Inquisitor (Witch & Wolf Book 1) (27 page)

The charges only appeared near the full moon.

I bit my lip. With the data in front of me, it was so obvious I wanted to kick myself. It confirmed everything I feared, too. The victims were werewolves, and their bank records were leading me straight to their hunting ground.

The door to my room opened, but I ignored the sound of the approaching footsteps, emailing the address of the gas station to my phone.

“Ms. Hanover.”

I ignored the doctor.

He cleared his throat. “Ms. Hanover.”

Shutting the lid on my laptop, I huffed a little and looked up at him. “Yes, Dr. Shephard?”

“Your scans came out clean. You’re healing well. You’re cleared to go home. That said, I want you to go to a hospital for weekly checkups to ensure that there are no problems. If you begin experiencing any headaches, I want you to call me. If you tell me which hospital you want to use, I can give you a referral.”

“Then a clinic closer to Atlanta is fine?”

“I’d prefer you seeing one of my colleagues if possible. Is Baltimore okay?”

“That’s a long haul. Surely Atlanta has a suitable doctor?”

Dr. Shephard sighed. “Baltimore would be best, but I’m sure arrangements can be made.”

I stared at him, not quite sure I believed what I was hearing. “You mean I can leave?”

The corners of his mouth twisted up in a rueful grin. “Please go. If only all severe trauma patients made as clean a recovery as you have, then I could truly be pleased with my work. I can’t say we’ll miss how focused you are on your work when we’re trying to do our jobs, but it’s a forgivable sin.” His smile softened. “The nurse will help you get discharged.”

“Any chance for a cab?”

“Ask the front desk.”

“Thanks, Doc.”

“Good luck. Just be careful with your head, okay? I don’t want to see you back here.”

I matched his smile with one of my own. With a polite, triumphant nod, he left me to deal with the waiting nurse. She came armed with a stack of papers. I eyed the stack and sighed.

Packing up my laptop, I gave the woman my full attention. The sooner I finished with the red tape, the sooner I could make my way to West Virginia.

~*~

Six hours after I managed to extradite myself from Mayo Clinic, I pulled into the entry of the Fairview Chicago. I could’ve picked a cheaper hotel, but after an overlong stay at a hospital, a little luxury was at the top of my to-do list.

They also had decent security.

Once safely checked into my room, I flopped onto the bed and groaned. Fishing my cell out of my pocket, I punched in the numbers to Anderson’s house, but I hesitated before connecting the call. I’d wake the young CEO up, but I couldn’t bring myself to care.

If I wanted to snoop around West Virginia in hunt of werewolves, I needed the kids. They knew where their mother had gone during the hunts. More importantly, I’d learn whether they had undergone the rituals or not.

Someone born to werewolf parents, rare as that was, often smelled like a werewolf. It didn’t mean they were one. But how had their mother managed to bring them both to term?

The change wasn’t kind to the unborn. Most werewolf pregnancies ended in miscarriage.

At least they did without a witch to aid them until the delivery. So who had helped their mother?

I drew a deep breath and pressed the green dial icon.

“The Anderson Residence,” a young boy answered. Alex. I felt my brows rise.

“Isn’t it a little late for you to be up, Pup?”

“Oops,” Alex replied. “Hi, Ms. Vicky. How are you feeling?”

I smiled. “I’m good. Get Mr. Elliot on the phone, tell Kitten I said hello, and get yourselves into bed.”

“Okay.” The phone hit something hard with a thunk. “Mr. Elllliiiioooottt! Phone.”

I had to give the boy credit. He had strong lungs.

“Aren’t you supposed to be asleep?” Anderson mumbled through a yawn.

“Oops.”

The phone clattered against something before a sleepy voice answered, “Anderson.”

“Sorry to wake you.”

“You’re not sorry,” Anderson replied with an undignified snort that was interrupted by another yawn. “It’s late. Aren’t your jailers supposed to keep you off the phone after your bedtime? What do you need?”

“Do you have plans for Sunday morning?”

“Not really. I was going to take the kids to the park, but we can reschedule…”

“How do you feel bringing them and meeting me in West Virginia?”

“West Virginia? Wait. Meet you? In West Virginia?” There was a brief pause. “They let you out?”

“I guess they ran out of reasons to keep me around,” I said in an amused tone.

“Okay. West Virginia? Sure. Can do, but you owe the kids a trip to the park.”

I chuckled. “I’ll keep that in mind. You’re a gem. Thanks, Anderson.”

“That’s what you pay me the big bucks for, Vicky.” I heard laughter in his voice.

Narrowing my eyes, I rolled over onto my stomach, kicking my feet in the air. “You just want to go on a road trip, don’t you?”

“Ah, you caught me.”

“You’re such a child, Anderson. I’m going to go take a long soak. Do me favor and book us into a hotel? Pick whatever one you want. Just text me the address. One room for all four of us. We’re going to masquerade as a family of four.”

“When will you arrive?”

“Tomorrow night, probably late.”

“I’ll drive us there in the morning, then. I’ll text you with the confirmation.”

“Thanks.” I picked at the seam of the hotel pillow. “Have the kids given you any problems?”

“Not really. They’re starting to act a bit more kids now. But they’ve been good. A little skittish, but I can’t blame them.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll take them off your hands soon,” I promised.

Maybe we’d have a chance to start over, if West Virginia gave me the answers I needed to keep them—and myself—safe from the Inquisition.

“Hey, Vicky?”

I blinked at the hesitancy in his voice. “What’s wrong?”

“Well, I know you’re all sorts of independent, but why don’t you and the kids stay at my place for a while?”

Few had the sort of courage needed to ask me something like that. Like the kids, I was different. Humans didn’t understand the predatory nature of a wolf.

Even human predators didn’t understand the feeling of being hunted. They avoided those who made them feel like prey. I was glad he couldn’t see my pained smile. He was right. I was an independent sort.

But the kids didn’t need independence. They needed stability, and I needed time to finish healing.

“Okay, Elliot. Thanks. I’ll take you up on that.”

Anderson made a spluttering noise. “What?”

“We’ll stay with you awhile,” I replied, trying my hardest not to laugh at his reaction.

“Vicky, Vicky, Vicky. We spent the past three days writing up a list of reasons. . .”

My laughter bubbled out of me. “My, my. May the stars forbid such effort going to waste. Very well, Mr. Elliot Anderson. You may work hard to convince me properly in West Virginia tomorrow night. Good night. My bubble bath awaits.”

“Sleep well, Vicky. See you tomorrow.” Anderson hung up.

I stared at the black, partially shattered screen of my cell before tossing it on the bed. Was I getting soft in my old age? Probably. Still, I couldn’t deny the warm, fuzzy feeling at the idea of sharing a home with someone—even if that home wasn’t mine.

Anderson and the kids beat me to the hotel in Charleston. He was stooped over the dark oak of the front desk in the lobby while Emily and Alex clung to his legs. I strolled across the entry, a carry-on tossed over one shoulder and my laptop bag in my hand.

The kids stood, heads dropped and nodding as they struggled to stay awake.

The wolf in me saw easy prey, and I shifted my stride, sliding my sneakers across the floor. When I got in range, I leaned forward and blew in Anderson’s ear. “Boo.”

The sound he made was a blend of a gasp and a squeak. The scent of fear tickled my nose. The receptionist grinned at me.

Emily and Alex lifted their heads, their eyes owl-wide. After a few moments, they threw themselves against my legs. Without my sturdy werewolf constitution, I suspected they would’ve floored me. They didn’t make much noise, just as a pair of puppies waiting for an Alpha’s approval would do.

“Hey, Pup. Hey, Kitten,” I said, struggling to keep a hold on my bag as the two unbalanced me. A wide-eyed Anderson freed me from the straps. “Thanks, Elliot.”

“Great timing,” he replied, managing one of his quick, rueful smiles. “Please don’t do that.”

The receptionist hid her laughter behind a cough. I smirked at my prey. “What can I say? Easy target.”

My wolf was pleased with the hunt, despite its quick, bloodless conclusion. Maybe it was the awareness that the full moon was on the rise, but I twitched with the need for action, not peace and quiet.

Maybe my wolf and I wanted to test Anderson. If he wasn’t prey, what was he?

A mate?

I nodded to the bemused receptionist, who finished checking us in. Taking the kids by the hands, I studied the young CEO. Unless I was careful, he was going to have an interesting weekend, complete with a crash course on the existence of werewolves.

For an unpartnered bitch like me, prey and mate were interchangeable. Then again, maybe Anderson would be safe—this time. I hadn’t picked a mate in the past hundred and fifty years. I could control myself.

One way or another.

“Room 106,” the woman said with a smile before giving us directions.

Anderson thanked her before turning to me.

“Where’s your car?” I asked.

“Out front. I’ll get the bags after we get settled. Come on, kiddos. Time to go.” Anderson made a shooing gesture with my bags. Emily and Alex detached from my legs, bounding down the hall. “How was your drive?”

“Tiring. Yours?”

“Pleasantly uneventful.” Anderson turned his attention to the kids racing for our rooms. “Keep quiet. There are other guests trying to sleep.”

“Yes, Mr. Elliot,” the chorused, slowing to a more sedate walk.

“While Mr. Elliot fetches the bags, why don’t you two tell me what you did this week?”

As soon as Anderson opened the door, both kids spilled in. They didn’t quite squeal as they kicked off their shoes at the door and flung themselves onto the nearest bed.

“Shh,” I chided. Emily hit the bed first. Alex landed a moment later, launching his sister off of the bed. She hit the carpet with a thunk loud enough I winced.

The tears I expected didn’t come. Instead, she picked herself up off the floor and jumped back into the fray. With the same ferocity of puppies in the den, they wrestled, complete with little growling noises instead of actual conversation. Chuckling at their antics, I poked my head into the bathroom.

A jacuzzi dominated most of the bathroom’s floor.

Score.

If the jets couldn’t soothe away the aches and pains from a hard day of travel, nothing could.

“Hey, Vicky. You hungry?” Anderson waddled through the door, pulling two large suitcases behind him.

“Did you bring all of the clothes in your house?”

He laughed. “Not quite. I didn’t know what you had planned, so I thought I’d come prepared.”

“We are going hiking,” I announced.

“You brought me all the way up from Atlanta to go
hiking?
”

“I sure did.” Anderson’s incredulous reply reminded me of how I had reacted to the favor Mark had asked. I bit back my surge of anger. If it weren’t for Mark, Samantha would still be alive.

I smothered my grief along with my fury.

Grief had to wait until I found a way to protect those who still lived and were being hunted by the Inquisition. The Inquisition and their Inquisitor lackeys didn’t care about my loss. They wouldn’t wait for me to move on before they struck again.

“Why are we going hiking?” Anderson asked, sitting on the edge of the second bed, safely out of the romping range of the two kids.

“I may have found a connection between the victims,” I said, digging my laptop out of its case and setting it on the desk. While it booted, I grabbed my overnight bag, digging out my new pajamas and set them on the desk next to the laptop. “Well, at least some of the victims. Not all of them. Samantha doesn’t fit the pattern.” While my voice didn’t quite crack, I heard the grief in my tone. Part of me wanted to wince away from it.

The rest of me, my restless wolf included, wanted to howl our grief so all could hear of how we’d been wronged.

Anderson got up to hover over my shoulder as I pulled up the spreadsheet showing the financial records of all of the victims, excluding Samantha. “Okay, what am I looking at?”