Jaguar Hunt (23 page)

Plausible, but she wasn't sure she trusted him. “We believe the cat thief and dirty agent has got to be someone with financial issues.” She watched Quinn closely to see his reaction.

He smiled a little as if he knew just why she'd brought it up. “I think Merilee's getting angry now. But David's not making a move to come rescue you from me,” Quinn said, changing the subject.

“He knows I don't need a rescue. What do you know about the zip-line accident?”

Quinn faced her. “I don't know anything about it, except that it was posted on YouTube and Martin sent a note to all Golden Claws that he wanted us to watch the video as part of a training exercise.”

“A
training
video? And
YouTube
?”
Great.
Tammy felt her whole face heat.

“Got to admit you did a hell of a job rescuing yourself, Tammy. Where was David when all this was happening?”

She wasn't about to defend David's actions concerning that, either. He couldn't have helped her. Had David sent the video to his boss? She frowned.

“The video didn't say why you had to rescue yourself. What happened?”

She shook her head. She wasn't going to explain what they suspected if Quinn didn't know anything about it. “So you were going to talk to Joe, and then he tried to kill you? You're here now, and he's still there? Or is he here now, too?”

“I have no idea where he is. After he tried to kill me, I figured we were beyond talking. But I couldn't track him down.”

“So you're here still on a break? Or on a mission?”

“Seeing an old girlfriend. And yes, I'm on a break.”

“Why didn't you want me here? At the circus?”

“Would you believe that I didn't like that you had seen me here with a woman?” he asked.

“You're kidding. Right? I wouldn't think you'd care what I, or any other woman, would think.”

He ignored the comment. “I'm surprised you're still with David on this assignment. You have quite a reputation to uphold.”

She raised her brows in question.

“For getting rid of partners on a mission,” he said. “You had a great start when you left David at the police station. Talk about a cat eating crow. It was killing me not to comment to him on it, and it was killing him that I didn't say a word.”

She could just imagine. “You never know how long a partner will last. Some longer than others.” After David's little exhibition with Merilee, Tammy was thinking he'd outlasted his partnership with her. She wondered how long and well he had known Merilee.

The notion irritated her, and she was annoyed with herself for letting it.

“They're leaving,” Quinn said.

She refused to look to see where David and Merilee were off to.

“Wonder where they're going,” Quinn said, baiting her.

She still wouldn't bite.

“You don't know about their history, do you?” Quinn asked.

David thought he'd get lucky and get to visit with Merilee behind the scenes, so he could learn one way or another if the jaguar cat was here. He thought Tammy would realize what he was doing—strictly business, even if he had to play along a little with Merilee's enthusiasm to see him. After the insanity of dating her, no way was he ever going to take up with the woman again.

“So is she your new girlfriend?” Merilee asked, dragging David toward the trailers.

“Partner. We're working a mission together. We're searching for a missing jaguar the circus had. Do you know anything about it?”

Merilee smiled, and he was afraid that smile came with a price.

“What do you know about it?” he rephrased.

“
Well
,” she said dramatically, “I've been dating this guy, and he mentioned something about a jaguar that's been more trouble than she's worth.”

“Really. Name?”

“Tiger.”

“What?” he asked.

“That's the name he called the jaguar. You know. Like a joke. The cat's a jaguar named Tiger. Circus thing, I guess.”

“Uh, yeah. The guy's name?”

“You won't get jealous, will you?”

“No.” David tried his damnedest to not sound exasperated.

“Okay, well, a lot of guys don't like him. And when women hear that I'm going with him, they get jealous.”

“Joe Storm,” David guessed.

Merilee gaped up at him. “Wow, you could be a mind reader.”

“What did he say about the cat?”

“Nothing. That was it. He'd been really exasperated. Said he'd worked hard to get her and then she was gone again. I don't know anything about it other than that.”

“Did you see her?”

“I'm not supposed to say.”

“I won't tell anybody.” He hated lying to her, but they had to find the cat.

“Yeah. He had to feed her, and I wanted to see her. She was pretty. We went back to his place, and she was stolen.”

“Did he bring her back?”

“If he did, he hasn't said anything to me about it. David, I just want to say I'm sorry about what happened to you when we were seeing each other before.”

Still angered over the situation, David had to know the truth. “Why did you cover for Howard?”

“He said he'd kill me if I didn't come back to him. He said he'd kill my family—my little sister, my mother and dad.” She took a deep breath and let it out. “I didn't have any choice. I'm sorry about you losing Olivia to Joe, too. I can't imagine how you felt when she committed suicide. First Olivia, you are all shook up, then you meet me, and I nearly get you killed.” She cleared her throat. “Now I'm dating Joe. I was afraid you'd be mad.”

“Thanks, Merilee. No. I've moved on.” David really didn't want to get into it any further with her. “So where was the cat when he took you with him to feed her?”

“In the grassy area, far, far away from the camp. I was wearing cute little sandals. What a mistake. Got bitten by fire ants galore. Couldn't see the mounds in the dark.”

“Can you show me?”

Merilee waved at her sandals.

“Can you motion in the direction it was?”

“Well, it was dark, but off that way, I think.”

“Okay, listen, I'll check it out and then I've to get back to my partner and work.” He handed her a card. “If…if you hear anything about the jaguar, give me a call. Okay?”

“Sure.” She reached up and kissed him on the lips.

He gave her a very brief kiss, pulled away, and said, “Later.” He stalked off in the direction she had motioned.

If it hadn't been for his keen sense of smell, he wouldn't have located the area where the cat had been. But he smelled that she had been near the border of the circus grounds. Joe had probably put her there temporarily, moving her closer once he had surveillance set up.

He had to get back to Tammy, not liking that Quinn was eating lunch with her. He could just imagine what he might say about David's involvement with Merilee, and possibly Olivia.

***

Tammy wanted to learn about David and Merilee's relationship, but she didn't want Quinn to know she was interested. She shrugged.

“He met her at a shifter club in Pensacola.”

So they
did
have a history back in Florida.

“She'd broken up with a boyfriend, and David had broken up with a woman he'd been dating for a while, so he asked Merilee out. They were an item for about a week before the former boyfriend wanted Merilee back.”

“Wait. Not the one who killed another of her boyfriends?” How could David have anything further to do with her?

“Yeah, that one. He shot David. Nearly killed him. It was touch and go for a few days.”

She stared at Quinn in disbelief. Why hadn't anyone told her? Though she supposed it wasn't the thing to talk about over breakfast, and there had never been any reason to bring it up. Because shifters healed so fast and well that they didn't have scars from injuries. Otherwise, she would have seen his scar and asked him about it before this.

“I've never seen Wade so upset. He was sure he was going to lose his brother. Their dad was at David's hospital bed for nearly the whole time, too. I don't think David's dated a human since then. I'm kind of surprised to see him speaking to Merilee now.”

“She went back to the bastard who shot David?” Tammy couldn't believe this. She was ready to punch the woman out, and she didn't think of herself as a violent person.

“Yeah. Said she didn't see what had happened. No witnesses. David's word against Howard's.”

“The gun? Bullets?”

“Bullet went clean through David. From the significant loss of blood he had, he passed out. The bullet vanished along with any other evidence. Howard had an airtight alibi.”

“Let me guess. He was with Merilee at home the whole time.”

“Yeah, but even better. He was home nursing his mother who had the flu.
And
Merilee was with the two of them the whole time.”

Tammy frowned. “So why is David talking to her now?”

Quinn smiled. “Like you said. Gathering information.”

Somewhere private and personal, she suspected, and she didn't like it one damn bit. Even if he gathered a ton of information about their case.

She rose from the table. “Got to find my partner.”

Quinn frowned. “You look like you had a lightbulb flicker on. Got any idea what's going on?”

“Yeah, I think Merilee's behind this whole thing.”
Not.
“Thanks a lot for lunch, Quinn.” She would have told him she'd buy next time, but she didn't want to offer and give him the wrong idea.

“Tammy…”

She watched him as he rose from the table.

“Just be careful. All right?”

“You, too. If Joe's out to get you, he could be a dangerous threat.”

“Yeah, how well I know.”

“Wait. You said Joe had been dating Merilee?”

“Yeah. Here and in Florida.”

“Did David know she was also seeing Joe?”

“You'd have to ask him. David may not have been seeing her at the same time that Joe was.”

How many of the same girls had Joe and David both dated?

***

“Tammy.” David waved her down, looking perturbed with her as she headed for the pony rides.

So why was he miffed with her? For having lunch with Quinn?

Tammy couldn't help being so annoyed with him. “I can't believe you talked to that Merilee woman after her boyfriend nearly killed you.”

“Quinn told you?” David sounded angry.

“Yeah.”

“He shouldn't have. What were you doing with him?” David asked, his voice growly when he had no business sounding that way.

Not when she was conducting business. Could he say the same? “Interrogating him like you were interrogating Merilee. Right?”

He snorted.

“What? Is that a no, you didn't ask her about the missing jaguar? Or a no, you don't believe I was questioning Quinn about important issues related to the case?”

“So what did he say?” David asked, trying to lead her to the parking lot.

“Wait.” She pulled away from him. “I want to investigate where the cat would have been.”

“I already checked.”

“Oh.” She felt two feet tall. So maybe David had strictly been conducting… She eyed the hint of shimmery pink lipstick on his lips. She folded her arms and scowled. “And? Did you smell the jaguar?”

“Yeah, she was here. Joe was feeding her and had stolen her.”

“Quinn says she wasn't ever here.”

“Shows what he knows.” David glanced in the direction of the trailers. “Okay, so they've stolen her again and now they have her hidden somewhere else. They probably intend to wait to have her join the circus until after they've packed up to leave for their next destination.”

“The new destination is?”

“Miami, Florida. I want you to know that my speaking with Merilee had all to do with trying to solve this case, Tammy. Nothing more.”

She chewed on her bottom lip. “Sorry. I mean, it really doesn't matter.” She needed to pull away from him, to distance herself, to gain her equilibrium. Whenever she was close to him like this, she couldn't think straight. She wanted more with him. Something permanent, but she kept falling back on her father's infidelity, and Joe's also. Had David dated all the same women as Joe? Well, hell, that included Tammy, too, didn't it?

“Yes, it does matter. How you feel matters to me. Believe me, after Merilee stuck up for that bastard when he damn near killed me, I felt only animosity toward her. But she told me he threatened to kill her and her family if she didn't stay with him. When she said she worked here, I figured it would be worth putting my feelings aside to see if I could slip into the off-limit areas of the circus with her. And she gave me a tour.”

Of just the off-limit areas of the circus? Not Merilee's normally off-limit areas? If the woman even had any off-limit areas. Tammy couldn't put aside the vision of Merilee jumping David's bones. Or that he was wearing her lipstick! He didn't have to hold on to Merilee's ass as she jumped his bones. He could have put some distance between them. And if they were going to kiss, he didn't have to do it on her lips.

“Okay, listen. I know this goes deeper with you. I haven't asked because I figured you'd tell me when the time was right. That's what I've always done with Wade when he felt the need to get something off his chest but wasn't ready to talk. He knew I'd always be there for him. You asked me if I thought either of my parents ever had affairs. I don't believe so. Did you want to talk to me about your parents?” David asked.

Now?
“You'll tell Wade and he'll share with Maya and…”

“No, I won't. This is strictly between the two of us. If you want to talk about it, I'm here for you.”

She took a deep breath and reminded herself David wasn't like the other men had been in her life. She was just rattled with all the news about everything. “Sorry, I just…okay, yeah, we'll talk… I'm okay.”

She glanced at the concession stand, where she'd seen the churros and wanted to have one in the worst way. “I have to get something first.”

“Where are you going?” he said, quickly catching up.

“I haven't been to a carnival or circus for years. I want a churro. I'll even share. But…you have to wipe off Merilee's lipstick first.”

His ears turning a little red, he grabbed a napkin off the counter, wiped off the lipstick, and rejoined her while she waited in the long line. He paid for the churro, and when she had the tube-shaped doughnut rolled in cinnamon and sugar in hand, she offered the other end to him.

“Want to take a bite?” She held it out to him, but she wasn't letting go.

He smiled at her, his green eyes twinkling in the sunlight. She smiled just a little.

“Is…this a test?” he asked.

“You bet. Of your willpower. Go ahead. Take a bite.”

He reached for it with his hand. She shook her head. He chuckled, the sound dark and intrigued.

He took a bite. She ate a bite off her end.

She offered it again. He took another bite. “This is great,” he said.

“They sure are.”

When they finally reached the middle, laughing, they finished it off, but they weren't truly done. She licked his cinnamon-coated lips. He went further with her, licking her mouth, pulling her in tight for a hug, and spearing her smiling lips with his tongue until he gained entrance.

“Hmm, really, really nice. I think sharing churros with you has become my favorite thing to do,” he said, and she felt his arousal against her, proving he
really
did like the idea.

“We'd better leave before we make too much of a scene,” she said.

When they headed for the parking lot, she finally said, “Okay, as to my father, I found love letters he had stored in an old chest in the attic. I was looking for a diary I had written when I was thirteen and came across them. They were written to him, signed EL. I don't know anyone with those initials.”

“What was the date? And why would he have kept the evidence?”

“They weren't dated. As to why he'd have them, my dad is a pack rat. Not only does he buy everything in jumbo quantities, but he never throws anything out.”

“What if they were written to him when he was in high school? Maybe they were sent to him before he met your mom.”

“She mentioned Mom a couple of times. Like she knew her and they were friends. How could this woman have done that? If she was a friend of Mom's, too?”

He pulled Tammy close. “We don't really know all the circumstances. We could be jumping to conclusions about this. Have you spoken with your dad about it?”

“No. I'm afraid of what he'll say. What if he's still seeing her? Instead of writing letters, maybe they're texting each other now. It would be easy for them to do.” She let out her breath. “I've tried to hint at it to my dad, attempting to learn the truth. He's not taking the bait.”