I hear you.
Allan headed in the direction of his car, his boots crunching in the snow. He told himself the trail had to be a wolf’s. Why would a lupus garou be running through their territory in the vicinity of a crime scene?
He reached his car and paused, listening to the wind howling through the snow-covered branches. Then he got in and drove to Paul and Lori’s cabin. As soon as he parked, Paul opened the door. He was bundled up, looking as though he intended to search for Allan, which Allan hadn’t wanted. Not with Paul still on the mend. On a summer’s day, he probably could take a short hike. But in these snowdrifts and with his leg muscles and tendons still healing, no.
“Sorry it took me so long.”
“Verdict?” Paul asked as he pulled off his gloves and coat while Allan shut the door.
The place was quiet, and except for the living room, the rest of the house was dark. “Is Lori asleep?” Allan asked, his voice hushed.
“Yeah. She knew you were on your way. She hasn’t been sleeping well, so she wanted to go to bed early. I’ll let her know the news tomorrow.” Paul got them some beers. “So what’s going on?”
“No prints. Too much snow had fallen for me to tell if it was a wolf or a wolf shifter. But it was male and he didn’t mark the territory, just moved through it. He could have been attracted to the blood, thinking it was a fresh kill. We have a number of real wolf packs in the forests here, so that’s reasonable.”
“Your gut instinct?”
“My gut instinct is it’s a pure wolf. Why would a lupus garou be up here at the crime scene otherwise?”
“He’s related to the woman who was murdered?”
“I hadn’t considered that. Or maybe the killer was a lupus garou, but the first time he came through the area, he used a hunter’s spray to conceal that he was a wolf.”
“I don’t buy it.”
“I thought someone was tailing me today. Well, not me, but Debbie. I swore a black sedan was following me after we left the pizzeria, so I turned off on another street, then came back around, and the black sedan continued to trail Debbie’s car.”
“Why were you following Debbie’s car?” Paul sounded a tad suspicious of Allan’s motives.
Allan stiffened a bit. “She’d had a little too much to drink.” Before Paul could ask why he allowed her to drive home, he quickly said, “Rowdy met us at the pizza place and he drove her home. I gave him a ride back to the pizzeria.”
Paul visibly relaxed.
“I wouldn’t let her drive home like that.”
“I understand.”
But Allan thought it was more than that. Paul was glad Rowdy was with them sharing pizza, and he had driven her home.
“So how long did the sedan follow her vehicle?”
“As soon as I was behind him, he made a quick turn onto the next street. By the time I reached the street, there was no sign of him. There wasn’t anything really suspicious about him, but with this situation with Lori and Rose, and Debbie dropping by to see Rose today…I just feel the need to be more vigilant.”
“Agreed. I take it you didn’t get his license number?”
“No. I planned to when I was behind him, but I didn’t get close enough.”
“Okay, so we’ll have everyone watching for a black sedan and be on the alert for a male lupus garou stranger. And a red Camaro, if Franny’s ex-lover has found her and is stalking her. I’m glad to hear that there’s nothing serious going on between you and Debbie. Rose and Catherine were worried about you.”
“Rowdy is asking her out. I’m not dating her, Paul. I know the rules. We just shared some pizza and beer. Next week, we’re planning to do the same thing, the three of us, unless Rowdy starts dating her. Then it’s strictly just work and she’s all his.”
“Okay, glad to hear it. I know it’s tough, and if you’re not interested in any of the females in the pack, that makes it tougher. But getting involved with a human is too dangerous.”
“Yeah, don’t I know it.” Allan finished his beer. “Well, I’m calling it a night. Debbie and I have an early dive tomorrow on that Van Lake investigation we’re looking into.”
“Any leads?”
“Only that it looks like a murder set up to look like an accident.”
“Okay, Allan. I’m working a case tomorrow…”
Allan couldn’t conceal his look of surprise.
“From home. Hell, I can’t dive. I can walk, but not on this damn ice without risking breaking my leg again or tearing up ligaments or something. I’ll be home.”
Allan took a relieved breath. “You’ll be as good as new soon.” They healed in half the time it took humans, so Paul must have injured himself worse than they had first thought.