Bear with Me (Bear Mountain Patrol Series Book 1) (6 page)

Tag placed his hand on Ryan’s shoulder, offering comfort. “We’ll find her.” At this point, it was the most he could offer.

Ryan released a sigh and stared at the running trail. “Thanks, coming from you that means a lot. When do we head to Loveland?”

“As soon as I get some information on Jensen. Going in circles is not the best idea. Lorenzo owes me a few favors. I’ll get him started on this guy immediately. In the meantime, we should talk to everyone who ran with Camilla yesterday, someone may have seen something we can use.”

Ryan hesitated then nodded. “The clock is ticking.”

Tag continued walking toward the bakery. “Yeah, I know.”

Chapter 7

“Thank you for your time,” Tag said to Johnny Flicke. His nostrils flared as he turned away for a second to grab some air.

Slathered in mentholatum or a similar rub sprinkled with rubbing alcohol, the gray-haired runner rested his long fingers on his round belly. Rocking back and forth he looked down the quiet road before looking up to meet Tag’s gaze.

“No problem at all, glad to be of help. Wish I could do more.” He rubbed his short mustache, turned and walked inside his home

Flicke, the last name on his list from the baker turned into a dead end. Gus couldn’t recall who ran yesterday with Camilla but knew these 10 people ran during early sunlight. He and Ryan split the short list of names.

Glancing at his watch, Tag headed to his car. The day slipped through their fingers and he still didn’t know anything about Brody Jensen. He’d give Lorenzo a call as he headed to meet Ryan at the condo. They planned to drive to Loveland after dinner or first thing in the morning if Lorenzo needed more time.

His cell rang. Looking at the caller ID he released a breath.

“What did you find out?” Tag asked Lorenzo as he inserted the key into the ignition.

“Brody Jensen owns a travel agency in Loveland, has another down in Pueblo and owns shares in two more, in Atlanta and Vegas. He gets around being so young. Get this, he’s just 26, originally from Key West, single, no kids and very little family.”

“Travel agent, huh? Who’s he sending on trips? And do they want to go?” Tag asked as he pulled onto the road.

“Exactly… his finances look decent. No huge spikes, no red flags. I’ll dig deeper, see if I get anything.”

“Thanks, I appreciate it. I’m supposed to meet Ryan then we’ll leave for Loveland.”

“Sounds good. I’ll be in touch,” Lorenzo clicked off.

Tag called Ryan to let him know he was on his way to meet him back at Camilla’s place and received no answer. Frowning, he called again. Ryan and Tag both felt the same about voicemails and never set them up on their phones, after 10 rings, he disconnected. At the next corner he turned to head toward the condo. If Ryan still interviewed runners, Tag would head across the street and take another look at the park.

Flashing blue lights, emergency vehicles and a police officer stood in the middle of the road stopping his car before he reached the block.

Camilla
!

Her name flashed across his mind. Maybe Ryan hadn’t answered the phone because the police found something about Camilla’s situation. Tag’s heart bled for his friend as he turned the corner, parked and walked toward the emergency vehicles.

Inhaling, he searched for Camilla’s odor. Instead of Camilla, Ryan’s scent slammed into him. Something happened to Ryan within the past two hours, Tag was certain.

“Officer, that’s my brother over there.” Tag’s words caught in his throat as the coppery smell of blood filled his nostrils. Emotions similar to the ones he experienced earlier while talking to his sister rose and spiked. Slamming the door on Grizzle’s scratching for release, Tag fought for calm. Had someone attacked Ryan? Why?

“Yeah? One second.” The police spoke into the microphone on his shoulder then allowed Tag to walk through.

Shaken, he followed Ryan’s trail to the area where he lay bloodied on the ground. “What the hell?” he yelled and stepped closer to the paramedics.

Angry over Ryan’s condition Grizzle swiped his paw across Tag’s inner belly. “
Stop that
,” Tag muttered.

“
Ryan, friend hurt. Why?”

“Give me a damn minute and don’t claw me again, that hurts.”
Tag jammed his hands in his pockets to keep from rubbing his stomach.

“You his brother?” a man who smelled like cinnamon and raisins asked.

Focused on Ryan, Tag dissected and cataloged every scent on him. “Yes,” he lied without taking his eyes off his friend.

“What was he doing out here? Jogging? Meeting someone?”

“I’m not sure. He said he had to talk to a few people and would meet me back at Camilla’s.”

“Camilla?”

“Cousin, she lives over there.” He pointed in the direction of the building but continued to study Ryan. The position of the body, the way the medics worked on him, the shallow breathing, all told a story.

“What’s your name?”

Tag tore his gaze from Ryan and stared down at the man. “Tag. Yours?” He did a quick sweep. Loose tie, button missing from the collar, top button undone, ketchup stain on light blue cotton shirt, black cotton pants creased and black shoes polished to a shine.

“Detective Arnold Ivory.” He straightened and met Tag’s gaze. “I’m handling this case.”

Tag stiffened as heaviness filled his belly. “Case? Is there more going on here?”

Ivory’s gaze narrowed. “You’ve been staring at him all this time and didn’t ask any questions about what happened to him, why is that?”

Tag returned his gaze to Ryan. The paramedics were loading him in the vehicle. He took a step to go with him but Ivory placed his hand on his arm.

“Answer me, first,” Ivory demanded.

“I assumed he was mugged and that you didn’t know what happened.” Tag glanced down at the hand on his arm. “May I go now?”

Ivory released him. “I hope you’ve been telling me the truth otherwise you and I are going to have a long conversation at the precinct.”

Tag didn’t bother responding; instead he ran to the back of the ambulance and hit the closed door. When it opened, he gestured toward Ryan. “That’s my brother.”

The attendant looked over his head then allowed Tag to hop in.

“What’s his name?” The attendant asked as they moved onto the road.

Tag took Ryan’s hand and squeezed. “Ryan Lee. What happened to him?” Ryan wore a brace around his head and neck. Black and purple marks covered his face. His eyes were the size of ping-pong balls and his cheeks resembled a chipmunk. Seeing him up close, Ryan was in really bad shape.

“
Friend hurt, Grizzle hunt.”

“Not yet.”

“The doctor will talk to you –”

“I know that,” Tag snapped.

Grizzle grunted in anger over Ryan’s condition and his failure at protecting him.

“Damn, it looks like someone took a bat and slammed him across his face and chest.” He inhaled again and frowned. Why would a bear scent be on Ryan? It made no sense.

“Bear hurt friend? We hunt,”
Grizzle said.

“Not yet, we wait until we know more
,” Tag said using every bit of patience he possessed to placate his beast, otherwise they’d never make it to the hospital.

The attendant turned to look at the equipment. “They used something.”

Tag pulled out his phone and sent Lorenzo a text. Next he sent one to Tyra informing her of Ryan’s destination. When they arrived at the hospital, he was shuffled aside to give information on Ryan to admissions. The stringent disinfectant in the hospital interfered with his sense of smell and he couldn’t decipher the odor he’d picked on Ryan earlier. Tag wiped his nose several times to clear the cloying odor but nothing worked.

Most of the paperwork he couldn’t answer but enough to satisfy the woman behind the desk. He met a teary-eyed Tyra and Jewel in the waiting room. A police officer watched him then spoke into his radio. Tag heard the detective’s name and pulled the two roommates close.

“I told the cops I was Ryan’s brother,” he whispered, expecting the detective any minute.

Tyra frowned. Her eyes were shiny as she spoke in a hushed voice. “I don’t know anything about Ryan’s family, just that he’s Camilla’s cousin. That’s what I told the cop when he asked a few minutes ago.”

Jewel nodded. “I met Ryan for the first time yesterday. I don’t know him.” She and Tyra held each other in a loose embrace as they stared up at him. “How’s he doing?”

“I don’t know… yet.” He looked over their head. Another cop joined the first.

“What’s going on?” Tyra asked, tears rolling down her cheeks. “First Camilla’s missing, the cops won’t go look for her.” Her voice rose as she looked over her shoulder at the uniformed officers. “And now somebody attacks Ryan in the park? Nothing has ever happened in that park before. I don’t understand what’s going on.”

Unfortunately, Tag had an idea. Ryan must have asked the wrong question or got too close to finding clues about what happened to Camilla. Damn, if only they had switched lists. Now he would need to recreate the entire list with Gus. Then track down whoever did this to Ryan to satisfy both parts of his nature.

“I don’t know but I need one of you to remain with Ryan at all times. Tell them you’re his fiancé or something,” he said watching as a third officer joined the other two. What did they expect him to do in a hospital? Fight? Cause a scene? Geesh. At any moment, Ivory would appear and take him away.

“I’ll do that,” Tyra said quickly then glanced at Jewel. “Unless you want to?”

Jewel wiped the tears from Tyra’s face with her fingertips. “No. You’ll be more believable. I’m here to support you.”

Tyra turned and laid her forehead on Jewel’s shoulder. Jewel stroked her head and smiled at him. “I’ll take care of her and once he can have visitors, one of us will remain with him.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Something’s going on over there.”

Tag followed the direction of her glance. Once again, cinnamon and raisins filled the air. He braced for Ivory’s bullshit.

“Tag? I have some questions for you. We can talk here or at the station. Your choice,” Ivory said, his entire manner cocky and condescending.

“Here is fine.” Tag kept his hands to his side and watched the uniformed officers’ move closer.

“Where were you during the time of the assault?”

The open-ended question was designed to trip him up.
Amateurs
. “I don’t know when Ryan was assaulted but I can give you a list of people who I was with since I saw him last. I had just left Mr. Flicke’s house then drove to the condo to meet Ryan for dinner. That’s when I saw the police cars and ambulance.” He pulled a folded paper from his pocket and held it out for Jewel and Tyra. “Mr. Flicke gave me this, hang on to it and give it to Ryan when he wakes up. You may be able to go here after the wedding.”

Tyra moved close and took the flyer about a private hotel in the mountains. Flicke practiced nudism and suggested he try it.

“What’s that?” Ivory said looking at the paper. Tyra showed it to him. Ivory’s cheeks pinkened then he met Tag’s gaze. “Old man Flicke’s been going there for years.”

Tag didn’t respond.

“Give me the names of the people you were with so I can verify the times.”

Surprised he hadn’t been arrested for lying, Tag pulled the folded paper from his pocket and started reading. The detective watched him rather than jotting down names.

“I know them.” Ivory tapped his forehead with his finger then crossed his arms. “What were you and Ryan doing talking to these folks?”

Tag inhaled wishing he could get a better read on Ivory but the smell in the hospital jacked his senses, other than the cinnamon smell, he got nothing.

“Camilla’s missing. Ryan and Tyra filed a missing person’s report. We were talking to people who may have seen her that morning in the park.”

Ivory frowned. “Why in the park?”

“That’s where she was last seen.” Tag allowed his contempt at the man’s complete lack of investigative skills show. If Ivory had taken a few minutes to check into Ryan’s background, he should’ve realized Ryan had been at the police station yesterday.

“He filed a missing person’s report on your cousin and today he’s attacked,” Ivory said re-stating the obvious.

“Yes.”

Their gazes clashed for a few seconds.

“Grizzle hunt.”
His beast demanded to be released to find the bear who attacked Ryan.

“Not now.”

Grizzle growled at the challenge and for a moment there was an internal tug-of-war. Tag forced his beast down but didn’t glance away.

Ivory blinked and took a step back. His hand fell to the butt of his gun. The uniformed officer’s eyes widened at Ivory’s actions and stepped closer, mimicking Ivory’s stance. Onlookers stopped and stared at the police officers.

“Is there a problem?” Tag asked, knowing Ivory couldn’t identify what he’d just seen but if the BMP were watching they’d take him in for an examination immediately. A shifter unable to control his beast would be terminated rather than incarcerated.

Ivory looked strained around the mouth and straightened. “No. I’ll be in touch.” He turned and left.