Falke’s Captive

“Come on, Tim,” Gunnar said. “Let’s go check on your boss.”

“Oh shit. Is he…I don’t understand. Lizzy? What the fuck is going on?”

Reidar unlatched the cage door and set Sindre free.

My collar is in the corner. It fell off the desk and slid over there.

“I’ll get it,” Reidar said as he went after it.

Kelan pulled the tape off Beth’s mouth.

“Ahh. Ouch.”

“Sorry,” Kelan murmured. “Just a few more strips, and I’ll have you free. Are you okay?”

Reidar fastened the collar around his brother’s neck. A glance toward the end of the trailer told him Tim still stood staring at Beth and muttering apologies, but now he was joined by the guys with badges. One was calling for an ambulance as he rushed over to Gunnar and the professor. Another climbed into the trailer, and a third began questioning Tim about the incident.

Beth looked at Kelan, then over at Reidar, tears welling in her eyes. “I’m okay…now.”

Kelan pulled her into a tight embrace, and Reidar smiled, his hand on the nape of his little brother’s neck.

The puma purred.

Chapter Thirteen

Kelan slid the back door shut on the display case and began to stow the empty boxes in the bottom drawer of the case when someone cleared his throat. He climbed to his feet to see Axel there.

“Where’s Reidar?”

“Here,” Reidar answered, stepping out of the back storage room with an armful of merchandise to be put on display in the second case.

“Set that down a minute. I’ve got something to discuss with you.”

While Reidar set his burden down, Kelan watched Axel who seemed unusually still. Kelan wasn’t sure he liked that; Axel’s composure usually made him nervous. He likened it to the calm before a storm. “What’s up?”

“First,” Axel began, “How’s Beth?”

“Fine,” Reidar said. The investigation into the professor’s death had been settled almost immediately, with no charges filed against Kelan or anyone else. Kelan had been acting in self-defense, and Beth’s story of her kidnapping, corroborated by the evidence at the scene, plus eyewitness testimony of Tim and the Falke brothers, put any legal ramifications to rest. “The inquiry at the university is taking forever, but we talk to her every night.”

“We’re going to see her this weekend,” Kelan added. They hoped to finally mark her as their mate, since their original plans had been thwarted by the kidnapping and subsequent investigation. As soon as they were released from interrogation, she and Tim had headed back to return the mobile lab to the university and face further inquisition there.

He and Reidar had let her go because they’d known it was something she needed to do on her own. Before she could truly be theirs, there was the matter of the grant, her dissertation and a whole host of loose ends that needed to be tied up—not the least of which was Whitmore’s promised vial of a wild cougar’s blood to Dr. Sayers, a sample the Falke family vet was more than happy to acquire. So Beth had left them with nothing more than a kiss and promise to return. The separation, nearing three weeks now, was damn near unbearable. He’d taken it as long as he could.

Axel nodded with a frown and stared at an envelope in his hand. “I suspected you’d be making the trip sooner rather than later, but…” He held out the envelope. “I hope this might change your mind…about Seattle.”

“Axel, we’re not—”

“What is it?” Kelan asked, cutting off Reidar’s denial that the trip was anything more than temporary. They were going regardless of what was in the envelope, but he still wanted to know what Axel was up to. That frown worried him.

“That’s the deed to Old Darcy’s gas station and a check. I figure once you do some remodeling, that big ol’ garage will be perfect for a warehouse. And the check’s your startup capital.”

Kelan’s knees went weak, his head a little light, when he pulled out the papers and saw all of the zeroes on the check. He looked over the first page of the deed, but his eyes wouldn’t focus.

“Seriously?” he asked Axel.

“Yeah, seriously. It’s what you wanted, right?”

Kelan nodded, unable to say more.

“You two showed your commitment to this family, and our dads told me your biggest concern was the babies. You made me proud. I’ve been waiting for you to grow up. Looks like it finally happened.”

“I don’t know what to say.” Kelan folded the papers and stuffed them and the check back into the envelope.

“I do,” Reidar said. He gave Axel a quick, back slapping hug. “Thank you.”

“Yeah,” Kelan said. “Thank you, brother.”

“Now, that’s not free money,” Axel said after Reidar stepped back. “I’m not charging you interest, but that is a loan, and you will pay me back in a timely manner. It’s all in those papers.” He motioned toward the envelope. “There’s a contract between the three of us. Don’t try to cash that check until it’s been signed.”

“We won’t,” Kelan reassured him.

“And I still expect help with Catamount Outfitters when we’re busy,” Axel said, motioning toward the front of the store where Sindre was helping a group of tourists sign up for a weekend trek to Red Dog Ridge. “But we’ll work out a schedule so you two can focus on the warehouse and online store. And I’m going to be hands on. I’m keeping a share of it.”

“That’s in the contract too?” Kelan asked, but he already knew. His brother was giving them some leash, but if they fucked up, Axel would take over and save the day. That was his way.

“Damn straight it is,” Axel said, but then he grinned. “I expect you two to do great things, though. Don’t let me down.”

Both Kelan and Reidar shook their heads. “We won’t,” Kelan promised. “It’s a deal.”

“Good.”

“But we’re still going to Seattle this weekend.”

Axel’s frown deepened. “About that. I know you want to go, but…well, I sort of promised…That is…”

“Spit it out,” Kelan grumbled.

“I sort of promised you two would take a very important client on a camping trip along Icicle River.”

“Damn it, Ax!” Kelan slammed a fist on the counter.

“Axel,” Reidar tried. “You knew we had plans. We’re supposed to be off this weekend.”

“I know! I know, and I’m sorry, but there’s always next weekend, and this client was…insistent. I couldn’t say no, and there’s no one else who can do the job. I’m sure you can make it up to Beth.” He gave Reidar a pat on the shoulder and glanced at his wristwatch. “The client will be here any minute.

I’d suggest you hurry and get ready.” Before they could argue further, he turned and headed back up the aisle. “Remember, we have a deal.”

“Fuck,” Reidar said. “Didn’t see that coming.”

“Me either,” Kelan said. “Leave it to Ax to find a way to give a great gift all wrapped up in barbed wire.”

“Yeah, now what?”

“We’ll just have to tell Beth the truth, and as soon as we dump off this client, we’re headed straight to Seattle, damn the consequences.”

“What’s so important that you have to rush off to Seattle?”

Both brothers turned at the familiar feminine voice to see Beth walking up the aisle. She stopped a few feet