Nic (16 page)

“I believe you’ve done more than see him,” Daniels said. “Think hard.”

“Is Mindy okay?” Nic asked again. He could barely keep his agitation under wraps. Had Marco hurt her?

“Why wouldn’t she be?” Daniels asked.

“Please tell me. I need to know,” Nic said. “Marco was hassling her the other night and stalking her at her job.”

“Did you take care of him for her?” Markinson asked. “Did she ask for your help?”

The questions surprised Nic. “What’s that supposed to mean?” He shifted in the hard seat, trying to get comfortable.

“She’s a pretty girl,” Daniels said. “I can see how a guy could lose his head over her and do something stupid. Something he might regret later.”

The wolf rose before Nic could stop it. He knew the detective was baiting him, but he didn’t like him using Mindy, using his mate.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I admit that I got into a scuffle with Marco at a bar. A scuffle he started, I might add. The next day I asked him to leave Mindy alone,” he said. “That’s the extent of my contact with him.”

“How long have you lived in the area?” Markinson asked.

“Eleven years,” Nic said.

“So you’re familiar with the back roads and the woods,” Markinson said.

Nic was more than familiar with the woods in the area, but he didn’t think it was a good idea to let them know it. “I’m familiar with the roads I travel on regularly. As for the woods, I only go into them during hunting season.”

“Are you sure you didn’t run into him again?” Daniels asked, changing the subject. “Maybe he was sniffing around your girlfriend? Maybe she invited him over in between your visits? Ever think of that?”

Nic bared his teeth. “Get to the point.”

His attorney put his hand on Nic’s shoulder and squeezed. It was a warning to get his wolf under control.

“Mr. Faretti was found murdered on the steps of Ms. MacDougal’s home this morning,” Daniels said.

Nic shot to his feet. “What! Is Mindy okay? How long has he been dead?” What he really wanted to know was how he died. Marco might be a pup, but he was still a shifter. Weres didn’t go down easily.

“We’re trying to ascertain that now,” Daniels said.

“As you can see by his explosive reaction to the news, Mr. La Croix had no idea that Mr. Faretti was dead,” Nic’s attorney said.

“Where were you this morning between three o’clock and six o’clock?” Daniels asked.

“In bed. Asleep,” Nic said.

“Can anyone verify that?” Markinson asked.

Nic shook his head. “No,” he said, “I was alone.”

“So what you’re saying is that you don’t have an alibi,” Daniels said.

“What I’m saying is I don’t need one,” Nic replied.

Daniels snorted. “For your sake, I hope you’re right.”

They continued questioning Nic, doing a variation of good cop, bad cop until he reached the end of his tether.

“Listen, I have told you everything I know. Asking me the same questions over and over isn’t going to change my answers,” Nic said.

“Mind if we get your fingerprints and DNA?” Markinson asked.

“Sorry, gentleman, but I’m not going to allow my client to participate in a fishing expedition,” the attorney said. “Mr. La Croix has been more than cooperative, especially since the coroner hasn’t had time to determine the cause of death yet. If you have any further questions for Mr. La Croix, please direct them to me.” The attorney glanced at Nic. “Let’s go.”

Daniels scowled at the lawyer. Markinson didn’t look at all surprised.

“We’ll be in touch,” Markinson said. “In the meantime, don’t leave town.”

“Hadn’t planned to,” Nic said. He was still trying to process what he’d been told. In the end, all that mattered to him was that Mindy was still alive.

Nic and his attorney returned to the estate. The interrogation had taken two hours. Two hours that were better spent checking on Mindy. The need to rush to her side was almost unbearable. The attorney ushered him into Aidan’s office.

“Take a seat,” Aidan said, then glanced at the attorney. “What happened?”

“Marco Faretti was murdered, or at least that’s what they suspect right now,” the lawyer said.

“Do they have any proof?” Aidan asked.

The attorney shook his head.

“Then why did they think you did it?” Aidan asked Nic.

“I guess I’m the most obvious suspect.” Nic scrubbed a hand over his face. Mindy must be scared out of her mind. “Can I have my phone back?”

“What for?” Aidan asked.

“I want to call Mindy,” he said. “Make sure she’s okay.”

“No!” Aidan snapped. “I don’t want you talking to her. I don’t want you anywhere near her until we know what’s going on.”

“She’s my mate,” Nic ground out. “That’s not going to happen.”

Aidan sat back, eyeing him closely. “I know there’s been some tension between us. I hope that doesn’t have anything to do with this current situation.”

“It doesn’t,” Nic said.

“I take it your new mate is human,” Aidan said. The answer was obvious, since no Kin would call in the human authorities over the death of one of their own.

Nic’s jaw clenched.

“Does she know what you are?” Aidan asked.

“No,” Nic said.

“That could be a problem,” Aidan said.

“It wasn’t for
your
mate,” Nic snarled and glared at Aidan in direct challenge.

Aidan’s amber eyes glowed until they were molten gold, and his incisors lengthened. He growled deep in his chest and rose to his feet. As he stared at Nic, the sound grew louder.

Nic didn’t want to challenge the Alpha for his position. He wasn’t interested in leading the pack. The only thing he wanted was to get to his mate’s side to protect her. Nic forced his gaze down until he stared at the beige carpet.

Aidan continued to growl, then slowly sat back down. “You only get one pass,” he said. “The next time you do that, I’ll rip your throat out.”

Nic swallowed hard. “Understood, Alpha.”

Aidan clasped his hands together. “Now, I’m going to ask you one time and one time only,” he said. “Did you kill the pup?”

Nic looked him in the eye. “No.”

“Do you know who did?” Aidan asked.

“No idea,” Nic said.

“Did they say how he was killed?” Aidan asked.

“No.” Nic shook his head. “They were pretty tight-lipped about the details. Didn’t give much out.”

Aidan crossed his arms over his wide chest. “I should be getting a call from the coroner soon,” he said. It paid to have wolves in the right positions. “Until I do, can you handle this situation on your own or do I need to step in?”

Nic’s eyes flared.

Aidan snarled.

The attorney took a step back so he was no longer next to them.

“I’ll handle it,” Nic said. “Let me know what they find out.” He had to get out of Aidan’s office before his wolf got them into more trouble. On his way out, Nic ran into Jenna.

“Is it true that there’s been a murder?” she asked.

“According to the police.”

Her face paled. “Do we know who it is?”

“Marco Faretti,” he said.

Her pale brow furrowed. “I don’t think I know him.”

“He doesn’t live in town,” Nic said.

Jenna stared at him, tilting her head from side to side. “You look different,” she said.

Some of the rage seeped out of him. “I am different,” Nic said softly.

He no longer felt anything for Jenna beyond friendly affection and abiding respect. How could he have believed that she was meant for him? He should’ve listened to his wolf. It knew all along.

“I have to go,” he said. “My mate needs me.”

Nic heard her swift intake of breath as he strode down the hall to the front door.

* * * * *

Mindy skipped class, but decided to go to work. She couldn’t bring herself to stay around the house all day knowing that Marco’s body had been lying outside at the bottom of her front steps.

She left out her back door and walked around the house. There was a crimson stain on the sidewalk where Marco had been. Her stomach soured as she climbed into her car.

She turned the key and the engine hummed smoothly. The lack of a ping reminded her that Nic had been there only a few hours earlier and they’d shared one of the best nights of her life.

Sadness rose inside of her. Where was Nic and what was he doing? Had the police contacted him yet? Had they arrested him? Would he ever forgive her if they had?

Mindy thought about Izzy’s cryptic warning. She’d thought for sure her sister had been talking about Marco, but now...

She backed out of her driveway and drove into town. By the time Mindy reached Breakbend, her eyes were rimmed with red and her face was blotchy from crying. She parked behind the clinic and let herself inside. The cheerful light blue walls and photographs of satisfied customers did little to ease her pain.

Celina took one look at her and jumped out of her seat. “What happened? What’s wrong? Did Nic do this?” she asked. “Is Izzy okay?”

Mindy sniffled and more tears appeared. “It’s Marco.”

Celina drew back in confusion. “Marco? What about Marco? I thought you didn’t want anything to do with him. I told you that he was bad news.”

Celina’s face swam before Mindy’s eyes. “He’s dead,” Mindy said. “I found his body on my sidewalk.”

“What!” Celina shouted. “What happened?”

Mindy shook her head. “He was killed. Torn apart by something or someone. It was awful.”

Celina’s eyes widened. “When?”

“Sometime last night,” she said. “I didn’t hear anything.”

“How?” Celina asked.

“I don’t know,” Mindy said. “He had to have been killed somewhere else and dumped in front of my house. Who would do that?”

Celina paled. “Oh, honey, are you okay?” She pulled Mindy into her arms and hugged her tight.

Mindy sniffed. “I don’t know. I think I’m still in shock.”

Celina reached for the box of tissues on her desk and handed them to Mindy. “I know you’re scared, but why are you crying? This is Marco we’re talking about. He was a jerk, remember?”

“I know, but I didn’t want him dead,” Mindy wailed.

“Did Nic spend the night?” Celina asked.

Mindy shook her head.

“Did you call him to let him know about Marco?” Celina asked.

“I can’t,” Mindy sobbed.

“Why not?” Celina asked.

“Because I had to tell the police about him and Marco getting into a fight the other night,” Mindy said.

Celina pulled back. “Do you think Nic hurt Marco?”

Tears flowed down Mindy’s cheeks. “Izzy called to warn me this morning. She was totally freaking out.”

“To warn you about what?” Celina asked.

“Danger being nearby,” Mindy said. “I don’t know what to think anymore.”

* * * * *

Celina studied her friend’s blotchy face and tear-stained cheeks. She didn’t look injured. Her gaze wandered lower until it reached a dark, angry smudge on the side of Mindy’s neck.

At first she couldn’t figure out what she was looking at. “What happened to your neck?” Celina moved Mindy’s shirt aside to get a better look.

Mindy’s hand shot up and covered the spot, but not before Celina saw the teeth marks in the wound.

“Nic got carried away last night and gave me a hickey,” she said.

Celina’s heart dropped. “Is that what he said it was?”

“What else would it be?” Mindy asked.

What else indeed...

In Celina’s experience, wolves didn’t get carried away. There were no accidents when it came to marking a female. They took mating very seriously and they never bit a neck without it meaning something.

“Take a seat,” she said. “I’m going to get you a cup of tea, then I want you to start from the beginning and tell me everything. Okay?”

Mindy nodded. “Okay.”

Celina’s hands shook as she walked into the small kitchenette to make Mindy a cup of tea. That wasn’t a hickey on her neck. A hickey wouldn’t have broken the skin. It also wouldn’t have teeth marks. Mindy was too naïve to know otherwise.

Nic had marked her. His
wolf
had marked her. In the eyes of the pack, Mindy was now one of them. How could this have happened? He’d only known her for a few days.

Resentment roiled inside Celina. Such a waste. The idiot didn’t understand the significance of the mark. Couldn’t appreciate the honor that had been bestowed upon her because she didn’t know that the Moonlight Kin existed.

Celina tossed the ceramic cup into the sink, shattering it. She gripped the side of the sink and stared at the broken shards. It wasn’t fair.

“Are you okay?” Mindy asked.

Celina bit the inside of her mouth, using the pain to focus her. “I’m fine,” she said. “Just clumsy. I’ll be right out with your tea.”

If Slade hadn’t made her promise not to tell Mindy the truth, she’d march into the other room right this instant and set her straight. But he had, so she couldn’t.

Celina picked up another cup and put in a tea bag. While the tea steeped, she thought about Slade. He’d been hinting at marking her, but had put the act off repeatedly.

She had tried to be patient, tried to give him the time and space he needed, but seeing Mindy’s mark brought clarity to her mind that hadn’t existed before. Celina was done waiting.

Tonight, she’d push Slade for a commitment. If he balked, she’d tell him about Mindy’s mark and ask him to move out.

Mind made up, Celina picked up the cup of tea and took it to Mindy. “This should make you feel better,” she said, but her thoughts had already returned to Slade and the upcoming discussion they would have.

* * * * *

The only reason anyone would leave a dead body lying on someone’s front lawn was if they meant to send a message.

The question was, who was the warning for? Him? Or Mindy?

It seemed more likely the warning had been meant for him, but Nic couldn’t rule out the chance that it was meant for her. What could anyone possibly warn Mindy about?

He sped to her house, determined to check on her and make sure she was okay. Once he assured himself that she was unharmed, he’d sniff around to see what he could pick up. The cops were good, but their noses couldn’t match one of the Kin’s.