Driver held his arm out like a barrier, stopping her. “No. I'd like you to stay.”
Jaz felt her cheeks grow hot.
“What I have to say is private,” Kerk said firmly.
“Is it of a personal nature?”
“No.”
“Then I'd like Jaz to sit in.”
Jaz leant her hip against the desk for support, wishing she could sit down again without drawing any attention to herself. It was clear Kerk didn't want her there and that made her feel very uncomfortable. What could he have to say that Driver would demand she hear?
“I saw Njord last night, meeting with someone.”
“Garik?” Driver looked Jaz's way as he said this. Jaz frowned at him in confusion.
Kerk shook his head. “Someone else. They'd layered themselves with dirt to hide their scent. All I could guess was that the Were was male. He wasn't the tallest I've seen, about six foot one or two and he was wearing a black cloak with a hood over his head.”
“Where did they meet?”
“Up at the Log Bridge River. They talked for almost half an hour. I couldn't make out most of what they were saying. The river was flowing strongly. He's smart. A good rendezvous place. For them. I had to hold back in case they caught my scent. The wind wasn't in my favour.”
“They planned this well.”
Kerk nodded.
“What did you hear?” Driver questioned.
“Snippets. I can't be sure.”
“Just tell me, maybe we can work it out.”
“He said something about Saturday. He kept saying it several times. I guess this Saturday they are planning to do something.”
“Was Jaz mentioned?” Nik didn't look at her when he asked this but she was definitely staring at him.
“I didn't hear anything. Our Pack name was mentioned, that day and something else. But I'm not sure.”
“What?”
Kerk hesitated. “I think I heard the name Dead Tree.”
The intensity in the room was electrified.
Jaz looked from one to the other with desperate confusion. “What is Dead Tree?” she asked.
“They're a neighbouring Pack north-west of here,” Nik replied. “They border our Pack and the Red Sword Pack. If Kerk heard correctly, it could mean the Dead Tree Pack are in alliance with the Red Sword Pack.”
“And that's bad?”
“Very.”
Jaz exhaled. It was like getting blood from a stone. “Why is it bad?”
Kerk gazed at her and then at Driver. “She doesn't know much does she?”
Jaz bared her teeth at him. “I only know as much as I'm told. The rest is a guessing game.”
After a moment of observing her, Kerk let out a 'Hmph'. Then he smiled as he said, “You're not what I expected.”
Jaz folded her arms across her chest, not sure whether that was a compliment or an insult.
“So what do you want me to do?” Kerk addressed Nik.
They both suddenly looked towards the door as if distracted. After a moment they spoke in low voices.
“I can smell his bloody cigarettes from here,” Nik rumbled.
“Should I stay?” Kerk asked under his breath.
“Maybe. Let's see what he has to say first.”
Jaz frowned at them both, puzzled. She inhaled deeply through her nose trying to discern who they were talking about. She recognized the scent of a man close by but she wasn't sure who. It wasn't someone she was around regularly. She noticed Driver trying to get her attention with his eyes.
“I'd like to speak to you later,” he mumbled. “But I have things I need to do now. Okay?”
Jaz bobbed her head, unsure of what to do with herself.
“Go find Skye, and get her to have a look at your face.” He grasped her hand, pulling it towards him, and pressed a cold rectangular object into her palm. She stared at the mobile phone and then back at him.
“Call her if you need to. Edda's number is in there too. So is mine. This phone is yours from now on. It won't call numbers further than ten miles away, but no one can track it either.”
“Thank you,” she whispered.
He smiled and signalled her towards the door that Kerk opened for her.
Just as she was walking out, a large shadow loomed over her. She found herself looking up into the square, boxer face of her Uncle Garik.
He eyed her dubiously for a fleeting moment before flashing her a teasing smile; a strange, almost sinister-looking smile as if he'd caught her red-handed doing something wrong.
She frowned at him, biting her bottom lip and shaping it into a stubborn line.
He kept his creepy smile up until he turned his face away from her.
She leaned back to see into the room, but was too late as Kerk shut the door. She stared at it wondering what she had just learned and fearing that she had become involved in something that was far above her.
Something very dangerous.
~Chapter 31 - Rouse~
Twelve days earlier...
Friday June 10th, 5:30 p.m.
Sheffield