A SEAL in Wolf's Clothing (Heart of the Wolf #9) 9

White tile walls and fluorescent lights bathed the room in brightness, while the red floor masked any bloodstains. With a little more pressure on her elbow, Finn encouraged her to keep walking toward the sheet-covered body, where a police officer, Wes Caruthers—one of her pack, although a red wolf—and an attendant greeted her. She couldn’t help the way her whole body tensed in anticipation of seeing Joe dead. And because of her concern that innocent and unsuspecting Joe had been murdered instead of her or Finn.

“I’m sorry I had to call you to identify the body, Meara. If you want to step outside, I’m sure Mr. Emerson would be able to ID him and you won’t have to.”

She shook her head, hating to see Joe in death, but it was her pack, and the man had had business with her, not Finn. But when the attendant pulled the sheet aside, she stared at an unfamiliar angular face, cold gray eyes, bushy red brows, and wet red-blond hair. A chill raced down her spine.

“This man isn’t Joe.” She meant to sound firm in her statement, but the words came out in a rushed whisper of shocked surprise.

Then again, maybe this was Joe.

“Not the man we met at your place, in any event,” Finn said, shaking his head at Caruthers but confirming what she’d suspected—that the dead man had been Joe, and the other had been an imposter. “Did he have any picture ID?” Finn asked, pulling out his phone and taking a picture of the man.

“No, sir. Just the return plane ticket and the note with Meara’s phone number and address on it.” Caruthers shoved his hands in his pockets, watching Finn and acting as though he was trying to decide whether to question Finn or remain silent. Caruthers had been a police officer up north, but when he’d learned that Hunter needed a couple of officers to help police his werewolves and others trickling into the area, Caruthers had jumped at the chance to bring his mate and join the force.

Some of the reason had to do with their werewolf longevity. As Caruthers put it, he’d been a Texas Ranger early on and then had moved farther west. He’d retired a few times and had had to die sometimes to avoid anyone becoming suspicious that he didn’t grow old very fast and had lived so many years. He and his mate had been in the Portland area long enough when they left.

Finn rubbed his chin thoughtfully. She’d seen him do it before, deep in concentration, when Hunter had talked secretly to him about a mission, right before he’d ask her brother another question.

“Were any weapons found on or near the body?” Finn asked.

Knowingly, Caruthers shook his head. “We searched the area but didn’t find any.”

Finn nodded.

So what did that mean? No weapons meant this Joe was the good guy?

Meara noticed the damn worried look Caruthers sent her way. She knew he wouldn’t want to do anything Hunter didn’t want him to do, and being new in the pack, he was probably afraid he might jeopardize his pack ties and job.

“I’m taking care of her,” Finn said, as if trying to reassure the officer.

“Hunter knows?” Caruthers quickly asked.

“No,” Meara said, annoyed she was being left out of the conversation. The officer was part of her pack, not Finn’s. He didn’t have any jurisdiction here or any say in their pack politics. Typical that he would take charge in Hunter’s absence as if he were the pack leader.

“But Hunter would approve of the arrangement,” Finn said, giving Meara, a small knowing smile.

Caruthers looked from her to Finn and then gave a stiff nod. “Thanks, Miss Greymere, Mr. Emerson, for coming by.”

She’d almost told the officer not to mention this murder to Hunter, but she knew it was Caruthers’s duty to keep the pack leader informed, although what Hunter could do about it while he was on his honeymoon was beyond her. Learning of the man’s death would only make him worry more about her safety. From where he was, he couldn’t do anything about that, either. And she did not want him to give up his honeymoon to take care of things here when she was certain the pack and Finn were capable of dealing with the situation.

Finn took Meara by the elbow and was about to guide her out of the morgue, when Rourke and his lupus garou mentor, Chris, walked in. Chris looked annoyed that he had to baby-sit Rourke, but his green eyes brightened when he saw her. Even though Chris was one of Hunter’s sub-leaders, he’d never appealed to her. Too quiet, too by the book, way too somber. He was a nice enough guy, but she liked a man who could laugh about things.

Finn eyed them both, his whole body tensing at once, and Meara hurried to introduce everyone. “Rourke Thornburg, a news reporter and friend of Tessa, Hunter’s mate—” She paused and turned to Rourke. “No story on this, or Hunter will have your head.”

Rourke gave her an exasperated look. “Apparently I’m supposed to make up the news,” he said, turning his aggravated expression on Chris.

“Oh?” She motioned to Chris. “And that’s Chris Tarleton, Rourke’s… mentor and one of Hunter’s sub-leaders.”

“And you’re at the morgue because…?” Finn asked Rourke, sounding suspicious.

Rourke frowned at him. “The dead man had newspaper credentials. Chris wanted me to check it out. Who are you?”

Finn gave him a wry smile. “Finn Emerson, friend and SEAL on Hunter’s team.” He waved toward the dead man. “Go ahead. See if it’s anyone you recognize.”

“Hell, you’re a SEAL,” Rourke said, looking impressed.

That was all Finn needed to do to impress Rourke. Ever since Hunter had told Rourke he was a Navy SEAL, Rourke had been proud to share the information—and even prouder to know Hunter.

Rourke sucked in a deep breath, then headed over to the dead body, studied him for a moment, and then shook his head. “No, I told Chris I’d never heard of the man. Probably someone new or he isn’t from around here.”

“He has a return ticket to North Carolina, but he might not be from there, either,” the police officer suggested.

“Let’s see if the Joe we met is still hanging around,” Finn said to Meara.

The police officer hurried after them. “I’ll follow you over there in case you need my help.”

“We could help, too,” Rourke added, looking hopeful, as if he was about to find the news story of the century.

“No.” Meara knew that Rourke was still a reporter at heart, even if he tried to stay out of trouble as a newly turned wolf. She said to Chris, “Take him back to his office. I’m sure a story will come up, and here you’d be at my place, missing out on an article for your paper.”

Rourke gave her a sour look. “Chris won’t let me report on anything except the weather.”

Meara smiled. Hunter had gotten himself into a mess of trouble when she had lost him for a time. She had figured that at the rate he was going, he might have turned half the population of Oregon. Good thing she had rejoined him in the nick of time. And he’d always worried about her turning someone on purpose or by accident.

“I’ll meet you at your place,” the police officer said.

Chris cast an icy glower at Finn, who just gave him a smug smile back.

Alpha males.

As she walked through the basement with Finn, Meara thought about the “Joe” who was supposedly renting her cabin and felt a tightening in her chest.

“I gave him my rifle,” she whispered, feeling another chill. “If the man was an assassin, why didn’t he take both of us out when he had the chance?”

“Maybe he’s not the assassin. Maybe he’s really Joe, and that guy…” Finn said, motioning to the morgue, “was the imposter. Also, the assassin would prefer using his own weapon, not someone else’s untried gun.”

She hadn’t considered that. She had just assumed that the dead man was the good guy and that any weapon the bad guy could use would be sufficient.

“What’s this business between you and Tarleton?” Finn asked once they were out of earshot of the others.

“What?” she asked, totally thrown off stride by the question.

“You heard me. He’s clearly interested in you and hates me, thinking I’m one of your potential suitors.”

Not believing Finn could think anything of the sort, she shook her head.

“Are you shaking your head because you don’t think he’s interested in you or because you don’t think he believes I’m a potential suitor?”

“Get serious.”

“I’m damned serious.”

She cast him an annoyed expression. “According to you, everyone is interested in me. So why don’t I have a mate?”

He gave her a conceited smile. “You’re a handful.”

She snorted, then added for his benefit, “Well, I’m not interested in him, if it’s any of your business. Chris is the most humorless man I know. I could never get along with a man who doesn’t have a sense of humor.”

Her cell phone rang, and she jumped a little, her nerves shattered. Then she yanked the phone out of her jeans pocket. Her heart beating faster, she checked the caller ID as they continued out of the basement and up the stairs. Then she felt a sliver of relief.

“Hunter.” He had to be all right. “Hunter, are you and Tessa safe?”

“We’re fine. Dave got hold of me about the danger you could be in and that Finn’s there watching over you. I’ve arranged for a couple of men to watch our backs as soon as we arrive at our lodging. I’m more concerned about you.”

“You should be more troubled that Finn is hanging around me, and some assassin might be targeting him.”

Chapter 5

Hunter didn’t say anything at first to Meara over the phone as she and Finn headed for her car, and she knew damn well he was siding with his SEAL partner instead of her, wanting her to go with Finn and not stay at the cabin alone.

Finn gave her a small smile as he opened the passenger door for her while he took over the driving and headed back to her place.