SEAL Wolf In Too Deep(74)

“If it had been me, I would have put a tracking device on it and let him come back for the car.”

“Which he might have expected anyway.”

“True.”

When they arrived at the scene, it was just as cold as the last time. Getting used to the chilly temperature of the lake always took a few minutes.

They dived as long as they could, and when they were through, they did their safety stops and left the water. They hadn’t found anything new in the water or anywhere around the area. But Debbie looked so pleased to be back to work, he was glad they’d come here first.

The pizza place was on their list, and though Allan wasn’t real fond of the idea, she had invited Rowdy to join them for her coming-out. They’d played it cool, telling the sheriff’s department her recovery would take months, but when she felt well enough, she’d step in wherever needed. They figured if she did a lot this week with the department, they would say next week that she’d had a relapse. Maybe by the time another month had rolled around, she would be doing well enough to work a little at a time.

After they got out of the water, they removed their tanks and masks and headed for the road where they had parked their car.

“Didn’t think you’d take that long on the dive,” a man said.

Parked behind Allan’s hatchback was the black sedan.

With his brows raised, Vaughn Greystoke was leaning against Allan’s vehicle, arms folded across his chest and looking like a military man with a mission.





Chapter 21


Debbie’s heart was beating triple time when she saw Vaughn Greystoke leaning against Allan’s car.

The lethal-looking man was wearing a white parka and black cargo pants, shit-kicker boots, and mirrored sunglasses, his dark-brown hair cut military short. He wasn’t wearing gloves, his arms were folded across his chest, and no gun was visible, but she suspected he was wearing one. He’d talked to Paul about coming to help them out, but then he hadn’t come all these weeks, so they figured he’d gotten busy with some other pressing issue.

“Is there somewhere that we can talk…privately?” Vaughn asked. Despite his dark look, the man was ruggedly handsome, his attention focused on Allan.

“You were at the crime scene. Witnesses saw your vehicle,” Debbie said accusingly. “Your cousin said you had no hand in the murder, but he’s your cousin.”

Vaughn shifted his gaze to her, his hard look chiseled in place. “Yeah, I was there. That doesn’t mean I had anything to do with the man’s death. His hunting partner did that.”

Debbie frowned at him. “Witnesses saw you. No one said they saw him.”

“He was there. Watching. In the woods. But others had arrived on the scene. I went to see if the victim was dead. He didn’t survive. No one tried to rescue him. I knew he’d never last that long underwater unless he was a SEAL. Then I left, looking for the other one, Otis.”

“We expected you sooner,” Allan said, his voice darkly gruff.

Debbie shivered. “I’m freezing, folks.”

“Let’s talk this over at your place.” Vaughn sounded genuinely concerned about Debbie’s physical health. “Call in your…friend Paul, if you’d like. Or as many of your friends as you want, if you feel the need. But I’m on your side.”

Allan took a deep breath. So did Debbie, but she couldn’t smell Vaughn’s scent, even though the breeze should have carried it to them. She wasn’t staying out here and freezing to death though. She headed for the car.

“Let me drop Debbie off at a friend’s place and we…”

“No way. I want to know what’s going on just as much as you do.” She got into the hatchback and slammed the door. She was working the investigation every bit as much as Allan was. Even if she had to do some of it stuck at his cabin.

“My place then. Have you learned where Otis has disappeared to?” Allan asked.

“Let’s just say I’d rather discuss this in private.”

“All right. Let’s go.” Allan got in the car and headed out while Vaughn climbed into his sedan and followed them. Allan got on his phone and Debbie assumed he was calling Paul. “Update: no more evidence in the lake pertaining to the murder case, but Vaughn Greystoke just met up with us. He’s joining us at my cabin.”

Allan put the phone on speaker so Debbie could hear Paul’s response, which she really appreciated.

“I’ll meet you there. If you’re at the lake where the body was found, I’m closer to your place than you are.”

Within twenty minutes, Paul called Allan back. “Looks like no one’s been here. Checked all around the cabin and inside. See you in…?”

“Twenty minutes. I’ve been watching for a tail, but the only one following us is this guy.”

When they finally reached Allan’s cabin, Paul was standing on the porch, looking dangerous. Debbie wondered if Vaughn knew that both Paul and Allan were highly trained Navy SEALs in addition to being wolves.

She was so cold. Neither she nor Allan had removed their wet suits before they took off because of the situation with this man, so when they got home, she excused herself to get out of hers. She grabbed a change of clothes, her gun and holster, and then went to the bathroom and locked the door. Before long, she was enjoying a hot shower. Using warm water made the wet suit much easier to peel off. Then she hurried to dry and get into warm clothes. Her hair was wet, though she towel dried it some, but she wasn’t spending the time to dry it all the way when she wanted to learn what was going on.