Read Online Desert Bound (Cambio Springs) by Elizabeth Hunter - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Elizabeth Hunter
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“Everybody loved that guy.”
From what Ted knew, Alex was right. No one in the Springs had a problem with Marcus. Even those who didn’t much like Alex and his plans for the resort hadn’t shown any resentment to his crew. They were all local boys who were working. And Alex had made sure at least a few were hired from every clan. No one carried a grudge over that.
“I need to know what’s going on, Ted.”
She knew what he was asking, and she pulled away. “Alex—”
“Whether you want to admit it or not, this is my town. You know what being a McCann means. You and I and my father all know what’s coming. And you know a lot of people still don’t trust Caleb. Old Quinn is already stirring shit up about coyotes or some other canine shifter being responsible for this. Someone even mentioned Joe disappearing like he might have had something to do with it.”
“Did Joe even know Marcus?”
Alex grimaced. “They had words at the Cave a few days before Joe took off. One of the guys told me this morning.”
“Shit.” The last thing Allie needed was people talking about her kids’ dad being a murder suspect.
“I need you to keep me in the loop on this. I need to know where the fires are starting, so I can put them out before they get bad.”
And have one more excuse to talk to him, despite her bruised heart?
“Why don’t you ask Jeremy?”
“I’m already putting him in an awkward position, arguing with his boss like that. You saw him just now. Caleb knows Jeremy looks to me as a higher authority. I don’t want to take advantage of that.”
Dammit. Why did he have to be such a good guy sometimes? As much as Ted wanted to dislike him, his obvious concern and respect for his pack always softened her. Cats didn’t have that. And maybe it went against her animal nature, but part of her longed to be part of something bigger than herself. If there was one thing she envied about the wolves, it was having a pack.
“I can’t make any promises,” she said.
“Ted, please—”
“But I’ll do what I can. I do have some latitude in my own… investigation.”
A grateful smile spread over his face. He leaned forward and planted a quick kiss on her forehead. “Thanks, baby.”
“Don’t—” She lifted a hand and stepped back. “Don’t call me baby, Alex.”
He winked at her, then turned to walk back to the parking lot where his men were gathered. Jeremy lifted a knowing eyebrow as he passed Alex and headed toward Ted.
“Not a word,” she said, grabbing the body bag and walking back toward the body. “Come on, Deputy. Let’s do this before it gets hot.”
Ted had discovered last year that it was a particular kind of torture to examine someone she’d known in life. She tried to separate herself from it. Tried to view it just as a body.
But inevitably, she’d have a thought like, ‘Gee, I didn’t know Marcus tattooed his kids’ names right over his heart.’ Then she’d get choked up because half of that tattoo had bite marks in it and the other half would never be seen by those kids he’d loved so much. Kids she could picture, even if she didn’t know them well. And their hilarious mom with the sassy blue hair that Marcus had tattooed in a pin-up pose on his shoulder. Josie had everyone rolling in snake jokes the first time she’d ever visited Cambio Springs. Marcus had adored her.
Sometimes, life just sucked.
And it especially sucked when she found the evidence she was looking for lodged in one of his ribs. She suspected it had banged around his ribcage for a while, tearing into his internal organs like a lethal pinball. Bleeding would have been extensive. Death would have been quick.
The bullet was heavily deformed from impact, but she carefully bagged it to turn in to the Sheriff-Coroner’s office in San Bernardino. All her pictures and notes would go along with the body, but not before she made copies for her own records. She was tempted to cut into him more,
From what Ted knew, Alex was right. No one in the Springs had a problem with Marcus. Even those who didn’t much like Alex and his plans for the resort hadn’t shown any resentment to his crew. They were all local boys who were working. And Alex had made sure at least a few were hired from every clan. No one carried a grudge over that.
“I need to know what’s going on, Ted.”
She knew what he was asking, and she pulled away. “Alex—”
“Whether you want to admit it or not, this is my town. You know what being a McCann means. You and I and my father all know what’s coming. And you know a lot of people still don’t trust Caleb. Old Quinn is already stirring shit up about coyotes or some other canine shifter being responsible for this. Someone even mentioned Joe disappearing like he might have had something to do with it.”
“Did Joe even know Marcus?”
Alex grimaced. “They had words at the Cave a few days before Joe took off. One of the guys told me this morning.”
“Shit.” The last thing Allie needed was people talking about her kids’ dad being a murder suspect.
“I need you to keep me in the loop on this. I need to know where the fires are starting, so I can put them out before they get bad.”
And have one more excuse to talk to him, despite her bruised heart?
“Why don’t you ask Jeremy?”
“I’m already putting him in an awkward position, arguing with his boss like that. You saw him just now. Caleb knows Jeremy looks to me as a higher authority. I don’t want to take advantage of that.”
Dammit. Why did he have to be such a good guy sometimes? As much as Ted wanted to dislike him, his obvious concern and respect for his pack always softened her. Cats didn’t have that. And maybe it went against her animal nature, but part of her longed to be part of something bigger than herself. If there was one thing she envied about the wolves, it was having a pack.
“I can’t make any promises,” she said.
“Ted, please—”
“But I’ll do what I can. I do have some latitude in my own… investigation.”
A grateful smile spread over his face. He leaned forward and planted a quick kiss on her forehead. “Thanks, baby.”
“Don’t—” She lifted a hand and stepped back. “Don’t call me baby, Alex.”
He winked at her, then turned to walk back to the parking lot where his men were gathered. Jeremy lifted a knowing eyebrow as he passed Alex and headed toward Ted.
“Not a word,” she said, grabbing the body bag and walking back toward the body. “Come on, Deputy. Let’s do this before it gets hot.”
Ted had discovered last year that it was a particular kind of torture to examine someone she’d known in life. She tried to separate herself from it. Tried to view it just as a body.
But inevitably, she’d have a thought like, ‘Gee, I didn’t know Marcus tattooed his kids’ names right over his heart.’ Then she’d get choked up because half of that tattoo had bite marks in it and the other half would never be seen by those kids he’d loved so much. Kids she could picture, even if she didn’t know them well. And their hilarious mom with the sassy blue hair that Marcus had tattooed in a pin-up pose on his shoulder. Josie had everyone rolling in snake jokes the first time she’d ever visited Cambio Springs. Marcus had adored her.
Sometimes, life just sucked.
And it especially sucked when she found the evidence she was looking for lodged in one of his ribs. She suspected it had banged around his ribcage for a while, tearing into his internal organs like a lethal pinball. Bleeding would have been extensive. Death would have been quick.
The bullet was heavily deformed from impact, but she carefully bagged it to turn in to the Sheriff-Coroner’s office in San Bernardino. All her pictures and notes would go along with the body, but not before she made copies for her own records. She was tempted to cut into him more,
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