Midnight Moon: A Paranormal Werewolf Romance (Roadside Angels Motorcycle Club Book 2) (2 page)

“Are we done with the twenty questions now?” he asked gruffly, before anyone could comment. 

“For now.  Let’s see if this lady can really help us.”  Bear’s tone shut down the questions, for which Lex was grateful.  He was glad his friend could read him so well, and that the others looked to him as their leader when Lex wasn’t around.  He had a feeling he would need Bear watching his back even more closely now.

“Okay, boys, let’s roll.  Any problems, give me a call on the secure line.”

Lex had a feeling it was going to be a long day…

Chapter 1

“What is wanted is not the will to believe, but the will to find out, which is the exact opposite.”
  ~ Bertrand Russell

The police chief’s office was crowded.  There was just no other word for it. People milled about, sat in quiet reflection, or wandered in and out of it, waiting for Dave Putnam to interview them.  Lex sat in the cubicle normally reserved for his deputy and took notes as people spoke of what they last said to Bob Rose.  He knew most of it would be useless information, but most investigations of this kind ended in exactly the way this one would.  Still, it had to be done.  Neither he nor Dave wanted the Feds involved, so they needed to be thorough.  He shook hands with the woman who had had nothing new to tell him, but who had needed to be coddled and sympathized with as she had been one of the last to see her old friend alive.  She was already a frail lady, and Lex feared this would unsettle her even more.  He made a note to have one of the guys check on her for a few days. 

Looking up, he saw Tamara slipping in through the front doors, and he wondered why she was back.  The chief had already spoken to her.  Before he had time to think more about it, his last interviewee appeared, blocking her from his line of sight.  He didn’t need to see her, though, to know she was still there, and he was forced to concentrate mightily on all the things he needed to be doing that had nothing to do with noticing where she was or who she was talking to.

Turning his attention to the wiry man who sat in the chair he indicated, he began the series of questions he had asked the other ten people before him.  Although he hadn’t told her this, he had worked law enforcement before, and knew the ropes.  There was so much to tell her, he thought, and then had to apologize and ask for the last answer again.  Steeling himself not to become distracted any further, he turned his full attention to the witness, and wrote notes as clearly as he could.  Finally, he got everything he could from the man whose eyes were weepy, and offered him a cup of joe on his way out.  The diner had sent over coffee for the chief and anyone who visited that morning and Lex could still smell it.  He knew the witnesses were finally all done now, and he waited for Dave to come find him.

Tamara found him first, as he was sorting his notes, preparing to debrief with the chief.  He turned when their combined scents assaulted his nostrils.  She was aroused, which heightened it, and made it harder for him to concentrate on anything but her.

“Morning,” she said, sipping her coffee.  He knew she was nervous, but there was little he could do about it until his task was completed. 

“Morning,” he murmured, deliberately turning back to his work.  He had to help find Bob Rose’s killer before things got further out of hand.  He had a worrying idea of who it might be, but he needed a whole lot more evidence before he could act.  And now, with Tamara involved, he had to be extra careful to keep her as far from danger as possible.  He squared his shoulders and finished setting his notes in order just as Dave walked in.  He accepted the cup of coffee the chief handed him, and watched as Tamara sat in the only other chair in the room, listening.  He looked at Dave.

“It’s okay,” the chief said.  “I’d like her to stay, for now.”

Lex did not react, letting his disquiet subside.  Tamara could no longer be kept out, and her instincts were solid.  He was certain that if there was anything Dave didn’t want her to know, he’d find a way to keep it from her.

“So, what did you get, Lex?”

“Not a hell of a whole lot, Dave,” he answered.  “Nobody saw him for at least the hour before he went down to the creek to investigate the call about wild dogs.”

“Do we know who called it in?”

“No.”  Lex scratched his chin reflectively.  “What I don’t get is why he went alone.  I mean, I know he was looking for a scoop, but who was he afraid would steal his…?”  He didn’t finish the sentence.  His eyes went to Tamara, sitting in the corner sipping her coffee.  Had Bob been afraid that Tamara would steal his thunder?  After all, she had told him her suspicions about the wolves.  What if he had thought she knew something that would give her a story he wanted to break first?  That would explain him not even taking his photographer with him.

“Well, I didn’t hear anything about any wild dogs,” Tamara said, draining her cup, “so I can’t help you with that.”

“Damndest thing I’ve ever seen, the way they killed him, Lex,” the chief said, his gaze vacant as he looked out the window.  “Have you ever seen anything like that in all your years of police work?”

Lex knew that question would not go unnoticed.  Tamara sat up suddenly, looking between the two men.

“Police work?  You used to be a cop?”  She pierced him with her most intimidating stare, and a sudden spurt of laughter shot up, which he barely managed to swallow. 

“Sort of,” he said, and turned his attention back to the chief.  He could just see the wheels turning in her head as he and Dave talked their way through the evidence they had gathered so far, what little there was of it.  The next thing to do would be to figure out whose DNA might be at the crime scene, aside from Bob’s, and to determine the cause of death, etc.  Not that there was any particular doubt about that, but forensics had to be called in since it was a homicide.

“I’ll let you know as soon as I get word back from the Staties.”  The chief gave Lex a long look.  “Where are you gonna be, in case anything new breaks?”

“I’m going to take a few of my boys and check out a complaint we’ve been hearing, about wild dogs or wolves on the west end of town.”  Lex turned to look at Tamara.  “Want to tag along?”  He figured it was better she was with him where he could keep an eye on her than left alone in town where anything could happen to her, or where she could get into more trouble.  He might be able to use her reporter’s instincts as well. 

She liked the idea.  He could tell by the way her eyes lit up.  “Finally, you’re taking me seriously, Cole?” she said teasingly. 

He laughed, appreciating her discretion.  No one needed to know what they had started between the sheets.  Not for a long time.  “But first, some lunch.  I’m hungry, Let’s grab a bite to eat before we head out.  And I can warn the boys we’re coming.”  He took out his cell phone as he spoke and dialed.  A few minutes later, after bidding the chief goodbye, he took Tamara over to the diner and they ordered BLTs for lunch.  While they waited, Tamara grilled him.  He tried not to smile when she asked,

“So what kind of cop were you, exactly?”

“Is there more than one kind?”  He loved riling her up, because she was hot when she was mad.  She didn’t rise to the bait, much to his disappointment.

“Come on, Lex, just tell me.”

Their food came, and Lex bit into his sandwich before responding.  “It was...classified.” 

“That’s it?  That’s all you can give me?”  She glared at him.  “What does that mean?  Were you in the secret service?  Did you work for a foreign government?  Were you a mercenary?  What?”

This time, Lex could not hold back the chuckle.  “Mercenary?  You read too much fiction, baby!”

“Which is not an answer, Lex!”  He was sure if she were standing she would have stamped her foot.  He swallowed some of his beer and thought about how much to tell her.  The less she knew, the safer she would be, but if he were to claim her as his mate, he could not hide anything from her. 

“I promise to tell you, Tamara, as soon as I can.  But now isn’t the right time.  We need to concentrate on finding out all we can about what’s suddenly going wrong around here.”  He could see her preparing to argue with him and added, “Suffice it to say, I’ve worked for people in high places.”

She subsided, much to his surprise, and they finished their lunch in companionable silence.  The ride over to the area people had reported seeing wild dogs or wolves took half an hour, and when they got there, Lex’s club buddies were already there waiting for him.  He watched the shifters sniff the air when Tamara approached them, and then grin at him, but he ignored them, introducing her to all of them at once.

“Guys, this is Tamara Gibbs from
The Courier.
  Tamara, these are my friends.”

She went to each of them and shook his hand, making Lex smile.  She didn’t seem afraid of any of them, despite the fact that even the shortest man among them was taller than she, and though he knew she thought they were all members of a gang.  He loved the way she stood up to her fears, and never let anyone see her sweat. 

“Any sign of the Rebels?” he inquired, looking around.  The area was isolated enough that if they were holding dog fights, no one would find out unless they knew beforehand.  And it was perfect for shifting, if that was what was needed. 

“None, Lex, but we did find this.” 

Lex followed the shifter who led him to an enclosure in which there were two black wolves.  They were rather large, male and female, and not shifters.  Now why would anyone want to bring black wolves from the north down to this arid desert?  And why, if they weren’t up to something illegal, keep them out in the open in the Arizona heat?  More and more he was becoming convinced that the Hell’s Rebels were responsible for this, and that these animals were part of some scheme to make money illegally, as well as to provide a smokescreen for shifter activities. 

Lex hoped Tamara wouldn’t approach them, as he would rather not have to show his Alpha colors in front of his friends.  However, she didn’t seem interested in anything more dangerous than taking a few shots with the handy little camera she carried with her.  He would come back later, after dark, and see what else he could find.  For now, he took a few shots as well, including ones of some tags he noticed on the fence posts, and watched as Tamara zoomed in and did the same.  Lex found her quick-wittedness as attractive as her body, and remembering what they had already gotten up to in bed, he figured it would only make him want her more.  

“Found something interesting?” he asked, walking over to where she stood.

“Well, I don’t know...it may be.”  She showed him the picture, and he looked closely at the letters and numbers on the tag.  “The markings might be useful for finding out who is keeping wolves that are not native to the area.”

“We’ll take the best of both our photos and make an album for Dave, and I’m sure he’ll be able to help with this.  Or at least point us in the right direction.”

Excusing himself, he walked back to the group of men standing apart, talking in low voices.

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking, Lex?” the shifter who had brought him there asked. 

“Yes.  Lancaster’s branching out.  His motive for murder is a bit murky, though I suppose keeping Bob quiet is motive enough.”

Lex didn’t voice the other part of his concern, the part that made him sure this wasn’t just about keeping illegal activities a secret, the part that he knew made it about him.  There was no reason for the attack on Toby Wheeler, unless it was to draw him out.  The Wheelers were human and no one knew that Toby’s grandfather, the mayor, knew anything of Lex’s other side.  It enraged him that he was being forced to deal with his own personal issues by having his friends threatened and killed.  Lancaster’s behavior was escalating.  Lex had to stop him.  And the surest way to do so would be to go back home, settle the question of his Primacy, and deal decisively with Lancaster and the other rogue wolf shifters running with him.  It would also bring all the One Blood wolves out into the open, where he could deal with them as he saw fit -- if he managed to live long enough to become Prime.