Page 34 of Rhett

“I don’t know what’s going on between them, and frankly, I don’t care,” I declared before walking over to the passenger’s side, opening the door.

My skin tingled with discomfort as I peered into my vehicle. “What the hell?”

My backpack had been tossed onto my driver’s seat with all the compartments unzipped. My laptop, camera, and tablet that I’d stowed inside the pack were on the floor on the passenger’s side. Reaching for my backpack, I noticed the small pocket where I’d put my pendant was also unzipped. I stuck my fingers inside. It was empty. “My pendant is gone.” Tears of anger welled in my eyes as I tried to process the fact that someone had stolen my jewelry.

“What pendant?” Rhett’s voice boomed directly behind me.

Startled, I nearly banged the top of my head against the roof of my SUV. Looking over my shoulder at him, I snapped, “Will you stop sneaking up on me?”

“I’m not sneaking around,” he countered.

Emmett, Imani, and Bonnie joined us at my passenger’s side to see what was happening.

“What’s going on?” Emmett asked.

“Someone rifled through my stuff,” I said.

Rhett frowned. “Emmett, did you see anything strange when you picked up her vehicle?”

“No,” Emmett replied, rubbing his chin. “There was no one around when I picked up her SUV. I did notice that her front windows were down, but I didn’t pay that no never mind because it was parked on a deserted stretch of road.”

“What about strange scents?” Rhett pressed.

“No, Rhett,” he barked. “If there was something off, I would have said so.”

“Calm down,” Bonnie demanded. “What else is missing?” she asked me.

I shoved my tablet, camera, and laptop back inside my bag. “Just a black diamond-encrusted jaguar pendant that my father put inside his letter.” I fought back angry tears. It was the only thing I had from my father, and now it was gone. “I was planning on getting a chain so that I could wear it as a necklace. I put it inside my backpack so that I wouldn’t lose it. Why would anyone take my pendant and leave my tablet, camera, and a laptop?”

“Step aside please,” Rhett requested.

I did as told, watching him lean inside the vehicle. “Sam,” he exclaimed, then eased out of the vehicle. “His scent is inside your car.”

“Who’s Sam?” I asked.

Rhett’s expression was thunderous. “A troublemaking wolf-shifter that I’m going to skin alive.”

Bonnie cracked her knuckles. “Not if I catch him first.”

“This shit has to stop, Rhett,” Imani demanded. “Now he’s stealing. What’s next?”

“My pendant is a gift from my father,” I reiterated. “I want it back, but Sam the thief probably pawned it. Are there any pawn shops in town?”

Emmett shook his head. “Shifters don’t steal things for money. They take them because they can. The more sentimental, the better.”

Anger coursed through my veins. “My pendant is his trophy? Why? He doesn’t even know me.”

“To make a long story short,” Imani started, “he hates hybrids.”

“Let me see your backpack,” Rhett demanded.

I handed it over and watched him sniff it loudly. “Yep. Sam. His grimy fingers were all over your backpack.” He eyed me. “Your backpack is evidence now, but everything inside, I’ll make sure you get back.”

I shrugged. “That’s fine. Do you need me to file a report?”

“No, I’ll take it from here.”

Imani looped her arm through mine. “Let Rhett handle it. Let’s go. I think you need a strong drink along with your lunch.” She dragged me away.