They were the good guys, and good and evil would forever be fighting one another to gain the upper hand.
The sign signaling their turnoff came within view. Lawson followed Finn’s directions to L&L Coffee Stop. Police cars with their
Logan’s Rattler
85
flashing lights were like a beacon guiding their way. The sun had yet to rise to its fullest height, so there was still a shadow of night blanketing the quiet street.
Lawson parked around the side of the building, and they all got out and walked the short distance toward the entrance. Broken glass lay scattered out all along the front sidewalk in front of the store. Finn couldn’t believe his eyes when they stood facing L&L Coffee Stop.
The calm and inviting store looked like a wrecking ball had been set loose on the inside.
“Dear god!” Logan gasped as he stepped carefully around the broken glass. Finn shot out his hand to steady his mate when he lost his footing. “It’s destroyed.”
“Logan.” Leo ran up to Logan and hugged him tightly. “The sheriff wants to talk to you, too.”
Logan looked over to him, and Finn nodded his head. He watched his mate walk over to where the sheriff stood taking notes. Leo rubbed Logan’s back while the police questioned him. Knowing his mate was safe for the moment, Finn looked around the busted-up store.
All the front windows were smashed in. Tables and chairs laid in pieces on the floor. Every cabinet behind the counter had been ripped from its hinges. Nothing in the store looked identifiable. Whoever did this was trying to send a message.
“Do you smell that?” Lawson asked quietly as he came to stand beside Finn.
Finn took a deep breath then flicked out his tongue to taste the air.
A woodsy pine scent mixed with animal fur filled the air. Had they not been shifters, they wouldn’t have picked up on the combined odors. Finn knew those scents. Werewolves.
“Yep, and bet I know the one responsible for this.” He turned his hard stare to Lawson. “Did you ever reach your brother yesterday?”
“Yeah, he’s actually at the house now.”
86
AJ Jarrett
“Call him. We need to have a sit-down with Garrett. This involves a werewolf, and as far as I know the Carrington pack is the only one in these parts.” Garrett was the alpha and mate to Lawson’s brother Lachlan. If this was Logan’s ex-boyfriend’s doing, they had to obey pack law and go through the alpha.
“Why would a wolf shifter do all this? I mean, this place has been demolished. Why bother?” Finn watched as Lawson toed his shoe against a hunk of rubble on the floor. When he did that, a framed picture was revealed under the chunks of glass and wood pieces.
Finn bent down and picked up the broken frame. It appeared to be a picture of Logan and Leo, by the looks of it, from the opening day at L&L. The odd thing about the picture was that someone had taken the time to tear Logan’s head from the picture before discarding it to the ground. That small act was telling. Whoever did this wanted to hit Logan where it counted. And what better way than destroying his business.
“Because it’s Logan’s ex.” Finn held up the photo.
Lawson grabbed the pictured and examined it. “Why would he do all this? It’s not going to endear the guy to Logan.”
“I’m not sure, but that wolf didn’t seem too stable to me when I met him. This could be really bad.” Finn glanced in Logan’s direction and saw him finishing up with the police. “Call your brother and have him pick us up from here. I want to talk to the alpha and get this settled now.”
“I’m on it.” Lawson pulled out his cell and walked outside to make his call.
Finn walked over to where Leo and Logan rummaged around where the long serving counter used to be. He placed his hands on Logan’s shoulders and massaged the tense muscles knotting his neck.
Logan’s body eased just a fraction but was still strung bow tight.
“What did the sheriff say?” Finn asked. He was a
The sign signaling their turnoff came within view. Lawson followed Finn’s directions to L&L Coffee Stop. Police cars with their
Logan’s Rattler
85
flashing lights were like a beacon guiding their way. The sun had yet to rise to its fullest height, so there was still a shadow of night blanketing the quiet street.
Lawson parked around the side of the building, and they all got out and walked the short distance toward the entrance. Broken glass lay scattered out all along the front sidewalk in front of the store. Finn couldn’t believe his eyes when they stood facing L&L Coffee Stop.
The calm and inviting store looked like a wrecking ball had been set loose on the inside.
“Dear god!” Logan gasped as he stepped carefully around the broken glass. Finn shot out his hand to steady his mate when he lost his footing. “It’s destroyed.”
“Logan.” Leo ran up to Logan and hugged him tightly. “The sheriff wants to talk to you, too.”
Logan looked over to him, and Finn nodded his head. He watched his mate walk over to where the sheriff stood taking notes. Leo rubbed Logan’s back while the police questioned him. Knowing his mate was safe for the moment, Finn looked around the busted-up store.
All the front windows were smashed in. Tables and chairs laid in pieces on the floor. Every cabinet behind the counter had been ripped from its hinges. Nothing in the store looked identifiable. Whoever did this was trying to send a message.
“Do you smell that?” Lawson asked quietly as he came to stand beside Finn.
Finn took a deep breath then flicked out his tongue to taste the air.
A woodsy pine scent mixed with animal fur filled the air. Had they not been shifters, they wouldn’t have picked up on the combined odors. Finn knew those scents. Werewolves.
“Yep, and bet I know the one responsible for this.” He turned his hard stare to Lawson. “Did you ever reach your brother yesterday?”
“Yeah, he’s actually at the house now.”
86
AJ Jarrett
“Call him. We need to have a sit-down with Garrett. This involves a werewolf, and as far as I know the Carrington pack is the only one in these parts.” Garrett was the alpha and mate to Lawson’s brother Lachlan. If this was Logan’s ex-boyfriend’s doing, they had to obey pack law and go through the alpha.
“Why would a wolf shifter do all this? I mean, this place has been demolished. Why bother?” Finn watched as Lawson toed his shoe against a hunk of rubble on the floor. When he did that, a framed picture was revealed under the chunks of glass and wood pieces.
Finn bent down and picked up the broken frame. It appeared to be a picture of Logan and Leo, by the looks of it, from the opening day at L&L. The odd thing about the picture was that someone had taken the time to tear Logan’s head from the picture before discarding it to the ground. That small act was telling. Whoever did this wanted to hit Logan where it counted. And what better way than destroying his business.
“Because it’s Logan’s ex.” Finn held up the photo.
Lawson grabbed the pictured and examined it. “Why would he do all this? It’s not going to endear the guy to Logan.”
“I’m not sure, but that wolf didn’t seem too stable to me when I met him. This could be really bad.” Finn glanced in Logan’s direction and saw him finishing up with the police. “Call your brother and have him pick us up from here. I want to talk to the alpha and get this settled now.”
“I’m on it.” Lawson pulled out his cell and walked outside to make his call.
Finn walked over to where Leo and Logan rummaged around where the long serving counter used to be. He placed his hands on Logan’s shoulders and massaged the tense muscles knotting his neck.
Logan’s body eased just a fraction but was still strung bow tight.
“What did the sheriff say?” Finn asked. He was a
Similar Books
