Unspoken (Shadow Falls: After Dark #3)(24)

No telling what they’d have done to Della if he hadn’t gotten there. Sure, he knew Della could handle herself pretty damn well, but not with that many weres this close to a full moon—even half weres. So yeah, he kind of wished they’d all sustained injuries.

What he did feel bad about was not being able to give any physical descriptions of any of the weres that got away. He’d been so intent on protecting Della, he’d never looked at a face. And according to Burnett, who’d texted Della the same question, she hadn’t been able to offer much either.

The computer finally changed screens and gave him the information on the Douglas Stones and Don Williamses. Chase sat up so fast, the chair cried out as if complaining the wrong person was sitting in it—as if it knew he wasn’t Burnett.

He hit print. Folding it up, he tucked it in his pocket.

The door to the office swung open. Burnett stuck his head in, looking way too rested, considering he hadn’t slept either. “The weres are here. You ready?”

“More than.” He popped up and met the man at the door.

“What did you find?” Burnett asked.

“Lots of names,” Chase said and pulled out the list and handed it to him.

“It’s a long shot,” Burnett said, as if considering it. “But I’ve seen them pay off.”

“I sure as hell hope so.” His gut said his relationship with Della depended on solving this case. And solving it fast.

“You want to do the interrogating?” Burnett asked. “Show me what you got.”

*

“First, let’s see if you recognize any of these guys’ scent as the one with the animal blood,” Burnett told Chase. One by one Burnett led him into three small rooms with a two-way mirror and shared air ducts.

Their scents were familiar, but from the scuffle at the park, not the ones he’d traced earlier.

“Maybe it was the ones who got away,” Chase said.

“Go find out.” Burnett motioned to the mirror. “All of their legs are chained, but we didn’t cuff them, so don’t get too close. I’ll be watching if you get into any trouble.”

“I got this.” Chase swung the door open to the first room, then slammed it shut.

The were, no older than eighteen, had his head down. He jerked upright, his eyes glowing golden yellow. The sound of heavy iron shackles wrapped around his ankles clinked on the concrete floor.

Chase let his own eyes grow bright just to show the half were he meant business.

He moved to the opposite side of the metal table, where a pen and a piece of paper rested. He placed his palms on the tabletop. Leaning in, he took a deep gulp of air. As he did, he spotted a smear of blood on the guy’s knuckles, Della’s blood. He felt his eyes grow hotter and he forced himself to hold his emotions in check. But damned if he didn’t want to grab the twerp by the neck and give him a few swings around the room.

“You’re the same guy who…” The were smirked. “A little young to be an agent, aren’t you?”

“My age doesn’t concern you. What matters is that I’ve got what it takes.”

He laughed. “Oh, you act so tough walking in here, but how many of your friends do you have watching out there?” He motioned to the mirror he obviously knew was a window.

“Not nearly enough to stop me from kicking your ass if I want to,” Chase tossed out.

The were bolted out of his seat, nearly overturning the table. Chase, ready to act, caught him by the throat, and squeezed just tight enough that the ass-wipe knew he was serious. Then he pushed him back into his chair.

The were gasped for air.

“Now, stay down and listen. You might be able to get yourself out of this mess with a lighter sentence.”

“For what?” the rogue spit out.

Chase stared the were right in his orange eyes. “The girl you and your friends ganged up on is a friend of mine.”

“We didn’t go looking for that bitch, she came to us.”

Chase leaned down, his nose almost touching the rogue’s, almost daring the were to try something again. “If you hadn’t been after that young girl, she’d have never joined you!”

“We weren’t gonna do anything bad to that chick. Just scare some sense into her. She should have known better than to be out in the park at that time of night.”

“You’ve got an excuse for everything, don’t you? What excuse are you going to give me for not writing down the names of everyone who was with you?”

His eyes brightened and a low growl left his lips. “Because I’m not a snitch.”

*

Della’s mom pulled up and parked in front of the Shadow Falls Academy sign. Something about this trip back to school felt different to Della. More permanent.

More painful.

It was the right thing, even what she wanted, but it stung knowing she wasn’t wanted at home, knowing those trips home might very well be coming to an end.

She had known her dad would jump at the chance to send her back, but for God’s sake, three minutes after he’d hung up with Burnett he’d told her mom to inform Della to pack her bags.

Her dad’s insistence had sparked an argument between her parents. And given credence to what Della was beginning to suspect.

In the end, her mom relented to her dad’s demands. Della didn’t blame her. Not really.