Page 113 of Claimed

I watch her expression.

“He’s here,” she says, “Let me go find him. But Jason… while I do that, I’m… last night wasn’t–”

She stops talking and her expression drops.

I can hear Jase’s voice on the other side and though I can’t make out what he says, it doesn’t sound friendly.

Grey is coming into the kitchen, extending his hand toward Bailey, looking irritated that she has his phone. Joel is directly behind him.

“Mornin’ Stacy,” Joel greets.

“Hi, you want coffee?” I ask.

“Naw, I’m good, thanks,” he says and all our gazes pivot to Grey who now has the phone to his ear.

“I’m gonna go,” Bailey says to me, jerking her thumb toward the driveway.

She looks like she’s about to cry.

I give her a look laced with concern. She leans over and hugs me quickly, saying, “Thanks for breakfast. And the chat.”

“Any time,” I say sincerely and watch her hurry out ahead of Grey and Joel who have left the room while Grey talks on the phone.

32

Grey

“Jase,” I greet before leaving the room, Joel following me. We move down a level to the garage.

“Grey,” he says. “Listen… I think we need to go in.”

“Joel’s here, I’m puttin’ you on speaker. Go in?”

“You’re on speaker, too.” Jase advises. “Got Linc and Jared here. I say we knock a panel of fence down, get in there and see what the fuck is what. Don’t like what we’re smelling, Jared ‘n me. But Linc’s even less happy. Linc got one whiff of this place and started puking his guts up.”

There’s a downside of having the strongest nose in our pack.

“Linc?” I call.

“Hey,” Linc grits out. “There’s death in there. Death, sickness, and fuckin’ despair, brother. I smell dozens of ‘em. Men but mostly women, kids, and old folks. Place reeks and there’s something here I’ve smelled before on a case that might mean this motherfucker is poisoning his people.”

“Fuck,” I snap.

“It’s worse,” Jase puts in. “It’s lookin’ completely locked down from the outside. Brother, they’re all lockedin.”

“Fuck!” I clip louder. “Right. I’m heading that way and we’ll go in together,” I say. “I’ll bring some guys with me. Some resources, maybe.”

“Yeah, bro. Thinkin’ resources will be necessary,” Jase adds.

“I’m texting Cat to tell her what I think this is, so she’ll know what meds they’ll need,” Linc adds.

“I’ll see if I can bring Cat.”

“Do that,” Linc returns.

“Right, so I’ll get organized here and be fast. People might be scared. Bringing Stacy and Luke to soften that.”

“Blakely still there?” Linc asks.

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