Dreaming of the Wolf (Heart of the Wolf #8)(88)

“And if she was here? And didn’t report a murder? Then she could be charged with a crime,” Jake said. “Is she free until we can obtain legal representation?”

“She’s not a suspect. Just a person of interest. In fact, we suspect she was a victim, if the bloodstains are hers,” Sanderson insisted. “We know she was here. We know she’s afraid of them. That she was afraid they might learn she was here and would kill her for it. But whatever she can tell us can help us to nail them.”

Jake helped Alicia to her feet. “We’ll be in touch as soon as we get a lawyer.”

“I could hold her for obstructing justice,” Sanderson said, playing hardball.

“She’s sick,” Jake said.

“Pregnant with triplets,” Detective Connelly said urgently, looking as though he was afraid she’d expire on the spot.

Sanderson looked at him as if the guy couldn’t be that naive.

“If she were to miscarry,” Jake said with dark promise, “every media source would hear about it.”

For the longest time, Jake and Sanderson measured each other with steely gazes in a showdown of wills. Then Sanderson said, “All right. Get your lawyer. You’ve got twenty-four hours. Just let us know where you’re staying until then.”

Jake took Alicia’s arm and started to lead her to the door.

“Who’s her doctor, by the way?” Detective Sanderson asked. “Just in case we need to get in touch with him.” He gave a sardonic smile.

“Dr. Weber can fax you a copy of her pregnancy test, if you need it,” Jake said sharply, then walked her out the door as Tom and Peter followed close behind.

“What’s wrong, Alicia?” Jake asked, as he took her out of the building and toward the SUV.

“The smells in there were overwhelming. And the memories. I’m so sorry, but I had to get away. The wolf senses felt as though they were crushing me. I just couldn’t think straight.”

“Sanderson’s a real bastard,” Tom said. “I could smell that Massaro had died on that couch where he was sitting, the location where he had motioned for you to sit initially.”

“Same ploy I would have used as a detective,” Peter said. “Rattle the witness. Secure any kind of statement that would help me to solve my case.”

Alicia cast him an annoyed look, but as green around the gills as she felt, she doubted her look was as annoyed as she wished to appear. “I don’t believe you could be that mean.”

He gave her a small smile. “Only with a nonwolf type who was involved up to her hairline. In your case, no, I wouldn’t have stooped so low. But then, I wouldn’t have needed to.”

She raised her brows at him in question.

“I’m not out to solve this crime for the city of Denver, but to solve this crime so we can go after the killers themselves and stop them from getting to you.”

She sighed and reached over to squeeze his arm. “Thanks, Peter. I didn’t mean to say you were like Sanderson. You’ve been nothing but kind to me.”

“It’s been my pleasure, ma’am.”

“What do we do now?” Tom asked. “We have no idea who might be a wolf lawyer who could represent us the way we need him to.”

Alicia noted that Jake was awfully quiet as he opened the SUV door for her. He cleared his throat. “I know a lawyer.”

Both Tom and Peter looked surprised. Alicia wondered if the man didn’t like newly turned wolves. Why else would Jake seem so reluctant to mention him?

“Who?” Tom asked.

“Sherry Slate.”

The only reason he could be reluctant about mentioning the woman was because she’d meant something to Jake. An awkward silence stretched between them.

Finally, Jake closed the door and looked at Tom, who was staring at him with incredulity. Alicia guessed Jake must have been seeing some women without his family knowing it. Peter looked just as surprised.

When he got in the SUV, Jake said to Tom, “Take us to Hill and Sanders. It’s a law firm.”

Peter set the GPS, and they were off.

Everything was so quiet in the vehicle that Alicia could hear everyone’s heartbeats. She finally took Jake’s arm and draped it over her, snuggling close to him as he tightened his arm around her. If she understood the ways of the werewolves, she knew he couldn’t have been seriously involved with Sherry. They didn’t have any sexual intimacy unless they planned to mate for life. Still, maybe this Sherry had expected something more of the relationship. And now instead of being Alicia’s advocate, Sherry could seal her fate.

But she couldn’t, could she? As werewolves, wouldn’t doing something like that hurt all of their kind?

She relaxed a little as Jake’s hand caressed her shoulder. She didn’t question him about the woman, figuring he didn’t want to talk about her in front of Tom and Peter. But then he must have decided it was more important to get this out in the open before they met with the woman.

“We’ve seen each other a couple of times. Lelandi had talked me into coming here first to drop off some of my photographs at one of the art galleries, as you recall.” He was speaking to Tom and Peter. “Sherry collects modern art. I was here alone, not knowing anyone. She was a wolf.” Jake shrugged. “We had lunch. Took in a movie.”