When he arrived at the clinic, at least half the wolf pack was there, which wasn’t good if the werewolf hunter was around and knew who some of them were.
Everett was in with Rose, and so was Allan’s mom. Allan met up with Lori, who looked anxious, rubbing her own belly.
Emma Greypaw, Lori’s grandma, was shaking her head at Lori. “I told you girls you’d both be fine. Quit your fretting.”
Paul took Allan aside. “What did you learn?”
Allan told Paul everything—that the driver of the black sedan was Vaughn Greystoke, a PI supposedly hired by a man named Devlyn to search for Sarah Engle.
“Devlyn? The gray wolf pack leader in Colorado? The one with the mate who was incarcerated in the Oregon Zoo?”
“That’s what I suspect.”
“Okay. In other news, the Van Lake murder victim? He was a wolf.” Paul immediately got on his cell, then put it on speakerphone. “Tessa, Paul Cunningham here.”
“How is your mate? Twins coming soon?”
“Yeah. And Allan’s sister is having her triplets right now. We’re at the clinic, but we’re investigating a possible werewolf-hunter murder and Vaughn Greystoke came up in our search.”
“Good luck with hunting him down. I don’t know the wolf though.”
“He’s a cousin of Devlyn’s.”
“Then he’s got to be my distant relation. Here’s Devlyn and Bella’s number. Tell them I said hello.”
“Thanks, will do.”
“Good. Take care of your wife. We’ll be talking again, I’m sure.”
“Thanks, Tessa.”
Then they ended the call and Paul contacted Devlyn. “I’m Paul Cunningham and I’m checking into a Vaughn Greystoke, who claims to be a PI investigating the disappearance of a Sarah Engle for you. If you’re the right Devlyn.”
“I am, and I’ve learned she was murdered.”
“Right.”
“Vaughn is my second cousin, and, yes, he was investigating Sarah’s disappearance. The woman the hunter killed wasn’t part of our pack, but she was looking to join us. Anyway, we just thought she’d changed her mind about joining us. But then she called me and said a werewolf hunter was after her. I contacted Vaughn and asked him to give her protection. Before he could locate her, she called me back and said to never mind. She had taken care of it. So I figured she had killed the hunter. I still sent Vaughn to investigate what was going on anyway. He’s been on a merry chase ever since then.”
“He drives a black sedan and has been following some of our investigators and pack members,” Paul said.
“You know how it is when entering a pack’s territory. No one knows who’s running things. Some packs get really antsy about usurper wolves trying to take over a pack. So he’s been trying to learn if there truly is a pack up there and who’s running it. I take it you are the pack leader?”
“Yes.”
“A woman named Emma Greypaw was in touch with Sarah before she vanished. Then Vaughn learned Sarah had been murdered. But he didn’t learn it right away. He’s been following Lloyd and Otis’s trails.”
“Did Vaughn kill Lloyd?”
“And leave evidence behind? No. We suspect Lloyd’s partner Otis did. Here’s Vaughn’s number. I’ll give him a call and let him know you’ll be calling him. He’ll work with you to help in any way that he can.”
“Thanks. We appreciate the assistance,” Paul said.
“If we had werewolf hunters in our neck of the woods, we’d feel the same way. Good luck.”
When they finished the call, they heard a baby cry. Allan’s heart nearly stopped. Lori was on her feet in an instant, wringing her hands. Paul walked over and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Five minutes passed, and another baby began to cry. But they were all on pins and needles until they heard the third baby. When it cried, they all smiled and everyone there took turns hugging Allan and congratulating him for being a brand-new uncle. And now he had his work cut out for him.
He was surrounded by love and family. Yet all he could think of was Debbie sitting home on this wintry night—all alone. And wishing he could be there.
*
After having another meeting with Franny, her husband, Lori, Paul, and Allan about her stalker trouble and putting the whole pack on alert, Allan went to see to his mother’s needs while she was seeing to the babies’ and Rose’s. Three days later, Everett looked bushed as Lori and Emma prepared a meal for the whole family to show their support.
“How’s Debbie?” Lori suddenly asked Allan in the living room, while everyone was busy putting food away in the kitchen, fussing over the babies, or taking care of Rose.
He thought he was alone and hadn’t heard Lori come up behind him.
“She’s fine.” He didn’t know why Lori was asking. Debbie hadn’t had a major upheaval in her life. And as far as he knew, the department hadn’t had any emergency calls requiring divers. They’d get a team that was ready to go anyway, and since he was going to be here for another day or so to help out, they’d call on another team.