Alpha Me Not (28 page)

“The term is horse.” Susie pushed the door shut and followed the two alphas into the kitchen.

Tate surveyed the spread on the table. “No bacon?”

What absolute gall.

Breakfast with Tate and Gray proved it. Alphas inspired testiness.

Tate and Gray wolfed down the French toast. She had to hide four slices for Joe.

“You have another sister?” Tate pointed a fork at Susie. “If she can cook half as good as you, I want to meet her.”

“Not happening,” Gray snapped. “You are getting nowhere near Lizzie. Not suitable.”

“I’m a fricking catch.” Tate waved his knife. “Women line up. My voice mail can’t keep up with the volume of calls when I’m on a mission.”

“Precisely my point.”

The two of them bickered while Susie puttered around, checking the meager pantry supplies, and familiarizing herself with the contents of the cabinets. Footsteps on the deck had her checking the bay window, and she sighed when her mate came into view.

Joe stalked in through the back door, his lips drawn into a grim line.

“How’d it go?” Gray got up to pour another cup of coffee.

“The last still Tate found is Fay’s. Put there in the sixties by my grandmother and Fay. She says they stopped selling moonshine about six months before Gran-gran died in 1990. Got too dangerous. Some new guys had come into the area and controlled all the state border traffic. The leader was one Swampy Sauvé.”

“Swampy Sauvé—really?” Tate rolled his eyes. “Yeah. Like that’s a real name.”

“Then our killer is the one who put the other three vats in. Ivan? Has he any role in this?” Gray sipped his java.

“Not as a killer. Fay sometimes took him with her when she went to the stills. She says she thinks he felt safe there, and that’s why he goes there when he’s off his meds.” Joe grabbed a mug from the tree and filled it.

“Ninteen ninety. Wonder if the timing’s important?” Tate rocked his chair back. “What next?”

Joe sipped his coffee before answering. “Kieran called. We’re meeting in twenty to head back to Hallelujah.”

“I’ll heat up your breakfast.” She saw his imminent refusal. “No. Don’t even try that. No protein shake. It’ll take you no time to sit down and eat a good meal.”

Surprised when he offered not a grumble, she warmed his food in the micro.

Fifteen minutes later the house yawned its emptiness.

Joe had agreed to leave her alone in the house but elicited so many safety promises her head had spun. She cleaned up, graded papers, and put together all the data forms for the boys’ and girls’ daily calorie and exercise listing. She still hadn’t decided how to organize the forms for the adults.

Having been given strict instructions not to leave the house, Susie decided on reading a research text in the swing on the front porch. After gathering her neon yellow highlighter and a glass of water, she ambled through the living room and then onto the porch. She settled in the swing, one foot pushing it back and forth, the other propped on the seat.

The morning was cooler than the day before, but the sun shone, and the sky burned a bright powder blue. A light breeze danced with her loose hair.

Her eyelids fluttered.

A puppy yelped.

Susie sat up and grinned.

Zaara, Irsa, and Wania pushed a doll carriage down the driveway. They had come from the back of the house. Her lips twitched at their awkward progress; both Irsa and Zaara had one hand each on the stroller’s back handle, while Wania gripped the side of the carriage.

“Hi, there. Where’d you three come from?”

“Mom let us take the new shortcut. She’s walking behind; she’s such a slowpoke.” Zaara pointed behind her.

“We’re walking Rex.” Irsa jiggled the doll wagon.

A faint whimper sounded from the covered miniature stroller.

Poor Rex.

Wania pulled her thumb from her mouth. “Dogth.”

Susie jumped down the steps. ‘“Can I see him?”

“I’ll get him out for you. I know how. Wania tries to grab his head. He doesn’t like that.” Irsa carefully lifted the blinking golden retriever into her arms. The puppy wriggled his chubby hind legs.

“Oh, he’s gorgeous. Can I hold him?” Susie held out her hands for the transfer. “He’s still got puppy breath. Nothing nicer than puppy breath.”

The dog’s pink tongue lapped her cheek.

“We’re not to let him lick our faces,” Irsa informed her gravely. “Wania lets him do that when Mom isn’t looking.”

“Who does what when I’m not looking?” A tall, slender woman of East Indian heritage strolled down the driveway. “Hope you don’t mind the slight trespass. The girls were determined to walk Rex on their own, and this was the best compromise I could manage under the circumstances.”

“Not at all. I’m Susie White. You must be Laila Hassani. Joe’s gaga about your girls. Not that I’m not. I mean. Sorry, big foot in mouth there.”

Laila’s lips curved, showcasing a perfect porcelain smile. “I know what you meant to say. It always amazes me how these I’m-male-and-in-charge types are totally felled by the big eyes of a two-year-old.”

“I’m guessing your husband’s similar?” What a pretty woman. She had a cream-with-coffee complexion, a slight crookedness to an otherwise straight nose, and her thick mass of raven hair was cut into a roaring-twenties-style fringe and chin-length bob.

“Totally.” Laila checked her watch. “Oh boy. We have to go back. It’s Rex’s first dog training lesson in five minutes. If you’re not doing anything, walk back with us. We can have a cup of tea and watch the girls have their lesson. It promises to be hilarious.”

Susie hesitated. “I’d love to. Can you wait while I make a quick call just to rearrange something?”

Like Joe.

“Sure. With how much we’re paying this guy, I don’t imagine he’s going to leave if we’re a couple of minutes late.”

Susie dashed inside, called Joe, explained that she’d be with Laila and the girls the whole time, and agreed to wait at the Hassanis’ for him. She promised not to attempt the maybe three-minute jog between the two properties through the burned-out lot. She snatched one of Joe’s hoodies from the coatrack and tied the sleeves around her neck.

Laila proved right on the mark. The lesson had both women laughing until they cried. After the dog trainer departed, Laila served a proper English tea with savories and sweets.

Susie’d never had tea before and peppered Laila with questions about the ritual. The girls’ eyelids all drooped after eating their cupcakes and éclairs.

“They need a nap, I’m afraid. I’ll take them up and be right back down. Help yourself to more tea.” Laila gathered her exhausted flock and led them into the house.

Landscaped with a series of rose beds and cobbled paths, the Hassani’s backyard proved peaceful and relaxing. Susie lifted her face to the warm afternoon sun and blew out a long sigh. After the tumult of the last few weeks, today had been a haven from the start. The temperature dipped. She shrugged into her hoodie but didn’t bother to zip the front.

She glanced over to where Rex had been tethered to the water fountain and frowned; the dog was nowhere in sight. She lurched to her feet and ambled over to the sculpture, fully expecting to find the pup curled on the opposite side of the pedestal. The leash hung loose.

“Rex. Where are you, boy?” She whistled. “Rex. Rex. Come here, boy.”

A quick search of the yard came up empty. The puppy hadn’t passed by where she’d been sitting. Susie was pretty certain of that. She scanned the line where the property merged into the preserve. Nothing. Quickening her steps, she let her gaze run farther up the hill and caught a glimpse of a furry body between two lanky tree trunks.

Susie broke into a fast jog. The young dog proved remarkably nimble and led her a merry dance up the incline and around Terri’s lot. She snuck under a low-hanging branch and cursed when the puppy, wagging its tail, bounded into the Arnolds’ backyard. Putting on a burst of speed, she raced after the dog and halted on a breath when all her nape hairs sparked with a burst of static electricity.

Darkness closed in on the edges of her vision.

No. No.

This couldn’t happen now. The familiar bitterness flooded her mouth. She misstepped and grabbed on to a spindly trunk.

Giddiness swamped her. The lawn and raised flower beds rolled like a stormy sea. She choked on her own spit. The now familiar roaring in her ears sucked away all sound, and pain stabbed daggers in her head.

Rex whimpered.

The sound came from directly in front of her. She peered, blinked, and tried to focus. The dog licked her toes. She stooped, felt for Rex, and grabbed the squirming puppy. A lash of fear struck her.

She whipped around. Too fast.

The move had the landscape spinning. Her knees buckled, and she hit the damp ground with a sharp thud.

Rex barked and wriggled like a worm bent on escape. Susie stuffed him down the front of the hoodie and pulled the zip halfway. Still not able to see more than a hazy blur, she crawled onto her hands and pushed off the muddy grass. She crouched and took several deep inhales. Lurched on wobbly legs to a standing position and focused on her sandaled feet, now covered in dirt and grass stains.

Good
. She could see.

One step. Another. She staggered toward the preserve. Levered from tree to tree, grabbed branches to steady her shaky limbs, and progressed in what she hoped was the Hassani’s direction. Gradually the leaves and trees lost the fuzzy veil obscuring her sight, and the piercing knives attacking the inside of her brain dulled.

“Susie! Susie!”

Joe. She croaked, “Here. Here.”

Seconds later he hauled her off her feet. Squeezed her so tight Rex yelped. Frowning, he glanced at her chest and then met her gaze. “You’re barking.”

“Rex. The puppy. He slipped off the lead, and I ran after him.” Oh God. He felt so good. She traced his brows, cheeks, mouth. Stared at him. “There’s something really wrong at the Arnolds’.”

“The Arnolds? You had another vision?” He checked her arms, shoulders, and ribs. “How bad?”

She shuddered. “Horrible. Eyes everywhere. Don’t want to go there right now.”

“You have to, babe. If you don’t, you’ll lose any chance of remembering some important detail.” He stroked her cheek. “I’m sorry to have to do this to you. Close your eyes and try to picture what you saw.”

Susie didn’t want to, but she owed Petey and Eric and had to stop another kid from being hurt. “They’re in the ground. All of them. All over.”

“Bodies?”

“No. Eyes.” Bile jumped from throat to mouth. She buried her face in his shirt and absorbed his musky scent, willing the nausea away.

“Okay. That’s good enough. Let’s get back home.” He whirled around and marched a rapid pace through the forest, finding his way unerringly, never setting a wrong foot. “I got to the Hassani’s five minutes ago. I’ve never felt such fucking fear in my life. You have no idea how relieved I felt after you answered my call.”

His call? What? Then it dawned on her.

“Stop.” She caught his jaw and studied the mere hint of color staining his cheeks. “You said it couldn’t happen with me.”

He averted his gaze. Shrugged. “I didn’t think it could. Is this going to be a deal breaker?”

She didn’t bother pretending not to understand what he really asked. “I don’t know.”

“It’s a strategic advantage beyond belief. What if you’d been kidnapped?” He nudged her. “Someone tried to rape you?”

Leveling a glare at him, she said firmly, “Not now, Joe. This whole alpha and wolf thing is getting weirder and weirder. I mean it’s hard enough dealing with the fact that I’ve fallen for an alpha. Then there’s all the crap that’s happening to me, these blasted visions. And now you’re talking to me in my head. Just give me some space.”

He focused on her then. “Mental space, you can have. For a while. Physical, no. Not until this situation’s under control.”

Right at that moment Susie realized how trivial she had sounded and acted. Boys’ lives were at stake, and she intended to utilize anything that could help nail the killer. Looping her hands around Joe’s neck, she gave him a quick kiss and squeeze.

Rex erupted into a barking and wriggling fit.

Immediately she released her hold on Joe. “Oops. I forgot about the poor guy.”

Joe flashed her a one-sided quirk. “Rex obviously objects.”

She unzipped her hoodie and peeked at the puppy. He seemed none the worse for his adventure. “Hi there, cutie. Methinks a fence is in your immediate future.”

“Laila’ll be waiting for us. She wanted to call 911, but I told her to hold off once I heard you.” Joe resumed his rapid stride.

“Put me down, Joe.” She tugged at his jacket.

“Not on your life. You scared the crap out of me. You stay put right here until I feel like letting go.”

She crossed her eyes at Rex, inviting him to lament the curses of falling for an alpha wolf.

Joe refused to let her stand, and she had to give Rex to Laila hampered by his embrace.

Laila’s lips twitched, and her black eyes danced.

Susie knew precisely what the other woman thought.

When they left the Hassani’s for Joe’s place, she realized the sun bobbed on the horizon. “Oh Lordy. We’re going to have to dash. It’s a formal do this evening according to Barb. I mean not tux or anything, but there’s an agenda yada yada.”

“Are you insane, woman? You go missing. Discover something’s wrong with the Arnolds, and I’m supposed to take you into a crowd of people I haven’t vetted.”

The man could speak with his eyebrows, Susie decided, focusing on where they met above the bridge of his crooked nose. Crossing her arms, she jutted her chin and said, “We promised Barb and Kieran.”

“Kieran will agree with me a hundred percent. We are
not
going out.” The fine lines bracketing his eyes multiplied.

The fight they had was of epic proportions.

Joe called Kieran, who didn’t even bother to confer with his wife and agreed they would all cancel the plans to attend Coach Ellison’s celebratory dinner. Not three minutes after Joe hung up, Kieran called back to say he and Barb would, in fact, be attending the function.