Midnight Moonrising (Moonrising #2)(20)

He frowned. "And if you did know something…"

"I couldn't tell you. I'm sorry, Alex."

Huffing as he stood, he released her hand and put his knit hat back on. It was clear that she wasn't going to say any more about the secret club, at least not in front of her friends. Maybe another power session at the gym or a good night's rest would clear his thoughts and he could come up with better questions. What bothered him most was the killer was still on the loose and now after Mena.

"I've got a few things to check into at the station."

"You can't stay for supper?" Mena said. "It's the least I can do after you gave me a ride home."

"I wish I could. A girl was stabbed at Hellhound last night, and the murder weapon went missing. The medical examiner said he got mugged when he stopped the van. Sure seems funny that my evidence is the only thing the bastards took. The camera man got some good close-ups of it, but I really wanted the lab to dust it for prints." He looked at her hopeful. "Can I get a rain check on that meal?"


Mena smiled. "How about lunch tomorrow? My treat."

"Sounds good." Alex smiled. "All except the last part. You are not paying for my meal. It will be my treat. My mama did raise me with manners, and would slap me in the back of the head for even considering letting a lady pay."

Mena snickered. "I know I would lose if I put up a fight, so I will admit defeat now and let you buy my lunch tomorrow."

"Thank you—"

The doorbell chimed, echoing throughout the house, and Mena's head shot around to look at the dark window. "Crap!" she said, and started toward the door, with all five bodyguards hot on her heels.

Mena looked through the peephole and groaned, then jerked the door open.

Alex walked up beside her, his brow rising in interest as he stared at Phoenix Mahoney, owner of Hellhound. What the hell is he doing here? If he didn't know any better, he'd think Mena was running a brothel, with all the men that came and went. He did know better, right? His brow furrowed. "Is he in your secret club, too?" And who had secret clubs besides eleven-year-olds? Something was definitely off here, and he would make a point to find out what that something was.

Mena frowned. "No, he is most certainly not in my secret club."





Chapter 13



Mena





Alex all of a sudden didn't seem so eager to leave anymore, not now that Phoenix was standing in my foyer.

Phoenix offered his hand first, and Alex shook it with a smile. "Rhodes. It's good to see you again. Since you're here, I hope this means you have good news to offer Mena about her husband's case. Any suspects?"

Do they know each other? I strained against my captivity. "Let me out! You said I could have my body back when Phoenix is around!"

"I will give it back when Alex leaves. Be patient, Mena. I already know your thoughts, and you are not prepared to deal with both men."

I imagined my arms crossing over my chest. I knew it was childish to pout, but what were my other options? A wolf had stolen my damn body!

Alex shook his head. "Not any more than I have about the case of the girl who was killed last night at your club."

"What? Hellhound is Phoenix's club? And the dead girl Alex was talking about earlier was murdered there last night?" I narrowed my nonliteral eyes at my wolf. "That's what he was trying to tell me last night before you tried to attack him!"

She didn't respond.

Phoenix pursed his lips. "That's too bad. What about that dagger?" he said, and glanced briefly at me. "Did the lab find any prints on it?"

The dagger? I gasped. Surely he wasn't talking about the one I used to kill Chris! Oh, God, no!

Alex shook his head. "The evidence went missing after the coroner got to the morgue. He claimed he was mugged, but all they took was the knife."

Phoenix didn't move an inch, but I could see relief fill his eyes. I hoped the detective wasn't as observant as I was, though my new and improved senses allowed me to notice much more than a human would.

That confirmed what I was dreading. It was the dagger he had given me, and his, as well as my prints would be on it. Shit! Well, at least it was missing, but, with the dagger being used to murder a girl at Phoenix's club, that meant that somebody was trying to frame me or Phoenix for her murder. Possibly both of us. I was almost positive that, if the murder weapon ever turned up, the lab would find traces of Chris's blood on it, too. Double shit!

"Get rid of Alex. Please. I—we—need to talk with Phoenix. I'm sure you are in agreement with me that we can't go to jail."

She didn't answer me in my mind, but she did look at Alex. I could feel her emotions swell, and I knew they were genuine. She really did like him, but, this early in the game, she would lose if she didn't play her cards right. "Thank you for bringing me home, Alex. Where would you like to meet for lunch tomorrow?" she said, and hooked her arm through his, turning them toward the door.

I couldn't see Phoenix's expression, but the snicker that came from Roel led me to believe Phoenix didn't at all enjoy seeing me this close to the detective or planning a lunch date with him.

The wolf and I walked Alex to his Jeep, and Katie ran out to move my car, so he could get out of the driveway.