“She’s in a bad way, Darien. Let her rest and you can question her later.”
“Now, damn it. I want some answers now.”
As a wolf, she could imagine his teeth would be dangerous, but as a human, they were beautiful, straight, white, clenched, and...
She yawned and closed her eyes.
“Damn it. speak!”
A small laugh sounded. It wasn’t from her, but when she opened her eyes, both Silva and Darien were staring at her. She realized that it was from her, after all.
Chapter 7
GOD, SHE WAS EXASPERATING, AND BEAUTIFUL. BEAUTIFULLY exasperating. But Silva was right, the woman was barely out of surgery, pumped full of dope, and scarcely able to keep her eyes open. Yet she could manage a pitiful laugh at Darien’s expense.
Darien gripped the bar tighter on her bed, then released it and stalked out of the room. Seeing his uncle questioning some others, he motioned to speak to him.
“Yeah, Darien, what’s up?”
“Search Larissa’s room. She must have been staying at Hastings Bed and Breakfast since she was headed in that direction when the gunman shot her. If she got a letter from Lelandi, bring it to me.”
Pack laws ruled, no search warrants needed.
“And, pack up her things. She’s staying at my place when she leaves the hospital. But until then... hell, I’ll go with you.”
“Not falling for another one of them, are you?” Uncle Sheridan’s voice reflected stormy censure as they walked outside the hospital.
Darien rebuffed his comment with humor. “Not this time. Hell, I don’t care for women who chase after me.”
Uncle Sheridan shook his head. “Good thing she doesn’t know any better.” He cocked a dark brow, but his expression was still scornful.
Darien wasn’t getting involved with the woman!
When they arrived at the Queen Anne Victorian bed and breakfast, Mrs. Bertha Hastings hurried to greet them, wearing one of her more colorful floral dresses. Didn’t matter the time of year, she always dressed in flowery patterns. Told everyone who would listen she was probably a garden fairy in another life. Even now her lobby and check-in counter were filled with bouquets of flowers, ivies trailing down plant stands. and small ficus trees cuddled next to the big windows, leaning toward the sun, making it appear she’d brought the great outdoors inside.
“Is the young lady going to be all right? Mrs. Hastings handed them a key to room five.
She shook her head before Darien could respond. “I know, I should have told you right away when she arrived. At first, I didn’t recognize she was Lelandi’s sister. But I caught her without the glasses and hat, and then I could see the obvious resemblance, despite the rest of the disguise. Oh, and her voice of course. Same sweet tone. How’s she doing?”
Darien cleared his throat. “After a couple of days, she should be fine.”
“Good. Tell her I’m saving her room for her.”
He was going to tell her Larissa was leaving here for good, as soon as he found her pack and they came for her. But Uncle Sheridan beat him to it.
“She’ll be going home to her pack as soon as she’s well enough.”
Mrs. Hastings’s mouth dropped slightly. She hurried to pluck dead flowers from a vase of mums. “I’m sorry to hear it. I’d hoped…” She quickly glanced at Darien, but didn’t say anything further.
That he would take Larissa as his mate? He shook his head. “Did anyone come here looking for her?”
“Deputy Trevor already asked. Some guy accosted her behind the house. I had my phone ready to call for backup when he grabbed her arm, but she swung her arm down and around, freeing herself. Just as quickly, she kicked up her knee like she was going to hurt him you know where. Looked like kung fu or something. Anyway, before he began to sing soprano, he jumped back, and that was the end of the confrontation. He stalked off toward Mervin’s barbershop, and she headed for the tavern to see you. Al least I presumed that’s why she asked where you’d be on a Friday night.”
Uncle Sheridan gave a derisive snort, his expression mirroring his response. “Chasing after you like you said, Darien.” He pulled out his notepad. “Can you describe what the guy looked like?”
“Maybe five-foot-eight or so, lanky. He was wearing jeans, hiking books, a copper-colored coat. His hood was up, hiding his face.” She shrugged. “Couldn’t see much more.”
“Copper coat? That should be easy to spot.” Darien hoped they might finally have a lead.
“I haven’t seen the guy again since the incident out back. And I don’t recall having seen him before.” She sighed.
“You figure Larissa knew him?” Darien asked.
“Yeah. I was repotting some flowers in the shed out back and heard her squeal. I peeked out the window and saw him draw close to her, and then heard them exchanging angry words. So I assumed they knew each other.”
“A red from her pack.”
“That’s what I figured. You know, this girl’s as sweet as her sister, but a mite more…” Mrs. Hastings smiled. “Spirited. More of a tigress at heart. Be careful of this one. She may look like her sister, but she’s not the same. Danger seems to follow her.”
If that wasn’t the understatement of the day. “Did Trevor search her room?”
“No. He talked to one of the twin girls staying here, but that was all. I asked if he wanted to search Lelandi’s sister’s room, but he said he had more important things to do, and he’d return later. He hasn’t come back and that was a couple of hours ago.”
Uncle Sheridan swore under his breath. Darien was going to tell his uncle to find out what Trevor’s problem was, but the stormy look on his uncle’s face told him he didn’t have to.
“If you remember anything more, let us know.”
“Sure thing.” She poured water into a pitcher. “She’s not leaving right away, is she?”
“Not until she’s well enough to travel.”
“Good.” She gave him a sugary smile and went back to watering her plants.
Darien and his uncle headed down the hall.
“So what do you think?” Uncle Sheridan asked.
“Pack member for sure giving her a hard time for entering another pack’s area without permission and getting herself into trouble. Maybe boyfriend. Doubt it’s the brother she mentioned because if he was and suspected Lelandi had been murdered, he would have come instead of Larissa.”
“Unless he is her brother and doesn’t believe Lelandi was murdered.”
Darien shook his head. “She indicated she didn’t know where he was.” The way she seemed so tearful. he believed her. I bet the patch of fur we found in the woods was this guy’s. He’s probably hanging around near the hospital, somewhere out of sight.”
Darien stuck the key in the door lock, but a window slid open inside. “Someone’s inside.” He unlocked the door, but something blocked it, and his blood instantly heated. “Around back.”
They raced through the hallway and Mrs. Hastings scrambled out of the way, spilling the pitcher of water. Darien and his uncle dashed into the kitchen and banged the back door open. No sign of any intruder, but footprints had been left in the manicured lawn shaded by firs that edged the forest. They dashed to the back side of Larissa’s room. The window was now locked and curtains pulled closed so they couldn’t see a thing.
Uncle Sheridan grabbed a flowerpot and broke the glass with a loud crash, sending dirt, golden mums, and bits of clay pottery flying.