Chapter 8
“I’d like to stay,” Liam told Tamsin as she stirred a pot of soup. “At least until my memory returns.” He’d spent time raging inwardly over Sienna’s confession, yet surprisingly, he couldn’t hate her. The woman had risked everything for her family.
“But don’t you want to contact the gathering organizers? Or press charges?” Tamsin asked.
“You have enough trouble without me adding to it.” He forced a laugh. “Besides, my past scares me.”
Tamsin kissed his cheek. The unexpected affection filled him with warmth, and he froze, savoring the moment. “I’m afraid it’s bread and soup again,” she said. “I sent everything we had with Hedrek.”
Sienna wandered into the kitchen, dressed in worn jeans and an oversized T-shirt. “I’ll set the table.”
Liam studied her openly. No, despite everything she’d done, he didn’t dislike her. “I might go to the pub tonight. Found enough change in my pocket for a drink.”
“Why would you do that?” Sienna asked, freezing mid-reach for the plates.
“To gather information.”
“Are you not leaving?”
Sienna confused him. Most people stared at his face—the scar was a mystery to him, but the injury must’ve been severe if his feline couldn’t heal it.
Women in town had reacted with horror. Others peeked and looked away.
Sienna always met his gaze, except when guilt flickered in her expression.
She’d abducted him, breaking her parents’ teachings.
Her reasons might’ve been well-intentioned, but if she’d explained and requested his help, he would’ve politely sent her on her way.
A part of him understood her reasoning. Loyalty and love were rare—something to treasure.
That was why he intended to keep his promise to Hedrek and stay.
Despite her withholding some truths, he genuinely liked Sienna.
A man could do a lot worse in a mate. He’d wait before delving into his past. The truth was, he was terrified of what he might find.
His head ached sharply when he tried to access memories.
He took this as a sign to proceed slowly with his investigation.
“It’s not advisable to go to the pub alone.” Tamsin rapped a wooden spoon against the side of the pot. “Take Sienna with you.”
“Mama, you can’t be here alone.”
“I was while you were at the gathering, young lady. I’ll be safe enough with locked doors.”
“But what if you have visitors?” Sienna protested.
A sharp rap sounded—sudden and unexpected, as if she’d conjured it. They froze, staring at each other. Another, louder bang rattled the front door.
“I’ll get it,” Liam said. “Stay here.” He lowered his voice. “You’ll be able to hear. Just make sure they don’t see you.”
“It might be a neighbor,” Tamsin said.
The third knock was thunderous, and Liam rapidly unfastened his shirt and the top button of his jeans.
He ruffled his hair as he strode to the door.
At the threshold, he paused, sniffed, and yanked it open to find two strangers.
One was tall, broad-shouldered, with the stance of a soldier.
His khaki pants and tan shirt reinforced the impression.
The other was shorter and bulkier, dressed in a brown coat, black pants, and muddy hiking boots.
Both carried light packs. No noticeable weapons, but Liam was positive they had them.
“Where’s the fire?” Liam made a show of fastening his jeans and dragging a hand through his hair.
“We’re with the team hunting the Beast of Bodmin. Several villagers have told us you might’ve seen it.”
Anger pumped through Liam, but he masked it. Blaming the Teagues was pure cowardice. Rather than standing together, the locals tossed the Teagues to the wolves.
“The phantom haunting the moor?” he said with a snort. “Who spewed that rubbish? I reckon this beast is a product of too many pints at the pub. You’re chasing a figment of someone’s imagination.”
“Our tracker arrived last night. He picked up a trail this morning,” the military man said.
“What sort of trail?” Liam demanded. “We have local sheep farmers with dogs—couldn’t it be them?
Is your expert sure?” A tracking expert for a mythical beast?
Their organization and confidence didn’t match a simple legend.
It was like they knew exactly what they were hunting—or at least, the kind of thing.
“You’re not from around here,” the bulkier man said, his blond brows squeezing together. “Australia?”
“Yes,” Liam said without missing a beat. “Married a local girl.”
“I hear it’s recent.”
“Correct. Which means I have better things to do than chase a mythical beast.”
“Who else lives here?”
Liam didn’t answer. Silence fell like a weight.
“Who is it?” Sienna called. “Get rid of them and come back to bed.”
“I haven’t seen the beast,” Liam said. “And I’m busy. Good night.” He started to close the door, but the bulkier man stuck out a foot, blocking it.
“We’re offering a ten-thousand-pound reward,” the tall man said.
“Whoa! Big money. Shame I can’t help. We could use a windfall.”
“If you hear anything useful, you can find us in town,” the man said.
Liam nodded and shut the door. This time, they let it close.
He didn’t move. Instead, he listened.
“Did you believe him?” one asked.
“Yeah, he looked like he’d stumbled out of bed. If that’s the woman I saw yesterday, she’s a looker. Can’t blame him for staying in.”
“Let’s go. We have three more cottages to hit tonight.”
Liam listened to their retreating footsteps before joining Tamsin and Sienna in the kitchen. “They’ve gone, but it wouldn’t surprise me if they show up again, at odd times. We need to stay alert.”
“At least they didn’t ask about Hedrek,” Tamsin said.
“They asked who else lives here,” Sienna added, “but didn’t push.”
“No outsider has the right to question locals,” Liam said. “They’re not the law and have no business asking personal questions. I’d like to know who told them about the sightings, or if they’re here to debunk the whole thing.”
“We wouldn’t have known if Jamie hadn’t warned us,” Sienna said. “That’s what irks me the most.”
“But maybe the situations are separate,” Liam said. “Whoever chose not to warn you might’ve seen it as a chance to push you out of the village—make it impossible for you to stay. Maybe they didn’t have the stomach to tell the hunters you’re feline shifters.”
“Perhaps you should avoid the pub tonight,” Sienna said.
“I agree. We’ll leave it another two nights and go as a couple. That way, we can see the reactions of locals and hunters.”
“Makes sense,” Tamsin said.
“This is a disaster,” Sienna said. “The longer the hunters stay, the more danger everyone is in—us and the other feline locals.”
“I wonder how hard it would be to learn who’s funding the hunt.” Liam frowned, trying to think it through, but his head throbbed. “If we knew that, it might answer some questions. Are they trying to debunk the myth, prove shifters exist, or is it really about animal collecting like they claim?”
“Good point,” Sienna said. “I wonder if they’ve hunted elsewhere—in the UK or abroad. This group seems well-funded. The organizer has serious resources. Knowing more would help us plan.”
Tamsin nodded. “Makes sense. Let’s make a list of what we need to find out and tackle this methodically. We can split up, ask our questions, and compare notes later.”
“Oh, I didn’t think you’d attend the market,” the organizer said, her tone suggesting she’d hoped they wouldn’t.
“Don’t trouble yourself finding us a spot,” Tamsin said before the woman could offer excuses. “We’re setting up by the car park again.” She stalked away, leaving Liam to navigate the cart over the cobblestones.
“I’ll visit the council offices to make it official,” Tamsin said once they were out of earshot. “Will you set up?”
“Of course.” He squeezed her shoulder. “But Tony offered to share his site permanently.”
Relief flooded her face. “At least someone in this village is decent. I’ll check with the council anyway.”
She strode away, a woman on a mission. The Teagues had enveloped him into their family, and he’d come to appreciate their love and humor despite the obstacles they faced.
And Sienna—he admired the woman who’d abducted him for her kin.
She’d risked everything to help them, even when the odds were slim.
Tony had already set up his stall and was chatting with customers, who sipped lemonade.
Liam waited until he was free before approaching him. “The woman organizing the market didn’t keep our stall again.”
“I told you. Share my site and pay half the costs. It’s a win-win for both of us. My customers loved your mugs; several have brought them today for refills.”
“The foot traffic’s fantastic since the council makes folks park outside the market area. I’ll talk to Tamsin, but it’d be great not to worry about having a stall every market day. The organizer keeps coming up with new excuses to give our spot away.”
“That woman is difficult on a good day,” Tony said.
Liam unpacked their stock and sold several mugs.
He made a mental note to have Hedrek design a special one, featuring a village scene and possibly the village name.
Given the Bodmin Beast buzz, a design depicting a black cat might sell well.
He and Tamsin had noticed the local paper headlines when they’d trundled past the bookstore.
Tamsin arrived half an hour later, fists clenched. “It feels like someone’s trying to destroy us, and this woman is just another tool, using her petty power to twist the knife. The locals know we depend on this income.”
“You’re entitled to your frustration, but good news. Tony confirmed his offer to share his site. All we’ll need to do is pay half the cost.”
Tamsin brightened. “Tony, you’ll let us sell from your site?”
“I will. Keep bringing your mugs, and we’ll both benefit.”
Tamsin beamed and extended her hand. “It’s a deal. How much do we owe you?”
While Tamsin and Tony discussed business, Liam sold two more mugs and gave change.
“Have you seen the Bodmin Beast?” A teenage girl with a perky ponytail leaned across the counter.
“No, but the hunters are taking it seriously,” Liam said. “Three professionals with high-tech equipment.”
“I heard a billionaire is funding the whole thing,” Tony added, joining the conversation. “Edwin Smith. Read it in the paper this morning.”
Liam went still. A billionaire. That explained the professional hunters, the month-long timeline, and the sophisticated equipment. “What would a billionaire want with a myth?”
“Maybe he collects rare animals,” the girl suggested. “Think about it—if the Beast is real, it would be priceless to the right buyer.”
The woman beside her nodded. “Rich people collect all sorts of things. Art, artifacts, so why not legendary creatures?”
After the customers left, Liam pulled Tony aside. “This Edwin Smith—what else did the article say?”
“Just that he’s funding a scientific expedition to document wildlife on Bodmin Moor. But between you and me…” Tony glanced around and lowered his voice. “Those men don’t look like scientists.”
Later That Night
“Edwin Smith.” Liam paced the small kitchen while Sienna took notes. “We need everything we can find on him. Business interests, properties, any connection to exotic animal collecting.”
“The library has internet. I can research during my lunch breaks,” Sienna said.
“I’ll ask around the village,” Tamsin offered. “See if anyone knows more about what the paper said.”
“And we need to warn the others,” Liam said. “If this man collects animals, he’s not here to prove or disprove a myth. He’s here to capture one.”
Sienna tapped her pen on her notepad. “How do we warn Papa without leading the hunters straight to them?”
Liam’s jaw tightened. “Carefully. If Smith’s people are half as professional as they seem, they’ll be watching us.”