Bearly in Control (Shifters Undercover Book 1) Page 13

  “A bit of a mystery case. A set of prints for our thief here came back as a missing person from your area. Report shows it’s unsolved. Her name is Melody Harpin.” Voices rumbled in the background.

  “Devin, we remember her case. She was in jail for DUI. Supposedly her husband bailed her out and two weeks later the department received a missing persons report on her. After nosing around, police found out she wasn’t married. So whoever she went with when leaving, she must’ve known. Her apartment at the time hinted at a fight, with a lamp knocked over, furniture out of place, and a bloodstain on the floor.”

  “Was she a shifter?” Devin asked.

  “No, normal human.”

  Russel asked, “Did she have a job?” Voices once again chattered in the background.

  “She was a data manager at a local utility company.”

  Russel and Devon looked at each other. Both shrugged. Russel leaned closer to the speaker. “What does a data manager do, exactly?”

  “Hi, Agents Mayer and Sonder. I’m Jane Ramirez. I was lead on that case. Ms. Harpin was a thirty-five-year-old female. Her one friend, also a coworker, said she was usually quiet, very unassuming, but friendly. No enemies, no family we could find. No previous arrests.

  “Her other coworkers said the same. Supposedly, she was very good at what she did. Apparently, utility companies use a proprietary software to keep track of all their customers and consumption info. She analyzes all the data to spot trends for seasonal depletion, sees where usage is high or low for scheduling maintenance, and makes sure there are no ghost clients.”

  Both Russel and Devin said, “Ghost clients?”

  “Yeah, not ghost as in boo, but clients that get lost in the system who aren’t paying, yet are still using water, or those who are paying and saying they discontinued service. That kind of thing.”

  “Got it,” Devin said. “Anything else that might help?”

  “That seems to be all we have on her. Not much here. If you wanted someone who would hardly be missed by anybody, she would be a good person.”

  Russel thought that was interesting, as did Devin by his contemplative expression. Russel sat back. “Thank you, Jane and Director Wheeler. You’ve been a wealth of information. Y’all have a great weekend.”

  “Good luck with the case,” Wheeler said, “and let us know if you come across anything that we can use to close the file here.”

  “Will do.” Russel pushed the speaker button on the phone to disconnect.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  Barry stared out the window as Charli drove them through the mountains and valleys, headed toward town. He glanced at her, her eyes focusing on the twisting road ahead. How much of that focus was on driving and how much was simply avoiding him? Her eyes went to the rearview mirror, then back to the road. The hilly two-lane road wasn’t deserted by any means. She did need to watch for the sharp curves.

  She reached over and took his hand. “Don’t worry, Barry. Whoever this shooter is, we’ll get him. Now that we know he’s after us, we’ll be careful to stay hidden. The hotel we can stay at isn’t far from the fellowship’s office. Milkan is a great guy, and he’ll rally the troops to help us catch this person.”

  He noticed her glance at her rearview mirror again, her brows drawing down. He twisted in his seat and looked out the back window. “What’s wrong?”

  “Probably nothing. I’m just paranoid now. But the same car has been behind us for a while.”

  “Maybe they’re going into town, too.”

  “That’s it, I’m sure. There are only a couple of ways into town.” She slowed to make the curve. The car didn’t slow; it seemed to speed up.

  Barry spun in his seat. “Brace yourself. They’re going to ram—” Their bodies whipped forward and snapped back. Charli barely kept the SUV on the road. The tires screeched as she overcorrected off the soft shoulder into oncoming traffic. The deep blast of a semitruck directly in front of them filled their ears.

  The car that had rammed them blocked Charli from getting back into the right lane. Barry clutched the door’s armrest and the center console. He could only pray he’d see his beloved Charli in whatever came after death. He glanced at the car’s driver, the maniac trying to kill them. The man’s eyes looked straight ahead, unblinking.

  Barry felt his body jerk sideways and his forehead hit the passenger window, then he saw the side of the semi zip past him. He was still breathing and the SUV was still moving. He glanced at Charli, white-knuckled hands gripping the wheel. She was fantastic.

  She swerved the SUV back into their lane, now behind the car. “You fucking asshole!” she yelled at the windshield. “I just made the last payment on this truck, and now it’s dented. Not by a crazy cow or fucking farm animal, but a lunatic trying to kill us. Dammit.”

  Barry was sure she’d lost touch with reality with that rant. The attacker’s car in front didn’t pull away. He said, “I don’t know what he can do being ahead of us, but be ready.”

  She slowed the truck and glanced in the rearview. “Shit, someone’s behind us and my taillights are probably busted. We gotta get off this road.” She continued to slow and the car behind passed them on a solid yellow line. The muscle car sped by both cars on the narrowed stretch and disappeared around the next corner.

  The crazy-ass driver in front of them slowed in relation to their speed, never far from the front of the SUV. Barry didn’t know the road, but looked at the ravine over the side. This was not the place to pull over. And if they did stop, then what? His bear wanted blood. Someone was trying to hurt his mate, but Barry knew they wanted him. Something inside told him he was the one bringing the heat.

  Suddenly, the SUV kicked into a lower gear and jumped forward. His hands regripped his holding spots. “Charli, baby, what are you doing?”

  For fuck’s sake, she was going to get herself killed. She wasn’t like him. They both knew he could heal faster than her. If she got hurt . . . His bear roared at the mere thought. His control on the animal slipped. He had to fight to stay in human form.

  “If the damn Mustang can do it, so can I.” The truck swung into the other lane and burst forward. “Watch this.” At the slow speed the car was going, the truck zipped by it. But the car started catching up quickly. Charli had to slow to make the curve. The guy kept coming. If she could swing them around without going over the side, they’d be okay and the car would crash. At its rate of speed, there was no way physics wouldn’t allow for it.

  They were almost clear when the car tagged the rear bumper, fishtailing the truck. This time, the lane was too narrow for the sharp hit and both SUV and car careened over the side.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  Barry jerked awake and regretted the sudden movement. A burning pain zinged from his neck to his foot. His eyes opened and the past sixty seconds flooded his head. He hung sideways in his seat, the belt holding him tightly as the SUV lay on its driver’s side.

  He reached toward his love lying on the door, blood staining the cracked glass. No, no, no, no! Not her.

  “Charli. Sweetheart?” He wrapped his hand around her bicep and felt the pulse in her arm. She was alive. Relief released the band around his chest and he took in a deep breath. Someone was getting killed. Even if he could stop himself from attacking, the bear was too far gone with anger. His mate was hurt. He wasn’t letting that shit go.

  He struggled to stay calm. He couldn’t help her if he didn’t think straight. His bear’s thoughts fought his own. The animal wanted blood. Revenge. He wanted someone hurting for the fact that Charli was passed out and bleeding. It dawned on him how attached his bear was to her. Not only was Barry himself feeling a lot more than he expected for her as a man, but the bear, he treasured her. Charli was the animal’s life.

  My mate. My reason for being.

  He finally understood some of the unusual dominant thoughts and actions he struggled with. This bear had claimed Charli as his own, and while he would happily share her with Barry, he w
ouldn’t allow anyone to hurt her. Barry wouldn’t either. Except at that moment, getting her some help and ensuring her wellbeing was more important than going after their attacker.

  Stay calm and figure out the best plan of attack. He realized there was no way he could get Charli out with the truck on its side. If he could manage to gently tip it onto four wheels, then he could easily get to her. He fumbled for the seatbelt release, pushed the red center, but nothing happened. The release mechanism was jammed. Fuck.

  He needed a knife or scissors to cut the material. He was so screwed. He took another breath and smelled no gasoline, so, hopefully, that meant an explosion wasn’t imminent. What else could he cut the belt with? He felt the other presence in his head. A dull pain shot through his finger. He looked down to see a vicious-looking claw where his fingernail used to be.

  “Fuck, that’s cool. Handy, too.” His new talon sliced through the thick fabric, and he watched as it retracted into his finger and the nail regrew. Good as new. “I really need to learn this shifter shit.” Using his additional strength, he busted the window with his elbow and crawled out. He hit the ground, his knees buckling, to land on the grass.

  He groaned and rolled his head to see the undercarriage of the tipped SUV. A small shiny rectangle attached near the wheelbase caught his eye. He rolled forward and pried it from the metal. He didn’t know how he knew, but he recognized this as a tracking device.

  A loud roar emanated from his chest. The bear got more pissed by the minute.

  “Son of a bitch. We were sitting ducks. Who the fuck is this bastard?” He tilted his head back, an even louder roar ripping from his chest. Frustration added to his emotional and physical state. He didn’t know who it was or why they were after them, but he knew one thing for sure: they weren’t going to hurt his woman again. He’d give up his life before he allowed that to happen. Charli’s life was priceless.

  The grinding of metal against metal several yards away drew his attention. The car trying to run them off the road lay upside down. The driver’s side door pushed open and the man he’d seen driving fell out. Damn, he looked beat to shit and back. He’d deal with him later. After he got Charli out.

  Zombie eyes met his and the man opened his mouth. Wider and wider. His teeth sharpened to points, and nose and jaw punched out into a muzzle. Brown fur exploded from his scalp and grew out like a domino effect down his body. His clothes busted at the seams and fell to the ground in scraps. Had Barry blinked, he would have missed the entire morphing of man to animal. It was surreal.

  Within a few seconds, Barry watched the male morph into a bear. If he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, he never would’ve believed it. “Holy fuck.” Then he realized, he was the same thing. Shit, two could tango.

  He stepped away from the SUV, pulling up his sleeves. If the bastard wanted a fight, that’s what he’d get. “Come on, you furry piece of shit. Let’s rumble.” The bear reared up on his hind legs and roared. Damn, that was pretty impressive. He couldn’t wait to do his own.

  And he waited. He lifted his human hands. No claws or fur.

  The other bear came down to all fours.

  Barry rubbed his hands over his face. No razor teeth or snout.

  The monster stalked toward him.

  He examined his clothes. No tearing. Shit, they were still a little baggy.

  The beast charged and Barry ran for the woods. Shit, shit, shit. This was not good. Hey, up there, he said in his head. I could use a little help here. He felt the other presence, but it was unattached, as if watching from the sideline and laughing. Let me remind you, animal, if I die, so do you. His bear’s ears perked up. Chrissakes, did he have the slowest bear in the shed? His animal growled. Great. Now he pissed it off. He was fucked.

  Barry looked over his shoulder to see the other beast having a hard time maneuvering around the trees and brush. Score one point for two feet. He slowed to get his bearings. He didn’t want to get too far from the SUV and Charli. Cutting to the side, he worked back the way he’d come. Well, he thought he did.

  After a few minutes, nothing looked familiar. Not that he could distinguish one tree from the other, anyway. His previous life was probably not Grizzly Adams-ish. Well, except for the bear part, obviously.

  Worrying less about the roaming monster, he hurried his step. How far was he from the wreck site? And where was the other bear? He didn’t smell anything nearby. Grunt sounds came from not too far away. The screech of bending metal rented the air. The SUV. The killer was after Charli.

  Powered by his now-mindful other half, he flew past trunks and leaped piles of stickers and brush. He didn’t know where he was going. He put full trust into his partner’s paws to guide him to Charli.

  He shot out from the tree line to see the beast bust the driver’s side window on the righted SUV. Barry opened his mouth to yell, but instead a roar louder than before ripped from him. The other beast stepped back from the door and answered with his own growl. Barry dove at the bear, wondering what in the fuck he was doing. He was insane, trying to take down a massive animal as a human.

  Then he saw his hands—make that paws—stretch for the enemy’s throat. He’d be damned. He was a shifter. How had that happened? While he pondered his new body, his bear fought for their mate. He knew how his bear felt when it was tucked inside as he was now. Weird. He was there for the show, but wasn’t a part of it. Should he be?

  Barry tried to exert some control over his bear. He felt the animal falter, then pain ripped through his chest as the other beast raked claws across his fur. Before he could do anything else, he was on his back, staring into black, soulless eyes. He rolled his head slightly to the side so the drop of spit hanging on a stretched thread from the other’s mouth wouldn’t fall into his. That was enough to make him puke.

  Since he moved his own head, he worried that maybe his bear had relinquished motor control. They weren’t exactly kicking ass like they were a second ago. Shit. What did he have to do to get his bear back?

  The beast on top of him reared back, arm and claws extended, ready to make the death blow. Barry wanted to fight, but something inside made him shrink away. He hated that feeling. He knew he was no coward. What was holding him back? He squeezed his eyes shut.

  Charli’s body hurt everywhere. She wasn’t sure where she was or why she was slumped over. Slowly, she sat back, swallowing the bile that rose from her stomach. Her head thumped with the pressure of a squished balloon.

  Growls and grunts came from outside the SUV. Though her vision was blurry, she could make out two massive bears a few yards behind the vehicle. Then her mind kicked in and she remembered the car pushing them off the road.

  Barry’s door was open. Then she realized he had to be one of the bears. They were circling each other, but not fighting at the moment. She pulled her phone from her back pocket and tried to focus on the buttons. Her vision was doubled. She wanted 911, but she got only one of her speed dial numbers pushed before the device slipped from her fingers.

  She heard her boss’s voice on the line. “Milkan,” she said. “Wreck. Interstate south, town. Help.” Out her window, roars erupted between the fighting bears. One of the bears was overpowering the other, almost ready to finish the weaker one off.

  Adrenaline electrified her brain and limbs. Instinctively, she knew Barry was the bear on the bottom, the one about to die. She fumbled through the center console and pulled out her Glock. With the longer distance, her vision was better. She forced her door open, stumbled against a tree to steady her aim, and fired until the top bear retreated.

  Once Barry was safe, the gun fell from her hand and she felt herself slip to the ground.

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  Devin stuck the pushpin through the top of the photo, attaching it to the corkboard section of the wall. The path from the bank’s employee door to the vault room was clearly marked. At the corner sat the break room. He put up a blank piece of paper to show where the hall ran past the supply room to the door leadin
g to the alley and dumpster.

  Russel came in with a smile on his face. Either the man was perpetually happy, or finding his mate made him that way.

  Devin wouldn’t know that feeling. He’d waited years and traveled everywhere he could to look for her. His cat wanted a family to love and a mate to snuggle with. His heart wanted the same. To keep sane, he buried himself in work like many other workaholics. His mother, God rest her soul, always told him to be patient. Fate would guide him to her. Have faith.

  Not too long ago, his faith in everything had been shattered. Transferring here literally saved his life.

  He sighed. He didn’t want to go there. He’d been in a bad place at that time, but managed to crawl out of that hole thanks in part to his new environment. Now he wanted to do everything he could to protect those who gave him his second chance. The answer was so close . . .

  Russel tossed another paper ball at him. “Hey, cat. You look like you’re going to have a coronary. Come out to happy hour with me now and get a couple of beers. We’ll work through your case.”

  He was about to do his usual and turn down anything that took his mind off work and onto his life, but Russel wasn’t done talking.

  “And if you tell me no, I swear to God, I’ll drag all my sisters and their friends and the cousins in here with fifteen pizzas and let them tell you about their sex lives all night.”

  He laughed and raised his hands in defeat. “All right, Mayer. You’re buying the first round.”

  “Woo-hoo. You got it. Let’s go.” Russel clapped him on the back. “It’s nice to have a beer buddy again. But unfortunately, I found my mate, so you’re gonna have to find another buddy.”

  Devin frowned. “Shouldn’t you be with her?”

  “Yeah,” Russel began, “but not until my place is spotless. The neighbor kids are gonna clean it for two hundred bucks tomorrow. They talk a tough game. They even have a power washer for the downstairs bathroom.”