“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Commander Morris,” the young man said, standing to shake Rollo’s hand.
“Sir, this is Heath Reynolds. He’s just finished up his high school diploma and initial law enforcement training at the Bright Institute for Shifters,” Knox explained.
“And let me guess, you want to join the police department,” Rollo said, bringing his hands up together in front of him to form a triangle.
“It’s all I’ve wanted to do as long as I can remember, sir,” Heath said, his youthful face full of youthful enthusiasm.
Heath was a young man, but far too mature looking to be a high school student. The man had the hardened muscle and the square jaw of a man who’d seen more of life than a teenager possibly could.
“You don’t look like a high school student,” Rollo said, inspecting the young man’s face. He looked as if he was at least twenty-five. “What were you doing getting a high school diploma at the Bright Institute?”
“I had to drop out of school before the war to take care of my mother. After she died, I’d planned to go back and get my GED. But then the war broke out and the shifter draft was instated. The military didn’t care that I didn’t have a diploma since I am a shifter. I served my country for four years. When I came back home, I couldn’t get a job in law enforcement because I didn’t have a high school diploma. I spent a few years doing odd jobs and trying to recover from my experiences overseas. That’s when I heard about the Bright Institute for Shifters. I signed up and was accepted to the first class six months ago. I’ve since completed my high school education and the initial law enforcement training. I have official certifications of each. I came in here today to speak with you about joining the force.”
“Well, it looks like you have all of the primary requirements to become a member of the Fate Mountain Police Department,” Rollo said.
“Otherwise affectionately known as Bear patrol,” Deputy Knox said.
“It’s true, most of the officers on the force our bears. We served together as a special forces unit in the Marines during the war. It sounds like you will fit right in here.”
“Thank you, sir,” he said.
Rollo sniffed the air, trying to make out what kind of bear Heath was behind his human fa?ade. “Grizzly or polar?” Rollo asked.
“Grizzly,” Heath said.
“So Gauge is still going be the only polar bear on the crew,” Knox said.
“Where is Gauge anyway?” Rollo asked Knox. “He hasn’t reported in today.”
“You know Gauge,” Knox said.
Rollo did know Gauge. Detective Gauge Stockwell had been the loose cannon of the bunch ever since their early days in the Marines. Now, as a gifted detective for the Fate Mountain Police Department, Gauge still played by his own rules. But that wasn’t something that Rollo wanted to talk about in front of a new recruit. He had to project an air of absolute authority to the new guy. Rollo couldn’t have a cadet questioning his status as alpha of the Bear Patrol.
“He’s still deep in a case right now, isn’t he?” Rollo said, trying to play it cool in front of the cadet.
“As far as I know,” Knox said.
“Knox, get our new recruit up to speed with the workings of the department. Get him a uniform and a locker. He’s going to be your partner for the rest of his training,” Rollo said.
“Thank you, sir,” Heath said.
“Welcome to the crew, Cadet Bear. I hope you’re up for the challenge.”
“I am, sir. I definitely am,” Heath said enthusiastically.
Knox and Heath left Rollo’s office and closed the door behind them, leaving Rollo alone in peace and quiet where he could finally think. Something about the crime scene at the mansion had thrown him off. He couldn’t quite place what it was.
Rollo shook his mouse to wake up his computer screen. He still had information about Caitlin Somerset on his internet browser. After quickly closing all his tabs, he came to an open screen displaying Mate.com.
He exhaled a long breath, looking at the profiles of the women who were almost perfect matches for him. There was a pretty blonde who was a ninety-eight point nine percent match. There was a beautiful Hispanic woman with big brown eyes who was a ninety-five percent match. But not a single one of these beautiful women was a hundred percent match for him. Only a hundred percent match from the Mate.com algorithms meant that he had found his fated mate.
With a sigh, he closed Mate.com and tried to put it out of his mind. That’s when he remembered the faint scent in the mansion that had made his bear rumble awake inside his mind. His inner grizzly was sure he’d smelled the scent of his mate.
3