Page 73 of What a Wolf Wants
“There’s a good chance of that. What about his great-aunt’s house?” Ethan asked.
Noah’s lips parted. “Yeah. Do you want to check it out? I mean, I hate leaving here if Oakley or others end up here because they’re just out partying or taking care of business. On the other hand, what if you’re right?”
“Though Oakley might not go to her place, afraid we might know about his great-aunt and his going to churchwith her some Sundays, but at the same time, there was an indication that he went there some nights, so it’s worth taking a chance to check it out.”
“On it.” Noah drove them back to Oyster Bay and they found a nice inconspicuous spot to park and observe her place.
Everything was quiet there too. Ethan preferred it when there was lots of activity and not all this quiet. The house was dark, and they couldn’t really do anything. Then Ethan got a call from Charlene and immediately he worried something was the matter. She should have been sleeping, unless she was just worried about him and couldn’t sleep.
“Hey, is anything wrong?” he asked.
“I heard someone outside the house. I could see the shadow of someone at one of the windows, tall, a man, I figured, looking for a way to peek in but all the lights are off in the house and the curtains and blinds are closed. I’m going to turn on the outdoor lights and shift, turn wolf, exit the house, and see what I can see. I’ll take refuge in the woods.”
“Hell. We’re just down the road from you at Oakley’s great-aunt’s house. We’re headed back there now. Just keep out of sight.”
“I will. Thanks.”
Then she ended the call and he figured she was shifting into her wolf and leaving the house. He hated that he couldn’t keep in contact with her, but she needed to do whatever it took to keep herself safe.
Ethan explained to Noah about what was going on.
“If Thor relayed to Kroner or Oakley that Renault hadbeen to Charlene’s house before you caught him near the grocery store, one of the men involved with Thor might be there,” Noah said.
“Yeah, that’s what I’m worried about. Are you speeding?” Ethan asked.
“Yeah. Have your badge out in case we get pulled…” Noah started to say.
A police car flashed its lights behind them and followed them until they pulled over on the shoulder of the road.
“Hell,” Ethan said. Of all times to get pulled over…when he was in a rush to save the love of his life.
The patrol car parked behind them, and they waited in the car until the officer approached Noah’s vehicle. Ethan was on the phone to the local police department right away to tell them a patrolman had just stopped them, and they were DEA special agents on an undercover mission.
The patrolman called out to them to turn off the engine and roll down the window.
Noah did and showed him his badge. Ethan showed him his.
“I’m on the phone with your supervisor. The homeowner called me that she has a prowler on the premises and could be in danger. We’re en route there now.” Ethan handed his phone to the patrolman and his supervisor talked to him for a minute.
“I’ll give you an escort. Jenkins is the name,” the patrolman said, handing Ethan’s phone back to him.
“All right but hang back and no lights or sirens. If it’s who we suspect it is, he or they won’t hesitate to shoot it out withlaw enforcement. But it might be nothing. We have to be sure though.”
The patrolman nodded and ran back to his car and Noah took off, speeding again.
The officer in charge that Ethan had been talking to, Detective Ty Richardson said, “We’re sending more reinforcements to that location. It’s better to be prepared than to be caught shorthanded.”
“Right. We’ll meet you there.” Then Ethan ended the call.
“I wish we could let Charlene know that a bunch of nonshifter law-enforcement personnel are converging on her place,” Noah said.
“Yeah. I know. At least we were already in Oyster Bay when we got the call from Charlene, instead of Shelby Bay.” They were almost at the house because of it.
“I agree.” Noah slowed and parked down the road from the house next to the woods. The patrol car likewise parked some distance behind them on the shoulder.
Then, armed with their guns, they headed through the woods toward the house.
Ethan saw Charlene in her wolf coat behind a cluster of pines, and she looked surprised to see the patrolman with them, but she kept hidden from him. Noah noticed her too, but the patrolman couldn’t see her because of the dark.
