Electric Storm(83)

She looked north, the direction he’d been dragging himself, her eyes drawn to the scattered pieces of what remained of the other body. “If you can find his identity, you should be able to find out the name of his companion. My guess would be female. They pinned him, then forced him to watch as they tore her apart. Despite what they’d already done to him, he was trying to go back for her.”

Scotts bent closer, his warm breath doing little to thaw her soul. “How did they know you were on the case?”

“Out of all of this, that’s your question?” Raven pointedly locked gazes with half a dozen officers then raised a brow at Scotts, unable to keep the snarkyness out of her voice. “It’s not exactly a secret.”

“You’re off the case.” Scotts stood, stiff strides swiftly carrying him away from her.

“You can’t do that.” Raven bolted to her feet, struggling to calm the wild surge of emotions ricocheting through her skull.

Hostile energy poured off Scotts when he whirled, the power of it bombarding her defenses. “This is an official police investigation. If you stick your nose or any part of your body in my case, I’ll have you arrested.”

“What? Don’t you even want me to see the second body before treating me like the suspect?”

Scotts stalked back to her, stopping when he was in her face. “The killer knows you. He made this personal. That means you’re off the case. It’s protocol.”

“Bullshit. We both know it’s at your discretion. How does taking me off the case help?” Then something clicked, something so horrible she pulled away from him even as she thought it. “You’re not taking me off the case to help; you’re taking me off the case because you think I’m connected somehow.” Disbelief covered the well of pain that threatened to sink her. The truth glittered in his eyes, the way he flinched under her stare.

“Not you, but you’ve been hanging out with the wrong people. They–”

“You mean paranormals?” Disgust tightened her face. “When did you become so prejudiced?”

Scotts appeared tired all of the sudden, rubbing a hand down his face. “Your wolf, Jackson, has been asking questions.”

Her gaze flew to the two men on the other side of the police tape. Jackson straightened abruptly under her regard, but he didn’t turn away from the accusations. Damn him. “Fine.” She gritted her teeth, keeping her gaze on the traitor. “But you’re making the wrong decision. Whatever may or may not have been done was not brought on by my people.”

“Raven.”

She walked away, ignoring the rest of his speech. He didn’t want her on the team, fine, but she didn’t have to stay to be preached at either.

“Let’s go.” They wisely followed without a sound of protest as she marched toward the car. Pissed at being steamrolled out of the investigation, she wrenched opened the door. But instead of getting inside where her anger would fester in the metal cage, she rested her arms across the top. With her volatile state, she couldn’t risk being in the cramped space with two shifters.

She met Jackson’s shuttered gaze.

The bastard knew.

“You went against my orders. I told you not to interfere.”

Jackson lifted his chin, a mutinous look to his face. “Wolves investigate all shifter deaths.”

A growl worked its way up her throat. “Investigating is fine. My problem was you went to them against my orders. You had no right to involve them in my case.”

“We take care of our own.”

“Pack mentality. It’ll get you killed.”

“It keeps our people safe.”

“Tell that to the two people tortured and scattered over the ground.”

“That’s not fair.” Jackson puffed up his chest, growing a couple of inch as he straightened.

“Instead of telling me to my face, you let me discover your perfidy by someone I work with and dressed down for it in public. Now, not only are the killers issuing me their own challenge to the hunt, but your questions get me kicked off the case.”

“That was not my intent.” His jaw bunched as if forcing himself to speak. “Did you ever think the cops are playing you? Using you as bait?”

“These are cops. It’s illegal without my consent.”

“Unless they believe that you had something to do with it.”

She and Scotts had worked together for years. They were a team. Yet she couldn’t refute Jackson’s comment since the same thought had crossed her mind.

Regret darkened Jackson’s expression, surprising her with his sincerity, but he didn’t take anything back.