Tameka's Smile (15 page)

“What other?” He wished they would just get on with it. He wasn’t in the mood for a long, drawn-out game of Find the Clues.

Bull and Rome gave each other a look. “You don’t smell it?

It’s over here. We left it up so you could see.” They led him over to where the others were working.

As they rounded the van, what he saw was shocking enough to bring him to a complete stop. How on earth had he missed this? The smell of death was strong in the air. An Alaskan Husky, amazingly wolf-like in its appearance, hung from a tree in the yard with a noose around its neck where she’d be sure to see it. The thing had been maliciously gutted with a butcher knife, still embedded in its belly. Entrails were hanging from various spots. “Shit, the animal cruelty people would have a field day with this.”

The words “beast lover” suddenly took on a new and ominous significance.

“Has your mate been having any problems that you know of? Any enemies she told you about? This can’t be an isolated incident,” Rome stated.

Chad couldn’t pull his eyes away from the gruesome sight, while deep inside anger burned and began to grow. “Monday someone left a box of dead roses on her porch. No note. It’s in the evidence room at the station. A couple of mornings later, she had two flat tires, both rear. I took her to work and got them fixed. After everything that’s happened, I forgot about it, but Tucker said it looked like someone drove a small nail through the tire so the air would slowly leak out.” He could kick himself for forgetting.

“Sounds like someone’s taken a nasty interest in your mate,” Rome commented.

“When I stopped in to get her keys, Ms. Lulu mentioned that someone was trying to get Tameka to sell this property. Said Tameka was smokin’ hot because they wouldn’t take no for an 97

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answer. You think this is somehow related?” Bull questioned.

“She tell you about this?” Rome asked Chad.

“She mentioned that she received an offer and her parents were upset that she didn’t sell. But that was when Ms. Emma first died, months ago. There’s been nothing recent, that I can remember.” Of course, they’d had other things on their minds than talking.

“She got a call that morning. Was offered four hundred thousand. Turned them down flat,” Bull informed them.

Both he and Rome turned to him with questioning looks.

“Me and Mona hang out some times. She told me about the conversation,” Bull said with a shrug.

“You think someone’s trying to run her off, thinking if they harass her enough they might be able to get their hands on the property,” Chad asked Rome.

“If so, it’s not anyone associated with the pack. The shifters around here all know this is Raven pack land,” Rome informed him.

“But it’s obviously someone that knows about us.” Bull pointed toward the tree. “That was targeted directly at you.”

“Then it could be anyone. Everyone in the county knows what we are,” Chad said in disgust.

“Not everyone,” Rome corrected. “Just those who grew up here in Refuge and have reason to know. We don’t reveal ourselves to just anyone.”

“So we know we’re looking for a non-shifter who knows about you, and doesn’t like the idea of you and Tameka together,” Bull stated.

“That could just be because if Tameka’s involved with someone, she’s less likely to want to leave. It may not have anything to do with Chad being a shape-shifter,” Rome speculated.

Chad could feel his wolf stirring. “Someone’s targeting my mate, and the threat is escalating. I’m going to find out who it is and when I do…” He broke off as his cell phone rang.

“Wilson.”

“Chad, you need to get back here pronto. It’s Tameka.”

“I’m on my way.” He stuck the phone back in his pocket, pulled out his keys and headed for the truck. “I’ve got to go.

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That was the clinic.”

Rome called to his retreating back, “I’ll investigate and see what I can discover. I’ll also inform Alex about what’s going on.

This is a pack matter, especially if someone thinks Tameka’s the only thing standing in the way of their claiming this land. You go take care of your mate.”

“Whoever’s doing this better hope you find them before I do.” Chad tossed out the warning as he started the truck, then slammed the door closed, his mind already on what he’d find waiting for him.

Minutes later he was running through the clinic doors, bag in hand. He hung a left and slowed to a jog as he neared Tameka’s room door.

Alex caught him at the door. “Hold up a minute, Chad.” Oh, damn. Not again. “She needs me.” His hand braced for entry through the door.

“I want to explain what’s happening before you go rushing in there.”

Chad slowly pulled his hand from the knob and turned to face Alex. “What’s going on?”

“She’s coming out of it and she shouldn’t be, as heavily as I have her sedated. Not too long after you left, the monitors went crazy. The EKG is showing brain activity, and shouldn’t. I have two options here: increase her medication to put her back under, or start the reversal process to bring her out. Both procedures involve risk. If we bring her out of it too soon, it may trigger another seizure, causing damage to her brain. If we put her back under, there’s the risk she may develop blood clots or pneumonia from lack of movement.”

Chad closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.

This day just kept getting worse and worse. “What can I do to help?’

“Your presence seems to calm her. I find it more than a little coincidental that her agitation coincided with your departure.

When you go in, talk to her like you’ve been doing. Let her know you’re here. Hold her hand and try to connect. I’ll monitor her vitals. If I’m right and this works, I’ll start the reversal process.”

“All right. Anything else?” His hand was on the doorknob, 99

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his back already pressing against the door in preparation of entering.

“Just one last thing. I need for you to remain calm. I’m not sure how much she’s sensing. If your wolf’s upset, it may have an adverse effect on her condition,” Alex warned grimly.

Chad pushed open the door, dropped his bag and immediately crossed to Tameka’s side. Her eyelids were flickering wildly and her body seemed to jerk and spasm. “Baby, I’m back. Sorry that took so long. Missed me?” He took her hand and brought it to his lips, placing a gentle kiss on the back of it.

She stopped fidgeting and seemed to be listening, though her eyelids kept fluttering like she was trying to open them and couldn’t. Alex motioned for him to keep talking.

He reached back with his foot and hooked the chair, bringing it closer to the bed and sat down. “I asked Bull to go by the shop and take your car to the house. Lulu sent your things home with him and everything is waiting for you, including your purse. You need to hurry and get better, baby. I miss our nice, comfortable bed. This chair is murder on my back.” Alex made encouraging noises, adjusted a few of the machines, and then picked up Meka’s chart and wrote on it.

When he finished, he came and stood by her bedside, leaning over it until he was speaking directly into her ear. “Tameka, my name is Alex. I’m your doctor. I know you’re trying to wake up.

I have medicine in your IV. That’s why you’re having such a hard time of it. Just relax. You had a severe allergic reaction that caused a seizure. The medicine is to prevent you from having another one and possibly causing brain damage while we work on finding the source of the problem. I know you want to be with Chad. He knows it, too. The best thing you can do to speed up the healing process is to stop fighting and let the medicine put you to sleep. Chad will be here with you.” Amazingly enough, something Alex said must have gotten through to her. It wasn’t until he saw her body slump into the bed that he realized how tense she’d been.

“Her vitals are better. They started improving as soon as you spoke to her. She’s definitely aware of her surroundings on some level. I’m lowering her meds. We’ll see what happens.” Chad brought Tameka’s hand to his mouth, cupping his jaw 100

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with it. “Is it safe?”

“We’ll take it slow. She’ll be closely monitored at all times.

I don’t anticipate any problems. Have you eaten?” He had to think about it. “Breakfast.”

Alex nodded. “I’ll have the nurse bring you something.” He put his pen in his jacket pocket and left the room.

As soon as he was gone, Chad leaned forward and whispered in her ear. “I’m so sorry, baby. This is all my fault.

You do what Alex tells you so you can get better and kick my butt. I need you.”

He could have sworn he felt her weakly squeeze his hand.

He closed his eyes and laid his head on the pillow next to hers, inhaling deeply of her scent.

Minutes later, the door quietly opened and the aroma of food filled the air.

“Awww! That’s so sweet,” she whispered. “You can lie next to her if you like.”

Chad raised his head. “How? There are wires and tubes everywhere.”

Gloria, the cute, petite blonde nurse’s aide who worked the night shift, gave him a smile. “I know, but she’s doing so much better than she was before. Let me see what I can do. You eat while I handle things here.”

Chad roused himself and went to see what she’d delivered.

He needed to eat. Shape-shifters burned a lot of calories due to their increased metabolism. Also, eating helped control the beast.

Right now, both he and his wolf were more interested in his mate’s welfare than satisfying his non-existing appetite.

The meal consisted of a large steak, bake potato and a side salad. He forced himself to eat while keeping an eagle eye on Gloria. The minute she was done, he pushed the plate aside and went back to the bed.

“There. If you want to lie along her right side, you should be fine. Just be extra careful. Try not to dislodge anything.” He wasted little time before toeing off his shoes and climbing up beside his mate. There wasn’t much room, but he didn’t care. He snuggled up as close as possible without actually touching her. Being near her was enough.

Gloria left the room after dimming the lights. Chad doubted 101

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he’d sleep. There was too much on his mind. Tameka’s uncertain diagnosis and the wacko targeting her topped the list. They’d come a long way in a short period of time. Frankly, he was scared that these latest developments would cost him his mate.

She was already skittish. He just prayed that the fragile bond they’d form would be strong enough.

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Chapter Seven

Two days later, Chad dozed, waking every time the door opened. Several times he had to clamp down on his wolf. It took exception with the clinic staff turning Tameka into a pincushion as they drew blood at various points during the night. Once, they even took a vial from him. For what, he didn’t know, but didn’t argue. All he was told was that Alex needed it.

The investigation was at a standstill. Rome’s research into the Markham Group revealed that they weren’t the ones interested in the property. An unknown financial group had approached them about entering a land development deal to build a housing development on Tameka’s land. They were unaware that the property wasn’t available, as negotiations hadn’t progressed that far.

Further investigation showed the financial group to be bogus. The only solid clues they had were that their suspect was a female, and someone who’d either lived in Refuge or nearby, and knew of their existence. Unless or until the perpetrator made another move against Tameka, they were stuck. In the meantime, Rome was checking into Tameka’s family background, and anyone else that had expressed an interest in the property on the off chance that this woman wasn’t working alone.

It was a little after eight when Lulu came visiting. “How’s she doing?”

Chad rolled off the side of the bed and stretched, trying to loosen some of the kinks from lying in one position all night. As he grabbed a shirt and slipped it on, he responded, “I don’t really know. Stable, I guess. They’ve been running in and out of here all night, poking needles in her and monitoring the machines.

Have you heard from her family?”

Bull had gone through Tameka’s things, looking for an emergency contact, and hadn’t found one. Lulu turned out to still 103

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have the number for Tameka’s father from when Ms. Emma was alive. She’d agreed to get in touch with them and let them know that Tameka was in the hospital.

Lulu snorted. “They’re out of the country—vacationing.

Said since there was nothing they could do any way, they’d call and check on her condition when they got back. Didn’t even leave a number where they could be reached,” she finished disdainfully.

He ran his hand through his hair and glanced worriedly at Tameka, and then at the EKG machine. Same steady wave pattern. If she were listening and aware, the news didn’t trouble her. “Meka mentioned that her parents were…”

“Lousy.” Lulu supplied the word he was looking for.

“Yeah.” His mind just couldn’t comprehend it. To him, growing up in a two-parent home was the ultimate dream.

“From what Emma told me, Tameka’s father spent more time hanging with ‘the boys’ than being home with his family.