True Nature (3 page)

“No one was chasing me tonight. I just needed a quick getaway.” Hunter gave a low growl, remembering the freedom of his run. “There’s no way any of those old farts could catch a black panther. Seriously, what were you doing here so late? I left at three and I’m sure Darla left shortly after. She always has a date on Friday night.”

Zoe sniffed in disapproval, got up and refilled her coffee mug. “I was adding my data to the Corbin file when a new client came in.”

Hunter sat while she told him Lizzie’s story.

He was slightly confused. “How do you know she has a sister?”

“I just know,” Zoe replied.

He nodded. He was used to these feelings from Zoe. It was how she solved most of her cases.

“Plus,” she added, “she’s paying me double the customary fee.”

“Not a bad deal.” He reached over and took one of her cookies. God, it tasted awful, but he was starving. “What about the Corbin case? Did you find out anything we can use?”

“Nope,” Zoe said derisively. “If today was a typical day, that woman doesn’t have time for an affair. I didn’t see her glance at another man.”

He stood, threw the half-eaten cookie in the trash, and drained his mug. “Maybe some days are better for her than others, and she only meets her lover on alternate Thursdays or something.”

Zoe rolled her eyes.

“I know you don’t like Walter Corbin, but he’s expecting us to deliver so he can get a divorce on his terms.” Hunter rinsed out his mug before Zoe could gripe at him about it. “He’s firmly convinced his wife is having an affair. Just do what you gotta do to get proof. If she’s not doing anything there’ll be no proof. I know Walter’s a soulless bastard, but he helps pay the bills.”

“And it’s not like he’s the first soulless bastard we’ve dealt with. You seem to attract them.”

“That’s what happens when you’re the best divorce lawyer around, baby.” Hunter headed back down the hall to his office. “Let’s get out of here. How about Pizza 46?”

“Sounds good.”

Together, they checked locks and lights and got their coats.

Zoe frowned at him again. “You think the clothes you had on today will eventually get back to you this time?”

“Oh, yeah, Mandy’s old man is the dry cleaning king in Newark. He has six stores, including one about two blocks from where they live. They’ll be delivered to the office within a couple of days.”

Zoe’s eyes widened. “You’re sleeping with Mandy Morris?”

Hunter laughed as he set the alarm and closed and locked the door.

Zoe didn’t say anything more as they made their way to her car. The police presence in the street was down to a couple of patrol cars. Hunter didn’t see either of the detectives, but waved to a couple of officers as he got into the passenger seat and pushed it back as far as it would go.

“We’re gonna need to get my car after we eat,” he said. “It’s parked two blocks away from Mandy’s place in Eagle Rock. I’ll give you directions.”

“I remember from the last time we went back to get your car,” she said.

“Hey, can I help that her old man is a hundred years old and can’t fulfill her sexual needs?” he asked, his face a picture of innocence in the overhead light in the car.

“He’s sixty-three and connected to the mob. Maybe you should at least try to time your visits so he doesn’t catch you in the act.”

“He was supposed to be gone until almost midnight.”

She backed out of her parking spot. “Maybe it’s time to go out with women who aren’t married.”

“Where’s the challenge?” He patted her thigh. “Even you like a good challenge. Why else did you take on Lizzie Howerton’s case?”

Zoe conceded the point.

“While we’re back on that subject. Did you know Lizzie’s mother left all her money to her daughter? Her husband, who is Lizzie’s father, didn’t get a dime, and he’s contesting the will.”

“Damn,” Zoe muttered. “That’s why her name seemed familiar. It’s been in the papers. I knew this case was going to be trouble.”

“Yeah.” Hunter laughed. “Looks like you’ve got your own troubles and should just leave mine to me.”

****

Hunter loved eating at Pizza 46, which oddly enough was just off Highway 46 in a strip mall. It was always hopping on Friday nights. Zoe and Hunter ordered at the counter and watched for the next table to empty. But it turned out they didn’t need the table. Zoe’s cell phone rang. Her expression turned grim as she said, “We’ll be right there.”

The odor of hot pizza filled Zoe’s car as they headed toward West Paterson. Kinley Russo was a pro-bono client who was seeking to divorce an abusive husband. Zoe and Hunter took two or three cases a year like this to help them feel more charitable and less cynical.

Even though Kinley had an order of protection and had called the police many times, Eric kept popping up, leaving his young wife frightened and disillusioned about ever being rid of him. Of course, sharing two children with him meant he’d never truly be out of the picture.

Zoe pulled into Kinley’s driveway and Hunter noted that all the outdoor lights were on. He shed his coat and yanked his sweater over his head. “Leave the car unlocked, so I can get back into my clothes. I’m going to have a look around and give ‘ole Eric a big scare if he’s still here.”

Zoe headed for the front door with her gun drawn. Hunter kicked off his shoes and scrambled to the shadows of the boxwoods that separated Kinley’s house from her neighbor. He shucked his pants and shivered in the cold wind. Almost immediately, his bones began to shift. In his familiar black panther form, he prowled the perimeter of the yard, sniffing for signs of Kinley’s husband, but found nothing.

Shifting back to human, he ducked behind the boxwoods when lights from a passing car spanned the driveway. He retrieved his pants from the bushes along with the rest of his clothes and the pizza from the car. He tapped on the front door to the house. Zoe met him, still carrying her gun.

“He’s not out here,” Hunter murmured as he slipped inside.

“Not in the house, either.”

“I told you he was gone,” a voice called from behind Zoe. Hunter followed Zoe into the living room to the left of the foyer.

Kinley sat in the center of the sofa, her pretty face smeared with tears, her hands twisting a tissue in her lap. Hunter set the pizza box on the coffee table and spied the bruises on Kinley’s neck. Eric was usually more careful to hide the telltale marks of his anger. The bastard was escalating, losing his control.

“Where are the kids?” Hunter asked. “Are they all right?”

“They’re at my sister’s,” Kinley replied. “What the hell was Eric doing here? Didn’t you get the locks changed?” Hunter took the chair opposite the sofa.

“Yeah,” she said wearily, tears sliding down her cheeks. “But I gave an extra key to my neighbor Wanda in case the kids got locked out. Eric went to see her and cried about how I was treating him, and she gave him the key.”

Hunter exchanged a look with Zoe. They had heard about Wanda, who didn’t believe in divorce and kept trying to convince Kinley to stay with Eric. “Why in the world did you give Wanda a key?” Zoe said as she sat beside Kinley.

“She is so close. I thought it would be easier for her to get here if the kids got home before I did.” Kinley dropped her face into her hands. “He said he was going to kill me if I don’t let him come back.”

Zoe patted her on the back. “He’s trying to intimidate you. Don’t let him get to you. We’ll change the locks again tomorrow, and I’ll take the extra key. You’ll give your kids my cell phone number, and I’ll come whenever they need me.”

Hunter’s anger simmered as he saw the outlines of Eric’s big hands on Kinley’s wrists. Bright red marks were already purpling into bruises.

“Did you call the police?” Hunter knew the answer even as he spoke.

“I couldn’t do anything. I came around the corner from the hallway, and he grabbed my arms. He held them down so I couldn’t move while he was talking to me.”

Her words were choppy, as if sobs weren’t far away. Hunter felt like part of the Spanish Inquisition, throwing questions at her before she had time to think, but they were necessary. “Do we need to take you to the hospital?”

“No.” Kinley wiped her damp face. “I’m sorry, guys. I hated calling you, but I was really scared this time. You’d think I’d be able to take care of myself by now.”

Hunter slipped over to flank her on the sofa and took both of her hands in his. “This is not about you taking care of yourself. You’ll be able to do that once you get your new home established. Right now, this is about you letting us protect you while we convince Eric that you’re serious. You want him out of your life, and you want to live your life on your own terms.”

She nodded in agreement. “Thank you. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

He gave her a squeeze. “Take a couple of deep breaths and calm down.”

Zoe pulled out her cell phone and took some photos of the bruises. “Just for our records,” she said and headed for the kitchen.

She fixed tea and Hunter heated the pizza in Kinley’s immaculate kitchen. They devoured the pie, only able to coax their client into choking down half a slice. Hunter and Zoe took several tours of the house, checking closets and under beds, glancing out the windows to see if they could spot anyone lurking nearby.

Both of them talked to Kinley gently, reinforcing what they had been telling her since she started divorce proceedings.

“You’re right to do this,” Zoe said. “It’s going to be difficult, but we’ll help you through it.”

Gradually, she calmed down.

“I don’t know about you, but I don’t think I would be comfortable staying alone after an experience like this,” Zoe said. “Can you stay with your sister or someone tonight?”

“I don’t know… I’ll be fine here,” Kinley said. “The girls haven’t stayed away from me in three months. I was so happy they wanted to go to Lydia’s overnight. If I go there this late, I’ll just upset them.”

“How about a friend?” Hunter suggested. “Is there someone I can call for you?”

“No,” Kinley said with a disgusted sigh. “To tell the truth, I’ve lost all my friends because of Eric. The ones he didn’t run off with his nasty mouth got fed up with me letting him hurt me and said they just couldn’t be around me anymore.”

Zoe jumped in quickly. “I’ll stay here tonight.” She pitched her car keys to Hunter. “Stop by my place and bring me some clothes on your way in tomorrow.”

Kinley protested, but Hunter and Zoe insisted.

“Just grab me a pillow and a blanket,” Zoe said, “I’ll sleep down here.”

“You can sleep in the girls’ room,” Kinley offered.

Hunter saw the look of dismay on Zoe’s face. He knew that Kinley’s daughters’ room was a vision of pink, ruffles and lace. Worse, dolls and stuffed animals lined every surface. Hunter almost laughed, thinking of Zoe trapped in that room. She hated pink, and thought all dolls were like Chuckie.

He struggled not to snicker as Zoe said to Kinley, “I’d rather stay down here to keep an eye on things.”

Hunter left the two women to work out the sleeping arrangements. He halfway hoped Zoe would end up in the ruffled nightmare upstairs. He could tell by her disgusted look that she knew exactly what he was thinking.

“Don’t be afraid of the dolls,” he muttered as she let him out the front door.

“Go chase your tail or something.” She closed the door with a snap.

He laughed out loud and decided chasing something wasn’t a bad idea.

As he folded his six-feet-four-inches into Zoe’s compact BMW, Hunter’s mind and body raced. Maybe it was all the shifting he had done today, but he was revved with energy and excitement. Heading toward the office, he worked out his plans to retrieve his own car and spend the night at Zoe’s house. It was too late to go to his apartment in Jersey City.

Was part of the hum he felt from finding the body in the woods? He still couldn’t wrap his brain around that idea. He pulled to the rear of the driveway behind the office. The street was now clear of police vehicles and officers. He glanced toward the woods, again feeling a tug of exhilaration.

He’d taken that same route home from Mandy’s house three times now when the old man had come home unexpectedly. Her husband was most likely getting suspicious, and that was why he kept popping in early. Probably time to end it with Mandy. He’d sure miss those sweet breasts and long, silky legs.

Going to his office, he quickly undressed and grabbed a bag out of a file cabinet drawer. The flat square with two straps was a small backpack. He could slip it on as a human and it would remain in place while he was a panther. Made from heavy black cotton, it couldn’t be seen in the dark. It ensured he’d have clothes and car keys when he needed them.

Hunter had been roaming these woods off and on since he and Zoe opened the practice. He had never seen or heard anything untoward until tonight. Now he felt an uncertainty that was alien to his confident nature. These were his woods, dammit. A low growl escaped his throat.

He needed to go back through the trees and release some of this jittery energy he felt. He could cover the miles at a dead run and get there almost as quickly as he could by car.

Hunter let his body flow into its animal form. What was once so difficult was now as easy as taking a deep breath. Letting out a low growl, he stretched his lithe cat body and bounded out the open window. He stopped to watch the window slowly close, enjoying that he could take care of these little details with his intense mind control. He’d worked hard to learn this element of his powers. His grandfather promised, as he grew stronger he’d be able to do more. Hunter streaked through the night, sticking to back roads and heavily forested areas. He paused at Lookout Point, a park not far from Mandy’s house. He padded across the parking area and jumped up on top of the marble memorial that honored victims of the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center. He looked out over the leafless trees and sleeping communities that led to the Hudson River in front of the majestic skyscraper forest of Manhattan.

The mournful howl of a coyote echoed through the woods. He jumped down, hugging the shadows of the monument, peering into the bare January trees. Was it just a coyote, or something more? Unease prickled his fur. But he wouldn’t back down or hide. He skirted the darkened monument and surged into the night, once again feeling powerful and in control.