“That’s why you asked about Hannah and the others.”
“I knew if Van Holtz was recruiting kids, we’d have a problem.”
“He’s not. I promise. That is not happening. Smith—Dee-Ann—travels around. She’s found the majority of these hybrid pups and cubs living on the streets. She brings them in, gives them food and a place to sleep. If they stay, Van Holtz makes sure they either go to school or get tutoring and Blayne helps with teaching them how to handle being two or more things at once.”
“I get everybody else, but what’s the deal with Abby?”
“Dee-Ann found Abby in an alley, eating out of a trash can. She’s been with the Group for a while and she shifts only when she feels like it. And I can assure you no one has tried to recruit her to do anything except get her to use the ladies’ room rather than going out back to pee ... because we all find that really weird.”
“You find that weird?”
“Yeah. Don’t you?”
Ignoring her question, Crush said, “And Van Holtz said Hannah was rescued from dogfights?”
“She was. I was surprised they didn’t just put her down.”
“They didn’t pick her up at the pound, Malone.”
“No, but she’s been through a lot. More than most could ever hope to handle. You just don’t snap back from that.”
“But do you really think being around people like Smith and you is good for her?”
“Good for her? I’ve been nothing but nice to that girl.”
“I’m not talking about how nice you’ve been. I’m talking about the influence on a damaged young woman by hanging around a KZS killer and some backwoods hillbilly hit-wolf.”
“I’m a contractor!”
“I don’t care.”
“And it’s not like Smith and I sit around, telling tales to Hannah about who we’ve taken out over the years. All we’ve ever tried to be for that girl is a support system.”
“Not everyone’s made out for this life, Malone.”
“I absolutely know that. My Meghan’s not. Neither is Josie. They’re both going to be doctors. And Hannah can be anything she wants. I know for a fact that Mace Llewellyn offered to pay for her and Abby to go to any school they like, anywhere in the world. And maybe she will. Maybe she’ll go to college. Become an engineer. A scientist. A very strong forward,” she finished on a mumble.
“A strong ...” Disgusted, he took a step back from the heartless feline. “Oh, Malone!”
“What? We’re talking opportunities here. That’s all. Besides. . . did you see how she handled those grizzlies?”
“You’re recruiting!”
“For hockey!” Then she calmly added, “God’s game.”
“You really call hockey God’s game?”
“All Malones call it God’s game. Because it is.”
The bear blew out a breath. “I think I’ll let this go now.”
“I would.” Because Cella had her mind made up.
“So how’s the lion male?” he asked.
“Better. Docs took care of him and once he’s ready, the Group will move him to a safe house. And my uncles have already gone to the Callahans to let them know.”
“Your uncles? Why not KZS?”
“The Malones are closer to the Callahans than KZS will ever be. We understand them and we can get on their territory without being shot at.”
“I always thought tigers and lions didn’t get along.”
“We don’t. But even you can tell we’re not your typical tigers. And the Callahans aren’t your typical lions. You won’t be seeing them trading their males around like used cars. That’s not their way.”
Studying her, he guessed, “I have a lot to learn about your family, don’t I?”
“You could say that. But not tonight. I’m not up for that.”
“Fair enough. But maybe you can tell me what happened to the lion?”
“That grizzly was an asshole, but he was right. Mikey had been hunted. Unfortunately, he has no idea where he was, but he said he was like in some kind of animal reserve. A local one. And since the bears scared off that girl who helped him, I don’t know when we’ll be able to track the place down.”
Crush stepped closer, his hands still in his pockets. “I know why MacDermot and I let her go, but why did you?”
“For lots of reasons, but mostly because Mikey asked me to. She saved his life and that deserves our loyalty.”
“You’re not worried she’ll say something?”
“To who? I mean who’d believe her? Not anyone who could really hurt us.”
“You have a point. Besides, she can’t talk even if she wants to.”
“And why’s that?”
Crushek grinned. “She’s a car thief. A really good one. Only takes high end. Has specific clients.”
“You know her.”
“I know a couple of dealers who’ve hired her for special requests. She’s also a driver. She’s been involved in a few heists, but being a car thief is her true love. She’s been doing it full-time since she was sixteen.”
“You know her,” Cella repeated. “But you won’t ever tell anyone who she is ... will you?”
The bear shrugged, smiled. “I can’t risk the information getting back to BPC. Plus, she protected one of our kind—for that she deserves our loyalty. Right?”
Okay, so the bear was judgmental, uptight, and so straitlaced it made her laugh, but he was smart, brave, and wicked fast. And loyal to a car thief he didn’t really know.
“You want this girl safe,” Cella suggested, “we need to bring Baissier down, and we need to do it now.”
“What makes you think we can do that? I’ve known that woman for a very long time, Malone. You can’t take her down just because your friend wants to protect some girl.”“I know. I’m not saying it’ll be easy, but I think Whitlan’s the key.”
“Why do you think that?”
“Do you really think Baissier’s after some taxidermist? She was watching that taxidermist for a reason. Smith and I think that reason is Whitlan.”
“So? What if he is the reason?”
She shrugged. “Maybe Baissier’s working with him.”
He snorted. “Peg Baissier? Working with a full-human? On anything? What are you? High?”
“It’s a possibility.”
“It’s also a possibility that a lion male might be shy and retiring, but that’s not happening, either.”
“I’m telling you she’s up to something.”
“She’s always up to something. That doesn’t mean she’s doing something we can use against her.”
“You don’t know that.”
Crush studied Cella. “What if she is up to something?” he finally asked. “What does KZS care? Or is the real problem here Baissier’s power among the bears?”
Cella picked at dried blood on the sleeve of her sweatshirt. “Knowing that woman as well as you do, Crushek, can you really say you feel comfortable with her having that much control over an army of grizzlies and polars? Considering how much she hates every other species?”
He didn’t answer and Cella looked up, not surprised by the frown on his face.
Cella nodded. “Yeah. That’s pretty much how the rest of us feel, too.”
“I understand, but thinking for a second that she’d involve herself with a scumbag like Whitlan ...”
“According to you, he played the NYPD, the FBI, and the Mob. You really don’t believe he could do the same with her? Someone so arrogant she thinks she’s untouchable?”
“She is untouchable.”
“Not if we get something on her. Not if you get something on her. And you start with Whitlan. That is what cops do, isn’t it? Look into shit? Investigate?”
“I usually like to have this little thing they call evidence.”
“Look, Smith’s gut—”
“If I have to hear about that She-wolf’s internal organs one more time ...”
“Check it out. Please.” When he only scratched his head and blew out a breath, Cella asked, “What? What is it?”
“I have a history with Baissier and it’s not exactly a big secret. At least, not among the bears. They might think I’m just trying to ruin her life.”
“You’re not?”
“No.” And she loved how appalled he looked at the mere suggestion that he might do something for revenge. So earnest this guy. “I just want her to stay away from me and I’ll stay away from her.”
Cella smirked. “You just tossed her boys out the fuckin’ door of the Group offices. Do you really think she’s going to stay away from you now?”
“How she handles her own shit is up to her. I’m talking about me. I mean, can’t the Group handle looking into this?”
“The Group?” Cella laughed. “You know how the Group handles really high-level shit like this? They give it to Dee-Ann and she starts killing people with her bowie knife ... that her own father gave her when she was ten. Trust me when I say, you do not want Dee-Ann Smith getting anywhere near Whitlan or Baissier.”
The bear briefly closed his eyes. “What about KZS?”
“KZS is made up of cats. In general, we’re a lazy species. So we don’t do what you’d call actual”—she made air quotes with her fingers—“ ‘investigations.’ ”