The next morning, I understood Michelle’s abandonment of me the night before when I heard her anxiously tell Liam and Aden that she would be leaving them with Jim and Winifred for a few days. I was just making my side of our bed. Her side was still undisturbed.
The boys cheered and rushed to our room.
“Aren’t you going to miss me even a little?” she asked, getting out of their bed to follow them. She was adorably sleep-rumpled and slightly put out as she watched her brothers cram her clothes into her bag.
“Mimi, you said four days. That’s not a long time. We get to have a sleepover with Paul and Henry.” Liam didn’t seem the least bit affected by the news. It gave me hope that all they had suffered would fade from memory. I briefly thought of Carlos and wished he would have had the same chance to forget.
After Michelle dressed and repacked, we went down to breakfast. The boys sought out Paul and Henry. Mary had anticipated Liam and Aden’s arrival because she had two plates waiting for them. The cubs joined their table and excitedly started talking about all the things they were going to do with Paul and Henry. Michelle’s scent gave away her concern. Mary grinned and gave her a quick hug.
“They’ll want to miss you, but we’re going to keep them so busy they’ll forget to. It will be easier for them that way.”
Michelle nodded and followed me into the kitchen so we could get our own food.
While the boys laughed and talked at their table, our breakfast was quiet, and after we finished, Michelle said a final good-bye to her brothers. They didn’t comment on her lengthy hug or sad expression. They were too busy planning their sleepover.
She and I silently walked back to the apartment for our bags. Once the door was closed behind us, I turned her to face me. Her grief at leaving the boys was palpable. Tears welled in her eyes, and I pulled her into my arms, holding her tightly.
“You don’t have to go,” I said, hating her pain, hating the reasons she needed to face what she feared most.
She pulled away to face me. “I do. I want to be free. I want to protect the boys. This is the only way to do it. Why are you saying this now?”
“I see how hard this is, leaving your brothers. I can go alone,” I lied. “There’s no need to come with us.”
“You know better. I’m the bait.”
I wanted to argue but couldn’t.
“You’ll keep me safe,” she said seriously. “I don’t doubt that.”
****
Carlos drove us to the airport. It was a quiet, short ride, during which Michelle managed to text Winifred, worrying about her brothers. Once we arrived at the airport, we focused on checking in and finding the right gate. The flight went smoothly with the four of us sitting close. Michelle remained silent through landing and picking up our bags. Carlos, Grey, and I scanned the crowd and tested the air. There was nothing but the usual human scents and pollution.
The cab ride to the hotel was pleasant. Since there wasn’t much room in the back seat once Carlos sat to the left of Michelle, she was pressed against me the entire way. Unfortunately, the ride was short.
While Carlos and Grey went inside to check us in, Michelle stayed near me as I grabbed our things from the trunk. Her fear made me edgy.
We walked inside and the sting of chlorine in the air burned my nose. It would be hard to smell anything in the main corridors. But, it meant that Michelle’s scent would be hidden as well.
Carlos and Grey handed over a room key then followed us down the hallway to the left. They stopped at their room two doors down from ours and dropped off their bags.
I opened our door and scowled at the two queen beds. That had to have been Mom’s idea.
“If it’s all right with you,” Grey said from behind us, “we’d like to get started right away.”
Stepping further into the room, I set our bags on the beds while Michelle cleared off the hotel coffee table. We gathered around as Grey spread out a map he’d grabbed from the airport. Michelle looked it over and pointed to an area.
“I don’t know if David’s still there. I’m guessing probably not since David was employed by Blake and had no ties to Richard or the house. But Blake might have someone watching the place. If it’s possible, could you sneak in and grab a few things? You’ll need to be careful. The house has a security system. I set it off when I left.”
“We’ll try,” Grey said.
“There’s a photo of my mom in my old room. And there are a few toys hidden in the base of my brothers’ mattresses.”
Grey nodded.
“Setting off the alarm should alert whoever is watching the house. Then, you could go back tomorrow and see if you stirred up any trouble. Maybe even follow a scent trail or something.”
Grey smiled widely.
“I like the way you think. We’ll call when we get there to let you know the state of things. If anyone’s there, we’ll watch for a while.”
Michelle agreed, and I walked them to the door. After they left, I turned to study her. Did she even know she was wringing her hands?
“Let’s go next door and get something to eat,” I said, hoping to distract her.
We left the room and walked to the restaurant next door. The smell of grilled meat drifted in the air. My stomach growled and Michelle’s answered. I grinned.
Inside the restaurant, we ordered burgers to go. She fidgeted next to me the entire time we waited.
Back at the room, she sat and ate, checking the time every few bites.
She’s worried, I sent Grey. His mental path was just as familiar as Winifred’s.
My phone rang a few seconds later, and I quickly answered.
“She has nothing to worry about,” Grey said. “This place probably hasn’t been touched since the day she left it. The grass is so long it’s seeding. The paper boy has created a nice pile on the front step, and there’s a note on the door from the homeowners’ association. We’re going to sit here until it gets dark and then take a closer look inside. I’ll keep in touch. And tell her to stop worrying.”
I glanced at Michelle. She was completely focused on our conversation.
“I agree,” I said. “I’ll let her know. Call back if there’s a change in plans.”
After I hung up, I tried smiling reassuringly. “They’re watching the house but say it looks abandoned. The grass is overgrown, and the papers are piled up. There’s even a notice on the door. Grey’s content to sit and watch it for the rest of the day to see if they’re mistaken. Tonight, they’ll go in for the things you mentioned. We can send them back to watch tomorrow.”
She exhaled slowly.
“So it looks like, in order to find Blake, I’ll need to call the lawyer.”
“It can’t hurt.”
She called the lawyer, and I listened to both sides of the conversation.
“Ms. Daniels. Thank you for contacting us. I’m sincerely sorry for your recent loss.” He talked a bit about Richard and how he wanted to meet with Michelle to go over the will and discuss the details of Richard’s estate.
Michelle glanced at me as she answered. “How soon can we meet?”
“Mr. Torrin said he would be available whenever you were. My schedule is open on Thursday. Is there a time that day that works for you?”
“Let me check.” She covered the receiver with her hand and nibbled at her bottom lip but didn’t say anything. A moment later she uncovered the phone.
“How does ten sound?” she asked.
“Perfect. I’ll see you Thursday at ten.”
That wasn’t the end of the phone calls. She reached for the phone book and started making calls, learning what she could about wills, probate, and beneficiaries.
Richard had left everything to Michelle, and Blake was trying to be the executor in Michelle’s absence. What wolf would try to play the human system like that? Why would he want Michelle’s wealth? How big of a pack was he trying to support? The calls just gave me more questions, which I kept to myself when I informed Grey of the plans for Thursday.
“I don’t think we should go,” Michelle said after hanging up the phone.
“If we don’t, Blake will still be out there and this trip will have been for nothing.” I sat next to her on the bed and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “The lawyer’s in the phone book. I checked, so we know he’s real. Even if he’s being paid off, he’d have to be careful with what he’s involved in.”
“But what if Blake brings people like Frank and that other guy with him?”
“We’ll bring more powerful people.”
She shot me a doubt-filled look.
“Three, no matter how strong or fast they are, against an unknown number, doesn’t seem like a good idea.”
I chuckled. Grey wouldn’t like hearing that.
“Not just us. One thing Blake won’t want is humans knowing what’s going on. I overheard you talking about how much Richard’s properties are worth. Call the news. Bring them with you. Say you want to donate half of your inheritance to a charity. With a camera on you, Blake can’t touch you.”
It took a while to convince her I was right. Convincing the news station was much quicker. It was well after dark when she said goodbye.
“Enough for tonight,” I said, taking the phone and hanging it up. “Let’s order some room service.”
I wasn’t sure what I was hungrier for, food or Michelle. While I ordered room service, she went to take a shower. The thought of her standing naked with running water skimming over her curves decided me. Michelle won.
When she emerged damp and dressed in her pajamas, I could barely form a coherent thought. My teeth poked at my bottom lip.
She turned on the television and sat on the end of the bed next to me. The scent of her damp skin filled my nose and made my mouth water. The curve of her neck drew my gaze. Her pulse beat slowly under the skin. What would she do if I reached over and touched her there? What would I do?
“What do you want to watch?” she asked without looking at me.
“You… choose.”
I wiped my hands on my jeans and tried to focus on the TV. The images flashing on the screen didn’t distract me from her scent or the calm way she sat beside me. Accepting me. Trusting me. Need crawled through me, tightening my airways and curling my hands into fists.
In the hallway, someone stopped outside the door and knocked. A growl rose to my throat, but I quickly swallowed it and stood. One of the hotel staff waited with the food I’d ordered. He moved to bring the food in, but I took it from his hands, tipped him, and sent him on his way. No way was he coming into our room with Michelle smelling like she did. I inhaled as I shut the door and groaned.