As a wolf, he needed his mate. As a cop, he needed to determine who'd betrayed his investigation. «My mate called and said she loved me» would elicit sympathy, but it wouldn't excuse dereliction of duty.
First to headquarters, then to Lark.
He drove to the nondescript building housing SHIU on the other side of downtown, obeying all posted speed limits and stopping at all red lights despite the urge to get to his mate as fast as he possibly could. A thirty-six-year-old alpha didn't lose control, no matter the circumstances.
Right.
He allowed himself to dial Lark's cell before he got out of the car. It went straight to voicemail.
His vocal chords locked up. He wheezed into the phone like some kind of stalker, and he wondered if the sound of his breath could seize command of her body, as hers had done to him.
«Lark,» he croaked. He cleared his throat and began again. «Baby, don't you think I've already tried to hate you? Silly brat. I mean…» He stopped, laughed a little. «Shit. I've tried everything to get you out of my system. I gave up a long time ago. You weren't-you didn't do-it doesn't matter, okay? None of it matters. If you love me.»
He stopped again, unsure how to continue, unable to hang up.
«I'll find you tonight. Call me, but even if you don't-I'll find you. I love you.»
He didn't see his captain at headquarters. Andy Gossen entered the squad room as Taran logged into his computer.
«What are you doing here?»
«Trying to figure out who fucked up my investigation. You?»
«Captain said he'd have my throat if I didn't do my paperwork.» Gossen grinned, then sobered as he realized what Taran had just said. «What happened?»
He sighed and leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms over his head. «You know about the missing fae women?»
«Yeah. We still like the Euros for it?
He nodded. «The wolf behind it's a big poker player, was supposed to be at a game tonight, right here downtown. Nick had someone get me in. But someone at the game said the perp got spooked and changed his mind.
«Think he was tipped off?»
«Had to be,» Taran grimaced. «And I gotta know who did it.»
«Sucks, bro.» Gossen began typing at his own computer.
Taran completed his email to the captain and looked through his notes.
«Hey,» Gossen said suddenly. «Why don't you ask Denardo about other rich games? Can't be that many.»
He turned in his chair to look at the other detective, confused. «Why?»
«Danny's a big poker player.»
Ice ran up his spine and into his scalp. He closed his eyes against a sudden, vicious attack of vertigo.
«Taran? Bro, what's wrong?»
«I asked Denardo if he wanted to ride along tonight.» He opened his eyes. «Said he didn't play.»
Gossen raised an eyebrow. «That's not what I heard,» he said slowly.
«Denardo tell you he played?»
«No. I know a cop in Oklahoma-said everyone knew Danny was a big player. His dad was a pro.»
«Y'all ever talk about it?»
Gossen shook his head.
«So,» Taran said after a few minutes' silence. «Think of a good reason why he'd lie about that.»
«Can't.»
«Me neither.»
He stood up to pace, the scent of his anxiety filling the room as he ran the past weeks' events backward in his mind. The faster his mind raced, the harder his heart pounded. The harder his heart pounded, the more pheromones he shed.
Gossen, a beta, grew progressively more agitated until he finally barked, «What is it?»
«You know my cousin got drugged at Le Monde?»
Gossen nodded.
«Danny was there that night.»
«That doesn't mean anything.»
«Right. I took her home from the hospital the next day, told Denardo I was doing it. That night, she gets attacked again. Denardo shows up; says he was here when dispatch got the officer down call.»
«What night was this?»
«Two weeks ago Sunday.»
«I'm going into the duty and access log.» Gossen looked up from his monitor, a grim expression on his face. «Denardo wasn't in the building that day.»
Taran took a deep breath. «I need to find him.»
«Could be a coincidence.»
«Danny knew everything I had on Kuba. He's been acting weird. Miami lost Kuba to an agent with a gambling problem.» He felt in his pockets, then looked on his desk. «Shit. My phone's in my car. I need to-I need to call Lark, tell her to-I need to find her. Now.»
It felt like Le Monde all over again: the unfamiliar, queasy sensation of helplessness, made worse by the fact he couldn't protect her this time, couldn't even locate her. Now that he'd bonded to her, any threat to her elicited instant reaction from him. It had already started. He smelled the change, felt the bones in his hand rippling as he tried to dial her cell phone from his desk.
«Taran? Dude, are you changing?» Gossen sounded horrified.
«She's…my mate,» Taran panted as he listened to Lark's phone ring. «Don't-« he swallowed, drew a deep breath and let it out slowly, «-don't freak. I can control it. I have to control it-« «Taran?» Lark's voice-soft, happy, surprised-ran through him like cool wine. He shivered with relief, falling back into his chair.
«Where are you?» he asked huskily.
«Cowgirls. I met TJ and the girls, but they had to leave. I was gonna see, if, um, you wanted to meet me? If you're not working, or busy or, you know? I got your message.» He could hear her blushing.
«Why are you whispering?»
«Because I'm not alone.»
«So? How can anyone hear-Lark, who's with you?» But somehow, he already knew.
«Danny.»
Gossen gasped.
«You know, your rookie?» she said when he didn't answer. «He came in a few minutes ago. He reminds me of someone. I can't figure out who. He says he just has that kind of face.»
A brief moment of sweaty, nauseated, near-howling dread, and then-nothing. He exhaled. His vision cleared, his bones stopped morphing, intellect evicted emotion, and he shifted smoothly into combat mode. Mind over instinct.
«Danny's there? With you?» He kept his voice level.
«Yeah,» she said uncertainly. «Why?»
Denardo could hear everything Taran said.
«I need to see you, baby. I want to see you-right away.» He needed her out of there. «Go to my place.» He snapped his fingers at Gossen, who nodded and picked up the phone. Gossen quietly ordered a unit to his house as Taran continued, «Tell Danny I need my mate and he'd better not get in my way.» He said it lightly, but if Denardo had done what Taran thought he had, he'd understand.
She laughed throatily. «Okay, that's kind of embarrassing, but I like it. Do you-« «Leave now, Lark. Now. Call me when you're in your car, hear me? I love you. Go.»
He hung up.
«You want me to come with you?» asked Gossen.
«No. I want a unit at Cowgirls. And nobody stopping me on my way home.»
Racing through red lights toward I-10, he reached for his cell phone on the front seat and punched in Nick's number on speed dial.
«Did you get my text?» Nick asked in lieu of «hello».
«Wha-no, you send me one?»
«Yeah. The roughneck finally sent me the picture. Sure looks like Kuba to me.»
«Okay. I'll look at it in a minute.»
«Do you-« «I got a problem here, Alpha.» He filled Nick in.
«You're not sure about Denardo?»
«No. It's just a hunch.»