Page 53 of Wolf Bound

Muddy suddenly started barking, and they wondered if he heard someone coming to the front door. Though Kira hadn’t heard anything, and her hearing was better than a dog’s.

Chase hurried to check it out. Fisher went with him, just in case he needed backup. But there was no one at the door.

“Maybe it was just a case of the wind blowing something out here.”

“The windchimes or something else alerted them that had nothing to do with any people?” Fisher asked.

“Yeah, it could be. I don’t smell any scents except for ours.” Then Chase and Fisher went back to the dining room to eat the rest of their lunch.

“Nothing?” Shannon asked.

“Nah, just the wind or something,” Chase said. “You know how the dog is. One little sound and he’s all jumpy.”

“That’s for sure,” Shannon said. “We can bump the table with our knee and send him into a barking fit. Though sometimes it’s a bear smelling our good home cooking.”

“A real bear?” Kira asked. “We were told you have bear shifters around here.”

“Yeah, the bear shifters don’t live here permanently, but sometimes they come through. But we do get real bears, wolves, and cougars too.”

Then they heard a car drive up and Shannon rolled her eyes. “That’s Carl Nelson’s car. Hal’s mom and dad run the newspaper and he’s one of their reporters. You know Deputy Sheriff Ricky Jones? He and his brother Kolby bit Carl—long story. So he’s one of us now. But he’s always looking for a story. Knowing him, he went to Dan already and he said no to giving him the scoop about the kidnapper since he’s a wolf.”

“So what do we do?” Kira asked. “If it’s just in the local paper…but then I guess if someone picked it up and ran with it, the FBI would be here.”

“Exactly,” Chase said.

Kira realized Muddy didn’t bark this time, she guessed because they knew who he was.

Chase got up from the table again and went to greet Carl.

“If he wants a story, he has uncanny timing, always showing up when we’re eating,” Shannon said. “Does anyone want any more ravioli or garlic toast?”

“Cake,” the girls both said.

“Okay, you ate all your food.” Shannon cleared their dishes away. She cut a couple of slices of chocolate cake for them.

“Hey, I hope I’m not interrupting anything.” Carl smelled at the air and smiled. “Ravioli.”

“Have you eaten?” Chase asked, bringing Carl into the dining room.

“I haven’t, but I don’t want to bother you none,” Carl said, eyeing Kira and Fisher. “I heard that some wolves and a couple of jaguars arrived in Yuma Town. I also heard that it was about three wolves who are kidnappers.”

The word had to have gotten around because Dan had told everyone to be on the lookout for the three men and their SUV.

“Would you like some lunch?” Shannon asked Carl.

“Yeah, thanks. You make the best ravioli.”

“You say that about all my meals.” Smiling, Shannon returned to the kitchen.

“So what’s going on with these guys?” Carl asked, sitting next to Kira.

“Did you ask Dan?” Chase asked.

“Yeah, but you know he’s always closed mouth about these cases, except that everyone is supposed to report if they see the men or their vehicle,” Carl said.

Shannon set a plate full of ravioli and a slice of garlic toast at Carl’s place setting.

“Thanks, Shannon.” Carl turned to Kira. “You’re in charge of the investigation.” He said it in a way that meant it was up to her, not Dan, as to what she wanted to reveal, if anything, about the mission. But they were in cougar country and Dan knew more about Carl than she did so it was his call.

---