Page 17 of The Tracker's Secret

My life had turned into a whirlwind of bad, and something told me that things would get much worse before they got better.

Chapter 6

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AS I WALKED OUT OFthe police department, Jake and Rosalina rushed in my direction. They’d been waiting by her car and peeled away from it as soon as they saw me.

“Toni!” Rosalina wrapped me in her arms and checked me up and down. “Jake said you were hurt.”

“I’m fine now,” I said. “They healed me right up. It didn’t even take long. See.” I spread my arms out to show her I was safe and sound. I didn’t want her to worry. I could easily put myself in her shoes. If something happened to her... I didn’t want to think about it.

“How did it go in there?” Jake asked.

“I picked out the perp from a lineup. It wasn’t hard.”

Jake raised a thick eyebrow, waiting for more, but I had no idea if I should tell him anything since it might pull him into danger. Already Ulfen didn’t like him. He thought Jake was a bad influence on his son and blamed him for Stephen’s defection to New Orleans. Though, if Ulfen was really trying to hurt his son maybe he didn’t like Jake for other reasons.

Though, wouldn’t leaving Stephen alone in New Orleans, or wherever else he decided to go away with Jake, be better than trying to kill him? If that was even what was going on here. I honestly didn’t know. Stephen had been adamant about defending his father, and he wasn’t the kind to be easily deceived. At least I didn’t think so. Only God knew how deep this rabbit hole went and what kind of surprises were buried in it. I surely didn’t want to be the one excavating that lovely treasure.

Tom was right. I needed to stay away from Stephen and, by extension, Jake if I didn’t want my life to be turned on its head again. Though, with mywerewolfness, life was already upside down. So maybe the guys could turn it back on its ass, like two wrongs making a right. If only.

“Anyway,” I said, ignoring Jake’s desire for more information. “I’m tired. I want to go home.”

Rosalina took my hand and started pulling me toward the car. “Then home it is.”

Suddenly, Jake gripped my other hand and started a tug-of-war with Rosalina. I glanced back and forth between them, too stunned to say anything. This hadn’t happened to me since elementary school when I brought a loaf-sized Twinkie for lunch.

Realizing the ridiculousness of the situation, Jake let me go and quickly said, “Toni, can I have a moment?”

Rosalina gave me a questioning glance, and I nodded to indicate it was all right. She rolled her eyes and got in the car to wait for me.

“What is it?” I joined Jake, stepping back onto the sidewalk.

“I know the man who attacked Stephen,” he said, surprising me. That was not what I had expected him to say.

He peered at me in a peculiar way. His nostrils widening as he sniffled. “Are you sure you’re all right?” he asked.