Looking over his shoulder, Shaw studied Ranger for a minute. “Wait out here. I’ll go inside and do a walk through.”
Stepping into the small house, Shaw looked around. He knew without during a thorough search that the place had been cleaned. A throw rug was missing—the hardwood floor gave it away since the three-foot square was darker than the rest of the flooring. A picture lay broken on the floor, the glass shattered. Kneeling down, he carefully picked it up and examined the couple. Two men—one was Paul—both smiling with their arms wrapped around each other. The frame was engraved.
Love always, Sloan.
Placing the picture back where he found it, Shaw stood up. He slowly walked through the rest of the house, scenting the air, trying to find any lingering hint of a shifter. The place was clean.
Their next stop would be to see Gideon Channing, the wolf pack Alpha of the territory. He wasn’t just the Alpha to wolves, though, the man was leader to any shifter in need of a safe place. Shaw didn’t know Gideon personally, but he’d heard good things, not just about the Alpha, but about the club the pack owned and ran called the Silver Bullet.
Leaving the house, Shaw closed the door behind him. Ranger was already in the car, sitting patiently, waiting for him. As Shaw strode to the car, Ranger looked expectantly at him while starting the car.
“Any extra clues?” Ranger asked as soon as he opened the car door.
“Nope, the place was cleaned very well.”
“The Castle?”
“Huh?” Shaw raised a brow.
“Our next destination.” Ranger smiled as if remembering something pleasant. “The Castle is what we call the pack home. You’ll see when we get there. It’s a beautiful plantation home about an hour away.”
* * * *
Ranger turned off the main road and started down the long gravel driveway.
Giant trees flanked both sides of the road, so large that they touched in an arch shape overhead, letting in little slivers of sunlight overhead. The place was beautiful. Looking around, Shaw was in awe at how large the property was. Everywhere he looked, the land was filled with lush greenery. When they passed the trees, a three-story, plantation-style white house came into view. It had thick columns and a wraparound porch.
“Wow,” he breathed out, and Ranger chuckled, nodding.
“I know. This place is absolutely gorgeous. Living in New York City, there aren’t many places to shift and run. Here, I could walk right outside and strip down on the porch.” Ranger pulled the car to a stop. He took a few deep breaths, looking anxious.
“Are you okay?” Shaw asked. “I know this must be really hard for you. Would you feel more comfortable waiting here while I talk to Gideon?”
“I wish I could, but I can’t hide every time I feel uncomfortable. Eventually, I’m going to have to see my pack again. I do appreciate the offer, though.” Shutting off the engine, Ranger stepped out of the car and shoved the keys in his pocket.
He stood by the car and wiped his hands down the front of his jeans.
When he looked calm and ready, Shaw climbed out of the car and followed the other man up the stairs to the front door. As he lifted his hand to knock, the door opened, revealing a big man standing a couple of inches taller than Shaw’s own six foot frame, although his shoulders were wider. He had a shaved head and a perfectly trimmed beard and mustache.
Inhaling, Shaw sized him up in a second. It was obvious the man was the Alpha.
Gideon smiled and stepped out onto the porch. “Ranger.” He pulled the man into a big bear hug. “It’s good to see you, man.”
“It’s good to see you as well, Alpha.” Ranger hugged the man back.
Dropping his arms, the Alpha stepped back and held out a hand, “Gideon Channing.”
Shaw took his hand, shaking it. “It’s nice to meet you, Alpha. I’m Shaw Iza.”
“What brings you to our neck of the woods?” he asked, but Shaw knew he wasn’t surprised by their visit.
“Paul Darren was found, murdered. The human authorities called us in to investigate. I need to meet with the members of your pack to identify the wolf responsible.” Shaw didn’t candy coat anything.
“What do you want us to do, Agent Shaw, line up and let you sniff us?” Gideon raised a brow.
The man wasn’t happy, and although Shaw understood, he was only doing his job. And he expected the Alpha to do what was necessary for him to complete that job.
“No need to line everyone up.” Shaw shook his head. “I just need to meet them.”
Taking a deep breath, Gideon tightened his jaw. The man looked like he’d rather punch Shaw in the face than invite him inside the pack home. Shaw stayed silent and respectful. He didn’t want a fight. Finally after a minute, Gideon hesitantly nodded and stepped back inside The Castle, holding the door open for him and Ranger.