The Road to Redemption (37 page)

“Damn. Never
expected to uncover that.”

“Me, either.”
The bitterness was evident in Damien’s voice.

“Sorry to have
put you in that position. Considering what you went through with
Beth—”

“No need to
apologize.” Damien cut him off, which wasn’t unusual. The man
seldom wanted to talk about this dead mate. “I’m just glad we found
out and are in the position to do something about it.”

“Being a
Purist isn’t illegal.” He hated pointing that out, but freedom of
expression and belief were outlined in the Charter of Rights and
Freedoms.

“I know, but
if we take over the pack—”

“We?” Kane was
surprised at Damien’s word choice.

“I’m with you
in this, at least until we root the Purists out, then I’ll hand the
territory over to you.”

“I’m not
following you.” Kane frowned.

“Harper’s
issued a challenge. Haven’t you heard yet?”

Kane swore.
“I’ve been out of touch all day, up in the mountains. Lots of dead
zones.” He checked his rearview mirror and then moved to pass the
slow moving vehicle he’d been following for the past few miles. “A
challenge from old man Harper, you say?”

“Not him. Sam.
The granddaughter.”

“That bit of
girl?” He let a chuckle slip out. “I’d have to fly to Chicago—”

Damien
interrupted again, his tone hard, determined, almost eager. “I
could act as your proxy.”

Something
about Damien’s response caught his attention. He answered slowly,
trying to gauge his friend. “A proxy is allowed under the Law, but
rarely used.”

“It’s still
legal.”

Yeah,
something was definitely up. “What gives, Damien? It sounds like
you’re spoiling for a fight.”

A bitter laugh
came over the phone. “Let’s just say I don’t like games. Harper’s
pack is pretending to be something it’s not. And you know how I
feel about Purists.”

“That I do.”
Kane paused, weighing the facts. He wanted Chicago, but Harper had
been wiggling like the proverbial worm on a hook trying to get
away. A challenge would solve things once and for all. Damien
wanted to fight. Fighting against Purists was right up his friend’s
alley. And Samantha Harper wouldn’t be much of an opponent. “All
right. I’ll send a message to Lycan Link as soon as I get home. Is
tomorrow soon enough for you?”

“Yeah. It’s
good.”

“We pick the
time, they pick the place. That’s what the rules state.”

“I’m fine with
that. I know the area.”

Kane nodded.
“All right then. I’ll call you with the confirmation.”

The doorbell
rang, but Sam didn’t look up from the computer screen. She was
researching Sinclair, trying to find out everything she knew about
the man. Know your enemy, wasn’t that what they always told you to
do? With Damien walking out on them, she was feeling the need for
every extra edge she could find. If Lycan Link found out she’d lost
another member…

“Excuse me,
Sam.”

She growled in
acknowledgement of the words that followed a faint tap on her door.
“What do you need, Andrea?”

“Someone’s
here to see you. Says he’s a friend of Damien’s. I didn’t know if
you’d want to talk to him or not.” Andrea’s voice was hesitant and
at another time Sam might have smiled. They all knew to tiptoe
around her when she was in a mood, and that’s definitely what she
was in right now. Several members had commented on Damien’s absence
at dinner and her reply had been abrupt in the extreme, ending the
usual round the table chatter.

“A friend of
Damien’s?” Her first instinct was to tell whoever it was to get the
hell out of her house. Curiosity got the better of her. Maybe this
‘friend’ could shed some light on her Beta’s sudden departure.

“Send him in.”
Sam leaned back in her chair wondering who would come through the
door. It was an older man with a limp, vaguely familiar. Ah, the
man she’d seen at Club Mystique!

“Good evening,
Ms. Harper.” His tones were smooth and cultured, clearly at odds
with his appearance. Greying hair, lined face. Good quality clothes
that were showing some wear and didn’t quite fit his frame. “My
name is Dante. Dante Esparza.”

Slowly, she
sat up straight. “Excuse me?” That was Damien’s name! Or at least
the name he’d used when applying for the position of Beta.

He laughed, a
raspy sound that made her skin crawl. “Your reaction does not
surprise me.”

Sam compressed
her lips. She didn’t like being taken for a fool. “Explain.”

“May I? I
recently re-injured my leg.” He gestured towards a chair and then
sat without waiting for her to agree. “It’s come to my attention
that a…friend…has been playing a rather nasty trick on you.”

“So it would
seem.” She studied the man. There was something about him she
didn’t like, but her curiosity was piqued enough that she’d suffer
his presence.

“
I
was
the rogue you’d been in contact with and were planning to hire.
Unfortunately, I was delayed and asked Damien to give you my
regrets. I’ve recently learned that he took it upon himself to
assume my identity.” Dante shook his head, his mouth forming a
moue. “He’s always been opportunistic in that way.”

“Yet it took
you all this time to realize what he was up to?” Something didn’t
ring true.

Dante shook
his head. “I knew within a few days, but it seemed harmless enough
so I let it slide. I’m not one to cause trouble.”

Yes he
is,
her wolf growled, having also taken an automatic dislike to
the man
.

“What changed
your mind?”

“I’ve come
into some disturbing information about Damien, information I think
you need to know.” He steepled his fingers and looked at her over
top them.

“Really.”

“Yes.
Normally, I’d ask for payment for such information—I’m a poor man
and have to eat after all….” He looked at her expectantly. “But as
a gesture of goodwill, because my name was used to deceive you,
I’ll provide it gratis.”

She inclined
her head, not taking the bait he was dangling. No way would she
offer him money.

“Damien works
for Kane Sinclair.” A grin slowly spread over his face as he
delivered the news, obviously pleased at the reaction she hadn’t
quite been able to control. “You’re shocked, and well you should
be. It isn’t a secret within the Lycan world that Sinclair hopes to
take over your territory. Damien has been feeding him information,
aiding in your downfall for financial gain.”

Pure white hot
rage filled Sam, causing her vision to blur at the edges. She
clenched the arms of her chair, a growl emitting from her
throat.

“I met with
Damien on several occasions, trying to tell him what he was doing
wasn’t fair, but he wouldn’t listen. Money always has ruled his
head.”

Sam forced her
temper under control. “How…interesting.”

“Is Damien
about?” He raised a brow and looked around. “If you need assistance
to remove him, I’d be only too happy to help.”

“No. He
actually left earlier today.”

“Really? Now
that’s interesting.” The look of polite inquiry left Dante’s face,
replaced by narrowed eyes. “He didn’t say why? Didn’t mention the
name Deirdre or Stone?”

“No.” Sam
shook her head, not really interested in Dante’s questions. Damien
had been working for Sinclair the whole time. When they’d shared a
meal, swam in the pond, kissed, had sex… He must have been laughing
the entire time! The bastard! What had Tina said once? That the
wolf had two faces. Well that prophecy had certainly been right.
She shot a look at Dante. “You say you’re a friend of his?”

“A friend? No,
neither of us would call the other friend. We’ve moved in the same
circles out of necessity, nothing else.”

Sam nodded and
got to her feet. “Thank you for the information, Mr. Esparza.”

Dante rose
slowly. “I’m happy to have been of service. Er…now that Damien has
left, if you’re still in need of a Beta…?”

“I’ll keep you
in mind.”

“Thank you.”
He gave what was likely supposed to be an ingratiating smile. “Oh,
and your grandfather, is he still well?”

“My
grandfather? You know him?”

“Acquaintances
from long ago. I haven’t heard from him in a while and had
originally thought to surprise him by showing up here as Beta.
Since that didn’t work out, tell him I’m looking forward to hearing
from him again. Use the name Salazar. He’ll know who you mean.”

“I will.” Sam
ushered the man out, feeling she needed to disinfect the house to
rid it of any remnant of his presence. He knew her grandfather?
Hmm…

Sam headed
upstairs to her grandfather’s room. She hadn’t broken the news of
Damien’s departure to him yet. No time like the present.

“Grandfather?”
She knocked before pushing the door open, then shook her head at
the sight before her. “You’re still sorting through your old
records?”

He had papers
spread about him and looked up with a scowl. “Have you been looking
at these?”

“No. You said
they were your personal papers. I’m only going through the official
pack files.” She stepped into the room and moved closer.

“Someone has
been. I can tell. Some of the pages are dog-eared. I never do
that.”

Sam shook her
head. “Maybe you forgot—”

“I don’t
forget important details like that.” He growled the words and Sam
rolled her eyes, praying for patience.

Changing the
subject seemed a good idea, even if it was to deliver bad news. She
pulled up a chair. “I have something to tell you.”

“What’s
wrong?” Something in her tone must have given her away for her
grandfather looked at her sharply.

“Damien has
left.”

He nodded.
“It’s to be expected. Rogues can’t be counted on.”

“And…” She
paused. There was no easy way to say this. “Damien was working for
Sinclair.”

“Sinclair?”

“Yes. It’s all
my fault.” She sat up straight willing to take the blame. “I’d
checked his background as best as I could before hiring him. He
seemed suitable, but I’ve just learned he was using an assumed
name.”

“Sinclair
planted a mole!” He seemed to be stuck on that point. “How did you
find out?”

“The real
rogue—the one I’d been corresponding with—showed up and told
me.”

“And this
rogue would be…?”

“Dante
Esparza. He said you knew him by the name of Salazar.”

Her
grandfather stilled. “Salazar? He was here?”

“A few minutes
ago. He said you were acquaintances from long ago and he’d love to
hear from you again. Apparently, he knows Damien—”

“He wants to
hear from me?”

“Yes. He’d
hoped to surprise you by taking on the Beta role—”

“Sneaky
bastard. How dare he come around here!”

Sam frowned
wondering why her grandfather seemed more concerned with Dante than
he did with the fact that Damien had been spying for Sinclair.

“He was
warning me about Damien—”

“Did he ask
for money?” He interrupted once again.

She gave a
huff of laughter. “You have him pegged. He hinted as much, but I
didn’t offer.”

“Sneaky,
thieving cur.”

“I can see why
you wouldn’t keep close contact with him.”

Her
grandfather made a noncommittal sound, rubbing his jaw
thoughtfully.

“Grandfather?
What’s between you and Esparza...er…Salazar?”

“Old business.
Not your concern.”

Sam raised her
brows but let it pass. She had more immediate concerns. “So, what
do you think about Damien being a spy for Sinclair?”

“I was gone
today and my papers were disturbed. Right after that your rogue
leaves.” He shifted his gaze to her. “I’d say he’s run tattling to
Sinclair.”

“Tattling?”
That meant there was something to tell. “What did he find out?”

He shook his
head and Sam surged to her feet, throwing her hands up in
exasperation.

“Listen, you
won’t tell me about you and Esparza. You won’t tell me what’s so
damned important in your personal files. Do you really want me
finding out the truth from someone else? Because if Damien found
damning information he’s sure as hell told Sinclair, and it will
only be a matter of time before Lycan Link is breathing down our
necks about it!”

A growl
erupted from her grandfather and he glared at her. At one time, his
growl would have had her backing down, but not now. There was too
much at stake.

“You can’t
intimidate me like that.” She planted her hands on her hips and
raised her chin.

Their eyes
locked in a silent battle until her grandfather finally shook his
head. “I trained you well.”

“Yes, you did.
Now spit it out.”

He sighed
heavily, looking older and more tired than usual. “I’d hoped to
keep this from you. Hoped you’d never discover the truth.” He gave
a bitter laugh. “I should have died sooner and then you’d never
have found out.”

“Cut the
dramatics.”

“It’s true.
These papers would have been destroyed upon my death – it’s in my
will. Hell, I’ve even started to do it on my own, but I wanted to
read them one more time. I shouldn’t have. Reliving the past does
no one any good.”

“Neither does
regret. Now what’s so bad that you have to hide it from me?”

“Our past
isn’t as illustrious as you might believe.”

“The liquor
smuggling? Ancient history and no one cares anymore.”

“No. Not
that.” He hesitated before speaking. “Your father’s death. It
wasn’t an accident. It was my fault.”

“Yours?” She
looked at him, stunned.

He nodded. “I
made some bad decisions. Put too much emphasis on blood purity.
Drove my son away when he wouldn’t follow my beliefs. Chose a Beta
that wasn’t trustworthy—

“You drove my
father away?”