Lone Wolfe Protector (8 page)

Chapter Eleven

Koda drove slowly down one of the back roads of town, his SUV rocking over the deep grooves in the packed gravel.

Abigail was talking through the radio, something about an accident up the freeway. But for once, Koda wasn’t paying attention. And it wasn’t just because this particular call was out of his jurisdiction, either. He was thinking about something else. Someone he couldn’t quite shake, and was finding he didn’t really want to.

It was official. Maggie Sullivan had worked her way under his skin. Now he just had to figure out what he was going to do about it.

Not even a week ago, he’d been annoyed at her nerve, showing up here and nosing around like she owned the place.

But last night, not only had he agreed to keep her involved in the investigation, he’d also had the urge to plant a kiss on those impossibly pink lips.
What the hell?
Men thought with their junk and Koda was no exception. But he’d always prided himself on being smarter than his little brother and most of the guys in town, who would sleep with just about anyone who passed by. Just because a girl was attractive didn’t mean he was going to go screwing her brains out. At least not before the one-
week
mark.

But Maggie… Maggie was different. Tough and obstinate, yet vulnerable in a way that made him want to walk closer on an evening stroll, just so she might feel safe. Or make her laugh only to see that mouth relax into an easy smile. She was maybe one of the most pensive people he’d ever met, but there was a definite spark behind her eyes. A spark that had probably always been there, but had no doubt grown dimmer over the last year.

“Four Victor Ten.”

Abigail again. She sounded urgent, slightly off-key, which was rare for her. And this time she was talking to him.

“Go ahead.”

“We have a cold home invasion and assault at sixty four South Glen, apartment B.”

Candi.
Koda swallowed the suddenly sour taste in his mouth and had to force himself to reply. “Injuries?”

There was a moment’s hesitation at the other end of the radio. Again, rare. “Affirm. Female caller reports that she’s bleeding heavily from the head. Medical en route.”

The ambulance would be coming from Splendor Pass, the town directly South of Wolfe Creek, which had the nearest hospital. Koda glanced at the clock on the dash. 8:14 a.m. It usually took at least twenty minutes and that was with decent weather. With the drizzle and light fog rolling in, it could be longer.

“Copy. En route. Suspect on scene?”

“Negative, as far as she knows. Sending backup.”

That might take just as long as medical.

He gunned the engine, kicking up dense chunks of mud and gravel behind the SUV. Whatever bleeding there was, it would be up to him to stop it, or at least slow it down until the ambulance got there.

God, let her be okay.

Koda looked at the clock again.

Hang on, Candi.

Blood everywhere.

Koda stepped inside with his GLOCK drawn, avoiding a shattered lamp on the floor. He scanned the dim room. The curtains were still closed and the only light was coming from the bedroom down the hall.

“Candi?”

Bloody fingerprints on the walls, streaks on the throw rug. Puddles and specks on the hardwood floor that he tried to step around.

The neighbor’s dog barked relentlessly in the next apartment, setting his hair on end.

“Candi?”

Someone moaned from down the hall.

Koda turned the corner, his gut coiled, his breathing shallow.

And there she was. Lying in a heap next to the wall, the phone still in her hand. Her hair was matted in bloody clumps next to her face, which was a swollen, purple mass. Her normally wide eyes were no more than slits beneath her brows.

“
Shit.”

Her head flopped to the side.

“I’m here, baby,” he said, dropping to one knee. “I’m here.”

She moaned again. There was a nasty gash on her forehead, already starting to clot. Most of the blood had probably come from her nose, which looked broken.

“Whoever did this,” he said, “are they still here?”

“Don’t…think so.”

Koda tensed and beads of sweat trickled down his temples. Never in his life had he wanted to kill someone more than at that very moment. Every muscle in his body strained against his skin. His clothes were tight and hot, his shoulders stretching the fabric of his uniform shirt until he thought it might rip.

Carefully holstering the gun, he took off his jacket and covered her with it. She was starting to shake. Not wanting to move her, but knowing he should at least elevate her legs, he got up to get a pillow from the bed.

After he grabbed two, something small fell from the folds of the fabric and landed at his feet. Koda leaned down to pick it up. A lighter. With embossing. Without thinking, he stuck it in his pocket and turned back to Candi.

He lifted her feet as gently as he could and slid the pillows underneath.

“The ambulance is on its way. They’ll be here any minute.”

One eye tried to open, tried to look up at him, and he had to clench his teeth to avoid biting his tongue. He picked up her hand and cradled it to his chest.

“You should see the other guy,” she said.

He forced a smile. “That’s Zane’s line.”

And then the wail of a siren. Faint at first, but growing louder, stronger by the second.

Maggie sat in the parlor with a fire popping merrily off to the side. She’d just gotten off the phone with her mother who had asked for the one-millionth time when she was going to give up already and come home.

“Not until my money runs out, Mom. I told you.”

There’d been an exasperated sigh on the other end of the line. Maggie knew better than to go over the reasons again. She’d done that before, and to no avail. She didn’t expect anyone to understand, least of all her hardheaded, overly rational mother. This
was
craziness. She knew that. But she also knew that for the first time since arriving in Wolfe Creek, she might be a little closer to some answers. And that was good enough for now.

She’d finally hung up after telling Mary Sullivan that she loved her and promising again to be careful.

Maggie sat now, sipping a cup of tea and listening to the elderly woman across from her.

“This Inn is just lovely, isn’t it?” the woman said, shaking her head of cottony curls.

“It is,” Maggie agreed.

“So much to absorb.” She grinned, the lines in her face exploding into dozens, upon dozens of crinkles. “I’m a retired history teacher. I can’t get enough of this kind of thing.”

Maggie smiled.

“Your room is just down the hall from ours, isn’t it?” The woman, whose name was Vera, leaned forward and gazed at Maggie. She couldn’t have been a day younger than eighty, but her sharp gray eyes missed nothing.

“It is. I think we share a bathroom.”

“Yes, we do. I heard someone walking down the hall early this morning. I suppose that was you.”

“I hope I didn’t wake you up.”

Vera shook her head, her delicate earrings winking in the firelight. “Oh, no. I was having trouble sleeping.” She leaned closer and Maggie could now see a curious silver ring around her irises. It gave them the appearance of glowing in the dimly lit room. “I was hearing things,” she said quietly. “Things outside the hotel.”

“What kinds of things?”

“Twigs breaking, scratching…”

Maggie shifted, uneasy.

“I hear things most people can’t.” Vera sat back, her orange lips tilting slightly. “I can almost feel them, if that makes sense.”

“Ahh,” Maggie said, and for the first time wondered if the kindly woman across from her wasn’t playing with a full deck.

“Oh, I know it sounds strange. Most people think I’m crazy. That’s okay.”

“I don’t…I didn’t…”

“It’s all right. Most of the time I keep my mouth shut. My husband hates it when I tell people like this, and mostly I don’t. Not anymore. But you…” Her eyes narrowed. “I think you might feel things, too.”

Maggie didn’t know what to say.
Feel things?
What things? She looked at Vera, drawn in by her strange eyes.

“Let me ask you this,” the other woman said. “Did you see anything last night?”

“I’m sorry?”

“When you were looking out the window?”

A tingle crept up Maggie’s neck. How in the world could she know about that?

“I told you,” Vera said. “I feel things.”

Apparently she can read minds, too
. Maggie laughed nervously.

“Did you? See anything?” Vera asked again.

“I did.” The room seemed chillier, even with the crackling fire. “I saw some sort of animal by the fence. But it was too dark to make out what it was. Did you see it, too?”

“I didn’t have to see it. I knew it was there. That’s what was keeping me awake.”

Vera’s response was oddly casual.
Weird.
This was the kind of conversation someone should be having in a whacked-out dream after a spicy meal. Not in broad daylight with a retired history teacher.

“Ready, darling?”

Maggie looked up to see an older gentleman crossing the room toward them.

“Bud, come meet Maggie Sullivan. We’ve been having a nice chat.”

Bud took her hand and gave a formal bow. “Miss Sullivan, charmed.”

She liked these two. Boring, they were not. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“I hope my wife hasn’t been keeping you hostage. She does like to talk about these old places.”

Vera shot Maggie a look. Clearly, she wanted to keep this particular conversation between the girls.

“Oh, no. I’ve been enjoying it.”

He helped his wife to her feet. “We really should get going, my love.”

“Yes, we should.” Vera smiled down at Maggie. “We’re on our way to California to visit our son and his family. We have a new grandbaby as of last month.”

“Congratulations. I hope you have a nice trip. It was wonderful meeting you both.”

“Likewise, dear.”

With Bud safely out of earshot, Vera bent close. “You be careful, you hear? Especially at night.”

Before Maggie could respond, she had already gone, leaving a perfume scented trail in her wake.

Chapter Twelve

The sounds were coming from the dining room. A shout of some sort, and then a crash against the wall.

Maggie had been sitting in the parlor watching the fire fade to embers when she heard it.

She jumped and scooted to the edge of her chair.

“I’ll kill him!” a male voice boomed. “I’ll fucking
kill
him!”

Maggie rose and walked hesitantly toward the dining area.

“No! No, don’t tell me to calm down.” This voice was the loudest, punctuated every now and then by two others.

Slowly, she peeked around the corner to see Zane, Koda, and Ara standing there. Ara covering her mouth, Koda with one hand flattened against Zane’s chest. The men looked volatile. But something about Zane’s posture, something about the look on his face, made Maggie question being in his vicinity.

Before she could turn back around, he spotted her.

“Well, well, look who’s here,” he said.

“Stop it, Zane,” Ara said.

“Where do you think you’re going?” he continued, his voice dripping with animosity. “You should be hearing this, too. Since it’s probably your fault in the first place.”

“
Zane
,” Koda growled.

Leaning into Koda’s stiffened arm, Zane glared at her. His eyes were bloodshot and glassy, like he hadn’t slept all night. “No. She should know. Or are we making sure she’s sheltered from all of this, Koda?”

“Shut up.”

Maggie swallowed hard before finding the courage to speak. “What happened?”

“Candi was attacked this morning. She’s in the hospital.” Ara walked over and put an arm around Maggie’s shoulders. “Don’t pay attention to him. This isn’t your fault.”

“Like hell it isn’t,” Zane snapped. “Everyone knows how this fucking town operates. Someone saw Candi talking to Nancy Drew over here and decided to shut her up.”

“That’s an awfully big assumption,” Koda said.

Zane turned on him. “Why don’t you just admit you’re protecting her? You said yourself she has no business here. You said it just a few days ago. What happened between then and now to make you change your mind?”

His black gaze settled on Maggie. “Never mind,” he said. “I can guess what happened.”

Her face burned as if someone were holding a torch to it.

“Zane,” Koda said, “if you don’t shut your mouth right now, I’m going to shut it for you.”

“Don’t bother.” Zane shoved his brother’s hand away and stalked past. “I’ll kill whoever it was,” he said over his shoulder. “Watch me.”

And then he was gone.

Ara leaned against the table. “Sweet Jesus.”

“It’s okay,” Koda said. “We’ll get whoever did this. He’s not going to kill anyone.”

Shaking her head, Ara stared at him. “What’s happening around here, Koda?”

“I don’t know. But we’re going to find out.”

The room spun, dizziness making Maggie’s stomach lurch, and she braced a hand on the wall.
I don’t know. But we’re going to find out.
They were the same words spoken by Alan McCay, the state trooper, the night Aimee disappeared.

I don’t know…

And they were just as scary today as they’d been a year ago. Maybe even more so. Was it her fault all these horrible events had been set in motion? Maybe Zane had a point. Maybe she was bad luck to the people of Wolfe Creek. Maybe wherever she went, pain and misery followed. After all, the road trip had been her idea. She had convinced Aimee to come along…

“I’m sorry,” she said, her eyes stinging. “I’m so sorry.”

Koda looked up. He didn’t touch her, but she could tell he wanted to. The thought of being wrapped in his arms was all consuming. He was a virtual stranger. But she wanted his comfort. Needed it.

His face was compassionate, his words soft. “This isn’t your fault. Do you understand?”

She nodded, doubtful.

“I need to see her,” Ara said, fidgeting with the tablecloth. “But I can’t go until tonight. We have guests coming, and I can’t leave until they’re checked in.”

“That’s okay. I’m going this afternoon,” Koda said. “She wasn’t conscious earlier, but I have to go back and ask her some questions. I’ll make sure she’s all right. Then I can drive you tonight if you want.”

“Jim can take me. But can you tell her I’ll be there soon?” The older woman looked close to losing it, which broke Maggie’s heart. She thought of the rugged caretaker, and the fact that he was the one Ara wanted to go with. Maybe there was something more here for Jim than just caretaking. Maggie liked the thought of that. Maybe this sweet innkeeper wasn’t alone in this big old place after all.

The room grew quiet and the memory of Zane’s words still hung in the air.

Maggie studied Koda’s profile. His wide, expressive mouth set in a firm line. She wanted to trace his narrow nose, the high forehead, and the strong jaw, peppered with new stubble.

And right then, at that very second, she was forced to recognize a longing inside herself that she wasn’t necessarily comfortable with. Not yet. Maybe not ever. But she felt it just the same.

He must have sensed her watching, because he met her gaze.

“Do you want to come, Maggie?”

Dazed, she nodded. “Yes, please.”

The long, twisting drive down the mountain had never been Koda’s favorite thing in the world. The truth was, he’d seen too many accidents on this road to feel anywhere near complacent. It was a freeway, which also meant it was a thoroughfare for semis and heavy logging trucks that crowded the slow lane, laboring down the mountain with almost as much difficulty as they had climbing it. Their brakes smelled hot and their engines ground away in the lowest gear, sounding like huge, grumpy bears just waking from hibernation.

Koda passed one now that was having a particularly hard time. Smoke billowed out the exhaust pipe, which pointed like a blackened finger to the sky. Its bright yellow hazards flashed ominously, on, off, on, off. All part of living up here. Unless you had a chopper, there was only one way down.

Switching lanes, he glanced over at Maggie, who was looking out her window. She hadn’t said more than two words since she’d climbed in. Her curly brown hair hung loose next to her face, hiding it from view.

He focused on the road again, wondering what she was thinking. Guessing he had a pretty good idea.

“He had no right to say that to you.”

“Huh?” Maggie turned, her eyes appearing larger than normal. They were round as polished, green stones.

“Zane. He shouldn’t have said that.”

She considered this for a second, before looking back out the window. “I don’t know. Maybe I deserved it,” she said. “Maybe what happened was because of me. It makes sense.”

“The only person responsible for hurting Candi was the one who broke into her apartment. Zane says a lot of things when he’s mad. He talks out his ass. It’s a well known fact, ask anyone.”

This coaxed a faint smile. “He still has a right to be angry.”

“He does. We all do. No one lays a finger on that girl without paying dearly and that’s the God’s honest truth. If I find him first, Zane’s going to have to settle for the leftovers. But he has no right to be angry with you.”

“The last thing I want is to cause problems for anyone here. That was never my intention, I hope you know that.”

She fidgeted, wringing her hands together in her lap. Her fingers were long and elegant. Sexy. He imagined them wrapping around him, stroking his—

He shifted in the seat and focused on the road again.

“When I decided to come here,” she continued, “I guess I was only thinking of myself. How things would affect me. I never considered anyone else.”

“That’s what happens when someone’s grieving a loss. They’re kind of selfish that way.”

“I guess. But I can see things more clearly now.”

He said nothing. Seeing things clearly might not be such a bad thing. He suspected that she’d been making blind, gut decisions for a while now.

“Honestly,” she said, “do you think it’s possible that someone attacked Candi because she was talking to me?”

Koda sighed. “It’s possible. Anything’s possible. But I don’t think it’s probable.”

“Who else would want to hurt her? I can’t imagine her having any enemies.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. I’m assuming she told you what she used to do?”

Maggie nodded.

“Well, she hung with a pretty rough crowd. Lots of those guys were obsessed with her. Wouldn’t take no for an answer. I could see one or two of them pulling a stunt like this. Especially drunk.

“Wolfe Creek is a great town in a lot of ways, Maggie. There’s a reason I haven’t moved somewhere else. Somewhere bigger. The family history is one thing. But it’s more than that. Once you live here, put down roots, it has a hold on you. You don’t
want
to leave.”

“I can imagine,” she said, facing him now.

“But as great as it is, it can be a hard place, too. There’s a lot of poverty, a lot of ignorance. So if you’re asking if anyone else had it in for Candi, the answer’s yes. I think a number of people could have, and for no good reason, either.” He looked over then. “This doesn’t have to make sense. Sometimes people do stupid shit. Just because.”

She watched him, quiet. Then began fidgeting again.

Without thinking about it, he reached over to still her hand. But instead of letting it go right away, he held on. Her skin was smooth and pliant, warm to the touch. He looked up to see the expression on her face. There was something there that mirrored what he’d felt when he first saw her, although he’d be hard pressed to admit it. He’d felt it again last night when she’d stepped closer on the sidewalk, her arm brushing against his. And he was feeling it now. Her mouth was slightly open, her lips parted in such a way that made him want to lean over and coax them with his tongue. She tightened her fingers around the back of his hand, surprisingly strong and sure of herself, and his face grew hot in response.

A minivan passed on their right, barreling down the mountain and blasting its horn as it went. Koda pressed his foot to the gas and yanked his hand away.

The SUV lurched forward again, as if remembering it had somewhere to be.