Volan Smith so he can notify the police. Of course, he wants you to make a statement to the police about everything that happened also.”

Bella glanced at Devlyn. “What about the knocked-out police officers and Thompson at the hospital? They’ll blame and arrest you for that.”

“Extenuating circumstances. Volan threatened to kill Bella. Left her for dead already, right, Devlyn?” Chrissie asked. “You knew no one would believe you and worried Volan would get to her at the hospital. Overcome by concern for her, you took any measure you could to protect her.”

Bella shook her head. “I don’t trust Thompson. What did he say about the wolf?”

“He wants her back. But I told him Volan’s the one that got her out, and he’s the one who’ll know where she is.”

Devlyn nodded. “He thinks she’s his.”

“Did he own her before?” Chrissie asked.

“Yeah. But she ran away.”

“That’s what I told Henry. He thought humans had owned her before.”

Chrissie glanced at Devlyn’s naked chest. From where she stood, she couldn’t see anything more, but he imagined she wouldn’t mind taking a peek to see what else she might get a glimpse of—if she hadn’t already gotten enough of an eyeful earlier.

“When the two of you are more dressed, maybe you could come in and talk to him?”

“Our clothes are wet and in the dryer,” Bella said.

Chrissie raised her brows. “Want me to grab them for you?”

“Sure,” Bella said. “But I don’t want Devlyn arrested. Maybe Thompson won’t press charges, but the police most likely will. The worst of it is, Volan is after me, even now. Devlyn’s my only protection.”

Chrissie’s eyes widened. “Oh, yes, of course, if Volan’s still on the loose and after you.” She pulled a ring of keys out of her pocket. “You can wait at my house while Bella talks to Henry,” she said to Devlyn.

Devlyn shook his head and climbed out of the SUV, the door shielding him from Chrissie’s view. “I stick with Bella.”

Chrissie whipped around, dashed for the laundry room, and yanked the dryer open. In a jiffy, she headed back to Bella’s side of the SUV and handed the warm damp clothes to her. Bella passed Devlyn’s things to him, and while she tugged on her turtleneck, Chrissie hurried for the kitchen door with one backward glance before she closed the door behind her.

Devlyn yanked on his pants, growling under his breath. “Of all the damned things to happen. I should have known.”

Bella objected, “But you can’t go with me. He’ll—”

“I’m not leaving you for a second, Bella. At any time, that bastard could show up.” Devlyn finished buckling his belt while she tugged on her denims.

Nodding, she acquiesced to his leadership, but he could tell she wasn’t happy about it. This time it didn’t matter. Any male who wouldn’t protect his mate could never lead a pack; if Thompson had any ideas of having Devlyn arrested, he’d make sure he changed his mind. Even if it meant knocking him out again and running for the hills with Bella.

When Bella was more presentable, Devlyn grabbed her hand and then paused at the door to the kitchen, but everything was quiet in there. He glanced at Bella, but she was waiting for him to make a move. Steeling his back, Devlyn twisted the knob and pulled the door open.

Thompson stopped pacing and stood watching them, his blue eyes shifting from Devlyn, the one he most likely felt threatened by, to Bella.

Instantly, Devlyn felt possessive of his mate and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Thompson, taking the cue, sat down at the table again, playing the part of a nonthreatening male adversary.

Devlyn walked Bella into the kitchen and shut the door.

“Chrissie told me the whole story,” Thompson said, glancing in her direction.

Leaning against the bar countertop, Chrissie smiled back at him, and Devlyn fought the urge to laugh. The woman would have made a great seductive gray female in their pack, but he was sure Chrissie wouldn’t agree.

“
But,
” Thompson continued, “the police are going to need a description of this Volan Smith.”

“He’s still after me,” Bella said, trying to move toward the fridge.

Devlyn finally released her, fearing the others would think he acted like a clinging vine. He couldn’t help feeling possessive when it came to her, blaming it on his wolf nature. He was sure Bella wouldn’t fault him too much for it.

She pulled a picture from the fridge, the rest half burying it.

He moved in closer and glanced over her shoulder. Sure enough, it was a recent photo of Volan. “Why did Argos send this to you?” He couldn’t help the irritation that laced his words.

“So I’d know him if he ever came for me.”

“Oh.” He definitely had to get a grip on his emotions.

“He was an old boyfriend?” Thompson asked.

“No,” both Devlyn and Bella said, and she looked up at him. He gave her a small smile.

Chrissie’s version of the story didn’t hold a thimble of truth. They’d have to concoct something that was more factual than not.

Bella squeezed Devlyn’s hand as if to encourage him to let her explain the situation. “I was adopted after a wildfire killed my family. He was my adoptive brother, only he wanted me for more than a sister.”

“He tried something with you?” Thompson asked, his face stern, as if he would have protected her from the menace, too, if he’d been able.

Bella glanced at Devlyn, and the look on her face
revealed a mixture of shame, regret, and anger. All at once, the idea that Volan had attempted to rape her when she was underage raced through Devlyn’s mind. Was that the reason she kept trying to run away? Argos had grown too old and couldn’t fight Volan, so he had wisely stepped down as leader of the pack. Although the pack would sentence a rogue wolf to death for such a crime, it couldn’t do it if the wolf happened to be the leader and unbeatable.

Devlyn frowned at her, his heart thundering, both with concern that Volan had tried to do something so dastardly and with anger for her not telling him. He knew she’d been hiding some deep, dark secret, damn it. The nightmares she was having…“Bella, did he?”

Bella ran her hands over her jeans and stared at the floor. Her words were no more than a whispered croak. “Argos stopped him.”

“Damn it, Bella, why didn’t you tell me? I would have killed him! Why didn’t Argos tell the rest of the—”

Her eyes shot up in warning.

“Family,” he said, swallowing the word he’d almost used.

“You were adopted, too?” Chrissie asked, her eyes as big as melons. “A brother, too?”

He nodded. “Yeah.” He knew what Chrissie was getting at. He and Bella shared an incestuous relationship, although they wouldn’t have been blood relatives. “We weren’t raised together for long before she ran away.” They had been, but humans wouldn’t understand the
lupus garou
longevity, nor would they understand the workings of a pack. Besides, they were different kinds of wolves, sharing no close lineage—a red and a gray.

Befuddled, Thompson just stared at them.

Chrissie collapsed in her chair. “So, that explains why you don’t go out with guys and you stay home most of the time. And have a post office box and all.”

“But about Rosa,” Thompson said, “why would he want her?”

“She’s like a wild pet,” Bella explained.

Devlyn linked his fingers with hers. He couldn’t believe Argos hadn’t at least told Devlyn to protect Bella. Then he realized Argos couldn’t have. No one could have protected her back then.

She handed the photo of Volan to Thompson.

Frowning, he considered the picture. “I saw him at the dance club tonight.”

Bella’s face paled. “Yeah, he pretended to be Argos, my adoptive father, in an email to me.”

“You were at the dance club?” Thompson said in surprise. “I—”

Bella gave an elusive smile. “What name did you use on your email to me?”

“Charlie. I thought maybe there was some kind of conspiracy to free all red wolves. I knew it had to be you, the unnamed girl from the hospital, or at least I’d hoped so.”

“Charlie, the one who’s independently wealthy.” Bella noticed Chrissie’s eyes grow big. “Volan doesn’t know where I live, for now. But he’s pretty cagey. He’ll find out sooner or later.”

Thompson glanced at Devlyn. “I won’t press charges against you for knocking me out.”

Devlyn raised a brow. “Who said I struck you?”

Bella’s fingers tightened around his.

He gave her a reassuring squeeze back. “You didn’t see who hit you, did you? Volan was there. That’s why I had to rescue Bella from the hospital. I discovered he’d already knocked out the police officers. He must have gotten to you later.”

Thompson rubbed the back of his head as if remembering the pain. “Yeah, you could be right. I only assumed it was you because I’d seen you at the zoo earlier and then again at the nurse’s station. Downstairs, the receptionist said you’d left with a half-dressed, redheaded woman in a man’s oversized clothes. I just assumed—”

“No one could have protected Bella if I hadn’t slipped her away from the hospital.”

Bella’s fingers still squeezed his, cutting off the circulation, waiting for Thompson’s final verdict.

“Yeah,” Thompson said, nodding. “I’m sure I got a glimpse of this fellow right before he hit me. He’s the one all right.”

Devlyn wrapped his arm around her waist, glad that the zoo man could help corroborate their story, made up as it was. Now the problem was, if the police did arrest Volan, they’d have no proof. Plus imprisoning Volan wasn’t the solution. Like any
lupus garou,
if he were exposed to the full moon when it shone in all its glory, Volan’s wolf coat could appear. No way could they risk Volan’s imprisonment. To secure Bella’s freedom, Devlyn had to kill Volan.

“You need to make a statement to the police about what he did to you, Miss Wilder,” Thompson said.

She shook her head.

Thompson turned to Devlyn. “Can I talk to you for a moment, alone?”

Devlyn embraced Bella and then released her. “Yeah, we can talk out back.”

Bella frowned at him. Devlyn had every intention of keeping the zoo man on their side. One less problem to have to deal with. Or at least he hoped.

He joined Thompson on the covered brick patio, and the two sat on a pair of cushioned, high-backed rockers. The rain had slowed to a pitter patter, but Devlyn felt damp through and through.

Thompson said, “I’m sorry about the little lady, but she needs to report this to the police. I can see she’s terrified of this man.” He shook his head. “I don’t know why your family wants to keep this under wraps, unless it’s to protect the family name. But Miss Wilder shouldn’t have to fear for her life.”

Thompson paused as if lending weight to his lecture, allowing Devlyn to soak in his words of wisdom. “I can tell she believes you’ll protect her no matter what, but you can’t kill him. Let the police handle this.”

“I didn’t mean I’d kill Volan for real.” Of course Devlyn would kill him. It was the only way to save Bella. “It’s just a saying. I’m not the killing type.”

“Anyone’s got it in them if there’s enough at stake.” Thompson glanced back at the house. “I’d say that the little lady is pretty high stakes.”

The highest
. “There can’t be any leak of her address to the media, Henry. She’d be a ready target if that happened.”

Thompson folded his arms. “You think if I tell the police, they’ll question her, need her address, and somehow this Volan will find her?”

“Yeah, that’s exactly what I think.” But more than that, the reds would locate her. And the killer of the female humans could, too, if he wasn’t one of the pack. In any event, as soon as Thompson vacated the premises, Devlyn was taking steps to move Bella to another location to keep her safe.

Thompson reached underneath his jacket and Devlyn’s back stiffened. “Got something I want to read to you,” Thompson explained when he noticed Devlyn’s reaction. He pulled out a newspaper clipping and shook out the folded paper. “This was in the
Mail Tribune
about Wolf Creek and some trouble they were having. Namely, a barbecue that was held in the neighborhood there. A nonprofit wolf sanctuary that takes care of abandoned and abused wolves once raised by humans was negotiating the purchase of the Golden Coyote Wetlands, one hundred acres of land near Wolf Creek. One of the men threatened to use the wolves for target practice.”