want to do this?'
'They owe you. And he owes me.'
Iyona nodded and climbed into the truck. Betise followed suit, and the truck was quickly backed out of the driveway. Neva took a deep breath then bounded across the snow covered lawn and began following them again.
The mansion was ablaze with lights by the time Duncan got there. There was a ranger stationed at the main gate, and the guards his father had hired were manning the other two. Duncan backtracked and slipped in through one of the tunnels, making his way through damp and rarely used passageways to the medical rooms. He shifted shape as he neared the entrance and hit the switch. The door swung silently open, and Duncan stepped through.
Martin jumped and spun around. 'You damn near frightened the life out of me,' he grumbled, turning back to the sink to wash his hands. 'You'd think those doors would have the decency to squeak and at least give an old man some warning.'
'Is Rene okay?' Duncan left the door open, just in case he had to make a fast retreat. He couldn't smell anyone else close except the doc and his brother, but that didn't mean the rangers weren't nearby. Or even outside the door.
'He's lucky. The bullet hit him low in the shoulder and looked a lot worse than it was. Wouldn't be surprised if the killer thought he'd scored a true hit.'
'Does he have to go to the hospital?'
Martin nodded. 'I'm not set up to deal with that sort of surgery anymore. I've patched him up the best I can and stemmed the bleeding, but that's about all I can do.'
'Can I talk to him?'
'Quickly. We called for an ambulance ten minutes ago, so it should be here any minute.'
'Where are the rangers?'
'Down in the main ballroom, interviewing folk and taking samples from pack members.' Martin shook his head. 'The damn fools even insisted on getting a sample from me.'
He raised his eyebrows. 'Were they already here when Rene was shot?'
Martin nodded. 'Lucky, too. With the snow still falling, they might not have found the footprints and tire tracks otherwise.'
Both were evidence that could be used in court, but was the attack on Rene linked with the attacks on the women? That's what they had to discover--and fast, he suspected.
'You'll let me know if the rangers come back?'
'The surgery door is locked, and these old bones don't move all that fast.'
Duncan smiled and headed into the next room. Rene was lying on the bed closest to the wall, stripped to the waist, and he had a huge swathe of bandages around his shoulder and left arm.
'I think I should give up the moon dance as a lost cause this cycle,' Rene said without opening his eyes.
'At least he or she didn't shoot your vitals.' Rene snorted. 'I guess there is that to be thankful for.'
Duncan stopped at the end of the bed and crossed his arms. 'So what were you doing when it happened?' Rene opened his eyes, a smile twitching his lips. 'What do you think I was doing?'
'And your mate?'
'Frightened, but okay.' He grimaced. 'I doubt she'll ever dance with me again, though. Reckons I'm dangerous to be around.'
'You're dangerous to be around even when you're not getting shot.'
'True.' Amusement touched his mouth but quickly fled. 'I never heard them approach. Never smelled them.'
'Which means they probably had a long range rifle. Where were you when it happened?'
'In the summer house.'
'Where, exactly?'
'Sitting on the seat, back to the outside fence, with a wet and willing wolf sitting snugly on my lap.' The shooter had to have been in the trees beyond the wall. If he'd been in one of the trees close to the summer house, Rene would surely have heard him. Or, at the very least, smelled him. 'Martin told me they found tracks.'
'Apparently. I was pretty out of it for a while there, so I can't really tell you much of what went on after
I was shot.'
'Then tell me what was going on between you and Betise.'
Contempt was evident in Rene's dark gaze. 'That bitch is nothing but trouble.'
'She claims you made promises you've failed to live up to.'
His brother snorted. 'The only promise I've failed to keep was the threat to knock her out if she didn't stop harassing me.'
'So you've done nothing more than dance with her?'
'Three times. Which was two times too many, I've since discovered.'
Duncan frowned. 'What do you mean?'
'The woman's certifiable. After the second dance she was talking like we had a future together. By the third, she was acting territorial and talking about having kids.'
'You never gave her reason to believe you might have cared for her?'
Rene snorted. 'Care for her? Good grief, have you smelled the woman?'
'So why go back a second and third time?'
'Because my brains lie in my little head, not my big one.' He shrugged. 'She was there, she was willing, and I've never been particular.'
None of them were, and one way or another, it had gotten them all into trouble. 'Was last night the last time you danced with her?'
'Yes. And that's when I told her she was delusional.' He hesitated and frowned. 'You know, she said something weird.'
That didn't surprise him. Betise had been saying a lot of weird things lately. 'What did she say?'
'She said the Sinclairs owed her mother, and by the end of this moon phase, she intended to take what was promised.'
Duncan frowned. What did they owe Iyona? As far as he knew, she'd never been to any of the dances here. 'Is that all?'
'All I heard. I must admit, I tuned out before I walked away.'
Someone rapped against the outside door. 'Coming, coming,' Martin called, then stuck his head through the doorway. 'If you don't want to be seen, you'd better leave.' Duncan nodded and glanced at his brother. 'I'll make sure Zeke provides protection while you're in the hospital.' Rene raised his eyebrows.
'You really think that's necessary?'
'Until we know what's really going on, yes.' He spun on his heel and headed back for the tunnel. After he'd ensured the door was closed, he made his way towards his father's rooms. Zeke wasn't there, but that wasn't surprising. As head of the pack, he'd have to be present while the rangers were interviewing and taking samples. Duncan picked up the phone and quickly dialed Lance. 'Wilton residence.' His friend's cheery tones came through loud and clear.
'Lance, Duncan.'
'Hey! I was just about to call you.'
'You found something?'
'Oh yeah. Discovered who else was in that little raiding party over in the Bitterroot reservation. Would you be surprised if I said one of the others had moved into Ripple Creek just over a month ago?'
'With what has been going on, no.'
'Well, if everything I've dug up is true, this woman has a pretty big axe to grind. Apparently, when she was barely a cub she was promised to Tray Sinclair in a deal that was supposed to strengthen business and blood ties between the silver and golden packs over there.' Duncan raised his eyebrows. Arranged marriages had gone out with the Dark Ages, mainly because very few worked. It was extremely rare for such a couple to be soul mates, and for most wolves, commitment to anyone other than their true mate was almost impossible. 'When Tray turned
