matters now,” Greyson said. “Listen, I think Claire’s in danger.”
I froze. “What do you mean, danger? I just saw her a few hours ago. She was fine.”
There was a slight hesitation then she said, “I sent Claire on an errand for Melinda’s wedding this morning. And about an hour ago, I got a call from Claire’s cell number. Only when I answered, all I heard was screaming and some sort of struggle. Since then she hasn’t answered any of her phones. Not her cell or her house number. I’m worried something’s happened.”
“An hour ago?” I barked and yanked my phone out of my pocket. Her name was the first one on my speed dial. I’d put it there the day before, right after we’d decided I’d pose as her boyfriend. The phone went straight to voicemail.
Son of a...
“Where did you send her?” I asked Greyson.
“Basin Bayou Printers. I called Magnolia. She said Claire had been in and out already. Her car isn’t in the parking lot.”
My chest tightened, and I found it hard to breathe. If Claire really was in danger, we virtually had nothing to go on.
“I’m sure she’s on her way home,” Melinda said, appearing unconcerned.
I spun. “Didn’t you hear your mother? She said there was a struggle.”
“You know how bears get when they’re possessive.” She averted her eyes and moved the mouse on the security computer. The screensaver disappeared, revealing the black car in both pictures. “Why do you have a picture of Mathew’s car up on this computer?”
“What?” I shook my head, focusing on her earlier comment. “What do you mean about bears being possessive? Who are you talking about?”
She glanced up, frowned, and then said, “Oh. That. When I talked to Mathew this morning about the invitations, I told him Claire was handling it. He said something about letting Vince know where to find her so they could talk. But I’m sure there’s nothing wrong. All he wanted to do was talk to her. I mean, the clan did direct him to mate with her. Mathew was just trying to help.”
“Crane was with Mathew this morning?” I asked, pieces of a puzzle starting to form in my mind.
“I think so. Mathew said they were having breakfast before a business meeting.”
Elder Greyson frowned. “I thought Mathew was in Atlanta?”
So had I.
Melinda shook her head. “No, they were over in New Orleans last night for a business meeting. He’ll be home soon.”
New Orleans was only an hour to the east of us. Plenty of time for one or both of them to pop back into town.
I turned to Melinda. “Where can I find Crane?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. Mathew said something about him living just south of town, but I don’t have any idea where.”
“I have his number,” Greyson said. “But he’s not picking up either.”
“Fuck!” I said and let out a growl, not caring in the least when Melinda gasped. “I have to go.”
“But what about—”
“Katrina’s husband is in jail. He won’t be bothering you. And that car on that screen? You said it was your fiancé’s. It’s the one that was used in last night’s break-in. I have no idea why, but at this point, I don’t care. I have to find Claire.”
Melinda stood. “What are you talking about? Mathew—”
I strode out of the study, leaving them both behind. I’d had just about enough of the Greyson family. “Cole,” I called as I rounded the corner of the house.
My youngest brother was gathering tools into his toolbox. “This is all taken care of. Do you need anything else?”
“Yeah. We have to find Claire.” I quickly filled him in.
“Christ. Where are we going to start?” he asked.
“Property records. We’re looking for anything in Crane’s name or Beauxbridge’s; a place south of the city. That’s all I have to go on. Call me as soon as you find anything.”
“I’m on it.”
“Thanks, man.” I jumped into my Jeep, slammed it into gear, and took off for the print shop. It sounded like a dead lead, but
I froze. “What do you mean, danger? I just saw her a few hours ago. She was fine.”
There was a slight hesitation then she said, “I sent Claire on an errand for Melinda’s wedding this morning. And about an hour ago, I got a call from Claire’s cell number. Only when I answered, all I heard was screaming and some sort of struggle. Since then she hasn’t answered any of her phones. Not her cell or her house number. I’m worried something’s happened.”
“An hour ago?” I barked and yanked my phone out of my pocket. Her name was the first one on my speed dial. I’d put it there the day before, right after we’d decided I’d pose as her boyfriend. The phone went straight to voicemail.
Son of a...
“Where did you send her?” I asked Greyson.
“Basin Bayou Printers. I called Magnolia. She said Claire had been in and out already. Her car isn’t in the parking lot.”
My chest tightened, and I found it hard to breathe. If Claire really was in danger, we virtually had nothing to go on.
“I’m sure she’s on her way home,” Melinda said, appearing unconcerned.
I spun. “Didn’t you hear your mother? She said there was a struggle.”
“You know how bears get when they’re possessive.” She averted her eyes and moved the mouse on the security computer. The screensaver disappeared, revealing the black car in both pictures. “Why do you have a picture of Mathew’s car up on this computer?”
“What?” I shook my head, focusing on her earlier comment. “What do you mean about bears being possessive? Who are you talking about?”
She glanced up, frowned, and then said, “Oh. That. When I talked to Mathew this morning about the invitations, I told him Claire was handling it. He said something about letting Vince know where to find her so they could talk. But I’m sure there’s nothing wrong. All he wanted to do was talk to her. I mean, the clan did direct him to mate with her. Mathew was just trying to help.”
“Crane was with Mathew this morning?” I asked, pieces of a puzzle starting to form in my mind.
“I think so. Mathew said they were having breakfast before a business meeting.”
Elder Greyson frowned. “I thought Mathew was in Atlanta?”
So had I.
Melinda shook her head. “No, they were over in New Orleans last night for a business meeting. He’ll be home soon.”
New Orleans was only an hour to the east of us. Plenty of time for one or both of them to pop back into town.
I turned to Melinda. “Where can I find Crane?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. Mathew said something about him living just south of town, but I don’t have any idea where.”
“I have his number,” Greyson said. “But he’s not picking up either.”
“Fuck!” I said and let out a growl, not caring in the least when Melinda gasped. “I have to go.”
“But what about—”
“Katrina’s husband is in jail. He won’t be bothering you. And that car on that screen? You said it was your fiancé’s. It’s the one that was used in last night’s break-in. I have no idea why, but at this point, I don’t care. I have to find Claire.”
Melinda stood. “What are you talking about? Mathew—”
I strode out of the study, leaving them both behind. I’d had just about enough of the Greyson family. “Cole,” I called as I rounded the corner of the house.
My youngest brother was gathering tools into his toolbox. “This is all taken care of. Do you need anything else?”
“Yeah. We have to find Claire.” I quickly filled him in.
“Christ. Where are we going to start?” he asked.
“Property records. We’re looking for anything in Crane’s name or Beauxbridge’s; a place south of the city. That’s all I have to go on. Call me as soon as you find anything.”
“I’m on it.”
“Thanks, man.” I jumped into my Jeep, slammed it into gear, and took off for the print shop. It sounded like a dead lead, but
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