But we've got nothing to lose by taking the chance.' She plucked a couple of hairs, then carefully replaced the wig and went into the back to find a plastic bag while Duncan continued his search through the rest of the drawers.
'Nothing,' he said after a few moments.
'That's not really surprising,' she replied, walking back into the main room. 'If she is up to something, she wouldn't be stupid enough to leave evidence of it lying around here with people coming in and out all day.'
'No.' He sat on the edge of the desk and flicked through the appointment book. 'Looks like the victims were customers of hers.'
She frowned. 'No, they weren't.'
He glanced up at her, one eyebrow raised. 'Their names are in the book. The last victim saw her two days before she died.'
She looked over his shoulder. The name was there in black and white. 'She told me she didn't know any of them.'
'Then she lied. I wonder why?'
'Maybe she didn't want the hassle of dealing with the rangers.'
'Maybe.' He leaned forward and brushed a kiss across her lips, his eyes bright with the same hunger that stirred her blood. 'I think we'd better head on to her place and do a little more investigating.'
It was last thing she wanted to do, especially when his taste still lingered so enticingly on her mouth.
Her wolf was definitely off the leash, and she suspected there was no going back to the way things had been before she'd foolishly walked into the mansion thinking she could control both the moon and her own responses. In the space of a couple of days, just about everything had changed, and she wasn't sure whether to be happy about that or not.
She stepped away, allowing him to brush past. They climbed out the window then Duncan slid his knife along the edge, knocking the catch back into place again. 'What about our footprints?' she asked, staring at the deep imprints they were leaving in the snow. He grabbed the snow-laden lid off the nearby trash can and dumped the snow onto the telltale prints near the window. Then he kicked the bin over, scattering the rubbish around the door, covering the rest of them. 'Let's get back to the--'
He stopped. Across the night came the sound of car engine drawing close. Neva met his gaze. 'You don't think…?'
'We can't take the chance that it's not. Shift shape and jump the fence.'
She did, barely clearing it, her belly scraping across the rough top edges. Leaping from a standstill had never been one of her fortes. She was too small to get any great height. She landed lightly and padded along the fence line until she found a gap in the wood. Lights speared the darkness, twin beams of brightness that lit the alley and highlighted the rubbish hiding their prints. A red car cruised into sight, stopping close to the salon's back door. Betise climbed out, cursing softly and kicking away a soda bottle as she headed for the entrance.
Duncan stopped beside Neva, his silver coat blending with snow. I'm surprised she's not already at the mansion. The dance has been going for a good two hours. Maybe she's not going to the dance.
Betise is an addict. I doubt she can stop. She looked at him. He was as powerful in wolf form as he was in human, and his eyes glowed like black glass. Are you an addict?
Once, he admitted. But no more.
Why?
He shrugged. I grew tired of the chase. Tired of much- used flesh.
That's not a very nice thing to say.
His amusement spun around her. But true. So you chased me because I was new to the dance? Yes.
So I could have stood there fully clothed, and you still would have come after me?
Yes.
Damn. Wish I'd known that.
I'm glad you didn't. It's not often I get to enjoy the sight of a nubile nymph playing in the fountain. And it's not a sight you're likely to see again. That water was freezing. She glanced toward the salon as Betise came back out. She appeared to be carrying something small, but from this angle, Neva couldn't see what it was. I can't see it, either.
She glanced at him. It could be the masks I saw in the drawer.
Maybe, he commented. But it might be worth following her, just to see what she's up to.
What about searching her house?
We can't risk going there until we know she's going to be gone for a while.
She's likely to notice a car tailing her. But not a pair of wolves. In this snow, she can't go very fast, so we should be able to keep up. Maybe you can, she grumbled. I've got shorter legs, remember.
He grinned, and in wolf form, it was a fearsome sight. Legs I wouldn't mind wrapped around me right now. That conjures some weird damn images when we're in wolf form.
I don't care what form you're in. You're beautiful either way.
She studied him a little warily. Okay, what are you after? You're being entirely too nice all of a sudden.
His amusement spun through her mind, as warm as sunshine. I'm a wolf and the moon is rising--what do you think I want?
You can get that without being nice.
He gave the mental equivalent of a shrug. Maybe you're just seeing the real me.
Yeah, right. If the man was basically nice, he wouldn't have the reputation he had.
People change, Neva. My reputation was earned a long time ago. His mental tones were flat, but the air burned with the flash of his anger.
But you've more than lived up to it with me, haven't you?
He didn't say anything, and the swirl of his emotions died. Had he been in human for m, she very much suspected the shutters in his eyes would be up again. Betise started her car and cruised off slowly.
Duncan stepped back several paces. Keep close.
He leapt the fence, clearing it easily. She followed, scraping her belly a second time. She'd be bruised in the morning for sure. They loped after the car, keeping it in sight easily enough. Duncan had been right--
Betise wasn't able to drive very fast with all the snow coating the road. The car headed east along Main
Street until they'd reached the outer limits of Ripple Creek, then it turned south into Mayflower Street. It was a back road, rough and narrow, and the wash of warm light from the streetlights behind them quickly gave way to darkness. Houses were few and far between out here, and the silence was almost eerie. A shiver rippled across her skin. Anyone coming out to this wild and lonely section of town at this time of night was surely up to no good.
From up ahead, mingling with the purr of the engine, came the bubbling rush of Hunter's River, the biggest of the two rivers that flowed though Ripple Creek. This road crossed it then took a long loop back to Main Street. Where in hell was Betise going? And why?
Neva lolled out her tongue, trying to catch more air as she concentrated on running in the tire tracks, where the going was easier. Loping long distances was all well and good when you had long legs and were fit, but the longest distance she'd ever run was between the diner and home last year when she was late for a date. A date that hadn't been worth the effort of getting ready, let alone running. Which was basically the story of her dating life--at least until she'd decided to seduce Duncan. And while they weren't dating, they were certainly dancing. She had to wonder how she was ever going to find a man who could do to her the things Duncan had done to her. A man who could make her feel the way he'd made her feel. But what, exactly, did she feel? And did she really want to acknowledge those feelings, given the fact he was leaving? Perhaps it was better not to know. Not to examine too closely. Otherwise she might just end up getting hurt. The sound of bubbling water got stronger, and the car's bright lights picked out the old wooden bridge from the surrounding darkness. Betise slowed, easing the car onto the narrow bridge before stopping in the middle. Stay here, behind the car, Duncan ordered. I'm going forward a little to see what she's doing. Be careful. I don't like the feel of this. Neither do I.
He padded for ward, his silver coat blending with the snow, making him difficult to see. A second later there was a small splash, then the car began to creep forward again.
She's thrown something in the water, Neva guessed. That she has. I'm going in to retrieve it. He hesitated.
