Chapter 4: On the Trail

Just before sundown, I stopped by the police station again. Zinnia had gathered all the information she could on the wild animal attacks I’d asked her to. Not to mention the one she’d messaged me about last night.

“I put that file together for you,” Zinnia said, handing over the manilla folder before I even had a chance to speak.

It was a thick folder, which surprised me, given the nature of the attacks and how those cases were handled. “Thanks, this is…” I trailed off when I caught Zinnia’s troubled look.

“Turn to the first page,” she said, voice void of her usual bubbly zeal.

I flipped the file open and scanned the first page a summary of each of the case files included. The names of the victims were highlighted. I stared at each one, the yellow highlights popping off the page as the rest of the text blurred into the background.

All women.

It was unusual for these “wile animal attacks” to be so focused on gender. It only reaffirmed my suspicions. I snapped the file shut, unable to look at the names any longer. Even with the file closed, those names were burned into my mind, swimming around like goldfish in a bowl.

“Gen, what is going on with this case?” Zinnia asked, eyes and voice soft.

“I can’t tell you yet. It is still too early,” I said.

Zinnia’s eyes fell. She mindlessly shuffled some papers around on her desk. I’d never withheld information from her before. It was one of the reasons our working relationship went so well. Guilt swelled in my stomach.

“I can tell you the juicy details of another case I’m working on,” I offered. I pulled a chair up to her desk and took a seat.

Zinnia looked up and grinned at me, soft rosy color returning to her cheeks. She plopped down in her own chair and rested her elbows on her desk, leaning across like I was about to whisper some world-changing gossip to her.

“Please do,” she said, an eager twinkle in her eyes.

“You’ll never guess who decided they needed my help on a case,” I said, pointing to myself.

“Someone famous?” Zinnia asked, giggling.

“Just about. Alpha Loki of the Crimson Moon pack,” I said.

Zinnia’s jaw dropped and for a moment she was shocked into silence. “I… uh… is that safe?” she asked.

“Crimson Moon and Nightshade aren’t on good terms and he assured me his pack knows nothing about this job. No one will be able to tell… Him where I am,” I said.

Zinnia shook her head. She wasn’t convinced. “It’s a little reckless, isn’t it? Getting so involved with an Alpha.”

“What can I say, I live for the danger,” I said with a snort of laughter.

“Just be careful, okay?” Zinnia asked.

“Always. Oh, that reminds me, can you look up any case files or missing person reports about a woman named Persephone Everette, from a few months ago?” I asked.

I seriously doubted that Loki would get the human police involved in finding his sister. Still, he might have used them as a resource since she disappeared in a human city. He had said he exhausted all his resources. Alphas and cops didn’t always get along, but when people were missing or a real murder investigation was going on, they’d cooperate.

“I’ll see what I can dig up. Do you want me to put together another file?” Zinnia asked.

“Just email me whatever you find. I’m off to meet Loki now,” I said. “Thanks again.” I raised up the file she gave me.

Sure, I’d promised Loki that I’d let him tag along while I worked. I wasn’t about to reveal all my informants to him, though. Besides, I was already at the police station. It didn’t make sense to come back later when I had Loki tailing me.

I arrived at my office to find the door cracked open. One long inhale through the nose, and I knew that Loki was on the other side. “Great,” I muttered.

“You’re late,” Loki stated when I entered.

“And you broke into my office, again,” I snapped. I tossed the folder into my desk door and slammed it closed, turning a little key to lock it in place. The key disappeared into my pocket.

“I’ll have the lock repaired,” Loki said, a flirtatious smirk tugging at his lips.

Despite myself, I bit my lower lip and waved him off. “Do you still have the name of the guy that Persephone said she was going to meet?” I asked.

“Right to business, then?” Loki asked, flashing a bright, white smile at me.

My stomach backflipped and my train of thought derailed. “Uh… was there something else you wanted to talk about?” I asked quickly regaining my composure.

“Wilson Clay,” the Alpha said, nodding. “I already spoke to him. He didn’t know anything.”

“Right, but did you ask the right questions?” I countered, arching an eyebrow.

“What the h*ll does that mean?” he asked back.

“You said you wanted to tag along. So, let’s go find this creep and you can watch me work,” I suggested.

“Alright, you’re the boss,” Loki said, eyes glinting as he held his arm towards the door.

My stomach flipped again and I looked away as heat burned my cheeks. I was used to taking charge of my own life and my work. It was oddly… intriguing to have Loki refer to me, little old me, as “boss.”

We found Wilson Clay in the same apartment that he had lived in when Loki had tracked him down originally. The poor guy hadn’t thought to move after Loki had interrogated him, but when I knocked, I heard the clicking sound of several deadbolts on the inside of the door.

I glanced sideways at Loki. He just gave an innocent shrug.

Wilson opened the door and immediately paled, blood draining from his face. His eyes stared past me. “No, no!” he cried. He tried to push his door closed.

“Sorry, but no,” I said shoving my foot between the door and the frame.

The edge of the door slammed into my foot. I grunted and grabbed the doorframe, knuckles turning white as I braced against the sharp pain running up my leg.

“I won’t let you take me again!” Wilson cried, pulling a pocket knife out.

“Just relax, he’s not going to touch you,” I said. I shoved the door open and Wilson leaped back with a cry.

He held the knife out, waving it back and forth. Rather than looking threatening, he looked more like a worm wriggling on a hook.

I shook the pain out of my foot and stepped into Wilson’s seedy, messy apartment. Dirty clothes were strewn everywhere. Musk, sweat, and rotten food stench curdled my stomach. I scrunched up my nose and tried to shut it all out.

“Don’t come any closer,” Wilson warned, thrusting his knife forward.

I grabbed his writs, twisting it until it cracked. Wilson screamed and dropped the knife. Stepping forward again, I thrust my palm into his chest, pushing him back. Wilson fumbled, tripping over his own feet, and collapsed back on his couch, a puff of dust rising up from the dirty clothes scattered there.

“We’re not here to hurt you,” I said. I picked the knife up and handed it back to him.

Wilson whimpered, recoiling. He cradled his injured wrist against his chest. “Wh-what do you want?” he asked. He eyed the knife, then me, then looked over my shoulder at Loki again.

“Just to talk,” I said. I dropped the knife on his lap and stepped back. “Don’t worry about him, talk to me,” I said, nodding to Loki dismissively.

I could feel him behind me, radiating heat and virility like my own personal Alpha space heater. I breathed in through my nose, the putrid scents overpowering the lusty feeling creeping down my spine.

“Are you ready to talk?” I asked.

“O-okay,” Wilson stuttered softly.