somewhere specific. He wasn’t there, so I checked the log on his computer to see what time his meeting ended. He never logged into Skype this morning, which means he missed his appointment with the Caldwell chick.”
Rob’s insides turned to ice. His fingers felt numb as he slowly brought the radio up to his mouth. “Or he lied about ever having an appointment in the first place?”
“Now why the fuck would he do that?” Josh barked.
“Because he needs an alibi,” Rob mumbled, foreboding prickling his skin.
“Son of a bitch! Josh, this isn’t good. There are fucking needles here. I kicked his clothes around and they fell out. Looks like the shit that fucker is supposed to be taking for his aggression. And they’re still full.”
“Ariel,” he breathed. Rob heard cussing as he dropped his radio and ran to his mate, his legs burning with effort, and he prayed he would get to her in time.
Please, God, don’t take her from me.
Chapter Ten
Ariel walked to the main house, grateful that Krista had covered for her this morning. She’d wanted to let Rob calm down before approaching him, and a scene at breakfast wouldn’t have been the ideal scenario she’d envisioned, so she’d called Krista to vent instead. Thankfully, she didn’t have to ask her sister for immediate help. As soon as Ariel finished bringing her sister up to speed, Krista had insisted on her coming to breakfast at her cabin.
Toby had been sweet, too. He’d stayed and the three of them talked about everything and nothing, family and work. Ariel had been able to get a little better insight into the Woods men—hard working, loyal family who were well off financially, but didn’t let that stop them from getting their hands dirty—but she still hadn’t gained any more knowledge that’d help point the finger at the reason behind their ability to shift. She’d decided the only way she was going to get answers was if she did some digging in Thomas’s office. He obviously wasn’t willing to spill what he knew because if he were willing, he’d have told his sons a long time ago. But Ariel didn’t believe that Thomas just drifted through this life without seeking some answers. Her latest hypothesis was that Thomas had sought out the truth of his heritage and hadn’t liked what he’d discovered. If the news was that bad, why would he share it with his sons?
Ariel figured he wouldn’t. But that didn’t mean he didn’t have proof of it locked away in his personal office, and since Toby had casually mentioned his father’s plans to go into town to get some gas and supplies, she knew this would be the best opportunity to see if she could find clues that just might bridge the knowledge gap.
She entered the grand entryway and made a beeline for her destination. The office she’d been using was next door to his, but she hadn’t needed to go into it before now. She turned the knob and pushed in, hitting the light as the door swung open.
It was just as dark and rustic as the rest of the house. If it wasn’t for the computers, printers, fax machine, and other office paraphernalia, this cabin could be placed anywhere in time.
She walked to his massive oak desk and tried pulling on the drawers. The bottom one was locked, so she tried the middle drawer that was narrow enough to hold pens and small supplies, hoping she’d find a key that’d give her access to the bigger drawer. That one was unlocked.
She pulled it open and rummaged around for a key when she noticed an envelope addressed to her.
From the lab where she’d sent the DNA for analysis. Fuck . Why hadn’t Thomas given her this letter, and why the hell was it already opened? This couldn’t be good.
“Just what the hell do you think you’re doing in my father’s office?”
Jack’s harsh voice caused her head to snap up, eyes landing on his cold ones. “I, err, wanted. Um, I was looking for Thomas.” Shit, she knew she was babbling because she was caught red-handed
Rob’s insides turned to ice. His fingers felt numb as he slowly brought the radio up to his mouth. “Or he lied about ever having an appointment in the first place?”
“Now why the fuck would he do that?” Josh barked.
“Because he needs an alibi,” Rob mumbled, foreboding prickling his skin.
“Son of a bitch! Josh, this isn’t good. There are fucking needles here. I kicked his clothes around and they fell out. Looks like the shit that fucker is supposed to be taking for his aggression. And they’re still full.”
“Ariel,” he breathed. Rob heard cussing as he dropped his radio and ran to his mate, his legs burning with effort, and he prayed he would get to her in time.
Please, God, don’t take her from me.
Chapter Ten
Ariel walked to the main house, grateful that Krista had covered for her this morning. She’d wanted to let Rob calm down before approaching him, and a scene at breakfast wouldn’t have been the ideal scenario she’d envisioned, so she’d called Krista to vent instead. Thankfully, she didn’t have to ask her sister for immediate help. As soon as Ariel finished bringing her sister up to speed, Krista had insisted on her coming to breakfast at her cabin.
Toby had been sweet, too. He’d stayed and the three of them talked about everything and nothing, family and work. Ariel had been able to get a little better insight into the Woods men—hard working, loyal family who were well off financially, but didn’t let that stop them from getting their hands dirty—but she still hadn’t gained any more knowledge that’d help point the finger at the reason behind their ability to shift. She’d decided the only way she was going to get answers was if she did some digging in Thomas’s office. He obviously wasn’t willing to spill what he knew because if he were willing, he’d have told his sons a long time ago. But Ariel didn’t believe that Thomas just drifted through this life without seeking some answers. Her latest hypothesis was that Thomas had sought out the truth of his heritage and hadn’t liked what he’d discovered. If the news was that bad, why would he share it with his sons?
Ariel figured he wouldn’t. But that didn’t mean he didn’t have proof of it locked away in his personal office, and since Toby had casually mentioned his father’s plans to go into town to get some gas and supplies, she knew this would be the best opportunity to see if she could find clues that just might bridge the knowledge gap.
She entered the grand entryway and made a beeline for her destination. The office she’d been using was next door to his, but she hadn’t needed to go into it before now. She turned the knob and pushed in, hitting the light as the door swung open.
It was just as dark and rustic as the rest of the house. If it wasn’t for the computers, printers, fax machine, and other office paraphernalia, this cabin could be placed anywhere in time.
She walked to his massive oak desk and tried pulling on the drawers. The bottom one was locked, so she tried the middle drawer that was narrow enough to hold pens and small supplies, hoping she’d find a key that’d give her access to the bigger drawer. That one was unlocked.
She pulled it open and rummaged around for a key when she noticed an envelope addressed to her.
From the lab where she’d sent the DNA for analysis. Fuck . Why hadn’t Thomas given her this letter, and why the hell was it already opened? This couldn’t be good.
“Just what the hell do you think you’re doing in my father’s office?”
Jack’s harsh voice caused her head to snap up, eyes landing on his cold ones. “I, err, wanted. Um, I was looking for Thomas.” Shit, she knew she was babbling because she was caught red-handed
Similar Books
