Chapter Five
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EmmaLee was happy with her new living quarters. While the kitchen wasn’t any more updated than the one in her apartment in Georgia, the furniture was a lot nicer and more modern, not to mention the seat cushions weren’t ripped like the ones she had. The only complaint was that the living room sofa sat in the middle of the room, taking up too much space. If it were up against the living room window, it would make the area seem bigger. It was how she had her furniture arranged back home.
Since the flooring was wood, it would be easy to slide a few things around and see whether she liked the change. When she returned to Billard, she’d be sure to put things back the way they were, even though Mrs. McKinnon implied EmmaLee could do what she wanted.
Because she had already unpacked her clothes, she set about redecorating. It would make her more comfortable to be in familiar surroundings. First, she moved the wooden coffee table off to the side and then slid the two heavy leather chairs out of the way. It looked better already.
Next came the sofa. Because it was the heaviest item, she leaned over and gave it a big shove, but it fell short by a foot. Using all her effort again, she pushed harder and immediately felt something snap in her back. She froze as the twinge raced up her spine. Taking a few short breaths, she pleaded with whoever would listen to not let this be a serious injury. She slowly rose and winced. Well, damn. This was not how she wanted her first full day in Silver Lake to end.
Determined to nip this strain in the bud, she eased her way to the kitchen and filled a kitchen towel with some ice then placed it on her back. For a split second, she considered calling Connor for some sympathy, but then she remembered he’d told her not to even turn on her cell phone. Slater might have figured out a way to trace it. So as not to be out of communication range, Connor had promised to bring her a burner phone in the next day or two. Bothering his mom was not an option either. EmmaLee owed the McKinnons enough as it was.
Well, damn. The best thing to do was rest.
After sitting with the ice on her back for twenty minutes, she returned the dripping mess to the kitchen and dumped the remains into the sink. Testing her back, she found she wasn’t as bad off as she thought. Hurray!
Thinking some exercise would do her good, EmmaLee debated bundling up and going out for a walk but then thought better of it. She doubted Mr. McKinnon was sitting at his window waiting for Slater, and even if every shifter in the compound was aware her ex-boyfriend might come after her, she didn’t think walking around alone was a good idea. In the end, she grabbed her e-reader and eased down onto the sofa, ready to get lost in her world of fantasy.
When four turned to five, and then five to six, she decided Connor wasn’t stopping over. She might as well prepare dinner for one. Most likely, Connor reasoned that if everyone in the compound was watching out for her, why should he come by? The poor man hadn’t left her side in a few weeks and was probably happy to have some time to himself.
EmmaLee tried to remember if he mentioned his plans for the evening, but she didn’t think he’d told her anything. Not stopping by tonight was fine, but if he thought she’d be content to sit in this house all day long, everyday, and never leave, he had another thing coming. She wasn’t built for being idle.
Before she reached the kitchen, someone knocked on her door. She jumped, and her heart jackhammered in her chest. For a moment, she thought it was Slater, but then dismissed it. He couldn’t have found her so soon. Or could he have? Because Connor sounded so confident that she’d be safe, the Clan must have a good system of surveillance.
“Coming,” she called, knowing it might take her a minute to reach the door. Standing caused some pain, but once she was upright, she was pleased she was able to move a lot better. “Who is it?”
“It’s Connor.”
EmmaLee smiled. Anxious to see him, she pulled open the door and then just stared, ignoring the chilly air rushing in. It didn’t matter it had only been a few hours since she’d seen him. He must have stopped home after work because when he’d left this morning, he had on a black T-shirt. His jeans and boots looked the same, but now he wore a crisp white button down shirt. He hadn’t shaven, and the worry lines seemed to have deepened. “Come in.”
Instead of looking at her, he studied the room. “Something’s different.”
“I thought I’d rearrange the furniture.”
His brow rose. “So you did. I like it better this way. I’m surprised Vinea didn’t do something like this. It makes the room seem bigger.”
EmmaLee was pleased Connor liked what she’d done. “Can I get you something to drink? I have water, coffee, and orange juice.”
He didn’t make eye contact. “Water’s fine, thanks.”
Connor wasn’t usually this uncomfortable around her. “Did something happen at work today?”
He finally looked at her. “No, why?”
She shrugged. Even if she said he seemed to be avoiding eye contact, he’d never admit it. “You seem preoccupied.”
He stepped into the kitchen, snatched a glass from the cabinet, and filled it with tap water. Well, so much for her offering him something to drink. “I had a lot of catching up to do today.”
All because of her. “I’m sorry.”
As if he remembered who she was, he set down the glass and clasped her shoulders. “No, I’m the one who should apologize. This isn’t your fault. I should have convinced you to come here right away. If I had, I could have had my team working on finding Slater sooner.”
The urge to hug him was strong, until she remembered she was a sucker for an apology. At least this apology had nothing to do with someone hitting her.
EmmaLee moved out of his grasp, but the act of twisting caused an intense pain to race up her back. She grabbed the edge of the counter and gasped out loud.
“EmmaLee, are you okay?” he asked with such concern she almost didn’t recognize his voice.
“I’m fine.” She rubbed her back. “I pulled a muscle when I moved the furniture.”
Connor stepped over to the dining room and dragged over a chair. He then came back and placed his hand on her elbow, gently guiding her to the seat. “Come sit down.”
As much as she didn’t like him waiting on her, she would be more comfortable sitting. “I’m okay, really. I just can’t move quickly.”
“I can see that. Remember I mentioned Kalan Murdoch, the Beta of our Clan?”
“Yes.”
“His sister, Blair, is a physical therapist in town. I can give her a call to see what she suggests you do.”
While she didn’t need that much help, meeting people in the community would make her stay more enjoyable, especially if Connor remained at work all day. “Is she a wolf too?”
“No, a werebear.”
Ooh, even better. “Then by all means contact her.”
*
EmmaLee hadn’t slept well last night in part because her back was giving her a fit, and because Connor remained distant when he’d stopped over. Sure, her injury concerned him, even suggesting Blair Murdoch stop by and help, but he was pre-occupied about something. Did he regret asking her to move to Silver Lake or had the build-up at work been the issue?
Foolishly, EmmaLee had thought if Slater wasn’t an imminent risk that maybe Connor would let down his guard, but apparently, she’d been wrong.
Once Slater was brought to justice, she’d be on her way home, and the last thing she needed was to have her heart broken yet again. But damn, the enigmatic Connor McKinnon intrigued her. Too often she debated seducing him, but that little voice in her head told her it was too soon. She needed to study him more in order to decide if she wanted a fling to have something to remember him by.
A rapping sounded on her door and jarred her out of her daydream. That must be Blair. With her hand on her lower back, EmmaLee walked carefully toward the door. After looking through the peephole, she opened up. A tall redhead with a folded table leaning against her leg stood there.
The beautiful woman smiled. “Hi, I’m Blair.”
“Come in. Do you need help with that?”
Blair chuckled. “So you can hurt your back again? No thanks.”
“I forgot. I’m not used to being hurt.”
“I understand. It happens often.” Blair carried the table inside and set it between the living room and dining room. “I’d be screwed if I hurt my back. I know I take too many chances lifting heavy things, but I have confidence my bear can heal anything minor.”
“What I wouldn’t give for some shifter blood in me.” Heat instantly raced up her face at what it would take to accomplish that. “I mean, I wish I had been born a shifter.”
Blair tossed her a knowing smile then looked around. “I haven’t been in this guesthouse in a long time. I remember playing in here when we were kids, especially in the winter. The McKinnons didn’t get many guests when it was cold.”
“We?”
“The Murdochs and the McKinnons. My parents live next door in the two-story white house. Our two families are tight, in part because our fathers were the two Clan leaders.”
“I remember Connor telling me that your brother Kalan is the Beta.”
“Yes.” Blair set up her table. “Let me take a look at your back. Tell me how you hurt it.”
EmmaLee regaled her with her overzealous attempt to move the furniture. “I guess I was still too tired from the long drive here to try moving stuff around.”
“You should have asked Connor to help.”
Like he needed more work? “I wanted to give him a break. Poor guy has been doing everything for me for weeks, especially that first week when I was recovering.”
“I heard what happened. I’m sorry.”
“Thanks. It’s in the past—or rather it will be as soon as Slater is caught and jailed.”
Blair patted the table. “Hop on up and lay on your stomach. I want to feel around to find the sore spot.”
With care, EmmaLee did as Blair instructed. Stretching out helped the achy pain. While she needed the physical therapy, EmmaLee also wanted to pick her brain. “Since you grew up here, what can you tell me about Connor?”
Blair chuckled as she pressed her fingers down EmmaLee’s spine. “Even though I’m a year younger, we went to school together and goofed around when we were kids. That being said, once he reached high school, Connor kept to himself more than the others, so we didn’t interact that much.”
That didn’t surprise her. “Would you say he was more the brooding, caring, or angry type?”
Blair pressed on a painful spot and EmmaLee winced. “I’m going to press here for a bit to get the nerve to release.”
“Okay.”
At the moment, her physical condition wasn’t as important as learning about Connor.
“Connor is complicated. It had to be hard living in the shadow of the man destined to be the Clan’s Alpha.”
“Rye.”
“Yes. Devon, the brother in between Rye and Connor, was more like Connor than their younger brother, Finn, who’s the inquisitive and happy one. Now that he’s managing McKinnon’s Pub, he’s become more serious.”
“I’d like to meet him.” Mostly to see the contrast between these two brothers. Blair released the spot, and EmmaLee could feel some relief. “So Connor didn’t run around with a ton of different friends?” She wasn’t sure why she asked, but it would help give her insight into the man.
“He did for a long time. When he reached high school, he became a more focused student. The girls were always after him, but he only went out with a few. He wasn’t wild like some of the kids I knew. Connor had a few close friends he was very protective of.”
EmmaLee liked that Connor was noble. If only she’d known Slater when he was young, she might not have made her mistake. “Is Connor still close with them?”
“Some. His best friend now is my brother Jackson, but when Connor was eighteen, he and Drew Balko were besties.”
“But not now?” Had they fought?
“He died.”
EmmaLee’s heart broke. Poor Connor. She understood what loss could do to a person, especially at such a young age. “What happened?”
“I wasn’t there, but apparently, a bunch of guys got together at a shifter’s house, whose parents were out of town. Drew thought that because he was a werewolf he could hold his alcohol better than most. Apparently, he couldn’t. Connor tried to stop him from driving home, but Drew refused to listen. They even got into a shoving and shouting match over it. In the end, Drew got behind the wheel. Halfway home he ran into a telephone pole. He was killed instantly.”
EmmaLee sucked in a breath. “Knowing Connor, he felt a little responsible for not stopping him, didn’t he?”
“Yes, and he was devastated for a long time.” Blair patted her back. “Sit up. I need you to stretch a little.”
EmmaLee did so and found the short massage had helped. “Has he always worked at McKinnon and Associates?”
“No. He worked for another company for nearly two years beforehand. Then when our dads started the investigative firm, he worked for them. When our parents retired, they asked him to take over. I was out of state going to school for most of that though. Sad to say, I didn’t keep up with him much. Even now, we really don’t run in the same circles. Over Sunday dinner, Jackson might make some comments about Connor, but mostly he talks about how the man is a workaholic.”
That much she’d figured out. “So he’s not dating anyone?”
Blair smiled and shook her head. “I think I’ll let you ask him that.”
When she had, he’d merely grunted his response. So far, she hadn’t seen or heard anything to indicate that he was anything other than a protective man whose life was centered around his work. If he had a love life, it couldn’t be much of one.
As much as EmmaLee believed it would be fun to crack his crusty veneer, she doubted she was the woman for him. Men who ran successful businesses were logical and focused. They’d never value a part-time student with crazy ass notions of dragons who lived long ago in some ancient realm.
*
Connor’s intercom buzzed. “Yes?”
“My brother is here to see you,” Lexi announced.
“Good, send him back.”
A moment later, Lexi knocked then stepped in with a big smile on her face. She motioned the large bearded man inside. “This is Ronan,” she said with obvious pride.
Connor stood and walked around his desk, not expecting the man to be a good two inches taller than he was. “Hey, good to meet you.”
Ronan had a coffee cup in one hand and a manila folder in the other. He slipped the packet under his arm and shook hands. “Likewise. Lexi has told me a lot about you.”
“I hope it was all good?”
They both smiled.
“You need anything, Connor?” Lexi asked. “Coffee?”
“No, thanks.” As soon as she left, Connor pulled up a second chair so that they were facing each other. “I really appreciate you coming down,” Connor said.
“I’ve been meaning to visit Lexi for a while, but I’ve been busy.” He set his cup on Connor’s desk. “So what’s going on with this Coghill fellow?”
Connor liked his cut-to-the-chase attitude. He gave him as much information as he could. “One of my team members, Jackson Murdoch, is trying to locate him via his cell phone. We’re also trying to get access to his credit card number so we can trace him that way.”
“I wish I had that kind of info on my man.”
“Maybe we can help.” Even if he hadn’t asked Ronan to lend a hand, Connor would give assistance to any team member’s relative.
“That would be great.” Ronan handed him the file. “Everything I have on Timothy Delahart is in here, from police reports to the people he’s associated with to where his family is located.”
Connor was impressed with not only the depth of the information but with the clear way it was organized. “I see you and Lexi have something in common.”
He raised an eyebrow. “What’s that?”
“You both like spreadsheets.”
Ronan laughed. “I do at that. You do know that Lexi and I are Wendayans, right?” Ronan asked.
“I do. Do you have the same talents?”
“Yes and no. Lexi is extremely strong for a woman and quite coordinated, as am I, but I also have an acute sense of smell. In fact, I track my bounties by their scent.”
Connor had never heard of anything like that. “Like a bloodhound?”
“More or less. A shifter’s scent isn’t unpleasant, but each person’s is distinctive. It leaves a long trail if you know what to smell for.”
“I’m curious. How far away can you be to detect his scent?”
“Depends on the shifter, the temperature, and how long he’s lingered in one spot. I don’t need much of a trace to track him.”
“That’s amazing.” Connor crossed his ankle over his knee. What he wouldn’t give to have this man’s talent at his firm. “I want to work with you on your case, but I worry this Coghill guy might find EmmaLee if I’m not here. Unless I can line up someone to watch over her, I don’t want to leave town.”
“I understand.” Ronan’s voice held steady, but his eyes had changed color enough to indicate he was disappointed. “I totally get that your team likes to protect people. Sam helped Lexi when she had a stalker.”
Sam had been extra diligent in part because Lexi was his mate. “I can offer you the services of our extensive databases. The brother of one of the men in my employee works at the sheriff’s department. He often provides us with excellent intel.”
Ronan smiled. “That would be terrific.”
Connor’s cell rang. Fearing something might have happened to EmmaLee, he checked the screen. It was his dad. He held up a finger to indicate he’d only be a minute. “Hey, Dad. What’s up?”
“I totally forgot that your mom and I were invited out to dinner tonight. It’s Patsy O’Neill’s sixtieth birthday and your mom can’t miss that.”
She and Patsy were best friends. “Of course not. Go.”
“What about EmmaLee? Can you come home right now? We’re leaving in a few minutes.”
“I’ll call EmmaLee and let her know to keep the doors lock. And yes, I’ll make sure someone watches her. Have a good time.” He disconnected and pocketed the phone.
“Problem?” Ronan asked.
“Kind of.” He explained that his father would not be able to keep an eye on EmmaLee after all. “I’m hoping Lexi can do me a favor.” He pressed the intercom button. “Can you step in here?”
“Sure.” A minute later, Lexi popped her head in. “What’s up?”
“Ronan and I aren’t quite done here, and I need you to do me a favor if you can.”
“What is it?”
“Would you mind keeping an eye on EmmaLee until I can get there? She’s staying at my parents’ guesthouse. Dad was supposed to watch her until I finished work, but he and Mom have a dinner engagement they have to go to. I want to pick Ronan’s brain some more.”
“I’d be happy to. Sam’s out on assignment tonight, so my only plans were to chat with Ronan, but if you’re with him, I might as well meet your new lady.”
She wasn’t his new lady, but to deny it now would only cause more speculation on Lexi’s part. “Tell her I’ll be there when I can.”
She faced her brother. “Where are you staying? We have a couch you can crash on if you want, though I can’t vouch it’ll be all that comfortable given your size.”
He glanced at Connor and then back at his sister. “I saw a hotel on the drive in. I’ll check it out when Connor and I finish up.”
Ronan had come down here to help out, so the least Connor could do was offer him the safe room. “Nonsense. We have a room downstairs you can stay in. The couple that was there left this morning.” He’d thought of asking EmmaLee to move into the room, but he didn’t want to uproot her again. Besides, she really seemed to like the guesthouse.
Lexi smiled. “Ah, the safe room.” She faced her brother. “You’ll love it. It’s a suite.”
“Sounds great.”
Lexi gave Ronan a hug. EmmaLee would be safe with her. “Don’t tell her too many bad things about me,” Connor said with as much cheer as he could muster.
“There’s nothing bad to say.” She winked.
“You’re a diplomat. I like that.”
Once Lexi left, he called EmmaLee to let her know his change of his plans, and that he’d get there when he could.
“Is this necessary?” she asked, sounding somewhat upset.
“Possibly not, but I’d feel more comfortable if someone stayed with you.”
“I can take care of myself. I promise to lock the door.”
That last part was in reference to Caroline Andrews, the woman who died under his watch. “I’m sure you can, but Lexi can fill you in on the comings and goings of the town.” EmmaLee loved gossip.
“Really?”
Her sudden cheerful tone worried him. “Yes. Do you have enough food for dinner?” he asked wanting to change the subject.
“You saw how much food your mom left. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. See you later.”
He should be happy that she didn’t whine. There was a lot more to EmmaLee Donovan than met the eye.
Yes, like the fact she’s your mate, his wolf reminded him for the umpteenth time.
Once Connor said goodbye, he disconnected. Needing to take his mind off of the alluring EmmaLee, he opened the Timothy Delahart folder, noting the banking information. “Let me ask Jackson to step in here. I’m betting he can find where Delahart has been just by his spending habits.”
Ronan grinned. “Don’t make my life too easy. I might never leave.”
That was what Connor was hoping for.