The Shadows Of Christmas Past Part 23

"I was a police detective in San Diego." he said, looking at her sternly. "Now I work on my own, specializing in missing persons cases." He touched the arch of his nose. "I've got the nose for it."

Annette gave him a worried look, as though he'd just given something away about his olfactory talents.

She and her husband were werefoxes, and they had no sense of humor about the way weres and humans could interact.

It's a silly joke, he thought at the werefox woman.

Marj blinked and shook her head. Then gave him a very suspicious look.

That she was picking up on his thoughts was very disturbing. And s.e.xy. This touching on many levels was deeply sensuous, but it wasn't the time or place to explore it. Later, when minds as well as bodies could share, the experience would be explosive. He'd heard it could be addicting, too. He'd have to watch out for that.

Before he could say anything else, a pretty blond woman came up to the table. She was smiling, but there was disappointment in her eyes as she looked from him and the Fennicks to Marjorie and Muller.

"h.e.l.lo, Alice," Marj said. "This is Harry. Alice organized all this," she told Harry.And you've spoiled her matchmaking, and she's probably really p.i.s.sed .

But there wasn't really anything to spoil, was there? he thought back at her. She'd just pretend her imagination was being overactive, because humans always looked for sensible, logical explanations when weird stuff happened to them.

"I'm sorry." Marj gestured around the spa.r.s.ely populated gym. "I know you hoped more people would come."

"But it was an almost spur-of-the-moment celebration," Pat added. "Next year we'll plan it better."

Alice sighed and pulled up a chair. "This is not going too well," she conceded. "Maybe you should have brought the wolf, Marj. People would have shown up to see that."

Angry, Harry had to look down sharply and make a conscious effort not to let his fangs grow.

"I don't exhibit dangerous animals. They don't belong in cages," Marj said sternly.

Her words went straight to his heart. He almost kissed her then and there. As it was, he was barely able not to give her a grateful look. He wasn't here to fall in love, but to find some missing teenagers.

If those teenagers had been human, this wouldn't be such a hazardous a.s.signment. But he had to be more than doubly on guard to protect the secret of all his kind. Involvement with a human could be a costly, dangerous distraction. Oh, he intended to have s.e.x with her; he was too alpha to deny himself that pleasure. He just had to watch out for emotional involvement.

But right now the most important question was, what was heremotional involvement with the wolf?

"What are you going to do with this wolf?" he asked.

"Where did the wolf come from?" Alice asked at the same time. "You said it was shot by the men in the van, but-"

"Does the sheriff have any information about them yet?" Muller wanted to know. "Was the greyhound stolen?"

Harry willed Marj to answer him first. He got the strong sense that she didn't want to talk about it at all.

chapter 5.

Marj held up her hands, and said, "I don't know where to begin."

The group around the table waited. She was intensely aware of Harry watching her,willing her to concentrate only on him. She fought off the almost overwhelming urge to do so and deliberately addressed Pat. "I'm fairly certain that she's a racing greyhound."

"How can you tell?" Pat asked.

"She's a gentle princess, but she doesn't have a lot of social skills."

"Never been housebroken," Harry said.

Marj nodded, without looking at the P.I. "And she has no concept of how to go up and down stairs. A track dog wouldn't know how to live in a house." She glanced over to where the greyhound lay, with Taffy resting beside her. "I figure she was stolen from a track, since the b.a.s.t.a.r.ds cut her to remove all identification marks."

"Why would anyone do that?" Alice asked.

Marj shrugged. "I've made calls and sent e-mails, but I haven't heard back from anywhere about a missing racer yet."

She rather hoped she didn't. She knew it was selfish of her, but Taffy and the black lady had bonded instantly. She hated the idea of her dog finding the love of his life, then losing her to the hard world of dog-racing tracks.

"They had the dog and the wolf in the van, and the animals somehow got away," Pat surmised. "What do you think they were doing with a wolf, too?"

"They were probably going to sell it," Harry spoke up. "Wolves might be endangered in places in the wild, but there's a huge trade in them as pets."

Alice gasped. "You're kidding!"

"He's right," Marj concurred. "People actually breed and sell wolves."

"They're dangerous animals."

"That's right, Alice," Harry answered. "And when people who buy wolf pups to raise as pets find out that their adorable puppy grows up wild at heart, things generally don't turn out well for the wolf."

Marj heard his bitterness and absolutely agreed with it. "You know whereof you speak."

His gaze caught hers. "I've done a lot of volunteer work with wolf rescue and rehabilitation at a wolf center in Colorado."

"Really?"

Marj tried hard to hide her sudden eagerness as an idea occurred to her. But she was sure he recognized that a lightbulb had gone off over her head, by the look in his eyes, and the slight smile that lifted the strong curve of his lips. That look also told her that whatever she wanted, it wouldn't come for free.

Fair enough.

She needed to talk to Harrison Blethyin, and she needed to talk to him alone.

Marj stood, and said, "Alice, it looks like everyone's finished eating. Why don't we get on to the craft fair and raffle part of the evening?"

"Wolves mate for life, you know."

A chill went through Marj at Harry's words, followed by a swift, hot, confusing rush of longing.

Mating for life. With who? Him? G.o.d, what a thought!

She gave her head a swift, hard shake.

He loomed above her, looking dangerous and unpredictable. There was a wild glint in his eyes. He'd unb.u.t.toned his s.h.i.+rt collar, rolled up his sleeves, and a strand of black hair had fallen across his forehead, adding to the undomesticated look. He brushed it back with a quick, graceful gesture. For a moment she couldn't breathe, staring at his large, capable-looking hand.

"What?" she finally asked. She could barely get out the word.

Those eyes told her he was perfectly aware of her stunned, visceral, reaction to him, but he pointed behind where she sat. "And what are dogs but wolves that know they have a good thing? Those two are in love."

She'd been playing with the basket of kittens set on the table before her, dangling a green Christmas ribbon for them to bat at. Now, she turned to look where Harry was pointing, knowing that she'd see Taffy and the greyhound lying side by side. The old black metal folding chair creaked as she moved.

She'd let the dogs out of the big cage so that they could stretch their legs, and so that everyone could get a better look at the elegant greyhound. She had no trouble keeping them quietly well behaved. Being able to communicate with the animals was also calming for herself after spending several hours in the company of people.

She just wasn't used to humans anymore. Being around the locals she'd known all her life was hard enough, and Harrison Blethyin was downright disconcerting. Being with the dogs and cats, and having the slight distance of the table between her and others, soothed her.

She had found a home for one tabby kitten, and a brown-and-black puppy of dubious ancestry. She'd urged children to write down a suggestion for a name for the greyhound and put their slips of paper in the fishbowl on the table. She was going to draw one of the folded pieces soon and award the winner of the Name the Greyhound contest a prize.

The greyhound was sitting on her haunches, her huge eyes gazing upward. She looked something like the image of an ancient Egyptian statue of Anubis with velvety furled ears.

Taffy was lying next to the black dog, and he had eyes only for her. His tongue was lolling out, and he was drooling, which wasn't something he did very often. Never dignified, right now he was downright ridiculous.

"Yep," she said. "It must be love."

"He's totally smitten."

Marj jumped in surprise and realized that Harry was now standing beside her. And it was at Harry that the greyhound's wors.h.i.+pful gaze was directed.

Marj could feel the waves of emotion the animal directed at the man. The feelings weren't complex, but strong, and hard to put into words-grat.i.tude? Love? Something that wasn't quite fear, but close-wary respect?

"I think Taffy might have compet.i.tion for her affections," she said. "Are you thinking of taking her home?"

And I think she recognizes you, but front where?

Harry laughed. "Oh, no, not me."

For a moment, Marj wasn't sure which of her questions he was answering. There were more important questions that she wanted to ask him, too.

"Have a seat," she offered.

He'd already pulled up another of the folding chairs and set it very close to hers. He settled his big form onto the seat, then leaned close to her.

"All right," he said, affable, but hard-eyed. "What exactly do you want from me?"

Anger bubbled through her. She had the temper that went along with her red hair, and she fought not to let it get the best of her now. She couldn't afford to snarl at this man, to tell him he was arrogant and far too sure of himself.

A lost animal needed help, and it was up to her to provide it.

So she whispered when she wanted to shout. "I'm looking for a wolf, Mr. Blethyin."

"You've found one," he whispered back.

She sighed and looked around to make sure they were not overheard. "I did find a wolf-but I lost it."

He lifted one dark, heavy eyebrow. "Lost?"

"It escaped," she corrected. "And I'm afraid it's not going to survive out there on its own."

Harry wanted to take Marj's hand and tell her,There, there, the wolf's just fine . Actually, he wanted to take her hand, then take the rest of her. Her concern for his were-self touched him, and it turned him on.

"What makes you think your wolf won't survive?"

"He doesn't have thumbs. Which means he can't shoot back when ranchers shoot at him. He probably doesn't have a license to carry a gun, either."

Oh, I wouldn't bet on that.

She blinked. "What?"

"Wolves don't carry concealed weapons," he said. "Claws, fangs, and muscles have served them well for thousands of years."

"They're endangered now," she reminded him. "They don't exist well in the same areas that people live."

"That's right," he agreed. "And you're telling me you have a wolf loose in the environs of Kennedyville?"

She nodded and gave him a very anxious look. "Please don't tell anyone."

"And you haven't informed the local authorities?"

She gave him a faint smile. "Of course I have."

"Meaning-that you are the local authority." She nodded. "And why are you asking for my help?"

He was half-tempted to tell her that to find her big black wolf, all he had to do was look in a mirror. This was scary, because being tempted to reveal anything to a human was far more than was safe or sane for his kind. Such honesty was only possible when a were took a human mate, which rarely happened these days.

At least, it wasn'tsupposed to happen these days. He believed one of the reasons the teenagers had gone missing was because someone in the group had trespa.s.sed that unwritten taboo.

"I want to hire you to find the missing wolf for several reasons," she answered, once again looking around furtively.

"We're alone," he said. He moved closer to her, reveling in her warmth and scent. "Your boyfriend is glaring at us, but he's stuck dancing with that little old lady." Somebody had brought in a boom box, and instead of Christmas music, some of the townspeople were dancing to an OutKast CD. "Life is truly strange," he murmured.

"And Pat's a long way from being my boyfriend," Marj answered.

"I know."

He took her hand and experienced that electric contact between them once more. He managed to pull away from her just in time-before taking the kiss he desperately wanted.

Harry cleared his throat and forced his mind back to business. "You have other reasons for wanting to hire me?"