Chapter Eleven
Dramok Dolgra reflected that for someone who’d nearly been kidnapped the day before, Charity Nath was in high spirits. Unaware of him watching her, she danced around in the chicken coop. She tossed feed like confetti to the squawking while singing a stream of good mornings to them in an off-tune but chipper voice.
He chuckled. Her foolishness amused him despite having been summoned to the Amgar farm for such worrying reasons. She tossed her honey-hued hair so it stuck out in wild waves as she finally quit terrorizing the chickens and left the coop.
She caught sight of him grinning at her and laughed to have been caught acting goofy. No embarrassment stained her cheeks. “Hi! What brings you here so early?”
He approached her. “You. I heard you had a little excitement in the barn.”
Her face blistered red at his comment. Her jaw dropped in shock. A second later, understanding lit her face, and she giggled. “Oh, the attack. Yes. Awful. Scared me half to death.”
She certainly didn’t look scared. As Dolgra neared her, he figured out why…and the reason behind her initial embarrassed reaction when he’d mentioned the barn. She carried the scent of being freshly showered, but a Kalquorian’s sexual aroma wasn’t so easily washed off.
I guess the barn saw more action than was advertised. She’s still seeing Dramok Ilid, I suppose. I wonder if it’s getting serious.
Keeping his expression and tone carefully neutral, he questioned her about the assault. Her description made it sound as if she’d been grabbed by a Kalquorian, which while awful, was a relief. Dolgra couldn’t imagine any of his species in his jurisdiction wanting to abduct her on behalf of Mercy or New Bethlehem, no matter how profitable the bounty was. Nor could he envisage the Earthtiques in control of those planets contracting with Kalquorians, in spite of how much they wanted to get their hateful hands on Charity.
Some asshole who deserves to have his dicks cut off and jammed down his throat thought he’d grab her. He tried to take what he can’t respectfully charm from a woman. A different rage danced in Dolgra’s mind. It was tempered by the possibility her real identity hadn’t been outed.
“I’m sorry a member of my community tried to hurt you, Matara,”
he said. “I’ll do everything possible to track down the bastard and bring him to justice.”
“You don’t think my enemies realize who I am and paid someone to grab me?”
“I won’t discount the possibility. In fact, I’ll proceed from the assumption because it’s our chief worry. But if it were a Kalquorian, we’d have to also consider different reasons for the assault.”
Like Dolgra, Charity seemed to take comfort from the idea. Earthtiques were terrible indeed when a woman preferred the threat of sexual violence to being captured by them. In any event, Dolgra would discover who was behind the attempted confrontation and see to it the shithead paid.
When Charity disappeared into the house, Dolgra stepped in the barn. The deep shadows were nonexistent. When he’d alerted Dolgra of the attack, Nobek Groteg had also informed him he’d personally installed two strips of lighting fixtures a couple hours following Charity’s horrific encounter. He’d had the farmhands do the same in all the farm’s outbuildings to make sure no further violence would happen.
Groteg had investigated the barn himself. Dolgra had no doubt Haven’s security chief and his team had been thorough. Nonetheless, he’d be remiss in failing to conduct his own survey.
He heard no one come in behind him, yet the air seemed to shift as he examined the inside of the building. “Don’t take it personally. I know you conducted an exhaustive search.”
“You wouldn’t be doing your job if you didn’t inspect it for yourself.”
Groteg stepped beside him. He fairly vibrated danger.
Dolgra ignored the wishful tug in his chest and refused to look at the impressive figure next to him. Don’t go there. He’d already been stupid where Clan Amgar was concerned. He was unsure what had possessed him to give Sara the expensive bottle of bohut, but it had been dumb.
No Imdiko wants to live with someone so cold. I doubt a Nobek would either. Words snarled in the past had lost none of their vicious sting for Dolgra. Nor had the memory of the man who’d spoken them walking away, never to be seen again.
He’d been right. Dolgra wasn’t romance material in the slightest.
“Not working today?”
His tone was light, hinting at none of the turmoil in his heart.
“The office will com me for anything important. I wanted to secure the farm as much as possible after what happened yesterday. The incident occurred next to the support beam.”
Groteg pointed, then led Dolgra to the spot. “I found no real physical evidence despite the struggle, unfortunately. Just the shovel Charity picked up when she called the guy out. She lost the opportunity to use it when he tossed it away. He was quick.”
“She didn’t retreat when she realized she might be in danger? Brave. Foolish.”
Dolgra’s tone held grudging admiration for Charity’s courage.
As Groteg had said, there was nothing to see in the immediate vicinity. Dolgra was impressed at how tidy the barn was. He caught a hint of the rank remnant of the spray the assailant had used in his attempt to knock the Earther out. Beneath it was the smell of humans and Kalquorians. No surprise, given Clan Amgar was composed of and employed both species.
Dolgra caught a stronger scent. His gaze swung to a pile of chicken feed bags.
Groteg chuffed amusement. “She has no fear of the barn in spite of what happened. At least she doesn’t when she’s in the company of a man who interests her.”
“Dramok Ilid paid a visit?”
“Nobek Detodev. He insisted on taking a shift patrolling the grounds to watch for further trouble. She joined him.”
“Detodev? Interesting. He’s a bit of a loner.”
For good reason. Pacifist Nobeks weren’t popular, except as punching bags for other Nobeks…at least until Detodev demonstrated how anger could overcome his peaceful intentions. Pushed hard enough on a few occasions to fight back, he’d put his detractors on the ground in a decidedly authoritative fashion. Nonetheless, those who’d learned better than to try him had spread the rumor he was a coward, which many of the uninitiated believed.
“Matara Charity is apparently hard to resist. Ilid and Imdiko Mitag buzz around her regularly too.”
“Ready-made clan.”
Dolgra did his best to ignore the notion Clan Amgar was a similar case, should the right Dramok appear to attract them.
No Imdiko wants to live with someone so cold. I doubt a Nobek would either. Or a Matara, whether Kalquorian or Earther.
The mental images of Sara and Utber stung in the wake of the memory. As did the presence of the man standing at his side.
Forget it.
Groteg shrugged at his assessment of the potential of the young people forming a clan. “Charity isn’t enthralled by Haven. She’ll leave as soon as she can. I can’t see Detodev chasing her as a potential lifemate, no matter how attractive he finds her.”
“Nor would Ilid. He doesn’t see himself as a real Dramok after his traumatic encounter with the Darks. It shook him to his foundations.”
Dolgra had read Ilid’s psychiatric reports in preparation for the former spyship crewman’s arrival on Haven. A wave of sympathy filled him for the kid’s anguish.
It was too bad Ilid’s self-image had been damaged to the point he refused to consider the likelihood of clanship. Caring lifemates could make a difference to his outlook.
As if you’d know about that.
Dolgra shook off the tangent of regret and his fellow Dramok’s chance for youthful love…or probably more accurately, youthful lust…to return to what should be their focus. “Your intruder left no evidence anywhere?”
“He was careful where he hid as he waited to ambush her. Judging from her description of the attack, I believe he jumped her from here as she passed.”
Groteg showed him a space behind a metal tilling cylinder. “No sign he’d been there, however, or anywhere in this general vicinity.”
Dolgra put himself where Groteg had indicated. He looked up at the lights illuminating the area and how much sunlight came from the open doors of the barn. “Earther eyesight doesn’t compensate for darkness as well as ours. She would have been blind once she stepped past that area.”
He nodded to indicate where the sunlight ended.
“I wish we’d had the lights yesterday. Safety’s never been an issue for us before.”
Groteg scowled.
Dolgra walked back to where Charity had encountered her assailant. “He comes out, they struggle, she gets in a good crotch shot and pulls free.”
“Then he runs to this window.”
Groteg led him to the rear wall. “We found a few threads on the frame. The lab has them and should be reporting their analysis soon.”
“No hair?”
Dolgra frowned. Most Kalquorian men wore long hair. Crime scenes involving his people tended to offer plenty of samples.
“None. Maybe he wore a hooded jacket. Or a head covering. Bud caught a glimpse of a shadowy figure, but no details of his appearance. He mentioned he was big though, as Charity reported.”
“Muscled?”
“Bud couldn’t say.”
“Charity might have been wrong about that. It’s hard to be sure when you’re fighting off someone who came up behind you.”
Groteg considered. “She has a pretty good head on her shoulders. It could have been an Earther. A few around Sunrise are nearly our size.”
“We have to consider all options. I can tell you no one has shown up on Haven from New Bethlehem in the last year. The Mercy refugees who fled the rioting were thoroughly vetted.”
“So Earthtiques from that quarter are out.”
“Unless operatives were sent to Haven early on for long-term surveillance.”
Groteg’s brows rose. “I never figured the fanatics for the long game. They always struck me as impetuous. Overly eager to act.”
“I’ve seen subtle signs Mercy and New Bethlehem might have had spies watching us for a while. Their governments’ conversations with Haven’s Earther governor have occasionally let slip they’re aware of more than they should be.”
“Mercy is currently in chaos, thanks to the revolt and Dark Death. Those few refugees we took in prior to Haven shutting its doors to all but the most extreme emergencies…do you have any indication operatives slipped in?”
Dolgra shook his head. “It’s possible but unlikely. Before the Darks took over the Galactic Council, the GC froze Mercy’s assets when its government tried to pull a financial scam on Joshada. The lack of funds for needed programs were part of what started the unrest. When the government tried to fake an attack by their detractors and the footage of Copeland’s alleged presence on Kalquor came to light, it all went to hell. Short story, Mercy doesn’t have the money to pay operatives unless they pull it from where it’s most desperately needed. Who can guess if they actually plan to pay the bounty once they get hold of Matara Charity?”
Groteg considered. “You can’t discount the fanatics. They’d do it simply because they’re determined to return to Earth’s old ways.”
“There is that. Which is why I’m considering the few Earthers who are as tall or muscled as our people as potential suspects. There are those whose physical regimens develop them to match our natural muscle.”
“True.”
Groteg seized on the idea. “I can think of four men on the Earther side of Haven’s security force who’d qualify.”
“Give me the names, and I’ll investigate them.”
When the Nobek gave him a funny look, Dolgra explained, “You shouldn’t be looking into this where Earther law enforcement is concerned. It could be seen as a conflict of interest. Your focus will be to investigate those outside of Haven security who match Matara Charity’s description of her assailant.”
“All right.”
Groteg rubbed the back of his neck. “As for Charity’s fling with the young men…particularly the Dramok you brought in…”
“I doubt it’ll hurt to let her have some fun. You know Detodev personally. I’m fully informed of Ilid’s history.”
“Imdiko Mitag had to pass a thorough background check when he put on the event for the Earther governor. He’s so clean, he squeaks.”
“Despite his family’s history. It surprises me he’s so well-adjusted, considering his background. He sued for emancipation as a minor, you know.”
“I know, along with the reasons for it. He had more than his fair share of reasons to become an utter asshole, if not worse,”
Groteg agreed. “No sign of trouble, however. We were impressed by his demeanor when he joined us for dinner.”
“If you’re okay with him being around her, it’s good enough for me.”
“I’m reassured where they’re all concerned, especially given your opinion of Ilid. Charity has less chance of being assaulted in the company of three strong men.”
Dolgra had to point out one factor. “Nobek Detodev’s pacifism won’t prevent him from defending her?”
Groteg snorted as they started to leave the barn. “Detodev’s biggest problem isn’t an unwillingness to fight. It’s how bad he feels after he’s been forced to do so and has committed the damage his opponents had coming to them. He lets guilt for the mistakes of his youth color every instance he engages in self-defense.”
“That’s a rough mindset for a Nobek.”
“He’s willing to watch out for Charity, which is a step in the right direction. His usual reaction to the danger would be to avoid it entirely. Isn’t it a little early for cocktails, my Matara?”
Dolgra’s heart skipped a beat as they emerged in the sunshine and found Sara waiting for them. It sank to note she held the bottle of bohut he’d given her.
“I believe we mistakenly got someone else’s delivery. This is very expensive.”
She smiled and offered it to Dolgra.
He drew himself up and smiled as innocently as he could manage. “No mistake. I thought your clan might appreciate a treat rather than the usual container full of packing materials.”
Groteg peered at the label. His eyes widened in surprised appreciation. “Quite the treat.”
“It’s too much. I priced this vintage when I was researching presents for my clanmates.”
Groteg beamed at her. “What a lovely thought, my Matara. I’m glad you didn’t, though. We’d have had to leave an entire field unplanted if you’d indulged us so handsomely.”
He chuckled at the idea of the extravagance.
“Two fields, my Nobek.”
Sara held the bottle to Dolgra. “Thank you for such a generous gesture.”
“Please enjoy it,”
he insisted, hoping his face wasn’t red. “As I said, it’s a thank you for taking Charity Nath on, especially in view of yesterday’s attack. It’s the least the Kalquorian fleet could do for you. They aren’t paying you enough for her lodging and safety, in my opinion.”
“But…”
she looked to Groteg for help.
Dolgra backed toward his shuttle. “I’m running late on my deliveries. Save it to celebrate a good harvest, the end of the Darks, the end of Dark Death…whatever. I’ll check in later, Groteg, and let you know what I’ve found.”
He hurried to his shuttle before they could insist on him taking the bottle. It had been a stupid move to give such a gift. He’d had no business trying to charm Clan Amgar.
No Imdiko wants to live with someone so cold. I doubt a Nobek would either.
He was better off alone.