A Game of Cat & Mouse (22 page)

“Do I have to stay?”

“It’s your choice, but I recommend you staying.”

Miranda looked over at Caleb and

pleaded for him to let her go home. He refused and wouldn’t relent. Miranda huffed and sulked like a child until they took her to the room she would use that night. Caleb kissed her on the forehead, and she melted.

“Will you at least hold me?” Miranda asked when he sat in the chair beside the bed. Caleb slipped off his shoes and climbed in, pulling Miranda flush against his chest.

“Are you still mad at me?” Caleb asked, his breath fanning her ear.

“No. I know you only made me stay

because you love me.”

“Damn right. Otherwise we’d be at

home and I’d be lapping at my favorite cream.”

Miranda felt her cheeks heat, and her folds moistened with just the thought of him between her thighs, his tongue doing extremely naughty things to her.

“You know I read somewhere that an

orgasm is a natural cure for a headache,”

Miranda said, turning her face back toward Caleb.

Caleb nipped her neck. “Behave,

Miranda. Rest, baby, and tomorrow night I’ll fuck you six ways from Sunday.”

“What language!” Miranda said jokingly.

“I’ve always had a potty mouth, but usually only around family and close friends. I have a reputation to uphold, you know.”

Miranda laughed and snuggled deeper within his embrace. She let sleep claim her so that she could dream of Caleb doing naughty things to her.

***

Wesley sat across from Brenna James in the bleak and drab interrogation room.

Daphne stood over Brenna, pointing at pictures. The Andersons’ car accident a little over a year before had been ruled as an accident, but Brenna’s admission to killing them ensured that the case would be reopened. Wesley had looked over the files while Brenna sat inside a cell.

Daphne had come to the same conclusion that he had –there was almost no way to tie Brenna James to the accident.

Now they had to find year-old evidence to convict Brenna of a crime they now knew she had committed. Although she’d confessed, they needed more than a

confession to hold up in court. He and Daphne both knew the charge for

kidnapping would never hold up in court, either. According to Zackary, Miranda’s sense of smell led her to pinning the kidnapping on Brenna. If Wesley were a betting man, he would say they didn’t have enough to charge the cougar with.

Besides, the pride never reported a kidnapping. That just wouldn’t go over well and both he and Daphne knew that.

This was a case for the Council, not the Pinewood Creek Police Department.

Wesley slammed his fist on the table, and Brenna jumped, her crystalline-blue eyes widening in fear. “Answer the question! How did you kill the

Andersons?” The fear that crossed her face quickly turned to defiance.

“Even if I tell you, there is no way it will hold up in court. I covered my tracks that good,” she snarled. Wesley wanted to snarl back at her, but he refrained himself – barely.

“So humor us,” he said as nonchalantly as he could. He watched as indecision flowed across her face then transformed to confidence.

“I emptied the brake fluid from their car.” Brenna sat back, her arms crossed over her chest as a small smile played on her lips.

“The brake fluid was at appropriate levels, and there was no evidence of tampering with the brakes,” Daphne said, her pale green eyes shooting sparks at the cat.

“Then I did my job well.”

“Why don’t you elaborate?” Wesley said, playing into her hands. If there was one thing he had learned in his years as a detective, it was the joy that criminals seemed to get from sharing their crimes.

He’d never understand why someone

enjoyed being boastful over their new and inventive way to cause someone else misery.

“I emptied their brake fluid, and when they were on the way home, I stepped out in front of them knowing they would swerve. Without brakes, he hit the trees head-on.”

“Okay, now how did you make it look as if everything was full and functioning with the brakes?”

“I refilled and primed the lines after the accident. I was fortunate the car didn’t catch fire. It made the cover-up so much easier. Now, since you don’t have any evidence to hold me, I have a challenge to finish,” Brenna said, getting up from her chair.

Daphne pushed her back into the seat and looked at her with an expression akin to watching a roach crawling across the floor.

“I’m sorry, didn’t we tell you? There’s no way this would hold up in a human court of law, but lucky for you, this falls under Shifter Council jurisdiction. I’ll be handing you over personally to Shifter Council authorities.” Brenna paled at the news and hissed as Daphne pulled her to her feet.

“They didn’t die instantly you know. I watched as they bled to death, each begging me to call for help!” Brenna’s screaming confession sent chills down Wesley’s spine. Then he remembered his arson case. Could this be the culprit? She had the motive to do so, but she had to have known that Miranda was not home.

The accelerant had been found around the outside of the house, and if she were guilty, then she’d ensured the outside of the house was saturated prior to striking the match they found in the grass nearby.

“It was you that started the fire at Miranda’s rental home.” Wesley made it a statement because the pieces of the puzzle just fit together so nicely.

“Would you believe me if I said no?”

Brenna said with a snarl.

Wesley sighed. Maybe he should have asked prior to enraging her. Well, at least he could solve the arson case in theory, but the fact remained that she would still have to go into Shifter Council custody.

“Brenna James, the Shifter Council has been notified of your involvement in the deaths of Colin and Lydia Anderson. I will fill them in on your part in the arson case as well as the danger you posed to a child in the Pinewood Creek Pride. You will be held at the Pinewood Creek Jail until the Council collects you. Do you understand the charges?”

Brenna’s shoulders slumped, and she looked like a defeated child instead of the ruthless killer that she was. “I

understand.” Daphne cuffed her hands behind her back.

Wesley sank into the chair at his desk and placed his head in his hands.

“Don’t worry we can keep the entirety of the details about his parents secret. With the exception of the Council, ourselves, and Brenna, no one alive has to know,”

Daphne said, patting him on the shoulder.

“Yeah, Caleb doesn’t need to know all those details.”

“Well, I’m going back home. There is a cookout in my future. Elias says you’re welcome to come if you want.”

“Nah, I’ve got reports to file anyway.”

Daphne left him to the never-ending pile that seemed to be his life. Wesley thumbed through the arson case and

sighed as another case closed. The only problem would be the humans would be none the wiser.

***

Miranda hopped out of Caleb’s truck and instantly regretted it when a wave of nausea hit her like a freight train. She closed her eyes and waited impatiently for it to pass. When she opened her eyes, Caleb regarded her with worry.

“Don’t worry, Caleb, I’m fine. Dr. Weber said I’d have nausea and maybe even dizzy spells.”

Caleb’s mouth set in an unhappy line, but he did not say anything, just grabbed her hand and started toward the house.

“So, what do you want to do?”. She still remembered his statement about licking her cream, which ensured a night full of dreams about him feasting on her. She hated to say it, but she was horny.

Besides, she’d survived a match with a freaking cougar. She deserved some reward, didn’t she?

“I’ve got to handle a few pride matters and call for another meeting this

afternoon. Why?”

Miranda wanted to laugh, but it seemed her big bad kitty cat was serious. What was going on with him? She thought for sure their conversation this morning had helped him to move on with the grieving process of his parents. He’d admitted to her that he never really grieved for them, thinking it was all a dream. He’d let his pride down and became a robot, doing only the bare minimum required of him. If it hadn’t been for the pride, Caleb said he wasn’t sure where he would be now.

Miranda wanted her mate back, the one that kissed her like there was no

tomorrow, whispered things in her ear that made her blush, and took her with

passionate abandon. Ever since the day before the challenge, it seemed as if he had distanced himself from her, and though she knew it was because he was worried, it didn’t hurt any less.

Miranda left Caleb to do as he pleased and went into the bedroom. She sat on the bed and took a deep breath. Her life had become a whirlwind since meeting and falling in love with him. She’d met him, resisted the mating pull, been a victim of arson, mated Caleb, and defended her position as alpha female all in the course of a week. Not to mention she’d missed the first day of school, forcing a substitute to teach her class. So far, she had done a bang-up job of being an educator.

However, she would have to worry about that later. Now she had a mate to worry about.

Wesley had called earlier that morning, apologizing for not calling sooner.

Brenna’s case wouldn’t hold up in human courts, so he’d contacted the Shifter Council. He would be handing her to Council authorities within the next day.

Apparently, she was also responsible for the house fire. Miranda shivered at the thought of someone hating her so much.

Miranda dug through her purse and

found her cellphone. “Pinewood Creek Police Department,” the disembodied voice of a female stated.

“Yes, I’d like to speak with Wesley Chambers, please.”

“Please hold while I transfer your call.”

The music played for almost a minute before Wesley’s gruff voice interrupted the piano solo.

“Detective Chambers.”

“Hi, Detective, this is Miranda. I was just calling to ask if Brenna had been given over to the Council yet.”

“You aren’t thinking of doing something crazy are you, Miranda?” He asked the question, but she could tell by his voice that he did not think a mouse could accomplish much in the way of damage.

Miranda held onto her indignation and plowed on with the conversation.

“No, nothing like that, it’s just that something doesn’t feel right. I want to talk to her. I promise not to cause any trouble.”

Wesley sighed over the phone. “This isn’t a good idea, but if you can come within the next hour or so, it’s visiting hours. I’ll get her moved to a room where you can talk. The Council called to say they would be here around midnight.”

“Thanks, Wesley. I’ll be there,” Miranda said, and then she hung up.

She needed to talk to Brenna to figure out why she hated her so much. Sure, some people aspired to be in charge, but most didn’t hate with such a passion.

Caleb had said she’d joined the pride in much the same manner as Zackary and Essence. Miranda knew that she wouldn’t be able to rest until she knew what possessed Brenna to do such things.

She searched the house and could not find Caleb. She wrote him a note and pinned it to the fridge before grabbing her own keys. Miranda had only one moment of reluctance, but in the end, she dismissed it. She just had to know. Didn’t curiosity kill the cat? Then it is a good thing I am a mouse!

***

Caleb was surprised when Zackary

answered the door. “Shouldn’t you be in school?”

“Nope. It doesn’t start until next week.

What’s up?” Zackary seemed more relaxed around him now. He didn’t understand it, but it suited Caleb just fine. He really didn’t like to be addressed as alpha. He never said anything since most of the pride did it as a form of respect.

“I actually need to talk to Essence.”

“I see. You’re here to clear up who is the actual alpha female. Well, it’s Essence, but she assures me that she doesn’t want it. She isn’t here right now, but she’ll be in around seven thirty or so. I’ve told her the best way to get rid of the title if she so chooses. How’s Miranda?”

Caleb stared at Zackary, wondering how he skipped from subject to subject without getting his mind in the shape of a pretzel.

“Right. I came here to clear up the alpha female status. I was going to hold an emergency meeting tonight to discuss some issues. I know we’ve just had one, but I think a change in status constitutes another. Besides, I have to announce what happened to Brenna. Oh, and

Miranda is doing okay. I’m guessing she’s taking a nap.”

“Okay, well, how about I spread the word about the meeting? I’ll have Essence call when she gets home.”

Caleb nodded and turned to leave. He had a lot to accomplish before the

meeting. He needed to call the office and make sure his secretary was handling everything. It was amazing his company did so well. It probably wouldn’t hurt to expand that to include another architect within the fold. It would help him to be able to spend more time with his mate and pride.

Caleb adjusted his erection. Ever since he’d teased Miranda last night, he’d wanted to make love to her. When Dr.

Weber discharged her from the hospital, Caleb could barely contain his excitement, but Miranda’s hasty exit from the truck had caused her to pale. That alone had put her current condition back into perspective.

She’d been injured and was still hurting, and all he wanted to do was pin her against the wall and fuck her brains out.

Caleb already felt guilty for the distance he’d put between them. If he were

completely honest with himself, he would have known he’d done it unconsciously because he was scared to lose her. In his heart, he knew that he wouldn’t survive her death.

Miranda had forced him that morning to talk about his parents. She said he was holding onto the grief of losing them and not allowing himself to heal. He could see that she was right. Look at what he’d done to his pride. He allowed for a member of the pride to get away with murder, and a few others had kept things from him to save him the hassle of their problems.

Caleb turned and took the well-worn path that entered the woods behind the pride lands. He needed to say goodbye to the past and finally allow his parents to rest in peace.