Kissing Reno(Brac Village 3)(29)

Reno was trying to grapple with the ramifications of walking out of the door with Johnson. He knew the cop had an objective, but taking him outside, Reno hadn’t a clue why they were leaving the house.

He felt the displaced air behind him and knew Johnson was trying to strike him. Pivoting quickly, he saw the cop was trying to slam the butt of his gun down on Reno’s head. Instinct took over and Reno hit Johnson so hard in the face that he feared he had killed the guy. The cop slumped to the ground.

He stood there stunned, looking down at what he had just done. I hit a cop. Oh hell, I assaulted a police officer!

Reno took a shaky step back. No one knew the cop had been harassing him and Baker. It was going to be Johnson’s word against his. They were going to lock him up for this one. All Johnson had to say was he had come by to talk to Reno, making up some sort of excuse for the visit.

It was a cop’s word against a fireman’s. Reno already knew which one of them would win that debate. It was a no-brainer. Unsure of what to do, Reno ran into the house, grabbed his keys and helmet, then locked the back door. He scooted around Johnson and then took off for his motorcycle.

He had to get to Baker. If he took off and left his mate behind, he was leaving the human vulnerable. Reno wasn’t sure how receptive Baker was going to be once he told him what had taken place at his house, but he had to try.

Racing down the country road, Reno pushed his motorcycle to the limit. Baker lived next door to the police station. If Johnson woke and called the assault in, they would be at Baker’s in seconds.

Parking his hog behind the building to keep it out of sight, Reno hurried into the foyer and climbed the steps. He wasn’t sure how long Johnson would be laid out on his back lawn and knew his time was precious.

As Reno neared Baker’s door he knew he hadn’t much time. He knocked, waited, and then knocked again. When Baker didn’t answer, Reno swept the hallway with his eyes before trying the handle.

It was unlocked.

With quick steps Reno was inside the apartment, quietly closing the door behind him. He searched the one-bedroom and found it empty. Where was Baker? His mate could be doing something as innocent as shopping, taking in a movie, or out to dinner. Just because Reno’s life was falling apart didn’t mean Baker was in peril. At least not yet. He wasn’t sure where to start looking. Baker didn’t own a cell phone, and that left Reno with no way to contact his mate. This was the worst time for Baker to—Reno grew utterly still when a faint scent wafted toward him.

He headed into the kitchen, only to see the tiled floor, empty table, appliances neat and in order on the counter, and everything spick and span. Nothing was out of place. It was as he remembered it the evening he had come over for dinner.

But the scent was in here as well.

Reno went through the apartment again, having a clue to work with. He was grateful the scent was absent where his mate slept. The bedroom was clean, the bed made, but the odor wasn’t in the room.

When Reno stepped back into the living room, the owner of that niggling scent came to mind and he knew who had been here. His muscles grew rigid as his jaw tightened.

Johnson.

From the light scent, Reno knew that the cop had visited Baker before he had started stalking him. He was hours late. His eyes darted over to the white blinds covering the window and saw the color spectrum of red, pink, and orange cutting across the sky as the sun began to set. Just how long ago had he taken Baker, and where?

Johnson could have stashed Reno’s mate anywhere before coming after him. The cop was as evil as a poisonous snake, and Reno planned on cutting the damn serpent’s head off if he harmed Baker in any manner.

Knowing he was in way over his head, Reno only knew of one thing to do. He pulled the black cell phone from his pocket and dialed the one man he knew could help him.

“Maverick.”

“This is Reno Davis.” Reno gritted his teeth at having to ask anyone for help, but he knew he had to find Baker before Johnson sought his revenge. He wouldn’t put it past the man to use Baker against him.

“I know who you are,” Maverick said. “I know everyone in my town. What can I do for you?”

That was the million-dollar question.





Chapter Ten




Maverick hung up the phone and then settled back in his chair. From what Reno had just told him, there was more going on than the coyote was aware of. Maverick had his suspicions about what Officer Johnson was really up to.

Johnson was the same officer who had confronted him outside of the hospital when Randy was leaving with his mate Priest. He had given Maverick a hard time.

It seemed Kenyon Corporation was determined to find out anything they could about Brac Village, and now that Kenyon had his sights set on Reno, Maverick knew the head Vampire Hunter had discovered that shifters existed.