Caged, page 20
“We weren’t the ones having nightmares,” Kristine explained sleepily.
“Then who?” Andy asked.
“Everyone else,” Liam said, his voice holding the ghost of a yawn.
Andy frowned. “Everyone had a nightmare last night?”
“Have you ever seen a werewolf having a nightmare?” Kristine shook her head, then tensed as the movement caused her body to sway and she almost spilled her coffee. “It’s… It’s not pretty.”
“What caused the nightmares?” I asked. “That can’t be normal.”
“It’s the excitement,” Ruth said, her mouth opening on a yawn. “They’re riled up.”
“It’s like when kids have nightmares about monsters, but really the monsters are mommy and daddy fighting,” Kristine agreed. “Only in this case it’s Liam—” She stopped talking, and her eyes widened. “Sorry.”
Ruth gave her an annoyed look, then shrugged. “Sort of.”
“All right, all of you need to get some sleep,” I said firmly. “Andy and I will go talk to—”
“No.” Liam lurched to his feet, downing the rest of his coffee in one gulp. “I’m coming.”
“You need to sleep,” I protested.
Liam slammed his palms on the desk, rattling his empty mug. His eyes lightened, but didn’t quite shift to his wolf’s visage—yet. “I’m going. Unless you think you can stop me?”
I shared a look with Peasblossom. Liam was clearly under the impression that I couldn’t stop him if I wanted to. Or perhaps he just didn’t believe I’d do it. Maybe I’d spent too much time with Flint, but part of me wanted to show him how wrong he was. On both counts. Peasblossom narrowed her eyes and lifted her chin, her opinion clear. If I hadn’t been so sure it was something Flint would have me do, I might have given in to the urge.
“Andy’s driving,” I said instead.
Liam waved a hand. “Whatever, let’s go.”
“Where are you going?” Ruth asked, sitting straighter but not relinquishing the death grip on her tea.
“To talk to May.” Liam circled his desk and headed for the door. “And we have a plan. Shade, you and Andy are going to pose as an addict and their spouse and try to get her to sell you a wolf.”
My lips parted. “I’m sorry?”
Liam swayed on his feet, then shook his head. “Did research last night. Social media. Andy’s right, the woman who got the wolf didn’t have a medical condition. She’s an addict. Prescription drugs. She’s been clean for five months.”
“Would a service dog help with that?” Andy asked.
Kristine nodded again, then swayed and took a sip of coffee. “Pets are beneficial to anyone with the time to take care of them. They’re loving and supportive, and they don’t judge. Obviously, someone in the middle of an addiction can be a less than responsible pet owner, but for someone making a concerted effort to get sober, that kind of unwavering loyalty can be priceless. And caring for a pet gives them a purpose.”
“I’ve met May,” I said. “She’ll recognize me.”
“You can disguise yourself.” Liam met my eyes. “Like you did when you interviewed Mia Tyler without me, even though I told you not to.”
I bristled. Little petty to bring that up again. “So you want me and Andy to go to Paw Patrollers and pretend one of us is an addict, and it’s necessary we be married? And for some reason I’m asking for a wolf, specifically?”
Liam rubbed his eyes. “Based on my research, May seems to prefer placing an animal with an addict who has someone sober supporting them. We need to know if May is involved in selling wolves or if that was Paul’s deal only. And if she was selling them, we need to know why she kept turning Varca down. Either she only sells them to people she likes, or she doesn’t sell them at all. We need to know which one it is.”
“Oh, for Pete’s sake.” I unzipped the waist pouch. “Bizbee, do I have any berries in there?”
“No.”
I pursed my lips. “How about chocolate?”
“Oh, aye. Lots of chocolate.”
I ignored his judgmental tone. “Could I have three pieces, please?”
“Three?”
“Please, Bizbee,” I said through clenched teeth.
He sighed, but offered up three pieces of dark chocolate.
“Thank you.” I held the chocolates in my palm and summoned my magic. “I’ve never done this with chocolate before,” I muttered. “Nutrio.” Green energy pooled in my palm, quivered, then soaked into the chocolates. I handed them to Liam. “Eat these. It won’t replace a meal,” I gave him a pointed look, “but it should help with the effects of the sleep deprivation.”
Liam must have been even more tired than he looked, because he ate the chocolates without complaining. “Let’s go.”
“Wait,” Kristine said, her words slightly muffled by the fact that she didn’t take her mouth completely away from the cup of coffee. “Liam and Shade should play the couple.”
“Why?” Ruth asked sharply, lowering her tea so quickly she would have spilled it if it weren’t nearly empty.
She’s awake now, I noted.
Kristine pointed at Andy. “He screams cop. And he and Shade have no chemistry.”
Andy shrugged off her concern. “We can make it work.”
“Maybe. But May’s a dog trainer, which means she trains humans to communicate with their dogs through everything from tone of voice to body language. She’ll never believe you two are a couple. I think it would be better if Liam pretended to be the husband.”
“You don’t think he screams cop?” I asked.
Kristine shot Liam a look. “Not right now.”
I followed her gaze. Kristine was right. Liam’s usual calm, authoritative air was gone, replaced by a man on edge. He looked like he was desperately trying to decide if he should scream, punch a hole in the wall, or play a vigorous game of rugby. He looked exactly like a recovering addict.
“Point taken,” I admitted.
If Liam was offended, he didn’t comment. Instead, he took a deep breath, and for a second he looked surprised.
“Feel better?” I asked, guessing that my spell had taken effect.
He nodded. “Much.”
“You still need to eat something.” I perked up and reached for the protein bar I’d slipped into the side pocket of my pouch yesterday after failing to get him to try it. “Eat this.”
Blessedly, he ate it without argument, a sign that he wasn’t as oblivious to his hunger as he’d like to pretend. Suddenly I felt a lot better about the plan.
Kristine stood up and wobbled over to pat me on the shoulder. “Have fun.”
“Do you want some chocolate too?” I offered.
“No magic candy for me.” Kristine laughed nervously. “I’m not sure I’m ready for something stronger than sugar.”
Ruth stayed in her chair, looking for all the world like she wasn’t leaving until she’d thought of a reason to make Andy my pretend husband.
“I could go,” she pointed out. “Liam and I could pose as a couple. That way Shade and Andy could look around while we keep May busy.”
“We have over a dozen shifters here who didn’t get any sleep last night,” Liam reminded her. “Four of them shifted and attacked one of their co-residents. You’re going to be needed here, Kristine can’t handle them all alone.”
Ruth looked at me, and I almost took a step back. Almost.
“So how are you going to play this?” Andy asked as we left the office.
“The people who received wolves claimed they were donated to them from Paw Patrollers, but someone gave Paul five thousand dollars. I’m going to be the rich guy who cracked under pressure and started using, and now I’m willing to pay any amount of money to get better so my wife won’t leave me.”
“Adrian was a rich guy, and he couldn’t get a wolf from Paul even for ten times what he apparently took from the others,” Andy pointed out. “Seems like rich guys didn’t get anywhere with Paul—or May, if she was involved.”
“You think we should play the poor couple desperate for help?” I asked.
Liam jerked open the door to the center and half-threw himself into the parking lot. “We don’t have time to slow play this. I have evidence that Paw Patrollers supplied at least one family with a wolf. I’ll ask nicely, then I’ll ask less nicely. Either way, I’m getting answers.”
Peasblossom heaved herself onto my shoulder from where she’d previously been tucked into the neck of my shirt. “Be ready.”
Liam looked back at her as he opened the back door of Andy’s SUV. Peasblossom had been shockingly subtle in her warning, but the message wasn’t lost on Liam. Peasblossom returned his stare with the calm arrogance of her kin. He didn’t scare her. His gaze flicked to me.
“I’m not feral,” he said evenly.
I held his gaze, keeping my spine straight and my face serene. “I know.”
“You can stop worrying about how you’re going to stop me if I lose it with our suspect.”
I let the witchy look spread over my features, a hint of arrogance and just the faintest trace of amusement. “I’m not worried.”
That made Liam pause, but only for a second. For the first time, he seemed to take the time to consider how much of a threat I could be. He got into the backseat and closed the door before I could judge what he decided.
Andy observed the entire exchange with his usual attention to detail, but he didn’t intervene. I had the fleeting thought that it would be very interesting to hear his estimation of Liam. One cop to another, one man to another. An impartial observer. I made a mental note to ask him.
When we pulled in Paw Patrollers was as empty as it had been before. I twisted around in my seat to face Liam before any of us opened our doors, taking a moment to magically disguise us both. Andy would wait in the car in case May turned out to be the kitchen witch we suspected she might be, ready to call for backup if necessary.
I didn’t try to make either of us look that different. Subtle disguises were always best. I darkened Liam’s hair, softened the hard lines of his jaw. I added some padding around his middle to hint at a sedentary lifestyle, and made his button down shirt and jeans look like the last suit I’d seen Anton Winters wearing. For me, I made myself four inches taller, turned my dark hair to light brown, widened the space between my eyes, hid the fanny pack, and shaded my black and red leggings to just black. All done.
As soon as we walked inside, May looked up from her desk. I knew my magic was on point when she greeted us both with a warm smile.
“Hi, welcome to Paw Patrollers. My name is May Lin. How can I help you?”
Liam threw himself into his role as a rich man and didn’t bother to wait for an invitation before ushering me to a seat in front of May’s desk. He kept his back ramrod straight but didn’t try to hide how exhausted he was. “I’d like to speak with you about purchasing a service animal. I have a very specific type of animal in mind.”
May’s smile didn’t waver. Either she was used to bossy men, or her poker face was just that good. “I’m sure we’ll be able to accommodate you.” She opened a notebook and grabbed a slender blue pen from a cup on her desk. “Why don’t you tell me what you’re looking for in a service animal?”
“It’s for my husband,” I said, reaching out to take Liam’s hand in mine. “He’s a recovering alcoholic.”
I knew a lot of families who had a loved one struggling with addiction. For this role, I remembered Mrs. Bodel. I channeled that iron-clad hope I’d seen in her eyes when her husband made it two months without a drink. All the little touches she used to connect with him, to check on him. As if waiting for him to throw her off, reject her help.
May’s gaze turned sympathetic. “How long have you been sober?”
“Three months.” Liam lifted his chin when he answered, as if daring May to belittle the amount of time.
“That’s wonderful.” May smiled, a genuine expression. “So you’re looking for a companion to provide emotional support.”
“Yes,” I answered. “I have to work at the hospital for twelve hours at a time, and he just doesn’t know what to do with himself.”
I tried and failed to smile, patting Liam on the arm while staring hard into May’s eyes. I remembered Mrs. Bodel’s fear when she had to go back to work because her husband had lost his job, her desperation to find someone else to be there for him in case he had the urge to use again. Mr. Bodel had struggled to find a sponsor he liked, and those first few weeks of sobriety had been hell for both of them.
“Of course one of our dogs can be just what you need.” She opened a file on her desk, revealing a page with a glossy photograph of a yellow lab. “We have two dogs ready to train right now, and one on the way. Do you have a preference for a lab or a retriever?”
Liam shook his head and shifted to stand closer to the desk, drawing May’s attention away from me to look at him. “Actually, I have something very specific in mind. I’ve heard that you have a specialty that no other service dog provider can match.”
May tilted her head. “Oh?”
Liam nodded. “I’d like a wolfdog.”
The Chinese woman’s face shut down immediately, as if someone had doused her features in liquid nitrogen. “I’m sorry, but you’ve been misled. We don’t have any wolfdogs, nor would any other reputable service animal provider. Wolves don’t make good service animals, they aren’t domesticated the way dogs are.”
I let threads of purple magic weave their way into my voice, trying to get under May’s defenses before that hint of panic I saw in her eyes turned into something more. “I understand that they are an uncommon request. But I’ve seen Ms. Thomas’ pictures. She looks so happy since she got Luna.”
Liam leaned forward. “I had a wolfdog when I was young. Lightning. He was the best dog that ever lived, and that was the happiest time of my life. I know how to take care of them.”
May shifted in her seat. “I’m sorry, but I can’t help you. If you’d like to consider a lab or a retriever, then we can talk about starting the training today, but I have no dogs with any amount of wolf in them. If you’re truly set on a wolfdog, then I’m afraid there’s nothing left to say.”
“If it’s a matter of money, then I promise you, that’s not an issue,” Liam insisted.
I had an idea. “And I know the woman who runs the rehab center a few miles from here. I’m sure a lot of their clients could benefit from the services of an emotional support dog. And if you help us, I’d be willing to put in a good word for you.”
Now May looked tempted. With Paul’s life insurance payment, she might not be worried about her immediate financial future anymore, but the promise of a business partnership that would bring in steady income for years was something she couldn’t ignore.
“I’m sorry,” she said again.
This time, it sounded like the words were dragged from deep inside her, as if she desperately wanted to agree. Liam took out a business card and set it on her desk.
“Please call me if you reconsider. Money is of no consequence. I need to get the right animal. I can do this, I just…” He trailed off. This time, he reached for me, taking my hand and squeezing hard.
His large hand was warm against mine, and for just a second, I felt the gesture as if it were real. A moment of connection and reassurance, a sign that we were in this together. His aura pulsed against my palm, and I squeezed back.
“Please reconsider,” May said, a hint of desperation in her voice. “Whatever you may have heard, wolves and wolfdogs do not make good service animals. Any example to the contrary is the exception to the rule. The reality is that having a wild animal in your house could put you in danger.”
Liam met her eyes and held them. “Ms. Lin, I worked very hard to get where I am. I have all the money in the world a man could want, but none of that matters if I can’t… If I can’t stay sober.” He patted my hand. “I’ve put her through so much. I just need a little more help.” He put a hand on the desk and leaned forward, invading May’s space. “Work with me on this. I will make it worth your while.”
If I hadn’t seen the pulse pounding against the thin skin of May’s throat, I might have believed the cool mask she held firmly over her features as she met Liam’s gaze.
“I had nothing to do with providing anyone with a wolfdog,” she said evenly. “That was my former partner. I have no access to such a dog, nor would I wish to.”
“Then why did Ms. Thomas tell me a woman was in charge of Luna’s adoption?” Liam bluffed, a hint of a growl creeping into his voice.
May froze. She recovered quickly, but it was too late. I’d seen her reaction, and so had Liam.
“It wasn’t me,” she said, her voice strained. “But I think I know who it was.”
“Who?” Liam demanded.
“I don’t know her name. A little over two years ago, a woman came here to talk to me and Paul. She said she specialized in training wolfdogs to serve as service animals to people suffering from addiction. She said her animals saved lives, but a lot of people were scared at the notion of a dog that looked like a wolf.” Bitterness crept into her tone. “Which of course they should be scared, because no one has any right to attempt to pass off a breed like that as a service animal.”
“She wanted to funnel her animals through your company to give them credibility,” I guessed.
May nodded. “I told her no, absolutely not. Paul agreed with me, but if what you’re saying is true, then he must have changed his mind.” She braced her hands on the desk. “You should know he paid the price for it, too. One of those animals that was so well trained, so perfect for looking after a vulnerable person, killed a man. That’s something you should think about when choosing an animal to help you.”
“What did this woman look like?” Liam asked.
“Tall, thin, pale skin, black hair,” May said. “She could have been a model.”
“How do I contact her?” Liam demanded.
“I don’t know. Like I said, I had nothing to do with any of it.”
I studied May’s face. She was definitely scared, I could see the sweat beading on her temples. But was that fear of Liam? Or fear of being discovered? Was the mystery woman she described real, or was she making her up to hide her own involvement? Her hand dropped to her lap, then immediately rose again to the desk. It wasn’t until then that I noticed she didn’t have her dog, Justice, with her. Unease prickled down my spine.
