“Thanks, Allie.”
“Just give me some notice. Seems like Joe’s gone more than he’s home lately, so I have to make sure someone can watch the kids.”
Ted asked, “Where’s he going all the time?”
Allie shrugged and looked like she wanted to change the subject, so Jena said, “And I’ll watch. I already noticed something that the police can’t do much with. There were fresh scratch marks at the bottom of Alma’s door.”
Ted’s ears perked. “Lion?” There weren’t very many full mountain lions in the springs. Not ones in their natural form, anyway. And on full moons, anything but your natural form was almost impossible to pull off.
She shook her head. “I’m not sure, but I don’t think so. It was a medium cat. Bobcat, I’d guess.”
“Shit.” Ted’s head fell back. “There are a ton of bobcats in this town. Scads of them. They’re like rats on moon nights.”
Allie mused, “But they eat the rats, so that’s kind of nice.”
“Way to look on the bright side, Allie.”
“I try.”
Just then, Jena noticed Caleb pulling up to the trailer in his truck. He’d been at the memorial earlier, but she had no idea where he’d gone after. He looked grim when he got out. And… sad. His usual swagger wasn’t in evidence; his hat was pulled low and Jena saw him lean against his truck, looking down the canyon toward the springs, his body a long black stripe in the setting sun.
Ted and Allie noticed him too.
“I admire his dedication. And he’s really good at his job. I can tell,” Ted said. “But he’s got to stop digging. He’s like a dog with a bone about this, and he’s going to end up learning too much.”
Allie sucked in a breath. “He can’t. If he finds out—”
“Whoever did this doesn’t want an outsider on his trail.” Jena’s heart plummeted. “If Caleb keeps digging, there could be more than one murder victim in Cambio Springs.”
The breeze shifted then, sweeping down the canyon and lifting the dust around the trailer, making it swirl and twist toward them. Jena closed her eyes and held a hand over her nose to keep the grit out, but she heard Allie next to her making a strange noise. “Allie?”
The vixen was leaning forward, her eyes lit up, completely focused on the man near the trailer. A high whine, inaudible to human ears, caused Ted to wince.
“What the hell, Allie?”
“He’s different,” she hissed. “His scent has changed.”
Jena frowned. “I thought you said human scent changed all the time?”
“No.” She walked closer, lifting her head in the breeze, inhaling the wind. “He doesn’t smell right. Not like a normal human.”
Ted and Jena exchanged a worried look. “Allie, what are you talking about? What does he smell like?”
“Like the water,” she whispered. “He smells like the water.”
Chapter Twelve
The week after Alma Crowe was murdered, Caleb walked into the Blackbird Diner in a foul mood. Despite his wishes, the county coroner had officially ruled Alma’s death an animal attack. Since Caleb had no concrete evidence to the contrary, he was forced to accept the ruling, but he knew he wasn’t getting the whole story. And when even the relatives of the deceased seemed determined to obstruct his investigation, there wasn’t much he could do.
Officially.
He was hungry and tired. Hungry for answers and tired of the endless, vague dreams that had plagued him for over a week. He hardly remembered most of them, but every morning he woke with a vague sense of unease that there was something he had forgotten. The combination of frustration, exhaustion, and nagging worry combined to put him in a foul mood that he knew grated on anyone he came in contact with.
Obviously, he needed to see Jena.
When he walked in, he could see the object of his continuing frustration arguing with her father in the back. It was early for lunch, so the diner was mostly deserted. He was just about to head for the counter when he heard a small voice to his right.
“Hi, Chief Caleb.”
It was Aaron. The boy looked a little pale and droopy sitting in the big booth alone.
“Hey. What are you doing out of school?”
“I wasn’t feeling good.” He didn’t look good either. His face was drawn and pale. The normally exuberant energy nowhere in sight.
“You got a cold or something?”
Aaron only shrugged. Caleb had to wonder whether the sickness was more a reaction to the grief of losing a beloved great-grandmother. He sat down across from him. “Want to join me for lunch? I hate eating alone.” Actually, he preferred it, but since the offer seemed to boost the small boy’s spirits, he was happy he’d made it.
“Yeah, thanks!” A smile crossed his face. “I like the meatloaf sandwich. Have you tried it?”
“Nope. I usually have a burger.”
“You should try the meatloaf.”
“I will.”
Aaron fell silent and sipped at the Sprite in front of him. Caleb could hear Jena and her dad still muttering in the back, but he couldn’t make out what they were saying.
“How are you doing?” Caleb asked.
Aaron shrugged again. “You’re more like us now. Mom can’t tell yet.”
The memory of their first meeting came to his mind. “What do you mean by that?” Was he talking about being more at home in the Springs? For some reason, Caleb didn’t think that was it. “You said that before. The first time we met.”
“I dunno.” Yeah, he did. But the little boy was as good at keeping secrets as the rest of the damn town. “Does it feel like home yet?”
Caleb hesitated, but finally said, “I like it here.”
He was surprised by how true it felt. Despite his current frustration, Caleb had an ease about him he hadn’t felt since he’d left his grandmother’s home when he was twelve and moved to the city.
“It’s like when you find the right pair of shoes.”
That brought a smile to Caleb’s face. “Yeah, I think I know what you mean.”
“Grandma’s house was like that. It was always the right place. But Mom says we shouldn’t go back.”
Caleb wondered if he could talk to Jena about that. He hadn’t had a ton of experience with victims, but he knew enough to know that Jena probably had post-traumatic stress from finding Alma the way she had. It was a stress the boys didn’t share, however, and keeping them from their grandmother’s house, with all its good memories, would probably do more harm than good.
“I think you’ll be able to go back someday. Your mom’s just sad right now.”
“Like when we lost Dad. I don’t remember much. Just that she was really sad.”
“Yeah.” His heart actually ached. “Probably something like that.”
In a quick moment, Aaron slipped under the table and crawled up next to Caleb. “I miss my grandma.”
“I do, too.” He tried to relax with the little boy sitting next to him. It was surprisingly easy to do. “She was a great lady.”
Aaron looked up at him seriously. “I don’t know why she had to die.”
Every ounce of frustration drained out of him, and a low burning determination filled its place. He looked into Aaron’s clear, green eyes and said, “I don’t know yet, either. But I promise you, I’ll find out.”
The boy held his gaze for a few more minutes. Caleb heard the bell on the door chime, but he ignored it. Ignored everything except the testing gaze of the seven-year-old boy next to him. His heart swelled and grew, taking in the small child’s trust and holding it like the precious thing it was.
I promise you, Bear. I will find out who killed your grandmother. The county and this town be damned. I will find the answers. For you.
Finally, Aaron nodded and rested his small head on Caleb’s shoulder. “Okay.”
“Okay.”
And for the first time in months, Caleb Gilbert felt a hint of peace.
The man and the boy sat quietly for a few more minutes
until there was a knock on the window. Caleb looked up; it was Low and an older woman with a familiar smile. They walked through the door and the woman took in Caleb and Aaron sitting together, the boy’s head still resting against his shoulder. Caleb wouldn’t have shrugged him off for the world.
“Hi,” she said.
“Hello. You must be Jena’s mom.”
“Cathy Crowe.” The woman held out her hand and Caleb shook it. “You feeling any better, Bear?”
“Yeah.” Caleb felt him nod. “I do now. Did you get popsicles?”
“Uh-huh. I put them in the freezer at home, then decided Low and I would join you for lunch.”
Low was glaring at Caleb, but he ignored it. The older boy was suspicious and protective of the people he loved. Caleb could respect that, but he wasn’t about to move Aaron if Aaron didn’t want to be moved.
“Chief Caleb is going to try Mom’s meatloaf sandwich.”
Cathy and Low slid into the booth across from them. “That’s a good one. I usually eat the roast beef.” She smiled at Caleb. “Low here’s a burger man.”
Aaron picked up his head. “Just like you, Chief Caleb.”
Caleb had a feeling the association didn’t sit well with the older boy. “I like lots of stuff,” he said sullenly.
“Aaron, do you mind if we join you?” Cathy asked. “Or is this a guy thing?”
“No…” Then Aaron looked up at Caleb. “Is it a guy thing?”
Feeling playful after the heaviness of the morning, Caleb smiled. “Bear, you should always make time for a beautiful woman.”
Low let out a disgusted sound, but Cathy only laughed. “Don’t make him too much of a charmer, Chief. He already has the little girls following him.”
“Please, call me Caleb. It’s really nice to meet you. I love my trailer.”
Apparently, that was exactly the right thing to say, because Cathy launched into a lively conversation about the joy and satisfaction of restoring Airstreams. Caleb had trouble keeping up. The woman was a firecracker and obviously shared the same keen intelligence as her daughter. Soon, she had Caleb and both boys laughing along with her as she told stories about life on the road. Jena came out, took their orders, then left with a raised eyebrow pointed in his direction. He just smiled, pleased to see the little flush rise in her cheeks.
The four were interrupted by the somewhat manic figure of Mayor Matt just as they were finishing up their lunch.
“Cathy!” he said with a broad smile. “So good to see you.” Then his smile fell. “Well… not under the circumstances, of course. I’m so sorry about Alma. Such a tragic accident.”
Suddenly, the lively mood of the table fell flat. Aaron squirmed next to him, and Caleb looked at Cathy.
She smiled at the man graciously. “Thank you, Matt. How are Missy and the baby?”
“Great!” The man’s mood lightened again. “So happy he’s finally here. She delivered just a few days after… well after. She was getting a bit testy being overdue.”
“That’s to be expected. Not a fun time to be pregnant with all the heat.” It may have been fall, but the days were still steaming. “I heard she delivered at home?”
“Her sisters were there. Her other deliveries with the girls were so easy, she wanted to try it at home. She said it would be more relaxing.”
“More and more girls are doing that these days. And one of her sisters is a nurse, right?”
“Yep. So, are you and Tom staying for a while?”
“We’re not sure how long we’re staying.” She glanced at Caleb, then back at Matt. “Lots of things to take care of with the extended family.”
Extended family? Caleb frowned. How big a family did they have? He seemed to recall Jena mentioning she was an only child.
“Of course.” Matt nodded. “It’s just, there’s a council meeting next week, and I was wondering if Tom would be taking Alma’s place on the—”
“Not really the time to be talking about that kind of thing, is it?” Cathy’s voice was sharp, and she glanced at Caleb. “And you’d have to ask Tom about any of the town business. Not my area.”
Well, that had cooled off the conversation considerably. Matt looked crestfallen and took a step back. Cathy had shut him down quickly, and Caleb wondered why. Did Cathy want to avoid talking about Alma in front of the boys? Or want to avoid talking about the town council in front of Caleb? The archaic form of city government Matt had described to him started to seem more and more odd the longer he was here.
As far as Caleb could tell, there were no elected leaders in the city except Mayor Matt. The town council controlled every decision and consisted of the oldest members of the seven families that had settled Cambio Springs. Where did that leave the families who had moved in since? Why did they agree to it? Caleb wasn’t even sure it was strictly legal, but he had no idea what the laws were regarding that kind of thing.
Matt made some excuse, then left to go pick up an order at the counter. Cathy looked at the boys, then at Caleb.
“Who wants a piece of pie?”
He was dreaming again.
This time he wasn’t running; he was stalking. He felt the cool metal of the rifle on his fingers, his right hand resting comfortingly on the stock. He moved quietly through the brush as the silver coyote slinked next to him.
What was he hunting? He followed the game trail past the springs and farther into the canyon until he heard it. The high whine of the pup echoed through the canyon a moment before he heard the cat scream. He moved faster and the coyote trailed him, jumping over dry gullies and dodging the shadows of cottonwoods that filled the moonlit night with soft puffs drifting in the breeze. The pup yipped again, this time in terror.
It was on him. The slinking form of the bobcat crouched over the small pup in the rocks. Where was the mother? The coyote growled next to him as he raised the rifle. He sighted in the moonlight and squeezed the trigger, hitting the predator in the neck with one shot. The wolf puppy scurried off as he approached the animal, but when he drew closer, he realized it wasn’t the bobcat.
The black eye of the silver coyote stared up at him before his mouth pulled up in a bloody grin.
You did the right thing.
No! He screamed in his head. I didn’t want to shoot you.
You did the right thing.
He kneeled down and stared at the blood soaking into the sand. I didn’t want to shoot you.
You did what you had to do. I was going to kill him.
You weren’t supposed to be here.
The coyote blinked. I forgive you.
But I don’t forgive myself. He reached out and touched the animal’s silver fur, soaked with blood at the neck.
They forgive you.
“No,” he whispered. “They hate me.”
They hate me more. Forgive yourself, Caleb.
His heart was pounding.
No—
Caleb blinked awake. The light from the half moon was glowing through the window and someone was pounding on the door of the trailer. He brushed his hand over his face and sat up.
Who was pounding on his door in the middle of the night?
He moved toward the pounding, still halfway dreaming. Was he still in the canyon? Had he fallen asleep there and this was a dream?
He pushed open the door to see Jena standing there. She was wearing the same shirt she’d worn the first time he saw her. The one that made her boobs look really great. And her hair was all tangled over her shoulders. He blinked again.
Still dreaming. But this was a way better dream.
She stood with her hands on her hips in the moonlight.
Caleb gave her a sleepy grin. “Gotta love that attitude.”
Then she frowned. “What?”
He stepped toward her, not hesitating a moment before he closed on her lips.
Oh… this was better than his other dreams about her. She stood stock-still for a moment until his tongue teased the crease of her mouth, then she opened for him a
nd made that sexy noise in the back of her throat. Mmm, Dream Jena was so much more accommodating than Real Jena.
She tasted like lime and sugar. He wrapped his arms around her, pressing her skin into his bare chest. She needed less clothes. He wanted to feel all of her.
“Why are you wearing clothes?” he murmured against her lips, nipping at her bottom lip as she pulled back with a gasp.
“What?”
Caleb pulled her back for another kiss, but she pushed him. He ducked to the side and sucked her earlobe between his lips. “Mmm, take off your shirt, honey. I want to feel your skin.”
She slapped a hand on his bare chest. “Oh my—what is wrong with you?”
That was kind of weird. Slaps usually didn’t sting in dreams. He pulled her hips into his and pressed them together, murmuring into her neck, “Trust me, nothing is wrong with me that you can’t cure.”
Jena pinched his earlobe. Hard. Ouch.
Oooouch. He pulled his head back and she slapped him. More ouch.
“What do you think you’re doing, Caleb Gilbert?”
He blinked again. Then rubbed his eyes. Oh…
“You’re not Dream Jena.”
Her eyes widened. “Dream Jena?”
“I thought I was dreaming. Wait—what time is it?”
“One in the morning. I was helping Ollie out at the bar tonight.”
“Wearing that?” He frowned. “That’s my special shirt.”
She sputtered. “You—you’re special…” She pinched his ear again.
“Ow!”
“Wake up, you idiot!” Then she seemed to notice the very evident tent in his pajama pants. “And get that situation under control.”
“Want to help me out with it?” He slapped a hand over her mouth before she could curse at him. “Sorry. Sleeping. No filter.” She bit his finger. “Ow! Stop hitting and biting me. Unless… you’re into that. I mean, it’s not usually my thing, but I could—”
“You need to stop talking right now, before I kick you in the nuts and never speak to you again.”
He raised two hands to rub his face. “Man, you’re mean when I just wake up.”
She stood glaring at him as he blinked and slapped his cheeks. Strangely, Mad Jena did little to calm down the problem down south she kept glancing at every few seconds. He smothered a smile. Maybe it wasn’t such a problem after all.