Safari Island Shifters: The Complete Collection(45)

“It would be bad publicity for the park if they let an animal die. He just wants to get cameras out here and people asking questions. I don’t think he cares how it happens. He was saying strange things while we walked back to the hotel and he has knives with him. I could be wrong, but my gut is telling me he’s going to hurt an animal.”

Branch let go of her and stood up. He let a string of curses fly and punched the wall. “Come on. We’re going to the park, and we’re going to try to find him. I’ll call security right now.”

Maura followed him downstairs. They waited at the front desk for security to arrive. She couldn’t stop crying the whole time. Her face was puffy and her eyes felt swollen too.

Branch held her hand while they waited. “I’m still not mad at you.”

She looked up, shocked. “Why not? You should hate me.”

He shook his head. “You told the truth. I know you don’t want to hurt anyone.”

“So, would you still want to see me at Thanksgiving?” she asked shyly. It was probably out of the question, but she had to try. She liked him too.

He kissed her gently on the cheek. “I would.”

A brown-haired, muscular man approached them. He didn’t look friendly at all. “You called security?”

“Hey, Shane. We’ve got a big problem.”

Branch introduced Maura to Shane Cole, one of the security wardens on the island. He usually worked in at the theme park, but he was the closest to Honeymoon Resort. Branch told him everything he knew about Jimmy Tony.

“Can you guys come with me?” Shane asked as he pulled out his phone.

Branch looked at Maura. “You don’t have to come with us.”

“I want to,” she said. “This is my fault too. I’d like to help any way I can.”

“Great.” Shane led them to his Jeep and they all piled in. “Can you describe Jimmy Tony for me?”

Maura nodded. She told him what Jimmy looked like and what he had been wearing the last time she saw him.

“Any idea which animal he would try to hurt?” Shane asked.

“It would be something big, like a wildebeest, elephant, or a rhino. Maybe a giraffe.”

“We should check the giraffes first,” Branch suggested. “The installation is closed temporarily. It would be easy to sneak in.”

“We’re headed that way now.” Shane was driving at breakneck speed.

Maura didn’t know if Jimmy Tony would really hurt an animal, but she didn’t want to give him a chance. If he did kill an animal, there was no way she would be able to date Branch. She would feel too guilty. For the sake of their new relationship, she had to stop Jimmy.





Seven


Branch was on edge. They had to find this guy. If anything happened to an animal, there was no way Maura would forgive herself, and he couldn’t let that happen.

He knew she was a good person. He loved her; he was sure of that now. He loved her, and he wanted her to come live on Safari Island with him. That was already going to be difficult, since she had helped the PFA lunatic get onto the island, but he was hopeful that her cooperation would negate that little mistake.

If an animal died, it would all be over. She would probably get charged with being an accessory or something. But if he was the one to stop Jimmy Tony, Branch was confident he’d be able to get security to go easy on her. It would all work out if he could be the hero—and if she would stay with him. She was into him and would love him too. She was his mate, after all. Once everything had been cleared up, they would be fine.

But he had to find the crazy guy first. Security was swarming around the safari park, but there was no sign of Jimmy Tony.

“I need to go look.” Branch kissed Maura, who looked alarmed. “It will only be for a little bit. I’m not going to let anything happen to any of the animals. I want to be sure he isn’t hiding anywhere.”

He’d been able to pick up the guy’s scent in Maura’s room. There was a chance he could find him if he shifted. His elephant had a much better sense of smell when he was in animal form.

“Okay, but be careful,” Maura said.

Branch took off his clothes and left them next to Maura, then let his elephant free and lumbered off into the night.

It didn’t take long before he picked up the scent. Instead of heading toward the giraffe pens, it led Branch to the elephants. There was already a heavy security presence around all the elephants and they were agitated. He noticed one of the females had been tranquilized. Very unusual for Safari Island.

The security team gave him a glance but left him alone as he passed. He counted the animals and saw that all of them were there. When he was a few feet away, he realized his mistake and his blood ran cold. The calf. He hadn’t seen the new calf with the herd.

He began to smell everything. He was able to pick up Jimmy Tony’s scent and raced off. There weren’t many places to hide, but there wasn’t enough security to go around. He had a feeling Safari Corp would be adding whole new teams of security after tonight.

He heard the calf before he saw them. If it was making noise, it was still alive. Branch charged toward the sound.

“Whoa, there.” A skinny, dreadlocked man pulled the calf close as Branch approached. He had a large machete in one hand and held the calf with the other. “I know you want your mama. I’m sorry, little guy. I’m so sorry.”