Chapter 1 #4
Bernadette scoffed. “My inappropriate behavior is what caused me to be working for IA, shug. If this is torture, chain me to the wall. And don’t get me started on what you did to get reassigned here.”
Yeah, there were times when she regretted shooting her partner in New Orleans.
But every time she glanced at Luke, those regrets vanished.
I am going to Hell for these thoughts.
She just hoped Luke’s banishment was lifted before then.
“Anyway,” Sorcha stretched out the word to get them both on track. “Who called this in?”
“No one. I got a text from Captain Murdoch asking for us to look it over. Why?”
“Everyone here thinks it’s a normal murder, including the first officers on scene. So why would they call us in?”
Bernadette fell quiet for a moment. “Is it a normal murder?”
“No. But the norms don’t know that. Luke’s the only one who can tell the murder belongs to us.”
“Let me call you back.” Bernadette hung up before Sorcha had a chance to protest.
Luke returned to her side. “This isn’t adding up.”
She met his amber gaze. “What are you thinking?”
“Lawson’s an Alpha, not a lone wolf. How did he end up here by himself? As a rule, Alphas don’t travel alone.”
“Your mom does, right?”
Luke let out a deep laugh. “She’s never alone when she visits.”
That sent a chill up her spine. “I’ve never seen anyone with her.”
He arched one brow. “I’m here when she is. And her Beta is always within striking distance.”
“Her Beta?”
“Second-in-command, which was me while I was in Hell. Kaden took over when I was booted out, and I can promise you that he’s always with her. I can smell the rancid bastard whenever she’s visiting me.”
Oh. She’d never known that and it was a bit creepy to think there was something around she couldn’t see, watching her. Although that was what most people experienced given that they lacked her ability to see ghosts.
Still…
“So his Beta should have been here with him. You think the Beta killed him?”
Luke shook his head. “Not like this. A Beta challenges the Alpha when they want to take the throne. It’s done with ceremony and in front of the pack so that no one will question the legitimacy of the fight or the outcome.
Murder isn’t something canines typically do… even those with human or other halves.”
She considered his words. “So someone lured him out here, away from his Beta.”
Luke nodded. “And you don’t just decapitate an Alpha. I mean, I could. But I cheat in a fight.”
Sorcha snorted as Luke continued to examine the body.
“This took a lot of skill and strength.” Luke let out a long sigh. “I’m going to talk with the ghosts. Cover for me and let me know what Bernadette says.”
“Will do. Try not to be obvious with our body-challenged friends.”
“Yeah. Keep the Dick off my ass.”
Sorcha screwed her face up as she wondered if he’d meant that the way it came out. With Luke, there was no telling.
Speaking of… Rory was heading her way.
He did have a masculine swagger that would be intense and sexy had she not met Luke first. And if she were honest with herself, she was attracted to Rory. Just not as much as she was to Luke.
Damn it.
“Where’s your partner?”
Sorcha glanced about as she tried to think of a good lie. Sadly, only one thing came to mind. “Bathroom break.”
Luke would kill her for saying that. She just hoped none of the ghosts around her ratted her out.
“Hmm.” Rory appeared less than convinced. “He always seems to be missing at the strangest times.”
Before she could comment, her phone rang. Yay for that timing.
Excusing herself, she stepped away to answer Bernadette’s call.
“You still at the scene?” There was a tone in Bernadette’s voice that made the hair on the back of her neck stand up.
“Yeah, why?”
“Murdoch didn’t text me. He knew nothing about the murder. He’s not even working tonight.”
“Then who—”
“No one knows.”
Rory walked over to her. “You okay?”
What was she supposed to say to that? Think, Sorcha, think.
Her mind was a total blank. Sorcha had no idea how to answer his question. She wasn’t all right. She was freaking out if the truth were told. What was going on here?
The ghosts behind Rory now seemed malevolent.
Who had called them to this scene?
And why? It was the why that bothered her most. The why that panicked her.
“Sorcha?” Rory said her name at the same time Bernadette did.
“I’m here, boss,” she said to Bernadette while holding her hand up to let Rory know she was on the phone.
“You two need to clear out. Murdoch isn’t happy about y’all being on scene when he didn’t clear it. Especially something that’s going to be this high profile with the media.”
“Okay. I’ll let Luke know.” Clearing her throat, she hung up and turned back to Rory.
But as she focused her gaze on him, the strangest thing happened.
For the first time, she saw his wings. White and fragile, they appeared to be made of the sheerest gossamer.
Much larger than she would have thought, they fluttered out from his back.
The tops of them reached at least three feet over his head and the bottom brushed the ground. They were spectacular.
Luke was right.
Rory really was an angel.