Winter’s Wolf (19 page)

Matt exhaled and stepped back. He’d get quiet now. Not too long.

Rita murmured, “Does it seem like he’s getting worse lately?”

Matt nodded but couldn’t say the words.

It took another five minutes, but his dad quieted. Wish he could say the same of himself.
Maybe I should shove that needle into my own arm.

They slipped out the bedroom door. He sighed. “I’m so sorry, but I have to go back out. I’m working a case and I have a meeting.” One he desperately wished he wasn’t looking forward to.

“You look tired. Not something that can wait?”

He wanted to scream, “Hell no.” But he just shook his head. “It’s not for a couple hours, so why don’t you get some rest?”

“Thank you. I will. He really took it out of me today. I just feel so sorry for him. I hate having to use the restraints.” She shook her head and walked toward her porch.

“I understand. Just rest. I’ll check on him and be sure he’s good before I go.”

“Thanks, Matt.” She closed the door and, like someone had released a spring, Matt started to pace. He’d closed all the blinds, but it still felt like the light from the damned moon poured into the room. He stalked down the hall to his bedroom, went in, and closed the door. Shutting the moon out. All he wanted was to see Winter, and “see” was one hell of a euphemism. He should go out to a bar, pick up a guy, and fuck his brains out, just so he wasn’t this raw when he saw Winter, but the idea made him want to puke. When had he become a one-man guy? He knew the answer. The minute he looked up at the Way Station and saw those ice-blue eyes staring at him. It was like shackles snapped into place that instant, and they’d never released.

He sank down on the bed. What the hell was he going to do?

He glanced at the clock. One hour and forty-five minutes to decide.

W
INTER
STARED
at the tall, thin human with the circled, haunted eyes. “Yes, sir, I have the delivery in the car.” This guy had to be a serious junkie, which meant he’d likely use his own product, which in turn meant that Winter couldn’t switch the hard stuff for sugar powder like he had on some of the deliveries. Damn. He hated getting any more of this shit on the streets, but he couldn’t have the dealers yelling foul until he’d found the guy at the top.

The human ran a hand through his greasy hair. “I’ve got most of the money.”

“Most?”

“I’m a little shy, but I’m good for it. Ask the little guy who usually delivers. I always pay.”

“Sorry, sir. I’ll be glad to give you all the product you pay for. Get in touch with your usual contact when you have the rest of the money, and I’ll be glad to come back.”

The guy’s eyes widened. “No, I’ve got customers. I can’t be short.”

“Then I’m sure you can understand my position. I can’t be short either.”

“The other guy—”

“Is not me. Tell me how much money you’ve got, and I’ll give you the equivalent delivery.”

“Shit, man.”

“How much?”

“A thou.”

He had no idea what the guy was supposed to pay since the envelopes were usually sealed. “Yes, so that would be—” He reached in his pocket for a notebook as if checking records.

“Half. Okay, it’s half. But I’ll get the rest.”

“I’m sure you will. I’ll go divide the product while you get the money.”

In the back of the car, Winter tore open the paper-wrapped package. In a box nestled bags of marijuana and packets of pills and heroin. He guessed the heroin had highest street value and was most likely what the dealer used himself. That thin, sunken look went with serious addiction. Winter pulled more pills and marijuana and just a small amount of the heroin from the box. Was that half? No idea. Weird he was worrying about keeping a drug dealer honest, but if he didn’t do the job well, he’d never get to the leaders.

He walked back to the guy’s mangy-looking house with the box. The dealer stood shifting from foot to foot. Winter handed him the box and he ripped off the top. When he saw the heroin, he got a relieved smile. “Thanks, man.” He handed Winter an envelope. “Here’s the cash.”

Winter opened it and counted. “You’re ten short.”

“Sorry. My old lady must have used it.”

Winter took the box from the guy’s hand, pulled out a small plastic bag of marijuana, and closed the lid. “Now we owe you. Have a good day.”

Back in his truck, he looked at the clock that somehow managed to still work, unlike many of the indicators on this ancient SUV. An hour and a half until he saw Matt.
Wish I had more to report.
But any excuse to see him was better than none. Matt had made the last full moon more than memorable. What would this one be like? Of course, the guy redefined hot and cold—so today could be another blizzard.

He drove back to Snookie’s, where he’d agreed to hook up with Ollie. The minute he mentioned Ollie to the waitress, she took him to that same back table where there was some privacy. He’d made “deliveries” for Ollie for two days. Most times he dropped the money off in a PO box to which he’d been given a key. This time Ollie had said he wanted to see him and, sure enough, the guy waited at the table. “Hey, Ollie.”

He nodded.

When Winter sat, Ollie leaned in. “I ordered us a couple sandwiches. Hope that’s okay.”

Winter nodded and glanced at the clock on the wall above the door. He still had an hour. “Sure. Thanks.”

“How’d it go?”

Funny he should ask about this delivery. “The guy only had half the money.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. So I only gave him half the product.”

“What?”

“Seemed fair.”

“How did you determine half?”

“I wasn’t sure, but I kept aside some of the stuff. It’s an estimate, but at least he didn’t get to take advantage of you while still remaining a customer.”

Ollie smiled and shook his head.

“What?”

“That guy does that trick all the time. None of my delivery people know how to deal with it, so he gets more product than he pays for. He’s always behind, and I’ve been figuring I was gonna have to go there myself. Now it looks like I won’t be having to. Good job.”

The waitress brought the food, and they both dug in.

Winter stared over his bite of meat. “How far behind is he?”

“About a thousand.”

“So hold back some of his product each delivery until he catches up. That way he knows he can’t get away with this shit—and you don’t have to kill him.” Winter grinned, but Ollie’s eyes flashed up in a very serious glance. Winter held up his hand. “Just kidding.”

“Ever been to New York?”

Winter held his breath but kept chewing. “No.”

“I think we ought to take a trip to the city, you and me. The guys on top of this operation are impressed with what I’ve been telling them about you. You could go far. Make some serious money.”

“Sounds good.” Chew. Chew. “When?”

“I’ll set it up. Let you know.”

“Okay. Sooner’s better than later. I haven’t really decided if I’m going to stay here or go back to Canada, so if there are opportunities I should know about, bring ’em on.”

“I thought you and your dad planned to stay here.”

“That’s more him than me. I don’t know how I feel about the whole pack thing. Like I said, I’m a lone wolf.”

Ollie frowned. “Does Freedman know about this?”

“About what? Me leaving?”

“Yeah.”

“I don’t think I’ve told him, but why would he care? I’m not that good a bookkeeper.” He laughed.
Make it sound convincing.

“He might just care a lot. I mean, there’s more to pack than what meets the eye. I think he’s got big plans for you, and you could end up more of a pack animal than you ever thought.”

Winter shrugged. “Whoever’s got a dog in the hunt better step up, because I’m making decisions about the future and I’m not the world’s most patient guy.”

“Let’s put it this way. I’ll set up a New York visit for the near future. Plus maybe I’ll drop a hint to the marshal that he ought to get a move on if he wants to keep you. Don’t make any firm plans until you hear from me.”

Winter smiled. “I’ll try, Ollie. I’ll try.”

M
ATT
SQUATTED
behind the shed and held onto his own knees—the only posture that made him stop pacing. He glanced at his watch again. Where was Winter? Okay, he was only five minutes late, but Matt had gotten here twenty minutes early. He’d left both his father and Rita sleeping, though he couldn’t exactly describe either one as peaceful. His dad tossed and turned and pulled against the restraints while Rita lay on top of the covers in her clothes, frowning and so tense she looked like she was suspended above the blanket. How long could he keep his father with him? Rita was right. He was getting worse. But locking the old man up in some psych ward didn’t seem right. Hell, he functioned well most days. But what if Matt got so bad he couldn’t care for him? Damn, so many “what-ifs.”

“Hi.”

Matt gasped and looked up, then shook his head. “I’m not even going to ask how you do it.”

Winter grinned, and just that little movement of his lips made Matt’s cock do a Riverdance.

Matt stood. “So, you have shit to report?”

“Yep.”

“Where shall we go? This doesn’t seem safe.”

“You know where.”

All his insides sighed. Yes, he knew where. Winter started to walk, and Matt fell in behind. It took about fifteen minutes since Winter wasn’t carrying Matt this time, but the little clearing gleamed in the brilliant moonlight like they’d never left it. Winter chose that exact same tree fraught with porno memories and hunkered down beside it. Matt flopped less gracefully on his jeans-clad butt. “So what’s up?”

Winter gazed at him, his eyes reflecting the moonlight like some animal in a safari film. “Apparently I’ve gotten some notice. My contact says they want to meet me in New York. This could be a break.”

“When?”

“He’s setting it up.”

“You’re not going alone.”

Winter frowned. “How would that work?”

“We’ll put a backup team on you.”

He shook his head. “No. These guys are like me. Good trackers. They’ll spot a tail in a minute. Let me go in alone. I’ll be safe. These people think I’m one of them, and I haven’t done anything to change their minds. Which is the shits, by the way, since I’m single-handedly pushing a lot of drugs into human—I mean onto the streets.”

Matt shook his head. “Don’t worry. We’re quietly picking up one or two of the dealers and a bunch of the users before too much harm gets done. I will say I’m glad you’re on our side. You’d run a hell of a drug operation.” Matt sat on his hands to keep from wringing them or attacking Winter.

Winter tucked a knee against his chest. “I told my contact I was considering leaving town. I’m hoping that’ll move him along and get the meet-up going faster.”

Matt took a breath. “Are you?”

“What?”

“Leaving town?”

“I don’t know. After we bring down this bunch of slimeballs, maybe.”

Matt glanced at the moon. It would be good if Winter left. “Would you go back to Canada?”

“Maybe. My life’s up in the air. I need to see what my father’s going to do. He’s in love, you see, so all bets are off.”

“In love?”

“Yeah, but it’s a pretty impossible situation, so if it doesn’t work out, maybe we’ll leave together.”

“I see.”

“You could come.”

Matt’s head snapped up so fast it should have broken his neck. “What?”

Winter looked surprised. Maybe at his own words. Then he grinned slowly. “You could come with us. Or with me.”

“You’re asking me to go with you? You don’t even know me.”

Winter smiled softly, which looked incongruous on that powerful, dramatic face. “Sure I do. It could work.” His eyes lit up. “I mean, I’m a really weird guy and I’d have to work to be less weird, but I’m a hard worker and a good provider. I’d take care of you.”

“Take care of me?” Matt stared.

“Sure. I mean, I know you like your job, but you could get other jobs. You’re so smart and good at lots of things. I’m kind of a nobody drifter, I know, but I’m good at a lot of shit too. Together, we could go places. See the world. Be happy.”

For the first time, Winter seemed as young as he was. His pale cheeks glowed with an excited blush and his blue eyes sparkled.
Oh, for that kind of optimism.
Staring into that beautiful face, Matt felt his heart crack open. Was blood dripping in the dirt? “I can’t, Winter. I really wish I could, but I can’t.”

Winter leaned forward and gripped Matt’s forearms. “Sure you can. Think outside the box. I know it’s a lot to ask of you to give so much up, but we’re good together. I mean, I never wanted to be with just one guy before, but it’s great. Exciting. If you want to settle someplace, we can get a house, and you can rejoin the FBI or something.”

Hot tears stung the back of Matt’s eyes. “Winter—”

“I know I’m young, but I can be really responsible and I’m smart, Matt. I can even get a college degree. I bet I can pass most of the tests anyway—”

Matt reached out and put his fingertips across those beautiful lips that kept spouting impossible dreams. “Stop. Please stop.”