Pack Investigator (2 page)

Tom stopped walking before he lifted his fist. Garrett gripped his shoulder to show he was with Tom every step of the way. After a few seconds, he pointed to the right. Garrett slapped his hand down twice and moved to the first door. The front of the house wasn’t engulfed in flames yet, so once Garrett was sure he wasn’t opening the door to where the fire existed, he pushed it open. There wasn’t too much smoke in here and with his mask he could see pretty clearly. He paused in the center of the room and slowly scanned the surroundings. He heard it then. A soft whimper in the direction of the closet. Garrett rushed forward and threw open the door. A small bundle was at the bottom. Garrett crouched down and gently peeled away the blue blanket. He peered down at the trembling child with a tear-streaked face. He held out his arms and the boy jumped into them. He stood then turned and strolled out of the room, intent on getting the boy to safety.

Tom was braced in front of the entry, waving him forward. The fire was spreading fast so he huddled his upper body around the precious package in his arms and ran. He headed straight out of the front entrance into the fresh air.

Someone tried to take the child from his arms but the boy cried out and clung to Garrett harder. Garrett shook his head to warn the others off. He’d take the boy to the ambulance.

Steve appeared in front of him and pointed toward the street. Garrett saw the flashing lights of the police and emergency vehicles lined up. His gear was heavy, his helmet had started to fog up, but he was not going to let go of the kid until he saw the EMTs. Steve led the way and he followed through the busy firefighters and police personal.

From the open back of the ambulance, a figure jumped down and jogged toward him. He grinned—he could entrust the terrified child to his sister. Julie reached for him and the paleness on her face revealed her fear for the boy.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

He nodded before he lifted his arms to hand the boy over.

“No!” the kid screamed as he tightened his arms around Garrett’s neck.

“It’s okay,” Julie told the frightened child. “This is my brother. He’ll take you over to my rig for us.”

The boy stopped yelling and settled down. Garrett shook his head but staggered forward. He was getting tired and he really needed to get his helmet off. Julie’s partner, Shawn, smiled at him when they reached the rig. Julie jumped up into the back and reached once again for the boy. Garrett nodded toward the gurney, telling her he’d set the child there. He climbed up before he carefully set the boy down on the bed. He ripped off his mask and took a deep breath of fresh air. The oxygen tank had helped him when he was in the house, but there was nothing like that first fresh breath. He looked at the boy, who was watching him with wide eyes. Garrett sat next to him.

“Hi, little man. My name’s Garrett,” he introduced himself. “What’s yours?”

“Nick Bolton,” the small child answered.

“It’s good to meet you, Nick,” Garrett said. “This is my sister, Julie. She needs to check you out to make sure you’re okay.”

The boy nodded before he started to cough. Julie moved forward, placing an oxygen mask around his nose and mouth. She spoke quietly to Nick as she worked. Garrett glanced over his shoulder and saw that his unit appeared to have the fire under control and it was almost out. He sighed in relief. Shawn passed him a bottle of water before he was subjected to a quick but thorough examination of his own. He wasn’t surprised. His sister and her partner took just as good care of the firefighters as they did any victims.

He spotted Tom jogging toward him and stood. Nick shot his hand out and grabbed his wrist faster than Garrett would have thought possible for such a young child.

“I’m not going anywhere,” he assured the kid. “I’ll be right here but I need to talk to my friend.”

Nick eyed him for several seconds before he nodded and released Garrett. Tom was there as Garrett hopped down out of the rig. They stepped a few feet away, where they wouldn’t be overheard but Nick would still be able to see him.

“No one else in the house,” Tom informed him.

“Someone left that kid alone?” Garrett asked, pissed off that anyone could be so irresponsible. There was no way a child that age could stay by himself in a house.

“It looks like some kind of altercation took place in the master bedroom. The fire was started in the kitchen. The cap called in Lieutenant Haas. He’s going to want to talk to the boy,” Tom said.

Garrett glanced back over at Nick. He was following Julie’s instructions but Nick’s gaze never left Garrett. “I’ll talk to him,” Garrett offered.

“One more thing.” Tom gripped his shoulder.

Garrett didn’t like Tom’s serious tone. He braced himself for bad news.

“The boy’s a shifter. Steve smelled it on him right away.”

“Okay,” Garrett said slowly, confused. Tom should know that Garrett had no problem with shifters. He’d been friends with Tom and Steve a while now and his sister was living with a shifter.

“He’s scared, traumatized, and his dad’s missing. You have to keep him calm. At his age he hasn’t shifted yet, but these events could cause him to lose control. If he shifts this early he won’t know how to change back to human form.”

Garrett sucked in a sharp breath. He was still learning about shifters and hadn’t considered how the ability would affect a child.

“He seems to have taken to you already. You know shifters get emotionally involved easily, especially when they’re young. He’s going to need you to help him control his urges. His wolf will want to protect the boy and take over. You can’t let that happen.”

“Okay.” Garrett wasn’t sure how he would accomplish the task, but he would make sure Nick remained calm and in human form.

“The cap ordered you to stay with the boy. Child services will meet you at the hospital. That’s where I assume you’re headed?”

Garrett knew his sister’s routine and could tell she was preparing Nick for transport. “Yes.”

“I’ll check up on you in a little bit. One of us will bring you some clothes,” Tom said.

He was grateful to have such good friends. He stripped off his outer gear until he only remained in a T-shirt and his utility pants. Tom bundled up Garrett’s uniform before he strolled away. Garrett was hot and sweaty but he needed to check on Nick more than cool down.

“Hey,” he said as he climbed back inside the rig. “You doing okay?”

“Where’s my dad?” Nick pulled down his mask and asked. “I heard that man say no one was else was inside.”

Damn shifter hearing.
“We don’t know,” Garrett admitted.

Nick struggled to sit up. Julie pressed her hand down on his shoulder while Garrett grabbed both of Nick’s hands. “It’s okay, buddy. We’re looking for him.”

“I want to help!” Nick cried.

“First we have to take you to the hospital and have you checked out by the doctors,” Garrett said.

“I want my dad!” Nick wailed.

“I know.” Garrett brushed back the dark hair that had fallen into Nick’s eyes. “I know you do. But your dad would want us to take care of you first, wouldn’t he?”

Tears had started to pool in Nick’s eyes. He sniffed but nodded.

“Then let us do that. I’ll stay with you,” he promised. “See all the police officers?” He pointed out into the yard of the house.

“Yeah,” Nick mumbled.

“They are going to look for your dad. That’s their job,” he said.

“You swear?” Nick asked. “They’ll find my dad?”

Julie cleared her throat, catching his attention. She shook her head at him. He knew he shouldn’t make promises that he couldn’t keep. He glanced back at Nick. “I swear that they’ll do everything they can.”

Nick seemed satisfied and leaned back, settling in. Garrett let out a breath of relief.

Julie placed the mask back over Nick’s face before she turned and grabbed a water bottle from a small fridge. She handed it to Garrett and he didn’t waste any time gulping the refreshing liquid down.

“We need to go,” she said. “You coming along?”

Nick tensed but Garrett patted his arm and soothed him. “Yep.”

“Okay,” she said. “Let’s go, Shawn,” she called out to her partner.

Shawn came running up before he slammed the doors closed. Julie went back to her clipboard, writing something down, so Garrett just held Nick’s hand and relaxed. It was going to be a really long night.

* * * *

Lillian Harper hurried down the hospital corridor toward her charge. It was almost one in the morning but when she’d been called about a shifter child being rescued from a fire, she’d taken the case. All the other social workers were human so as the only wolf shifter, Lily took most of the shifter cases that arose in the department.

This case was an emergency placement since the child’s father Randy Bolton had been reported missing. Lily’s concern was the boy but she still prayed that the kid’s father was okay. The fourth floor of the Medical Center Hospital was one of the quieter areas. It was reserved for post-surgery patients but Lily had asked for her charge to be taken up there. That way he wouldn’t get frightened with all the sounds and the crowd of the emergency room. Twelve years working with the Clear Creek child services afforded her some favors.

She’d already placed a call to her Alpha to get information on the Bolton family. Her hours didn’t allow her to make many of the Pack meetings so she wasn’t certain whether or not she’d met Nick or his dad, Randy.

Alpha Jeremy spoke very highly of Randy and Nick and was willing to take Nick in if need be. He was also planning to make a call to Randy’s partner in the law firm where he worked. Apparently the partner was a shifter and close to Nick as well. Lily was glad she’d called her Alpha. If the boy needed immediate placement, Jeremy would do for the time being. She couldn’t place him there long since the Alpha had to go out of town in a few days to meet with the Alpha Council and his trip couldn’t be postponed. At least she’d be able to place Nick somewhere safe while they looked for the boy’s dad and she made more permanent arrangements. If the cops didn’t find Randy then Nick would need long-term care. She preferred to keep the shifter children with others like them, because they could teach the children tricks on how to deal with the wolf if it decided to try to transform. Children didn’t have the easiest time dealing with the change during traumatic events.

She knew wonderful human foster parents that would make a good match if she needed to place Nick for longer than a couple of days. For now Nick needed someone he trusted and was comfortable with. She waved at the head nurse as she passed by the desk. She’d called earlier, finding out that Nick was in room twelve. It was one of the largest on the floor.

As she got closer to Nick’s room, she could hear the soft murmur of voices coming from inside. She’d been told that the firefighter who’d rescued Nick was staying with him until she could get there. Apparently Nick had attached himself to his hero and didn’t want the fireman to leave him.

Lily knocked gently on the door frame before she entered the room. Nick was lying in the big hospital bed and next to him was a large man in a CCFD T-shirt. He glanced up as she stepped in and her breath caught at his handsome face. He had to be one of the hottest men she’d ever seen. His dark brown hair was disheveled and he had dark circles under his eyes, but when he spotted her his smile transformed his entire face and made him look years younger. He had a somewhat wholesome boyish look to him that she liked. He stood up, groaning a little. He had to have been at least six feet two.

“You must be Lillian,” he said. “We were told to expect you.”

She accepted his handshake and jolted as their palms connected. He jerked a little himself but his smile never left his face. “Call me Lily, and you are?”

“Garrett Sullivan,” he responded.

“Nice to meet you.” She had to let go of his hand even though it was the last thing she wanted to do. She turned toward the boy in the bed. “And you must be Nick.” She walked over to the left side, allowing Garrett to remain on the right. “I’m very sorry this happened to you,” she said honestly.

“Did you find my dad yet?” he asked.

Her heart ached that she couldn’t tell him good news. “Not yet, sweetie,” she said.

“Oh.” Nick’s bottom lip trembled and he reached for Garrett’s hand.

“They’re working very hard, though. They called the Alpha and he even put some of the Pack out to search for him,” she told him.

“Hear that?” Garrett patted Nick’s hand. “You’ve got the cops and the Pack on your side, that’s good news.”

Nick nodded. “But Dad wouldn’t want me to be here all by myself. If he knew where I was he’d come, so where is he?”

He was a smart kid for the age of five. Lily just wasn’t sure how to explain things to him. Garrett glanced at her and their gazes met. She offered him a small smile, hoping he understood that she didn’t know how to answer Nick. “Well, that’s why everyone is looking. They want to get your dad here to you,” she said.

“Okay,” Nick replied.

“As a matter of fact, the policemen want to come and talk to you, to see if you could help them. I need to check with your doctor but if he says it’s okay, would you be willing to talk to the police?”

“I want to help,” Nick stated clearly.

“I’ll stay with you and if you want to stop or you get scared or tired you just tell me,” Lily said.

“I want Garrett to stay too,” Nick demanded.

The poor boy was hanging onto his hero with everything he had. It would be best to break the connection sooner rather than later. Nick was becoming too attached to this human stranger.

“I think it would be best if Mr. Sullivan went ahead and got back to his job. It’s important that he rests so he can help the next family he comes across,” she explained.

Nick started to shake, and she knew she’d said the wrong thing.
Crap!
She needed to keep him calm.

“I’m sure he’ll be back to visit you,” she tried.

It didn’t work, Nick started to cry and climb out of bed.

“Hey, little man.” Garrett swept him up in his arms, somehow managing to avoid the IV line in his hand. “Relax, I’m not going anywhere. Miss Lily just didn’t know that. Didn’t I say I’d stay with you tonight?”