Read Online Call of the Cougar (Heart of the Cougar Book 2) by Terry Spear - Free Book Online
Authors: Terry Spear
Tags: Fiction, Contemporary, paranormal romance, romantic suspense, urban fantasy romance, Cougar Shifter
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access anywhere there. She moved to one of the gambling halls and again found no entrance that she could see.
Twice more, she saw Howard look at his watch. But she was working really hard to locate any evidence they had missed the first time around. She knew it was getting later because the sun was beginning to sink in the sky. And the longer they were there, the more often Howard checked his watch.
Then they heard two men coming into town, and both she and Howard ducked for cover behind one of the gambling halls.
"Special Agent Whittington? Patrolman Holland?" one of the men shouted.
"I know him," Howard said to her and shouted out to the newcomers, "Here! We're coming."
Relieved, she let out her breath.
Two male police officers joined them, the blond saying, "Hell, Holland, the boss was on our case, concerned you were in the middle of a firefight alongside the Special Agent, who has a reputation for being involved in shootouts."
Howard introduced them, and the darker haired man smiled at her. "I've heard you're kind of a maverick. But rough on partners."
She didn't want to tell him why her partners had such trouble—the one who had too much to drink, or the other who was distraught about his marital problems.
She glanced up at the rocks and saw a flash of the cougar's tail as he disappeared behind the boulders.
"Boss said you had an hour up here." The blond-haired Sanderson glanced at his watch as if emphasizing the time. "It's been four hours. If we don't get down that trail in twenty minutes and report back, a whole garrison of patrolmen are going to be here."
She thought the officer was exaggerating, but then again, maybe not.
Four hours. And in all that time, when she'd chanced to observe the cliffs, the cougar had moved around, but he hadn't left. She wondered then if it had been Hal Haverton and he had decided to hang around to give her added protection.
She was dying to know. Cat's curiosity. She couldn't do anything about it while she'd been with the patrolman though.
When they got to their vehicles, she gave her boss a call.
"Well, did you find anything?"
"Some peace of mind," she said. The other lawmen were watching her, and she suspected they understood. Only she hadn't really found anything to give her any peace of mind. She needed to bring the men to justice for that to happen.
"You left me no choice but to send some other officers to check on you."
"I understand. I'm on my way to Yuma Town now."
"We'll catch these guys. You don't need to be the only one doing the job."
"Right."
"Stay there at the resort and behave yourself."
"Yes, sir."
Then they ended the call and she smiled at the officers who were probably wondering if her boss had chewed her out.
"Thanks, for coming to check on us," she said to the men.
"We'll all follow you to your destination," Sanderson said.
Not that she was making any other detours.
When she arrived at the rustic resort, she thanked the officers and then they were on their way. She didn't expect the owner and his wife—Chase and Shannon Buchanan—to both greet her.
"You know why I'm here, don't you?" She didn't want either his wife or him to be hurt if she ended up being a potential target.
"Yeah, we're here to watch your back. Or…I am," Chase said, rubbing his wife's back.
And she realized immediately that they were cougars.
Very pregnant, Shannon was a dark-haired beauty, and looked like she was due any day now. All smiles, she was eager to meet Tracey and shook her hand. "Come inside and have some cake and milk or tea—before you settle into your own cabin."
"It's so late now. I'll just unpack what I need tonight and—"
"No, no. You have to have some cake. I can't sleep. I know I need to, but the babies are keeping me awake. I'm so thrilled to see another one of our kind visit, well, be our guest. Everyone else staying here is human. So anytime you want to drop in and talk, just do," Shannon said as she joined them inside.
Shifters were used
Twice more, she saw Howard look at his watch. But she was working really hard to locate any evidence they had missed the first time around. She knew it was getting later because the sun was beginning to sink in the sky. And the longer they were there, the more often Howard checked his watch.
Then they heard two men coming into town, and both she and Howard ducked for cover behind one of the gambling halls.
"Special Agent Whittington? Patrolman Holland?" one of the men shouted.
"I know him," Howard said to her and shouted out to the newcomers, "Here! We're coming."
Relieved, she let out her breath.
Two male police officers joined them, the blond saying, "Hell, Holland, the boss was on our case, concerned you were in the middle of a firefight alongside the Special Agent, who has a reputation for being involved in shootouts."
Howard introduced them, and the darker haired man smiled at her. "I've heard you're kind of a maverick. But rough on partners."
She didn't want to tell him why her partners had such trouble—the one who had too much to drink, or the other who was distraught about his marital problems.
She glanced up at the rocks and saw a flash of the cougar's tail as he disappeared behind the boulders.
"Boss said you had an hour up here." The blond-haired Sanderson glanced at his watch as if emphasizing the time. "It's been four hours. If we don't get down that trail in twenty minutes and report back, a whole garrison of patrolmen are going to be here."
She thought the officer was exaggerating, but then again, maybe not.
Four hours. And in all that time, when she'd chanced to observe the cliffs, the cougar had moved around, but he hadn't left. She wondered then if it had been Hal Haverton and he had decided to hang around to give her added protection.
She was dying to know. Cat's curiosity. She couldn't do anything about it while she'd been with the patrolman though.
When they got to their vehicles, she gave her boss a call.
"Well, did you find anything?"
"Some peace of mind," she said. The other lawmen were watching her, and she suspected they understood. Only she hadn't really found anything to give her any peace of mind. She needed to bring the men to justice for that to happen.
"You left me no choice but to send some other officers to check on you."
"I understand. I'm on my way to Yuma Town now."
"We'll catch these guys. You don't need to be the only one doing the job."
"Right."
"Stay there at the resort and behave yourself."
"Yes, sir."
Then they ended the call and she smiled at the officers who were probably wondering if her boss had chewed her out.
"Thanks, for coming to check on us," she said to the men.
"We'll all follow you to your destination," Sanderson said.
Not that she was making any other detours.
When she arrived at the rustic resort, she thanked the officers and then they were on their way. She didn't expect the owner and his wife—Chase and Shannon Buchanan—to both greet her.
"You know why I'm here, don't you?" She didn't want either his wife or him to be hurt if she ended up being a potential target.
"Yeah, we're here to watch your back. Or…I am," Chase said, rubbing his wife's back.
And she realized immediately that they were cougars.
Very pregnant, Shannon was a dark-haired beauty, and looked like she was due any day now. All smiles, she was eager to meet Tracey and shook her hand. "Come inside and have some cake and milk or tea—before you settle into your own cabin."
"It's so late now. I'll just unpack what I need tonight and—"
"No, no. You have to have some cake. I can't sleep. I know I need to, but the babies are keeping me awake. I'm so thrilled to see another one of our kind visit, well, be our guest. Everyone else staying here is human. So anytime you want to drop in and talk, just do," Shannon said as she joined them inside.
Shifters were used