Undercover Wolf

Chapter 13

The men were both in the same room at Mount Desert Island Hospital. That was one good thing, Kristine thought, as Quinn and she walked down the sterile-looking hallway past other rooms filled with patients and their visiting friends and family members.

Another good thing was that the police hadn’t restricted them from having visitors. That didn’t mean they weren’t under surveillance, so Quinn and she would have to be careful.

No one was obviously watching, nor standing guard outside their door, so Quinn and she entered.

Both men were lying in their beds tucked under sheets, with only the tops of their ugly, shapeless hospital gowns showing.

“Wondered if you were coming today to try to fix things with us,” Kelly growled, twisting slightly to face the door. “Don’t bother. We’ve already called in a preliminary report. In case it makes you happy, though, the doctors here want to keep us both here at least another day for observation. Guess they like to do that for concussions. So, thanks for that.” His tone was clearly sarcastic.

“To the contrary, you owe me an apology.” Kristine kept her voice cool. “And you need to report what really happened.”

Quinn and she had already talked over how to handle this, and they would use an Alpha Force version of “good cop/bad cop.” She had wanted to play the role of the baddy, but Quinn had convinced her otherwise. He couldn’t flirt with them to get them to roll over and tell the truth—or at least some version of it—if threats didn’t work.

“I’d really like to understand why you attacked me,” she continued, trying to sound as if their actions hurt her to the core.

“So would I,” Quinn growled. “Do you two thugs always attack ladies who happen to be alone in remote areas at night? Bet your superiors at your Department of Defense agency would love to hear all about that. Did you include that in your preliminary report?”

“Let me handle this,” Kristine said sweetly to Quinn. Then, to Kelly, she said, “I hate when Quinn gets all pissy and threatening. But he’s not always easy for me to control.”

“Why? Because he’s not a P.I. but a member of Alpha Force?” Kelly’s smile would have been snide, except that it apparently hurt him and he winced. “We’ve substantiated that.”

“What do you know about Alpha Force?” Quinn demanded without either confirming or denying his involvement. “Or, what’s more to the point, what do you think you know?”

Kristine sidled over to Holt’s bed. He hadn’t said anything, and he appeared zoned out as he lay there, as if he were under a lot heavier medication than Kelly.

Which could be a good thing. If he were less aware of what he was saying, maybe they could learn more from him.

“Holt, I really am sorry that you got hurt. But it’s important that we understand why you attacked me. If you explain and it makes sense, I won’t press charges.”

“Can’t tell you,” he muttered.

Which made it all the more imperative that they get the truth from these guys, Kristine thought.

“And we’re the ones who’ll decide whether to press charges.” Kelly sounded happy about the idea. “We’re the ones who got our heads bashed in.”

“Self-defense,” countered Quinn. “You attacked Kristine first, and she fought back.”

“But that wolf—” Holt said.

“What wolf?” Quinn demanded.

“The one that attacked me,” Holt said. “Grabbed my wrist.”

“You’re kidding,” Kristine said, planting an incredulous smile on her face.

“You know I’m not.” Holt’s shout made him wince and touch his head. He held out his arm. “It bit me here.”

Kristine took his hand and looked at it, turned it over. “You’re right,” she said sarcastically. “Just look at all the bite marks.”

Holt glanced down and grimaced. “Just because it didn’t break my skin—”

“It would be more believable if either of us had seen it,” Quinn countered. “But we didn’t. Are you trying to capitalize on the fact that those tourists were attacked by something?”

“No, but—” Holt sounded confused now.

“What about the local cops?” Quinn continued pressing. “I’ve heard that some of them were keeping watch in the area of the attack on those tourists for a few nights. Did they see anything? In fact, maybe they were the ones who were around last night and set a dog on you that looked like a wolf, just for fun. Not while we were around, though, since we didn’t see it.”

Which didn’t exactly make sense, Kristine knew, but she wasn’t about to contradict Quinn.

“We knew they were sending observers to the park and told them to stop, that they didn’t have jurisdiction. We didn’t think they were listening to us, but we didn’t see them last night. Just you.”

“You sure?” Quinn demanded. “Maybe you ran them off first, before you decided to attack Kristine. I think we may ask them about that.”

“No,” Kelly repeated. “It was only you.”

“You mean I’m the only one you attacked?” Kristine asked.

Even Kelly now looked as if his head was pounding in agony. “That’s not what we were doing. But the fact that you were around the crime scene—we needed answers. About you and Alpha Force.”

Kristine shared a glance with Quinn, willing him to let her continue this conversation. Fortunately, he did.

“You mentioned Alpha Force when we talked to you before,” she told Kelly, “and now you’ve mentioned it again. Please tell us what it is. Are you members—is that it?” She faced Holt. “If so, what’s its purpose? Is it why you came after me in the park?”

Holt looked even confused. “No, we’re not the ones who’re Alpha Force. You are—aren’t you?”

“Enough of this,” Kelly rasped from behind them.

Quinn took a step closer, as if he was about to give the guy a new concussion. Kristine slipped in front of him, nearer to the bed. She looked straight down into Kelly’s obviously angry eyes.

“Look, Kelly,” she said. “Tell us what you know about this supposed Alpha Force. If it was your excuse to attack me, I’d like to know. And—”

“And if you don’t level with us, I’ll make damned sure that whoever you work for at the Department of Defense knows how badly you screwed things up around here,” Quinn interjected.

“You’re the screw-up,” Kelly said triumphantly despite the way his eyes shriveled with apparent pain. “No matter what, I’m gonna confirm in my report that you are Alpha Force. Don’t try to deny it. You are—like those two folks who disappeared, right? The killers?”

“That’s what you think?” Kristine wasn’t really shocked, although she tried to make it sound that way. “And you believe we’re somehow affiliated with them? Do you think we were involved with those killings?”

“Not you directly,” Kelly said. “But your outfit—that damned Alpha Force, whatever it is. I’ve heard rumors...”

“Werewolves,” piped up Holt in his low, confused voice.

Quinn laughed. “Really? That’s what you think?”

“It would explain how those tourists were mauled to death. They were killed on the night of a full moon, for one thing.” Kelly had fumbled with the switch on his bed and was now drawing up to a better sitting position. Apparently he wasn’t drugged as much as his cohort. Which might be good for getting answers.

Or not, Kristine thought.

But whatever they thought they knew about Alpha Force, and shapeshifters—it couldn’t be complete.

“Interesting theory,” she said, letting scorn drift into her tone. “So you really think I’m affiliated with this Alpha Force, that I’m a werewolf or something, and you attacked me in the middle of the night? Why? Because you thought I’d turn into a wolf, even though it wasn’t even a full moon? That’s the supposed trigger, isn’t it?” She hoped that whatever they believed, they hadn’t heard of the shifting elixir.

Quinn was leaning against the wall near the door now, his arms folded and his expression snide. “These guys must have been on something even before they started getting good drugs in their IVs here.”

“It doesn’t make sense,” Holt complained. “That’s what I’ve said. It’s just a cover story so they can act like terrorists, and—”

“Shut up, Holt,” Kelly interrupted. “Look, we don’t owe you any explanations. We—”

“But you do,” Kristine countered. “You attacked me because you thought I was part of this group that pretends to have a woo-woo cover? But what is it that you’re supposed to do even if you do find some members, if you’re not affiliated with them?”

“Make ’em look bad,” Kelly said. “Make you look bad, since we were already told you’re part of that Alpha Force. Like I said, don’t deny it.”

“Who told you that?” Kristine demanded.

“Look, here’s the deal. You’re not pressing charges against us, and we won’t make any complaints against you,” Kelly said, apparently negotiating. “No talk outside this room about stupid stuff like werewolves, either.”

“That’s basically fine,” Quinn agreed. “But I want more information first. Why are you supposed to make this Alpha Force look bad?”

“Orders,” Kelly said.

“From who?” demanded Quinn.

“Wouldn’t say even if I knew,” Kelly responded. “But those two disappeared honeymooners were supposedly part of that outfit. We’re here to figure out what really happened to the murdered tourists, and if we can tie it to those two missing people, all the better.”

“Then where do you think those honeymooners are?” Quinn demanded. “Do you know? Did you attack Kristine because you thought she was getting close to them?”

“We don’t know where they are,” Kelly said. “Last we heard, they were spotted before the tourists were killed somewhere around one of Acadia’s nature preserves. Around the Wild Gardens, I think. But they could have gone anywhere in the park. They had to have been there where the tourists died.” He looked straight at Quinn. “Look, we were told that the two of you are part of that unit but you’ve gone rogue, looking into the killings yourselves against direct orders not to. We’re supposed to figure out what really happened and at the same time make you look bad. That’s all I know.”

“But why?” Kristine asked. “And who told you to do that?”

And who knew they were countering direct orders besides Major Connell, who’d unofficially approved what they were up to?

“Like I said before—” Kelly now sounded exhausted, and he had collapsed back onto his raised bed “—I don’t know where it came from. But now you know all I do. If you figure out who killed those damned tourists, let us know.”

* * *

Before they left the hospital, Kristine had one more thing she wanted to do. Telling Quinn to keep his distance, she approached the nurses’ station nearest the room they had just exited.

The golden-haired nurse behind the desk was named Bridget, according to the name tag pinned to the sweater over her white uniform.

“Hi,” Kristine said. “My name is Kristine. I used to be a nurse before I got married and moved away.”

She glanced behind her and shot Quinn a caring look. He didn’t look happy, possibly because he wasn’t pleased that she wasn’t using a story fully conforming with their cover. But she had her reasons.

“I also—well, you might have heard that those two men attacked me, and I had to fight back, with some help. They said they both had concussions. Because of the situation, well...I know because of confidentiality that you can’t say much, but do you think they’ll be here awhile longer for observation? I never hurt anyone before, so I hope they’ll be okay—especially since you never know if someone’s going to sue because of claimed injuries. I’d also love to know how long they’re likely to be here so I can watch out for them.” She tried to look both rueful and upset.

The nurse frowned slightly, and her full cheeks flattened a little. “I really shouldn’t say,” she said in a low voice, “but I don’t think it’ll hurt to let you know that it’s the policy here to keep patients with possible concussions for at least a couple of days to try to ensure improvement. I did hear about what happened, and so did a lot of others on staff here. Glad you’re okay, at least. You can always notify the authorities that you’re worried when those guys are released. I’d imagine the cops will be keeping an eye on them, too.”

“Thanks.” Kristine beamed at the woman. “I really appreciate your help. I’m so worried about the situation, even though I did nothing wrong. It was self-defense on my part and—well, I’d be grateful if you’d try to keep them under observation as long as possible to make sure there’s no permanent damage...and to keep me from having to worry about where they are.”

Not that a nurse had much to do with treatment or length of stay, Kristine thought, as she finally walked out with Quinn. But doctors did sometimes listen when a nurse expressed concern. And Bridget had at least acted simpatico.

Maybe Quinn and she would know, at least for a while, where Kelly and Holt were.

* * *

Quinn drove their rental car out of the hospital parking lot into the nearest lane. As he turned onto Main Street, the satellite phone rang. Kristine pulled it out of her purse and answered.

“What the hell is going on there?” demanded Maj. Drew Connell.

“What do you mean, sir?” Kristine asked. As Quinn glanced at her, he saw how wide her blue eyes were as she stared at the phone now lying on the dashboard between them. “We just spoke to those two DSPA operatives in the hospital and—”

“You’d better have gotten something good from them,” the major interjected, his angry tone filling the entire rental car. “It’s just been made very clear to me that your injuring them, putting them into the hospital, has jeopardized the entire operation. Even the ongoing viability of Alpha Force.”

“But, sir,” Kristine began, “like I told you, they attacked me. What I did was self-defense. Quinn was shifted, but what he did wasn’t out of line. Since we knocked the guys unconscious, they’re not pushing too hard with their claims that one of those they fought with was a wolf. I’m guessing they don’t really believe in shapeshifters at all, let alone outside of a full moon. Plus, Quinn didn’t hurt the guy he attacked any differently from the way a human would. So why is Alpha Force in trouble?”

Quinn wanted to interrupt with his own angry questions, but Kristine was doing fine...for now.

“Because it is,” Drew responded. “Because we were under orders not to get involved at all with the investigation of those tourist maulings, and I didn’t discourage you from doing it on your own. I should have, though. I just got reamed by the general, and I’m on my way to D.C. now. He was called to a meeting at the Pentagon to discuss Alpha Force, what it really is and the involvement of its members in the ugly attacks that have occurred in Acadia recently—including the DSPA’s own agents. He says there’s more to it, too, that he can’t reveal yet. But even more, there are additional ugly rumors that too many Alpha Force members have been acting way out of line.”

“You mean like Simon and Grace supposedly did?” Quinn finally jumped into the conversation. “That’s exactly why we were on those two DSPA guys. They acted like they’re sure the honeymooners were responsible for the attacks on the civilians. They didn’t seem entirely convinced about shapeshifting, though—a good thing. But I gathered that they may consider that just some kind of odd cover story to allow Alpha Force to engage in some terrorist acts without repercussions. What we need to do now—”

“What you need to do is back off,” Drew said. “Immediately.” His voice was lower, but the tone was unambiguous. They were under orders.

Quinn had continued driving when the conversation began. But as it progressed he had pulled into a grocery mart parking lot so he could concentrate on what was being said.

And counter it if necessary.

“I understand,” he said, “but something is going on here that we haven’t figured out yet. Maybe I’m just feeling paranoid as a new member of Alpha Force who hasn’t even been assigned an official mission yet, but there are too many complaints about our unit—and too many people gunning for us who don’t even know what we’re about. Something about that seems very fishy to me. I thought that the military is more discreet than that, that covert means covert.”

He glanced at Kristine. She didn’t look happy.

“It has nothing to do with the military,” she said, “but there appear to be a lot of people willing to believe that Simon and Grace—on their honeymoon, yet—decided to do something really nasty and kill people. Those with even a hint of knowledge about Alpha Force seem sure they grew violent while shifted, and others may think they simply mutilated the tourists to make people think wild animals did it. But no one has come up with a motive for them.”

“No one has found them yet, either,” Quinn added. He watched out the windshield as people pushed grocery carts past them. Hardly anyone glanced toward their car, which was a good thing. “But those DSPA guys—they gave us a possible clue when we were in their hospital room just now.”

“What’s that?” Drew demanded.

“They told us the last place anyone appears to have seen Simon and Grace—near a nature preserve within Acadia.” Quinn paused, then continued, “We still have nearly three weeks until the next full moon, when they’ll have to shift at least part of the time whether they want to or not, even if they’ve got some version of Simon’s imperfect meds or the newest form of the Alpha Force elixir with them. In case they do, or there’s some evidence still around, I want to check that area out while in wolf form and also look for any clues that people would miss. I plan to do it tonight.”

Drew said nothing for a few seconds. “All right,” he finally said. “I won’t order you home immediately. But be careful. And report to me first thing in the morning—and right away if you find any sign of them.”

“Yes, sir,” Quinn said. Kristine echoed the words.

Quinn reached up to the dashboard and turned off the phone. He shook his head. “This kind of investigation is hard enough without—” He stopped, knowing that Kristine realized he was about to criticize the military again. Instead, he said, “Looks like tonight’s going to be even more significant than we thought.”

“And we already thought it would be critical,” she replied. “Let’s go somewhere private to discuss strategy.”

* * *

They walked slowly near the brookside area, one of twelve habitats within the Wild Gardens of Acadia. Kristine had taken Quinn’s hand and held on tightly—and not entirely to maintain their cover as newlyweds. She wondered if she needed to control him—or herself.

“They can’t still be near here,” Kristine said dejectedly. “Presumably, since the moon was full, they were shifted the night those tourists were killed, but they’d have changed back to human form by dawn. And if they had no elixir or other meds along—”

“They’d have stayed in human form,” Quinn finished. He looked down at the park brochure he held in his other hand. “The Nature Center’s just over there.” He pointed to their right. “It’s housed in a building, at least.”

“And you don’t think any of the park personnel would have noticed a couple of strangers hanging around there? Or wolves?” Kristine used sarcasm to hide the sadness—and hint of panic—that she had begun to feel.

“Who knows? My bro is a pretty resourceful guy, and I suspect his bride is, too.”

“That resourceful?” Kristine demanded, even as they began walking in the direction of the Nature Center.

Quinn stopped. She looked up into his face as he planted himself in front of her on the path. “Look, I don’t want to think they really had anything to do with killing those people. But if they did, and they needed to hide...well, yeah, they could be that resourceful. Otherwise...”

He tapered off, but Kristine finished the thought—something they had not even discussed. Hadn’t wanted to discuss.

But one reason no one had seen her former boss and her new husband could be because they were off the radar altogether.

Dead.

And that was something Kristine could not accept. Not unless there was evidence.

She could only pray that, whatever Quinn learned around here tonight, it wasn’t that.

A while later that afternoon, Quinn called the hospital. The DSPA men were still there.

The time was right, then. That night, she drove him back to the Wild Gardens and parked in the lot closest to that area and the nearby Nature Center. There weren’t many people around there at that hour.

It was time for him to shift again.

* * *

He was deep in the forest, beyond the multiple, diverse plant communities of the Wild Gardens. He crept slowly on his sensitive paws, his ears alert, his nose, too, taking in all the diverse scents around the area and searching for more.

He had hated to leave Kristine. The last time she was alone while he was shifted, she had been attacked. Those who attacked her remained in the hospital, but other people in their organization might be under orders to assist in the downfall of Alpha Force.

Finding anything tonight would be a long shot. But he had to at least attempt to take advantage of what those men had told him.

Was there any possibility that Simon and Grace remained in this area? It was more than a week ago when they had been spotted here, so Quinn knew how unlikely it was.

Even so...he began circling, still slowly, senses alert for all wildlife.

As before, there were nocturnal rodents. Birds. Even reptiles.

No wolves.

He waited, circling even more for long minutes that turned into an hour, or so he believed. That night’s moon wasn’t so visible overhead any longer.

And still he scented and listened. And hoped.

More time passed. He had sensed no human presences save for Kristine—whom he checked on often as she remained locked in their vehicle. She seemed fine.

Nor did he sense any other canines in the area, not coyotes or wild dogs or anything else. Still, he continued to prowl.

Daylight would return soon. He would change back then, or earlier if he chose.

He moved farther and farther from the area where he had begun his hopeful quest, continuing to circle, to try to sense any unusual presence. Any other wolf.

Finally, he could resist no longer. There had been no humans but Kristine around for hours. Only she would hear...

He sat on his haunches, lifted his muzzle in the air.

And howled.

Then, he listened. If there were other wolves around within their keen earshot, they would respond.

Nothing.

Not surprising, of course. Especially when he had no belief that his brother and his brother’s bride would be shifted tonight, when the moon was far from being full and they were outside the aegis of their military unit.

But though he had found no indication of their having been here, he had also found no sign that they had died here.

He could maintain hope that they were still alive.