Page 50 of Fight (Kitsune #2)

"The local pack has a detective on SPD, he's in charge of the investigation."

"So you went to the cops?"

"No. Honestly, it never occurred to me. When it happened I was too sick to think about much of anything.

Alexis contacted the local Anikitos. When the detective was assigned a case where he scented Kitsune, he went to the Anikitos as well.

That's who put us in touch. So I have an idea of exactly how much the police know. "

"There's something you're avoiding telling me, Nickie." He seemed to read between the lines. "Just spit it out so I can help you."

"Well," I was reluctant to start. "when the local Anikitos brought the detective to talk to me, I learned something. It's something that bothers me some, but under the circumstances I can live with it. I don't know how well you'll take it though."

"The lead up isn't helping. Just spit it out."

"All right, all right. The detective said that when they found the van it wasn't empty, there was a body inside.

The guys who kidnapped me were human, and when I hit the one who'd been kicking me, I hit him hard enough that it caved in his skull.

I killed him." I realized that I had tears running down my face and wiped them away with one hand.

The line went quiet, absolutely silent, and after several seconds I had to ask. "Are you still there?"

"Yeah, I'm here, I was just thinking." He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Did you admit to doing it?"

"Yeah, of course. I couldn't lie about that." Tears continued to streak down my face, though they seemed to have slowed some.

"Crap, I'll look around see if we can find you a good attorney up there."

"Raine, you don't need to do that."

"But we have to prove it was self-defense."

"No, we don't. The detective said there was nothing in the van to lead them to me. The only reason he knew there was a Kitsune involved was scent and he's the only one who would have picked that up."

"He's not turning you in?"

"No."

I heard him sigh on the other end of the line. "I can't say I'm not glad, though part of me isn't. It's a case that will never be solved."

I waited, I knew he wasn't finished.

"If they're not going to turn you in, what do you need?"

I told him about our theory that Brandon was behind it and how it was only supported by them taking me and leaving Alexis. "Bill's looked into where Brandon's supposed to be, but he's not there. He told the family he was supposed to stay with that he was just visiting and he's disappeared."

"That's not good."

"That's where you come in."

"What is it you want from me exactly?" He sounded resigned, as if he knew I was going to ask him for something he wouldn't want to do.

"I was hoping you could use some of the resources you have access to, as a police officer, to help us find Brandon. He's got to be in contact with someone there to know where to find me and he's got to be getting money from somewhere."

"You know I'm not supposed to do that."

"I know and I'll understand if you won't do it. But I have to ask. I have to at least try."

"I'm not sure if I'll be able to help," He said. "but I'll look into it, see what I can find."

"Thanks, that's all I can ask."

"Do you want to tell me how badly you were hurt during all this?"

"Not really." I hedged.

"Do I need to call Devon to get the truth?"

"I wish you wouldn't, but I'm still not going to tell you. Most of my injuries were self-inflicted, from escaping, anyway."

"That doesn't help much."

"I know but I'm almost healed anyway."

"I'm not happy about this."

"I'm sorry, I'm fine, really I am. But we need to find Brandon and determine if he's behind these guys. They're investigating from this end but we've really got to find Brandon."

"All right. I don't like it but I'll see what I can do."

"Thanks. It means a lot to me."

"I'm willing to do a lot to keep you from getting hurt again."

"I know." I didn't know what else to say.

"I'll get on this. I'll get a hold of you if and when I find anything."

I spent a few minutes talking to my brother, catching up on family news and home town gossip before we rang off with the promise to call if either of us found out anything more.

I sat down my PCD and was standing to go wash my face when Devon came into the bedroom.

"How's it go-" He cut himself off when he got a good look at my face. "What's wrong?" He wrapped his arms gently around me, instantly concerned by the tear streaks running down my face. "Why are you crying?"

I shook my head but didn't push his arms away. "It's nothing. I just got a little emotional talking to Raine."

"Did he say something that hurt your feelings?" He rubbed one hand up and down my back in a soothing motion.

"No." I laid my head on his shoulder. "I just had to tell him what's happened up here to get him to look for Brandon for us."

"You told him about being taken." He said, suddenly understanding.

I nodded against his shoulder and his arms tightened around me.

"Is he going to tell the rest of your family?"

I picked my head up and stared at his face, shocked. "Oh, god. It never occurred to me to tell him not to." I knew if my parents found out, they would be upset and that was the last thing I wanted.

"Relax." He soothed me by running his hands over my face and pulling me back against him. "Go wash your face and then talk to Alexis for a few minutes. I'll call Raine and make sure he doesn't tell your family."

My knees went weak as relief flooded through me. I stayed in his arms for a few more seconds, until I was sure my legs would hold me before pulling away.

"All right." I nodded. "I'll do that." I went into the bathroom and closed the door, not wanting to overhear Devon as he talked to my brother.

When I finished in the bathroom, I quickly slipped through the bedroom and out into the main room. Alexis was sitting on the sofa, and Caden was nowhere in sight. Since we had decided that no one goes anywhere alone, I assumed he was in the other half of the suite.

"Have you heard anything from Ridges yet?" I sat in one of the chairs near her. Her attention was focused on the PCD in her hand.

She looked up briefly before looking back down at the device and touching the screen a few times before setting it aside.

"Not yet." She turned to face me. "What did your brother say?"

"He's not real happy about it, but he'll see what he can do to find Brandon for me."

"Good, hopefully it will help us find him and determine if he's behind this."

I took a deep breath and looked across the room. I was avoiding meeting Alexis' eyes, I knew she would see too much. "I hope so too."

"You don't want to believe that your friend could do something like this, do you?"

I shook my head slowly. "The Brandon I knew never would have done this, but he's done a lot of things that Brandon would never have done.

I'm afraid that the Brandon I thought I knew either never existed or doesn't exist anymore.

" I turned back to her, meeting her direct look.

"And if he's behind this, then I've killed because of him.

That's something I will never forgive him for. "

She was quiet a moment. "Do you want to talk about it?" She asked softly.

"No, not really." I shook my head, looking away again. "I had to tell Raine what happened in order to get him agree to look for Brandon. I forgot to tell him not to tell the rest of my family I'd been hurt. Devon called him back, that's what he's doing now."

She watched me a few minutes. "Which bothers you more? That you did it, or that it was probably someone you considered a friend who put you in the position where you had to?" She cut right to the heart of it.

The drapes were open, giving me a great view of the city and sky, I watched the clouds move out the large glass wall across the room as I thought.

"That he was someone I thought was my friend, I think.

I know I did what I had to do in order to get away.

I don't see how I could have done it any differently and still have escaped, not considering the circumstances.

But if he's the reason I had to, if he's the one responsible for putting me in that position to start with? That I can never forgive.

Ridges arranged for us to use the same piece of land that we'd used for our run to shift Reese. It was convenient since we already knew where it was, maybe Ridges thought of that, I didn't ask.

Reese met us at the hotel and followed us out to the site.

We arrived about fifteen minutes early and found the place empty.

We parked in the same corner we'd used a couple of days earlier.

Reese pulled his pick-up in beside our vehicle, leaving several feet of empty space.

If we'd been expecting a large group a gap that size would have been rude, but since there should only be a few it wouldn't matter.

We climbed out of our vehicles, and stretched to get rid of the stiffness from the ride. I turned to go talk to Reese when I heard the pop of tires moving over uneven ground. I looked back toward the road to see who it was.

"It's probably Ridges." Alexis said, drawing my attention.

"Is he bringing anyone else?" I wondered for the first time.

"Enforcers for sure and he said he may bring local healers. Alekto, Lysandros and Harmonia are all possible too."

I mentally cringed. I wasn't looking forward to performing in front of a crowd, especially if this didn't work.

A newer model, compact, SUV pulled in to the clearing a moment later.

I didn't recognize it but then I'd never seen Ridges vehicle.

They pulled up on the other side of Reese's truck.

I was watching the new vehicle, waiting to see who climbed out, when another car pulled into the clearing.

This one was older and much smaller, not really ideal for the rough road leading into the clearing, it was obviously a car designed for city driving.