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We have a search warrant. Ethan handed it to her. If you re hiding anyone who is wanted by the police, you ll be charged with aiding and abetting and obstruction.

Clara pursed her thin lips but didn t say anything. Then she finally motioned for them to enter the house. I m calling my lawyer.

You re free to do so. Ethan headed into the house with his wolf friends and Renault, smelling for Oakley s scent. He followed that scent down the hall toward the bedrooms.

Some of the investigators were looking for evidence that the men used this as a safe house and found plenty of it in the other rooms, as Ethan heard one of the men say they found a stash of drugs, guns, and money.

Ethan heard the shower running and moved quickly toward the bathroom.

Josh was right behind him, and Adam and Tori went into the bedrooms on either side of the bathroom.

The shower was running in the bathroom, the window open, water all over the floor and below the windowsill, but Oakley couldn t have climbed out the small bathroom window.

Someone s headed out the back way, Adam called out from one of the bedrooms. He went out this window.

That s Oakley, Ethan confirmed for them. They all ended up climbing out the window, the fastest way to catch up to the bastard.

Other officers stayed back at the house to gather evidence.

As soon as Ethan and his team were outside, he immediately smelled Oakley s scent headed toward the cliffs.

Ethan, his wolf friends, and Renault were in the lead, headed straight for Oakley while the other officers had spread out, searching for him. But Ethan and the other wolves were hot on Oakley s scent trail, Renault keeping up with the rest of them.

When they reached the cliff, Ethan peered over it and saw Oakley hanging on precariously. Idiot. Ethan couldn t believe Oakley would attempt to escape that way. The waves were crashing down below, the tide fully in so he couldn t even go anywhere if he made it down to the beach.

Give it up, Ethan called down to him. You have nowhere to go.

Oakley just glowered at Ethan. Who told you we were at the warehouse?

Wouldn t you like to know? Climb back up here before you end up killing yourself. Think of how your great-aunt will feel if you commit suicide.

Oakley s eyes widened.

Clara s being taken into custody. Was your great- aunt involved also? Ethan didn t believe so, but who knew? Maybe she was just as involved. He was surprised Clara might be a lot more invested in all this business too.

Oakley wasn t making a move to climb up the cliff. Ethan figured he just really didn t want to give himself up to the police, as if he had much of a choice.

Come on, Ethan said. You re going only one way if you don t come up and join us, and that s to your death at the bottom of the cliff.

Reluctantly, Oakley finally started to climb up to the top of the cliff. As soon as he was within reaching distance of pulling himself up over the edge, Ethan, Adam, and Noah grabbed his arms and hoisted him up. Then Renault handcuffed him.

So where s your buddy, Kroner? Ethan asked.

He hasn t been caught yet? Oakley shook his head. Figures. I swear he can get away with everything and anything.

Who shot Officer Baker? Ethan asked.

Oakley s eyes widened. Hell, he was shot? I have no idea.

Ethan hadn t expected that Oakley would spill his guts.

Then Ethan contacted Ty. We have Oakley in custody. We just need him picked up. They would transport Kroner s men to Portland once he d questioned them. He just wished they had caught Kroner too.

We found the heroin they had stashed in the warehouse, Ty said. It has been confiscated.

Good. Kroner won t have the money from the sale of the heroin then, Ethan said.

Clara Snyder is being taken in for questioning too.

Okay, I ll be by to also speak with her.

What about Kroner? Ty asked.

I need to interview the men we caught and then go from there. Maybe someone will have an idea where he is or might have gone, Ethan said.

Once Oakley was taken off to jail, Ethan said to Noah and Renault, Let s go talk to these guys.

And the rest of us? Josh asked. I m all for going back to Charlene s place and watching over her.

Yeah, Tori said. I m all for doing that too.

Adam agreed with them.

Ethan was glad about it, and then they all headed to the house so Ethan could see Charlene before he went to speak with the men they had caught. Ethan called Charlene on the way back with Renault and said, We caught Oakley. Everyone except Kroner is accounted for.

Charlene said, Wonderful! Not about Kroner, but about the rest of them. The other bad agent? The bad cops?

Yeah, all of them. We re dropping by the house. Tori, Adam, and Josh are staying with you. Noah, Renault, and I are going to interview everyone who was arrested.

Okay, so I ll see you soon?

Yeah, we re on our way back from Shelby Bay now. Love you, honey.

I love you. Can t wait to see you.

***

Though Charlene was really hoping that Ethan and the others had taken down Kroner, she was glad they had captured all the rest. She couldn t wait to see Ethan and hold him tight, to know that he hadn t been shot again.

She told Brad and the others what was going on. Maverick said, Yeah, I just got a text from Josh.

That s not good that Kroner wasn t caught, Brad said.

I had an idea though. If Kroner still wants to take down Ethan, maybe we can go to the pack leaders ranch and have our mating celebration party. If Kroner follows us there, the whole pack can welcome him with wolf jaws wide open, Charlene said.

That s not a bad idea, Brad said.

Let me check with Ethan and see if he agrees to it. Charlene called Ethan back. Hey, how about having our celebration at the pack leaders ranch and see if we can lure Kroner there?

Yeah, that works for me, Ethan said.

Okay, then that s the plan. As soon as you join us back here after your interviews, we ll go to the ranch, Charlene said.

I ll tell Leidolf and Cassie what we plan to do. They ll get everything set up for a party and more, Brad said.

They heard cars pull into the driveway, and Charlene peeked out and saw that it was Ethan and the others. She hurried outside and welcomed him like a loving mate would her returning wolf hero. He kissed her like crazy. She was kissing him just as much, loving him for who he was.

He walked her into the house, and everyone was smiling to see the two of them reunited in such a passionate way. She figured every one of the mated males there felt the same way about their mates after a difficult mission.

Then they all sat down and shared their experiences again, comparing stories, trying to figure out what might have happened to Kroner. Charlene and Maverick had fixed everyone breakfast before Ethan, Renault, and Noah went to interrogate the people they took into custody.

I don t know how Renault and I could have been following Kroner and then ended up catching Officer Davis and losing Kroner, Ethan said, sounding perturbed with himself.

What if he went down the cliff like Oakley had done, but he was able to get low enough that you couldn t…um, smell his cologne? Charlene asked.

Yeah, not at the same place Oakley had gone, but farther away from Clara s house, Ethan said. The ocean breeze could have carried it away.

I would sure like to know what her story is, Charlene said.

Yeah, we all would, Renault said.

After breakfast, Ethan gave Charlene a hug and a kiss and then left with Renault and Noah to get these interviews over with.

Charlene packed a bag for both Ethan and her for the trip to the pack leaders ranch. She knew they would stay overnight or maybe a couple of nights at the ranch, with Kroner still on the loose. She sure hoped they could catch him once and for all.