Page 75 of What a Wolf Wants
“I’ll tell Grainger what’s up,” Ethan said.
“All right. I’m off to pack,” Charlene said.
“I’ll make reservations for us at the hotel,” Noah said. “The agency will reimburse us for it.”
“Seabreeze Hotel,” Charlene called out.
Ethan got ahold of Grainger and told him what had happened. “Noah had been staying at the DEA house, but I was staying with Charlene, a former homicide detective.”
“Wait, the one whose home we raided by mistake in Portland?”
Ethan smiled. His boss would want to know the details. “Yeah, we’re dating now. Thor must have followed Renault to Charlene’s house in Oyster Bay. I ended up there and we all had lunch together. When Renault left the house, we had plans for me to meet him at the grocery store and I would see if he was being followed. You know the rest.”
“Right. Hell. Okay.”
“Noah’s making the reservations for two rooms at the Seabreeze Hotel in Oyster Bay.”
“Okay, we’ve got you covered. Just don’t let Kroner follow you there.”
“No. We’ll be careful.” If Kroner managed to follow them to the hotel, Ethan was taking Charlene to the pack leaders’ ranch where they had a bunch of ranch hands and others tokeep her safe. “We didn’t have any luck on surveillance either at Oakley’s house or his great-aunt’s place.”
“Keep me informed.”
“We sure will, sir.”
Then they ended the call, and Ethan went into the bedroom to pack.
Charlene put some extra toiletries together for Noah and then kissed Ethan. “I’ll be okay, Ethan.”
“I just worry about you, you know.”
“I’m fine. I can handle myself.”
He knew she kept saying that but if Kroner had a gun, which he would have, she might not be fine. He grabbed her bag and his own. She put the toiletries in a small bag for Noah.
“What we need to do is make certain that if either Kroner or Oakley is watching the house, they have no idea where we’re ending up,” Ethan said.
Charlene gave Noah the bag of toiletries.
“Thanks, Charlene. I’m heading out first, like I’m leaving your house for the night. I’ll drive around to make sure I’m not being followed until I finally head over to the hotel,” Noah said.
“We’ll do the same thing,” Ethan said. “If you learn someone is following you, let me know and I’ll come for you.”
“Okay, the same with you. If anyone seems to be trailing you, let me know. I’ll come to your aid. We’ll take whoever it is down together.”
Ethan didn’t like the idea that Charlene could be in the middle of it, but if they could take these guys down, they had to do it.
Chapter 21
“I wish we knew what Kroner’s vehicle looked like,” Charlene said to Ethan as they took off in her car in a different direction from Noah so that if Kroner or one of his cohorts was following them, he couldn’t track them both.
“I agree. But I kind of suspect he wouldn’t have hung around after the police were all over the area. Still, we have to be cautious no matter what.”
She was so tired that she just wanted to go to sleep. But she knew Ethan had to be too. Well, both he and Noah. She hoped Noah was all right.
They kept turning down into residential areas and back out again, and finally Ethan drove them to the hotel, sitting above a beach, all lit up, looking warm and welcoming. They parked and went inside. Flames flickered in a fireplace in the lobby, and complimentary wine was being served. Even house-baked goods and cordials were complimentary.
Wow, this was really nice.
