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W ith her gun ready, Monica moved around the car to reach Lionel.

The other officers had exited their vehicles but were staying behind them.

Andy was the most vulnerable for now. She had to rush around the truck that Lionel had collided with and reach him before he shot Andy.

As soon as Lionel heard her sneaking around on the crunchy snow, Lionel turned to observe her.

"Roll this way," she ordered, her weapon poised at him.

At the same time, Andy took advantage of the distraction and raced onto the street to grab Lionel's gun. As soon as he did, Lionel grabbed for it.

Was the guy suicidal?

Monica ran the last few feet just as Andy reached the gun and grabbed it. He would have just kicked it away from Lionel, but it was impossible with the street covered in snow.

The officers quickly joined them. Andy pulled gauze from his first aid kit and applied it to Lionel’s arm. Then he wrapped it in a pressure bandage when the sound of more sirens rent the air. More police vehicles were suddenly on the scene, and an ambulance arrived.

“There were six large pizzas,” Monica suddenly said.

“Yeah. And all we saw were two of the guys. Was anyone found in the house?” Andy asked one of the other officers.

“The pizzas were on the dining table, but everyone had left. We suspect they were in Eloise’s car. Others went after the car but lost them,” one of the officers said.

“She sounded like she was drunk again,” Andy said.

“She wasn’t driving. Some guy was. We didn’t even see her, just the guy at the wheel.”

“Then the others were hiding in the car, most likely,” Andy said.

Roger soon joined them. “We have Teague in a police car.”

EMTs were taking care of Lionel’s arm, and one of the cops accompanied him as they transported him to the hospital.

“You know you’re going to have to turn over your gun,” Roger said to Andy.

“Yeah, but at least the other police arrived with their car cams, and I have my body cam on.”

“I was glad when everyone began getting those,” Roger said.

“Yeah, me too.” Monica agreed that the videos were essential to show what had happened in the cases she had worked.

After connecting with his and her bosses, Monica told Andy, “We need to speak with Lionel and Teague.”

She wanted to chase after Eloise’s car, but she had no idea where they had gone.

“Yeah, let’s do it. Hey, Roger, thanks for all the help.” Andy thanked the other officers still there.

Monica did too.

Then she and Andy climbed the hill and headed past Eloise’s house. Officers were there searching the home. Monica waved to one of them. “Have you found any evidence that Wendell Marquart, Helen Wright, or Denny Wilson had been there? I’m the agent who managed to catch them the first time.”

“We heard about that,” the one officer said. “But not yet.”

She told him what they had learned, not wanting to give up her case, but it only mattered that they were caught and prosecuted.

He said, “We’re conducting a search warrant. We’re looking for anything related to the faux kidnapping crime.”

“I’ll join you. I need to know if the others were in the house and left with Eloise. I need to locate them.”

“Let us know if you find anything.”

“I will.” She turned to Andy. “I’ll be right back.”

“I’ll be here.”

Roger soon joined him, and she was glad Andy had someone to talk to and wasn’t just left out in the cold.

She entered the house and saw the pizzas on the table where they had been dropped.

They must have realized that Andy had been with the police and quickly made their escape.

Several of them had been there—except Helen and Wendell.

That’s why she had to check out the house. To see if she could smell their scents.

That was one of the shifters' huge advantages in locating people—both the good guys and bad.

She walked into one of the bedrooms where she smelled that Eloise and Denny had been having sex. That didn’t make any sense. Where had Helen and Wendell been?

She walked around the rest of the house, smelling the scents of Lionel and Teague. So that was it. She didn’t see any bags that the men might have owned.

“We found drugs,” one of the officers said.

“Did you find any money?” Monica asked.

As in ransom money. Neither Lionel nor Teague had any on them, so Eloise and Denny must have taken the bags and thrown them in the car to hide the evidence. They must not have had time to grab the drugs.

“No money. We’re still looking.”

“Okay. They might have gotten the bags of money for the kidnapping and thrown it in the car or hidden it somewhere else before they came here.” Monica wished they had at least found that.

“You would think the other men, Teague and Lionel, would want their cuts.”

Monica agreed. She figured they weren’t too far away from the money. “They might already have their cuts and then have them hidden elsewhere. These people aren’t the smartest criminals. Gathering like they did was sure to get them caught.”

“Yeah, I agree, which is good for us. Maybe we can catch these guys.”

“We will.” She was determined to do so. She just wished, like before, that the others hadn’t gotten away. “Good luck on the search.”

“Did you gather anything from looking around?”

“Not much. Just that they left quickly.”

“Good luck with your case.”

“Thanks.” Monica left Eloise’s house and joined Andy and Roger.

Andy immediately hugged her. She hadn’t expected it because she was on the job, and so was he, even though they were both supposed to be off duty. But she appreciated it and hugged him back.

“Are you ready to interview Harvey, Teague, and Lionel?” Monica asked Andy.

“Yeah, I sure am.”

“Let’s go. And thanks, Roger, for helping again,” Monica said.

“My pleasure.” Roger saluted them and headed to his car.

Monica got into Andy’s SUV.

“How are you?”

“Good. My hand is much better, and so is my back. I still can’t touch my thumb to my pinky, but I’m gently working on getting more mobility in it.”

“That’s good.” He took her hand and pressed a gentle kiss on it. Then he started the car and drove to the police department. “What did you learn in Eloise’s house?”

She loved that Andy was always so affectionate. “That Denny and Eloise had sex recently in her bedroom.”

“Hell, no kidding?”

“Yeah, and there was no sign of Wendell or Helen having been there.” She explained about the drugs. “But no money.”

“Good that they got her on drugs once they capture her.”

“Right. I opt for us to talk to Teague and Lionel first. Maybe they’ll spill the truth about where the others went.”

“I agree.”

The police department loomed ahead, its brick exterior imposing and intimidating. As they approached, they could see people coming and going, some in uniform, others in handcuffs. The building's windows gleamed, reflecting the sunlight with a touch of authority.

Monica took a deep breath and exhaled.

Andy rubbed her arm to offer support, which she so appreciated. Not in a million years would she have thought she’d need someone to bolster her like that.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I want to make sure that I ask all the right questions and we get all the right answers.”

“You will. Maybe not on the first interview, but when you get the others to corroborate their stories.”

“True.”

The department was bustling with people, some filing complaints or missing person reports, and some being fingerprinted and photographed.

Phones rang, people chatted, and papers shuffled in a constant barrage of sounds.

The occasional siren could be heard in the distance, a reminder of the urgency and importance of the police department's work.

The faint scent of coffee and the sharp odor of cleaning supplies wafted through the air, with a hint of sweat and nervousness. The familiar smell of ink and paper from fingerprinting kits lingered in the background. Due to the bears’ heightened sense of smell, everything seemed sharper.

Monica showed her badge to the officer. “I need to speak to Teague Moore and Lionel Boyer separately. Harvey Marquart after that.”

“Yes, ma’am. You too, Andy?”

“I’ll let Agent O’Connell do all the questioning, but I’ll listen in.”

The officer shook his head, smiling. “Most of us have a love-hate relationship with the FBI when we try to investigate a case, and then they take it over. But you’re starting to be on better terms with at least one of them.”

Andy laughed. Then he listened from the viewing room while Monica interviewed Teague first.

When she entered the room with a few papers, Teague glanced at Monica, raised his brows, and tilted his chin up arrogantly.

“Okay, you’re in a lot of trouble right now.” Monica sat in the chair on the opposite side of the table from Teague, started the recording, and read him his rights. Then she leaned forward, closing the gap between them in more of an intimidating stance.

“I haven’t done anything.” He shoved his hands in his pockets but didn’t move away from her.

“You were carrying a bag that contained ransom money paid for the kidnapping of Helen Wright.”

“Says you. It’s not so. You have no proof. I’ve never met you before.”

“I hate to inform you that both the trooper and I were wearing body cams that showed everything that happened at the cabin.”

Teague’s jaw dropped. He leaned back away from her, trying to distance himself now as if she had actual evidence.

“So even if you and your cohorts all said the same thing, that they’d never seen us, it won’t wash.

Oh, and the federal agents picked up all the handcuffs we’d used on you and obtained the DNA from them, so you won’t be able to lie your way out of this.

” Monica sat back in her chair. “Where are the others?”

“Hell, if I know. That trooper tackled me and handcuffed me, and then I was hauled off to jail.”

“Okay, well, we have Lionel also. Where would Eloise and Denny go next? With all the money, right? Do you trust them to hold onto your money also?”